DADS…

they are many things to many people and perhaps one of the hardest people in your life to shop for? So if you’re gonna grab a gift for Dad this Father’s Day, why not go local? Here’s our Top 5 places to buy a gift for Father’s Day…

SHINOLA

Photo by Scott Norsworthy

Detroit-based SHINOLA is a “luxury design brand with an unwavering commitment to crafting products that are built to last—from timepieces to leather goods, jewelry to audio.” Their 1000 Queen St. West store is ideally located on the popular Ossington strip and as the description says, carries a tonne of well-crafted products that should please your papa to no end. Guys and leather is generally a good match. Sorry to all those vegan Dads out there.

18 WAITS

Photo by Hector Vasquez

We first heard of 18 Waits specifically in regard to their absolutely adorable Father/Son selection of clothing. Many pieces in the store are replicated in both adult and children sizes, making for a super-sweet match-y, match-y look for your hubby and little one. Gorgeous fabrics and well-crafted clothing with a specificity to button-up shifts make this shop a no-brainer for Father’s Day.

WANT APOTHECARY

Who says that Dad’s can’t do with a little pampering? You may be surprised to find out your pops actually considers moisturizing a necessity or wouldn’t mind a new bracing aftershave balm post-shave. Want apothecary in Rosedale/Lawrence Park not only carries all of these personal grooming products but a full selection of classy and stylish mens wear.

THE CHEF UPSTAIRS

If you’re anything like Jeremy, you love to get dinner going or cook up some new recipe on the weekend. Why not skip the product offering and go for an experience instead? After-all, experiences are the new products. The Chef Upstairs offers a variety of classes on a variety of cuisines and techniques. Whether Dad wants to bone up on his knife skills or learn the essential ingredients to make the perfect Mexican dinner, midtown’s The Chef Upstairs has him covered.

MONTRAIT MUAY THAI

If you follow our social media accounts, you know we’re HUGE fans of the work Peter Montrait is doing at his new gym on Dundas West. Peter is the real deal in terms of experience and insight, nutrition and knowledge. Most Dad’s don’t get the time they need to get to the gym or when they do, may not be the best at filling that session with the most beneficial exercises. Why not leave it to a pro? Peter does private training sessions and holds Muay Thai kickboxing and Kettle Bell classes that are literally fun for the whole family (if that’s what you need). Do your Dad a favour and give them a call.

Wherever and whatever you go to or do with Dad this Sunday, remember that the best presents tend to be presence. Got a favourite spot you like to shop for Dad in Toronto? Please let us know!

Happy Father’s Day Dads!

Imagine stepping off the King St. car on your way to catch the Yonge line north to your meeting/job/appointment. You’ve got a few extra minutes to grab a coffee and snack before you get on the Yonge line. This is the situation that led me to wonderful Dineen Coffee Co. in Commerce Court at Bay St. and King.

The otherwise austere facade of the financial district might lead one to feel this cafe’s location would be stuffy or cramped but quite the opposite is true. It’s set just so beyond the King entrance in a beautiful lobby with lots of comfortable seating around and at the bar and is run by some really great cashiers and baristas!

For this experience, I tried one of my favourite coffees for the morning; a brevé cappuccino (all cream/no milk). It’s kind of like my test coffee to see how good the baristas are; if done wrong, it’s usually very foamy or overly hot and makes for a kind of weak coffee with too much hot cream. But when done correctly (as it was here), it’s a beautifully rich and less sweet alternative to a regular cappuccino. I paired mine with a nicely buttery jalapeño and cheddar scone; delicious!

Next time you’re close to King and Yonge, do yourself a favour and check out this great coffee spot. You won’t be disappointed!

There are currently 3 locations for Dineen. See the map below for the one closest to you!

Here's where Dineen Coffee Co. is in Toronto

If you haven't been tracking the sales stats in Toronto over the past months - let's face it, stats are kinda boring so we expect you haven't - you can check out this slick infographic produced by the fine people in our marketing department; yet another perk of working with a Chestnut Park Realtor. 

Condos continue to increase in price as the most affordable product on the market up to their average in April of $601,211 (+3.5% from March!). But more shocking perhaps is the overall Average Sale Price for Toronto, which is approaching something similar to last April when the market saw it's highest highs of all time. What does this mean? That the correction was just that and that buyers still hold Toronto real estate in high regard. 

If you're wondering where you stand as a buyer or where your property stands as a seller, please get in touch today for a free consultation. We're always happy to help!