Markham Real Estate Today with Asif Khan

If you are moving into a new home or just updating your current space, consider setting up your place to attract more positive energy. Your choice of furnishings, accessories and their placement can have a huge impact on the energy within your home. Your home should be your sanctuary where you can feel nurtured, energized and fulfilled.

An ancient Chinese practice known as feng shui delves into the arrangement of your home in order to bring in good “Chi” or energy into your space. Loosely based on feng shui concepts, here are five tips to consider for bringing positive energy into your home.

1. Space

Space is an important concept to think about. It doesn’t matter whether your home is large or small or even if you live in a tiny room! To bring more positive energy into any size space be sure it is well organized and free of clutter. Consider what is really essential and what can be discarded or given to charity.

Freeing up clutter paves the way for good energy to flow within the home. Space doesn’t necessarily mean “sparse.” The key is to get rid of things that don’t belong since they represent stagnant energy which can become negative and weigh you down at home.

2. Lighting

Proper lighting and air quality can also influence the energy in your home. Be sure to open your blinds to include as much natural light as possible in each area. Darkness slows down vibrations within a space and even causes feelings of depression. If natural lighting is a challenge try searching for some “natural light” or “full spectrum” light bulbs or LED lights.

3. Air Quality

Air quality is also important. Make sure air filters are changed regularly in heating and air conditioning systems. You may also want to invest in an air purifier. Green houseplants are nature’s air purifiers and have some great bonuses.

They add beauty to your environment and they are living things with their own energy fields. That’s a double boost of positivity! Also think about adding some aromatherapy or incense. Sage, light floral and citrus scents work best.

4. Color

Color choices play a big role in your home’s energy. Black, while stylish can actually attract and hold negative energy if used in too large a quantity. You don’t need to get rid of your black items, just be sure to balance them out with other bright and cheerful colors.

White is one of the best colors to attract positive energy. If you think of white light, it actually contains all the colors of the rainbow when seen through a prism. This makes the color white very powerful indeed!

A word of caution, too much white can feel overwhelming so be sure to balance it out with some other colors. Earth tone colors are especially nice to bring in some grounding and centering energy. Green plants can help with this too in addition to cleansing the air!

The major colors of the rainbow can also help with positive vibrations in the home. Each color has unique aspects, so including more of that color in your home can help draw that energy in.

Here is a quick rundown just to get an idea:

Reds

are great for romance and action, but too much can invite anger.

Oranges

suggest warmth and enthusiasm, but too much can cause restlessness.

Yellows

invite joy and inspiration, but too much can cause feelings of uncertainty.

Greens

are healing and nurturing, but overdoing green can induce laziness.

Blues

are calming and peaceful, but too much blue (particularly deep blue or indigo) can attract depressive energy.

Purples

are good for inspiration and luxury. Violet in particular is good for healing and manifesting. Too many purples or violets can call in serious and even sorrowful energy. No matter what colors are used in your décor, be sure to strive for balance.

5. Furniture and Accessories

Selecting furniture and accessories can also influence the energy in your home. To keep it positive, choose pieces that you love. If shopping vintage or second hand, be sure to energetically cleanse your pieces.

Burn some sage around these items, use a liquid sage spray or leave your possessions in the sunlight for a few hours if possible. You don’t want old or foreign energy in your space. Even if items are new, consider doing this to set the intention of positive energy for you and your home.

Item placement is also a factor in attracting positive energy. Try to avoid clutter and overcrowding furniture and accessories. They need some room so energy can flow. This goes back to the idea of space. Also be mindful of the colors you select for furniture and accessories. Lastly, think about adding mirrors to open up an area and reflect that good energy coming into your home.

A lot more can be said about inviting positive energy into your home but these tips will help get you started. Strive for a happy balance and have fun decorating!

Here's a quick 30 second exercise for you.  Let's create your ideal person.  Close your eyes.  Now in the next six seconds think of the smartest person you know.  Now you have 6 seconds to think of the most powerful person you know.  During the next six seconds, think of the best looking person you know.  Now, for six seconds, who is most athletic person you know.  Lastly, six seconds to think of  the nicest/kindest person you know.  

Do you have all five images in your head? Now what if all five of these people were combined into one person?  What would this ideal person be like?  Say this person be a perfect 10 in your mind.  If they are a 10, what are you?  

