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Dear Roger & Jim,
 Ah, Fall! Clearly a wonderful season to
visit Toronto. The weather is crisp, the sky is bright, the leaves
resplendent, and everyone is out enjoying the gifts of Nature before she
wraps it all in her seasonal coat of snow.
We've been out, as well, revelling in our still new-to-us
location, walking more, seeing more, enjoying more of the city at our
doorstep. Some of those treats we highlight in this newsletter. These, and
others, we're eager to share with you when you return to your home in
Toronto!
See you then!
Rog & Jim
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Two Great Musicals Coming to Town
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 On a bare stage, casting for a new
Broadway musical is almost complete. The field's been narrowed down to
just 17 dancers. For these men and women, this audition is the chance of
a lifetime, the one opportunity to do what they've always dreamed of. Not
to be the star, but to get the job - to have the chance to dance and come
through.
A CHORUS LINE, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical,
dazzled more than 6 million people during its record-breaking 15-year run
on Broadway. A modern classic, A CHORUS LINE is "Still the Best Damn
Musical in Town!" - Liz Smith, Newsday
A Chorus Line plays October 28 - November 30 in Toronto's Canon Theatre.
 Andrew
Lloyd Webber, David Ian and David Mirvish present the North American
premiere of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, live on stage in Toronto's
magnificent Princess of Wales Theatre, just a short walk from TDBAB, from
October 3 to January 11.
With music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book
by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, it is based on the memoir of Maria
von Trapp. The original Broadway production opened in 1959, and was the
final musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
VIP House Seats
for you
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Kensington Market
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One of the greatest
treasures just a couple of blocks from TDBAB is Kensington Market, a
distinctive multicultural neighbourhood. The Market is one of the city's
oldest and most famous neighbourhoods, and in November 2006 it became a
National Historic Site. Most of the neighbourhood's eclectic shops,
cafes, and other attractions are best visited on foot as the narrow
one-way streets and numerous dead-ends are difficult to navigate by car.
The Market was founded
around 1910 as waves of Jewish and Italian immigrants settled here and
created an open air market similar to those in Europe at the time. As
many of the estimated 60,000 Jews here in 1920 became more prosperous and
moved out, they were replaced by political refugees from the Azores in
the 1950s, then new waves of immigrants from the Caribbean and East Asia
followed. The Vietnam War added American political refugees to the mix,
while now - as it is only a block from Toronto's main Chinatown - Chinese
are the largest ethnic unit. Political strife in the world continues to
contribute residents from Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Iran, and others.
For us, it's our
favourite afternoon walk for cheese (Mendel's) and bread (Cobs) and an
altogether exhilarating experience anytime.
Visit
Kensington Market with us!
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Only Five Staterooms Left on Baltic
Cruise
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We have only five
staterooms left on our TDBAB Reunion Group Cruise in the Baltic from 24
July for 12 nights. The response has been incredible, clearly a
recognition of the incredible value and itinerary (not to mention the
incredibly personable hosts). Some of the coolest guests and nicest
family members have already signed on and are excited to have you join
us.
We're already working
with Virtuoso on-sites to plan special a pre-cruise event in Copenhagen,
and two special private shore excursions in Stockholm - a day tour and a
nighttime pub crawl (one of them, your choice, with our compliments).
We've also negotiated prepaid standard gratuities, our legendary Lemon
Drop Inn cocktail parties, and now, a Special Bonus!
$US 150 on-board credit per deluxe stateroom with veranda, or
$US 300 on-board credit per suite. Spend it on yourself, in the
spa, at the bar, in the boutiques, or at the casino, just because you've
joined our group!
Prices start at $C 2770
per person, double occupancy, all taxes and surcharges included, for an
inside stateroom, to $C 5130 pp d/o, for a Sky Suite. Specially
negotiated rates for air make this especially attractive.
Please join us. We
promise you a great vacation experience on a cruise ship ideally suited
for our guests: luxury treatment in a casual environment.
Join us 24 July
2009. Details here.
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Art Week in Toronto
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Toronto is the perfect
destination for art enthusiasts this October as three of the nation's
leading contemporary art events come together in one week - the third
annual Scotiabank Nuit Blanche on October 4, the Toronto International
Art Fair running from October 2-6, and the Sobey Art Award ceremony and
exhibition from October 1-13, 2008.
A unique highlight is the
annual Nuit Blanche, from 6:52PM October 4 till sunrise, October 5. For
one sleepless night, experience Toronto transformed by artists. Discover
art in galleries, museums and unexpected places. From bridges and tunnels
to warehouses and stadiums, choose from more than 155 destinations and
chart your own path.
Visit the Art
Toronto Week website
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Toronto Islands
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They've always been
there, at least since the late 18th century when the drifting sandbars
coagulated and the peninsula broke free from the mainland, forming what
quickly became Toronto's playground escape from the muddy city.
Today the uncounted
number of islands from small to large total 570 acres of parkland, and
comprise the largest urban car-free community in North America, though
some service vehicles are permitted. The city's three most scenic ferry
trips service the three largest of them, Hanlan's Point (Babe Ruth
hit his first home run here in a stadium that existed then), Centre
Island (with an amusement park and small zoo), and Ward's Island (with
its 262 cottage homes, one of which is illustrated above).
The walk, or bike ride,
from Hanlan's on the east, to Ward's on the western end, is 5km of the
most enjoyable in the city, with boardwalk views of Lake Ontario,
meandering pathways among the cottages, and the simple enjoyment of
nature. Or au natural, if you prefer: Hanlan's is also home to
Toronto's only clothing-optional beach.
It always seems strange
to us to suggest that you come to the City, and then escape it, but it
remains one the most enjoyable ways to spend an afternoon in Toronto, if
for no other reason than to photograph the very best views of the City.
Join
us on our walk last week on The Islands
DAVIDsTEA
A happy new discovery on Queen Street West is a delightful
tea shop, DAVIDsTEA, opened just last month. Offering over a hundred
varieties of tea, by the gram or by the cup, a wall of brewing
accessories, and an assortment of the most delicious cupcakes in the
city, it has fast become a favourite of locals and passersby.
In fact, you'll hardly find a day go by without finding us
there! From the day they opened, Jim was drawn by the friendly atmosphere
and bright merchandising, while Rog appreciates the Montreal origins and
welcoming upbeat attitude of David and Kim - always busy yet always with
time to spare and chat.
Ask David about tea and you'll get an earful. First he'll go
on about taste. Then health. Then he'll talk about how tea gives you a
low but constant level of caffeine, compared to coffee's quick cycle of
peaks and lows.Soon he'll be onto how important the quality of the tea
is. Get him talking about tea martinis and you'll be stuck forever.
Come, let us treat you!
Visit
DAVIDsTEA on line
"A journey is best measured in
friends, rather than miles."
- Tim Cahill
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