How many ways to celebrate Fall in Toronto? Part I

Shhhh! Don't tell anyone ... Toronto, lives up to its First Nation name, the Meeting Place in the Fall season!  I don't know about you, but there's something soothing about that crisp autumn breeze after the intensely HOT, HOT, HOT summer... meanwhile the days get darker sooner everyday... I always find the months of September and October come hand-in-hand with rich full sensory experiences thanks to multicultural Fall Bounty celebrated all over town -  Farm Harvest Tables, farmers' markets, the kaleidoscope of Fall foliage, and the various festivals and holidays. 

So how many ways can we celebrate the Fall season in Toronto? Well... I am kicking off with something totally new for me...  it's different from what I normally do while conducting one of my cool  Foodies, Literary Detective or Ghost Walks as I'm kinda staying in one spot... Hint it takes place at a hot Pan Asian food event hosted by Harbourfront Centre! 

Fortune Cooking Festival: Street Food Demo 

Sunday September 16th Noon - 1:00pm

 Join yours truly - Culinary Historian, Shirley Lum of A Taste of the World, at her unique Street Food Demonstration at Harbourfront Centre's Fortune Cooking Festival .  Explore Pan Asian street food and Toronto's multicultural bounty! Always wondered what to do with Bean Curd skin? If you're looking for healthy, yet tasty and easy snack and lunch ideas then come on down to Harbourfront Centre for this FREE demonstration! 

If you've been along one of the Second Chinatown Foodies Walks, you've been shown the dried ruffle-edged Cloud Ear Fungus at the Chinese herbal shop. At the grocery store, you might have had a chance to handle the the stringy Chinese Long Beans and the Silk Squash which comes in many names: Chinese Okra or Angled Luffa or Silk Squash or Taiwanese Okra. 

Cloud Ear Fungus

Now you have the golden opportunity to watch me pull together these ingredients at a live cooking demonstration, and of course, the best part is sampling Shirley's delicious cooking! You're bound to love this delicious but healthy dish so much, that you can't wait to get home to try the recipe handout. By the way, I heard the weather forecast is going to be fantastic, so it will be a great way to get another shot of vitamin D by the lake before it's flu season!  Anyway, drop by Harbourfront Centre and come by to say, "Hello"! 

If you're wondering about the other ways to celebrate Fall Season in Toronto for the rest of September and the month of October...  stay tuned on Monday for the multicultural Fall Bounty Food Walks, the Fall Colours Literary Detective Walks and Ghost Walks. Can't wait?  Like us on our Facebook page to get updates! 

How Many Ways to "Goof Off" for the Summer?

Can you feel it? Summer is here!!!  Yipeee! For some folks, summer officially starts with Summer Solstice... For those still in school, the last day of school was the marker... The marker for me seems to kick-off with the Canada Day/July 1st long weekend... meanwhile a few days later, our American neighbours celebrate the American 4th of July holiday. It's summer vacation time right up until Labour Day (Canada) or Labor Day (USA).

Happy Canada Day weekend if you're one of my Canadian readers! Happy Fourth of July, if you're my American readers!  It's "Goof-Off Time" whether you call it vacation or you decide to stay put and dub it  a "staycation". Oh wait, did I hear you mutter something like you're NOT taking time off?

Here's a question (from Alan Kearns of CareerJoy, one of my favourite career consultants) I am sharing with you to savour: why are you NOT taking a vacation/staycation? Yes, I can already hear all of your reasons; "I am busy, who will do my job, I will have too much work to do when I get back, I just want to complete this project", and so on, and so on... I am hoping this will give you some food for thought. If you are truly a dedicated employee, then TAKE your vacation. You, your family, and your employer will benefit.  To get you going, here are our own juicy events and more between July to Labour Day...

Foodies Friday Series Returns 10am-1:30pm

When's the last time you block off just a day (that happens to be a Friday ;-) as your "Goof-Off" Day? Well, a few years ago, some of you requested for private food walks on a series of Fridays... As you're aware, often we have interesting food for thought discussions. We discovered that some of our local folks merely wanted to avoid the weekend crowd and the long line-ups while shopping. At the same time, many expressed an eagerness to peel back the layers of culinary history in a given area while tasting new and familiar items. Meanwhile, there's an increasing crave for a balance between healthy and decadent tastings and cooking ideas. Well, the Foodies Friday Series is back July/August 2012 as it was well received in summer 2011 by locals treating themselves to "Goof-Off Fridays" as we all get a chance to catch a glimpse of the market gearing up for the weekend madness. If you're visitors leaving Toronto by Saturday morning, we were thinking of you too! 
Check-out A Taste of the World's Tour Descriptions and watch for A Taste of the World's tweets on Twitter as we announce the new twists on these special Fridays. Do  book your spots right away to avoid being disappointed as space is limited to ensure quality tour experience.