I did this exercise with a group I was speaking to about 10 years ago.  I asked how many people thought of the ideal person as them?  Not one person said they did.  About 1/2 the group ranked themselves between a 3 and 4, 1/3 said they'd be a 5-6, and the rest said 7-8.  Interestingly, nobody ranked themselves higher than an 8.  

What does our self evaluation tell us about ourselves?  If we don't believe in ourselves, should we expect others to?  

Life is about confidence, a belief in ourselves.  It's about improving everyday to stay at the top of your game, it's about knowing that you are just as good as everyone else, and it's about not selling yourself short.  Life is about marketing YOU!

Why is it that we can market any product, service or any other person with ease, but when it comes to marketing ourselves, we can’t do it?  Why should someone hire you?  If we think back to the above numbers that the audience rated themselves, why should someone want to do business with you if you think you're half as good as other people?  

When we ask ourselves this questions, more often than not, it is because we focus on the wrong things.  We focus on material things like looks, social ranking, our track record.  But does anyone care about those other than you?  People care about how you can help them or satisfy a need or want that they have.  If you walked into a job interview and told the interviewer how you'd be able to help them, would you get their attention?  Of course you would! It's the same with when you're selling a commodity.  If it satisfies a need or want, people will buy.  Would they buy into you though?  

There are Five simple steps, and if you follow through properly, you will have accomplished your goal by the end.  These five steps can be applied to any aspect of your life.

The first step is to establish rapport. Break the ice! Say something nice. Show them that you care.   Become a friend.  Establish a comfort level.  Be sincere; build trust, and be confident.  You can't fake "care", nor can you move forward without a genuine level of comfort.  

The second step is to find out the person’s needs and wants.  Talk to the person and ask questions.   If you’re going to a job interview, do some homework.  Find out what is required, what are they looking for in an employee? Don't assume things because what you think is the issue may not be what the reality of the situation is.  

Step Three is where you match your features and benefits to their needs and wants.  This is the easiest of the five steps.  Now that you know the person’s needs and wants all you have to do is match up your features and benefits to those needs and wants. Focus on satisfying the person’s needs before wants. Needs are “must have” wants are bonus requirements.  Tell them about the features that would benefit them.  Tell them what THEY need to hear, not what YOU want to tell them.  Maybe Creative Accounting is your strong point, but if you’re at a bank interview – DON’T GO THERE!  :)  

Step Four is the Proving Yourself.    This is where you PROVE your worth.  Show them the money - not literally :).  SHOW the person how your features and benefits satisfy their needs and wants.  You have to believe in yourself.  You have to know yourself.  Nobody else knows you better than you.  Show your confidence in your abilities. And going back to our example, don’t just say “I sell a lot of homes”.  Tell them exactly how you would be able to sell THEIR home.  Use actual statistics and demonstrate your action plan.   PROVE IT!

That takes us to Step Five.  ASK FOR THE JOB!  This is where you ask for Buy In.  You can do all Four previous steps perfectly.  If you don’t ask for the Sale, you won’t get it.  Most people will go through all the steps and then sit back and wait for the other person to make the next move.  Ask for the job.  Be Assertive, not Aggressive.  YOU are the best person for the job.  Ask for it!

You’ll notice the main focus of the entire process was on Needs and Wants matching up with Features and Benefits. It’s about satisfying needs and wants.  Satisfaction is priceless. It’s all about making a difference.  Be Confident.  KNOW that you can make a difference.  SHOW that you can make a difference.  PROVE that you are satisfying someone’s needs, and YOU become priceless.  YOU become their PERFECT 10!  And, when you're confident in your ability to be a PERFECT 10, you will stop selling yourself short.  From here on in, stop comparing and competing. Wake up everyday and be the "10" that you are!  

Special Events

Easter Eggstravaganza at Centreville

April 18 – 20, 2014 (11am – 5pm).
Join Beasley Bear and the Easter Bunny at Centreville Amusement Park and Far Enough Farm for Toronto’s largest Easter egg hunt! This egg-citing pre-season event features rides, games, music, face painting, bouncing castles, TWO awesome egg-collecting events (The Hunt and The Scramble) and more!

The Port Credit Easter Fair

April 18 – 20, 2014 (11am – 9pm). 
At the scenic Port Credit Lighthouse, enjoy (free!) photos with the Easter Bunny, carnival rides, face painting and children’s activities & performers.

Easter Brunch at Casa Loma

April 20, 2014. 
Enjoy Easter brunch in the beautiful Conservatory. Seating at 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm. Reservations are required and can be made through Casa Loma at 416.923.1171.

