Independent music, fabulous music related feature films, documentaries, and shorts, and a music industry conference – that what NXNE is all about. Since its first year in 1995 this fantastic festival has continued to increase in size, scope, and importance. This year, Canada’s showcase for new independent new music is expecting over 100,000 people to attend.

This year’s NXNE is showcasing:

• Over 500 local, national, and international performers in all genres - Rock, Garage, Punk, Reggae, DJ, Folk, Hip Hop, Goth, Americana, Dance, Ambient, Metal, Bluegrass, Electronic, Singer-Songwriter, R&B, Acoustic, Alternative, and more
• Shows at over 40 venues
• The year’s best music-related films in all categories
• An industry conference where music luminaries will be on hand for discussions and interviews - over 2,000 delegates who are artists and music industry professionals sit in on and take part in interviews, round-table discussions, demo listening, and mentoring sessions

Follow the link below for a complete list of venues and their locations.
http://www.nxne.com/venues

The NXNE Conference is headquartered – delegate registration, pass pick-up, conference panel, and interviews - at the Holiday Inn on King, 370 King Street West.  Use the booking code NTHE8 and get a deal on your room, if there is any space left.

Like all festivals NXNE depends on volunteers to do lots of interesting jobs. Best of all you will have an amazing chance to have a behind the scenes look at what’s involved in putting on a show like this. Interested?

NXNE is an amazing party! Toronto’s bars will be staying open until 4:00 AM during the festival. One-day passes, three-day passes, priority passes, and VIP super passes are available. For information in Festival tickets follow the link below.
http://www.nxne.com/tickets-0

There is actually a boutique hotel for dogs, about a 45 minute drive north of Toronto called “Harry & Rupert’s Hotel for Dogs”. Even the website is written from the perspective of Harry & Rupert who are – yes you guessed it – dogs.
Make no mistake; this is not a boarding kennel. Or at least it isn’t like any boarding kennel that I’ve ever seen. The accommodations look very much like motel rooms and they are equipped with amenities that you would expect to find in a room for 2-legged guests, except for the water bowl and the obvious lack of a bathroom. Instead of a turn-down and a chocolate on the pillow the dogs get a homemade treat before bedtime. Each room has:

• comfortable and stylish bedding
• water bowls
• night light
• carpet
• 24 hr CCTV
• fire/smoke and carbon monoxide monitoring

It is recommended that dogs come with their own food, but it is not a requirement. Homemade food can be provided for an extra charge. There is a fitness centre on premises and an agility course should be available in the near future. Rates are $35.00/night, not including food. There are discounts for longer stays and there is even a frequent stay point system in place. Day care is also available for those in the area who do not require overnight accommodation.

I am a dog lover, but I wonder if a set up of this type is designed to assuage the guilt that pet owners feel when they must board their beloved dogs. I don’t think that comfortable and stylish bedding, a night light, or a TV would have made my dog any happier. After all a gilded cage is still a cage, isn’t it? Have you used a doggie hotel for your pet?

Toronto’s first Africentric school has been the topic on the lips of many for a long time now. The issue has been hotly contested on both sides, with passions and tempers running high. However, it now appears to be almost a done deal, but perhaps not the Africentric school that was originally conceived and lobbied for.

Instead of an entire Africentric school, this will be a school within a school for junior kindergarden to Grade 5. They will be sharing space with the Sheppard Public school at Sheppard Ave. West and Keele Street which is grossly underutilized. The current utilization rate of the Sheppard Public school is only 46%, with only 287 students enrolled in 2007. The Africentric school will be housed in an empty wing of the school. Enrolment will be open to any students in Toronto.

The school within a school model has not been tried before. It is a Toronto invention. The only other Africentric schools are in the U.S. and they are free standing separate schools. The Africentric school is now looking to hire black teachers and to shift the curriculum from a European focus to more of a global focus. Although the Africentric school will be housed in a separate wing, all of the students will enter and exit through the same door, share a cafeteria, playground, library, clubs, and school teams. Depending on the level of success and demand for the Africentric school, there is enough space at the Sheppard Public school to expand the program up to and including Grade 8. For the Africentric school to be viable there needs to be enough students for 2 classes of consecutive grades, with about 22 students in each. Enrolment will begin this fall for 2009 admission.

