Summer in the GTA is all about enjoying outdoor events and activities. From al fresco patios and window shopping to biking trails and evening strolls, the warm weather prompts us to move outside for three or four months each year.

Is it any wonder that the GTA is home to such a wide assortment of open-air events, festivals and activities? Let take a look at some:

Lights, Camera, Action – You don’t need to be a movie nerd to enjoy these celebrations dedicated to cinema. The Open Roof festival runs each Wednesday until August 22 and celebrates independent film and music. Located at Castlepoint Numa on Stirling Road in the Lower Junction, tickets are $15.

The Christie Pits Film Festival goes until August 19 and showcases unusual depictions of cities and their residents from around the world. Screenings begin at sundown and a suggested donation of $10 is requested. Films will be shown on August 5, 12, 18 & 19.

The Mulan International Film Festival runs from August 10 to 17 and showcases Chinese-language films. Tickets are $15 and the films are screened at the Isabel Bader Theatre on Charles St. W.

Have Your Fill – This is a great city if you enjoy food, even greater if you appreciate foods from around the globe. And the food festivals are there to show it. Here goes:

• 3 to 6 is The Toronto Food Truck Festival at Woodbine Park
• 3 to 6 is Scarborough Ribfest at Thomson Memorial Park
• 4 is Taste of the Middle East Food Festival at Yonge-Dundas Square
• 5 is Taste of India Food Festival at Nathan Phillips Square
• 9 to 12 is Grace JerkFest at Centennial Park
• 10 to 12 is Pickering Food Truck Festival at The Esplanade N
• 10 to 12 is Waterfront Night Market, a Pan-Asian food and lifestyle festival at Ontario Place
• 10 to 12 is Taste of the Danforth on Danforth near Pape Ave.
• 10 to 11 is Feast of St. Lawrence at St. Lawrence Market
• 11 to 12 is Toronto Vegandale Food Drink Festival at Garrison Common
• 11 to 12 is Sweetery Toronto Food Festival at David Pecaut Square
• 11 is the Richmond Hill Craft Beer Festival in support of Rotary at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
• 17 to 19 is the Oshawa Rotary Ribfest at Lakeview Park
• 18 to 19 is Richmond Hill Food Truck Festival at Richmond Green
• 18 to 19 is the Markham Craft Beer & Wine Festival at Markham Fairgrounds
• 24 to 25 is The Toronto Cider Festival at Sherbourne Common
• 24 to 26 is Beer, Bourbon & BBQ at Ontario Place
• 25 to 26 is the Panamerican Food & Music Festival at Yonge-Dundas Square
• 25 to 26 is the Japan Festival Canada at Mississauga Celebration Square
• 31 to Sept. 3 is The Mac + Cheese Festival at Woodbine Park
• 31 to Sept. 3 is the Hispanic Fiesta at Mel Lastman Square

Entertainment, Arts & Culture – If music, dance, arts and culture are more your thing there is plenty on tap:

The Toronto Summer Music Festival runs until Aug. 4 at Koerner Hall, while the Toronto International Youth Dance Festival is at Nathan Phillips Square from Aug. 3 to the 4^th. You can soak up Caribbean music at Island Soul at Harbourfront Centre from Aug. 3 to 6. From Aug. 10 to 12^th catch Habari Africa, a festival celebrating the sights and sounds of African culture, at Harbourfront Centre. The TD Markham Jazz Festival goes from Aug. 17 to 19 on Main Street, Unionville in Markham.  Try the Small World Music Festival at Harbourfront Centre from Aug. 17 to 19. How about the Festival of South Asia on Gerrard Street East near Coxwell or the Chinatown Festival, both on Aug. 18 and 19^th? The Korean Harvest Fest is at Mel Lastman Square Aug. 24 to 26, while Tamil Fest is being held in Scarborough on Markham Road on Aug. 25 and 26. Don’t forget the Ashkenaz Festival at Harbourfront Centre Aug. 28 to Sept. 3 or the International Buskerfest for Epilepsy at Woodbine Park on the same dates.

Open Tuning is a free music festival being offered this Saturday, June 9^th in the heart of Toronto’s west end.

Amped up by the success of previous festivals, this will be the fifth annual event for Open Tuning and Freeman Real Estate is happy to be a part of the festivities. The family-run boutique firm has been a fixture on Bathurst Street for nearly five decades so when there is opportunity to give back to the community, the Freemans enjoy doing so. This year, Freeman is sponsoring Freeman Laneway Stage, which will feature some of the many great bands playing at the festival.

