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Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco – An unforgettable experience for all ages

Administrator — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:21:02 +0000

If you have ever had the pleasure to watch a Cirque du Soleil performance, you will agree with me that they are one of the most amazing live shows you will ever see. I have watched a number of their performances over the years and, last year, took my young daughter to see one of Cirque’s shows for the first time. My daughter did not stop talking about the performance ever since, she now wants to be an acrobat, was in awe for the duration of the show and could not wait to go again. Toronto is fortunate to have Cirque du Soleil visit us every year with their touring shows (they also have permanent shows in a number of cities around the world) and just today I took my daughter, now 4, to see a Cirque du Soleil performance once again.

The performance tonight was Saltimbanco, ‘a Cirque du Soleil signature show inspired by the urban fabric of the metropolis and its colorful inhabitants. Decidedly baroque in its visual vocabulary, the show’s eclectic cast of characters draws spectators into a fanciful, dreamlike world, an imaginary city where diversity is a cause for hope.’ The colours, the music, the acrobatic shows, the setting – you will leave in awe of the imagination of its creators and the ability of its performers. This show is a great event for adults and kids, something of an experience that your kids will probably not forget.

This was the last performance of Saltimbanco in Toronto, but the show continues to Hamilton, ON on August 27th and then goes on to a number of U.S. cities including Buffalo, NY and Trenton, NJ. If you have the chance, I highly recommend that you go see this show…and bring your kids.

Maria

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A great find in Toronto – Evergreen Brick Works

Administrator — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:16:46 +0000

Last weekend, my family and I set out on a bike ride on a lovely sunny Summer morning in Toronto. We ended up at the Evergreen Brick Works, at the site of the old Don Valley Brickworks Factory in the Bayview extension in Toronto. It was a most pleasant surprise – a truly urban oasis right in our city. This ‘thriving environmentally-based community centre that engages visitors in diverse experiences connected to nature’ is sure to appeal to a wide array of Torontonians looking for unique, interesting and stimulating things to do without going too far. The location of the old Brickworks factory, which first opened in 1889, has been preserved and refurbished and is now a great destination for families with children. Entry to the site is free.
We enjoyed great food at the Farmer’s Market (one of my favourites were delicious Surkl organic empanadas) and great hikes through the area. My two young daughters were fascinated by the wild flowers, turtles and fish that they saw pretty much in their own backyard. The site offers lots of great nature walks and events throughout the year that include chef’s workshops, a farmer’s market every Saturday, and the ‘Farm to Folk Festival’, among many others. What’s better is that this great spot right in Toronto is still in its development stage, with lots more great things to come – The Discovery Centre, Demonstration Gardens, Native Plant Nursery, among other great projects.

My family and I will definitely be coming back!

Maria

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Great Summer outings with kids in Toronto

Administrator — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:07:54 +0000

As I spend my Summer with my 2- and 4-year old daughters in Toronto, I’ve come to realize how many great outings there are for kids in the city. We’ve spent endless afternoons playing with the hose in our backyard and going to the local parks, but for those days that we need a little more adventure, my 5 favourite spots are:

1. Riverdale Farm. A great (and free!) destination for little kids and located in the heart of Toronto within historic Cabbagetown. Riverdale farm was the site of Toronto’s first zoo. You can tour the Farm’s scenic 7.5 acres along pathways through wooded areas, around ponds, and into butterfly-herb-flower-vegetable gardens. Cows, horses, donkey, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits, and farm cats may be seen along the way in the barns and outdoor paddocks. There is a great picnic area just outside the farm’s doors that everyone is welcome to use. During the Summer, the farm hosts a Farmer’s Market every Tuesday from 3pm to 7pm.

2. Toronto Zoo. One of my family’s (year round) outings. This a gorgeous zoo, with all the usual attractions with over 5,000 animals, and is set in the beautiful Rouge Valley, with over 10km of walking trails. During Summer months, make sure to visit the Kids’ Zoo, a great interactive area for little kids, and the Splash Island (although this gets quite busy on warm days). The Season’s pass offers a great value if you plan on going at least twice during the year.

3. Centreville Amusement Park on Toronto’s Centre Island. Nestled in over 600 acres of parkland just across the harbour from the city, it offers over 30 rides and attractions for little kids – from antique carousel rides to pony rides to motor boats…and my little girl’s favourite, the mini train that circles around the amusement park. And just the ferry ride over to the island is a great experience on its own for most toddlers and little ones. There is no admission fee for Centreville, but all-day ride passes are available for the attractions.

4. The Toronto Beaches. This is another one of our favourites. We like to spend a few hours on the beach, playing on the sand and relaxing by the water. Once my little girls get bored, we stroll up to the playground at Kew Gardens (in my opinion, one of the best playgrounds I’ve seen in the city) or grab some lunch at Lick’s on Queen Street. Bring lots of beach toys and snacks and just relax on the beach; weekdays are your best bet to avoid the crowds.

