July 2011 Newsletter

What a beautiful summer we are having!

These long, sunny days help motivate us to be active, and eMbody Fitness is keeping the ball rolling. Anyone who mentions this promotion in my newsletter and signs up for a one year membership in July will save the enrolment fee (a savings of $150!). For more details contact Johanna at 416-566-2092. Read some tips on healthy, fresh shopping in the eMbody Fitness article in this newsletter.

For those who are lucky enough to have a cottage to escape to, it looks like the next few months are going to be lots of fun! Even if it is just a mini-vacation on the weekend, it is great to get out of the city and enjoy some time boating or swimming in the lake, having barbeque dinners and sharing good times with friends and family.

If you are looking to buy or sell a vacation home, I know some great agents who specialize in cottage country sales. Don’t hesitate to contact me and I will get you in touch with the right agent for you!

Elli Davis
Celebrating 28 Years in Central Toronto Real Estate

July 2011 Newsletter

• Elli's Hot Listings!
• Real Estate News
• Market Watch Report: June 2011
• Toronto Events Calendar for July!
• eMbody Fitness July Bites: Shop Like a Nutritionist

Hot Listings!

Central Toronto - Forest Hill - $688,000
619 Avenue Road #1402
The Lonsdale! Bright, spacious 1 bedroom suite with designer décor. Approximately 1,338 square feet with hardwood floors, floor to ceiling windows & views over Upper Canada College.

See more

Central Toronto - Downtown - $488,000
35 Church Street #504
’Market Square’! Immaculately maintained 1 bedroom plus den & solarium! Approximately 1,302 square feet. Southwest exposure with view of Flatiron building.

See more

Central Toronto - Forest Hill - $1,995,000
41 Elderwood Dr.
This 5 bedroom home has been beautifully renovated within the last 2 years with the highest quality of design taste and finishing.

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

Changing Addresses Comes with Costs, Big and Small

Twelve years ago, Jeffrey Schwartz and his family were in the middle of moving when events took an unexpected turn. There was a three-day gap between their move out of their old Toronto house and the date when they took possession of their new one, so their belongings were stored in a moving van - which was then broken into.

Read More!

Keep Your Home’s Biggest Energy Hog on a Leash

In summer, air conditioning has become something that we can’t live without. However, it is not always easy to pick one. In this case, more is not necessarily better. Follow the tips of Mike Holmes of The Globe and Mail and cut your electric bills significantly.

Read More!

Market Watch Report: June 2011

Click here to read the latest Market Watch Report published by the Toronto Real Estate Board.
June 2011 Marketwatch Report

Toronto Events Calendar for July

Summerlicious 2011
This summer 150 fine restaurants in Toronto offer prix fixe lunch and dinner menus. This special event is your invitation to experience what Toronto's many outstanding chefs have to offer. Summerlicious runs from July 8th to July 24th. Enjoy!

Frugal Fashion Week
The first fashion week of its kind, Frugal Fashion Week was created to support local fashion and encourage growth of the global retail/design community. All the proceeds from the week's events go to The Stiletto Project, an organization that helps at-risk women and girls. Different pieces of clothing worn by twenty celebrities, stylists and fashionistas will be displayed alongside the story of where their item came from and where they wore it.

Salsa On St. Clair
Celebrate Toronto’s Latin cultures at Canada’s largest Latino-themed festival. Join in on the free family street party as midtown Toronto’s Hillcrest Village, between Winona Drive and Christie Street will be transformed into a showcase of Latin life.

July Bites From eMbody Fitness:
Shop Like a Nutritionist

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

There is no better time than now to visit your local farmers’ market. Ontario produce is abundant, delicious and best of all – local! I like knowing that the garlic I purchased last weekend was grown in our province rather than most of the garlic purchased in grocery stores during the winter (often grown in China). Here are some guidelines for when you do your next grocery shopping:

1. Shop the Perimeter of the Store
   The next time you walk into your favourite grocery chain or even a speciality food store – look how the food is laid out. Fruits, vegetables, meats, grains – whole and baked, and dairy items are all stocked along the perimeter of the store.
   
   The boxed, processed, canned, dried and frozen foods are in the middle. If your shopping cart is 2/3 fresh food and the rest is a few boxed items, not only will you be saving yourself both money and unnecessary sodium, sugar, unhealthy fats and empty calories. Fresh lettuce is more economical than bagged.
    
2. Purchase Expensive Cuts of Meats – But Buy Less
   Staying within your budget, try to buy organic, lean cuts of beef, pork, chicken and lamb – but keep portions to palm sized cuts. Skip the meats that are heavily marbled with fat; pork tenderloin is much healthier than ribs and turkey breast meat is a great alternative to chicken.
   
   With evidence showing that deli meats are dangerous to our health, for example the increased risk of colon cancer, go for nitrate-free and lower sodium choices. Veggie tofu slices that are made to look and taste like deli meats often are lower in fat, sodium and are nitrate free.
   
   Have a couple of dinners and lunches that are vegetarian and/or include fish.
    
3. Choose “Clean” Carbs
   Do not fall into the trap believing that carbs make you fat. A healthy and balanced diet plan includes eating whole grain breads, grains and cereals daily. Marketing has us confused as to the quality of our breads with words like “multi grain” or “stone-ground” believing that we are eating nutrient rich grains. Multi-grain bread can still be refined and fibreless. Choose breads and cereals that have at least 4 grams of fibre per serving. Labels should state that the flour used is 100% whole grain. Cereals containing more than 5 grams of sugar per 30 gram serving should be left on the shelf. Plain oats can be easily sweetened with fresh fruit and a little maple syrup and are healthier than the pre-sweetened, packaged variety.
   Try barley instead of brown rice. Quinoa can be substituted for any recipe calling for couscous.

IN SEASON NOW AT YOUR LOCAL FARMER’S MARKET:
JULY VEGETABLES FRUITS

• Beets
• Apricots
• Broccoli
• Blueberries
• Corn
• Cherries
• Cucumber (Field)
• Currants
• Garlic
• Gooseberries
• Green Onions
• Peaches
• Lettuce
• Plums
• Mushrooms
• Raspberries
• Peas (Green and Snow)
• Strawberries
• Peppers
• Watermelon
• Rapini
• Tomatoes (Field)

Grilled Peach & Blue Cheese Spinach Salad with Edamame Beans

I chose peaches because they are in season now, but any stone fruit (plums, nectarines, apricots) will work. Feta can be substituted instead of Blue Cheese. Whatever you choose, buy the highest quality and use the cheese as flavouring – keeping the calories and saturated fat down. Both cheeses are full of strong flavour, thereby allowing you to use a small amount. Edamame beans add 8 grams of fibre and 17 grams of protein per 1 cup serving.

Serves 4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

4 peaches, slightly under ripe and halved
½ red onion, sliced thinly
2/3 cup of crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons of honey
8 to 10 large basil leaves
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (toast gently in a skillet until golden brown)
8 cups of baby spinach leaves
1.5 cups of steamed edamame beans
olive oil for grilling and drizzling on salad
lemon juice from 1 lemon
pepper

METHOD:

Heat grill or grill pan over high heat. Brush the sides of the peaches with olive oil and place cut side down. Grill for 3 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized. Turn over and continue grilling for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide the spinach, sliced red onion, steamed edamame among 4 plates. Drizzle olive oil over the leaves (about 1 tablespoon per plate) and squeeze lemon juice on top.
Top each plate with a grilled peach and top each half with some of the blue cheese. Drizzle with honey and garnish with basil, pine nuts and a sprinkling of pepper.