The South Bayview Bulldog

Woo Woo Halloween

In the retail world, you have to plan ahead. So it is that Candy’s Costume Shop at 685 Mt. Pleasant Rd. will be closed Monday, January 25, 2016 so the owners can attend the Halloween Party Expo in New Orleans. To get a peek at what’s in store for merchants take a look at the convention site  Could be fun. The bonus, if one were needed, is that Mardi Gras is in full swing through January right up to Fat Tuesday itself, February 9, 2016. For those who are curious about the nickname Big Easy acquired by New Orleans in recent years, it was popularized by the 1970 novel of the same name by James Conaway. Some say it has no basis at all and others concede that it may have existed in local slang  before Conaway turned it into an alternative for the City’s real name

To say that this video from the dash camera of an Oregon police car tells a cautionary tale hardly seem to say enough. His parents turned away for an instant and the police officer next saw their toddler running down the middle of a dark highway. Amazing.

Pasqua Amati

The East Toronto Syrian Refguee Hub was busy at mid-afternoon today with workers and residents of the area delivering many types of goods for use by Syrian refugee families in the area. Realtor Pasqua Amati, an important organizer, was present with her son, choosing things for refugees which she has sponsored. Amati told of how these newcomers were to attend a women’s hockey game today (Saturday, January 23, 2016). Ms. Amati found the space in which the Hub will reside for three months and arranged for Re/Max Hallmark Realty and the Danforth East Community Association’s Pop Up Shop Program to rent it for $6,000 for that period. The video below catches the flavour of the activity Saturday. Note the remarkable homemade cake. The Hub is located at 1803 Danforth in the short block between Bastedo and Roseheath Aves.

Cake an expression Canadian welcome

Simon Hanlon

McSorley’s Wonderful Saloon and Grill at 1544 Bayview Ave has been sold by owner Simon Hanlon to a successful operator of restaurants and bars in the City. As part of the purchase of both the business and the excellent real estate, Mr. Hanlon will remain with McSorley’s for the forseeable future, he confirmed today to The South Bayview Bulldog. “I’ve been here 25 years,” Hanlon mused as he discussed his plans. It seems clear that he will wish to take it easier in the years to come. McSorley’s is an institution in South Bayview. It’s unique and self-deprecating humour has created a welcoming quality for many patrons. The saucy motto Service, Quality, Price — Pick Any Two is among the most endearing of business slogans. Mr. Hanlon was still at it as he told of the sale. “I have to stay here to make sure they don’t get the standards too high,” he quipped. The new owners of McSorley’s are also owners of the successful Beach restaurant and bar The Green Eggplant at 2022 Queen Street East.

Police and ambulance personnel were summoned to the Scarborough Convention Centre on Torham Place late Friday evening. The TPS Operations call said there were several party goers injured or passed out drunk, and perhaps it wasn’t  clear which. One twitter smart aleck sent congratulations to the couple getting married there. A further tweet said that “many have had too much to drink..for those wondering it is a large wedding.”  Police said a number of ambulances were called. Torham Place is north of Finch Ave off of Finchdene Square.

A 2-2 tie was the outcome Friday night at Preston Memorial Arena in Cambridge as Leaside Wildcats met the Cambridge Rivulettes. Leaside slipped a ranking to fifth in the 20-team Provincial Women’s Hockey League after tonight’s play. Tomorrow, Leaside meets the Bluewater Hawks in Strathroy. PWHL summary of the game is here.

Lynda Potts has posted a heads up about the 75th anniversary of Leaside High School which she hopes will rock the community in 2020. Yes, the friendly old building at 200 Hanna Rd. was built in 1945. Leaside was booming and there was a baby boom coming. Lynda says there is a “small amount of money in the reunion fund” to get things started. But much more will be needed if alumni want a bang up reunion. She asks that everyone including undergrads and their families step up to the plate for the 75th reunion. We hope so too Lynda.

Bob Conway

A service for Toronto lawyer John Robert (Bob) Conway was held Thursday at St. Anselm’s Roman Catholic Church on MacNaughton Road. Mr Conway died January 18, 2016, at Sunnybrook Hospital after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.  He was 68. Bob Conway was well known for his prosecutorial work at the Law Society of Upper Canada and for the Ontario Government.  He was a committed athlete and had completed the Boston and New York Marathons. His obituary recalls that he was an avid skier and frequent wintertime visitor to the slopes of Colorado. He taught skiing to children with disabilities through the Track 3 program as a volunteer over many years. Bob’s other passions included automobiles and photography. He leaves wife Galina and her sons Alexi and Alex Kuznetsov, his brothers Tom (Reine), Gerry (Diane), nephews and nieces Danelle, Jason, Scott, Sarah, Kerry and many friends.

Cricket pie

It may or may not be the way to get a leg up on Whole Foods, but Summerhill Market has decided to stock insects. The owner of Summerhill, at Summerhill Ave. near Glen Road, has told the CBC that the long-time fine food retailer to the rich is now offering BBQ, Moroccan-spiced and honey mustard flavoured insects ($1.69 per two-gram pack) to get ahead of the current trend. What trend? Anyway, Christy McMullen notes that insects are eaten all over the world, even though there is no discernible demand in Toronto for this type of food. However, because such notions as sustainability are fashionable with consumers, and eating bugs meets that demand, Summerhill is taking a chance. “They’re low in fat, high in iron, high in calcium [and] they come with nine essential amino acids,” said McMullen.  Some of the items the store sells: mealworm protein balls, chocolate covered crickets and cricket pie. To make the key lime pie, cooks make cricket flour, and it’s topped with chocolate-covered crickets. “With the pie, you wouldn’t even notice, the bugs are all ground up,” said McMullen. All the insects, including salt-and-pepper seasoned mealworms ($1.69 per two-gram pack) and organic cricket flour ($15.99 per 113-gram bag), are from Entomo Farms in Ontario.