“This is our second year participating in Open Tuning,” says Dan Freeman, senior vice president and broker of Freeman Real Estate. “We enjoy these kinds of events as they allow us the opportunity to meet neighbours and those who live and visit the neighbourhood. More importantly, though, we like participating because it’s a way of giving back to the community that has been so good to us.”

The streets of Seaton Village will come alive this Saturday with live music, in a variety of genres, playing at unique venues throughout the neighbourhood. The festival seeks to celebrate live music and the many ways we understand it: creating music, performing it, experiencing and listening. Musicians young and old, from various musical genres and experience levels are invited to perform at the various venues which include front porches, parks, alleyways, garages and street corners.

“I think what’s neat about this festival is the grassroots, sort of democratic approach it takes,” Freeman says. “No matter what your experience is with music you can get up and perform, providing you register first, of course. Who knows? I may even consider it.”

This year’s line-up of acts includes the Fourteen Hens Band from 2 to 3 p.m., the Governor Douglas Band from 3 to 5, Tyler Simmons from 5 to 6 and from 6 to 7:30, the Storm Free Band.

Last year’s event welcomed more than 100 artists at over 20 different venues within Seaton Village. Musicians included first timers and professionals such as members of Toronto’s Broken Social Scene and Jane Siberry.

The festival began in 2014 thanks to a group of area residents, who were inspired by a similar event known as Fete de la Musique, which is held in Paris, France.

Open Tuning is entirely volunteer-driven with no paid advertising or corporate sponsorship.

Seaton Village is just west of the Annex and it bounded by Bloor and Dupont and Bathurst and Christie Streets.

Summer is here and the time is right for watering lawns and gardens, washing our cars and topping up pools.

Did you know that city water use doubles in the summer thanks in large part to grass and garden watering? While there’s nothing wrong with keeping your plants and lawn hydrated, homeowners often overdo it when it comes to H2O. The result tends to be water wasted due to evaporation, run-off and over watering.

In an effort to avoid wasting water and to cut costs, here are some guidelines set out by the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation:

Watch Mother Nature

It’s a good idea to assess your weekly rainfall by keeping a measuring container in your yard that is emptied each week. Established lawns, for example, need about 2.5 cm or 1 inch of water per week. To determine the measurement set out a can of tuna on your lawn and after an even watering, when the water reaches the top of the can, you know you’ve reached the limit. Time how long that takes and use the timer on your sprinkler next time. If you get a good rain, you can skip watering for one full week.

Timing is everything 

Water before 9 a.m. as this cuts evaporation and the scorching of leaves.

Don’t be a hoser 

Set up your sprinkler or hose so that you’re not watering your walkway, driveway or sidewalk. Talk about throwing money down the drain!

Roll out the barrel 

Rain barrels can cut your municipal water usage incredibly. They collect rainwater from your roof thanks to eaves troughs directed into the barrel.

Soak it

Apply a soaker hose to the base of plants, rather than to the leaves, as this reduces evaporation. Drip or trickle irrigation systems work well because they bring water slowly and directly to the roots. This will ultimately create deeper roots which heightens a plant’s drought resistance. If you prefer a sprinkler pick one that sprays close to the ground and that has a timer.

Don’t cut too short

Short grass doesn’t absorb as much water as longer grass so it’s best not to trim it too short. Set your mower blade so that it cuts no lower than 6 to 8 cm or 2.5 to 3 inches. Shaded roots can hold water better.

Use mulch

Mulch does a lot more than simply retain moisture in the soil. It’s also good for moderating soil temperature, erosion and weed control. Try wood chips, bark and crushed rock, though there are other choices for mulch as well.

Other ways to save water

Don’t hose down paved surfaces to get rid of dust, dirt and debris. Use a good old-fashioned broom. When washing your vehicle, use a water-filled bucket instead of a hose. Finally, cover your swimming pools when not in use. This decreases the water’s evaporation.

Freeman Real Estate is reprising its community giving this holiday season with a charitable gift that is even bigger and better than last year’s.

The family-run boutique realtor is stepping up its contribution to the community this year on Sunday, December 17 with a GREAT TURKEY GIVE that will see some 9,000 pounds of turkey given to members of the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

This is the second annual turkey giveaway for the Bathurst Street realtor, which launched the GIVE in 2016 as a way of giving back to the community and keeping the tradition of Ed Mirvish alive.

