Globe's Home of the Week on Manning Sells for $1.2 million

Attention real estate hounds: the Globe and Mail profiled a house on Manning that was listed for $985,000 and sold for $1.2 million.
The Victorian semi was reno'd with the help of an architect, but the picture won't load (as of "press time") in the story, so I couldn't suss it out myself.
(Surely to be fixed soon....)
Another shocking, amazing Toronto real estate tale. Will they ever end?
Cheers,
Vanessa

Annex Condo Sells For $87,100 Over Asking Price

The Globe and Mail profiled the sale of a two-bedroom Annex condo on St. George.
The light-filled, two-bedroom corner unit fetched $777,000
Cheers,
Vanessa

"Annex" Home Sale Profiled in The Globe

Buyers "swarmed" this handsome home north of The Annex when it was up for sale, according to a Globe and Mail feature.
It was listed for $859,000 and it sold for.... drumroll please... $1.125 million.
Did I mention that it's north of Dupont? North of Bridgman, even, in fact -- and pretty close to the railway tracks.
Hot market, anyone? (It was up for sale prior to last Christmas -- a low-inventory time.)
Cheers,
Vanessa

Globe and Mail Profiles Robert Street Home Sale

I read this article twice and I'm still unsure of the meaning of "deconstructed parking." I may need to have a glass of wine in me to figure that one out... but I digress.
The Globe and Mail profiled a Robert Street house, which they refer to as being in The Annex, for $1.235 million.
Check it out.
Cheers,
Vanessa

Robert Street Home Sale Featured

This "sold" house featured in the Globe is not actually in The Annex, but it is located on a lovely stretch of street just south of here.
I'm not sure why the writer is surprised that it went for over the asking price. Isn't that the norm lately?
Cheers,
Vanessa

Globe and Mail Celebrates Trees, Including Ours

The Globe and Mail article O Christmas Tree: Ten trees to celebrate mentions the "giant old silver maples that grace Albany, Howland and Brunswick Avenues."
(Blogger is buggy lately, so here's the link: (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/holiday/o-christmas-tree-ten-trees-to-celebrate/article2274933/?utm_medium=Feeds%3A%20RSS%2FAtom&utm_source=Life&utm_content=2274933)
Here, here. Definitely cause for joy during a joyous season.
Cheers,
Vanessa
PS don't forget that tonight is the night for neighbourhood caroling.
http://ringaroundthecity.blogspot.com/2011/11/neighbourhood-caroling-december-18th.html

Life Skills Anyone?

This has nothing to do with our neighbourhood, but is a personal passion of mine: I think we need to bring back "home ec." classes full force in our schools, only geared to today's world, of course.

I know and/or see (just check out the local grocery store in September) too many young people freshly departed from their family abodes who lack necessary life skills.

It is easy to understand how it happened: two working parents, a cleaning service, lots of takeout or pre-packaged food because no one has time to cook. Or a stay-at-home parent who does everything without the kids pitching in because they are busy with sports, lessons and play dates

And, let's face it, domestic skills are poo-pooed. There is a lack of appreciation for the knowledge required to cook, or to manage a home efficiently. I think it's best summed up in lines such as, "if you can read a recipe, you can cook." Hm. Having witnessed people cutting raw chicken, then using the same knife to cut raw veggies, I say: "Let me introduce you to Mister Salmonella. He'll be happy to meet you."

So I LOVED this Globe and Mail article about teaching people to cook outside the box. And let's advocate for the school board to bring back Home Ec. classes, which do exist in some schools. But the classes need to be expanded into every school and also in scope. And let's teach our kids some life skills. They'll thank you for it later. Trust me.
Cheers,

Vanessa

Is The Annex "Sketchy?"

Last Saturday the Globe and Mail ran an article titled Just How Sketchy Is The Annex?
It states that "cheap and dirty seems to be the order of the day now" for the Bloor Street strip between Bathurst and Spadina.
Even more interesting than the article are the comments, most of which lay the blame for any woes that Bloor Street is experiencing squarely on the doorstep of The Brunswick House.
I've lived in this area ten years and I definitely have noticed the decline in "shoppability" of the strip in the decade that I've been here.
When I moved in, you could buy fabulous meats and treats at Elizabeth's Deli, where opening the door released a flood of savoury aromas. The same was true for the fabulous cheese shop and Mel's Diner, all of which are gone now.
Every institution that closed down seemingly was replaced by a bar or a sushi place. And the comments about the Brunswick are illuminating as to how that establishment has changed and why.
Can one bad apple really spoil the whole bunch?
Vanessa