June 2011 Newsletter

Summer is almost here! For children it is the last few days of school, and for everyone the beginning of "summer holiday" season. The city is buzzing with activity at this time of year. There is something for everyone to enjoy, from music festivals to parades and the beach!

This can be an excellent time of year to list your home for sale as inventory is low in the city. Just last week I sold a home at 140% of its list price. There were 12 offers, which prompted this amazing sale.

China House's successful "UpTown Cabaret" continues its tradition of delicious food and lively entertainment in a unique dining room. I experienced my first "China House Cabaret" in May and enjoyed myself immensely! Michael Engelbert of AM 740 has this to say: "UpTown Cabaret at China House is a really special treat. The food is great and the restaurant itself will bring back memories or bring smiles to new faces. The performers are excellent and as talented as any I have seen in town".

You can win a complimentary dinner for 2 and 2 admission tickets to the June 27th show! A winner will be randomly selected from all entries. For full details, or to enter the contest click here.

Recently I had the opportunity to meet with the director of "On the Avenue", a retirement living centre that is being built at Avenue Road and Eglinton Ave. West. Their focus is integrating community involvement with retirement living. This is an excellent time to register as suites are still available! See their promotion and details on a summer move-in bonus in this newsletter.

Finally, don't forget to thank your Dad for being such a great guy, and wish him a Happy Father's Day, on June 19th!

Elli Davis
Celebrating 28 Years in Central Toronto Real Estate

June Newsletter 2011

• Hot Listings!
• On The Avenue Retirement Living
• Real Estate News: Reflect on Light for a Moment, Won't You?
• Market Watch Report: May 2011
• Toronto Events: What's Happening In June?
• eMbody Fitness June Bites: Stop Dieting and Get Healthy Already!
• New Arrivals from Gallery 133

Hot Listings!

66 Russell Hill Road | Central Toronto - South Hill - $­4­,­500­,­000
Stately South Hill home on magnificent ravine lot with in-ground saltwater pool. Lot widens at rear & backs onto Winston Churchill Park.

65 Harbour Square #1006 | Central Toronto - Harbourfront - $­ 699­,­000
Spacious two bedroom suite with extensive recent renovations & upgrades. Views to Lake Ontario & overlooking manicured gardens. Eat-in kitchen with recent appliances, separate dining room.

47 St. Clair Avenue West #1102 | Central Toronto - Yonge & St. Clair - $­ 415­,­000
'The Westclair'! Best value in the vibrant Yonge/St. Clair area, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, ensuite laundry, approximately 1000 square feet.

63 St. Clair Avenue West #704 | Central Toronto - Yonge & St. Clair - $­ 479­,­000
'Granite Place'! Treed views over private park! Fantastic location near Yonge & St. Clair. Mint condition suite with hardwood floors, tiled balcony, stainless steel appliances & California shutters.

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.

On The Avenue

On the Avenue is not just another retirement residence. Our goal is to be an active and vibrant part of the community and a partner to our neighbours and merchants while providing the best in services and attention to detail to our residents, their families and guests.

In just a short few months the building will be finished and our first residents will be moving in! In the meantime you can find us at the Presentation Centre which is located at 306 Eglinton Avenue West on the north east corner of Eglinton and Avenue Road. Our hours of operation are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 11-6pm, Sundays 12 nooon-4pm; Mondays and holidays by appointment.

Read more about the $5,000 Summer move-in bonus on our website!

Real Estate News: Reflect on Light for a Moment, Won't You?

Do you feel that parts of your home feel dull and dreary? It is amazing what a little paint can do to brighten a room…but how can you maximize your efforts? Leanne Brownoff of the National Post knows the tricks, and wants to share them!

Reflect on Light for a Moment, Won't You?

Market Watch Report: May 2011

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

Toronto Events: What's Happening In June?

National Ballet of Canada: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

A coproduction between the National Ballet of Canada and the Royal Ballet, based on Lewis Carroll's timeless classic "Alice in Wonderland". June 4 – 25 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

Woofstock

This annual event celebrating all things canine takes place June 11 & 12 in various locations around the St. Lawrence Market area. Bring your four-legged friends to join the fun!

