Don Mills: Rediscovering the Suburban Dream

Vintage Photo of the Brand Spankin’ New Don Valley Parkway

Jane — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:33:12 +0000

Decor at the Core – An Article on Decorating Your Mid Century Home

Jane — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:45:19 +0000

This just came into my inbox today in the Eichler newsletter… it’s a great article full of good tips an inspiration for decorating your mid-century modern home using both old and new elements. Well worth a read (and it’s worth signing up for their newsletter too).

Sunny Food Mart Just Blew My Mind!

Jane — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:21:57 +0000

Why oh why did it take me so long to discover the joys of Sunny Food Mart? I just got back from an impromptu shopping trip (shopping for entertainment, mostly) and I can safely say I will be going back! Not only is it crazy cheap, but the fruit and vegetable section is OFF THE HOOK. If it grows somewhere on planet Earth… chances are, they sell it. Pomelos, giant aloe spikes, indian cucumbers, kumquats, thai basil, curry leaves, enoki mushrooms, manzano bananas, and about 4563 various other things I have never seen before. I even picked up some fresh poblano peppers to make Chile Rellenos tonight. Anyway, that’s the scoop on my new favourite veggie store, Sunny Food Mart. And no, they didn’t pay me to say this!

In hindsight I should have take a picture of something more exciting than a stack of onions… but at least you get a sense of the scale of the place. Which, I almost forgot to add…. is located in the back of the Flemingdon Park plaza (right where my secret favourite long-lost and lamented thrift store used to be).

Canada’s First Outdoor Urban Village?

Jane — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:11:54 +0000

I hate to be one of those people who get all nitpicky about accuracy and grammar, but wouldn’t the phrase ‘Outdoor Urban Village’ apply to any town that’s not encased in a futuristic bubble dome? And the first such village in Canada… wouldn’t that have been someplace like, oh, St John’s Newfoundland, five hundred years ago?

Now if the sign read ‘Canada’s First Outdoor Urban Village In Which One Can Purchase a Michael Kors Handbag While Wearing High Heels and Eating Gelato and Pondering Purchasing Caviar or perhaps some Imported Cheese’… then maybe.

No, wait… Yorkville has that one hands down.

Wait, wait… I have it – ‘Urban Village’ is in title caps, and the rest of the sign is not – maybe it’s not a typo – maybe they have trademarked the name Urban Village, thereby guaranteeing themselves first-ness?

Or Perhaps Random Title caps Is The New hotness.

A Mid Century Modern House For Sale in Don Mills

Jane — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:49:29 +0000

House prices in the ‘hood seem to be going up, up, and up… whoever thought I would look at a house for 850,000 and say ‘hmm, that’s reasonable’. In any case, this one‘s a beaut – and has been pretty nicely renovated in an updated mid century style. Hopefully higher prices mean less tear-downs in Don Mills… but only time will tell. We’ve already lost most of the mid century homes west of Leslie to the wrecking ball – but the Donalda area seems to have been left reasonably intact. For now. Remember, friends don’t let friends buy McMansions! Just say no to stucco! Columns are for newspapers! I could go on with the corny slogans all day… thankyou, thankyou, try the veal…

Amazing Door-O-Vision: Try Out New Doors For Your Mid Century Home

Jane — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:22:07 +0000

Crestview Doors has an awesome gadget on their website that lets you try out a variety of mid century modern door styles and colours using a front-on photo of your own home. They are based in Austin, Texas so it may not be as easy to get their doors here in Canada as it is in the US. But at least you can play with their Door-O-Vision toy to get inspired. Your mid century home wants a mid century door!

Salmon are Spawning in the Don River!

Jane — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:45:31 +0000

Or at least… they’re trying to. Last weekend down in the Charles Sauriol Conservation Area I was amazed to see salmon up to a metre long flailing around in the shallows of the Don. A little research upon returning home let me know that these Chinook Salmon are stocked by the Ministry of Natural Resources for sport fishing in Lake Ontario… and they swim up the Don after a few years to reproduce. Unfortunately, according to the Ministry, they are never successful at reproducing. Are they shooting blanks? Is the Don just too inhospitable to their caviar deposits? But, perhaps its better this way. We all know what happens in B-movies when aquatic species come in contact with strange chemicals. They turn into mutant, flesh eating zombie salmon! Ready to terrorize the sleeping citizens of Don Mills!

Probably The Only Garfield-Themed Dumpster In Canada

Jane — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:25:41 +0000

… if not the world! Every time I walk by this dumpster behind one of the apartments on the Donway East, I have to smile. Clearly someone did this for the simple reason that they though Garfield was pretty awesome, and they felt like making their dumpster more awesomer. In other words, for no real ‘reason’ at all. And sometimes, no reason, is the best reason. All hail anonymous Garfield-Dumpster-Painting-Guy!

Vintage Toronto Suburbs Pics from BlogTO

Jane — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:57:04 +0000

Some sweet sweet Don Mills action here! Definitely worth the click. Great pics of Scarborough and Flemingdon Park too.

Donway Disgrace: Can We Please Ditch the Interlocking Brick?

Jane — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:40:35 +0000

Plant turnips there for all I care. Pave it with pancakes. Build a Donway monorail along it. Whatever. But for the love of all that is good and right in the world, can we PLEASE get rid of the interlocking brick lining the Donway East? The only person who could possibly find this weed incubator attractive is the dudes who got the lucrative contract to put it there in the first place. If you were going for Italianate Trailer Park Chic, boys, you nailed it.

I know there are bigger problems in the world to solve, but as far as Don Mills eyesores, this one is up there on my list.