Browsing “Unplugged”

Unplugged features ways of escaping from the technology of our everyday lives. We all need to kick back and relax every now and then so we will bring you stories about places to relax and things to do that will bring you back to nature and away from the everyday.

Flower market rendering by Courtney Wotherspoon.

Toronto Flower Market will launch their inaugural event this Saturday, May 11th at 99 Sudbury(99 Sudbury Street) in Toronto.

The event will take place from 10 am until 3 pm and will feature an abundance of fresh-cut, potted and bedding flower varieties sourced directly from Ontario greenhouses.

The Toronto Flower Market is also working with pickOntario, the marketing initiative managed by Flowers Canada (Ontario) Inc., to create awareness about locally grown flower varieties and the benefits of purchasing locally grown products.

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Unplugged features ways of escaping from the technology of our everyday lives. We all need to kick back and relax every now and then so we will bring you stories about places to relax and things to do that will bring you back to nature and away from the everyday.

With the warmer weather appearing to be here for good, I am glad, like many, to be able to ride my bike around the city again. Toronto is a great city to bike due to its flat plain, bike accessible attractions, and bike paths with both natural and concrete foundations.

I found this great organization that gets people riding as well as getting people to ride more. They use organized events to promote riding. I chatted with founder Gord Townley about how it all started and what types of rides People on Bikes organizes. I also chat with him about some of his favourite spots to ride and his upcoming event, “7 Days in May”.

What are some of People on Bikes main functions?

People On Bikes is all about getting more people to ride bikes – for leisure, for travel, for enjoyment. And to get those people who ride bikes to ride them more often. We use cycling as the backdrop for everything we do – tours and travel (we have several tours in Europe and North America that we run, although not this year), charity and giving back (7 Days In May, participating in other key rides and supporting charitable initiatives by providing our time and energy), creating an active life style (we host local rides regularly, and just get out on the road as often as we can). We also take an active position in promoting causes important to cyclists – safety (bike lanes in Toronto, improved paths, educating cyclists), facilities (like the new Milton Velodrome), and encouraging our local region to be more bike friendly (like the current Bixi issue).

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Unplugged features ways of escaping from the technology of our everyday lives. We all need to kick back and relax every now and then so we will bring you stories about places to relax and things to do that will bring you back to nature and away from the everyday.

The  warmer weather of Spring is arriving and with that the chance to get outdoors for longer periods of time. The rain reminds us that green pastures are on the horizon.

To celebrate the new growths I will be attending the Alexandra Park Community Tree Planting Festival taking place on April 20th from 10am till 4pm in Alexandra Park in Toronto. Alexandra Park is the park located just south of Dundas on the East side of Bathurst. It has a pool, a skatepark, a hockey rink and other athletic facilities.

Photo: Alexandra Park Tree Planting Festival

The festival is free and is intended for the whole family. Guests are invited to celebrate the park’s new native edible trees as well as helping out with the planting. Among the edible, native species being planted are native Chestnut, Serviceberry, and Redbud trees. The elusive and fascinating Paw Paw trees will also be planted, making it the first such grove in the city.

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Unplugged features ways of escaping from the technology of our everyday lives. We all need to kick back and relax every now and then so we will bring you stories about places to relax and things to do that will bring you back to nature and away from the everyday.

It can be hard to find things to do in the winter in Toronto especially when you factor in doing things without technology. The most obvious thing to do when the weather is bad is to curl up in front of the tv or the computer and wait for warmer days. If this is something you want to avoid or you are looking for something to do despite the weather, this is a great outing to escape and unplug.  Three buildings in Toronto’s Downtown that contributed to the name of the street which they reside, Church Street, are all in close proximity of each other and make a great outing. St. Michael’s Cathedral, Metropolitan United, and St. James Cathedral are 3 of the biggest and oldest churches in the country as well as being works of art.

Photo: St Michael’s Cathedral

The best way to access the 3 churches is to start at Dundas Station located at Yonge and Dundas. From there you can walk east on Dundas St East to Bond Street. Going South on Bond Street brings you past both St. Michael’s and Metro. United. When you hit Queen Street East you can head East to Church Street which will bring you South to St. James.

Photo: Walk from Dundas Station East to Bond Street, South to Queen St. E., East to Church St., South to King St. E..

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Unplugged features ways of escaping from the technology of our everyday lives. We all need to kick back and relax every now and then so we will bring you stories about places to relax and things to do that will bring you back to nature and away from the everyday.

The cold weather is upon us and I have decided to embrace it and take advantage of the things that we can only do when the temperature is in the negatives. In my previous post I mentioned the local outdoor rinks that one can play shinny or free skate at. This week I want to mention some of my favourite hills growing up in Toronto. Whether you want to pull out your sled or go for a few quick short runs on your skis or snowboard, these are the spots you might want to check out.

High Park

Today this park is still visited by tobogganers each year at the hill at Parkside Drive and Howard Park Avenue. Other hidden runs can be found through trees at your own risk.

Photo: Children sledding in High Park, Toronto, Canada

Christie Pits

Christie pits is located at Bloor and Christie and is mostly used in the summer for their baseball fields and outdoor pool. A few hills are located at this park which run from the roads that encircle the park down into the lower level of the parks baseball fields. The main hills are on the north side of the park on Barton Avenue just west of Christie.

Photo: From L-R – High Park, Christie, Bickford, Trinity Bellwoods, Winston Churchill, Riverdale

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