It’s all good in my ’hood: Updates in Pape Village

[attach]2141[/attach]I never get sick of telling you about my neighbourhood in Pape Village, so this month’s column is dedicated to all the changes going on not just in the area.

Turkish delight

Last month I featured the Danforth and Donlands area and wrote about a little Turkish Village I see developing there.

What I could have mentioned is that when I’m on my way home after a day on the shopping beat, I often pop into the Doner Shawarma Grill House, which specializes in Turkish foodie fare, to get my din-din.

Owner Huseyin Sarikus has been running the new resto and take-out joint for the last 6 months with his wife and three kids. A former heavy-duty machine operator who’s been in Canada for 25 years, Sarikus tells me he decided to take over the biz as he wanted to do something with his family.

That’s so cute. So’s his son.

Oops.

Everything from donairs to baklava is homemade on site, and I’m slowly noshing my way through the menu. A regular customer who’s married to a Turkish gent tells me I must try the soup of the day as it’s always fabulous; she also says the manti, which she calls the equivalent of Turkish ravioli, is to die for.

Next on my list.

1042 Pape Ave., 416-429-1500

Frocks & fragrance

A gal can’t live on shawarma alone.

This ladies wear shop I’ve only recently discovered, Nitsa’s (416-423-0500), will be morphing this month into a new concept that the fashionista in me is pretty jazzed about.

Owner Nitsa is in the process of dividing her store in half.

On her side: the lovely European fashions for all ages that she’s always carried (I recently bought a pretty woven bolero there to wear over sundresses). On the other: a scent bar featuring brand name designer fragrances at discounted prices.

Perfume 986, the sister business in the shop, will be having its official grand opening on Sat., Aug. 21 and there will be goodies and special deals on hand.

Looks as though the place will also carry hard-to-find designer juice, so I’ll be popping in to see if they stock an old Ellen Tracy scent I can never find.

986 Pape Ave. 647-352-0986
[url=http://www.perfume986.com]www.perfume986.com[/url]
[url=http://www.wepromoteit.com]www.wepromoteit.com[/url]

They heart pets

If lugging that dog food all the way from Greektown is getting to you, there’s a new pet store in town.

For the Love of Animals opened in December, and it’s where I buy dog training pads for my geriatric kitty — who’s started peeing outside the box, poor thing.

Owner Marilyn Murray runs the store with son Ian, who tells me the store carries medium to high-end food for cats and dogs, birds, fish and some rodents.

They try to be as ethical as possible in all they do, he adds, which means carrying a selection of food including natural brands. And they don’t sell anything that’s alive — not even a cricket — to feed other pets, a philosophy I laud.

If you want to learn more about local animal rescue initiatives drop by on Sat., Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. as they’ll be having an adoption event featuring animals from Guinea Pigs R Us, a guinea pigs rescue organization.

Ian tells me it won’t be as easy as walking in and just picking out an animal and leaving, and that peeps will still have to go through an adoption process.

Guinea pigs, he says, are considered disposable pets and often go from the pet store to the shelter as people aren’t told how to adequately care for them.

Sad stuff but I’m glad to hear they’re educating the community about the issue.

930 Pape Ave., 416-901-3035
[url=http://www.loveofanimals.ca]www.loveofanimals.ca[/url]

Empty garden?

I have a soft spot for Bill’s Garden Centre, not because I’m a gardener (I’m so not) but because I bought my first new piece of furniture there, a pretty wrought iron table that was part of the seasonal clearing-out sale my first September in the big smoke.

If you’ve passed by the building lately you’ll see there’s more happening than the sale: A sign in the window is announcing Bill’s retirement.

Owner Greg Carducci tells me he’s planning on calling it a day in September but isn’t sure whether or not the place he’s been running for just shy of 30 years will exist after he goes or not. He hopes to sell the biz so keep your green thumbs crossed; it sure would be nice to see this neighbourhood fixture grow into a new life.

I’ll keep you posted — er, planted that is.

903 Pape Ave., 416-466-8283
[url=http://www.billsgarden.sites.toronto.com]www.billsgarden.sites.toronto.com[/url]

Hair lair

Outside of Pape Village just south of the Danforth, I hear there’s a newish spa in a building that’s been a spa for years and years.

But there is a Pape Village connection.

Dalia Mitriene used to own a small hair salon in the mixed commercial/condo buildings near Pape and Mortimer.

Her biz grew so quickly during the year that she was there, her daughter Vilija tells me, that she decided to open a hair salon and spa, Vilnes Salon & Spa.

Open for just over a year, Dalia and her crew still specialize in hair cutting and styling, extensions, straightening — you name it — but they also do esthetic spa services in the fully renovated space, and they use Aveda hair and body products exclusively too.

I’m temped to go in and try the software program they can use during hair consultations, which allows you to see how you would look with a different do.

Do you think I’d look good as a blond? Always wanted to know.

676 Pape Ave., 416-421-1932
[url=http://www.vilnessalonandspa.com]www.vilnessalonandspa.com[/url]