COBS gingerbread scone debuts on Bayview

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Whenever COBS comes up with another of its insanely delicious new creations, we remember that this Australian bread giant chose South Bayview for its very first store in Ontario. What can we say except that perhaps we are worth it. This all comes to mind as COBS hands out free samples of its new gingerbread scone. We just went to Cobs on Bayview for a loaf of bread. Now we’re hooked on this delicate confection at least until the next COBS original goes into free giveaway. Seriously, they’re worth buying with real money. Oh Lord, look at that icing

Big Movember skate at Air Canada Centre

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There’s a big skating opportunity tomorrow morning at Air  Canada Centre as Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and Movember Canada invites the public onto tjhe big ice between  9 a.m. and 11 a.m. for a MOpen Skate in benefit of Movember.  Those attending will be able to skate during one of two one-hour blocks of open ice time and organizer s are requesting a $10 to Movember Men’s Health   Only 250 permitted on the ice at a time. 

Santa Claus parade marks 107 years this Sunday

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As best we can tell, the crowd pleasing Santa Claus Parade will mark its 107th year this Sunday. As usual, more than half a million people are expected to line the route from Christe Pits on Bloor Street West, down Avenue Road and University Avenue, then east on Wellington Street to St. Lawrence Hall.  It begins at 12.30. Thought you might enjoy these flashes into the past, a reminder of how this happy occasion has endured. History

New trolley car dreaming courtesy TTC

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The TTC released this very nicely done montage-video yesterday to celebrate the arrival of its new low-floor streetcars at the Hillcrest Yard on Bathurst Street. You may have seen Karen Stintz, Ward 16, and TTC Chair, quite ecstatic about them on TV There’s a lot of work to be done before these Bombardier-made cars roll the rails of Toronto. The closest they will get to South Bayview is Yonge and St. Clair. Unless they truck them up South Bayview you will never see these long smooth trolleys in front of McSorely’s, say. But they are easy to access, we’re told, and air conditioned too. As they say at the Saloon, two out of three ain’t bad.    Read about them  National Post

Convenience stores sue City over plastic bags ban

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The plastic bag ban is going to be tested in court as an association of Ontario Convenience stores and the Toronto Taxpayers Coalition take legal action against it. The Ontario Convenience Stores Association began action yesterday. It  complains that the ban was approved without consultation — which is surely true. City council must still approve the ban, which is to take effect on Jan. 1, 2013, after the city’s public works and infrastructure committee adopted the proposed bylaw on Wednesday. Association spokesman Dave Bryans calls the proposed bylaw “invalid” and says it was rushed forward with essentially no consultation with the businesses it will harm members. Bryans says the ability to provide consumers with reliable, strong and cost-effective bags to carry their purchases home is a vital part of convenience stores’ ability to meet consumer demand. The Taxpayers Coalition is also preparing action.

U.S. is crumbling as power grids, bridges fail

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The stress of Hurricane Sandy has brought into stark relief the crumbling nature of the physical structure of the U.S. Bridges and electrical grids are collapsing. Here’s a breakdown of the cost, and a startling grand total. (November 15, 2012) Very well done “Decoder” Reuters video

Sunnybrook jogger gives finger in K-Wing incident

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The police have been consulted about an incident in which a man was photographed near Sunnybrook Hospital’s Veterans K-Wing. Witnesses say he is a jogger and that among other things, he ran through small flags decorating the lawn as part of the Remembrance Day events. Did he? A small incident but galling it seems to some. A picture was taken by Gerry Samson, who was present with his wife and was offended by the jogger’s behaviour. When a woman asked the jogger to stop kicking the flags, he is said to have given her the finger and replied: “Stop me if you can.”  Toronto Sun

Leaside lawyer disbarred by Ontario Law Society

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Lawyer Michael Ingram,  69, of Leaside, has been disbarred by the Law society of Upper Canada. The governing body of lawyers in Toronto called Mr. Ingram’s conduct in taking $3 million of clients’ money, most of it bound for charity, egregious. The Law Society says it revoked the licence for professional misconduct after finding that Mr. Ingram misappropriated money from client trust funds, including taking $101,000 from a client and giving it to his own brother to buy real estate. That real estate purchase was also funded with $182,000 that Ingram took from a charity he helped oversee, the law society said. The discipline panel found that Ingram had been siphoning money from trust accounts and doling it out to other people, including his brother and his wife, then shifting money around between various other accounts to try to replace the funds. It began in October 2005 and ended in May 2008, amounting to $3.1 million in unauthorized transfers, the law society said in its decision late last month. The Canadian Press   Previous post.

Hostess in U.S. seeks bankruptcy protection

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Hostess Brands in the U.S. says it will seek bankruptcy protection with permission to liquidate if striking workers do not return to work by the end of today. The crisis once again places the future of such iconic brands as Wonder Bread and Twinkies in jeopardy n the U.S. It’s believed that the names are held separately in Canada.  The baking company says it is shutting down plants in Seattle, St. Louis and Cincinnati at the cost of 627 jobs due to the strike. 

Discount pop-up at former Liv location

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A discount retailer called Brands 4 Less has taken the large space at 418 Eglinton Ave West recently vacated by Liv. It will be a pop up location until the owner finds a more permanent tenant. The store is filling up now with women’s clothing, children’s clothes and toys, DVDs and a variety of other goods. This building has long been a challenge for retailers who have leased it because of its size. No 418 is located a few doors west of the Eglinton Grand Event Centre.  

Lights for Valley Park Green Cricket Field

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A worthy cause is revealed in a letter to the South Bayview Bulldog from Lisa Grogan Green. co-chair of the  Valley Park Green Cricket Field. She is asking for help from all area residents to raise money for lighting at the field.  Here is what she wrote: “We would so appreciate it if you would ask your networks to support us. We are trying to win outdoor sports lighting for the Valley Park Go Green Cricket Field Project from the Aviva Community Fund, (Avivia Insurance — Ed). Please help kids stay active in Thorncliffe Park and the Priority Neighbourhood of Flemingdon Park. Register today through our website and then vote for us every day from November 12-26 to help us win $100,000 to $150,000 from the Aviva Community Fund. It’s one vote and one email per person for 15 days, and you cannot vote by proxy for another person. This means that we have to set up a strong chain of votes. Please vote for us and ask your family and friends to do so also. Go to www.gogreencricketfield.ca and hit the “Vote Now” button. It will link you to our special page at Aviva. In the top right-hand corner of our page is a spot where you must register once and set up a private password. Do that the first time, and then you can easily vote for us every day through our website. Construction on Phase One of our project starts this month, and the field will be ready for play next summer 2013.”    This seems like a very good cause.

Victorian touch at Laird Dr. and Broadway Ave.

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This is an update on an earlier post in this spot about the rather special home going up at the the corner of Laird Drive and Broadway Ave.  Our update shot here shows the stonework going onto the Victorian corner bay window which will give the residents of the home a 180 plus degree view of the corner. The belt line of limestone and full stone tower is a throwback to the romantic construction of the 19th century. The builder was there when we went by and spoke with pride about his creation. He says it will be a landmark in the neighborhood and we believe him.