TORONTO LOCAL HEROES

Feeling blue? Go green!

2011-07-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

For this Toronto Local Heroes update I've decided to focus on a particular place in the city as opposed to the usual people. On a rainy afternoon in may after much contemplating of how to spend the day, I decided to pay a visit to Toronto's beautiful Allan Gardens. Located at Sherbourne and Carlton, it is over a 100 years old with more than 16,000 square feet of greenhouse space.

Being surrounded by the most vibrant assortment of colours, and one fresh breathe of air after another, just might be the perfect way to stimulate your senses on a dull downtown day. with such a wide variety of tropical flowers and other plants from all over the world, as well as a great display of everyone's favourite prickly plants, it's difficult to see it all no matter how hard you try.

After a walk around Allan Gardens in all it's tranquility, don't be surprised if you're left wanting to stay a while. Did I mention it's the ideal place to take that special someone before a nice dinner? If you live in Toronto not to mention nearby, I recommend you find out for yourself. After all, Ontario is "Yours to Discover"!

Adam and Lisa

2011-06-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

I spotted their smiling, rosy faces at the corner Queen and Soho Street on my way home one chilly afternoon in March. Being a drummer myself I had to stop to say hello and admire their creative, environmentally friendly approach to percussive busking. Where they're from or where they're going I did not ask but regardless, what could be more fun than getting bundled up to make some music with a buddy not to mention making a few bucks in the process? Not much if you ask me!

Jammin' Joseph

2010-06-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

As a musician myself, I have great respect for anyone who dares pick up a musical instrument not to mention play in front of people. After frequently seeing Joseph around the north east corner at the intersection of Queen and Spadina, I quickly took notice to his happy go lucky attitude. Residing in Toronto's East end, he told me that he enjoys making the venture to his usual sidewalk jam space for a change of scenery. Playing either his electric guitar and/or hand drum with a contagious smile on his face, he fills the air with quiet music making it a more enjoyable day for any passerby!

Tasty Meals On Green Wheels

2010-05-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

My morning coffee lead me to yet again learn something new and special about the Mystic Muffin restaurant. As I walked in to my usual "good morning" and my eyes adjusted from the sun, I noticed owner Elias mounting some kind of contraption to the back of his bike as he continued to load it with an assortment of sandwiches among other treats, This could only mean one thing, delivery! This particular order fit on was the smallest of three hand crafted racks and was en route to a regular client at the Scotia Bank tower to feed a meeting of hungry business folk. Not only will they cater your next function but also keep the air fresh with an emissions free delivery vehicle! A big green pat on the back to Elias for making it easier for Toronto to eat and most importantly breath!

Catch Of The Day

2010-05-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

I recently spotted this innovative method of auto pilot panhandling at the corner of Queen and Bathurst and didn't think twice before taking the bait!

The One and Only Mystic Muffin

2010-05-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled, The Mystic Muffin is far from just a bakery with a vast selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups and more. Owner Elias Makhoul moved to Canada from Lebanon at the age of 21. When I asked him what the hottest selling item on the menu was, he had a hard time deciding on just one. Among several other healthy pita/sandwich hybrids, the tuna and chicken potato seem to be the flavours of the month while the falafel remains a consistent best seller, and i personally vouche for that! "The Super Wonita salad is always a hit item with the ladies especially" he exclaimed as he also pointed out an empty sold out tray that prior to the lunch time rush, contained their delicious lentils with rice dish available on Tuesdays and Fridays. The Lentil soup, loaded with 11 different vegetables as well as my personal favourite, the chicken and rice soup go hand in hand with any pita or sandwich.

As far as baked goods go, The Mystic Muffin's sales are dominated by their irresistible apple cakes and banana loaves. Not only did I learn that they usually sell fifteen to twenty of each a day but I also continued to discover what a comic Elias is when he swore that sales sky rocketed as soon as he recently wore shorts to work again. Elias also had no problem telling me about his favourite menu item that keeps him going all day, the egg plant sandwich or as he likes to call it "The John Glenn Sandwich".In his words "lt has low gravity and is easy to digest like eating a sandwich on the moon.

My Morning Ritual

Running a local business can consume a lot of energy, so I asked Elias what his thoughts were on the matter. He began yet again with his brilliant sense of humor and in between chuckles told me that "in the winter, no heat is needed because his two lovely employees Wonita and Steffie take care of that on their own, while in the summer since they're also cool girls, no air conditioning is needed either! He proceeded to tell me that after a recent inspection he qualified for a one thousand dollar rebate from Ontario Hydro, so it looks like things are pretty green at the Mystic Muffin.

