April Showers bring May/June Flowers & Walks

April showers bring May flowers... and May/June 2012 are  two months jam-packed with celebrations! Wait till we get into July... it will be 19 fun years since I launched A Taste of the World Walks! Wow! Time sure flies by quickly when you're having loads of fun on Foodies, Literary Detective or Ghost walks. Meanwhile, here's a peek at May and June....

"Walk and be happy. Walk and be healthy." 

- Charles Dickens 

May 1st or May Day is Paranormal Week 

- Your chances of Otherworldly contacts are much anticipated around this period the few days before/after May 1st and the Halloween week... Remember to bring along your digital cameras, as you might end up with your bonus a.k.a. a paranormal sighting that you can post on our Facebook Page  and/or yours!  We've put together a pretty cool program... All ghost walks start at 6:30PM sharp (Check-in by 6:20PM), and ends around 9:00PMish (pending on questions, amount of sharing personal paranormal sightings, walking pace).

Haunted Yorkville, U of T & Queen's Park Walk -TUES MAY 1st, 2012
Phantoms, Players & Pundits Walk - WED MAY 2nd
Haunted Kensington, Chinatown & The Grange Walk - THURS MAY 3rd 2012

and the ghost walks continue on in late May into June for a sizzling time...

Haunted Yorkville, U of T & Queen's Park Walk - TUES MAY 29, JUNE 12, 19
Phantoms, Players & Pundits Walk - WED JUNE 27
Haunted Kensington, Chinatown & The Grange Walk - THURS MAY 31,  JUNE 21, 28
Ghosts, Greasepaint & Gallows Walk - FRI JUNE 22, 29


200th Birthday & 170th Anniversary of Dickens' Toronto visit 

2012 marks several "firsts" for us.  For the first time, we will be conducting In The Footsteps of Charles Dickens: Toronto 1842 tour three days in a row, thus marking the duration of his actual visit. It will be the first time a tour took place on May 4th and in the evening tour. We are honoured to be able to mark the actual day and time his arrived in Toronto on May 4th at 6:30PM! That special walk literally kicks-off 3 days of exploring Victorian Toronto before he sailed off for Kingston, Ontario.

The Most Amazing Gift

What is the greatest Mother's Day or Father's Day gift? Sharing laughter, love and time - all intangible gifts.  Remember, we... All of us... Are a "Time-Limited Offer"... Yes, time (aside health) is a precious thing to cherish.  Over the years, it's been an honour hosting the Second Chinatown Foodies Walk or Lost First Chinatown Foodies Walk on Mother's/Father's Day or even Kensington Foodies Roots Walk (Mother's/Father's Day weekend ;-). I'd get folks who might have attended the very same foodie tour a short while ago, but then returns with their favourite loved ones to share a memorable, intimate and nostalgic foodie event. The foodie experience of hosted dim sum complete with review of chopsticks/tea pouring etiquettes, and reading the Year of the Dragon Chinese horoscope book is a lovely way to ease into a relaxing Sunday morning. The tour of the Asian grocery store is another highlight as folks come away with their list of shopping items and queries taken care of. The grand finale of tea with traditional/contemporary Chinese pastries and history of Toronto's Chinatowns simply wraps-up a beautiful Sunday!

 Foodies Tours to Consider for that Special Someone...

Second Chinatown Foodies Walks
Sundays May 13, 20, 27th, June 10*, 24*, 2012 10:00AM-1:30 PM

Lost First Chinatown Foodie Walk
Sunday June 17*, 2012 10:00AM-1:30 PM

Tours designated with (*) indicates preparations for the tasty Dragon Boat Festival & tasting of the sticky rice dumplings made just for that occasion

Kensington Foodies Roots Walk
Saturday June 2, 16, 30, 2012  9:30 AM - 1:00 PM


Celebrate Asian Heritage Month in May 2012!

Have you picked up the beautiful Program Guide & Reading List booklet? If you haven't yet, then dash to the nearest Toronto Public Library and get yourself a copy. They are celebrating city-wide Pan-Asian Culture and the 10th year of Asian Heritage Month in Canada. By the way, if you turn to page 3 of their booklet, you'll see my special event, A Taste of the Dragon Boat Festival with Shirley Lum hosted by Lillian H. Smith branch. Come out and join the fun! More details and how to register at 2012 Speaking Engagements.  Book your spot(s) now to avoid being disappointed, as space is limited to ensure quality hands-on workshop. Register with the Lillian H Smith Library at (416) 393-7746


Calling all Lucy Maud Montgomery Fans!

Love Canadian author, Lucy Maud Montgomery? I got hooked after reading her popular book, Anne of Green Gables when I was twelve years old. I even took along my touring bike and a few gal pals on a  pilgrimage to her birthplace, Prince Edward Island (PEI)!  Imagine my excitement when I discovered Ontario connections with her!  It's not well promoted fact that she lived the final seven years of her life in Swansea Village, a beautiful west end neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario.  Join us along the Swansea and LM Montgomery Walk as we all don our Literary Detective caps and follow in her footsteps using clues from old maps, letters, journals, and best of all, excerpts from her novel, Jane of Lantern Hill. Book your spots (and the pre-ordered snacks) now as space is limited.

 Swansea and LM Montgomery Walk
Saturdays May 26, June 30, 2012  3:00-5:30 PM

"The town (Toronto) is well adapted for wholesome exercise at all seasons..." 

- Charles Dickens 

American Notes, Wednesday 4th May 1842