Ralph Thornton Community Centre (RTCC) is home to so many vibrant community organizations…read more It values inclusion, respect, equity, social justice, collaboration, partnership, capacity building and community building. I recently had the chance to visit RTCC during an open house and holiday gathering. RTCC is owned by the city and it is a space where residents, community members, owners of small businesses and community groups gather together to promote the spirit of the season. It is also a historic Post Office building that shares space with Toronto Public Library and the South Riverdale Child Parent Centre.

I made my 1st visit here for a Beer Talk & Tasting Event 2 days ago; I had signed up for the Event…read morewith a Social Group I'm a Member of and I came with 3 friends. The Event was on the 2nd floor of the Centre in a fairly spacious and inviting room which seemed quite appropriate for the occasion. The Event featured a talk about the craft beers being offered by 2 very local Breweries for about 30 minutes, then the balance of the Event was a Q&A session followed by the opportunity to sample the 5 beers on offer as well as indulge in a light snack. The location of the Centre was quite convenient, being not too far east of the Queen/Broadview intersection. The venue obviously features a wide variety of Events overall which helps to both service and showcase the quaint Riverdale community.

Loved visiting on a Thursday evening for the farmers market, live music, and most of all the…read moretraditional Persian Cuisine BBQ! The food was the highlight of our visit and it was so good we went back for seconds. And we weren't alone as more than one guest came back for another helping. Fantastic food, you MUST try the chicken breast kabob served with traditional Persian rice and garden salad! We also loved the corn and Afghan breakfast veggie pie. For a soothing evening filled with sweet music and delicious food, visit the Toronto Botanical Garden.

Came here on a Saturday afternoon and had lots of parking available. It is paid where you can pay…read moreat the meter or online. Tip: if you don't want to pay for the service fee online just pay at the meter with coins or card. Nice park and well maintained. Decent size and lot of greenery to just sit and relax. Did see some people bring stuff for a picnic or even take engagement photos! Even has a cafe with some drinks/ snacks (ice cream) Definitely check it out!

TLDR - Highly recommended to come with family. Even if you are adults, just come because this park…read moreis too cool to miss. We came to ride the vintage streetcars to see the fall colors. There were 4 streetcars. They ran in a circle to other areas of the park. The volunteers refurbished them to good repairs condition. Kudos to top results! Even though we came for the rail rides, we were blown away by the museum. So many ancient ones including some from early 1900's, the years around World War One. We were allowed to walk through some of the streetcars. I was glad to see an (old) advertisement to sell a detached house for CDN$69k near Toronto waterfront. LOL. This park is full of delights and treasures not easily found in the urban city of Toronto. A bit of a drive but you will be well rewarded.

If you have kids who are into trains, this is the place to go. You get to ride different streetcars…read morethrough the forest, get ice cream from inside a streetcar (kiddie scoop is only $2.25), and see frogs in the pond. The annual membership is worth it if you live in the area or plan to visit more than a few times. The volunteers are passionate about the streetcars, and are a wealth of knowledge. Lots of space and picnic tables. Lots of parking available. The trains leave every half hour, and they run rain or shine. Only time they will stop the trains is if there is lightning/thunderstorms because it is too dangerous.

It's an old Buddhist temple turned into an event space…read more That alone should tell you how cool it is. There are several rooms here, the centerpiece is the great hall... a wonderfully large room with a stage that's outstanding for theater troupes, lectures or large meetings. With it's massive space, interesting acoustics and good sight-lines, there's also the obvious... you could throw a killer party in here. There are other rooms on the main floor. It's a surprisingly good floor-plan for both separation of space and ease of use. Downstairs there are several breakout rooms, classrooms and a giant kitchen. The rumour is that the actual piano that Oscar Petersen learned on in Montreal is sitting detuned in the back of the main stage. Avant-garde groups in the city have been onto this place for a year. It's been rented for everything from conferences and showcases to math-groups and chess clubs. They'll work with you to arrange liquor permits, and are incredibly cool to partner with.

Super cool venue space that I had the privilege of visiting again last night when Great Lakes…read moreBrewery hosted their celebratory party for being Canada's top brewery of the year for a second year in a row (2013-2014). Located just a hop, skip or a stumble away from the Bathurst Subway station, an in an area with more than adequate street parking (within certain hours), 918 is a hidden event venue gem that you actually might mistake as a church - and you'd be right one bc this little beauty used to be a Buddhist temple! The aesthetic is a tad dated in some spots but you can tell they're working hard at modernizing the place more and more while retaining the original charm of the venue. The secondary room and basement are brand new, while the entrance way and the main "ball room" look more original. What I love about this spot? It's the perfect raw space, and you could literally plan anything from a wedding, gala, or trade show to even a concert or speaking engagement here. It's got that look that's the right fit for just about anything - just need to use your imagination!