Pride Toronto

Toronto Pride is a week long celebration of diversity and acceptance. There will be many performances, workshops, awards ceremonies, street parties and parades. Special events are held geared specifically towards family, youth, those 40+ and more, so there is something for everyone. Visit the website for a calendar of events. June 24 – July 3.

TD Toronto Jazz Festival

It doesn't matter whether you are a jazz superfan, or are just a lover of live music, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival will entertain you! Dozens of artists, including Aretha Franklin, The Robert Cray Band and the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra are performing at various venues from June 24 – July3.

June Bites From eMbody Fitness:
Stop Dieting and Get Healthy Already!

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

I have only dieted once in my life and I failed miserably. It was 6 months after having my first daughter and I wanted those extra post-pregnancy pounds gone…and I wanted them gone yesterday! Sound familiar? All I could think of was what I COULDN'T eat instead of what I could. My desire had nothing to do with health and everything to do with desperation. After 3 ridiculous months of failing, I hired the services of a nutritionist who taught me how to make good choices even when faced with fast food restaurants and travelling. That was 21 years ago and not only do I still use them, I have combined these tips with a few of my own for my own clients. Weight management should be synonymous with health management.

Here are some tips that should be your guide to shopping for prepared foods and those that are boxed. The great thing about fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and lean protein is that nature doesn’t add hard-to-pronounce additives, edible petroleum products nor copious amounts of refined sugar.

Ditch: 

Low-fat and Fat-free Foods: Food labels can be very deceptive. Fat-free foods are one of the products to be very careful about. Just because the food says “fat-free” or “low-fat” does not mean the food is low in calories. Read the ingredient list. Most people associate lower fat foods with lower calories, so they tend to eat more. What you need to realize is that when food manufacturers remove or greatly reduce one macro ingredient, they typically have to bump up another. In the case of fat-free or low-fat baked products, sugar is often the ingredient of choice, or “fake” filler. Eat the real thing – just eat far less if you are aiming for a more favourable body composition.

Low-fat and Fat-free Foods

Food labels can be very deceptive. Fat-free foods are one of the products to be very careful about. Just because the food says “fat-free” or “low-fat” does not mean the food is low in calories. Read the ingredient list. Most people associate lower fat foods with lower calories, so they tend to eat more. What you need to realize is that when food manufacturers remove or greatly reduce one macro ingredient, they typically have to bump up another. In the case of fat-free or low-fat baked products, sugar is often the ingredient of choice, or “fake” filler. Eat the real thing – just eat far less if you are aiming for a more favourable body composition.

Sugar-Free Foods

Sugar-free foods are geared to people with diabetes or at risk for developing diabetes. Sugar-free foods have low calories and no sugar.  These foods do tend to have sugar-alcohols which are designed to supply sweetness. Sugar alcohols still carry between 1.5 and 4 calories per gram. They also can give you cramping, bloating and other lovely gastrointestinal problems if you eat too much! Fun times.

Premade Smoothies

Smoothies have earned the reputation of being healthy because they are typically made with healthy ingredients such as yogurt, fruit, skim milk and maybe even whey protein. Some commercial smoothies, however, have many hidden calories from extra sugar. Some smoothies are also made with ice cream, extra sugar, fat, and calorie content. The fruit in smoothies is sometimes just fruit juice, eliminating the fibre that is found in the skin and pulp that has been discarded.  To keep these drinks healthy make them yourself and only add fresh whole ingredients sans the ice cream!   

Sweetened Yogurts

Calcium, probiotics and fruit are all considered good for us. These ingredients are also found in yogurt. When you read the label on most commercial yogurts you may see something else and in different forms – added sugar. All this extra sugar (not the naturally occurring kind from the yogurt – lactose) can thwart weight loss efforts or worse, lead to weight gain. My suggestion: choose plain, lower-fat or fat-free Greek style yogurt, add a little honey and fresh fruit. PC has delicious new products: fat-free Greek plain yogurt and honey sweetened yogurt. Both give hefty amounts of protein and very little sugar and calories per ¾ cup serving.

Here is another good use for Greek yogurt: if you like sour cream, stir a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into a serving of plain Greek yogurt. You can also add fresh chives, dill or thyme. Perfect as a dollop on freshly made tomato soup, grilled fish or a baked potato.

