Check out the recipe, courtesy of marthastewart.com!

Source:

http://www.marthastewart.com/960744/fried-egg-and-bacon-puff-pastry-squares

This popular flower was originally cultivated in the Ottoman Empire and imported into Holland in the 1500s. Over the centuries, the popularity of the tulip grew in Holland. It was featured in many paintings and festivals. In the mid-17^th century, tulips were so popular that they even created an economic bubble known as “Tulip Mania”! And, as some Dutch settled in different parts of the new world, they brought their love of tulips with them. Today, there are tulip festivals in New York and Michigan, where Dutch people first settled many decades ago. Today, Holland is still renowned for its millions of tulips and annual Tulip Festival.

In honour of spring, here are a few great tulip arrangements that are fit to liven up any condo, all courtesy of marthastewart.com. Always keep in mind that tulips should not be combined with any member of the Narcissus genus, including paperwhites, daffodils, and jonquils. These emit a substance into the water that will affect the tulips.

Flowers and Candy

Flowers and candy make for a romantic ambiance – after all, they are each classic gifts on Valentine’s Day. If you are looking for an elegant and soft décor piece, this is a great option! In this example, the red tulips are Red Novas and Palladas and they are mixed with spicy cinnamon candies in a vase.

Materials

• 2 nesting glass vases or containers (such as a drinking glass), one shorter and at least an inch narrower
• Cinnamon heart candies (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 2 dozen tulips
• Rubber band
• Floral or other knife

1. Place a vase inside another that’s taller and at least 1 inch wider; if the rims don’t align, add candy to the outer vase to eliminate the height difference. Fill the gap between vases with candy. Fill small vase halfway with water.

2. Secure stems of a tight bunch of flowers with a rubber band; trim evenly with a sharp knife.

3. Set bouquet inside smaller vase. Add more water if necessary. This arrangement will last 5 to 7 days.

Tulips and Pomegranates

To bring in oranges and yellows, you could incorporate pomegranates, red berries and a bronze-green magnolia leaf wreath with orange tulips.

Materials

• Pomegranates with stems attached (available at some florists)
• Red viburnum berries
• Tulips
• Roses
• Ranunculus
• Magnolia stems
• Low, shallow dish
• Floral foam
• Plastic wrap
• Floral scissors
• Flower picks

1. Soak a piece of floral foam in water overnight.  

2. Line a low, shallow dish with plastic wrap. Trim foam with a knife to fit snugly inside dish, rising about 1 inch above its rim, above; this will help shape the arrangement into an attractive mound.  

3. Trim magnolia stems at a 45-degree angle with floral scissors, and insert them around the foam to form a continuous border, above.

4. Using floral scissors, cut stems of red viburnum berries, tulips, roses, and ranunculus at a 45-degree angle, and insert into foam to create a full mound that conceals the foam.  

5. Trim wire of flower picks to 2 inches (use 1 pick for each pomegranate). Twist wire ends around pomegranate branches, above, and insert picks in foam, anchoring firmly. (If pomegranate lacks a stem, insert a pick directly through the flesh of fruit and then insert pick into foam; remove pomegranate from arrangement after a day as juice may leak.) Spritz flowers and foam with water every other day.

Pink French Tulip Arrangement

French tulips are very unique – they feature long, bending stems and beautiful blooms.

This arrangement is extremely simple: French tulips and quince branches were added together in a vase to create this graceful piece.

Sources:

http://www.marthastewart.com/867190/tulip-arrangements/@center/867185/flower-arranging

http://www.holland.com/us/tourism/article/History-of-tulips-in-Holland.htm

The Richard Ivey Grad spent the last five years working at the highest level of the financial services industry in Los Angeles, New York, and London for Oaktree Capital Management and Credit Suisse. Restaurants, however, are nothing new to Antoniou, who worked extensively at Little Anthony’s and Mediterra for more than eight years. The service industry is clearly his passion, and Antoniou strives to demonstrate that.  How does he categorize Volos’ objective?  To offer guests fresh, healthy flavours with beautiful presentation to “please both the appetite and the eyes.” 

In order to do so, Greek restaurateur Antoniou puts a modern twist on traditional Greek dishes, whjle adding a Greek twist to local Canadian ingredients to create a contemporary culinary experience rooted in authenticity. The restaurant sources the highest quality local produce, superior quality cuts of meat and the best fish, delivered daily.

Mediterra chef, Reza Parsia, remains in charge of the food at Volos. Reviews praise the Moussaka ($19) and the Tiger Prawn Saganaki. Beyond pleasing guests with great food and service, Volos strives to educate guests about the exotic and unique wines from one of the world’s oldest winemaking regions.

