Happy 145th Canada Day!

It's July 1st, 2012! It is ... Canada's 145th birthday!  Happy Canada Day folks!

What sweet irony this moment is for me... I am wrapping up this Canada Day post to dash off for a glimpse of the 11th annual National Congress of Chinese Canadians Parade and Toronto Pride Parade... Meanwhile, my adoring husband is steam ironing his own shirts! I would stop my writing, and step in every so often to help out...

There's something about the hot steam spewing out of the new iron that transports me right back to  Elizabeth Street circa 1930s when over 300 Chinese hand laundries existed in the vicinity... and I'm talking about the stretch from behind the New City Hall up to Dundas Street W... this little unassuming and quiet side street is one of my favourite nook and crannies along my Lost First Chinatown Foodies Walk (formerly known as Toronto' First and Second Chinatowns Walk)... out spills the Chinese hand laundry stories I usually share with guests, be they long time Toronto residents, new comers or visitors.  This Foodies Walk traces where the seeds of Toronto's first Chinatown were planted back in 1878, uprooted and  transplanted north and west to the present-day and thriving Chinatown. This current site in the Spadina/Dundas axis is more of a reality for most folks, meanwhile the old Chinatown quarters of the very first Chinatown is fast slipping away with new shops moving in, and office tower and condominiums going up.

What's hard to grasp - all of the folks who resided and worked in hand laundries were men from the Canton province, a lush agricultural southern region of China. Any who survived working on the hazardous Rockies segment of Canadian Pacific National Railway. Yes, our first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald's National Dream of uniting all the provinces from coast to coast brought many of those men to Canada, and the rest as they say is history! These brave men made their ways to Toronto to join a family member who started up one of those labour intensive businesses. It's hard to believe that the hushed street of present day was bustling as the customers drop off or pick-up starched laundries: the judges, lawyers, nurses and housewives!

Thank you! Do-jeh! Thank you! Merci!  

Happy Canada Day from a technically fourth generation Canadian-Chinese! 

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

It's Paranormal Activity Week in Toronto!

May Pole at one of Toronto's best-kept secret:
Toronto Music Garden 

The spring flowers are poking out of the ground... The robins are out and about chirping their little hearts out... It's spring time and there's a sense of renewed energy in the air! I don't know about you, but I'm excited about shedding my heavy winter coat and donning my colourful spring trench coat. I'm ready to venture out for my ghost walk series and feel my skin kissed by the warm spring sun and then be embraced by the cool breeze as the sun sets. Ghost walk series over late April-early May, you might ask with an arched eyebrow? You're probably scratching your head and wondering if we're already in the month of October and I'm hosting our very popular Halloween Week ghost walks... or you're wondering if that crazy tour guide is going to have you dancing around the May pole in the Toronto Music Garden. 


Well here's a little tidbit from Wikipedia  - In Irish mythology, the beginning of the summer season started at Beltane (May 1st). Great bonfires would mark a time of purification and transition, heralding in the season in the hope of a good harvest later in the year, and were accompanied with ritual acts to protect the people from any harm by Otherworldly spirits, such as the Aos Sí. Like the festival of Samhain, Beltane was also a time when the Otherworld was seen as particularly close at hand.


The days just before and after May 1st would be a fabulous time for paranormal sightings! Ah hah! Now when you revisit our website at A Taste of the World, you'll understand why I dole out that crucial tip to bring along your digital cameras on any of the four eerie ghost walks! Yes, since year 2000 my guides, guests and myself have seen some interesting "things" through the viewfinder of digital cameras. As a matter of fact, I have relished sharing actual encounters along my tours over the last 12 years... hence you will hear many of the spine-chilling tales not told by others in the business... yes, things that have happened to guests while on our tours or while on duty at work! I swear that we seem to have many "paranormal" Oprah moments as Torontonians share their personal experiences and they end up saying "Ah hah"! 


Meanwhile, time is ticking away... May 1st will soon be upon us and then it will slip away.... Have a peek at the schedule below and book your spots and the pre-ordered treats to avoid being disappointed, as space is limited to ensure a nightly quality tour! Call the office (416) 923-6813 or e-mail info@torontowalksbikes.com now! 

Greetings at beginning of
Phantoms, Players & Pundits Walk

 Date & Time                                 2012 May 1st period Ghost Walk Tour  
           
Thurs. April 27th 6:30-9:00 PM   Haunted Kensington, Chinatown & Grange
Fri. April 28th 6:30-9:00 PM       Ghosts, Greasepaint & Gallows Walk              
Tues. May 1st 6:30-9:00 PM      Haunted Yorkville, U of T & Queen's Park     
Wed. May 2nd 6:30-9:00 PM      Phantoms, Players & Pundits                       
Thurs. May 3rd 6:30-9:00 PM     Haunted Kensington, Chinatown & Grange    

Eye-catching vaudeville theatre details on
Ghosts, Greasepaint & Gallows Walk

See you at one of these fantastic ghost walks! Don't forget to bring along your digital cameras so you'll have your "bonus" to post and share at our Facebook page! 

