Folklore

Join us for our in-person Saturday critique session! We'll be meeting in the basement of **The Blake House**, which is located near Wellesley and Jarvis, about a 10-minute walk from Wellesley Station or Sherbourne Station. **In respect to the Blake House for hosting us, we humbly request that attendees purchase a meal, dessert, or drink if you are able to do so.** Feel free to bring in a piece of writing up to **2000 words** for reading and critique. Please bring paper copies so that listeners can easily follow and make notes. Dedicated listeners are equally welcome. In larger groups, please be mindful of giving everyone a fair chance to speak. Our group values and meeting structure can be found here: [https://www.torontosffwriters.com/sff-writer-rules-and-guidelines](https://www.torontosffwriters.com/sff-writer-rules-and-guidelines) We ask that writers provide content warnings when necessary. To limit the spread of diseases, we kindly ask that you stay home if you're feeling sick. We will be here every week! **\*\*We support the hard work and effort that goes into writing fiction, and do not condone the use of AI to replace the creative process.\*\*** And, that's everything! See you there!

​Come join our wintertime PATH walk! ​​**(We're meeting INSIDE the Eaton's centre next to the big Christmas Tree at % Arabica Toronto Eaton Centre)** ​​Start your Saturday morning off right. ​​The mindful miles brings together a group of curious people to meet up and walk 10k-ish steps at 8am every Saturday. ​​It is a space for people who love wandering conversations, without the pressure of networking or speed dating. ​​We will meet up at **% Arabica** (inside on the 1st floor**: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/JsUBWoFPCMzjhxwT6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/JsUBWoFPCMzjhxwT6)**) at 8 am and then head into the PATH for our walk. ​​After the walk, you are invited to join us for an optional 20-minute mindfulness practice, followed by our weekly [Foodcourt Fairgrounds](https://www.meetup.com/happy-town/events/312838411/).

Note: You may be removed from the attendance list if you've participated in the previous week's event. This allows for more people to experience this Meetup. Avengers put your costumes on and let’s go and save the world!
Well we can’t save the world (yet), but we aim to try to play a small part in the lives of those experiencing homelessness by making their day a bit better!
Description: Before the event the organizer will post a list in the comment section of the attendees and what they are responsible to bring (food/drink, kitchen supplies, cleaning supplies). We normally ask each attending member to bring approximately $15-20 worth of ingredients/supplies to our event. We will use the items to prepare and serve food/drink at The Meeting Place.
Timeline: We will meet on location at 11:00 am, with lunch served between 12:30-1:00 pm.
Membership Dues: Membership dues are $2.00 for the calendar year. Membership dues go towards paying for food/supplies incurred by no-shows. Membership dues are due at the first meetup of the year that you attend.
No Shows/Late Un-RSVP: We’re relying on members who RSVP to bring key ingredients for recipes! Please try your best to show-up or alternatively change your RSVP early so another member may fill the empty spot.
\*\*\* If you are on the waitlist, keep checking as you may be moved into attendance to replace someone. We will try to message you to confirm your attendance in advance.
Donations will be assigned before the event.

