I was reading an article on BlogTO about the Urban Design Streetscape Manual when I saw an advertisement for Winterlicious 2012. This year, Winterlicious will run from January 27 to February 9. Restaurants have been taking Prix Fixe reservations since January 12, so book your places now!

A couple years ago, I tried to put together a list of restaurants that offer vegan and vegetarian options for Summerlicious. It’s been a while since I revisited the ‘Licious menus and I noticed that the City of Toronto offers more informative restaurant listings.

 In 2012 Winterlicious celebrates 10 years as one of Toronto’s favourite culinary events. There are 10 restaurants participating this year who were part of the inaugural promotion in 2003. Congratulations to these 10 and all Toronto restaurants who have served more than 3.2 million meals over the past nine years and have worked to make Winterlcious and Summerlicious such successful programs.

 Those restaurants with a leaf icon offer a vegetarian option as part of their menu.

 These restaurants are serving menus with at least one dish in each course made with local Ontario produce, meat and food ingredients.

 Each restaurant and event venue was asked to identify whether their location is fully barrier-free and wheel chair accessible. Look for this icon throughout the site.

There are over 90 restaurants that offer vegetarian options this year. Happy hunting for a Winterlicious restaurant you like!

I went down to the festival after work on the Friday to take a look around and eat some good food. I’m clearing my side table of all the business cards, brochures and pamphlets and I’m making a list of some of the companies and other stuff that were at the Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival this year.

• LPK’s Culinary Groove
• Apiecalypse Now! Vegan Bakery
• The Simply Bar: Protein bars
• Girlnola Gluten-Free Gourmet Goodness
• Marni Wasserman
• Meatless Monday
• Veggie Challenge
• Vegucated
• Vegan Outreach

Four days left until elections. Do you know who you’re voting for? Time to catch up if you don’t.

What? Election Day
When? October 25, 2010 from 10 A.M. to 8 P.M.
Where? 1600 locations across the GTA

Mayoral Candidates with Websites:

• Babula, George
• Castillo, Jamie
• Devenyi, Diane
• Epstein, David
• Firth, Selwyn
• Ford, Rob
• Ghazi, Abdullah-Baquie
• Lee, Dewitt
• Letonja, John
• Pampena, Joseph
• Pantalone, Joe
• Rossi, Rocco
• Smitherman, George
• State, Mark
• Steinberger, Tibor
• Syed, Himy
• Taylor, Phil
• Vallance, David
• Walker, Daniel

Remember to look at your candidates for councillors and trustees.

Quick Links:

• Candidates List
• City News: Toronto Mayoral Race 2010
• City of Toronto: Elections

Take the Toronto Hydro 10/10 Summer Challenge. Use 10% less electricity over July and August and you pay 10% less on your fall bill. Register before July 17th (double check that date because I heard it on 680 News).

Let’s face it, 99.9999% of us don’t use a product until the end of it’s life. Cellphones, laptops, desktops, furniture, you name it. You hear about those appliance- or electronics-recycling businesses but did you ever go to look up where they actually are? City of Toronto offers a list of non-profit agencies that collect some of these materials, as part of its ReUseIt Solid Waste Management campaign. Some of the most unlikely things can be donated to these places, like:

• batteries, rechargeable or non-rechargeable
• bedding
• bikes
• broken watches
• CDs, blank or not
• cork
• cork boards
• costume jewelery
• crayons
• DVDs, blank or not
• drinking bottles, refillable
• encyclopedias
• fabric, any size
• furniture
• gas mowers
• gas trimmers
• handtools
• hockey helmets
• jerseys
• jewelery
• keys
• mannequins (or mannequin parts)
• markers
• microwaves
• musical instruments
• novels
• pencils
• school supplies (e.g., pencil cases)
• sewing machines, in working condition
• textbooks
• workbooks

TDSB’s Artsjunktion

380 Ossington Ave.
(@College St.)
416-393-0894
eileen.orr@tel.tdsb.on.ca

Artsjunktion is an art program in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). They provide free materials for TDSB teachers, students and day-care staff for use in schools and classroom projects.

Acceptable Items: Children’s Books, National Geographic magazines, CDs, hub caps, mannequins and mannequin parts, hockey helmets, jerseys and skates. Almost anything that can be used for arts and crafts.

Materials for arts programs: broken watches, buttons, cork and cork boards, costume jewellery, crayons, dress-up clothing, fabric (remnants and large pieces), keys, markers, pencils, etc.

Computer and Electronics Recycling

• Diabetes Recycle Ink: Empty inkjet/laser printer cartridges and cellphones.
• Electronic Recycling Association (ERA): Computers and laptops. Donated computers will have their data wiped with RCMP standards before its refurbished and given to someone who cannot afford a new one.
• Interval House: Small appliances, computers, and other things (see website for more details).
• ReBoot Canada: Computer, computer components and parts, laptops, printers, scanners, software, etc. Donations will be refurbished and redistributed to charitable organizations.
• Renewed Computer Technology (RCT): Computer and peripherals. Refurbished and redistributed locally and globally.
• Salvation Army: Small appliances, microwaves, computers, and other things (see website for more details).
• SKETCH – Working Arts Studio for Street Involved and Homeless Youth: computers (Mac G4/PC Pentium 3 or better), peripherals, and other art supplies.
• thINK Food/Phones for Food: Cell phones, ink jet and laser cartridges.

