A new art studio that offers art classes for both adults & kids, workshops, and events. It is owned…read moreby Rae Wright (also a children's author) and not only is she present, but she is very caring and attentive to the participants. We came here for the drop in open studio with my 1 1/2 yo & 3 1/2 yo. They both had lots of fun exploring, and were adequately entertained. The space is large and well equipped, and we look froward to coming back again!

This review describes my experience visiting the Co-operative Education area of the Co-op and…read moreCareer Centre building at Wilfred Laurier University. The building is located at King Street North and Lodge Street. I was here with my manager to interview students for the summer work term. It was our first time at Laurier. As a visitor, I had to apply for a temporary parking pass online. It's allows me to park at any white or gold permit parking lot. The catch at this building is that there a small parking lot when you pull in from Lodge Street. If you get there before 8:30 am, you can nab a spot, which happened to us. However, you get there later, you need to park further away. The Co-operating Education area is on the second floor. We walked up the stairs. I don't know if there is an elevator in this building, but I didn't see one. The building is bright and pleasing to the eye. We were greeted immediately by a staff member and shown to a boardroom where we were to conduct our interviews. We were assigned a co-ordinator, who made sure that the candidates were led to a room to do a test. After the allotted test time was up, my manager would take the candidate over to the boardroom next door and have us conduct the interview. The test room and boardroom were next to each other. I loved that arrangement. What stands out is how hospitable everyone was. We got the tour of the floor and where we should be. Scott, our co-ordinator, made sure that we were taken care of. He got my manager tea and hot water. I had brought in a massive, free venti iced cinnamon cloud macchiato from Starbucks before I hit the road. I was caffeinated and good. Our interviews were seamless and everything worked well. The boardroom accommodated our laptop needs. Wifi was available. However, there is a timeout after roughly an hour, which is a pain to enter all login credentials again. I had a great experience here. I can finally say that I have stepped foot on the campus of Wilfred Laurier University. (118)

The rumors are true, Laurier is an amazing school! Those who bleed purple and gold know what I'm…read moretalking about, but for an outsiders perspective, I recommend you check it out. When a school is confined to a one block radius, a tight family feel is just the beginning of your experience. The people are friendly, and the profs actually get to know you since class sizes can range from 12-200. The food on campus is a little bleh. Since they got rid of Spring Rolls in the Food Court the options are a little slim, but after pulling an all nighter, anything edible pretty much gets the job done. Washrooms! For some weird reason compared to other schools, Laurier has A LOT of washrooms. And by that I mean if you walk into the Schlegel building, there are 5 washrooms within a 30 second walk in different directions. All clean and well kept. Study Space can be an issue though, especially for group projects. Try booking out library rooms a week in advance to get the space you need! Otherwise you'll be peaking in every classroom in desperate need of study space. The gym is also pretty solid. A newly renovated building with 4 dance studios, a gym, a pool, and 2 floors of cardio and weight equipment. Heads up, there's a washroom on the second floor! Lesson learned after I ran up and down 4 stories in the middle of dance class just to find a washroom right beside the studio I was in! Overall, worth checking out. Small schools aren't for everyone, but check it out to decide for yourself.

Studio West is one of the best studios I've been to so far! Don't let the location through you off!…read moreOnce you get inside, you'll be working with many talented pro artists with a friendly personality. Studio West has many workshops and weekly courses. Varies between digital media, traditional, and life drawing and painting! I go weekly to life drawing/painting sessions where there's a nude model, and proper lighting. The space is big enough to fit 10 people I'd say. There's even free coffee and light snacks! Whether you're a hobbyist or a pro artist, I highly recommend it as an artist myself.

From the owner: Affordable arts education bases in Toronto offered by professionals in the industry.read more

When I am on vacation or am travelling, I try my best to visit a museum. I typically come to…read moreWaterloo either on business or to shop. I frankly don't know much about the history of the area. Since Canada Day landed on a Sunday this year, a lot of businesses were closed on Monday. However, Waterloo Region Museum broke out of this mode and was open. Perfect! This museum is in Kitchener. You can't miss the museum's colourful exterior and pleasing scenic view as you pull into the parking lot. I parked under a tree to provide some much needed shade for my car and walked in. Admission is $11 plus tax. The woman at the desk was kind to show me where everything was with the help of the map in the program guide. I walked over to the museum area and was greeted by an older gentleman. Everyone I talked to seemed so surprised that it was my first time at the museum for some reason. I looked like a complete tourist, armed with my digital SLR camera in hand. The man recommended that I go outside and explore Doon Heritage Village first. It has been hot outside these days and I showed up early, so the heat wasn't as bad as it could be. I spent nearly two hours exploring each building in the village and understanding how Mennonites lived in 1914. You see everything from the post office to the meat market. There are staff dressed up in clothing back in the day providing good information. There is also a farm with chickens, horses, and more. After I was done, I walked back into the Waterloo Region Museum. I looked like I had done an intense workout. I was sweating buckets, mainly because it was so hot and humid outside. I needed a towel and a shower! I sat down in the theatre to cool off and learn more about the lives of folks living in Kitchener (formerly Berlin) back in 1914. It was fascinating that I watched the whole slide show a second time before venturing into the exhibits at Waterloo Region Museum. The museum houses information and artifacts about the region, including a hall of fame on the second floor. You learn about the history of local industries, such as Schniders and Kuntz, with the latter becoming Carling and then Labatt's. I also learned about Abraham Erb, a Mennonite who settled in Waterloo from Pennsylvania, who is known to have founded Waterloo. The hotel that I am staying at is sitting on the street named after him. I loved my time here. I spent roughly 3.5 hours soaking up all the exhibits. I had a great time despite sweating so much. (250)

If ever traveling to Waterloo or Kitchner, this museum is a great place to visit. The first floor…read moreincludes the history of the area and the reasons why Europeans immigrated to the region, including great testimonials from people of various countries. There is a large collection of historic artifacts displayed documenting the community's heritage. The second floor displays Canada's Hall of Fame heroes, from military to government to sports figures; it is quite informative and impressive! Outside, behind the museum, one is thrust into the era of 1914, with a steam engine, historic buildings, and artifacts, including workers in period costume. Each worker has knowledge of the respective building. There is even a historic farmhouse that belonged to a Mennonite family. Out back there are chickens and a pig. Toward the front of the house are beautiful horses. It is well worth the time to visit this museum.