Please note: this is not a physical event but an invitation to experience private 1:1 feminine embodiment coaching. To book a session or for more information please contact Amanda Clarke at lusciousfeminine@gmail.com. Feminine Embodiment Coaching with Amanda Clarke https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/3/4/2/8/600_461233352.jpeg There is a cosmic shift happening on the planet and women are tired of playing second fiddle in this game of life. Playing small not only keeps you from manifesting what you truly want, but it also holds you back from living out your divine purpose. I’ve been there, stuck, held back, and yearning to break free and frankly being in that place plain 'ol sucks! What if you could step up and make a difference; a meaningful contribution in this world by just being you? How might the landscape of your life look? Over for the past six years, I’ve worked with women who are looking to break out of the spell of smallness. It pangs me to see women depressed, depleted, disconnected and downright insecure. One of the reasons many of my clients rave about the work we do together is because I provide immediate results. What I teach is inherent within you but there are layers of gunk bogging you down from access this wisdom yourself. Spinning your wheels, and living a life of lack is no way to live, beautiful. You are so much more! What can you expect from our sessions together: • A solid understanding of what feminine energy is, and how to use it to have your way with the world • Develop a physical and energetic presence that attracts what you want: personally and professionally. • Feel more comfortable with your sensuality, and with receiving positive attention. • Experience more passion in your life - particularly your love life. • Be more at ease setting clear boundaries with others. • Learn to be in flow rather than always pushing and striving to make things happen. • Look and feel more sexy, confident and radiant • Gain clarity about your life purpose and the greatest gifts you have to offer the world • Establish or strengthen your intuitive guidance Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to learn how I can help support you on your journey to coming home to yourself as a woman. This means MORE self-love, MORE self-confidence, MORE clarity, MORE empowerment and saying YES to living out your divine mission. For more information on my coaching packages please visit http://www.lusciousfeminine.com or to book a FREE 30-minute complimentary Discovery Call, email Amanda at lusciousfeminine@gmail.com “Before working with Amanda, I was the dried-out, work-obsessed intellectual. I lived in my head and felt completely severed from the neck-down. I over-intellectualized emotionally-charged situations to avoid being present…I am [now] able to ease my ‘mind-babble’, step into my power as a woman knowing that I am safe and secure within my own space, and practice expressing my needs and desires from a more authentic place… Amanda helped me to be trust in the power of vulnerability, surrender, and acceptance. It has been a pleasurable journey! ~ Stefanie T. Amanda Clarke The Luscious Feminine www.lusciousfeminine.com http://www.facebook.com/thelusciousfeminine lusciousfeminine@gmail.com

\*\***The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!\*\*** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** In 1923 the Village of Forest Hill was incorporated after 2,100 area residents voted for separation from York Township. The Village's boundaries were Briar Hill Avenue on the north, Marlee Avenue and Bathurst Street on the west, Lonsdale Road on the south and Oriole Parkway on the east. It was known as Spadina Heights. The first important job was to come up with a new name. The new Village's name of Forest Hill was taken from the summer residence of John Wickson. The property and mansion of Forest Hill was built in 1860 near Eglinton and Bathurst. The Village of Forest Hill became part of the new municipality of Metropolitan Toronto in 1953, and it was amalgamated with the City of Toronto in 1967, and the rest, as they say, is history. Forest Hill has always had an interesting relationship with the rest of Toronto! Its residents, or upper mobility residents, shall we say, and the demographics over the last 100 years, have played a part in Forest Hill being on the fringe of Toronto. A village that wanted to be separate, but together with the rest of Toronto at the same time, as changeable as the wind on a summer afternoon. And that continues to this day. This walking tour begins at the **southeast corner** of Spadina Road and St. Clair Avenue West in Sir Winston Churchill Park. The tour returns to the starting point after the walk. On some apps, the address gives the location as the middle of the park. Please meet at the corner of **Spadina Avenue and St. Clair Avenue West.** This walking tour is for all walking levels. Please dress for the season, and hope to see you there. The price of this tour is $15.00 per person \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

📅 Weekly gatherings: **Every Saturday** ⏰ Time: **1:00 PM – 4:00 PM** 📍 Location: **The Only Café** \- 966 Danforth Avenue\, Toronto \- \(Just a short walk from Donlands Station\) We’re excited to begin an in-person **Starseeds & Lightworkers Coffee Chat** in Toronto! This is a relaxed, open-hearted meet & greet hosted by Tom, a member of our community, who lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. While I am currently based in Montreal, I may pop in from time to time via Zoom call to say hello. This is an informal gathering with no presentation or agenda — Simply an opportunity for Toronto members to meet with one another. This is a chance to explore: ✨ Higher consciousness ✨ Cosmic truths & the nature of reality ✨ Ancient wisdom & spiritual traditions ✨ Personal growth, intuition, and awakening ✨ Anything else that flows naturally in conversation Whether you are walking along your spiritual path or just curious, you’re warmly welcome to join us! **About the Coffee Shop**: **The Only Café** is a cozy, funky coffee shop/pub offering coffee, tea, baked goods, vegan-friendly food, and over 200 types of beer. Saturday afternoons can get lively, but we’ll have a table secured ahead of time. We kindly encourage everyone attending to purchase a drink or snack to support the venue. Feel free to drop in anytime between **1:00PM – 4:00PM**. If you have any questions, you can contact Tom at: **thespaceisalive@gmail.com** Come as you are, bring your curiosity, and enjoy a hot cup of coffee! Love💖and Light✨️, Crystal

Do you like s’mores? Maybe you’ve never had a s’mores. Either way this is the place to be for dollar s’mores. But you’ve got to roast the marshmallows over an open fire yourself which is the best part. Not mention you’ll be meeting other people in a social environment. $1 (cash only please) gets you two crackers, a piece of milk chocolate and a marshmallow on a skewer. For those of you who have never made your own or aren’t that skilled I will teach you how. And yes you can have more than one!