5. And on a rainy day….the ROM. I like to visit the ROM during colder months, but on a rainy day in the Summer, this is a great destination for little kids. Once again, the Membership offers a great value if you plan on going more than twice during the year and you won’t feel guilty spending just an hour or two if that’s all your little ones can handle. My 4-year old daughter just loves the new dinosaur exhibit, while my 2-year old can’t get enough of the CIBC Discovery Gallery with lots of interactive activities for kids. Make sure to visit the new cafeteria as well, with great options for little ones (and yummy food for grown-ups!).

Enjoy the warm months while they’re here!

Maria

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Vancouver with Babies

veronica — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:41:20 +0000

We recently ventured out West to Vancouver for a long weekend with our 8-month-old. These were some of our favourite kid-friendly destinations:

1. Walking the sea wall at Stanley Park. Nothing like getting some fresh air and catching some rays…specially when they’re soft at 6am. Don’t forget the sunscreen if you’ll be out and about when the sun is stronger closer to noon.

2. Vancouver Aquarium at Stanley Park. Check out the kids zone in the lower level where they have story time, games and a pretend animal hospital for kids. They will even arrange a sleepovers for kids who want to see the aquarium after hours. Even at $20 a head it was worth it just to see Clara laugh hysterically at the seals swimming past the viewing window.

3. Granville Island. The public market is always fun and delicious to walk around but if you’re with kids you’ll want to head to the kids market, two floors full of toy stores and activities for kids.

4. Tampopo Sushi on Denman St. by Davie St.. Ok, not necessarily top of the list when thinking of destinations to go with kids but this all you can eat sushi place served the best tuna sushi and it was spacious enough to fit strollers comfortably and service was efficient. You will have to carry the stroller up the stairs as they don’t have an elevator.

5. Whistler/Blackcomb. If you want to get some skiing in whlie you’re out West, driving to Whistler/Blackcomb only takes about two hours. If your baby is over 6 months and is comfortable with strangers, you can use their day care services for $100/day. Be sure to book ahead as this service is popular. Also check with your hotel for what they offer for older kids. Babisitting Whistler also offers babysitting services and baby gear rental. They will deliver to your hotel rental baby gear, including carriers if you decide to go for a hike or snowshoe and didn’t bring a baby carrier along, for example.

6. Elixir Restaurant. We found this French style bistro walking around Yaletown and the first thing that caught our attention was that they had breakfast starting at 6am! We knew it would be our list of places to hit. Although the food was nothing to rave about and the prices a little steep, we loved being able to sit down at a real restaurant with a full brunch menu at 6am. We were the only ones there so our little one didn’t disturb anyone and the server was happy to provide a high chair for her and even gave her a piece of toast to munch on.

7. Easter Brunch at The Westin Hotel in Whistler. The Westin served a tasty buffet brunch on Easter Sunday. The highlights for the little ones: the kids buffet table (only a few inches off the ground, kids could help themselves to chicken fingers, jello and many other kids favourites), the chocolate fountain and the Easter egg hunt in the hotel lobby. The highlight for the adults (other than all-you-can-eat incredibly fresh smoked salmon!) was the kid-friendly environment, high-chairs included. (The lowlight would have to be the $45 a head!)

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Kudos to ‘Globe Bistro Kids’

veronica — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 01:20:51 +0000

Ever since having a baby four months ago fine dining outings have gone out the window. We make up for it by splurging in our cooking sometimes but last weekend I was craving being out and having a nice meal. Since I’m still nursing and my baby wakes up a few times a night to eat, getting someone to babysit isn’t really an option yet. So we decided to step it up at brunch instead and made a date with other friends with a kid. Globe Bistro on the Danforth in Toronto has been on my list of places to try since they opened. They use seasonal, local ingredients and their menu is mouthwatering.

After I left them a messages regarding a reservation for four adults, plus one child so we needed a high chair, plus a baby in a stroller so we needed space I thought for sure they’re not calling back. But a very friendly man did call back and was happy to accomodate us. We had a great experience. The food was excellent and I was completely comfortable being there, babies and all. The restaurant is spacious, they do indeed have high chairs and we weren’t the only families dining there. Not only can you have a fantastic meal but you can also do it up by ordering their ‘boozey smoothies’, mimosas or caesars. I was only slightly disappointed that they forgot the aged cheddar on my eggs and that we had to wait so long for a hand-squeezed fresh orange juice. It was worth the wait.

This is a great place to do family dining in style and I was happy to satisfy my craving to pamper my tastebuds. Fine dining doesn’t have to go out the window after having a baby after all!

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