Flower Moon - May (1) 2026

What better way to celebrate the flower moon than to view the cherry trees blossoming in High Park? Afterward Rob and I went for ramen at Musoshin to pretend we were back in Kyoto.

 

Share * Inform * Inspire

I am now a certified (certifiable?) Toronto Master Gardener, having fulfilled the course and volunteer requirements. Alex, Penny and Rob came to the ceremony at Toronto Botanical Gardens in June, and then we all went out for dinner after to celebrate. A wonderful evening. 

As part of volunteering with TMG this past month, I have continued to manage educational outreach with the Toronto Public Library but I also worked a couple of 'Ask a Toronto Master Gardener' shifts and offered advice at the Leaside Garden tour. Quid pro quo for staffing the tour was being able to peek into the backyards on offer.  

Over thirty ago I joined the East York Garden Club, and when returned to speak as a panelist in late May, it made me realize how much I have learned over the years, and how much more there is to discover!  Questions from members were provided in advance, and as I was researching the answers I learned new things about pruning fruit trees, transplanting lilies and dividing dahlias. 

In June, I also went to several pop-up tours which were offered by EYGC members. Someone organized a special afternoon where eight of us could all visit each other's gardens together, sequentially, to see what was growing. Many of these gardeners have provided revelations for me in years gone by and continue to inspire. I was delighted to be asked to participate and also somewhat intimidated because my own garden was included and so many of the others are truly spectacular. Bonus: I picked up some plants along the way.

I love these local tours because they give me a chance to explore 'the art of the possible,' that is, what grows in the area, micro climates, and seeing what can be accomplished in gardens of various sizes and budgets. There is also the welcome surprise of certain plant combinations and designs. So much incredible diversity and each garden really does reflect the gardener.

Out and About

I Love Toronto! 

Such a vibrant city for theatre, live music, author talks. This November/December I seem to be greedy. Well, maybe just hungry after the long lapse of Covid isolation. It's good to be out and about, and most of these events have been almost full capacity, which is much needed for the concert halls and theatres.

I'm still wearing a mask to these events, probably about 1/3 of the audience are joining me.  

December

• Red Velvet, Crows Nest Theatre / December 10
• Kronos Quartet, Koerner Hall / December 8
• Wintersong, Laila Biali & Jane Bunnett & Emilie-Claire Barlow, Koerner Hall / Dec 3
• Mushrooming, TBG Author Talk / Dec 1

November

• Soweto Gospel Choir, Koerner Hall / Nov 26
• Little Dickens, Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes /Nov 24
• Toronto Symphony Orchestra ("Pathetique" - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky; visiting conductor Dalia Stasevska) / Nov 23
• Heliconian Author Talk: Fayne/Anne Marie MacDonald /Nov 22
• Second City Comedy Improv, Danforth Hall / Nov 17
• Choir Boy, Bluma Apel Theatre /Nov 10
• Ravine Recreate, TBG /Nov 9
• Meow Meow, Koerner Hall /Nov 4

Amaro and Bar Revel

On a recent trip to Bar Ravel, Cynar and Grapefruit were listed as a Highball combination. 

Curious, I asked about it and the bartender mentioned it was distilled with artichokes. Really?? I also wanted something that didn't have as high an alcohol content as the cocktail I'd just finished. 16.5% alcohol? Sold.

 I ordered that, and Rob had a Compari and soda. Both were so refreshing!

The bartender remarked both were amaros. I made a note so I could look it up later.

Amaro is a herbal liqueur whose name in Italian means 'bitter.' According to A Bar Above, it is made from infusing a base alcohol (grape brandy, neutral spirits, or wine) with a proprietary blend of herbs, roots, flowers, and spices. The concoction is aged in casks or bottles for various amounts of time, and the finished product can be anywhere from 16-40% alcohol by volume. Its origins reach back to ancient Rome, where food and nobles would imbibe herb-infused wine for its restorative properties. In the middle ages, monks swapped wine for alcohol; by the 1800s, amaro was being sold in pharmacies and hawked by peddlers as a health tonic across Italy.

Reading up on amari/amaros in The Drunken Botanist, I learned there is a particular gene allele that makes some people highly sensitive to bitter tastes, while others can't even detect it unless it's at high concentrations. This might explain why some people love Italian bitters and others can't stand them. Actually, I'm not sure whether I love the taste, or just the idea of Italian bitters... recipes guarded by families for centuries, herbal concoctions, lower concentrations of alcohol, cool labels and posters. 

I recently picked up Fernet-Branca as an ingredient for making the Toronto cocktail, intrigued by the description of 27 herbs, roots and spices; with licorice a predominant note. Definitely a distinctive taste.