**Join us for a calming and creative** [Watercolour Workshop](https://drcolorons.com/product/paint-chill-watercolour-workshop/) **afternoon!** Whether you’re completely new to watercolor or already in love with the softness and flow of the medium, this workshop is designed for *all levels*. No pressure, no perfect lines, just color, intuition, and joy. I’ll provide everything you need: watercolor paper, brushes, palettes, paints, and a little spark of inspiration. You just bring yourself (and maybe a friend!), ready to slow down, breathe, and let the water and pigment do their magic ✨ **NB:** This is not a step-by-step “copy the instructor” class. You’ll have the freedom to paint in your own style, explore techniques, and express whatever feels right in the moment. I’ll be there to guide you, answer questions, demonstrate effects (like gradients, wet-on-wet, texture, etc.), and help you discover what watercolor can do, *without taking away your creative freedom.* By the end, you’ll walk away with: ✨ your own watercolor artwork ✨ a better feel for the medium ✨ and a refreshed, happy mind 💛 Let’s paint, relax, and let the colors flow together!

Join us for the striking new Theatre Smith-Gilmour (Metamorphoses 2023) adaptation of **Pu Songling: Strange Tales**. **Plot:** Songling is a 17th century Chinese writer whose work blends myth and reality to criticize the dark side of society. Depicting the ‘strange’ in stories about ghosts and foxes, he shows the real world. Whimsical and spine-tingling, this dynamic production captures the spirit of a literary master whose work touches on timeless themes that bind us across generations. *”[Theatre Smith-Gilmour] have been producing thought-provoking movement based work that challenges the status quo for 42 years and have done it brilliantly.*” ***—Lynn Slotkin*** \*\*\* **OUR DISCOUNT TICKETS** Our group will receive 20% off the regular ticket price. All ticket prices include HST and service fee. **Discount Tickets:** * **$89.05** (reg. $111.31) **Tier A Adult** * **$71.87** (reg. $89.84) **Tier A Senior** * **$75.49** (reg. $94.36) **Tier B Adult** * **$61.02** (reg. $76.28) **Tier B Senior** **Meetup Fee:** $3 cash\* per attendee (Please pay Rosa exact change at the meetup spot) \**Note: Interac etransfers, cheques, etc. are not accepted.* \*\*\* **HOW TO PAY** 1\. Sign up on this event page\. 2\. Send an email to **belindameetup@gmail.com** to request the promo code. 3\. Specify you are inquiring about **Pu Songling** 4\. Include the number of tickets you want 5\. Include the name you use on this Thumbs Up Theatre website\. 5\. If you don't receive a reply in your inbox\, check your junk box in case it has gone there\. 6\. Once you receive the promo code\, purchase your tickets **[online](https://www.crowstheatre.com/cart/show/4810).** **Tickets selected will show up at the regular price but will change to the discounted price when you enter the promo code at checkout. Please ensure the price is correct before applying payment**. Phone the theatre box office @ 647 341 7390 if you need assistance. **Seating Arrangements:** Seating is general admission. We will get together before and after the show. \*\*\* **DETAILS** **When:** Sunday, January 18, 2026 **Time:** Show starts at 2 p.m. Meet Rosa at 1:15 p.m. **Where:** Crow’s Theatre. 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto **Show Length**: 90 Minutes (no intermission) \*\*\* **MEETUP ARRANGEMENTS** Meet Rosa at 1:15 p.m. in the theatre lobby. She will be wearing a pink fascinator hat. Please pay your $3 meetup fee to Rosa at the meetup spot. **After-Show Meetup Spot:** See Rosa in the lobby after the show. She will be wearing her pink fascinator hat. **\*\*THUMBS UP CELLPHONE POLICY:\*\*** Cellphones must be turned off, or kept in silent or flight mode (no sound and no vibration), and MUST NOT be pulled out or used under any circumstances during shows. **[Full details](https://www.meetup.com/thumbs-up-theatre-toronto/events/243426512/)**.