Crocs™ at the Toronto Zoo

Friday April 18, 2014 (9:30am – 5pm). 
This Good Friday at the Toronto Zoo, Crocs™ is taking over, challenging visitors to go searching through the park to see how many Croc eggs they can find. Join Duke, the friendly Crocs™ mascot, on a search for all kinds of our furry, scaly and feathery friends’ eggs!

Toronto Beaches Lions Easter Parade

April 20, 2014 at 2pm. 
Parade begins on Queen Street at Munro Park and heads west along Queen Street (ending at Woodbine Avenue).

Fantasy Fair at Woodbine Shopping Centre

April 19 -20, 2014 (check site for specific show times and dates).
Have your picture taken with the Easter Bunny, catch up with the Lollipop Princess (don’t forget your free lollipop!) and meet Alex from Madagascar.

Easter Flower Show at Allen Gardens Conservatory

Masses of different hydrangeas, Easter lilies and bulbs are in full bloom beginning Palm Sunday. The show runs for 3-4 weeks, ending after Easter.

Easter Traditions at Colborne Lodge

April 20, 2014 (last tour at 3:15pm). 
Families are invited to tour the museum and spot the eggs hidden in the restored rooms. Kids can dye their own eggs using natural dyes.

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir: Sacred Music for a Sacred Space

Friday April 18, 2014, (Good Friday) at 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s Basilica. 
The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir returns to the beautiful setting of St. Paul’s Basilica for its annual Good Friday concert. Experience the glorious sound of organ and choir in this concert of works by renowned 20th century French organists, Maurice Duruflé and Louis Vierne.

Holiday Hours for Family-Friendly Attractions

Art Gallery of Ontario – Open Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Casa Loma – Open 9:30am-5pm Good Friday, Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

CN Tower – Open Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Eaton Centre – Open 10am-6pm Good Friday; 12-5pm Easter Sunday.

Hockey Hall of Fame – Open Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Ontario Science Centre – Open Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada – Open Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Royal Ontario Museum – Open Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

TIFF Kids International Film Festival at TIFF Bell Lightbox – Open Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

The Week of  April 14 – April 20 at a Glance:

It’s a foodie free for all this week, with several yummy-sounding events, includingCaplansky’s Second Seder, 5 Stars Wine Tasting, Chef Cellar Series: For the Love of Bier and the Easter Chocolate Tour.

It’s the long weekend coming up, with Easter and Spring-themed things to do likebrunch, What’s Open & Closed for the long weekend, Sweet Easter Treats and the Beaches Easter Parade.

Easter weekend is here, starting with Good Friday on April 18 and wrapping up on Monday April 21.

With a long weekend off work right when the weather’s starting to warm up, Torontonians are going to want to get out of the house and enjoy the city. There are, as always, holiday closings and shorter hours in effect, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the city.

ATTRACTIONS

The ROM - Map & Address
Good Friday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Easter Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Easter Monday: Closed
What’s on: The Forbidden City

AGO - Map & Address
Good Friday: 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Easter Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
What’s on: Francis Bacon and Henry Moore

Ontario Science Centre - Map & Address
Good Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Easter Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What’s on: Sesame Street Presents The Body; Sultans of Science

TIFF Bell Lightbox - Map & Address
Good Friday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Easter Sunday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
What’s on: TIFF Kids Film Festival

Toronto Zoo - Map & Address
Good Friday: 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Easter Sunday: 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Easter Monday: 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
What’s on: Easter at the Zoo

Hockey Hall of Fame - Map & Address
Good Friday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Easter Sunday: 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Ripley’s Aquarium - Map & Address
Good Friday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Easter Sunday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Easter Monday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

MALLS

The Eaton Centre - Map & Address
Good Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Easter Sunday: 12 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Yorkdale - Map & Address
Good Friday: Closed
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Easter Sunday: Closed
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Fairview - Map & Address
Good Friday: Closed
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Easter Sunday: Closed
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Sherway Gardens - Map & Address
Good Friday: Closed
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Easter Sunday: Closed
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Scarborough Town Centre - Map & Address
Good Friday: Closed
Saturday: 9:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Easter Sunday: Closed
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Vaughan Mills - Map & Address
Good Friday: Closed
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Easter Sunday: Closed
Easter Monday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

SERVICES

TTC
Holiday service and schedule is in effect on Good Friday.

Go Transit
Sunday service and schedule is in effect on Good Friday.