In the old days you dropped some charcoal in the BBQ, used a little newspaper and lighter fluid, and waited for the coals to get very hot before you put your food on. Have you looked at BBQs lately? Now that the weather has warmed up every hardware store has all of their BBQs out front and some of them are the size of compact cars (certainly larger than the Smart car) and look like they have more features.

There are many kinds of BBQs out there.

• Charcoal: Food cooked on charcoal still tastes the best. They are not instant on the way that gas grills are. It can take from 20 – 30 minutes from the time that you light the charcoal until you are ready to start cooking. Buying charcoal is more expensive than buying gas if you BBQ often. But the upside is that charcoal BBQs are very cheap when compared to gas.

• Gas: These are by far the most popular these days. Although not as tasty as charcoal, they are the most convenient – instant on, instant off - and the food that they produce is tasty as well. Gas tanks are inexpensive and last a long time. They come in all sizes and price ranges that can boggle the mind. Some are so large and multi-featured that they can cost much more than your indoor oven/range.

• Electric: To me these don’t taste like BBQs at all. They taste more like food that comes from your oven. However, they only require an electrical outlet and may be your only option if you live in an apartment or condo where using a BBQ is illegal.

Which type of BBQ is for you?

Shopping at Toronto’s Farmers’ Markets means that you are shopping local and shopping fresh. You are supporting local businesses, supporting a sustainable food system, but best of all you are buying fresh food that didn’t have to travel thousands of miles to get to you. And that means fresher more flavourful food for you and your family.

Nathan Phillips Square Farmers’ Market:

• Open every Wednesday from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM June 4th to October 15th
• Delicious farm produce
• Address - 100 Queen Street West Nathan Phillips Square (Queen Street West and Bay Street)
• TTC accessible - Subway Station or Osgoode Station
• For more information call 416-338-0338

Withrow Park Farmers’ Market:

• Open every Saturday from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM May 24th to October 25th
• Fabulous fruits and vegetables fresh from the farm
• Address: Withrow Park 725 Logan Avenue
• TTC accessible – Pape Subway Station
• For more information: no phone or website

Trinity Bellwoods Farmers’ Market:

• Open every Tuesday from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM May 13th to October 28th
• Healthy, local, organically grown produce, meats, and dairy products
• Address: North West end of Trinity Bellwoods Park, at Dundas Street West and Shaw Avenue
• TTC accessible - Dundas West Streetcar #504, one stop east of Ossington
• For more information call 416-435-8860 or visit the website http://www.trinitybellwoods.ca/

Sherway Gardens Farmers’ Market:
• Open every Friday from 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM rain or shine May 2nd to October 31st
• Fresh Ontario grown fresh fruit and vegetables available in large quantities for canning and preserving, farm fresh eggs, honey, cheese, fresh baked bread and pies
• Address: Across from Door 3 in the north parking lot of Sherway Gardens located at Highway 427 and The Queensway
• TTC and Mississauga Transit accessible – TTC 416-393-4636, Mississauga Transit 905-615-4636
• For more information call 416-621-1071 or visit the website www.sherwaygardens.ca

East York Farmers’ Market:

• Open every Tuesday from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM May 19th to November 4th
• Delicious fresh Ontario produce
• Address: 850 Coxwell Avenue, East York Civic Centre at Coxwell Avenue and Mortimer Avenue
• TTC accessible – Coxwell Subway Station
• For more information: no phone or website

Dufferin Grove Organic Farmers’ Market:

• Open every Thursday afternoon from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM year round
• A great variety of organic foods and a wood-fired oven where breads are baked right in the park
• Address: South of Bloor on the east side of Dufferin in Dufferin Grove Park at Dufferin St. and Dufferin Park Avenue
• TTC accessible - one block south of Dufferin Subway stop
• For more information call 416-392-0913 or visit the website www.dufferingpark.ca

There are very few things that Torontonians agree upon. However we all agree that we have a serious problem with homelessness and we agree that something must be done about it. The city has largely ignored the problem as it continues to escalate. It seems that a little financial motivation goes a long way and that has come in the form of lost tourist dollars. According to recent reports one of the reasons that Toronto is losing its appeal to tourists is that they don’t like being bothered by the homeless asking for money right outside their hotels.

