Canada City Guides: Toronto

While we have yet to see choreographed street fights ala the Jets vs. the Sharks, there is most definitely a battle raging in Toronto for the title of coolest part of Queen Street. goodEGG industries founder Laural sings the praises of her East-end haunts, while her partner-in-crafty-crime Jen represents for her hood, the Westside.


QUEEN EAST
by Laural

Leslieville is located in the east end of the City, in what used to be an industrial area with several brickworks and other factories. In recent years it has developed a reputation as an up and coming neighborhood, with (relatively) cheaper real estate bringing in new residents, along with lots of great shops and restaurants. I moved to the neighbourhood more than a year ago and am completely smitten.



After a delicious meal at my favorite brunch spot, Edward Levesque’s Kitchen (1290 Queen St. E.), a trip to Gadabout (1300 Queen St E.) just next door is a must. The small shop is crammed floor to ceiling with all kinds of vintage treasures from games and toys to dresses and hats to books and pamphlets. And if you’re looking for something in particular, the staff are always very helpful.



Just down the street is another shop with a mix of vintage and contemporary products, called Winkel (1107 Queen St E.). They have a nice selection of papergoods, homewares and other interesting finds.

The crown jewel of the neighbourhood for shopping is Nathalie-Roze & Co. (1015 Queen St. E.), a shop featuring local independent designers and crafters with a great selection of clothing, accessories and papergoods. Nathalie-Roze also offers a variety of crafting workshops and serves ice cream on the patio in the summer!



Just a little further down the street is baby on the hip (969 Queen St E.), which I’m assured by my friends who have little ones is a must visit for new parents (or those looking for the perfect baby shower gift).



The street is also peppered with small galleries, including coupe space (998 Queen St. E.), which doubles as an event space and is run by the publishers of coupe magazine.



And, for designer furniture enthusiasts, there’s Machine Age Modern (1000 Queen St. E.), which has a large sized showroom of modern vintage pieces from 20th century designers and architects. Even for those of us who can’t afford to buy, there’s always something interesting to look at!


QUEEN WEST
by Jen



As a native of Toronto I have watched Queen West evolve & expand. As savvy chain stores moved on to the street between University and Spadina Ave., driving rents up and the cool factor down, boutique owners started moving further and further west, and were soon joined by independent gallery owners & craft studios. The result is blocks upon blocks of eye candy for fans of art, craft & design. Here is a taste of what you’ll find west of Bathurst on Queen.

Start your journey with a bang at Magic Pony (694 Queen W.), a gallery/shop that mixes contemporary art and retail in a very fun and dynamic way. Traffic stopping installations occupy the front window, enticing passersby to check out the art show at the back. The shop itself is filled with limited edition designer toys, clothing, books and stationary that are sure to please those who appreciate humour in contemporary design.



Quasi Modo Modern Furniture (789 Queen W) specializes in vintage and new modernist furniture, lighting and accessories for the home and office. Carrying work by some very prominent designers (such as Wegner and Knoll chairs, Eames and Adler ceramics), Quasi Modo is almost like a mini-museum of successful design, except you can buy stuff!



Fuel up for more explorations at Tealish (198 Walnut Ave.), a brightly painted independent tea shop just South of Queen Street at Walnut. Get a yummy tea latte to go (Walnut Ave Sencha is my #1 fave), choose from their extensive selection of loose teas, and explore their seasonally updated teaware including contemporary and traditional Japanese tea pots.



Crafty types should not bypass the Paper Place (887 Queen W.) which as its name suggests specializes in paper from around the world (especially Japan) as well as paper crafting supplies and books. For those who admire paper crafts but do not make stuff themselves, there are plenty of cute readymade cards and books, as well as some sweet Japanese and locally-made gifts. If you can’t make it to the shop but want to get your hands on their stock, check out their online store.



A bit past the park you’ll find Token gifts (888 Queen W.), the perfect place to pick up a sweet letterpress card to accompany your purchases or a blank book to document your travels and thoughts. Their thoughtful selection of home textiles, ceramics, and stylish and playful kids stock is definitely worth a looksee.



Further west but definitely worth the trek for textile addicts is The Workroom (1340 Queen W. at Brock). You’ll drool over bolts of carefully chosen fabrics by contemporary fabric designers from North America and Japan (such as Denyse Schmidt, Joel Dewberry, and echino). Rest your shopping-weary feet on the couch and flip through the growing collection of craft project books. If you’ve had enough of buying stuff and are looking to make something cute and stylish yourself, check out The Workroom’s workshop schedule.


As gathered by Laural and Jen of goodEGG industries. Please visit their wonderful sites:

goodEGG industries
Laural
Jen

Canada City Guides: Halifax (Part 2 of 2)

Here is Part 2 of our Halifax City Guide contributed by Trudi of Double Happiness

You can walk from downtown to the city’s North End in about 15 minutes, and it’s definitely worth the trip. Agricola Street is an emerging area where you’ll find designer furniture shops, artist’s studios, antiques shops and cafés. There are so many wonderful places to stop on this street, and Fred is one of them. It is a café/hair salon/art gallery housed in a refurbished bank building. The space is relaxing and contemporary – a great place to have lunch and look at the latest art exhibit.



