There is a great moment in the 2008 James Bond film "Quantum of Solace", when a villain (having…read morewitnessed a number of collaborators quickly exiting a opera performance upon being outed as enemies by Bond) calmly turns to his wife and says, "Tosca isn't for everyone." There is no question that going to the opera - or symphony, in this case - inspires the same response. Live musical performances are definitely an acquired taste, and I don't fault anyone for not being able to make it through two sustained hours of music. I've dabbled in symphony performances before, having attended several Toronto Symphony Orchestra performances over the last decade, but 2018 was the first year I decided to make visiting the Mississauga Symphony (which operates out of the Living Arts Centre) a regular habit. (Full disclosure: I was able to attend several of the performances via complimentary tickets offered by the staff, due in part to my work with newspapers. I paid for two others over the course of the year.) I attended several shows this year, including the Sounds of Star Wars, Ole! The Music of Spain & Latin America, MÁ VLAST: Music of the Czech Homeland, In Memorium: A Remembrance Day Concert and the most recent, Highlights from Messiah. In all five cases, I've been amazed by the caliber of the performers, the leadership by Maestro Denis Mastromonaco and the quality of the sound in Hammerson Hall. During these performances, I've had to force myself to take in the music and appreciate it more, because it's always a very different experience listening to a work front-to-back, instead of being able to skip around when listening to the same piece on a website or place like Youtube. Hearing Highlights from Messiah (or, as Mastromonaco said before the performance, "Messiah on fast-forward) live was a very unique experience, buoyed by the talents of the four soloists that piped up intermittently between bursts of choral chants from the Miss. Chamber Choir. A fantastic performance all around. I have continued to make the MSO a favored destination over the last year, as it has provided some of the most memorable entertainment in recent memory. Don't believe me? Try visiting during the annual Star Wars concert, when the fan-run 501st Legion runs a costume contest in-between some of the classic tunes played by the full symphony. (Note to anyone listening - please play "Escape from Cloud City" next time. Please?) While the tickets may not necessarily be cheap, they do provide a fantastic experience and quality entertainment if you appreciate live music. Well worth a look.

I have been able to watch a least two concerts a year by the MSO. They continue to remain…read moreconsistent with their program by being uplifting, energizing, highly educational and having great variety. Last weekend I saw their concert, Spring Danse Sacree et profane, by Debussy, was a really beautiful and well balanced performance that featured Erica Goodman on harp. Goodman, followed the work with a solo encore piece depicting a watery theme. I was mesmerized by her technical virtuosity on the harp. Dvorak's Symphony No. 6 had great contrast between the bold, biting movements against the more serene and tranquil movements. A very exciting ending! I am looking forward to the next show, music of Star Wars!

This would be a MISS / NO GO for many; i personally miss a good old dive/dump bar. It's clearly…read moreseen better days (interior). At least 4 pool tables and good jukebox. Use caution inside and around Barton.

The staff at strictly rhythm are friendly and caring and very supportive of there dancers…read more Definitely recommend checking them out.

Tried and true dance school, part of Guelph for over 25 years!! Perfectly located in the east end…read moreand ample parking. Staff is attentive and amazing!!

I had the opportunity to see my Grandson play hockey today at this community arena!…read more It is a beautiful facility with multiple arenas, walking track, snack bar and upper level viewing area. It was great that I was able to sit in the players bench area and see the little man impress Grandpa!

I popped into the Port Credit Memorial Arena briefly. I was here for the Mississauga Rotary…read moreRibfest. I had walked briefly around the midway and then needed to read an e-mail on where to meet up for a Yelp elite event. Yep, I didn't read it until I actually got to the venue. Oops! There are places to sit outside the arena. There were two older folks already out there, enjoying the day. Instead, I decided to check out the arena for a brief period. There are a number of steps to walk up to the front entrance. I didn't notice what the accessibility situation was. I believe that it was off to my left. The doors open when you approach them. I love that this arena has plenty of places to sit down, even when you aren't actually in it yet! I sat between the two sets of doors at the front. I walked in and there was yet another area with comfy chairs to sit down. The latter is better on a hot summer day, as the air conditioning is effective there. The rotary volunteers made their headquarters in the arena. Unfortunately, I couldn't see what was behind them. I did get to briefly check out the upstairs. This arena gives you the impression that it's new. It's gorgeous and bright. You know what? It has been there for over fifty years. Who knew?! There is a snack bar. It's a well-designed arena for hockey and more. I would love to come back to an event that is held in this arena. It appears to be a flexible, multifunctional place for various events besides hockey games in the winter. I appreciated that I could sit there and carefully read my e-mail. I figured out that I needed to be on the opposite side of the park by the lighthouse. I loved the inspirational message that you see when you walk into the area. Be nice. You should, regardless of whether your a kid or an older grownup. Good advice! (261)