Every year, the restaurant holds bi-annual cooking camps funded by sales of the official Mystic Muffin apparel and coffee mugs. Elias proudly showed me the photos of the most recent one consisting of 44 kids who made $340 in sales in one day. He once again had me laughing when he joked that the next camp would take place at the "Roger's Centre with 30,000 kids, referring to himself as "the Billy Graham of cooking" or better yet "the Benny Hinn of falafel"

With the St. Lawrence Market directly south and the polar opposite Moss Park right around the corner, The Mystic Muffin sits in a very diverse and at times unpredictable neighbourhood which lead me to wonder if he would ever consider relocating. His answer was exactly what I expected, "Never". After seventeen years of business, it's no surprise. "It's my baby" he said and "the only way I'm leaving this place is if I drop dead". On a historical note, Elias told me the story of the original owner of the building since 1935 who had a heart attack in the kitchen in 1963, who's son then sold it to the current landlord. In fact both two out of the landlord's three daughters once worked at the restaurant and went on to marry customers.

Back to the present, I was curious whether or not whether we could expect a second location anytime soon, I mean that would mean twice as much apple cake for Toronto, right? However don't hold your breath, I agree with Elias when he answered with a big "no way" and explained it's not necessary to be greedy and to be content with what fortune you have" if you want the goods, you had better make your way to Jarvis and Richmond to the one and only Mystic Muffin.

Last but not least, I thought I'd find out what Elias might be doing had he never opened the Mystic Muffin and he froze deep in thought for a moment. If there is one thing he's sure of, the last place he ever wants to be is stuck at a computer in an office. He considers himself as an entrepreneur as well as a self taught businessman and that's what he always wants to be. He plans to run for mayor in the October municipal election and his slogans are as follows: "A vision can bring you money but money cannot bring you a vision" and my personal favourite "Vote for me, I'll make you a sandwich. Vote for pantalone, make your own." With that being said I think we all know who to vote for. Start your day at The Mystic Muffin sometime and you'll find out exactly why they're 100% Local Hero material!

DUKE DREAMER

2010-04-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

While having lunch this past saturday afternoon at BQM Diner near Queen and Spadina, I noticed a crowd beginning to gather outside. I finished my burger and stepped outside to see what the big deal was. Sure enough with his pirate like attire and headset microphone, Australia's own one man circus who calls himself "Duke Dreamer" was seeking audience assistance in preparation for the show to come.

After some lasso tricks, warm up juggling, and suspenseful banter with the growing crowd, he had 4 lucky volunteers secure a pole for which the purpose remained a mystery. He then explained that he was going to climb to the top of the pole which is impressive in itself. Once shimmying his way up to his precarious perch he asked the crowd if they'd ever seen a pot head midget juggling on a cloud. It was only a short moment of confusion until the ingenuity came alive right before everyones eyes and there it was, a pot head midget not only juggling but with knives on a cloud.

He then proceeded to slice an apple in mid juggle, exclaimed "special delivery!" and sent it down the line to one of his volunteers. In fact, I'm just going to let my photos and this youtube video do the rest of the talking. This is some wacky talent you don't come across everyday!

Beaconsfield Bill

2010-04-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

Nothing is better than a little laughter anytime, anywhere whether it's another youtube video or at 2am outside the bar in this case. Meet Bill, on a daily basis he can be found around the north west corner of Queen and Beaconsfield outside of The Beaconsfield bar. Unfortunately I didn't have much time for an after party but It didn't take long to realize that his positive attitude, great sense of humour, and big smile shouldn't go unnoticed any longer. Next time you're in the area keep an eye out for Bill and maybe you'll be lucky enough to hear a joke or two. Let's all make our pockets lighter and fill that blue cup with some shiny or crisp ones!

TTC Hero

2010-04-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

The acronym TTC not only stands for the obvious in this case but also for Toronto Trash Collection. That's is exactly what this Tunnel dwelling philanthropist is doing as he hustles and bustles from car to car on the subway cleaning up after those who apparently don't comprehend use of the TTC's newly designed garbage receptacles.

Pretty complicated, huh?

