8-km Walk: Cabbagetown to Evergreen Brick Works and return

A bit of everything

This is a good walk 8-km long (approx. 2hrs) which offers a bit of everything: historic buildings, river, trails, and Toronto's best urban park Evergreen Brick Works, with food, coffee and a shop as a bonus. 

The circuit actually crosses three of the strolls in my walking guide Toronto Urban Strolls 1: Stroll #12 Don Valley Evergreen Brick Works, Stroll #15 Cabbagetown Nooks & Crannies and Stroll #22, Riverdale Sunset Stroll.

With my good friend Pascale, who lives in Cabbagetown, we went to Riverdale Park West (past Riverdale Farm), we walked down the hill to the little pedestrian bridge running over Don River, then, on the east side of the river, pushed northbound to Pottery Road.

There's a new pedestrian gap protecting people and cyclists who want to cross the busy street. Going left (westbound), we reached Bayview where we turned left, staying on Bayview's large sidewalk up to the street lights in front of Evergreen Brick Works. This covers approx. 4 kms.

We did not find an appealing way back to Cabbagetown. We "roughed it up" along Bayview (which is without sidewalks) up to the entrance of Wellesley Park at Rosedale Valley Road. I recommend returning where you came from, for a prettier and safer walk back to your starting point. 

Click here to see the photo gallery of our spring escapade in Evergreen Brick Works.

SOLD! Jilly's Strip Club in Riverside

I spy a pirate!
There was a time when it would have seemed weird that I mention Jilly's strip club (at the corner of Broadview and Queen East) in this blog but those days are over, now that the "New Broadview Hotel" has been sold.

If you look up past the tasteless photos at street level, you'll see some of the nicest and funniest architectural details adorning any building in Toronto.

I spy a pirate, an elephant, a boar...

Can't wait to see what Streetcar Developments will do with it. I live in that neighbourhood and for years, we've been dreaming of seeing it transformed in the likes of the Drake Hotel or the Gladstone Hotel.

Japanese Centre and big bazaar

The great thing about this weekend is that I'm going to Montreal for a girlfriends reunion. The sad thing about this weekend is that I'm going to miss the annual bazaar of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre! This Saturday, May 3, from 12 noon to 4 p.m.

I'm been eying this event for a little while. It is apparently the most fun event of the Japanese Centre (located a few minutes drive north of the Science Centre). I even went to visit the centre ahead of time. Here are my best shots of this amazing cultural centre.

The surroundings don't look too appealing but as soon as you step into the centre, you'll be seduced by the design. I don't know how the bazaar affects their regular offering but here's what I saw during my visit.