[Admiral Beez]

Other than restaurants and pubs, what else can you do on Parliament at night?

And that's the crux of the matter I think. Just a few months ago I had friends from the Beach(s) over and we had dinner at Rash'na on a Thursday night. At about 8:30pm we decided to walk down Parliament for coffee and Jet Fuel was closed, Tim Hortons was not what we wanted, and so we finally walked into PearTree for some desert and coffee, which was nice, but we didn't want to sit in another restaurant.

This is what makes the Beach work. You have bookshops open late, ice cream shops open late, coffee shops open late, movie theatres showing films into the night. If there was a late night ice cream shop on Parliament I'd be there with my kids at 8pm for a vanilla nightcap. As it is, there's nothing to do on Parliament after 6pm if you have kids or want something beyond a coffee or dinner. We need a Dairy Queen and Book City on Parliament! If the International News shop also opened late and had a coffee bar and seats (and was larger) it would be nice too.

 

[Mustapha]

Mot,

I realize now I came across as smartalecky; sorry. I have to take a stroll up and down through Cabbagetown and check out the WHOLE nabe.

Admiral,

The Tim Hortons will have to be a start. That corner is bright, lit and populated with strollers even at night.

Hey, it could be Kingston Road.

 

[Mot]

Mot,

I realize now I came across as smartalecky; sorry. I have to take a stroll up and down through Cabbagetown and check out the WHOLE nabe.

That's ok Mustapha, I am in a condo but my goal is to own one of those prissy homes.

We really enjoy our neighbourhood. The people are great in Cabbagetown.
Plus for the first time in my life I get to walk to work everyday.

 

[adma]

Maybe one problem is *when* Cabbagetown/Don Vale gentrified for the large part: the 60s/70s--back when siege-mentality neighbourhood thinking ruled the day a lot more...

 

[Roy G Biv]

As soon as I see anyone darker than a bed-sheet, I soil myself and praise my dead-bolt. Unfortunately the much-in-the-sun cougar across the street has been the cause of some messy false alarms.

 

[Dilla]

As soon as I see anyone darker than a bed-sheet, I soil myself and praise my dead-bolt.

i always thought i was alone in this...

 

[JasonParis]

On a sidenote, I noticed that the George Street Diner at Richmond and Geoge has a liquor license application posted in their window. No doubt they're hoping to appeal to the local drunks and vagrants. With the closure of the last few cheap daytime (morning time?) drinking spots in Cabbagetown I imagine there's a demand down that way.

Not exactly Cabbagetown, but yes I noticed the George Street Diner (formally the Florida Tea Room) is applying for a liquor license. However, I don't see how they are trying to appeal to the local druinks and vagrants. It's a very "condo crowd" at the the diner and the place is run by what appears to be a very close-knit family that I doubt would allow that to happen. It's also popular with Harris and George Brown students and will become more so once GB's Britain Street location opens.

 

[Dilla]

Speaking of liquor licenses, I've noticed that the flagship "Wing Machine" on Parliament never got it's liquor license. It applied for one months ago when it opened, and has a bar with beer taps set up, but they're still not functioning. I assume this was due to the reputation of the Cabbagetown Restaurant which was there prior.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Speaking of liquor licenses, I've noticed that the flagship "Wing Machine" on Parliament never got it's liquor license. It applied for one months ago when it opened, and has a bar with beer taps set up, but they're still not functioning. I assume this was due to the reputation of the Cabbagetown Restaurant which was there prior.

Oh, I think Pam McConnell and the BIA will ensure that no new liquor licenses will be issued to restaurants north of Gerrard and South of Wellesley on Parliament's east side.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I got my haircut today at the Cabbagetown Barbershop. Had a good chat with the owners. It seems that the owner of Tim Hortons is rather annoyed with the increasingly large group of white trash sitting and loitering outside his Wincester Street entrance. He's convinced that this crowd is simply dealing drug, and has installed cameras to catch them, and asks that anyone who is tired of the loitering call the police to have the groups broken up. Yes, loitering is an offense even if it's on the sidewalk.