Further up Agricola you’ll find Bellissimo. A gorgeously girly shop, it also stocks local art as well as furniture, rugs, lighting and home décor items. Sharing the space is Abby’s Fabrics, which sells beautiful upholstery fabrics. They recently began stocking Marimekko, which is very exciting for me.



As you travel up the street, you’ll enter the Hydrostone area. Much of the North End of the city was destroyed by the Halifax Explosion in 1917, and this area was rebuilt in the style of an English garden suburb with distinctive “hydrostone” concrete block buildings. The Hydrostone Market is the centrepiece of the area, with lots of wonderful shops and restaurants.



Henhouse is a great place to visit in the Hydrostone. The shop, owned by Sappho Griffin and Denise Coulter, specializes in custom made hand-finished furniture. As well as gorgeous furniture, the shop is filled with local art and craft, and unique items for the home, pets and children. Every time I come to this shop, which is a lot, there is something new and beautiful to covet.



After all this walking, you’ll want some dinner. Jane’s is a fantastic restaurant with great service. They serve lots of locally-sourced food and have amazing desserts. Yum.



As gathered by Trudi of Double Happiness Designs
doublehappiness.ca
doublehappiness.etsy.com

Canada City Guides: Halifax (Part 1 of 2)

We have a real treat this week. Thanks to Trudi of Double Happiness, we are getting an amazing city guide to a very quaint Canadian city on the East coast, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Here is part one. Part two a to follow this week. Thanks Trudi!

A great place to start a tour of Halifax is down by the waterfront at the Farmer’s Market. Held every Saturday morning in a historic brewery building with a wonderful atmosphere, the market is a great place to buy food and is also home to lots of local artists and craftspeople.

A short stroll along the waterfront boardwalk will take you to Historic Properties. The restored wharves and boatsheds have their share of tourist trap gift shops, but I like to go there for the galleries – Argyle Fine Art - which has a good selection of cards, prints, jewellery and craft items made by local artists, Seeds Gallery – showcasing the work of NSCAD University students and alumni, and Gallery Page & Strange are all good places to stop.




Heading up the hill along Barrington Street, you’ll come to John W. Doull, Bookseller. Described by the owner as a “Cornell Box”, the shop is bursting with books. The shelves are metres high, and everywhere you look, there are towers of books that look as though they are going to topple over. I especially like the selection of vintage craft and cookbooks, but you’re sure to find any book you want here.



Although you could spend the day lost in the stacks at JWD, it’s worth walking up to Argyle Street to check out Biscuit. It’s a shop with clothing for men and women that you can’t find elsewhere in town, including lots of Canadian designers. You can also find jewellery, handbags, cosmetics, kitschy-cute housewares – lots of gorgeous things. The shop recently expanded to include sections devoted to kids (books, toys, clothing) and – be still my beating heart – fancy frocks! Argyle Street also has a lively social scene in the evenings, there are many pubs and bars along this strip with great outdoor patios.




A little bit further up the hill is Spring Garden Road - the city’s busiest shopping district. Just off Spring Garden is Love, Me Boutique – a shop devoted to handmade goods by independent Canadian designers. Walking into the shop feels like visiting a friend -owner Chara Kingston has decorated the shop like a chic apartment and stocked it with gorgeous things. The first time I visited, I was so thrilled to finally see in person work by many of my favourite bloggers and Etsy sellers. Chara is also extremely supportive of the local arts and crafts community and offers classes taught by her suppliers.



Nearby you’ll find Elsie’s - a treasure trove of vintage and quality used clothing – you never know what you’ll find here.



A short jaunt down the street will bring you to The Loop – a wonderful shop for knitters chock full of beautiful yarns and tools. It’s a welcoming space with a loft where you can sit and knit with goodies from Ciboulette café next door. Best of all, the staff are friendly and knowledgeable, happy to help (hopeless) beginners like me.



Carbonstok is a great new shop featuring contemporary, environmentally friendly products. The design of the store has a cool industrial edge, and it’s fun to browse all the quirky and unique wares.



As gathered by Trudi of Double Happiness Designs
doublehappiness.ca
doublehappiness.etsy.com

Canada City Guides: Calgary Part 2

As gathered by Janine Vangool of Uppercase Gallery

Art Central

Art Central is a must-see destination when visiting Calgary. It is centrally located, just a block from the Calgary Tower. Three levels offer over 40 galleries, shops, and artist studios as well as an excellent restaurant (The Siding Cafe) and DeVille Luxury Coffee and Pastries. It is easy to get to by public transit: the C-Train stops right outside on 7th Avenue. There is plenty of parking in the nearby Telus Convention Centre.

Art Central is has been my home-away-from home for nearly four years: UPPERCASE is located on the upper level. I've highlighted some of my favourite shops, but there is a lot more information on Art Central's website. The First Thursday of the month is a great evening to visit since everyone is open late and there is entertainment, openings and refreshments.

