Toronto’s plastic bag tax starts tomorrow

Starting tomorrow stores in Toronto will have to start charging customers a $0.05/plastic bag tax, in accordance with a new city by-law.

Over the past year or so, I’ve been bringing shopping bags with me most of the time I go grocery shopping. I’ve also been making a special effort to take shopping bags to the mall or outdoor shopping districts. Sometimes it’s tough to anticipate just how many bags I’ll need in advance and what size is most appropriate.

Fortunately, I’ve been building up quite a collection. Seems like almost every retailer has a branded reusable bag for sale these days. Not to mention some help thanks to my sister and Mr. B. They’ve been buying me classic shopping bags during their travels.

I’m still drooling over an amazing reversible printed cloth bag I saw at Holts today but the $400+ price tag was way out of my range. And no, it wasn’t one among the sale items, which now are 40% off though June 18.

What’s your favourite shopping bag and what do you think of the new tax?

Dandelion Mud Pie joins forces with Organic Abundance

I’ve been a fan of Dandelion Mud Pie since the beginning. It’s not 

because I shopped their much but I loved the concept and befriended the store’s owner... a very passionate woman named 

Helen Nestor. So, you can imagine my disappointment when I saw the for rent sign in the window. I thought Dandelion Mud Pie had joined the list of local retailers that became a casualty of the recession.

Sometimes it’s nice being wrong. Last week I got an email from Helen and Rebecca Morton, her new business partner and owner of Organic Abundance, an organic food market, announcing they were joining forces and sharing a space. Dandelion Mud Pie was moving to a more prominent position across Yonge St. and would no longer be hidden behind a pizza take-out counter. 

The grand re-opening is tomorrow. There will be all kinds of samples, goodies and giveaways. So, if you’re planning a visit to North Toronto consider stopping by and saying hello.

What?

Grand Re-opening of Dandelion Mud Pie and Organic Abundance

• free re-usable grocery bags to the first 20 customers

• draws for food/gift baskets

• free food samples

Where? 

3279 Yonge Street (map)

5 blocks north of Lawrence, east side of Yonge

When?

Fri., May 29:  10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

I’m hoping to visit. If you do, please let us know what you think. 

ChickAdvisor Recessionista ShopCrawl

ChickAdvisor is having another exclusive Shop Crawl with a twist... this time around it’s moving uptown to Yorkville.

The ChickAdvisor team has a great evening planned with discounts of up to 25% off at several stores, goody bags and even an after party where you can win great prizes. More details to follow.

Did you go any other ChickAdvisor Shop Crawls? If so, what did you think. Will you go again? Leave a comment.

What?
ChickAdvisor Recessionista Shop Crawl: Bloor/Yorkville
• Guided shopping with a group, or shop at your own pace
• Discounts of up to 25% off at participating boutiques
• Over $100 worth of free swag (each)
• A private after party with a cocktail and snacks at Flow restaurant after the shopping
• A chance to win some awesome prizes including a fashion walk-off for the best outfit purchased that night
• Complimentary makeovers from our expert, Joy David-Tilberg will be available

Where?
Bloor/Yorkville (Toronto) shops including:
• The Body Shop - In addition to providing discounts in store, The Body Shop is giving each of you two full sized products from their Moroccan Rose line.
• Roots and Diesel - 25% off regular priced items and 10% off sale items
• The Stillwater Spa Boutique - 20% off all products they carry in the boutique & each of you will get a $25 gift certificate towards services in the Spa! Brands carried in the boutique include Dermalogica, Kerastase, Babor, Jane Iredale, Pharmacopi and more.
• Over the Rainbow and eleven Boutique - 20% off
• Nine West - No tax on all purchases; get a free Nine West tote worth $25 just for visiting in store
• Calvin Klein Underwear - 25% off regular priced jewelry, watches, sunglasses and hosiery and an additional 25% off sale items
• Banana Republic and The Gap - 25% off regular merchandise
• Capezio - 20% off all regular priced merchandise

When?
Thursday, June 18: 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
plus admission to the after-party at Flow

How much?
Tickets $25 in advance
Buy now!

Nursing in fashion

In this week’s baby bargainista column, Jenny discusses fashionable dressing for breastfeeding in public.

We’re lucky to live in a day and age when public breastfeeding is both legally protected and generally accepted, eliminating any barriers to this natural act. Any nursing mother can tell you that you quickly get over any lingering sense of modesty or decorum when faced with a hungry, screaming infant in a public space. The real challenge of public breastfeeding is finding a way to incorporate the need to occasionally whip out a boob while maintaining some semblance of a fashionable wardrobe.

Happily, there are more options than ever before. Nursing bras, for example, run the gamut from sports-style elastic to lacy underwire. Maternity stores such as Thyme Maternity and websites such as Milkface offer a variety of nursing shirts designed to make access easy and discreet. In addition to a good nursing bra and a few tops, I personally find the following nursing “accessories” indispensible:

1. A friend gave me the GoGoMama nursing tank and I love it. If you are lucky enough to fit into your pre-pregnancy shirts already and you need a way to cover exposed skin (for warmth or decorum) when necessity dictates that your shirt be lifted up or unbuttoned to nurse, the GoGoMama tank is perfect. The fabric is light yet clingy so that it can be layered under a long-sleeved shirt, t-shirt, or blouse.

2. Another happy evolution is the appearance of fashionably designed nursing covers (or “hooter hiders”) with beautiful patterns. Gone are the days when your only option for covering up baby’s mealtime was a flannel blanket festooned with duckies or bunnies. When I was expecting #2 I spotted a woman breastfeeding in a park café with a gorgeous Bebe Au Lait cover; I asked her where she got it, promptly picked one up for myself and I absolutely adore it. I only wish I had a reasonable excuse for buying a second in another fun, fashionable fabric!

3. In the spring and fall, and even on chilly summer nights, a simple poncho or wrap makes a great, cuddly cover-up while breastfeeding. They’re rarely out of fashion, and if you already have a few in your closet that makes it that much easier to coordinate with your wardrobe. I’ve collected a few over the years, and find that there’s nothing so cosy as snuggling a warm baby underneath like my own little secret!

Do you have a favorite breastfeeding “accessory”?

PR: wait... I: wait... L: wait... LD: wait... I: wait... wait... Rank: wait... Traffic: wait... Price: wait... C: wait...