The New Edwin Hotel at 650 Queen St. E., just west of Broadview is being renovated and converted into a 30 room residence for the homeless. It is expected to be open for business sometime in 2009. This is not permanent housing. It is meant to be a transitional and support house designed to help street people transition into permanent housing. Each resident will get the help and training that they need to hopefully be able to lead a better life off the street. Some will be able to move on relatively quickly and others will need much longer. They have a maximum of 3 years that they can remain at the New Edwin Hotel.

WoodGreen Community Services will operate the facility. They bought the building a month ago in a private sale with taxpayers’ money. Funding so far has come via several levels of government. The total cost is estimated at $5 million. Make no mistake, this is not a quasi-shelter. These are transitional residences with each unit having its own bathroom, kitchen, and sleeping area. The residents will have access to addiction counselors, therapists, and medical professionals in preparation for independent living.

The New Edwin Hotel project is one of three transitional and support housing projects being created in part with $8 million from the Federal Homelessness Partnership Initiative. The others are Alternative Living Solutions at 1908 Gerrard St. East and the Parkdale United Church Foundation at 1355 King St. West. These projects may not be the answer, but they are a great first step. The measure of a society is how we treat those less fortunate than ourselves. How do we measure up?

This is the time of year when we need to be more diligent about wearing sunscreen daily. We hear a lot about UVA and UVB, but do you actually know what these acronyms are? UV is for ultraviolet, one of the 3 categories of sunlight. The other 2 are visible and infra-red. Ultraviolet or UV is divided into 3 sections according to their wave lengths – UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC thankfully doesn’t concern us right now because it usually does not reach the earth’s surface. It is absorbed by the ozone layer. It is the shortest wave length from the sun and prolonged exposure to UVC can be fatal.

UVB can only penetrate the epidermis. UVB rays are the tanning rays which are strongest in the summer months when the earth rotates closest to the sun.

UVA were at one time thought to be safe and as a result tanning salons sprang up like mushrooms. We have since discovered that UVA actually does more damage that UVB rays. UVA rays remain same strength all year and can penetrate light clothing, wind shields, office windows, and hats. In fact they are considered to be a light x-ray.

Should you use a sunscreen or a sunblock? Sunscreens are chemical. They absorb UVA and UVB rays. Sunblocks are physical. They physically block both the UVA and UVB radiation from the skin. Both sunblocks and sunscreens are rated with SPF numbers – the Sun Protection Factor for UVB rays only. A sunscreen with a SPF of 15 will delay sunburn from occurring for 15 times (in minutes) longer than normal if using no protection at all.

To learn more about Canada’s UV Index follow the link below.
http://www.toronto.ca/health/sun/sunsafety_skin.htm

To check the Weather Network’s UV Report, follow the link below.
http://www.theweathernetwork.com/uvreport/caon0696

Getting out for an enjoyable round of golf doesn’t have to be an all day excursion and it doesn’t require a car. As a matter of fact it doesn’t require a lot of money either because the City of Toronto has 5 golf courses for golfers of all levels. Each of these courses is TTC accessible and affordable.

Dentonia Park Golf Course: an 18 Hole par 54, 2176 yards located at 781 Victoria Park

• A challenging par 3
• perfect for beginners or advanced players working on their short game

Don Valley Golf Course: a fairly difficult 18 Hole par 71, 6,109 yards located at 4200 Yonge St.

• a Howard Watson design with excellent variety
• Hallelujah Corner includes the signature par 5 12th hole

Humber Valley Golf Course: a moderately difficult 18 Hole par 70, 5446 yards located at 40 Beattie Ave.

• Great for all skills levels
• Accuracy is the key
Scarlett Woods Golf Course: a moderately difficult executive length 18 Hole par 62, 3749 yards located at 1000 Jane Street

• Great for all skill levels
• The 17th signature hole has an elevated tee overlooking a pond, 140 yards away from a well-bunkered green.

