Transitions-Oakville, Burlington and Mississauga Real Estate Blog

Free Comic Book Day and Workshop at Oakville Public Library

Boys and Girls between the ages of 12 and 18 are invited to celebrate Free Comic Book Day this coming Saturday, May 1st from 12-4pm.

To take part in this fun event, register with Elise, the Teen Services Librarian at the Oakville Public Library by email at ecole@oakville.ca or by phone at 905-815-2042 Ext 5037 .

On Saturday, May 1st, stop by the Comic Connection at 146 Kerr Street in Oakville and pick up your free comic. Comic Conection opens at 11 am on Saturdays.

The Free Comic Workshop will be held at the Oakville Public Library Central Branch Auditorium.
Artist Bruce Outridge will be teaching the workshop.

This event is sponsored by the Oakville Public Library, Comic Connection and Friends of the Oakville Public Library.

If you're a teenager in the Oakville region who loves to doodle and sketch, make sure to reserve your spot for the Free Comic Book Day and Workshop at the Oakville Public Library today!

 

Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com

Bronte Creek Provincial Park Easter Egg Hunt....Going to the Dogs

On Good Friday, April 2nd, the National Serice Dog team will be at Bronte Creek Provincial Park to take part in the 13th annual 'Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs'.

The event is being held to raise $15,000 for programs and services that will help children with autism and their families in the Oakville region.

Dogs and their owners will be able to hunt for over 3,000 plastic eggs filled with dog treats. There will also be a sticker in each egg with a chance to win one of hundreds of prizes.

All registrants will have the opportunity of finding up to 24 eggs, as they work towards filling their two egg cartons.

Those registrants who have collected donations will be able to collect more eggs.

Sporting their 'hunt' bandanas, the dogs and the owners will begin the hunt at 11 am. Rain or shine, the hunt goes on.

Consult with your best canine friend and see if this is something they would like to participate in. Contact 519-623-4188 Ext. 10 for more information or email tracy@nsd.on.ca

Happy hunting everyone! 

Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com

March is Nutrition Month and the City of Oakville is celebrating by hosting a 'Healthy Recipe' contest.

The 'Make Your Move Healthy Recipe' Contest is open to all residents of Oakville who are 8 yrs and older.

There are 3 contest categories:

• Children 8 - 12 years who are asked to prepare submit a 'snack' recipe
• Teens 13 -17 years are asked to submit a 'lunch' recipe
  
• Adults 18 years + are asked to submit a main course recipe
  

In each category, the top 3 recipes will be invited to a 'cook-off'. Hosted by Whole Foods Market in Oakville, the cook-off will be held on Sunday, May 2nd, 2-4pm

The first, second and third place winners in each category will win gift certificates.
The Grand prize champion will have their recipe sold in the Whole Foods Market of Oakville and all proceeds will go to the local food bank.

Put on your chef 'thinking' cap and submit your recipe to makeyourmove@oakville.ca.  Recipes can also be submitted online at the Make Your Move
website.
The contest closes on Wednesday, March 31st at 11:59 pm

Sponsors for the contest include Whole Foods Market of Oakville, Paradiso Restaurant, Julia's Ristorante and Ritorno's Restaurant.

What's the healthiest recipe you have in your recipe box? I think my Dad's baked beans just might be the healthiest one I have in mine.

Make it a family affair and enter each category. Children will love dreaming up a healthy snack or lunch recipe and who knows, you just may have a Master Chef on your hands!
Oakville's  'Make Your Move Healthy Recipe' Contest is the perfect way to celebrate Nutrition Month.

©2010JoSmith

Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com

Maple Syrup Festival at Bronte Creek Provincial Park, Oakville


It's Maple Syrup Festival time again at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. The Maple Syrup Festival runs on March weekends and every day during March break.

To enter Bronte Creek Provincial Park, follow Burloak Drive to #1219. Once in the park, follow to Lot F for parking.

Clothed in dress from the turn of the century, guides will take you on a heritage interpretation tour of Maple Lane.

Plan on staying long enough to visit the pancake house for a delicious breakfast and stop by the candy shanty for some mouth-watering maple fudge and candy.

The gift shop will be selling maple syrup.

The little ones will enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides and visiting with the farm animals.

For more information, call 905-827-6911

For excellent maple syrup baked beans, vegetarian style, here is my Dad's 'secret' recipe.
Shhhh, don't tell him I've printed it here.  ((-;

Cover beans (Great Northern white beans) in water to 1inch above - let stand overnight.
Using same water, boil and reduce to simmer for 1 hr. Drain water and save.
Put in baking dish:
beans, onion, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/3 cup chili sauce, 2tbsps molasses, 2 tsp dry mustard (or regular), add cooking liquid to cover.
Stir and bake at 300 deg for 3 hours.
Stir occasionally and add liquid to keep covered.
Uncover and top with cut up apple sections and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover and bake for 1 hour longer.