Corner of 7th Ave and Centre Street, downtown
artcentral.ca


La Fleur

On Art Central's main level you'll find La Fleur, a floral gallery. Their window displays are often outstanding and the flowers and lushness extends into the hall. A large bird cage houses a family of birds and at Easter, they had cute little chicks. You can register for floral design workshops.

Main Level, Art Central
corner of 7th Ave & Centre Street SW
www.artcentral.ca/tenants/47-la-fleur


Nation Toys & Tees

Calgary's source for vinyl toys, street-inspired art and Threadless Tees.

Lower Level, Art Central
corner of 7th Ave SW & Centre Street
thisisnation.com

Studio Todorovic

Studio Todorovic might be the smaller art supply store you will ever see, but it is very well-stocked! Owner/artist Ljubica has a fondness for rabbits, so you'll likely see plenty of her bunny drawings and paintings. (If you ask nicely, she might draw a bunny on a business card for you.)

Main Level, Art Central
Corner of 7th Ave SW & Centre Street
www.studiotodorovic.com


Shisomiso

Shisomiso is an excellent store where you'll find unique clothing by Canadian designers. They also feature art and photography by local artists. The clothing is arranged by colour and texture, which is a really great way of visualizing your future favourite outfit!

Main Level, Art Central
Corner of 7th ave & Centre Street SW
www.shisomiso.com


UPPERCASE gallery, books & papergoods

Of course, my favourite shop happens to be my own! We have the best selection of graphic design and illustration books in town, greeting cards that you won't find anywhere else, and a hand-picked selection of paper products. Many products are designed and handmade right here in UPPERCASE. The gallery display changes every few months with themed shows and solo exhibitions.

Upper Level, Art Central
corner of 7th ave SW & Centre Street
www.uppercasegallery.ca

Stephen Avenue

One block south of Art Central is a pedestrian promenade called Stephen Avenue. This four block stretch features boutiques, restaurants and shopping malls, many in Calgary's historic sandstone buildings. Look for Twig flower and gift shop, Kismet clothing, Arnod Churgin Shoes, and the requisite western outfitters.

www.downtowncalgary.com/index.html


As gathered by Janine Vangool of Uppercase Gallery, Calgary, Alberta.

Canada City Guides: Calgary Part 1

As gathered by Janine Vangool of Uppercase Gallery

Crave Cupcakes

We'll start our tour in the Kensingon neighbourhood, located just north of the river and starting at 10th Street NW. When you need a sugar boost at the start of the day, head to Crave. (If you go too late in the day they are often sold out of their daily baking.) The lineup can extend outside the store and down the street, but these cupcakes are worth it. I've often ordered dozens of their mini cupcakes for events in UPPERCASE... all you have to do is hint at Crave Cupcakes and a crowd will gather!

1107 Kensington Road NW
and #120 815 17th Avenue SW
www.cravecupcakes.ca


Bubbles Bath & Body

Bubbles Bath & Body is a new store, right next door to Crave Cupcakes on Kensington Road. The store design is impressive and features lots of text on the walls. Plenty of pretty packages and nice scents make for a pleasant browse. (And they have some cupcake-inspired bath soaps for zero calorie indulgences.)



Pages Books on Kensington

This bookstore plays host to Calgary's literary scene with frequent poetry and book readings. They have a great selection of Canadian fiction as well as children's books, travel and cook books.

1135 Kensington Road NW
www.pages.ab.ca



Honey B's Vintage Home Decor

This is a pretty little store, with vintage-inspired decorations, jewellery, gifts and furniture. The owner really does an outstanding job in displaying her merchandise. Make sure to look for Paige Smith's Jewellery holders made from vintage saucers.

28 - 12 Street NW (at Kensington Road)
www.honeybs.com
www.paigesmith.ca



Purr Clothing

Purr has a great selection of clothing from labels such as Free People as well as independent Canadian fashion labels. The Kensington store is quite large with a nice waiting area for your friends while you try everything on!

1220 Kensington Road NW
100-601 17 Avenue SW


Livingstone & Cavell Extraordinary Toys

This marvelous toy store offers a trip down memory lane with plenty of classic and well-made playthings, cute plush animals, and novelty games.

1124 Kensington Rd. NW




As gathered by Janine Vangool of Uppercase Gallery, Calgary Alberta. Part II to follow!

Poppytalk Canada City Guides

Today we're kicking off a series here of Canada City Guides. I asked a few of my fellow blogging friends if they'd be interested in contributing for their home town. And starting off the series, we're venturing to Calgary, Alberta. Land of the Stampede and the Calgary Flames (funny how we identify our cities by hockey teams). And who better to show us around, but Janine Vangool of Uppercase Gallery (which we're thrilled is included here). These guides will find themselves in our sidebar once completed and we hope they'll become a reference for our readers who are visiting these cities. We are looking forward to others soon from Winnipeg and Toronto. I'll be gathering one for Vancouver and hopefully more to follow. If you're in a city in Canada, and are interested in contributing to our guides, please send me an email at poppytalkblog[at]yahoo[dot]ca with the word "Canada City Guide" in the subject line.