So I have a collection of amari now on the shelf, ready for a tasting: Fernet Branca (licorice); Cynar (artichoke); Compari (oranges, rhubarb, ginseng); Aperol (rhubarb, bitter orange).

To try: a negroni with cynar used instead of compari.

****

Bar Revel was quite the field trip!

I started with a Norman Foster (Bowmore and Ballantyne scotch, Raval Amaro, garnished with banana); Rob had a Magic City (Manzanillo Sherry, Wray and Nephew Rum, raspberry, lemon and absinthe).

The drinks menu provided plenty of inspiration for future Friday night cocktails to try at home. While it was quite the treat to watch a pro at work behind the bar, with all the special syrups and taps, it's a little too expensive to partake on a regular basis. Our 35th anniversary was the perfect excuse!

Festive garnishes and fancy treats like freshly toasted Marcona Almonds, marinated olives and Jamon Serrano helped make the experience memorable. Maybe something to add to the Friday night ritual?

Norman Foster

Magic City

Master Gardener in Training

I was accepted into the Toronto Master Gardener program, so now am a Master Gardener in training!

I am thrilled to play a part in inspiring home gardeners all across our wonderful city. 

Tending even a small patch of green can do wonders for the environment, for neighbourhoods, and for the gardeners themselves.

As an avid home gardener since 1990, I’ve developed a keen appreciation for native plants, while cultivating a haven for birds and pollinators in my front and back garden.

Being a longstanding member of the Toronto Botanical Gardens, I’m a frequent visitor and enjoy attending presentations, listening to speakers, and learning about horticulture.

I’ve been writing and blogging about my garden (and other topics) since 2008, including some of the gardens I’ve visited on my travels.

When I retire I will have the time and energy to devote to the cause.

I'll also need to upgrade my knowledge of horticulture. I chose the University of Guelph courses and have already signed up for the first of three required online courses: Soils and Plant Growth.

Exotic beauties

Earth is thawing and spring is working its wonders. Out walking in a park, I spotted a bog filled with tiny exotic beauties. They looked like pitcher plants at first, but on closer inspection, and with the help of google image look up, we were able to identify them as skunk cabbage. I was sorely tempted to dig one up and take it home, but luckily didn't have a trowel with me. My backyard isn't boggy enough, and I think one specimen would be lonely all on it's own. What a little miracle of a plant - when the ground is still frozen, it gives off enough heat to melt its way through. How fantastic is that?

skunk cabbage

skunk cabbage bog

Toronto Botanical Gardens was bursting into flower. Tulips and daffodils and magnolia buds, and tender pink flowers on viburnum.

Viburnum at Toronto Botanical Gardens

When the scilla were coming up in our own backyard, Rob and I went to check out the spot in Rosedale Valley where they've naturalized into a corner of blue. Years previous, we have anticipated their brief appearance and dramatic hue on our morning commute. This year it became the destination rather than a drive-by.

Scilla at the Rosedale corner

Cruising - Home Again

First time in all these years we've stopped at Whitby Yacht Club. Nice floating docks! Spacious. I was surprised to see the club was established in 1966, two decades before BPYC. A lovely beach.

For dinner, we walked to a nearby pub and it was eerie how quiet these suburban streets were.

Whitby Yacht Club

The next day, we sailed past Bluffers and on to Toronto Island and Queen City Yacht club for some island time. Another first - we got a slip right at the very foot of the Club House. Just a hop out and a few steps to the restaurant, washrooms and Snug. All the amenities close at hand, and not as bumpy as I thought. Lots of sandbags still, and cat walks, and the sump pump pumping. There was a Tshirt for sale - QCYC Flood of 2017 - many members were taking sharpies and updating the year.

A full day to hang out. Riding our bikes, exploring Ward's. Fun on Centre Island - Rob bought us some tickets for the log plume ride, the Haunted House, and the Sky Ride. The beach! And no cooking on the boat whatsoever, taking meals at the QCYC Dining room, Riviera, or Island Cafe.  

Such a stunning view.

QCYC - view from the restaurant patio - notice the sandbags!

QCYC

A fabulous sail home on August 20; still some holidays left!

Whitby Saturday night August 17
QCYC Sunday night August 18 and 19

Doors Open 2017

So many sites to see at Toronto Doors Open this year. I love the opportunity to explore inside spaces you normally can't visit and learn more about the city and its history.

It was once a major jail in Toronto, but now the 152-year-old facility serves as a hospital administration building. The site of so many public executions, it's no wonder the Don Jail is the host to so many ghosts. The imprint of the gallows on the wall is testament to the public hangings, and the last execution in Canada. Although I've been meaning to visit for many years, this year's Open Doors finally brought me inside. All the walls are painted white and windows let in lots of light, but it's not so hard to imagine this place dark, dingy, and crawling with rats and cockroaches.