It’s not all about Summerlicious in the summer. There’s lots to do in Toronto during the summer months that involve yummy food. A Bread & Honey Festival this weekend, Toronto Drinks Show the following weekend (June 12-13), Toronto Taste (June 14), The Cooking Fire Theatre Festival (June 17-21), Taste of Little Italty (June 19-21), Father’s Day Brunch Cruise (June 21), Toronto Ribfest (June 26 – July 1), Strawberry Festival (June 28)

Fresh Wednesdays
Date: Every Wednesday (July 15 to August 26)
Time: 8 A.M. to 2 P.M.
Location: Nathan Phillips Square

Starting on July 15 until the last Wednesday of August, you can shop for fresh fruits and vegetables at the Farmers’ Market at Nathan Phillips Square and enjoy some live music. The Farmers’ Market at Nathan Phillips square will run until October 14–there’s just no live music.

Tasty Thursdays
Date: Every Thursday (July 16 to August 27)
Time: 11 A.M. to 2 P.M.
Location: Nathan Phillips Square

Starting on July 16 until the last Thursday of August, you can taste foods from some Toronto restaurants. Samosas, mango salads, vegetable spring rolls, and vegetarian sushi. All for $5 or less! This year they are starting to serve their food in eco-friendly containers.

Mariposa Cruises’ Fireworks Dinner Cruise
Date: Sat, June 27; Wed, July 1; Sat July 4
Time: 7:00 P.M. to 11:30 P.M.
Location: Toronto Harbour

Cruise around the Toronto Harbour on Captain Matthew Flinders for four hours while you enjoy the fireworks and a buffet-style dinner.

The 43rd Annual CHIN International Picnic
Date: July 1, 4, 5
Time: Noon to 11 P.M.
Location: Canadian National Exhibition

A music festival, picnic, sporting events, Mr. and Mrs. CHIN International Bikini Contests, petting zoo, K-9 Dog Challenge, and a 100,000 square foot bazaar at the C.N.E.It’s a great excuse for the family to go out and enjoy the sun.

Taste of Lawrence
Date: July 3-5
Time: 8 A.M. to 11 P.M. (Fri), 11 A.M. to 11 P.M. (Sat), 11 A.M. to 6 P.M. (Sun)
Location: Lawrence Avenue East (Warden Avenue to Pharmacy)

Enjoy Lawrence Avenue East without the smelly traffic and replace it with great food and lots of things for the kids to do.

Mariposa Cruises’ Fiesta Friday Dinner
Date: July 10
Time: 6:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M.
Location: Toronto Harbour

Sail around the Toronto Harbour on the Mariposa Belle for three hours. Enjoy a Mexican buffet-style dinner with DJ, dancing and a cash bar.

Live Green Toronto Festival
Date: July 25-26
Time: Unknown
Location: Yonge Street (Dundas to Queen)

This festival will showcase hundreds of green products for work, home and play. Browse around and taste some local foods and listen to some live music. You can even get information on how to organize a project that will turn your neighbourhood green.

Irie Music Festival
Date: July 30 to August 3
Time: See Schedule
Location: Nathan Phillips Square and Queen’s Park

There are a whole list of events for the festival. The main events of the festival are reggae and world music performances but you’ll find lots of other things to do as well, including art vendors, Caribbean dance showcase and food.

Toronto Festival of Beer
Date: August 6-8
Time: 4 P.M. to 10 P.M. (Thu, Fri), 1 P.M. to 7 P.M. (Sat)
Location: Exhibition Place

Beer, BBQ, beer, live performances, beer, grilling demos, and more beer.

KRINOS Taste of the Danforth
Date: August 7-9, 2009
Time: 6 P.M. to 11 P.M. (Fri), Noon to 11 P.M. (Sat), Noon to 8 P.M. (Sun)
Location: Greektown; Danforth Avenue (Broadview Subway Station to Jones Avenue)

The ever populaire Taste of the Danforth takes place in the heart of Greektown. Enjoy music and food in the world’s largest Greek festival outside of Greece!

This year, Summerlicious runs from July 3 to July 19. Reservations will be taken for Summerlicious starting June 18, 2009. I’m told the “good” restaurants fill up quickly. By your standards, I’m guessing those are the restaurants that offer steaks and seafood, so I’m pretty safe.

I always say I’m going to go to Summerlicious, but I never end up going. The restaurant listing still lists which restaurants have vegetarian courses. This year, they’ve even included which courses are vegetarian in the menu. It might have been my wave of emails to every vegetarian-friendly restaurant to ask what was in each dish that didn’t look like it had meat, egg or cheese in it.