Freeman is located at 988 Bathurst Street, just four blocks north of the former Honest Ed’s store, which gave away free turkeys during the holidays for many years. Freeman is a company with a reputation for supporting community causes, charities and interests.

“For over 40 years, starting with my father, the Freeman family has been practicing real estate at this very location on Bathurst Street,” says Elden Freeman, Broker of Record. “The community we serve means a lot to us. Giving away turkeys is our way of saying thank you, engaging with those we serve and hopefully inspiring others to spread generosity and goodwill during the holiday season.”

Freeman has partnered with Bathurst Street organizations Spirit of Math, 918 Bathurst and A Nerd’s World for the giveaway. Spirit of Math is a leader in after-school mathematics education. Located in the Annex, 918 Bathurst is a centre for culture, arts, media and education. A Nerd’s World is a one-stop shop for all your online marketing needs.

The turkeys are completely free of charge and for each turkey given Freeman plans to donate to St. Alban’s Boys & Girls Club, an organization that offers programming for children and youth.

On hand to help give away the turkeys will be Toronto city councilors Mike Layton, Joe Mihevc, Joe Cressy and a number of other political figures and local celebrities.

The GIVE begins at 9 a.m. at Freeman Real Estate located at 988 Bathurst Street.

When it comes to a city as great as Toronto it’s easy to have a little hubris. And with that, its inhabitants are sometimes accused of the short-sighted belief that the city is the centre of the universe.

And while on some level that may hold true, it doesn’t when it comes to house prices. In fact, a recent study by Century 21 Canada shows that seven out the country’s 10 most expensive neighbourhoods belong to our friends out west in and around Metro Vancouver.

Downtown Toronto made the number three spot on the list, while Oakville placed fifth and Richmond Hill, tenth. All the remaining seven spots belong to our friends in Vancouver.

The study measured price-per-square-foot (PPSF) for typical homes in cities and towns across Canada. Using information from Century 21’s independently owned and operated franchise offices, the study gathered information on house prices in the years 1997, 2006 and 2017.

Downtown Montreal ranked as the 12^th most expensive neighbourhood, while Victoria was 18^th, Saskatoon placed 31^st, and Ottawa was 41^st.

According to the study, Oakville leads the pack when it comes to escalating house prices, outstripping every other Canadian area. The price for a detached home in Oakville in 1997 was $105.77 PPSF. By this year, that number had ballooned to $627.33, a 493 per cent jump in 20 years. After Oakville, downtown Montreal is the community that claims the second fastest PPSF house growth with hikes in that city of 468 per cent over the same time period.

The data also showed that Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were the only provinces to experience falling prices in the past decade. Windsor followed by Moncton and Halifax came in at the least expensive cities in which to buy.

A house in Vancouver’s west side is priced at $1210 PPSF. Downtown Vancouver has a PPSF of $962.75. Downtown Toronto comes in with $818.86 PPSF. West Vancouver is at $816.61 PPSF. And Oakville comes in at $627.33.

If you think Canada’s numbers are high, take a look at other countries. The average PPSF in the Kowloon area of Hong Kong is over $3500. This number is 3.5 times pricier than Beijing, which is deemed the second-most expensive city with a PPSF of just over $1000. Shanghai comes in third with $955.39.

Lowest price on the list?  Maricaibo-Zuila in Venezuela at an average PPSF of $10.17.

Do you bleed red and white? Are you pulling out tissues at the first few bars of O Canada? Do you feel a deep emotional attachment to your country? Then you may be way more patriotic than you think.

In honour of Canada’s 150^th birthday, take our fun and totally unscientific quiz to see how you rate when it comes to true, patriot love:

1. Do you own clothing with a Canadian flag on it?

__A. Yes, totally

__B. Maybe…

__C. Absolutely not

2. Do you own clothing that bears other symbols of Canadiana such as a beaver, a moose or a hockey stick?

__A. Sure do

__B. Maybe when I was in grade school

__C. No. That’s ridiculous

3. Ever painted your face or the face of your child red and white?

__A. Every Canada Day, pretty much

__B. In university, I woke up after a party and found my face looking quite nationalistic

__C. That’s just silly

4. When you hear people criticize your country, how do you react?

__A. I go into full-on attack mode

__B. Let sleeping dogs lie

__C. Nothing. They’re probably right

5. What happens when you hear O Canada?

__A. I jump up and sing loudly and proudly

__B. I try to sing the parts I know

__C. Nothing, quite frankly

6. How do you show support for your favourite hockey team during the play-offs?

__A. I hang a flag on my car and paint team colours on the garage door

__B. Might buy beer or pop with the team’s logo on it

__C. What are play-offs?

7. What does Canada Day mean to you?

__A. An opportunity to show my devotion and enduring loyalty to my homeland

__B. I love the fireworks and food

__C. A three-day weekend

8. Canada’s biggest contribution to the world stage has been…

__A. Our peacekeeping efforts around the globe

__B. Poutine, without a doubt, followed by Drake

__C. Peanut butter

If you answered mostly As you are a deeply devoted patriot, through and through. Loyalty could be your middle name; you’re that much in love with Canada. Red and white is your favourite colour combination and it shows in everything from your fashion style to your home décor.