March Break 2012: Learn with Your Whole Family!

Einstein or Scarecrow Brain Cupcakes?

How will you learn with your family during March Break 2012? Shhh... Here's a little secret we're letting you in on -  we get guests who attend a foodie or ghost walk at other times of the year, and then return with their whole family for March Break or any other holidays. By "whole family", I'm referring to their own parents plus their children, all in tow, for good old-fashioned quality tri-generational time-out filled with equal portion of food, food for thought, fun and a wee bit of physical activity called gentle walking that meets Dr. Oz's approval.

Here's something to mull over: learning happens in everything we do. If you decide to stay home half of March Break Week, learning still happens in everything we do. Yup. Whether you team up to sort laundry, draft a grocery list, or discover a new route to grandma, you are learning together. You could also learn with your family on interactive, theme walking tours... Imagine the fun and challenge in learning Dim Sum chopsticks and tea pouring etiquette for grandparents and the kids along one of our Second Chinatown Foodie Walks;  learning to read a Toronto map circa 1842 on the hunt for clues that would lead us to sites connected with Charles Dickens along In The Footsteps of Charles Dickens: Toronto 1842 Walk; discover how to research a haunted site for one of the four ghost walks.  Learning together, whether it's tri-generational or bi-generational, is a memorable, experiential and fun journey for all. Don't forget to bring along your digital cameras (and spare batteries!).  Have a glance at which repertoire of walks will tickle your family's fancy...

***  March Break 2012 Schedule  ***

Foodies Walks for the budding Culinary Historians/Food Professionals - 


 * Kensington Foodies Roots Walk *
       Saturday March 17, 24, 2012  9:30 AM-1:00 PM
        Meeting Place: Red Pole with Black Cat, 350 Spadina Ave/St Andrew St
        Spots available:  11

 * Second Chinatown Foodie Walk *
        Sunday March 11, 18, 25, 2012 10:00 AM- 1:30 PM
        Meeting Place: Lucky Moose Statue, 393 Dundas St W/Beverley
        Spots available:  11


Literary Detective Walks  for the Da Vinci Code crowd - 


 * In The Footsteps of Charles Dickens: 
     Toronto 1842
        Saturday March 10, 2012 3:00-5:30 PM
        Meeting Place: St. Lawrence Market,
                                middle door 93 Front St E
        Spots available:  12

 * Swansea & LM Montgomery Walk
        Saturday March 24, 2012  3:00-5:30 PM
        Meeting Place: Runneymede Stn,
                               Runneymede exit by phone  booths
        Spots available:  12


Ghost Walks for the Ghost Busters/Vampire Vanquishers - 


 * Haunted Yorkville, U of T & Queen's Park Walk *
        Tuesdays March 13, 20, 2012 6:30-9:00 PM
        Meeting Place:  ROM's front steps between 2 marble lions
        Spots available:  12

 * Phantoms, Players & Pundits Walk *
        Wednesday March 14, 21, 2012 6:30-9:00PM
        Meeting Place:  Old City Hall, front steps
        Spots available:  12

* Haunted Kensington, Chinatown & The Grange Walk *
        Thursday March 15, 22, 2012  6:30-9:00 PM
        Meeting Place: Red Pole with Black Cat, 350 Spadina Ave/St Andrew St.
        Spots available:  12

 * Ghosts, Greasepaint & Gallows Walk *
        Friday March 16, 23, 2012 6:30-9:00 PM
        Meeting Place: St. Lawrence Market, middle door 93 Front St E.
        Spots available:  12

What are you waiting for?  

Space is limited to ensure that participants enjoy an intimate, 

interactive learning experience. 

Book now to avoid being disappointed!

Give us a shout at (416) 923-6813 or 

send us an e-mail booking at info@torontowalksbikes.com

We look forward to a fantastic March Break journey with you and your loved ones!

The True Story Behind Charles Dickens' Visit to Toronto May 4-6th, 1842...

Charles Dickens age 30
portrait by Francis Alexander

 
 
His impression of Toronto upon arrival:

 
 
"The country round this town being very flat,
 is bare of scenic interest; 
but the town itself is full of life and motion, 
bustle, business and improvement." 
- American Notes, 1842
Tick-tock-tick-tock... Tuesday February 7th, 2012 is fast-approaching... the literary world is in a tizzy as it will be Charles John Huffam Dickens' bicentenary birthday! 

