Some of my best memories of growing up in Toronto are the outings I would go on with my aunt, uncle and cousins. As an only child, I often played alone or tagged along with my dad on his more adult pursuits (I spent a lot of time at used bookstores that specialized in spiritual, New Age material). But every now and again, I would set out on a wholesome adventure with my extended family and we had some good times. There was Riverdale Farm and the promise of the ice cream parlour across the street (I always got a large mint chocolate chip cone), the Fantasy Fair indoor amusement park at Woodbine Centre and who can forget laser tag and Chuck E Cheese’s?
But there are special kids’ activities taking place this weekend all over Toronto. While this might be a nightmare for your back, the ROM is offering its ROMkids Nature Sleepover to families who are into biodiversity and the natural world. Bring a sleeping bag and a pillow and participate in craft making, get special access to certain parts of the museum, hang out with the museum’s nature experts, watch a movie and sing karaoke in your pajamas, all in one night. If I was 20 years younger, I would be psyched to sleep overnight at a museum.
If you’re looking to get some fresh air, the Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival starts this weekend, beginning on Saturday. It runs every day from 9:30 to 4:00 at both Bruce’s Mill Conservation Area and the Kortright Centre for Conservation and it makes a great mini-getaway out of Toronto. There’s nothing like a good day trip and change of scenery to break the winter blues — and enjoying fresh maple syrup probably won’t hurt anyone’s mood, either. The event is only $8 for adults and $6 for seniors, students and kids. Don’t forget to take the wagon ride and eat stacks of pancakes, too.
Down at the Rogers Centre, Disney on Ice is in town with the show “Let’s Celebrate,” and the tickets don’t even have to break the bank: some seats cost as little as $15. The show explores holidays and festivals that take place around the globe.
For those of us childless lawyers, including myself, the most exciting thing happening this weekend is the Oscars, which will be airing Sunday night at 8. If you haven’t yet seen the flicks with the most nominations, get out and see them. Despite all the hype, I really liked Up In the Air, and Avatar is genuinely cool — it’s not just another James Cameron, ego-driven vehicle. I will personally be filling up my weekend with screenings of A Single Man and An Education so that I can be fully prepared for Sunday night’s spectacle (it’s so much more fun if you know the movies and can root for your favourites).
Happy movie watching, and happy syrup slurping.
Leanne Milech is a lawyer turned freelance writer. She reviews theatre, publishes children’s books and spends her free time hunting for Toronto’s best cultural escapes. Her column appears every Friday here on lawandstyle.ca.
Photo by Jon Dawson