TIPS TO EATING IN FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS:

• Be careful of the salad trap. Most salads in fast food restaurants come with high calorie and high fat dressings. Either skip the dressing altogether or only use 1 tablespoon. If you eat meat, choose a small hamburger and a side salad. Be sure to eat properly at your next meal.
• Never order a submarine sandwich larger than 6” and opt for the sliced turkey, chicken and vegetables. Say no thank you to special sauce, fake cheese and top with loads of veggies, olives, hot peppers and mustard for flavour. The bun choices are usually not whole grain, but whole wheat is still a healthier option to white or honey flavoured.
• Want a milkshake? Absolutely need fries? Go for the smallest order possible and get only one of these! Again, make the next meal ultra healthy to balance out the nutrient-void, high calorie choices.
• Something is better than nothing! Find yourself in a food court with little choice for healthy eating? Don’t skip that lunch. Get a slice of veggie pizza and only eat to the crust. Toss the fat crust away and if you can pick off some of the cheese, do so. You’ll save yourself and your arteries a sizeable amount of saturated fat.

WHAT TO EAT NOW:

Apricots are just starting to show up in our green grocers. These delicious stone-fruits are chock full nutrients and 1 cup of sliced fresh apricots supply only 79 calories, 3.5 grams of fibre and 427 mg of potassium. Compare that to a medium size banana – 105 calories, 3.1 grams of fibre and only 422 mg of potassium.

Grilling apricot halves that have been brushed with a mixture of olive oil and honey will intensify the flavour and top freshly grilled salmon, chicken or even shrimp nicely; a great alternative to last summer’s fresh salsas.

Grilled Shrimp or Chicken Cobb Salad with Grilled Apricots

(adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, April 2011)

Shrimp may be small in stature but they are large in nutrients. An excellent source of vitamin B12, selenium, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, iron and zinc, these nutrient powerhouses are beneficial to our energy production, metabolism, sexual health and immune system. Shrimp are naturally lean and low-calorie but very high in protein. While they do contain cholesterol, their saturated fat content is extremely low making them beneficial to cardiovascular health. If dietary restrictions prohibit you from eating these crustaceans, switch them for chicken.

Serves 4 as a main course

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of deveined, peeled shrimp
1 tsp of cumin
½ tsp large size, sea salt
½ tsp ground fresh pepper
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Juice from half a fresh lemon
2 tsp of Dijon mustard
1 tsp maple syrup
1 head of Romaine lettuce
2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup of shredded carrots
3 green onions, sliced
1 ripe avocado, cut into 8 wedges
4 fresh apricots, cut into halves

METHOD:

1. Toss raw shrimp with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, cumin, ¼ tsp salt and pepper. Place in a grill basket and grill on barbeque until done – pink and no longer opaque – approximately 5 to 7 minutes
2. Brush the apricot halves with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and grill for approximately 7 minutes
3. Combine the rest of the olive oil with lemon juice, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Add remaining salt and pepper and whisk into a dressing. Set aside.
4. Divide the romaine leaves, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, green onions and avocado into 4 servings.
5. Top the salad with the grilled shrimp (approximately 5 or 6), 2 apricot halves and dressing. Toss to coat completely.

New Arrivals from Gallery 133

Gallery 133
1260 Castlefield Avenue
Toronto, Ontario M6B 1G3

www.gallery133.com

Nava Waxman

Nava's paintings are a sepia-toned collection of encaustic and mixed media including paper collages and found copper objects, all of which are carefully arranged to render her airy-tale like images. While her works may seem barren, a closer inspection reveals a world full and ripe with exploration and a personal narrative of awakening. Click here for more

Erica Hopper

Erica develops figurative images with color washes and markings that are clearly defined, while the edges leave an openness for imaginative completion. Hopper says her paintings are " metaphorical interpretations of nature and the stuff of dreams in which the viewer can envision the complete scene as the imagination takes over." Click here for more

Orlin Mantchev

Orlin's work fuse's the rich tradition of European art with Oriental, poetic simplicity, resulting in a timeless quietude reminiscent of Zen meditation. "At once, tranquil and inspiring, my paintings become indoor gardens inviting the viewer to contemplate the beauty of nature's most mystical creations." Click here for more