The décor is much like the menu, playing with different Greek elements and motifs, but infusing these with a modern take. Natural wood and stone combined with artful and ambient lighting lend a seductive and comfortable atmosphere.

Volos owner, Andreas Antoniou, clearly continues the restaurant family legacy.  He chose the name Volos after the port city in Greece where his father was born. 

Hours:

Lunch:

Monday to Friday from 11:45am – 2:30pm

Dinner:

Thursday to Saturday from 5:00pm – 10:30pm

Monday to Wednesday from 5:00pm – 10:00pm

Location:

133 Richmond Street West
Toronto, ON
M5H 2L3

(416) 861-1211

Sources (images included):

http://www.volos.ca/

https://twitter.com/VolosRestaurant

https://www.facebook.com/VolosRestaurant

http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/from-the-print-edition-daily-dish/2012/03/26/best-new-restaurants-2012-9-volos/

http://www.yelp.ca/biz/estiatorio-volos-toronto

Dough

Ingredients (makes enough for 5 pies)

4 ½ – 5 cups all-purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 lb pure lard
1 c hot water
4 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
1 egg — well beaten

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Measure 1 1/3 cups of the lard and cut into the flour until it is mealy. Completely dissolve the remaining lard in the hot water. Add the lemon juice and egg.
2. Mix these liquids into the flour mixture until dough leaves sides of the bowl. Turn on lightly floured board and knead about 1 minute or until all the flour is blended.
3. Wrap in waxed paper, refrigerate 1 to 12 hours. Very easy to roll.

Filling

Ingredients

1 lb pork — minced
1 small onion — chopped
1 small garlic clove — minced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp celery salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ c water
¼ c bread crumbs — up to ½ cup

Instructions:

1. Place all the ingredients except the bread crumbs and pastry in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer bubbling uncovered for 20 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and add a few spoonfuls of bread crumbs. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. If the fat is sufficiently absorbed by the bread crumbs, do not add more. If not, continue in the same manner.
4. Cool and pour into a pastry-lined pie pan. Cover with crust. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown. Serve hot.
5. A cooked tourtière can be frozen 4-5 months. It does not have to be thawed out before reheating.

Source:

http://www.swallowfood.com/recipe-tourtiere-with-a-side-of-ketchup-2/

Pinterest now has 23 million users and saw a growth rate of 85% between January and February of 2012 alone.  It is also the #3 ranked social network site on the web, and its skyrocketing popularity seems to be a clear indicator that it is filling a niche that was being underserved. 

Given its image-focused content it is no surprise that designers have taken a huge interest in analyzing the content that gets posted to the site, how people are using it, and what Pinterest can tell us about trends and peoples’ preferences. 

An example of how this interest has been put to use is a project called Colour and Space, by designers Mie Frey Damgaard and Peter Ørntoft, for a Turkish paint brand. This program sifts through Pinterest boards and analyzes paint colour and room location in interior design pins. The results show peoples’ preferred colors in different household rooms such as pink for kids’ rooms, maize for living rooms and white for kitchens.

Colour and Space could be used by designers to help indicate what consumers want in their households and could be used by consumers for ideas on popular colour choices. This could potentially change how people shop for such items. 

Sources:

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671629/infographic-mining-pinterest-to-discover-our-color-preferences-by-room?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+fastcompany%2Fheadlines+%28Fast+Company%29#2

http://blog.kissmetrics.com/startups-and-pinterest/

http://pandodaily.com/2012/04/06/what-we-can-learn-from-pinterests-ascent/

http://www.examiner.com/article/why-every-business-should-care-about-pinterest

St. Andrew’s Church maintains a striking physical presence on Simcoe Street. Its architectural style can be best described as Romanesque Revival, with a combination of Norman French and Scottish influences. Certain details, such as the rose window, the triple arched entrance, and the carved (not chiseled) details of the façade draw from Norman French sources. The Scottish references, on the other hand, are best seen through the corner turrets and the tower’s stepped gable.

Image c/o standrewstoronto.org

At the turn of the 19^th century, St. Andrew’s was located across the street from Government House, the residence of Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor and across from Upper Canada College. St Andrew’s was also influential in the establishment of Queen’s University, particularly its renowned Philosophy department, which, in turn, was very influential on Protestant intellectual development.

An important focus for the church since its establishment has been to serve the local community through social action. At the turn of the 19^th century, the church established the Nelson St. Institute, a center for social work, which was later emulated by churches across Canada and the United States. Just two blocks north of the church, this organization ran night school programs particularly geared toward new immigrants, youth clubs, a gymnasium, and a mother’s meeting association.