Delicious!!

Bronte Creek Provincial Park Maple Syrup Festival is an outing the whole family is sure to enjoy.

©2010JoSmith

Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com

Genealogy has long been a fascinating interest of mine and many members of my family, both on my Mother's and on my Father's side, have done extensive research into our family's past.
Searching for your roots can be both exhilarating and frustrating, all at the same time. It can lead you to far-off places, both in your mind and physically and once you are bitten by the genealogy bug, it can become an all-consuming passion.

For those who would like to do research into their family history, did you know that access to Ancestry.com is available free of charge at the Oakville Public Library?

Oakville Public Libary is offering two free workshops on genealogy. The workshops will teach you how to use 'Ancestry Library Edition' and also show you other resources that are available online to help you in your search.

These workshops are FREE, however registration is required  through IRIS. The course codes you will need for registering are listed below.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 2:00pm, Course Code #122514
Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 7:00pm, Course Code #122515

With so many resources available at a low cost or no cost basis, what's stopping you from delving into your family's fascinating past?
This can become an exciting family project and one which your children and other family members will greatly enjoy as stories come to light and new connections with long lost branches of the family are re-newed.

©2010JoSmith

 

Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com

Linwood Barclay will be giving a presentation at the Central Auditorium of the Oakville Public Libary on March 2nd, 2010 at 7pm.

Best known as an author who writes thrillers, Linwood's books are often bestsellers.

He will be talking about his book,' Fear the Worst'.
He'll also talk about his book, 'Never Look Away', which will be released on the same day as his presentation at the Oakville Public Library.

Linwood moved to Canada from the USA when he was 4 years old. He received his post secondary education at Trent University in Peterborough and got his first writing job at the Peterborough Examiner.

The Toronto Star hired him in 1981. While there he held various editorial positions and eventually became the humour columnist in 1993,

He retired from the Toronto Star in 2008 to devote his time exclusively to writing his books.

For a fascinating evening spent with a fascinating man, you'll want to make sure you attend.
Tickets for an 'Evening With Linwood Barclay' can be purchased at the Oakville Public Library for $5.

 

©2010JoSmith

Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com

Oakville Children's Acting and Theatre Class Starting February 4th.

Every family has one. Some families have many. Little aspiring actors and actresses who keep everyone entertained with their constant shows and costume brigades. 
One minute they're Batman out saving the world, the next minute they're a secret agent working on a very important spy case.

If your family is blessed with a young actor or two, be sure to register them for Bad Dog Theatre Oakville's new theatre and acting class for 8-10 year olds.

The class welcomes beginners as well as those with some theatre/acting experience.
Focusing on teamwork, spontaneity and storytelling, it is sure to keep those little active imaginations occupied long after class is finished. Who knows? You might have another Hugh Laurie in your midst!

The class is being held at 340 Rebecca Street, Oakville (Central Baptist Church) on Thursdays from 4-6pm.

It will run for 10 sessions (February 4 - April 15). Use your little one's energy creatively during this March break!
February 4th – April 15th (10 sessions)

They'll be a 'Class Showcase' on April 15th
Registration cost is $220.50 (includes GST)

For more information, visit the Bad Dog Theatre website or email oakville@baddogtheatre.com.

Don't pass up this opportunity to send your little actor/actress on his/her road to stardom. Register for the Oakville Children's Acting and Theatre Class with the Bad Dog Theatre Company today!

©2010JoSmith

Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com

Heath Allen, Oakville Symphony Orchestra's very talented Principal Horn, will be featured in an concert devoted to the music of the great romantic composers.

Heath will be performing Dvorak's Symphony #8 and also Richard Stauss's Horn Concerto #1.

If you are an admirer of the great romantic composers, you won't want to miss this inspirational event. Tickets can be purchased at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. Call 905-815-2021.

Visit the Oakville Symphony's website for more information or call the Symphony office at 905-338-1462.

The concert is being held at The Oakville Centre For The Performing Arts located at 130 Navy Street in Oakville. 

To view a map showing the location, click here -> The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts

It's not too late to reserve your seat for the Oakville Symphony Orchestra's 'Great Romantics' concert being held this Saturday, January 30th, 2010 at 8pm and this Sunday, January 31st, 2010 at 2pm.

©2010JoSmith

 

 

Jo-Anne Smith, the author of this article, is a REALTOR® with Brekland Realty Group, Oakville, Ontario and welcomes your real estate inquiries. To contact her, visit www.oakville-burlingtonhomes.com