Toronto Public Library
All branches are closed on Good Friday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday.

Despite record-setting low temperatures and snow storms, housing market activity in Canada during the first quarter of 2014 showed year-over-year resilience in most regions, with some exceptions in Atlantic Canada, Manitoba and Ontario. In urban centres, house prices continued to post gains, in large part due to a lack of inventory; price increases were also seen in regions with strong local economies driven by the resource sector and major infrastructure development.

Once you go deeper into your exploration of  feng shui - with all its complexities, layers and mysteries - you will suddenly discover than there is more than one money area in feng shui. Just when you thought you mastered the Southeast feng shui area of your home or office (or the upper left area in the Western bagua), you find out that there is more work to do! 

Having coached hockey since 2005/06, I've probably coached 15 teams, 225 players, maybe about 75 of those in multiple years over the eight years.  I had decided in December that this would be my last year of coaching.  I wanted to just "enjoy" watching my kids play, and just be a hockey dad.  :)

The coaching finale was to be tonight.  My older daughter's team was in the Championship game, what a great way to end it, right?

Let me tell you a bit about our 2013/14 team, so you know where they came from.  Our team of 12/13 year olds was put together in October.  We had a few players that would be playing their first year of hockey.  Expectations were pretty low, and the coaching staff knew we had our work cut out for us.  From the first practice, we knew the girls had come to play!  After a sluggish start, the girls started to gel.  They bonded, they started to genuinely care about each other, and they became a tight knit squad.  Isn't that the beauty of team sports?  Involvement in team sports really does teach children life lessons that set them up for the future.  Care, respect, team work, love, overcoming fear, handling failure, and what it takes to win.  

I've had many awesome days behind the bench or on the ice.  There have also been heartbreaking losses, injuries and some trying times with overzealous parents.  The TOUGHEST of all nights, was tonight.  Don't get me wrong, it wasn't that we lost in the Championship Game, which we did.  It was more than that.  It was about a player, someone's child, and indirectly as her coach - one of my children! About 20 minutes before the game, our Trainer approached me and asked to have a word with me.  She proceeded to tell me that during our two week break while waiting for tonight's game, one of our players had a serious operation and would not be in the lineup.  She then told me what had happened to Sylvie, one of our most improved players.   I was devastated.  See, we had played our final playoff game two weeks ago Saturday.  As Sylvie was leaving the arena, I pulled her aside and told her that was her best game ever.  She was solid in a big win that clinched our birth in the Championship Game.  I told her to rest up and be ready for tonight.  Well, about 10 days ago - 4 days after that game - Sylvie had brain surgery to remove an aggressive tumour.  Surgery was successful and Sylvie wanted to come and support her teammates as they played for Gold.  That's what team sports is all about.  All for one and one for all!  Bad news though.  Sylvie was hospitalized again three days ago due to complications.  She was released from hospital this morning and our trainer wasn't sure if Sylvie would still be coming or not.  Everything to do with the sport had just taken a backseat.  The health of our player, our teammate, one of our family was the focus.  After spending two weeks trying to design a game plan around beating the best goalie in the league, it wasn't important anymore.  The only thing of importance was that Sylvie be well.  

I had to break the news to the team, but when?  Do I do it now?  Do I do it during my pre-game talk? Do we do it after the game?  I decided we had to do it before the game started so that if Sylvie did come we could show her how much we appreciated her.  I reiterated last game's speech about playing for each other, caring about their teammates, and no matter what happens not giving up on each other.  However, tonight it wasn't about winning or losing, tonight it was about playing for Sylvie just like Sylvie had played for us all year.  Michelle, our trainer, went over details of what had happened just so the girls wouldn't be shocked or scared when they saw Sylvie.  The girls took it on themselves that they would hit the ice hard and play for Sylvie tonight.  They went out hard, they owned the game, and they played their best game ever.  In the third period, Michelle looked at me and said "Sylvie is here"!  We were down 1-0 at the time.  How do I get the girls to stop playing and acknowledge their teammate?  I called a time out.  The ref asked if I wanted to use it later since I may pull the goalie.  I said "no", this wasn't about a game anymore.  This was about life.  I was so proud of the girls as they skated down the ice together, raised their sticks and tapped the glass to let Sylvie know they were "on her team".   Sylvie showing up a few hours after being released from the hospital showed the rest of the team that even is she was down, she was still "on their team" as well.  It was quite an emotional moment, one that the girls will never forget.  One that I will never forget.  It was a night where life was put back into perspective.  It was about my players maturing into caring and loving human beings, knowing that they play the game because they love it, but also realizing that it only is just a game.  It was about Sylvie coming out to show that she was the "One For All", it was about the rest of the team showing her that they were "All For One"!