Tam O’Shanter Golf Course: a moderately difficult 18 Hole par 72, 6,083 yards located at 2481 Birchmount Rd

• Considered the premier golf course in Toronto’s northeast
• links, holes, and water hazards will make for a very challenging round

What are you waiting for? Book your tee times now.

The level of spending abuse among Toronto Catholic School trustees is absolutely astonishing! The pay for trustees in Ontario is:

• Toronto Catholic School trustees - $100,000 per trustee
• Toronto Public School trustees - $67,000
• Dufferin-Peel Catholic Board trustees - $27,000

The $100,000 is not salary. The salary is actually only $18,671 per year. But, they get a whopping $80,000 in services and benefits that include:

• Discretionary fund - $18,000
• Car Allowance - $8,600
• Technology Expenses - $3,800 for cell phones, Internet connectivity, and printers

Provincial adviser Norbert Hartmann released a report last week called “Enhancing Public Trust and Confidence” that showed a level of abuse that boggles the mind:

• Since 2003, trustees have transferred $200,000 of taxpayer money from discretionary funds into school causes of their choice, creating the appearance of a “political slush fund.”
• They approved a policy allowing them to keep BlackBerrys, computers, shredders, digital cameras, and office furniture when they leave office.
• Annual hospitality expenses were $15,000 to $27,000 without appropriate documentation.
• One trustee got 10 duplicate payments in a year by submitting restaurant and credit card receipts separately.
• One trustee expensed $7,577 tuition for a masters of education degree.
• Trustees paid themselves rent for use of office space in their own homes.
• Ward 6 trustee Christine Nunziata, who resigned after missing three consecutive meetings, filed expense claims for clothing and a vacation to the Dominican Republic.
• Research and consulting contracts were given to relatives of trustees.

Based on his findings Norbert Hartmann recommends:

• Revoking the $8,600 car allowance
• Ending medical, dental, and life insurance coverage
• Forcing trustees to return all equipment at the end of their terms
• Prohibiting trustees from hiring relatives
• Removing the trustees’ ability to transfer discretionary funds to community, school, and charitable groups.

The board has until June 30 to submit amended policies to the education ministry. Starting this month all trustee will have to post their expenses online. I want to know if there will be any ramifications from these years of lavish spending. It can’t have been legal, can it?

Victoria Day is on Monday, May 19th this year and many of you will be heading for the hills, or the Muskokas to open your cottages on this unofficial start to the summer. The rest of us less fortunate will be looking for something to do. The golf courses are open and in full swing, if you excuse the pun. However, if you were planning to do some shopping, think again. Victoria Day is one of the Retail Council of Canada’s designated retail holidays and as such stores will be closed except for those in and around the Eaton Centre which is an officially designated tourist site. Other stores that are legally allowed to remain open regardless of their location are book or magazine stores under 2,400 square feet with a maximum of 3 employees, pharmacies under 7,500 square feet, flower shops, and gas stations.

Take advantage of the holiday to play tourist in your own city. Visit:

• Historic Fort York – considered to be the birthplace of modern Toronto: It’s a great venue for the whole family offering guided tours, musket, drill, and music demonstrations. It is conveniently located at 100 Garrison Road (off Fleet Street, east of Strachan Avenue, west of Bathurst Street) and easily accessible with the TTC – take the 511 Streetcar. For more information call 416-338-3888 or follow the link www.toronto.ca

• Celebrate Victoria Day the way that Queen Victoria herself would have with a very special afternoon tea at Montgomery’s Inn located at 4709 Dundas Street West. Tea will be served from 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM and is incredibly affordable - Adults $3.77, Seniors/Students $1.89, Children 94 cents, plus GST.

• Fireworks at Ontario Place will take place on Sunday, May 18th and on Monday, May 19th. Spend the day and take in the new large format film at Cinesphere®, Dinosaurs, Giants of Patagonia, and Soak City®, Toronto’s biggest outdoor water park.

• The CN Tower will have a fabulous light show in honour of Queen Victoria. The evening of May 19th the tower will be lit up in the royal colours of purple and gold.

What will you be doing on this Victoria Day weekend?