While taking the subway over the weekend I witness this lone ranger of litter hard at work despite the fact that it was around midnight on a Friday. He caught me by surprise when he sped past me on the train dragging behind him a large bag bursting at the seams with the garbage produced by Toronto's increasing population of careless slobs. The most baffling part of this story is that when passengers on the train including myself tried to offer him a dollar or two for his hard work, he declined yet expressed an overwhelmed level of thanks. The fact of the matter is, this is an outstanding act of going above and beyond keeping our city clean. Keep an eye out for this TTC hero!

Litter Beware!

2010-03-16T07:16:00.000-07:00

While out for lunch and a couple pints with some friends over the weekend, we noticed Mark "The Litter guy" passing by outside repeatedly getting Queen Street sparkling for the nice weather to come. We invited him to come have a beer with us and he gladly obliged. Mark didn't have much time to kill but in a pints lifespan, the stories of the disrespect and harassment he endures were unbelievable. Consider this a friendly reminder that he is a more than valuable citizen who goes the the extra mile in a way most wouldn't dare. Next time you see "The litter guy" on his never ending crusade against Toronto's polluted streets, show him some respect, and help him any way you can!

Stuntman Steve

2010-03-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

While on the way home from celebrating a friend's birthday, myself and a couple others crossed paths with one hell of a character who immediately said hello and introduced himself as Steve or his Chinese name "Sai Chi".

Without any hesitation he excitedly says "I've got something for you guys!" followed by a moment of suspense. "Grey Goose!" he exclaimed as he withdrew a bottle of vodka from his coat and offered it to us. Although we declined that didn't spoil his good time in the very least. Well dressed and spoken, Steve at 48 years old was simply out looking for the next party.

The conversation somehow progressed into his love for electronic music and his career in party promoting at various clubs around the city. Having been equipped with my skateboard sparked yet another phase of conversation with Steve or should I say "Stuntman Steve"? He continued to tell us of his adventures as a stuntman at the age of 19 in his native city of Hong Kong. Saddly his family was less than approving of his lifestyle and disowned him after a bad accident as well as the end of his stunt career. In Steve's words "the marry go round was cut short" and It was then that he migrated to Canada.

Not only is Steve a party dude but underneath all that he's a Salvation Army volunteer which we were lucky enough to witness first hand. When a homeless man stopped to ask our party for help, Steve excused himself for a minute to give not only a generous donation but also some kind support and directions to the shelter at which he volunteers. By this time it's safe to say it was long past everyone's bed time so we parted ways. Goes to show it's never too late or early for another "Local Hero" encounter.

"The Duke"

2010-03-03T10:39:00.001-08:00

As I pondered potential updates I realized this shiny penny was right under my nose all along. Here I am with my friend Kyle at Roy Thompson Hall last summer unexpectedly accompanied by this man who referred to him only as (drum roll) "The Duke"! He appeared to be under the influence of various substances to say to say the least most likely after a long day at the office so decided to hangout and do some friendly heckling/coaching. In most cases I wouldn't think twice to tell someone like this to take a hike but this guy was too genuine and entertaining to dismiss. As soon as our work there was done, we exchanged handshakes and he was gone in a flash yet to be seen again to this day. I'm just going to let the video do the rest of the talking so let's just say I couldn't have done it without "The Duke"!

Horse $#!t!

2010-02-09T12:40:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since my last entry do to the winter's lack of outdoor hero activity. However while out for a walk on a recent afternoon I did witness something that really bothered me so I'll take this opportunity to do a little venting. Our friend Danny was going about his business, picking up some bits and pieces of garbage at the intersection of Queen and Bathurst and happened to be enjoying an afternoon beer which I'm well aware isn't exactly legal. For this reason I watched two police on horse back corner him against the wall of Pizza Pizza while across the street on the infamous front steps a dozen others drank, smoked questionable substances, and harassed passer by's as usual. After a couple minute of yelling at Danny from on top of their 7 foot tall poop machines they let him walk free and continued to trot south on Bathurst following close making sure to get a few last words in. How ironic that they were heading in the opposite direction of where the real problem is. Keep on doing what you're doing , Danny.

