$10 or $15 to Whack Your Tastebuds at Bombay Palace, Scarborough

How does it sound to expose yourself to a buffet of real Indian food, "like a caffeinated ballerina, and include traditional tandoori dishes of spiced chicken, jumbo prawns, and lamb over coals in a clay oven. Herbivores delight in the extensive vegetarian options such as the channa masala, a savoury blend of garbanzo beans, onions, tomatoes, and tamarind sauce credited with converting all of India's Bengal tigers to vegetarianism. For dessert, diners can cool down palates with traditional Indian sweets rasmalai, gulab jamun, and kalfi."

For $10, you get a lunch buffet for two from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (a $21.90 value).

For $15, you get a dinner buffet for two from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (up to a $29.90 value).

Click here for the key to doing your tastebuds in!

Eat Japanese ... $16 for $40 worth of sushi and stuff

Here's the details:

Limit 1 per table, 2 per table of 5 or more.

Dine-in only. Reservations recommended on weekends.

Tax and gratuities not included.

Max 2 per person. Max 2 as gifts.

Universal Details

Expires: December 31, 2011

Want the coupon? Here ya go! Arigado!

Harbourfront Boatride for 10 bucks

According to the deal:

Includes one hour boat cruise aboard the Pioneer Princess for one person.

Reservations required, must be booked through website. Must present printed copy of voucher before boarding.

Not valid on New Years Eve or Canada Day.

Max 10 per person. Unlimited as gifts. Tax not included.

Here you go!

Click here to have fun!

Today's Assignment

1. Reading, Listening, Pronunciation, and Vocabulary: Read this dialogue. Then listen to the podcast twice, take notes on vocabulary, and practise pronunciation for any difficult words.
2. Speaking: Team up with a partner and role play with a partner at least twice, or until fluent.
3. Writing: Imagine you arrive at the park and it's raining cats and dogs. You're in a car with a friend. On your blog, write a brief conversation about the weather and the things you see in the park while sitting in your car. Also, please remember to edit any previous posts on your blog.

Successful completion of this assignment by 2:30 p.m. on your blog will count towards attendance for today.

Plan C:

PLAN B FOR TODAY--Field Trip Friday, July 29: Scarborough Rotary Ribfest

 Plan B:

Forecast for 9:20 a.m.

 According to the weather forecast at 7:45 a.m., the rain is supposed to continue into the afternoon.

So please meet in class today rather than going to the park in the rain.

Forecast for 12:20 p.m.

Today's assignment

1. Browse Liveleak.com.
2. Update and edit your own blogs.
3. Write an email to your partner requesting a ride to the Scarborough Ribfest on Friday. Be sure to CC: your instructor.
4. Role Play with a Partner: Exercising at the Gym .

Have fun!

Today's assignment

 
I. Using the Toronto Fun Guide, find and write the following on your blog (include relevant links):

1. The nearest Recreation Centre/Swimming Complex to your home
2. An aquatic program suitable for your family (write down the program Code)
3. A sports program suitable for your family (write down the program Code)

II. Listening: Camping under the Stars 

III. Blog about the Facilities at Thomson Memorial Park

Today's assignment

1. Post your report on yesterday's field trip or about your other activities. Then write your Comments on the class blog.
2. Listen to and identify the interruption in the following social situation: http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=1093932.
3. Watch and blog interruption markers from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9qsIOEdvAM.

What a Blast of Caribbean Heat and Sound

Despite a subway delay, MicroSkills LINC participants, alumni, guests, and instructors showed up on what was touted as possibly (but turned out not quite) the hottest day ever for Toronto at the renamed Caribbean Carnival BBQ (no longer Caribana) on Queen St. West. Among the brave Level 4 - 5 participants were Kate and Dean, who brought his daughter, and alumni Leo and Janice.

To beat the heat, a free supply of water packs from ScotiaBank were handed out, plus candies and other goodies. The music didn't really help, going from steel drums to a temperature-raising, earthshaking something. The media were there, and we had our pictures taken with gaily garbed Caribbean folk. Besides fruit juices and sugarcane crush, there were the de rigeur jerk chicken and goat as well as burgers for sale.

As we haven't had any participants from the Caribbean countries in our class, this trip was eye opening. And we had a blast.

Enjoy the following pictures, but don't miss Teacher Peter's as well at the bottom.

More pictures follow:

Field Trip on July 21 to Caribbean Carnival BBQ

We'll be meeting on the Southbound Platform of Eglinton Station at 10:30 a.m. on July 21. Those leaving from Don Mills Station should depart Don Mills no later than 10:00 a.m.

The weather should be nice and brutal. Brrr, it's going to be the hottest day in Toronto, ever (although some are not so sure)! So make sure you're sun-protected and well-hydrated!

