Places

LGBTQ Services in Durham

Support from a community organization can mean the difference between life and death for many people within the LGBTQ community. Other cases are less drastic, but still important to address. Dealing with bullying or being misunderstood by friends and family can take its toll. Whatever the issue may be, there is plenty of support in Durham Region for the LGBTQ…

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Places

Date Night Gets Rolling

This month, Mark and Diana enjoy tapas and cupcakes before Date Night really gets rolling. When asked how your date went the night before, one is apt to reply in general terms such as “Oh, it was ok…” or “Last night’s date was great.” Wouldn’t it be better to have a quantitative formula to grade a date? Every great experience…

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Places

Flaming Cheese and Honkey-Tonk

This month, Mark uses upscale dining and down-home dancing to re-connect with his wife. Sometimes, a relationship needs a little grounding. Lives get too busy and too self-absorbed to notice the needs of our better halves, much less satisfy them. One remedy is to step outside of the comfort zone and give your spouse a night geared just for them.…

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Food

To Market: Watermelonade

Carin Makuz is a farmers’ market enthusiast. In To Market she brings us news and inspiration from across Durham. Ontario watermelons are here and they are delicious! My latest one was from Stroud Farms and it was perfect. If by chance you get a stinker, don’t worry, don’t even make compost…  make Watermelon-ade! Otherwise known as juice. A juicer is…

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Food

To Market: Basil

Carin Makuz is a farmers’ market enthusiast. In To Market she brings us news and inspiration from across Durham. Basil, Sweet (Ocimum basilicum) In Italy it’s a token of love. In Romania if you give a sprig of it to someone, presto bongo! you’re engaged. Even Keats got the love connection—Isabella and the Pot of Basil is about a woman’s…

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Music

Durham Youth Orchestra

A youth musician as well as my friend, Chelsie Vaillancourt speaks to me about two local youth orchestras; the La Jeunesse Youth Orchestra and the Durham Youth Orchestra over lunch. Chelsie is in grade 8 and plays the flute. PANDORA WOTTON: First, let’s talk about the La Jeunesse Youth Orchestra. When did you get into LJYO? CHELSIE VAILLANCOURT: I’ve been…

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Food

To Market: Highlights

Carin Makuz is a farmers’ market enthusiast. In this edition of To Market she looks beyond the carrots and corn to show us some of the more interesting finds from farmers’ markets across Durham. If you haven’t yet managed to visit a farmers’ market this year, don’t despair. True, you’ve missed the apricots and asparagus but harvest time is upon…

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Art

Sally Thurlow’s Reclamation at the VAC

Recent works by Sally Thurlow are on exhibit at the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington from April 21 to May 19, 2013. In June they will travel to Redhead Gallery, 401 Richmond St. Toronto.  The opening reception is April 21, and also there will be a celebratory afternoon of readings and music at the VAC  on May 11 with Jonathan…

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Food

Hot Roots Soup Fest Round Up

Earlier this year, a the Hot Roots Soup Fest brought some spice to downtown Oshawa. Some of the OshaWhat crew checked it out. Mel tried the soup at Buster Rhino’s The soup: Vegetable soup–root veggies and tomatoes topped with fresh cilantro. There aren’t many vegetarian options at Buster Rhino’s, so it was great to see this BBQ spot participating in…

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