Checked out this arena for a vegan festival. It's quite a large arena with ample parking. They have…read morea park for kids and lots of green space. They also have a library within a 5 min walk of the arena. There is lots of seating to watch a game

Happening every weekend in March, from 9:30-3pm, Bronte Creek's Provincial Park's Maple Syrup…read moreFestival was a first for me! So obviously, I didn't know what to expect. There is a guided tour as soon as you enter the Festival portion of the park. Our guide was quite funny and enthusiastic, even though the conditions were quite cold and she was donning her Victorian garb. The tour consisted of stops complete with visual demonstrations of how collecting syrup has evolved throughout the years. Approx. 20-30mins. At the end of that tour, there are several barn looking structures where you get to defrost and peruse for yourself, take goofy pics, buy maple syrup stuff (not made on-site & other unrelated things which the park thinks you may grab), climb hay bales (outdoors), buy Maple Taffy ($2 for a small-ish sized stick), visit an old Victorian house, etc. Then after all that's done, ideally you'll like to climb aboard the free "wagon ride", a.k.a. tractor that pulls a trailer and have space for the Pancake House. Good: - well organised, complete with good signage - friendly staff all around - informative and tour is geared towards children, so it should keep their interest - there are affordable treats along the way, $0.50 for a small maple syrup candy, Maple Taffy - meals aren't terribly expensive either, $25/3-4 ppl with 10 pancakes, bacon/sausages, 4 small cups of maple syrup Meh: - there was quite a line-up at the Pancake House and even if you get food, you are NOT guaranteed seating indoors. It's better to have a family/friend reserve a table indoors while someone else gets the food. Otherwise, you're eating in the freezing cold! DRESS ACCORDINGLY! It's better to be over-dressed than under. Most of the activities are outdoors in an open field, so prepare for that. Dog Owners: I did see a few dogs on the tour, but they weren't allowed on certain parts of the tour, re: any of the indoor locales OR the wagon ride.

nice and beautiful environment, cozy music. Quiet in the daytime. A ideal place to read a book.read more

We were in the area and wanted to sit for a bit. Their korean sandwiches were pretty decent…read more Nothing too special but they were hearty and filling still. The dalgona coffee was a good blend of caffeine and sugar- would come back here again! They also had to kick us out which they warned us of when there was an art class coming up in the venue but we never felt rushed. Great owners!

The first ever Hamilton Veggie Fest was held yesterday and I hope this will become an annual event…read more Southern Ontario has become quite the hotbed of vegetarian activity with the Niagara VegFest born last year and the Hamilton Veggie Fest coming out this summer. Given the two festivals being less than two weeks and fifty miles apart, I wasn't expecting see as many unfamiliar vendors as I did. The festival was held at Marritt Hall, meaning it was indoors, air-conditioned, and had bathrooms with running water. The hall was packed with vendors and included a kids area, speakers stage, and dining areas. The vendors were a good mix of food, products, and nonprofit organizations dedicated to vegetarian causes. As far as I could tell, all of the food was vegan and all the products, except the beeswax candles, were vegan, too. We ate a lot of food including a bunch of free samples. The highlights were some amazing raw crackers, Rawfoodz salad dressing and the impressive spread of Apiecalypse Now. The raw food was really excellent and perhaps that is because Veggie Fest explicitly includes raw food in it's description instead of attracting vendors through the natural overlap between veg*n food and raw food. This was definitely worth the trek from Buffalo. Next year, I hope they have merchandise because I want a Veggie Fest t-shirt. This would be five stars if the Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival wasn't so geographically close and wasn't the largest festival of it's kind in North America.