All Hail "The Litter Guy"

2010-01-11T11:50:00.001-08:00

If you reside in or near Toronto's Queen West neighborhood, chances are you've crossed paths with Mark "The Litter Guy". 34 year old Mark Giesbrecht originally from Winnipeg has been cleaning the littered sidewalks of Toronto for over 3 years now. On his arrival to the city, Mark was stripped of a construction job opportunity due to not having proper work boots and so his environmental crusade began. Filling up to 80 bags of garbage a day, his survival depends on well deserved donations varying from food, to money, and of course garbage bags. I ran into Mark by Trinity Bellwood's park on Christmas eve and he took quick break from his never ending work to chat. He was excited to mention that a friend of his has been gradually working on a documentary about his everyday struggles and success. Here is a good example of what's to come.

http://www.thestar.com/videozone/639079

Mark was also very proud to tell me me about recently being nominated as a "Torontoist" hero of 2009 for which he had his very own illustrated portrait done. Unfortunately he didn't make it to the final round due to the technicality of his garbage bags clashing with everyone's favorite new plastic bag policy. Not a chance that slowed down "The Litter Guy" himself, as a "comic nerd" he was simply thrilled with the artistic portrayal of himself.

http://torontoist.com/2009/12/heroes_and_villains_2009_heroes.php?gallery0Pic=13#gallery

Before Mark got back to work I made quick mention of his blog that I came across I encouragingly joked about the lack of recent activity. "Life get's in the way sometimes" he replied with a chuckle. We exchanged Christmas wishes and went our separate ways. Take some time to read Marks blog and only then will you truly understand the variety of good, bad, and ugly he sees each day and lives to tell about it. Next time you see him hard at work cleaning your neighborhood, do the right thing and help him out anyway you can. In fact, the sign he wears on his back says it best. "Putting the shine on where we all live, work, and play. Donation$ let me keep Toronto clean. Thanx 4 support.". Enough said. You're the man, Mark!

The Workin' Man

2009-12-11T13:08:00.001-08:00

Danny is a very unique and interesting member of the Queen and Bathurst community, one of my favorite to observe as he goes about his business. With his construction attire, tool belt, and if you get closer look his impaired right eye make him impossible to miss.

Although generally in a great mood he is known to occasionally have what appear to be Schizophrenic fits consisting of yelling at nothing in particular throwing things around. On a good day he's some sort of one man clean up crew, often carrying a rake and a garbage bin around until it's filled to the brim with various waste he's collected around the neighborhood.

Danny is notorious for offering various items he's found to lucky passerby's which reminds me of by far my best experience with him yet. One afternoon he approached a friend and I saying he'd found something we might like as he pulled a stack of trading cards form his pocket, each one with a different horse on it, including their names and a bio. After gladly accepting his gift we thanked him and we parted ways.

On another note I also recently enjoyed watching him jam out on a guitar hero video game remote guitar, completely in his own imaginary happy place, without a doubt playing a sold out ACC. He never asks anyone for anything, takes pride in keeping his neighborhood clean and adds some much appreciated entertainment into the mix. All I half left to say is go, Danny!

Dude, Where's My Beer?

2009-10-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

These environmentally friendly little people assumed by many to be husband and wife are a great addition to the blog in this time of giving thanks. Where they reside nobody knows, they can be spotted with their grocery carts anywhere from Trinity Bellwoods, Little Italy, The Annex, Kensington, China town, and of course at the Beer Store.

Not only are they probably earning plenty of well deserved dollars but more importantly they keep the side walks clean, the parks green, and even our own recycling bins empty. They're polite, far from shy and will rush to the scene of any public consumption of adult beverages. They always mutter a "thank you" accompanied by a semi-cigarette occupied smile, each time you put a can in their weathered little hands.

Just don't leave your beer unattended because they have no problem dumping it and turning it into 5 cents, or you could swallow a bee and that just would just suck on a whole other level. If you see them coming your way, you better start chugging! Happy Thanksgiving and a gentle pat on the back to Toronto's hardest working senior citizens.

Red Tie Affair

2009-10-06T17:39:00.000-07:00

Meet Howard, usually around the intersection of Queen and Bathurst as well as in Alexandra park at Dundas and Bathurst. In the warmer weather he's notorious for often being shirtless wearing only a red neck tie. One afternoon this summer he passed by me with his shopping cart full of empty cans and bottles as I relaxed on a bench in the park.

I happily spared him a couple of bucks so he stuck around to to tell me a couple jokes and rant about his ongoing adventures some of which made more sense than others. I think I heard the word "jail" once or twice, but we won't get into that. Howard made my day with his enthusiastic demeanor In between talking he would impulsively burst into air guitar solos with sound effects included. Before he took off he offered me his protection should anyone "f#*k with me". I feel at ease knowing we have Howard around to lighten the mood in the neighborhood and keep things a little greener, he is a true rock star of the streets!