Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena and boos for the US

WE THE NORTH came out to a Toronto Raptors game at Scotiabank Arena and as the opening preparations were underway we listened to the start of the United States' national anthem, where first one long boo rang out and then many in the crowd joined in. It was tentative at first, it's not like Canadians to protest like this, especially against someone we thought was a friend and partner but has since turned against our country to the north with threats and tariffs, just as the US has against Mexico with further threats against Greenland and Panama. And as the United States of America continues their plan to dismantle choice, equality and who knows what else, the world stands in shock and dismay for what the future holds, along with the choices a lot of countries will make in the wake of these attacks.

Heading to the Raptors vs LA Clippers game Feb 2, 2025

A Raptors art installation at the entrance along Raptors Way

Flames and fireworks illuminate the arena

Watching the athletes warming up, with the Raptors' mascot, surprisingly called Raptor, and the unfolding of the giant WE THE NORTH flag as it is propelled along the lower level by fans, makes for a great opening act. At certain times we were also treated to tiny little dancers called the T-dots, Raptors cheerleaders, teams helping out on in the aisles and giving out shirts and also a fun event called the baby run!

The Raptors did win on February 2nd, 115 to 108, so at least we got that going for us.

The individual signs spell out RAPS WIN

GO CANADA!

Road Trip Ottawa: Skating on the Rideau Canal

Winter in Ottawa should mean skating on the Rideau Canal and in 2025 we got lucky as there was enough ice to open the famous canal, just in time for the annual Winterlude, after two disappointing years in 2023 (not opened) and for only 10 days in 2024. Ottawa tells us that the rink is the largest natural ice rink in the world with an amazing 7.8km rink reaching from downtown Ottawa to Dows Lake. An average of 19,000 skaters a day take to the canal so we decided on an evening, mid-week skate to avoid the crowds. You can rent skates on site if you didn't bring yours, they are $33 for two hours of rental ($50 deposit required), also available for rental are sleighs and ice trikes.

The start of the Rideau Canal Skate Trail

The start of the trail, or 0.0km, is located near the war memorial and in the initial section you can find the famous Beaver Tails and other vendors, a warming/change station and a bathroom. Further up the canal you can find more of the same, including outdoor fire pits at the 1.4km. There are plenty of access points and a few benches along the route and four rest areas. We talked to one lady that says it takes about an hour to skate the whole route.

You can't skate on the locks section near the Ottawa River

Ottawa's winter festival, Winterlude, runs from January 31 to February 17, 2025 with a number of attractions and entertainment throughout the city and into Gatineau, Quebec. Near to the canal downtown you can find Lumen Eira at Confederation Park which has a number of luminous art and audio installations.

Lumen Eira at Confederation Park

We stayed at a hotel in the downtown (Business Inn) and were able to walk around without having to drive, or take public transit or taxis. Some of the highlights of the trip, besides the canal skating, were visiting the current home of the Canadian Senate, having cocktails in the Fairmont Château Laurier, warming up by the eternal flame on Parliament Hill while viewing the cranes and construction walls as the Centre Block and Senate is currently undergoing multi-year expansions, renovations as well as tunnel construction.

The eternal flame on Parliament Hill

See more of our Ottawa trip after the jump.

Mirvish Come From Away at the Royal Alexandra Theatre

I finally went to the Mirvish production of Come From Away playing at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street in the Entertainment District and it was a very enjoyable, fast paced musical that highlights Canada's role when North America's air travel stopped during 9/11. You can find balcony tickets for as little as $49, or look for some other sale (I did a two for one deal).

Finding our seats before the show starts

Written by Canadians Irene Sankoff and David Hein, the story follows local residents reacting to the 38 planes that were grounded at Gander International Airport in Newfoundland on September 11, 2001 as a direct result of airplanes under the control of terrorists targeting buildings in the United States. The approximate 6,500 passengers doubled the population in the area and were taken in by the local communities for several days. Rather than being overwhelmed by the influx of unexpected guests, the locals set to work finding lodging, food, clothes and other support for the stranded passengers.