If you answered mainly Bs you rate about average on the scale of flag wavers. Never one to rah-rah too loudly for your country, you approach patriotism with a lukewarm enthusiasm. You’re difficult to read because one can never tell if that expression on your face is one of pain or pleasure.

Answering mostly Cs means there’s no hope for you. You’re about as patriotic as Benedict Arnold. Sorry, eh?

The cold winter weather traps many of us inside our homes till the first sign of spring. And being inside all that time may lead you to wonder about the quality of your indoor air.

In Canada, radon gas is something of a concern. In 2014, the CBC obtained data that showed over 1,500 homes had radon levels above Health Canada’s safety guidelines following a testing of approximately 14,000 homes across the country.

Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. It’s estimated that radon is responsible for 3,000 deaths in Canada each year.

Radon is a radioactive gas created in nature that seeps into poorly ventilated basements and crawl spaces. Radon is created by decaying uranium found in soil, rock and water. Because these three elements are found in the ground, they are more likely to leach into their first point of contact which would be cellars and crawl spaces.  Radon filters into a home through cracks in the foundation and gaps around pipes.

The scary thing about radon is that it’s invisible, odourless and tasteless. The only way to know for sure if you have it is to do a DIY test or call in a professional at your own expense.

According to the CBC, recommendations that the government help fund homeowners in need of testing and cleaning up their radon issue have not been addressed. Nor has a recommendation that homes undergo mandatory tests for radon levels as a condition of sale, as is the case in several American states.

Radon gas levels are measured in units known as the Becquerel (Bq). One Becquerel is described as one event of radiation emission per second and it is minute.

The old Canadian standard considered 800 Bq per cubic metre to be a safe standard. But ten years ago following a push to tighten guidelines the federal government changed its standard to 200 Bq per cubic metre, the same level considered safe by Russia and China. The U.S. pegs its safe level at 150.

For more information or to learn more about testing for radon visit Health Canada.

There’s good reason why buying real estate is considered such an emotional roller coaster of an experience.

It has something to do with the mechanics of the heart and how we respond to what we adore. Falling in love with a house or a neighbourhood happens all the time. It’s socially acceptable, expected even, to hear people talk about their affection for their home or the area in which they live.  Expressions of worship should be saved for big-ticket items that represent sentiment. When was the last time you heard someone say they became lovestruck by those blue bath towels or that vinyl siding stole their heart because it was the perfect shade of beige?

Exactly.

As we observe Valentine’s Day this month, we thought it would be apropos and fun to draw parallels between the worlds of real estate and love.

Falling in love with a house happens all the time and no one can fault you or prepare you for it. The feeling comes over you like a soft breeze of fresh air in spring. You’re smitten and everything about the house comes into focus. Imperfections start to fade and suddenly you’re getting a clear picture of the joy you will feel living there. From the dappled light filtering through the living room window to the subtle street noises to the home’s layout and sight lines, it’s perfect. Your heart rate picks up a little.

House hunting is a lot like dating. You keep trying one on until it fits. And realtors are in the enviable position of playing matchmaker, introducing clients to a number of possibilities until they find the right one.

To play matchmaker, real estate agents must possess a laundry list of traits that might include persistence, friendliness and a sense of humour. They also need to read people well so that begs the question are they superior at dating and finding a mate themselves? In the spirit of sweethearts everywhere, let’s look at what online dating website eHarmony has to say about the benefits of dating a realtor:

• You’ll learn more about your city. Date a real estate agent, and you’ll get an education in thriving neighborhoods, up-and-coming areas to watch, zoning laws and gentrification.
• Can’t handle awkwardness? Real estate agents depend on their people skills to survive financially. Invite a realtor to a dinner party, and he/she will bring out the charm.
• Real estate agents are smart — and good at math. They’re always updating courses and intentionally learning more about their business and the neighborhoods they sell in.
• No 9-to-5 here. If you’re also a freelancer, a real estate agent’s unconventional schedule might appeal to you. Sure, she might be busy tomorrow evening, but she might also be able to swing a weekday brunch.
• For realtors, beauty is more than skin deep. They can see the potential in a property that others can’t.
• He probably doesn’t live in his parents’ basement.
• According to Modern Family’s Phil Dunphy, “Every realtor is just a ninja with a blazer.”

