Saturday, February 28, 2009

Post-Trip: What some saw at Honest Ed's







First, the lunch, at a Korean place. Glad someone had a camera ... thanks to Shyamalie for the pictures!











And then the insane shopping frenzy began, at Honest Ed's.



Here's what I harvested.



Some $20 worth of loot on, it was back on the TTC subway headed back for home. Until the next field trip ... perhaps Food Basics and Hong Tai ... s'long!

More places to bargain hunt in step with these economic times.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Heads-up on Our March Field Trips



Our field trips next month will have a distinctive employment flavour as the season for career fairs returns.

On March 5th, we'll be at the job fair themed:

OPENING DOORS TO YOUR FUTURE
Thursday March 05, 2009, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

North York Central Public Library
5120 Yonge Street (Beside North York Civic Centre)


On March 27th, we'll be at the Engineering/Hi-Tech-themed National Career Event held at the Toronto Hilton.

Make sure you spiff up your CV and submit it with your registration.

For more job fairs, check out this listing.

Field Trip to Honest Ed's Friday (Tomorrow)

Get ready to check out one of Toronto's most famous and historic shopping destinations! You've done the online and home work; now put on some walking shoes and do the legwork. It's all happening tomorrow:



Please meet inside the Bloor Street entrance of Honest Ed's at 11 a.m.



You can't miss it--get off at Bathurst TTC Subway station and look around for:



Wednesday, February 25, 2009

How much would you pay?

Check out this article in today's Toronto Star: Pay what you want in this Montreal restaurant



According to the report, "lunch-hour customers were given the choice of an appetizer, plus either tagliatelle bolognese, salmon or braised beef, and coffee or tea, for whatever they wanted to pay. For a dollar even. Or nothing."

What would you pay? Is the owner crazy or what?

Enter your comments!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Best Bargains to Beat

Here's my list on the following basket of bargains in Toronto: a webcam, a 2 GB SD card, a USB reader, a Text-to-Speech GPS with 6 million POIs, and a 2001 Odyssey:


webcam for $6:99

2GB SD Card $6.49

USB card reader $3.99

TTS GPS with 6 million POIs $159.99

2001 Odyssey minivan $3,990

Total: $4,167.46

Sunday, February 22, 2009

The Star's 25 Tips for Hard Times



First, check out these words, in a dictionary if at all possible:
  1. recession
  2. depression
  3. follow suit
  4. insight
  5. crater (v.)
  6. shrink (v.)
  7. euphemism
  8. peak (v.)
  9. collapse
  10. contraction
  11. impoverished (adj.)
  12. strap (v.)
  13. compile
  14. retro (adj.)
  15. clip (v.)
  16. coupons
  17. tuck (v.)
  18. reacquaint (v.)
  19. marinate (v.)
  20. wide berth
  21. payoff
  22. bulk
  23. hand-me-downs
  24. swap
  25. portfolio
Then check out this article in the Star on Sunday.

Finally, test your frugality with 25 more questions (yay!!) on the Frugal Test!







See you all at Honest Ed's on our foolishly frugal field trip this Friday! Meet just inside the Bloor Street entrance at 11 a.m.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

CAF-LINC Funding Threatened over Controversial Name-Calling

The Edmonton Sun today responded to yesterday's stunning comment by the Immigration Minister with these words:

Calling a cabinet minister a "professional whore" is wrong, but so is threatening funding to services for immigrants.


Interestingly, the original remarks by the CAF President are nicely preserved in youtube:



Take a look and feel free to click on Comment!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Should kids be made to watch this clip?

Would you use this to warn them of the dangers of certain sports?



Or what about this one, to warn them against crime, e.g. armed robbery:



Please give your Comments!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Field Trip to Earl Bales Ski & Snowboard Centre



By TTC (above), by car, and however else, about 50 CAF-LINC learners from all levels were welcomed by Heather Kerr, a recreationist at EBSSC. Not even the minus 20 weather could deter them. After a brief talk in the chalet and a walkabout (below), those who signed up for a ski lesson signed their lives away (the waiver form) and slipped into boots and skis before heading for the pony hill.










Kevin wags a glove.


Tao, take a bow!


The Pengs smile before the work begins.


Smile, it looks so easy!




Random shots ... teacher, please, photo, photo, photo ...


Mahdi getting foot reflexology?


Why does the picture below look more comprehensible? Hmm, typical snowboarders.


Meanwhile, down the big hill, Tuna and Efe go off-piste with instructor John.





Who, O, who could that be? Is she Egyptian?


All over the pony hill ... pizza slices, french fries, what on earth?!


Finally, not forgetting Teacher Christine--Thanks for holding the fort for us in the chalet! (my batteries had died by then ... picture courtesy of Mahdi!) And Teacher Ariane still looks happy, phew!

By 1:30 p.m., some learners were so tired they were doing snow angels before being mercifully dismissed.

Congratulations for reading up to here! As a reward, you get to see the movies:











Overall, with an almost two-hour ski lesson, this year's is a leg-up on last year's trip, with TESOC.