Roy Thomson Hall

Getting in early - front row of the balcony

The theatre itself is gorgeous, a national historic landmark on King Street West right across from Metro Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, Easily reachable from public transport or travel almost entirely from underground in the PATH system from St Andrew subway station to keep you out of winter weather if required. The Royal theatre was built in 1907 and was granted the Royal designation by King Edward VII. The stage has a giant turntable which is used in this production.

About a dozen actors/singers, plus musicians take part in this production, each assuming multiple parts, quickly slipping from one character to another by adding a coat or other piece of costume. The set consists of only tables and chairs which are rearranged as required to move from a Tim Hortons, to a plane load of people to a school bus, to other locations. A giant turntable is right in the centre of the stage and it is put to use several times in the show as the actors walk or move around the rotating circle.

Some viewers can feel a little underwhelmed because of the build up to the play as it has been hyped for years, so forget the reviews and just enjoy Come From Away. The play is in one act, continuous for approximately 100 minutes.

Dates: Now thru April 6, 2025
Royal Alexandra Theatre
260 King St W, Toronto
ON, M5V 1H9

Performance Schedule
Monday & Tuesday: Dark
Wednesday: 1:30PM & 7:30PM
Thursday: 7:30PM
Friday: 1:30PM & 8PM
Saturday: 2PM & 8PM
Sunday: 2PM

Afternoon Tea in Toronto and at the Prince of Wales Hotel NOTL

The beauty of Niagara on the Lake doesn't end in winter and the QEW highway from Toronto remains busy bringing tourists down the road into the Niagara area, especially during the annual Ice Wine Festival. We decided to check out the afternoon tea experience in the beautiful, vintage hotel Prince of Wales in downtown NOTL located at the corner of King and Queen Streets in the charming, small town surrounded by orchards and wineries.

Tea is served in the Drawing Room with traditional service daily from 11am to 5pm while there is also a Candlelight Highland Tea on Friday and Saturday evenings. The tea currently costs $55 per person, plus tax and tips, with more expensive options on the menu and everything is very fancy.

The hotel's website says, "Tea With an Imaginative Twist; Bring a little whimsy to your stay with a traditional English tea at Prince of Wales. Ornate tea sets, delicate desserts, and regal décor bring an attention-to-detail that transports you to the Victorian era."

In Toronto the Fairmont Royal York, across from Union Station, features a weekend Afternoon Tea from 11am till 4pm, with first seating being $95 per person and the second seating costing $120 per person in their Clockwork restaurant.

Their website says, "The timeless tradition of afternoon tea continues under the rosy glow of the clock. Served Saturday & Sunday, enjoy house-made buttery scones, savory sandwiches, and delectable pastries, while you sip on Fairmont curated quality teas. The centrepiece of the best afternoon tea in Toronto is our warm, freshly baked scones, served with rich whipped cream and fruity berry compote. Our inspired Fairmont afternoon tea menu also features an array of inventive, delicately crafted savory delights and indulgent sweets. A selection of aromatic Lot 35 Fairmont curated teas provide the essential accompaniment."

An afternoon tea date is a nice way to start your day, leaving the rest of your day free to take in a movie or theatre experience in Toronto's downtown core. OpenTable has a number of recommendations for Afternoon Tea in Toronto that you can check out.

Players’ Championship curling at Toronto Mattamy Athletic Centre in April 2025

Big names in curling will return to Toronto for the 2025 Players' Championship from April 8 to 13, 2025 in the Mattamy Athletic Centre. This Grand Slam of Curling (GSOC) event will be the ninth in the Centre since 2015 and will feature the top 12 men's and women's teams in the world.

From the GSOC website, "The Grand Slam of Curling is an elite series of men’s and women’s curling events, featuring the best teams from across Canada and around the world. Awarding equal purses to both men’s and women’s teams since 2015, the Grand Slam of Curling is committed to advancing the sport on a global scale. The Grand Slam of Curling is owned and operated by The Curling Group."

Team Gushue

Skip Brad Gushue heads off ice

2024 Players' Championship winners were Canada’s Team Gushue and Switzerland’s Team Tirinzoni and look to repeat their win, although recently at the GSOC Masters game in Guelph, Team Gushue went down in flames and hope to get back to taking home more trophies.