The Arts and Letters Club was on my list because we tried to gain entry a previous year, but they weren't 'open.' So, of course it made it all the more tantalizing!  The club's address has been 14 Elm since 1920, with past members including the Group of Seven, Frederick Banting, and Robertson Davies. A welcoming space! Although women weren't allowed until the mid-seventies, they now outnumber men. I''m tempted to join myself, and may drop in to the bar some night after work to find out more.


There were two highlights at the Masonic Temple for me. The first was the snooker table Mick Jagger had built on site when he stayed there four months in the 70's. The thing was too massive to fit through the door, so lives there still. The other highlight was a section of floor, with the masonic star and tiles of white and black - symbols of the Great Architect and the struggle against good and evil. I've been to a few concerts here, and always enjoyed the vibe, but didn't realize there was so much more here on the upper levels. The current inhabitant, a tech company opened it up for the day. Murals from previous tenants Much Music and CTV still colour the walls.


My niece Emma was baptised at St John's Church Norway, also known as St. John the Baptist Norway Anglican Church, but I haven't been back siince. We drive by the stately Kingston Road landmark frequently. Perched high on a hill, it becomes a metaphor for the humble to approach a state of grace as they climb upward. Beautiful stained glass windows on the interior, and lots of pale wood. Lovely to just sit and breathe.

We weren't really planning on stopping, but as we were driving by we noticed the Door's Open sign at Scarborough Arts. A walk was in progress, but just coming to an end; unfortunately we'd missed the tour of Birchcliffe murals. Rob started chatting to one of the artists. Berg turned out to be the original painter of the rainbow bridge - a much loved landmark in the Don Valley. He painted it as a memorial to a homeless person. He's done many of the murals in the area, some commissioned like the one on Iki Sushi, and others done simply for the cost of paint.


Fool's Paradise was the home of artist Doris McCarthy. If I were an artist I would apply to become an artist in residence, a privilege granted 4 times each year through the Heritage Trust. An inspiring view at the top of the Scarborough Bluffs, there was nothing here when Doris bought her acres in the wilderness. Over time, she built it to suit herself - including small proportions for her 4'10" frame. She built a pond to reflect the changing sky and placed it outside her windows for constant view.



I visit the grounds of the R.C. Water Filtration Plant several times a year but have never been inside. What an impressive structure! Marble, steel and built to last. Functional, but with art deco flourishes. A few water fountains were placed throughout, and I couldn't pass without taking a drink of the fresh, cool water. There were also photos of R.C. Harris, I'd always pictured a bookish character, but there he was, all big and burly. His physical size must have been an asset as he pushed his projects through from idea to completion. A man with vision and insistence on investing in infrastructure for the future, I wish he could influence some at City Hall today.

Friday night

Yesterday I left work and dropped by both the ROM and AGO before heading over to the Rex for a set, and then enjoyed a cocktail at Note Bene.

What a great way to end the first work week of the year.

I was determined take in some more colour therapy before Chihuly left town, so after work bussed down the street to the museum. This was my fourth visit to the Persian Ceiling, where I took advantage of the beanbags on the floor to lie down and look up for a full twenty minutes, trying to absorb the brilliant hues.

Persian Ceiling

I had a half hour to kill before meeting up with friends at the Rex, so decided to drop into the AGO for a quick peek at the Mystical Landscapes. My 6th time to this exhibit. Each time, I I gaze at the Van Gogh's and Carr's and Jansonn's and find that something new catches my eye, and I wonder how I could possibly have missed it before.

Then on to the Rex Hotel. When I walked in to the crowded room there were no seats anywhere, but there were some friendly faces from BPYC at a table right next to the door. Ross and Cheryl pointed me to Rob standing by the bar. Our timing was perfect as the set was just ending, so we ended up snagging the entire table, right at the front. Our party of 6 was able to join Ross and Cheryl for the best seats in the house!

The band was the Jive Bombers: 6 horns up front with bass, drums and piano behind, accompanied by a female singer with a big, growly voice. Great tunes.

Liz, Darcy, Barb, Colin, Rob and I then went next door to Note Bene. Aviator gin made a nice martini, with hints of lavender and cardamon. Perfect way to end the night.

I love Toronto!

Summertime!

I ended my week-long staycation with a weekend on the Island.

July 15, Rob and I dropped anchor for the first time of the season. Better late than never! Then Saturday night at Queen City Yacht club.

The Island was busy, with the Festival of India, a Comicon meet-up, family picnics and summer parties. During the day there were smiles everywhere, and the city sparkled at night. Such diversity - of ethnicities, languages, ages, cultures, styles of dress. Sikh men in colourful turbans seated at a picnic table next to a crowd of girls dressed in anime costumes and next to that Trinidadians dancing. Hare Krishnas handing out food and Baptists singing by the shore. A happy place where everyone seemed to be celebrating summer.