Imagine the amount of excitement in 1841 when the British author, Charles Dickens announced that he will tour most of the major cities of United States and Canada in 1842. The news traveled sans help from social media marketing like Facebook, Twitter, or e-mails.  One of my favourite musings along the theme walks involves an old childhood TV show. What if we could jump into Doctor Who's Time Machine, go back in time to 1842, to accompany Dickens on his visit of the four Canadian cities recorded in his travel book,   American Notes  -   Halifax,  Niagara Falls,     Toronto,  Kingston and Montreal!   In my prior post,    Charles Dickens lands on Canadian Soil   First, I mentioned how Halifax, Nova Scotia had the honour of being the real beginning of his     North American tour on January 20th, 1842, and not Boston as many academics allude to.    The Nova Scotia Archives have been posting the province's historical connections one tweet on       Twitter. 

Would Charles Dickens be amused or bemused with England being so abuzz with his bicenten-    ary birthday. If you happen to be in London, you can pay homage to Charles Dickens at the     Museum of London's special Dickens and London exhibit which explores the author links to the English capital (now until June 10th, 2012).   You could also drop into the   Charles Dickens  Museum which holds the world's most important Dickens collections.   If you feel inclined to    walk in his footsteps on a Friday afternoon, there's the Charles Dickens' London walking tour    with one of the best and oldest company, Original London Walks. If you venture to Portsmouth, his birthplace, you'll find there's even the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum. 

What about Toronto?   Well, this Literary Detective and guide is excited about sharing one of    Toronto's best kept secrets as in 2012 while participating in not one, but two celebrations!  First we're going to celebrate on Saturday February 4th, in advance of the actual date for his 200th     birthday 2012. I will personally conduct the In the Footsteps of Charles Dickens: Toronto 1842 Walk.  I will read excerpts from my auto- graphed copy of his book, American Notes.   This rare  copy I bought from an antiquarian shop in Ottawa (none to be found in Toronto), has been autographed by his  great-great grandson,  Gerald  Charles  Dickens  when he came to  perform    A   Christmas Carol in Toronto in 2000. By the way, 2000 was the auspicious year when I launched this fabulous Literary Detective walk! 

The second celebration will be the 170th anniversary of his Toronto visit that took place May 4-6th 1842. For the first time in 12 years, I will run a tour about the time he arrived! (see Schedule below) Here's food for thoughts - we will have some juicy discussions about the real purpose or reasons behind his visit to Toronto. 

Charles Dickens told no one - except his publishers Chapman & Hall - the real purpose behind    his 6-month visit to North America in 1842 from  Portsmouth,  England on the Britannia  accompanied by his wife,  Catharine,  her maid Anne Brown,  and his secretary,  George  Washington   Putnam (read his account of the 1842 American visit: Four Months with Charles Dickens,   an   article he wrote for Atlantic Monthly in October 1870, shortly after Dickens'  death).  You can     find out the real reasons when you attend one of our   In  the  Footsteps  of  Charles  Dickens:   Toronto 1842 Walks...

2012 In The Footsteps of Dickens: Toronto 1842 Schedule at a Glance:



* Sat. February 4th, 2012  3:00-5:30 PM ** Early birthday walk **
* Sat. March 10th, 2012  3:00-5:30 PM   ** March Break** 
* Sat. April 14th, 2012  3:00-5:30 PM
** Fri. May 4th  6:30 - 9:00 PM * Marking arrival in Toronto same time *
** Sat. May 5th, 2012  3:00-5:30 PM * 170th anniversary walk * 
** Sun. May 6th 3:00-5:30 PM * 170th anniversary of actual visit & departure from Toronto *
* Sat. June 9th, 2012 **commemorate death June 9th, 1870** 

* Sat. July 7th, 2012 3:00-5:30 PM
* Sat. August 4th, 2012  3:00-5:30 PM
* Sat. September 1st , 2012 3:00-5:30 PM


Clues to a site he visited while in Toronto! 








* Question to mull over, on your way to one of these special walks with us... *


If we could use Doctor Who's Time Machine to bring Charles Dickens, 
as honourary guest along In The Footsteps of Charles Dickens: Toronto 1842 walks, 
what would Dickens think of his second visit of Toronto in 2012, 
and what would he participate in? 














Guess who he met at the dinner party hosted in his honour?








"Walk and be happy. Walk and be healthy." 
~ Charles Dickens (b. February 7, 1812 - d. June 9, 1870)