The Grand Slam 2024/2025 series has five games scheduled with only the Players' Championship left to play. Here are the events.

HearingLife Tour Challenge, October 1-6, 2024
Bell Aliant Centre, Charlottetown, P.E.I.

Co-op Canadian Open, Nov. 5-10, 2024
Silent Ice Center, Nisku, Alberta

KIOTI National, Nov. 26 – Dec. 1, 2024
Mary Brown’s Centre, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

WFG Masters, Jan. 14-19, 2025. Photos in this post are from that event.
Sleeman Centre, Guelph, Ontario

Players’ Championship, April 8-13, 2025
Mattamy Athletic Centre, Toronto, Ontario

You can watch the games on Sportsnet, view live streams at HomeTeam Live or on the GSOC website.

Woodbine Mall & Fantasy Fair for sale

Malls are a lot like newspapers nowadays, fading fast, looking to sell to others so someone else can take the hit. Woodbine Mall and Fantasy Fair in the Rexdale area of Toronto is no different, you can buy the fifty plus acres that the mall sits on as its economic hurdles threaten to halt the fun amusement rides. Stores that once anchored the mall are gone, or a mere shadow of what they used to be.

Still, the mall is not done, it still soldiers on with a mixed bag of retailers and a movie theatre. Located opposite to the Great Canadian Toronto Casino which itself is under massive redevelopment to feed Torontonians desire to gamble and go to concerts.

Colliers is selling the property and they say, "The offering represents a unique and rare opportunity to acquire a 50+ acre mixed use site in the City of Toronto, abutting the Humber College Major Transit Station Area “MTSA” and located adjacent to the largest casino in Canada, The Great Canadian Toronto Casino, and the Woodbine Racetrack redevelopment encompassing 648 acres of urban mixed-use development that will include 29,000 homes and over 13.5 million square feet of light industrial, laboratory, retail and office areas."

Many malls are being repurposed into mixed use residential areas where many of the buildings are torn down and condos, office buildings and with some room for commercial establishments. Unable to defeat the online dominion of Amazon and others and needing residents to recoup the mega costs of land and development in the city.

The jewel of the mall is of course Fantasy Fair, Ontario's largest indoor amusement park, which opened, along with the mall, in 1985. It features 9 rides and attractions along with a bunch of dinosaurs. I think there were 12 rides but three have closed including the ferris wheel and the drop and hop.

Interior Design Show Toronto 2025 #IDSTO25

Beautiful living spaces require beautiful materials and sometimes the help of professionals provides the extra touch that sets some living spaces on a whole new level. This weekend is your chance to visit the Interior Design Show (IDS25) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from Thursday to Sunday, January 23-26, 2025.

The beginning of IDS25 is a trades-only Thursday and Friday, followed by a weekend consumer show open to the public, and a very popular Thursday night launch party open to all. Tickets can be purchased online at their website which will let you check out the 250 exhibitors filling the 180,000 square feet conference center.

At the Volvo exhibition

IDS reps show the media around the show floor stopping to highlight some of the brands

Daily show descriptions and hours

DEZEEN TRADE DAY + IDS CONFERENCE – Thursday, January 23, 2025 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
OPENING NIGHT PARTY – Thursday, January 23, 2025, 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
AZURE TRADE DAY + IDS CONFERENCE – Friday, January 24, 2025 | 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
THE GLOBE AND MAIL SATURDAY – Saturday, January 25, 2025 | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
HOUSE & HOME SUNDAY, Sunday, January 26, 2025 | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

The band is playing to a packed crowd around the main stage as the 2025 launch party is firmly underway. 

From IDS "The Interior Design Show Toronto returns for its 26th edition. IDS celebrates and promotes the best in global and Canadian design, from emerging designers to legacy brands. A catalyst of ideas, the show hosts the most influential design minds of today and is a platform to launch never-before-seen products and solutions for the future. The Interior Design Show is not just a fair – it’s a total design experience."

Features of the show include the following.
Night & Day
The District
Prototype
Studio North
LIV Design Studio
Italian Trade 

See more of the party after the jump.