Image c/o City of Toronto Archives

The church later opened a Holiday House on Lake Simcoe for underprivileged children to attend during the summer months. The Penny Bank, which was later adopted by the government, gave families a place to house their savings.

Throughout all of the church’s efforts, the women of the congregation have played a lead role in developing the St. Andrew’s community service network and raising funds for its various social projects.

St. Andrews continues to serve a large number of worshippers who come from outside the downtown core for weekly services and the historic building serves as a reminder of the Presbyterian Church’s influence on the city’s early development.

Sources:

http://www.standrewstoronto.org/church_info.htm

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMDC-PICTURES-R-6460&R=DC-PICTURES-R-6460

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMDC-PICTURES-R-6465&R=DC-PICTURES-R-6465

http://www.torontohistory.org/Pages_STU/St_Andrews_Church.html

Image c/o Apartment Therapy

Fall has just arrived in Toronto, leaves are turning red and the temperatures are dropping.  How could one call the fall season complete without the annual re-appearance of the famous pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks? If you want to be able to enjoy your fall favourite year round, and on the cheap, this recipe is for you!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Makes 1 to 2 servings

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup (your choice)
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more to garnish
1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup of espresso or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee
Whipped cream, to garnish

In a saucepan whisk together milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. If you don’t have a blender, don’t worry about it — just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk.

Pour into a large mug or two mugs. Add the espresso on top.

Top with whipped cream, if desired, and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon on top.

Source:

http://www.thekitchn.com/diy-pumpkin-spice-latte-96277?utm_campaign=topblock&utm_medium=web&utm_source=main-entry

Image c/o M. Rodrigues, Axon Capital Realty Advisors©

Boutique is one of the newest condominiums to graze Toronto’s skyline. Located in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment District, Boutique is walking distance from great shops, restaurants, and theatres.

Architecturally, it is a sleek building that combines both modern and classic features. As seen in this image, the seven storey brick podium brings something of a historical flair to the project. In fact, the podium is reminiscent of the industrial warehouses that used to populate the street.  

Don’t let the charming brick façade fool you – Boutique’s amenities are ultra modern and up-to-date. It offers a game room, a state of the art gym, a rooftop lounge, a skyline bar, an outdoor pool, as well as gas barbecues, and cabanas.

If you would like more information regarding Boutique, please do not hesitate to contact us at (416) 929-1660 or email us at resupport@axoncapitalrealty.com. We would be glad to help you in your search for the perfect condo!

Image c/o the Grid TO.

Indulge is an annual farmer’s market that runs in two separate locations at different times over the summer. From 31^st May to 14^th June, it took place at Simcoe Park.

From 21^st June to 11^th October, it takes place at David Pecaut Square (located at 55 John St.,  just steps away from Boutique condos), every Thursday.

Farmers from Waterford, St. George, Port Perry, and Milton come together to offer their best and freshest products. In fact, the market features a large selection of fresh produce, baked goods, and preserves.

Not only does Indulge operate as a farmers’ market, it also includes a restaurant and concert venue. Market patrons can listen to R&B, Jazz, Country and Pop music by Toronto musicians, all while enjoying delicious food.

The best part? Admission is free!

There’s always lots to do around Boutique. If you’re thinking of moving to the neighbourhood, feel free to contact us for more information! Reach us at (416) 929-1660 or email us at resupport@axoncapitalrealty.com. There’s the perfect condo out there for you, and we’d be happy to help you find it!

Sources:

http://www.toronto.ca/indulge/

http://www.thegridto.com/life/food-drink/snapshot-indulge-farmers-market/

Fune is a Japanese restaurant located in the Entertainment District at 100 Simcoe St. near the corner of University Ave. and King St. W.  The name of the restaurant, pronounced foo-nay, is translated to boat or ship.  This name is fitting as Fune is a floating sushi bar; in fact, it is the only floating sushi bar inToronto. 

For those of you who have not been to Fune or to this type of restaurant, in floating sushi bars the sushi and sashimi are presented on boats floating on water. The boats travel along the water to the various seating areas.  Patrons simply take the plates they would like to eat. 

Aside from its reputation as ‘the’ floating sushi bar, Fune is also known for its fresh and creative sushi and sashimi dishes.  In addition to sushi, they also serve teriyaki ($8.25), tempura ($9.95), udon & soba noodle dishes ($7.75-$13.75), and much more!

For information on condo living in the Entertainment District near Toronto’s only floating sushi bar, feel free to contact us for more information!  Call us at (416) 929-1660 or email us at resupport@axoncapitalrealty.com.  We would be happy to help you with your search!

Sources:

http://fune.sites.toronto.com/

http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/fune

http://www.toronto.com/listing/212874–fune-japanese-restaurant