August 2011 Newsletter

I hope you have had the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful summer we are having! In addition to a few short escapes to cottage country, I am looking forward to some fun in the city. The CNE will be opening later this month, and has been a long standing tradition for many families in Toronto! The warm weather is also ideal for al fresco dining and provides the perfect excuse to enjoy the company of family and friends.

Despite the lazy days of summer... work in a real estate office never stops!

Summer can be a perfect time of year to list your home. With less selection available, your home can attract the attention of more buyers than during the traditionally busier times of the year. The July 2011 Marketwatch Report, published by the Toronto Real Estate Board, highlights some amazing sales statistics from the past few weeks and is featured in this newsletter.

Have a great rest of the summer!

Elli Davis
Celebrating 28 Years in Central Toronto Real Estate

August 2011 Newsletter

• Elli’s Hot Listings!
• Real Estate News: Cottage Buying Guide
• Market Watch Report: July 2011
• Toronto Events Calendar for August!
• August Bites from eMbody Fitness: The Whey to Better Health

Hot Listings!

26 Aldburn Road | Central Toronto - Forest Hill
Stunning 4+1 bedroom home in Upper Forest Hill Village. Large foyer with spacious powder room on main floor. Spectacular kitchen with granite counters. Great home for kids & entertaining.

See more

66 Russell Hill Road | Central Toronto - South Hill
Stately South Hill home on magnificent ravine lot with in-ground saltwater pool. Lot widens at rear & backs onto Winston Churchill Park.

For SALE or LEASE

63 St. Clair #801 | Central Toronto - Forest Hill
Granite Place! Unobstructed south view! Well maintained suite with large open balcony. Approximately 1,002 square feet. Parking & locker included.

See more

Thinking of Buying? Thinking of Selling?

Visit our website for the Buyer’s Guide and Seller’s Guide or feel free to
contact me at and I’ll get right back to you.

Real Estate News

Your Guide to Buying the Perfect Cottage

Have you ever dreamed of purchasing a cottage? In this article featured in the Globe & Mail, Allan Britnell provides some great information and cottage buying tips to consider and help smoothly turn your dream into a reality!

Read More!

Market Watch Report: July 2011

The July 2011 Marketwatch Report is in! Average sale price and number of sales have both increased in comparison to July 2010... read the full report for details.

July 2011 Marketwatch Report

Toronto Events Calendar for August

2011 Rogers Cup
The world's best tennis players have returned to Canada once again. This year the women are playing in Toronto and the men in Montreal. Once again, the Rogers Cup has attracted the top names in tennis including WTA No.1-ranked and defending Rogers Cup champion Caroline Wozniacki, Serena Williams and Venus Williams. August 6.-14.

Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)
Covering 192 acres of land, the Canadian National Exhibition is the largest annual fair in Canada and the fifth largest in North America. It is an 18-day extravaganza of fun, food and festivities offering a fascinating blend of attractions, events and exhibits for people of all ages. August 19 - September 5.

Scotiabank BuskerFest
Scotiabank Toronto International BuskerFest is one of the largest events of its kind in the world. Showcasing hundreds of street performers, this wild and wacky festival features magicians, daredevils, silent comedians, acrobats, fire throwers and more! Bring the whole family, there is something here for everyone. August 25-28.

August Bites From eMbody Fitness:
The Whey to Better Health

By Debra Basch, RHN
Director of Nutrition, eMbody Fitness Clubs
Certified Personal Trainer

Want more bang for your calorie and nutrient buck? Start incorporating whey protein into your daily food choices. Gram for gram of protein and calories, whey protein does a stellar job at helping you feel more satisfied and hopefully preventing you from overeating. Derived from milk, whey is a protein that contains several active components which have been shown to reveal immune-enhancing properties. In recent news reports, we learned that dairy eaters lost more body fat1 than non dairy consumers. This was not the case when another study conducted by US government scientists’2 tracked dairy vs. non-dairy eaters. The results were roughly the same – so it basically came down to cutting calories and increasing movement. We do know that eating a little more protein over carbohydrate satiates us and this could be the reason for the weight loss as well. Other studies have shown that consuming a protein shake made with whey isolate protein has an extremely positive effect on weight loss and weight control. These nutritious shakes have a calming effect on our hunger hormone, ghrelin, and stabilize our blood sugar levels.

