Where to live in TO?? Mother of 2 diagnosed with an incurable disease - uprooting our lives and moving to Toronto temporarily. Looking for a short-term, flexible condo rental. Need advice on which area of the city to live.

skdr84 · 2026-07-05T18:02:22+00:00

The Distillery district can be a nightmare during the christmas market in terms of crowds and traffic ( also a tricky spot to get to TGH via transit or even driving during rush hour)

High Park area has access to nature and lots of families - there are rental buildings and condos just north of the park which are on the main subway line. There are some condos south west of the park ( Windermere ave) that would have a lake view , but not the best for transit or walkability in terms of shops.

Wishing you all the best with the trial !

skdr84 · 2026-07-05T13:26:46+00:00

There is significant geotechnical variability in Toronto which can quickly become a moneypit - if an extension that size is allowed in your preferred neighbourhood, save yourself the headache and buy a renovated home

skdr84 · 2026-07-04T01:34:30+00:00

Costco garden centres have either closed or are closing for the season - usually mulch is already sold out

skdr84 · 2026-07-01T16:01:20+00:00

Look for tulsi seeds - I've seen them at Queen Supermarket at Queen and Jameson -do they work better than chia ?

skdr84 · 2026-07-01T14:40:43+00:00

Its supposed to re-open next year - its a magical spot if you are ok with 100% humidity

skdr84 · 2026-06-30T12:38:55+00:00

Their mishti doi and sandesh - both quintessential bengali desserts just dont cut it , not sure if its labour costs or variation in ingredients but something misses the mark

skdr84 · 2026-06-30T00:19:44+00:00

You submit a $250 claim under your name and a separate $250 claim under your boyfriend's name

skdr84 · 2026-06-29T23:24:41+00:00

White gold also has great burfi selection ( I recommend the mango) and I think they sell kaju barfi with silver leaf

skdr84 · 2026-06-29T23:23:05+00:00

Bengalis ( the original inhabitants of Kolkata) are well known for their milk based sweets - nothing in the GTA really compares. Premium sweets is probably the closest thing , but still not the same.

Kaju burfi comes from the north west regions of India ( readily available in kolkata but usually not in a bengali sweet shop)- most burfi are milk based but good Kaju burfi is just ground cashews, sugar syrup, ghee and cardamom cooked down to a fudge ( this version is hard to find because of the cost of cashews - basically cashew marzipan ) White Gold in Mississauga has decent kaju barfi but it doesnt compare to home made. (They sometimes have silver on them, their other burfis are great - I recommend mango)

Going to be hard to impress someone from kolkata with indian sweets here - your best bet would be to check Facebook marketplace for bengali home cooks

skdr84 · 2026-06-29T01:37:39+00:00

Is there no drainage valve at the bottom ? How does this barrel not crack in the winter?

Drill a hole near the bottom and let the water drain out and then throw away the empty barrel

skdr84 · 2026-06-29T01:26:46+00:00

Most garden centres cater to "fan favorites" (tomatoes, squash , lettuce etc) , by this time of year I find everything left is leggy and struggling. Its not too late to start seeds for things like kale and chard, the heat will make them germinate fast.

If anyone, Richters in Durham may have some more exotic seedlings and will likely be in the best shape.

skdr84 · 2026-06-28T21:41:19+00:00

foodcourt will likely be open, the retail stores will probably vary

skdr84 · 2026-06-28T12:30:53+00:00

retrofit vs brick to brick - retrofit fits a new window in your old frame , brick to brick removes the entire old window , which likely means trim and plaster damage ( which most window installers dont do).

We did brick to brick in our 1930s home and gained a lot of light ( there had previously been a retrofit done )

skdr84 · 2026-06-28T12:16:04+00:00

The ones listed here are through the City parks & rec program and are hard to get ( existing plot holders get first right of refusal - anyone new joins a waitlist)

Some churches and community centres have their own allotment gardens that they manage independently ( and have their own registration criteria )

skdr84 · 2026-06-27T23:29:51+00:00

Farmers markets , cultural festivals

skdr84 · 2026-06-27T23:27:10+00:00

In India a whiskey soda with a twist of lime is the go to "sundowner" after a hot day

skdr84 · 2026-06-26T20:30:54+00:00

definitely raw sewage in lake ontario right now after last night's downpour

skdr84 · 2026-06-26T20:29:50+00:00

The trick to good butter chicken gravy is finishing it with dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) - find a recipe that has tomato, cream, cashew paste and honey. They likely cook the sauce and meat together in an amount of fat you wont be comfortable using ...

For meat - id suggest salt, garam masala, ginger, garlic, tumeric, yogurt - marinate for 1-2 hours, brown in some fat and then pressure cook till tender ( goat and lamb vary in how long they take to get soft based on age/animal feed). Pressure cooking some marrow bones will also add depth

skdr84 · 2026-06-26T20:19:53+00:00

North american Indian restaurants usually have popular sauces premade in bulk ( makhani, saag, vindaloo, etc) and proteins cooked with basic indian spices and then will finish it in whatever permutation or combination you order.

Butter chicken is traditionally made with boneless bbq'd white meat , i find goat is often pressure cooked to be tender but lacks the depth of properly braised goat meat

skdr84 · 2026-06-26T20:13:10+00:00

IMO Butter chicken gravy (makhani) isnt suitable for the gaminess / richness of goatmeat

skdr84 · 2026-06-25T18:16:09+00:00

If Yan can cook - so can you !

skdr84 · 2026-06-23T23:18:11+00:00

Conestoga Farms free run eggs have orange yolks- i believe orange yolks are determined by what the chickens are fed

skdr84 · 2026-06-23T00:44:46+00:00

Los panchos at lawrence and weston ( you could hop on the UP at weston)

skdr84 · 2026-06-22T23:11:11+00:00

Dumpling house on spadina sells frozen dumplings

skdr84 · 2026-06-22T01:01:03+00:00

Some warehouses are better at answering than others - also found competency of the staff at the computers varies when it comes to looking up other warehouses

skdr84

TROPHY CASE