Join us for an intimate afternoon of connection, reflection, and shared inquiry as we launch a **3-part community circle series exploring the intersection of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and psychedelic experiences**. This small-group gathering (max 10 people) is a welcoming space for anyone curious about IFS — whether you’re brand new to the model or have been walking with parts work for years. You do *not* need prior psychedelic experience to attend. Together, we’ll explore how an IFS lens can help us: ✨ Make sense of psychedelic experiences and altered states 💬 Gently engage with parts that may show up before, during, or after journeys 🔥 Build authentic connection, resonance, and support in community Each circle will include grounding and arrival, a gentle check-in, experiential parts-focused practices, and space for reflection, sharing, and integration. While the circles are connected as a series, each gathering can stand on its own. This is a **non-clinical, heart-centered space** rooted in curiosity, compassion, consent, and respect. No substances are used or consumed in this space. We welcome lived experience, honest questions, and the full spectrum of parts that may want to be seen. Bring your stories, your parts, and your open heart. We will serve coffee and teas. **Location:** Our home near High Park (exact address shared upon RSVP) **Contribution:** By donation (suggested $5–30)

\# ❄️🥾Mount Pleasant Cemetery Winter Walk ### **Toronto’s Most Peaceful Winter Walk** Join me for a gentle 90-minute winter stroll through one of Toronto’s most beautiful hidden gems — **Mount Pleasant Cemetery.** This isn’t just a cemetery — it’s like walking through a living museum and botanical garden, full of winding paths, tall evergreens, and peaceful charm. It’s also one of the best places in the city to meet friendly people, share good conversation, and soak in the quiet magic of winter. 💫 **Did you know?** When Mount Pleasant first opened in 1876, it was a *Victorian-day destination*! Torontonians would dress up, hop on a streetcar, and spend the day here picnicking and strolling before heading back downtown. \*\*\* \#\#\# 🕚 Meetup Details **Meetup Time:** 11:00am (I’ll wait 5 minutes) **Meetup Spot:** Inside the main gates of Mount Pleasant Cemetery at the **Yonge Street entrance** (the one with the big stone archway). Look for me — I’ll be wearing my *famous Moose Hat!* 🦌 **End Spot:** Right back where we started. \*\*\* \#\#\# 🍗 Lunch After After the walk, join us for a cozy lunch at **Swiss Chalet!** Great food, friendly prices, and warm vibes — the perfect way to wrap up a winter morning. \*\*\* \#\#\# 💲 Meetup Fee **$5 cash in person** or **E-transfer** to: 📧 \*\*[mathewmaclean@hotmail.com**](http://mathewmaclean@hotmail.com%2A%2A/) (This small fee helps support the group and future events!) \*\*\* \#\#\# 🧣 What to Bring * Warm boots and layers * Hat and gloves * A drink to keep you cozy ☕ * A small snack if you like ☃️ **Weather:** This walk happens in *any kind of weather* (we’ll only cancel if it’s -20°C or colder). Remember — *there’s no bad weather, just bad clothing!* 😉 \*\*\* \#\#\# 💬 Final Notes * You can **just show up** — no need to commit early! * Please keep an eye out for updates in case of cancellation. * 📱 **Don’t forget to join our WhatsApp group** – [CLICK HERE!](https://chat.whatsapp.com/H59mSCbsAi018gYANrKAnc?mode=ac_t) \*\*\* ✨ This is one of the best, calmest, and friendliest ways to spend a winter morning in Toronto — good company, good conversation, and a peaceful setting that feels miles away from the city. **Organizer:** Mathew 📩 [torontomoviesandoutings@hotmail.com](http://torontomoviesandoutings@hotmail.com/)

Let’s start the new year by attending the annual New Year celebration at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre - Oshogatsukai (New Year's Festival), filled with food/marketplace vendors, as well as many traditional Japanese activities and entertainment such as * Mochi tsuki (making mochi) * Shishi Mai Dance (lion dance) * Kagami Biraki * Kakizome (calligraphy) * Taiko Performance * Fukuwarai * Traditional games for kids * Food and market vendors, and more! The New year celebration is happening at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre on Sunday Jan 18 from 11 am to 5pm. You can find more information here, including how to purchase tickets ($10 for non-members, $5 for JCCC members) https://www.jccc.on.ca/event/2026/01/oshogatsu-kai-2026 \*Some vendors may only accept cash. Since there is no ATM at the JCCC, please be sure to bring cash with you. **Where and when to meet:** Meet me (Michelle) at 11:30 am inside the AROMA cafe 2300 Yonge street (Yonge and Eglinton). I will wait around for 15 minutes for people to arrive and will cross the street and head towards the subway. We will be taking the 34C bus. Keep an eye on this event page for any future updates.