I was recently here for a conference. Oops, didn't get a chance to take too many pics but the venue…read moreis great, so central right outside College station. Depending where you're coming from it was actually quicker for me to subway than to drive all the way there. Space was perfect for number of people in the event. Staff was friendly and helpful there too. There's always someone by the elevator to direct traffic. The place is lovely, modern with a historic feel. The women's washroom had ton of stalls minimizing any wait to the washroom.

The Carlu is a really nice venue with classic Art Deco style, lots of character, and a great setup…read morefor events. The Round Room also looks amazing. It has that old school elegance without feeling outdated. The Carlu is very spacious so it would be perfect for events. Overall, a solid venue if you want an event location that is upscale for different type of corporations.

We came here to visit with family. The space is pretty clean and modern. Staff were friendly and…read morehelpful. We went on the outdoor tour and got to visit several historical buildings including a blacksmith, printing press, homes, and general store. Everything was interesting to get to see. Inside the main museum space, they were holding a "everyday superheroes" theme with different stations like firefighters, ambulance, hospital/vet, police, store, farm. There was also a dress up area. On the top level, there were keva bricks to build whatever you can imagine. Tons and tons of keva bricks. Price: Not too expensive to visit, can spend a few hours here easily.

Cute museum with a lot of local history!…read more While visiting Toronto I decided to take a look at the nearby museums and the Markham Museum came up in my searches! There is a lot of local history shown off and the back of the museum has a time capsule of the town. This certainly isn't a normal art installation, but it's great if you want to learn more about the town.

I have a lot of fond memories of the Canadian National Exhibition. I used to go every year since I…read morewas born. I'm not kidding, there's a picture of my mom holding me at the tender age of one in front of the ferris wheel! I've been every year for more than twenty years but it's hard to keep up tradition as you grow older. I feel like there's something for everyone. An abundance of fun (but somewhat campy) rides and midway games for kids and adults. The swing that goes through the park is enjoyable to see the view of the whole park from up high. There's also a ton of shows, events and shopping. And of course, the zany carnival food. I've had things from alligator jerky, chocolate fried chicken, thanksgiving style waffles, poutine dumplings, biscoff fried chicken, labubu cheese curds, and more. One thing I ALWAYS get is Tiny Tim donuts. It just feels like a classic CNE item for me. I especially enjoy visiting during their craft beer festival and food truck festival. It has gotten a lot more expensive over the years but you can find discounts easily online.

This year, I came to the CNE with more intention, checked the show schedule, and caught a few…read morehighlights: Super Dogs, the ice skating performance, Mythos, and a dance performance on the international stage at the Enercare Centre, so much to see! We spent a good amount of time in the Enercare building, scoring deals at Liquidation Nation (massage gun, Adidas golf pants, Chinese New Year decor) and Terry's right across from it (portable earphones and back massager). We also tried the escape room-style game inside the Enercare centre, where you unlock multiple boxes with different puzzles. It's free with no timer limit, though we needed a small hint near the end. Food-wise, we mostly skipped the main food building but grabbed a brisket sandwich from Black Camel to bring to our show. It's becoming a tradition, and it's delicious! We also tried some food trucks near the Princes' Gates: the Overload butter chicken sandwiched between samosa from Rick's and KFC from another truck, both fantastic. Not gimmicky at all. Deep-fried birria outside the Enercare building was another winner. The deep-fried pizza from Pizza Pizza? Not that great, just taste like fried cheesy bread with no toppings and don't expect a cheese pull, a bit disappointing for a puzzle lover like my husband. Overall, a fun day at the Ex! We also picked up two butter tarts from Carla's at the Arts, Crafts, and Hobbies building as a take home treat for later. Definitely something for everyone, despite the expensive food prices.

Super cute venue for weddings! I went here on the weekend for a friend's wedding and we all adored…read morethe place! It's simple but elegant. I love the massive floor to ceiling windows - great spot for a photo-op/drinking and people watching. They have paintings by various Toronto artists for your viewing if you're tired of mingling The drinks/bartenders - not sure if they were provided by twist gallery or by the bride/groom but I was a bit disappointed. One of their specials were mojitos and they literally ran out just after reception/cocktail hrs which was only 1.5-2 hrs

I visited Twist Gallery, purely as an art enthusiast, and on a random Wednesday afternoon, after…read morehappening upon some information online about the current exhibition. Visiting private art galleries can sometimes be intimidating when you are in no position to purchase. Browsing oftentimes feels intrusive. This was not the case at Twist Gallery. In addition to exhibiting art the large space can be booked for events. It is easy to see how the venue can be transformed by bringing in furniture and accessories for a variety of purposes. An interesting space that is charming without being formal. I was greeted and encouraged to take my time with the art which I greatly appreciated. It was a very nice showcase of locally based Toronto talent. Twist Gallery will definitely remain on my radar for art and as an event space to recommend to friends and associates. I am so pleased that the gallery has survived the pandemic.