Don't forget to bring a funky attitude, sunblock, sunglasses, good dancing shoes, a camera, and some lunch money.

Today's Assignment

This week we are on the theme of Customs and Social Behaviour.

One aspect of Canadian social behaviour is to compromise and find a point of agreement. Here are some exercises that may help you build skills in this area:

1. LISTENING SKILL: A Business Contract: http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=4047003
2. COMPREHENSION: Take dictation of 3 sentences and blog response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkpmb6gkyvY

Today's assignment

1. Edit your blog making all the corrections indicated. Or, if you have done the editing, write a brief article about yesterday's or a future field trip.
2. Think about what kind of fun (not funny) activities people might enjoy in the Arctic. Then enjoy reading and listening to this CBC lesson.

Huge Helpings for Hungry Hikers

That's all that's left after the field trip today--worn-out sneakers, leftover flyers, and a hunk of "Boom Burger" hamburger that I couldn't finish at the opening Tasty Thursday of the season!

Stolen from Sue's Blog

It was quite a hike up via the PATH underground network, from Union Station, through the iconic Royal York Fairmont Hotel, to Commerce Court and Bay Street, bristling with global and Canadian brand names like Deloitte, Ernst & Young, CIBC, BMO, TD, and KPMG. Glad it's no longer "Bear Street"!

Our team that included Sue, Jason, and Leo (go, alum!) were joined by Angela and Lisha at Eaton Centre. But where was Hamid, for whom this series of festive field trips was organized? Amidst bluegrass music, we joined the crowds at Nathan Phillips Square agonizing over whether to get Pad Thai or pot stickers or roti prata. In the end, most of us voted for the Cuban BBQ stuff. And, for seven bucks (the highest price of any food at the festival), my Boom Burger came with an inch-thick, 7oz, gloriously seasoned burger, a slice of cheese, pulled pork, and all the fixin's you want. And tap water was free, from a special cart courtesy of the municipal government!

Doggie Bag ... dinner for me!

Somebody stop us from coming again next year!

Field Trip to Tasty Thursday, July 14

Due to a misprint in some of the publicity materials, our field trip on Thursday is now confirmed as follows:

We'll be heading downtown for a walking tour of Toronto's PATH Underground City and Tasty Thursday instead of attending the marketing workshop in North York.

Come with good walking shoes, a hat, sunglasses, camera, and about $10 for food.

Let's meet at 10:15 a.m. on the Southbound Platform of Sheppard Yonge Station and leave about 10:30 a.m. for Dundas Station.

Today's assignment

1. Create, edit, or update your blog.
2. Do the lesson and take the test on the Canadian Badlands: http://www.tcet.com/eaonline/CanadianCorner/index.html
3. Enjoy this listening exercise: Taking a Family Road Trip http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=2754413

Today's assignment

1. Start or Maintain/Update your blog.
2. Do the lesson and take the test on the Geography portions for the Canadian Citizenship Test: http://www.tcet.com/eaonline/CanadianCorner/index.html
3. Listening: Talking about geography: http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=8710270
   
   
   

Canadian Geography: Water Hazards

We've got the longest coastline, and we've got the most freshwater. Welcome to Canada!



There's water, water everywhere--but can you swim? Can your kids?

GTA resident Sabir Hussain's 7-year-old son didn't, and today he's a sad father. What an unspeakable tragedy to have to see one's child drown.

Things might have been different if little Faizan Sheikh had learnt how to swim in one of our city's Learn to Swim programs.

Email Etiquette: Holly's Howler

Here's the article on which this afternoon's email study was based: Deloitte Girl Quits.

1. Reread the contents of the email (pictured below).
2. Correct and rewrite the sentence that contains a number of comma splices.
3. Identify all the present perfects and explain why they are used.
4. Are informal awards ceremonies common in offices in your country of origin? Why or why not?
5. If you were in Holly Leam-Taylor's shoes, would you have resigned? Explain your answer.

Wagjag deal: Sherkston Shores holiday for 19 bucks

One of the most user-friendly resorts in Ontario for city folk is Sherkston Shores Resort, just minutes from Niagara Falls. Usually, it costs $40 for a carload of up to 7 fun seekers to enjoy a day at its pools, waterslides, hot tubs, Lake Erie beachfront, and more.

But I just saw this promotional of $19 per day! Looks like it's time to plan a trip there this summer!

For more tips and suggestions of summer activities and easy camping, check out the EZ Camping Tips page on Facebook.

Today's assignment

1. Update/Maintain your blogs (do corrections)
2. Listening and vocabulary: http://www.eslpod.com/website/show_podcast.php?issue_id=1720341
3. Listening and comprehension: http://esl-lab.com/bank/bankrd1.htm