Photo: Me in front of the ostrich food stall at the Evergreen Brick Works farmers market

This weekend, May 25th and 26th, Toronto hosted its annual Doors Open event, during which many buildings are open to the public and admission is free. You can tour theaters, historic residences, design studios, government facilities, abandoned subway stations, and more! I chose to visit the Evergreen Brick Works this year, which is an old brick-making facility that has been converted into a community park with a farmers market, cafe, garden center, school, and event venue! During Doors Open, visitors were able to access some areas that are not usually open to the public and also had a chance to take a free guided tour of the old brick-making kilns and machinery. 

Because I went on Saturday, I was also able to enjoy the farmers market, where you can not only buy fresh produce and handmade goods but also try many kinds of international cuisine! Although I was tempted by the Persian and Tibetan options, and of course the huge dish of paella that’s always available, I decided to visit a new vendor and try ostrich dumplings for the first time. They were served with sour cream, and the meat was tender and tasty. 

There is also a gift shop at the Brick Works which sells all kinds of interesting local goods, such as tote bags, art prints, cards, clothes, books, snacks, and more! I picked up a couple of magnets and a calendar featuring wildlife art by Kari Lehr, a painter from Calgary who uses vivid colours to depict wildlife and nature. I especially like the bears she paints in her Wild Things series.

Unfortunately, it was pouring rain by the time I finished the tour, so I had a very wet walk home (about 30 minutes on foot back to my apartment). However, while walking through the forest trail on my way home, I could faintly hear the relaxing sound of an orchestra from somewhere nearby, and it felt like walking through a Ghibli movie. Back at home, I enjoyed a couple of Kingfisher beers, which were recommended to me by one of my students who is living in India. All in all, it was a great day!