I must admit I hate white trash. I mean, anyone who arrives in this country from wherever works like a mad dog to better themselves, only to see these lazy, fat pigs on their rollies, tattoos, mullets, etc. It's not like white people can't find a good job in this city, there are many companies that refuse to hire non-whites. I used to work for such a firm where everyone in the office was white, and when I mentioned that this was odd, I was clearly told that it was intentional. And this was from a major corporation (privately held of course). So, with all the advantages of free education right up to Grade 12, subsidized post-secondary education, and the real benefit of "White privilege",http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_privilege the non-white immigrant to Canada must just want to march up to these people and ask them why they're not working. I am not trying to make this a issue of race, but when I see hardworking non-whites while white trash is lazing about, it annoys me.

 

[Blovertis]

It seems that the owner of Tim Hortons is rather annoyed with the increasingly large group of white trash sitting and loitering outside his Wincester Street entrance. He's convinced that this crowd is simply dealing drug, and has installed cameras to catch them...

I don't think he'll have much luck. That lot doesn't look enterprising enough to be even dealing drugs.

 

[Roy G Biv]

I must admit I hate white trash. I mean, anyone who arrives in this country from wherever works like a mad dog to better themselves, only to see these lazy, fat pigs on their rollies, tattoos, mullets, etc. It's not like white people can't find a good job in this city, there are many companies that refuse to hire non-whites. I used to work for such a firm where everyone in the office was white, and when I mentioned that this was odd, I was clearly told that it was intentional. And this was from a major corporation (privately held of course). So, with all the advantages of free education right up to Grade 12, subsidized post-secondary education, and the real benefit of "White privilege",http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_privilege the non-white immigrant to Canada must just want to march up to these people and ask them why they're not working. I am not trying to make this a issue of race, but when I see hardworking non-whites while white trash is lazing about, it annoys me.

Well said.

However, we often forget about taking mental illness into account. Unfortunately it's difficult to visually gauge for mental illness, and then decide whether it's fair to hate on that individual or not.

RE: Drugs. Now that you mention it, I'm sure I've seen some dealing. Honest to God, I witnessed a suited Bay St.- type shooting the shit with one of the vagrants. Mr. Suit then handed over a wad of cash. At the time, I figured he was just speeding up the welfare process.

RE: Solutions. One would think the best method of crowd dispertion might be to rip the pin off a bar of Zest and chuck it into the middle of the street. They'll be gone before you can blink, leaving only a glimpse of dreadlock or mullet whisp whipping around the corner for cover.

 

[Dilla]

RE: Drugs. Now that you mention it, I'm sure I've seen some dealing. Honest to God, I witnessed a suited Bay St.- type shooting the shit with one of the vagrants. Mr. Suit then handed over a wad of cash. At the time, I figured he was just speeding up the welfare process.

Hmmmm...one would think that the "Bay St. types" would have better sense than to buy their drugs off people like this. In the middle of the sidewalk. In (presumably) daylight.

I'm sure the 'scooter krew' will get harassed out of there one way or another. It seems like an odd get together spot. Are they from the halfway houses just south of the LCBO?

 

[Admiral Beez]

I'm sure the 'scooter krew' will get harassed out of there one way or another. It seems like an odd get together spot. Are they from the halfway houses just south of the LCBO?

Perhaps, but those TCHC units are tall, and not entirely accessible for the rollies. Those buildings must have looked amazing at one time.

I'd like to see something done with Javaville. My informative barber told me that the owner was thinking of making it a condo, but got resistence from the BIA. Then he wanted to make it office space. I'd support either a condo or office, as long as there was ground floor walk-up retail space. It would make for a great bookstore like Bookcity, http://www.bookcity.ca/

 

[Dilla]

Perhaps, but those TCHC units are tall, and not entirely accessible for the rollies. Those buildings must have looked amazing at one time.

I'd like to see something done with Javaville. My informative barber told me that the owner was thinking of making it a condo, but got resistence from the BIA. Then he wanted to make it office space. I'd support either a condo or office, as long as there was ground floor walk-up retail space. It would make for a great bookstore like Bookcity, http://www.bookcity.ca/

I'm not sure a condo there is a great idea. Would the existing structure be demolished, then? I would hope that anything proposed would be mandated to have ground level retail. I would also love to see anything go in there. It really brings down that part of the strip to have such a predominant building empty for so long. Love the bookstore idea. Too bad we don't own that building, eh?

Oh, and they're tearing up the street, again. Great. At least there won't be asphalt sidewalks anymore.

Also, the Starbucks building at Aberdeen now has metal framing going up for the second and third levels.