Freeman Real Estate is launching a brand new community event this month that pays tribute to the memory of a much-loved retailing icon and honours the Freeman Real Estate spirit of community giving.

On Sunday, Dec. 18, Freeman is hosting a free turkey giveaway at the real estate company’s office at 988 Bathurst Street. The event, which begins at 12 noon, will see 500 turkeys given away to members of the public.

Located just four blocks north of Honest Ed’s, Freeman Real Estate is a family-run boutique real estate firm with a reputation for supporting community causes, charities and efforts. Honouring Ed Mirvish’s memory and the real estate company’s tradition of community giving helped plant the idea for the turkey giveaway.

“We always admired Ed’s charity and we thought this was a good opportunity for us to keep the tradition going,” says Elden Freeman, Broker of Record.  “We’re big believers in our local community. As residents and business persons, we benefit a good deal from our community. This is one way we can pay back and say thank you.”

Spirit of Math is also getting into the holiday spirit by sponsoring a portion of the gobbler giveaway.  Spirit of Math is an innovative leader in after-school mathematics education with more than 40 campuses in North America.

The turkeys are completely free of charge and for each turkey given away Freeman will donate 50 cents to St. Alban’s Boys & Girls Club, an organization that provides programming for children and youth.

On hand will be Ward 20 city councillor Joe Cressy. St. Alban’s executive director Chris Foster and boys and girls from the club will also be there to help give out the turkeys.

The Annex landmark, Honest Ed’s, gave away free turkeys at Christmastime for 28 years, ending the tradition this year. The retailer at Bathurst and Bloor Streets will close in 2017 to make way for condos and commercial space.

If this year’s giveaway is a success, Freeman intends to make the event bigger and better for next year.

There is nothing like the month of October to bring out thrills, chills and tales of things that go bump in the night. Toronto has its share of real estate that is reported to be haunted so in honour of this bewitching month let’s take a look:

Perhaps the most known haunted house is the Keg Mansion, a popular Jarvis Street restaurant and former home to the Massey family. It is said that a brokenhearted maid hung herself in the front foyer after the death of Lillian Massey. Restaurants patrons have said they’ve seen a frightening apparition hanging and some have reported hearing the voices and laughter of children from the upper floors.

This 200-year-old Georgian manor, now known as the Grange is reputed to be home to the undead. Witnesses report seeing a man, who may be Goldwin Smith or Algernon Blackwood, both writers who lived there at one time. Reports of a lady dressed in black haunting the second-floor bedrooms exist as well as accounts of other ghosts in and around the staircases.

Old City Hall is believed to house the spirits of many, including Arthur Lucas and Ronald Turpin, who were the last two men to hang in Canada. It’s said judges have heard footsteps and felt tugs on their robes, while the frightful moans of locked up prisoners have been heard in the cellar. Some say a presence is felt in the northwest part of the attic.

Gooderham and Worts Distillery co-founder James Worts committed suicide in 1834 following his wife’s death. Legend has it that Worts makes his presence known by opening and closing doors, making odd banging noises and turning lights on and off.

The historic house known as Colborne Lodge on the south side of High Park is said to be home to the spirit of Jemima Howard, a former mistress of the house. More than 100 years after her death in 1877 she has been seen staring out of one of the upper storey’s front windows — that same room in which she died. Other ghosts are said to haunt the main staircase, the hallway leading to Jemima Howard’s deathbed and even the grounds outside.

Christie Mansion is perhaps the creepiest tale of all. The Victorian home at Wellesley and Queen’s Park Crescent was the home of Robert Christie, of Christie cookie fame, who despite having a wife and family, managed to keep a mistress locked away in a hidden windowless room in the same home. She was not allowed to leave the mansion and her only visitors were Robert and his servant. Eventually Robert lost interest and she hanged herself out of loneliness. It’s said Robert had her buried secretly somewhere on the grounds of Queen’s Park. When the home was converted into a female residence for the University of Toronto some say they were haunted by her spirit in the hidden room otherwise known as room 29.  Reports say the room’s door would slam shut and lock, imprisoning the student till daybreak.