THE RAPP REPORT Anita "Rapps" It Up
Cherry Blossom Time in High Park ...Opening Day May 5
We are not rushing it, but we want to keep you posted as to when the Sakura Cherry Blossoms will be in full bloom in High Park.
On April 1, 1959, Japanese ambassador to Canada, Toru-Hagiwara, presented 2000 Japanese Somei-Yoshino Sakurathe on behalf of the citizens of Tokyo, Japan as a gift to the citizens of Toronto for their support of Japanese-Canadian refugees after the Second World War. Many of the trees were planted along High Park Trail and around Grenadier Pond which to this day stands as the most impressive grove of sakura // cherry blossom trees in the park and city.
Since then, the city of Toronto in conjunction with the Consulate General of Japan, created the “Sakura Project” which has continued to plant additional Sakura // Cherry Blossom trees in High Park and throughout the city in the spirit of continued friendship between Toronto and the people of Japan.
You can follow the blossoms weekly as they open at the link below. Full bloom is predicted for the week of May 5 to !2.
Strong Growth in Home Sales in March/Q1
April 5, 2016 -- Toronto Real Estate Board President Mark McLean announced record TREB MLS® home sales for the first quarter of 2016 following a strong result for March transactions. There were 10,326 sales in March and 22,575 sales in the first quarter. The year-over-year growth rate for sales was 15.8 per cent for Q1 2016 and 16.2 per cent for March 2016. For the TREB market area as a whole, double-digit year-over-year rates of sales growth were experienced for all major home types during the first quarter.
The positive annual growth in sales was not mirrored on the listings front. The number of new listings entered into TREB's MLS® System during March and the first quarter were down compared to the same periods in 2015.
GUIDE TO SPRING CLEANING YOUR HOME
Here are a couple of step-by-step guides to spring cleaning your entire home. Spring is the perfect time to scrub, sweep and store away your winter woes for another year. Let the overhaul begin!
http://www.chatelaine.com/home-decor/a-step-by-step-guide-to-spring-cleaning-your-entire-home/
CAFE PUSHKIN
In our search to bring you the most interesting things, we have found this wonderful restaurant " a work of art".
More than 50 years ago, the legendary French chansonnier Gilbert Bécaud performed in Moscow. When he returned to Paris he wrote the song “Natalie” and dedicated it to his Russian guide. The song goes: “We are walking around Moscow, visiting Red Square, and you are telling me learned things about Lenin and the Revolution, but I’m thinking, ‘I wish we were at Café Pushkin, looking at the snow outside the windows. We’d drink hot chocolate, and talk about something completely different…’”
The song became incredibly popular in France, and it is no wonder that French visitors to Moscow tried to find “Café Pushkin.” They couldn’t find it as it existed only as a poetic fantasy in Bécaud’s song. But it was the song that inspired Andrei Dellos, an artist and restaurateur with Franco-Russian roots, to create “Café Pushkin.” View and epic dinner at the library and transport yourself to and era of aristocratic grandeur..http://bit.ly/1Ss5ZM6
DISGRACED.....you must see it !
This Pulitzer Prize winning play arrived in Toronto on April 7 and has taken the city by storm. Our friend Raoul Bhaneja, who plays the lead role, saw it in New York with his wife and co star, and decided to bring it to Toronto. With the help of Mirvish Productions it is now playing at the Panasonic Theatre on Yonge Street and has been extended to April 24.
http://www.mirvish.com/shows/disgracedoffer?gclid=CM6Z6bnggcwCFQqoaQodJ_MLMw
DISGRACED is as intense as "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and just as gripping as "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf". The cast is fantastic. Not to be missed.
Here is a recent interview with Raoul that you will find interesting,
http://tvo.org/video/programs/the-agenda-with-steve-paikin/disgraced
OLD AND NEW PHOTOS OF LIBERTY VILLAGE
See the dramatic transformation of Toronto’s Liberty Village in this then-and-now photo tour
If you see a pedestrian strolling down Liberty Street today, they could be on their way to a condo or office stacked in one of the repurposed brick warehouses still lining the road.