Join us to explore underground Toronto through the PATH network discovering art, museums, and other hidden secrets of the PATH. Join us for lunch near Union Station after the walk if you wish. *

Our monthly meeting will be Jan 18th 1-4 PM This will be held at 4049 Garrett W Dr, Columbus, 43214 This is off of Olentangy River Rd, north of Riverside Hospital. This is the home of one of our members. Everyone is welcome - beginner to expert. This is a casual folding session. People will teach a few models.

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

We're collaborating with Westerville Queer Collective to gather supplies and pack care packages. Head over to their event page to [register](https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-wroejsfn/events/312453970/) officially. We’ll be assembling care packages with food, warm weather supplies, recreational items like books, and resource guides for local unhoused folks. Packages will then be delivered to HEER2SERVE, local nonprofit that has weekly “serves”, when they go out into local encampment areas and deliver needed items and food. Our care packages will be a part of that. WQC will supply containers and food items for the care packages. So this time we are primarily focusing on gathering donations for keeping warm, including up to 50 of the following items: Clean or new socks, hats, scarves and gloves Handwarmers Sanitizing wipes Lighters You are welcome to contribute items or just come and help pack. Leave a comment if you are bringing donations. We can also accept money donations through WQC.

For January, we’re reading Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy. For fans of Flight Behavior and Station Eleven, a novel set on the brink of catastrophe, as a young woman chases the world's last birds--and her own final chance for redemption. Franny Stone has always been a wanderer. By following the ocean's tides and the birds that soar above, she can forget the losses that have haunted her life. But when the wild she loves begins to disappear, Franny can no longer wander without a destination. She arrives in remote Greenland with one purpose: to find the world's last flock of Arctic terns and track their final migration. She convinces Ennis Malone, captain of the Saghani, to take her onboard, winning over his eccentric crew with promises that the birds will lead them to fish. As the Saghani fights its way south, Franny's dark history begins to unspool. Battered by night terrors, accumulating a pile of unsent letters, and obsessed with pursuing the terns at any cost, Franny is full of secrets. When her quest threatens the safety of the entire crew, Franny must ask herself what she is really running toward--and running from. Propelled by a narrator as fierce and fragile as the terns she is following, Charlotte McConaghy's Migrations is both an ode to our threatened world and a breathtaking page-turner about the lengths we will go for the people we love.

Volunteer with Westerville Queer Collective and the Neurospicy Meetup to build care packages for local unhoused folks, which will be distributed throughout local camps and neighborhoods via Heer2Serve (501c3). Will you donate any items? If so, comment what will you bring Please make sure clothing items are clean and if you’re donating food, ready to be eaten without a stove or microwave. We expect to assemble around 50-100 packages, so if you’ll purchase items, please consider that amount (ie bulk individually packaged candies etc.). Fun and interesting book or entertainment item donation also welcome! Package assembly will take place on January 17th from 10-12 am. Location TBA but will be in Westerville, Ohio.

**Our January novel is: Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan** **This month's featured novel is a 20th-century biographical fiction, coming-of-age, historical romance, women’s fiction, world literature, student biography, heartfelt, magic, and feel-good novel. The book is 311 pages in print and 7 hours and 8 minutes on audiobook.** 1950: Margaret Devonshire (Megs) is a seventeen-year-old student of mathematics and physics at Oxford University. When her beloved eight-year-old brother asks Megs if Narnia is real, logical Megs tells him it's just a book for children, and certainly not true. Homebound due to his illness, and remaining fixated on his favorite books, George presses her to ask the author of the recently released novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe a question: "Where did Narnia come from?" Despite her fear about approaching the famous author, who is a professor at her school, Megs soon finds herself taking tea with C. S. Lewis and his own brother Warnie, begging them for answers. Rather than directly telling her where Narnia came from, Lewis encourages Megs to form her own conclusion as he shares the little-known stories from his own life that led to his inspiration. As she takes these stories home to George, the little boy travels farther in his imagination than he ever could in real life. After holding so tightly to logic and reason, her brother's request leads Megs to absorb a more profound truth: "The way stories change us can't be explained. It can only be felt. Like love."