   Kensington Foodies Roots: Summer Bounty  July 13th, August 10th, 17th SOLD OUT, 31st, 2012
   Second Chinatown Foodies  July 27th, August 3rd, 24th, 2012


Saturday Foodies Walks   9:30-1:00pm

There's something exciting about getting to the market as early as possible and tasting the bounty, be it multicultural harvest or not... We are thrilled to announce that the Broadview Gateway: 4 Cultures tour will be held on Saturday mornings instead of Sunday because there's a new exciting farmer's market we thought had to be included so we can all support the local farmers and of course, the best part, savour the local produce! Again, we highly recommend booking via email or call(416) 923-6813 sooner than later to avoid being disappointed! 
    Kensington Foodies Roots   July 7, 28, August 4, 25, September 1st, 2012
    Broadview Gateway: 4 Cultures   July 14, August 11, 2012
    Foodies Gaslight Stroll: Rosedale & Yorkville Village   July 21, 18, 2012


Sunday Foodies Walks   10:00am-1:30pm

There's something about the quiet calm air of Sunday morning... hence, we like to "ease" into a Sunday morning, and traditionally starts any of our Sunday Foodies with Check-in time 9:50AMish ... You'll get your excitement as the day progresses... Need the Tour Descriptions? Both of these tours include hosted dim sum. The difference you might wonder? The Lost First Chinatown Foodies Walk's finale is hosted "Low-wah Kew" dim sum a.k.a. Old Timers' dim sum ordered by your hostess/culinary historian, Shirley Lum (taking into account food allergies and/or dietary restrictions). There is aways much food for thought as we pour through the latest Chinese horoscope book for insights into the Year of the Dragon, a year of opportunities! 

  Second Chinatown Foodies Walk  July 8, 22, August 2nd, 19th, September 2nd, 2012

  Lost First Chinatown Foodies Walk  July 15, 29 August 12th, 26th, 2012

Toronto Summer Ghost Walks  6:30-9:00pm

You know you're on one of the eeriest ghost walks when your tour guide uses this kicker at the beginning of a ghost walk, "Is Toronto, the Meeting Place for the Living... OR the Dead?" and then wraps up the ghost walk with a chant to bring closure and everyone is stunned silent... Each ghost walk includes a stop into an eatery of some sort, of course, giving us a "reason" to go for some local treats, public restrooms, and paranormal sightings (not all in that order).

  Haunted Yorkville, U of T & Queen's Park   Tues. July 3, 10, 17, 24,  August 7, 14, 21, 2012
  Phantoms, Players & Pundits    Wed. July 4, 11, 18, 25, August 8, 15, 22, 29, 2012
  Haunted Kensington, Chinatown & Grange   Thurs. July 5, 19, 26, August 9, 16, 23, 30, 2012
  Ghosts, Greasepaint & Gallows   Fri. July 13, 27, August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 2012

Calling All Literary Detectives Saturdays 3:00-5:30 pm!

Have a bit of Nancy Drew in you or perhaps you've fancy yourself in Da Vinci's Code following a trail of clues that leads you to the next clue? Well, you're in luck whether you're a Charles Dickens fan as 2012 happens to be special thanks to 200th bicentenary celebrations and 170th anniversary of his actual visit of Toronto. 

In the Footsteps of Charles Dickens: Toronto 1842  July 7th, August 4th,  September 1st, 2012

Now you're probably wondering about Canadian literary scene and if you happen to be a big fan of either children's book, Anne of Green Gables or Jane of Lantern Hill, you can follow in the footsteps of this famous Canadian author, LM Montgomery as we trace sites connected with her over the last seven years of her life in Swansea Village, in the west end of Toronto! Make it this summer to explore this neighbourhood. Bring cameras! 
   Swansea & LM Montgomery   July 28th, August 25th, 2012 

If There's One Thing You Have to Explore in Toronto this week...

Need some more inspiring ideas to go off-the-beaten-path in Toronto? Just to get us started... May I suggest supporting local theatre whether you're a local exploring a new neighbourhood or a visitor exploring Toronto. Lucky for you, July 4th-15th, 2012 is the 24th Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival where 155 shows were "picked out of hat" and "this is art without a filter, and that is bubbling up from every corner of Toronto" ! Yes, you just might be rubbing shoulders with me at any corner of T.O. at one of these awesome theatrical productions! 

Stay tuned for more ideas as I'm going to launch once a week on Tuesdays over the summer of 2012... Those who follows my tweets on Twitter on Tuesdays, will be familiar with the Hashtag: #TravelTuesday. Travel could include staycation and vacation ideas that are within a skip or a hop from one of A Taste of the World's Walks. Oh, and feel free to jump right in, add a comment or two about your own nook and crannies you'd share with friends! 

Week of Tuesday August 28th:

DREAMLAND; TEXTILES AND THE CANADIAN LANDSCAPE at the Textile Museum of Canada (55 Centre; S of Dundas St W) now to September 30th, 2012
Adult $15  SR $10  ST $6  Wednesday 5-8 pm PWYC 
Unlike countries like India, Iran or Japan, Canada does not immediately jump to mind when we think "rich textile traditions". Most definite, you'll thank this museum's curators for deepening your appreciation of Canada's woven, hooked and sewn heritage as they juxtapose the work of 10 contemporary Canadian artists with Canadian clothing and domestic textiles from the collection. Look out for Michael Snow's video of billowing cabin curtains and Barbara Todd's quilt and prints based on beach pebbles; both works give you a taste of  Canadian summer.  Enjoy before it's the end of summer!

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!