Summerlicious 2009 Restaurant Listing

Who knows? Maybe I’ll go this year. Has anyone seen a vegan list somewhere online for Summerlicious?

Green Earth Vegetarian Cuisine
385 Broadview Avenue
Toronto, ON M4K 2M7
Canada
Tel: 416-778-9199
Open: Mon – Sat, 11am to 9pm; Sun, 2pm – 8pm

A new veggie restaurant just opened last weekend. I tried to go with PH on Saturday but it was packed when we got there and it was almost closing. So we went yesterday to give it a try. It was pretty good, I’m definitely going back to try out more of their items. They don’t have a web site yet, so I can’t send you anywhere to take a look.

Time to start making the vegan list. I’ve contacted a number of restaurants that had what looked like veganvegan opt options. I’m still hearing back from all of them. To keep track of my progress, I like to make lists. After the first week of emails, it looks like the others that I’ve tried to contact about their menu aren’t going to respond.

• Arriba Restaurant, Renaissance Toronto Hotel Downtown1 Blue Jay Way, 416-341-5045
  Special Reservations Through Correspondent
  No vegan options on Summerlicious menu
• Brassaii
  461 King Street West, 416-598-4730
  Lunch Starter: Salad, Special Request (SR): No cheese
  Lunch Entrée: Vegetarian Sandwich, SR: No mayo
  Dinner Entrée: Nightly Vegetarian Option, SR: See least note
  Dessert: All include dairy, SR: Fresh fruit
  Reserve seats two-days in advance and tell them on the phone that you’re vegan and the chef will cook accordingly that day. When you’re seated on the day-of, let your server know.
• Noce
  875 Queen Street West, 416-504-3463
  No vegan options on Summerlicious menu
  Outside of Summerlicious: “we can prepare any vegan dish you desire.”
• Five Doors North
  2088 Yonge Street, 416-480-6234
  “There are a couple of Vegan options on the menu and we can also modify other to accommodate” I asked which dishes…
• Café Moroc
  49 Front Street East, 416-961-0601
  Starter: Harira (tomato-based soup), Café Greens
  Lunch Entrée: Grilled Vegetable Pita, SR: No cheese
  Dinner Entrée: Keskesu Casablanca (Coucous with grilled vegetables)
• Bistro 990
  990 Bay Street, 416-921-9990
  Starters: “most of our salads are vegan”, SR: Vegan soup or vegetarian spring rolls
  Entrée: Fusilli with Fresh Tomato, Spinach, Mushroom, Roasted Garlic Broth
  Dessert: No vegan options, SR: “The chef will provide you with a vegan dessert alternative.”
  When making reservations, tell them of the special requests.
• Jaaadu Restaurant
  1415 Yonge Street, 416-944-8885
  Dinner Starter: Curried Squash Soup
  Dinner Entrée: Alu Gobi Masala

Restaurants I have contacted by email who have still not replied yet:

• Alize Restaurant
• Autogrill Restaurant
• Canoe
• City Grill
• Coca Tapas and Wine Bar
• Coppi Ristorante
• Edward Levesque’s Kitchen
• Fat Cat Bistro
• Jaipur Grille
• Lolita’s Lust
• Millie’s Bistro
• Monsoon Restaurant and Lounge
• Sequel Restaurant
• Spice Route
• The Superior
• Veritas Local Fare
• Victoria’s
• Zaffron

The following restaurants didn’t have an email available or I received a mail error but the restaurants may have vegan options. So I’ll leave this list here for when I feel like calling in and going through the hostess/host to ask the chef what’s in their food:

• Amaya, The Indian Room (Bounced; Over quota)
• Cataplana Restaurant (Bounced; Over quota)
• Eight Wine Bar (Bounced; Failed permanently)
• Cajú Restaurant
• Celestin
• Four
• Imperia
• La Bruschetta
• Marcel’s Bistro
• Matignon Restaurant
• The Citizen

If more people start asking about vegan options they’ll probably change it for next year’s menu. I should email them from different email addresses and ask them about vegan options, then they’ll get the idea. :p

Last year, I attempted to go through all the Summerlicious menus and pick out vegan-friendly restaurants. That list was incomplete. The number of restaurants I had to sort through seemed overwhelming, I was on the Toronto.com website and the way the menus were posted was horrible. This year, I was on the City of Toronto website and I was looking at their Special Events section and I saw Summerlicious posted. They have the Summerlicious menus on the City of Toronto website and it clearly shows you which restaurants are vegetarian-friendly. If the City of Toronto website had this available last year, I didn’t know. I was probably doing a web-engine search and the first thing that popped up was the Toronto.com website. So here is the City of Toronto listing of Summerlicious restaurants:

Summerlicious 2008 Restaurant Listing

Now that the list already screens out the vegetarian-unfriendly restaurants, I might find some time to pick out the vegan ones for personal reference.

By the way, this year’s Summerlicious is taking place from Friday, July 4 to Sunday, July 20. Start making your reservations early if you’re planning on visiting during the weekends, I’m told the “good” restaurants fill up quickly.