Just over 100 years ago they might have been taking their first steps towards freedom following a prison sentence; the narrow street that Liberty Village shares its name with was once home to a pair of correctional facilities.
For those interested another link to Old Liberty Village.
http://www.blogto.com/city/2012/02/what_liberty_village_looked_like_before_the_condos/
HOT DOCS... April 28 to May 8
Always a Favourite
Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary festival, offers an outstanding selection of over 200 films from Canada and around the world to Toronto audiences of more than 200,000.
The 2016 Hot Docs Festival will run April 28 to May 8.
Check out the schedule . Always something for everyone !
http://www.hotdocs.ca/p/hot-docs-festivalSee the Vermont House Where Rudyard Kipling Wrote ‘The Jungle Book’
In the snowy Green Mountains of Vermont, Rudyard Kipling spun tales of a boy raised by wolves in the steamy Indian jungle. The Bombay-born and British-educated author had married an American and built his dream house near her family in 1893. Here in the house he named Naulakha, Hindi for “priceless jewel,” Kipling rejoiced in domesticity, nature and his newborn daughter. In the snowy Green Mountains of Vermont, Rudyard Kipling spun tales of a boy raised by wolves in the steamy Indian jungle. You can tour his house now.
OUR FOOD PICKS FOR APRIL
Best Dry Ribs
Dimly lit BBQ joint with Texas-themed memorabilia serving ribs, brisket & bourbon. The best. best dry ribs in town. My mouth is watering while I write this.
Great Fish Place
HONEST WEIGHT
This New England–style fishmonger/seafood spot highlights daily catch prepared numerous ways. Small, friendly place in the Junction with great fresh fish.
Finger Licking Chicken
THE WHITE BRICK KITCHEN
A little corner restaurant serving comfort food such as mac & cheese, fried chicken & burgers, plus beer & wine. Their buttermilk fried chicken is one of the best in town.
I just had the pleasure of viewing my good friend Barry Callaghan's wonderful and unusual art exhibit. Take a drive to Oakville for a treat.
HOGGWASH .. the book and art exhibit featuring Barry Callaghan and Joe Rosenblatt, poets of perspicacity, pizzazz, and probity, who have been combative, ecstatic compadres for over 40 years is on display at the GN Gallery in Oakville, This most unlikely pair have now collaborated in this exhibition that will run until May 11th..
Hoggwash, a convergence by epistle, is a tribute not just to their enduring friendship but to the life of the imagination itself. The book Hoggwash and these amazing, epistolary art works are available at the GN Gallery in Oakville and at http://exileeditions.com/
Worth the drive...123 Lakeshore Rd. West, Oakville.
FEATURED LISTING
A Little Palace $5,595,000 - 21 DON RIDGE DRIVE
A warm and inviting home on a quiet cul de sac Is not to be missed. The grand entrance and large flowing rooms make this home an entertainer's delight. Magnificent Kitchen With Separate Servery. Wine Cellar, Games Room/Dance Area, Nanny And Guest Suites. Custom Designed, Completely Fenced Yard With Lush Gardens, Pool And Waterfall Feature. Many sensational custom Upgrades. Over 7,000 Sq.Ft. (Including Lower Level).
REMEMBER TO PUT THE GLASS DOWN
This was worth sharing.....A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?"
click link belowhttp://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5256988
CONTACT INFORMATION
AS ALWAYS, thank you for your past and future business. Referrals are always greatly appreciated. Please LIKE AND SHARE the RAPP REPORT with family and friends or anyone you think may be interested.
Royal Lepage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage
Email: arapp@royallepage.ca
Website: www.anitarapp.com
Location: 55 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON, Canada
Phone: 416-921-1112
Facebook: facebook.com/anitapancerrapp
Twitter: @realestaterapp