If protein shakes are not your thing, there are other healthy ways to consume more protein without always resorting to meat. When we think of adding more protein, we immediately jump to our animal sources. I read more turkey slices in food journals than I do protein-rich, fat free servings of gut-friendly 0% fat Greek yogurt! All proteins (animal, soy and casein) help prevent overeating when taken in at high doses, however, swapping a few turkey slices or even tofu with a serving of 0% fat Greek-style yogurt will give not only your bones, teeth and heart a boost (calcium rich) but will help keep your gut flora in balance. Several commercially leading yogurts have been heat-treated after fermentation, thereby neutralizing the healthy bacteria. This also eliminates the potential health benefits to you! Check the packaging to make sure your yogurt says “active yogurt cultures or contains active cultures”.

So why go Greek? For ¾ cup of 0% fat yogurt you get 18 grams of protein, 2 grams of sugar (naturally occurring), 120 calories, and 0 grams of artery busting saturated fat. Even people who are mildly lactose intolerant can usually tolerate yogurt because the live active cultures break down much of the lactose into glucose and galactose (simple sugars that are much easier to digest). My favourite is the PC Plain Greek yogurt. If you find plain too tart, mix a little sweetened yogurt (1 to 2 Tbsp) into your serving. Others find the consistency too thick – add frozen berries the night before to a pre-measured serving – the juices from the fruit will sweeten and thin out the consistency. Compare this yogurt with other “healthy” yogurts: Liberte’s ultra rich, full-fat Mediterranee line and Fage Total Greek have double the calories and close to 10 grams of saturated fat. These same companies make low and non-fat yogurts too – but read the label. Being a diet-detective doesn’t stop at the fat content. Look for added sugars: corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, maple syrup, honey, fruit juice concentrate. Typical plain, non-fat yogurts have roughly 11 grams of naturally-occurring sugar for 2/3 cup serving. Subtract the 11 from your sweetened variety and you will be able to calculate how many “added” teaspoons of sugar your so-called healthy snack is giving you. 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon.

Feel like making your own? Easy to do: start with plain non-fat or low-fat yogurt and spoon into a fine-mesh strainer lined with either cheese cloth, paper towel or a coffee filter. Set the strainer into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, place back in the fridge, and let the liquid drain out of the yogurt overnight. We used to call this “yogurt cheese” but essentially it is Greek-style yogurt. Buy what’s in season now and to add some zing to your next fruit or vegetable snack or appetizer. Try dipping fresh veggies and or fruits into the healthy, protein-rich dips below.

IN SEASON NOW AT YOUR LOCAL FARMER’S MARKET: AUGUST

VEGETABLES
Beets, Broccoli, Corn, Cucumber (Field), Garlic, Green Onions, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Artichokes, Peppers, Rapini, Tomatoes (Field)

FRUITS
Apricots, Blueberries, Apples, Currants, Gooseberries, Peaches, Plums, Raspberries, Pears, Watermelon, Nectarines, Grapes

RECIPE: Indian-style Raita Dip

INGREDIENTS

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt ½ cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1 cup chopped, seeded, peeled English cucumber ¾ cup seeded plum tomatoes
¼ tsp kosher salt 1 tsp garam masala spice
1 tbsp chopped, fresh mint (optional)

Cover and chill before serving about 1 hour to allow flavours to meld together. Excellent with flat bread, firm veggies and melon slices.

RECIPE: Tzatziki Greek-Style Dip/Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Greek-style yogurt 2 cloves of minced garlic
1 cup chopped, seeded, peeled English cucumber 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp kosher salt ¼ tsp white pepper
2 tbsp chopped, fresh mint

Cover and chill before serving about 1 hour to allow flavours to meld together. Excellent with flat bread, firm veggies, topping for baked sweet potatoes, grilled fish, and oregano and lemon juice marinated chicken skewers.