Next weekend we will be off on a three week sailing tour of lake Ontario, so I was making notes on things that should come on and off the boat for our get-away. Can't wait!

Grated honeydew melon with lichee liqueur. Delicious!

Yorkville Eats

Yorkville has a lot of great restaurants, and heading to the Heliconian Literary Lecture series this past season put me in the neighbourhood at least once a month.  Usually I don’t go out to fine restaurants, preferring gatherings with fellow foodies at home. Extravagant meals, cocktails, and fine wines are more affordable when you prepare them yourself. But a  rave review about a tiny Yorkville bistro with big flavours and a huge heart really enticed me.

I made reservations at Chabrol for Kaarina and I before the next Heliconian lecture, and ordered the lentils alongside artisanal cheeses. Since we didn’t finish with enough time to savour dessert, we made reservations to return just a few hours later to try the tarte aux pommes, made to order with Calvados sabayon, with ultralight layers of pastry that “turn glossy and buttery-golden and the apple slices darken to tart, caramel bliss.” It lived up to its reputation!

... best seats in the house at Buca

I also wanted to try Buca, which had long been on my list, and we visited the next time we were in the neighbourhood. When the maître d’ greeted us I explained we were only there for cocktails and small plates, and he seated us with the best view in the house – perched on stools peering over a marble counter and into the working kitchen. Lots of staff dressed in gleaming white, glinting stainless surfaces, and exotic ingredients being prepped and plated. What a mouth-watering experience!  I also sampled cured fish and gnocco fritto, which I’d never tasted before. The cured fish was a trio of colours, textures and tastes to be enjoyed mindfully. The gnocco fritto is Italian street food, tasty buns coloured with squid ink that turned our smiles black.

Gnocco Fritto

Next time it  was Mark McKewan’s ONE Restaurant in Hazelton Hotel. Fantastic ambience and great service. After that, the patio at the yoo-who café Sassafraz to people-watch with Kaarina and Shelley while we shared grilled cheese and charcuterie. 

By ordering appetizers and small plates, we were able to experience some great restaurants without breaking the bank. Scheduling the visits before the lectures was also good, because we had to head out at a certain time so couldn’t linger in the restaurants. Although I admit, I did top up the meals with Heliconian cheese and crackers.

I might not attempt making calvados sabayon or gnocco fritto at home, but I did leave with some take-aways:

• I don't need to wait for company to plate 3 or 4 small 1 oz. portions of artisanal cheeses for an evening treat (Chabrol)
• Pizza Burrata: thinly rolled pizza dough, preserved tomato, burrata cheese, basil, and fine olive oil (Buca)
• Grill mushrooms by getting cast iron as hot as possible, then finish with either balsamic or good quality olive oil (ONE)
• Gin cocktail with rhubarb club (Sassafras)

Doors Open

We hopped around some downtown spots this past weekend, exploring Toronto during Doors Open. This year the annual festival provided rare access to 130 buildings across the city. We made it to about seven.

Green roof at City Hall

We managed a tour of the Steamwhistle Brewery (free samples) and rested our feet in the cool of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. 

City Hall is usually open to visitors, but once a year opens the Observation Deck. I didn’t even realize it had one! Great view of the surrounding territory from the 27^th floor. We also checked out the Green Roof and Council Chambers.

Rescued Griffin

Across the road at Old City Hall, we admired Griffin that were sold for scrap and then rediscovered in an auction house in 1987. They have been returned to their 1899 sentry positions. The old court rooms, wrought iron, and tiled floors were familiar as I had walked these halls before.  

We wandered through Osgood Hall’s courts, library and restaurant.  The Benchers Quarters were open to view and the current Secretary was greeting visitors in Convocation Hall. 

Banking Hall in Commerce Court

We admired the Art Moderne of the Old Stock Exchange and Charles Comfort’s murals. We have a William Kurelek print showing the bustle of the brokers on a light trading day in the 1970’s.  The building opened for business in 1938, when Canada was still feeling the effects of the Great Depression. 

The cornerstone for the Canadian Bank of Commerce was laid just at the beginning of the Great Depression - just two days after the stock market crash of October 29, 1929. Construction proceeded over the next two years, costing $8M. It remained the tallest building in the Dominion until 1962. The coffered ceilings in the Banking Hall are still spectacular.

Who knew we had an elephant sculpture in Toronto? Tembo, mother of elephants, now parades in the outdoor courtyard, on loan from the Odette Foundation. It was such a surprise to see her there, with her light-footed step and two baby elephants following close behind.

Tembo, mother of elephants