This had to be one of my toughest nights as a coach, a parent and just as a person.  Our biggest fear is something terrible happening to our children, or to take it further, ANYONE"S child.  Tonight I learned a lot about myself as well.  I may "just be coaching" your child, but in some way that also makes them my child.  I thought I coached for the love of the game.  I don't coach for the love of the game and probably never have.  I learned that I coach for the love of the children.  Making them better people is the goal, and if they become better athletes in the process then that's just a bonus.  

Putting Silver Medals around the girls' necks was a great feeling, but an even better feeling was walking over to the boards to put one around Sylvie's neck and watching the players gather around her so we could include her in the team picture.  Moments like that have made coaching these amazing children so worthwhile.  Seeing how they put Sylvie first and the game second makes it all worthwhile. As coaches and parents, we should be so proud of these girls.  They showed that winning and losing at sports doesn't mean that much when compared to the health of a teammate/sister/friend..  Being great human beings and caring for one another comes first.  

Everyone, please pray for Sylvie.  Please pray that this smart, beautiful and caring little girl recovers from her surgery and lives a full and happy life.  Hug your kids a little tighter tonight and think of what Sylvie's parents must be going through and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.  Thank you!

BTW, the girls lost 1-0 on the scoreboard, however they won 100-0 in my heart.  I don't think any one of them cared what the score was.  They were just happy to celebrate their silver medals with Sylvie.  That's exactly how it should be.  Life comes first! We need to keep things in perspective.

Great picture of the team as they head over to the boards to 

include Sylvie (back row with sunglasses) in the team picture! 

In this edition of The Weekender, a modern reinterpretation of a classic opera, a festival of kids’ movies and three more things to do in Toronto this weekend.

Hercules
For the Canadian Opera Company’s adaptation of Handel’s Hercules, American stage director Peter Sellars has pared down the show’s libretto in order to bring it closer, in spirit, to the Sophocles play that inspired it to begin with. Even as the production reaches for its ancient-Greek roots, it also connects with audiences in a contemporary way, by portraying Hercules as a modern U.S. army general suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Apr. 11. $89-$255. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W., coc.ca

Images Festival
The self-proclaimed “largest festival in North America for experimental and independent moving-image culture” is back for another year of art film. This is a rare opportunity to see a wide variety of experimental shorts and features, many of them rarely screened outside art galleries. Among this weekend’s screenings is the “Remodeled Beyond Recognition” program, a selection of shorts that explore themes of image, identity and space. Until Apr. 19. FREE–$15. Various venues, imagesfestival.com

TIFF Kids International Film Festival
Kids’ films are often celebrated more for their commercial success than their artistic merit, but TIFF’s annual kiddie festival aims to redress that imbalance. On this year’s slate are a wide variety of films, fromAntboy to Zip and Zap. Until Apr. 21 Tickets $12 adult, $8.50 children under 13. TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King St. W., tiff.net

Second-Annual Stompin’ Tom Memorial Show
For the second year in a row, musicians will gather to commemorate the departed folk singer and Canadian national treasure. Among the acts on the bill are Sarah Harmer, Cuff the Duke’s Wayne Petti, and Great Lake Swimmers’ Tony Dekker. Apr 12. Tickets $20. Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., ticketfly.com

Algonquin
Algonquin, a first feature from Canadian director Jonathan Hayes, begins its Canadian theatrical run in Toronto this weekend. Set in and around Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park, the film is the story of Jake, a bored high school teacher who travels to cottage country intending to help his father write a book about the park, until things go terribly wrong. Sunday’s screening will have cast and crew in attendance. Apr. 13. Tickets $10. The Royal Cinema, 608 College St., theroyal.to 

After a cold and brutal Toronto winter, here’s hoping there will be spring in the air soon, because there are tons of events, activities and things to see and do in the city this year.  So, if you’re as ready to ditch that sweater and shed those layers as we are, let’s collectively cross our fingers for warmer temps and get ready for springtime in Toronto!

Things to Do This Spring

Film Festivals
Toronto’s known for it’s celebrity-filled TIFF film screenings and parties, but there are film festivals happening all year long, with lots to choose from in April and May. Indie films, documentaries, short films and flicks for kids take over Toronto screens, plus, there’s plenty of workshops, guest speakers and conferences too. Whatever you’re into, there’s probably a film festival for that, so take your pick:

• ReelWorld Film Festival
• TIFF Kids Film Festival
• Toronto Jewish Film Festival
• Inside Out Film Festival
• Silent Film Festival
• Hot Docs Film Festival
• Just for Cats: Internet Cat Video Festival
• Cinefranco
• Images Festival
• Canadian Music Week

Craft Beer Festivals & Events
Toronto loves the suds, this spring has a new crop of events and festivals dedicated to beer, with a focus on local craft brews. Don’t miss the summertime favourite Toronto Festival of Beer’s spring session at the end of March and Craft Beer Week coming up in June.

• Toronto Festival of Beer Spring Session
• Beerworking Wednesdays
• Brewer’s Backyard
• Beer 4 Boobs
• Society of Beer Drinking Ladies Bevy 0003

Geek out for Game of Thrones
The super popular fantasy series is back on HBO April 6 for season four (!!!!), and fans of the show can check out the themed events on this spring.  On April 2 and 3, fans can get seats for the medieval-style Feast for Kings. The meal concocted by chefs Teo Paul, Chris Mathias and Marc Sullivan comes with a hefty price tag and limited seating, but includes an impressive parade of courses. Guests can expect suckling pig, pigeon pie, whole trout and more.

Coming up in May, Game of Thrones the Exhibition is back at TIFF Bell Lightbox, and includes relics, costumes and props from the show’s previous three seasons, along with some new items from season four. Ticket information hasn’t been announced as of March, but in the past the exhibit was free!

Also, keep an eye out at for Brewery Ommegang’s newest Game of Thrones Beer, Fire and Blood, available at various Toronto bars, pubs and LCBOs March 31.

Easter Egg Hunts, Brunch & Chocolate Treats
For those who celebrate Easter, or those who just love Cadbury Mini Eggs and marshmallow Peeps, there’s lots to do and eat leading up to the Easter long weekend April 18 – 20. We’ve rounded up your best bets for Easter Brunch, some tasty and adorably cute Sweet Easter Treats and Easter-themed events and things to do.

High Park Cherry Blossom Season
One of the most popular sights to see in spring is High Park’s Sakura cherry blossoms, which usually bloom late April/early May. The cherry trees are located around Hillside Gardens, with a few around the duck pond as well. The flowers are in bloom for about a week or two, and attract big crowds – arrive early for the best parking and views. Note:in some years the trees fail to bloom if April is unusually cool, so keep checking High Park’s cherry blossom page and forums for updates.

See Toronto in Bloom
With the cold temperatures set to hang on into April, the gardening season will be a little late this year, but once those buds start blooming Toronto’s public gardens are a riot of colours and floral scents. There are lots of gardens in the city, but some of the  must-see sites are:

• Allen Gardens
• Casa Loma’s Gardens
• Spadina Museum Garden
• Toronto Botanical Gardens
• Humber Bay Butterfly Habitat
• High Park Hillside Gardens

Spring Music Festivals
Before the summer festival season is in full swing, there are some big ticket music festivals to check out this spring, including Canadian Music Week and North by North East (which I normally include in the summer festivals, but it’s technically still spring, so it counts). Click through the links for dates, artist lineups and buy ticket information.

Foodie Walking Tours
As the weather warms up, it’s the perfect time to take part in one of the many food-themed walking tours available in the city. Explore hidden gems, neighbourhood hot spots and more.

• Foodies on Foot Secret Menus
• Vegecursion
• Kensington Krawl
• Best of the West Food Tour
• Insanewich Food Tour
• Flavours of the World – Baldwin Village Food Tour
• 501 Streetcar Food Tour

Got more dining events to share? Email us at restaurants@toronto.com

Celebrate Earth Day in Toronto
April 22 is Earth Day, and we’ve got a bunch of eco-friendly events, activities and dining info to help you celebrate this year. Check out the Green Living Show, Best Farm-to-Table Restaurants,  the Best Vegetarian Restaurants and more.

Click here for more ways to celebrate Earth Day in Toronto

Hit up Your Local Farmer’s Market
With over 30 farmer’s markets in this year’s list, there’s likely one within walking or short transit distance to you. Get locally-grown produce and other goodies starting in May or June depending on your local market.

Click here for Farmer’s Markets in Toronto: dates, times and addresses