Pop-up entertainment district bylaw brings vibrancy, giant patio concept Downtown
New pop-up entertainment districts are bringing vibrancy to Edmonton's Downtown, thanks to a new bylaw and some out-of-the-box thinking by the Edmonton Downtown Business Association.
Every Saturday between now and Thanksgiving weekend, for example, there will be at least one place and time where you can stroll with a beer and a dog in the city's core while browsing market bounty.
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Toronto Star
31-07-2025
- Toronto Star
Why this Toronto woman hosted a free buffet — on the TTC subway
Isabella Petraglia and nine of her friends went out Monday night with a large foldable table, heaps of homemade food and a vision for a new underground, pop-up dining destination — a TTC subway train. It's an unusual idea for unusual times, she admitted, adding she got inspiration after seeing a Thanksgiving cookout on the New York City subway car last year. More than just a quirky way to spend an evening, the free buffet was her attempt to build community ties through food and get honest feedback about her cooking.
Global News
30-07-2025
- Global News
Toronto woman goes viral after hosting free buffet for passengers on the TTC
A Toronto woman is going viral for giving a whole new meaning to 'fast food.' Izzy Petraglia, a freelance writer and publicist, turned a TTC subway commute into an extraordinary act of generosity and community building by hosting a free buffet for passengers on Monday. Petraglia brought her passion project to life when she and a few friends set up a full buffet table aboard a Line 1 subway train at around 7 p.m. Inspired by a viral New York City subway Thanksgiving dinner video she saw months ago, Petraglia said she had long dreamed of recreating something similar, ahead of launching her own cookbook. 'I saw the video and thought, 'That would be cool to do one day.' A few weeks ago, I finally said, 'You know what? I'm going to do it,'' she told Global News. Story continues below advertisement Petraglia said she prepared all the food herself the day of, serving a variety of dishes and treats, including spicy miso cucumber salad, pancit bihon, sweet and spicy tofu, noodles and cookies. 'The ube white chocolate cookies were by far the biggest hit,' she said. View image in full screen Petraglia and her friends serve a variety of homemade dishes on the TTC including ube white chocolate chip cookies. (via Izzy Petraglia). Izzy Petraglia The culinary journey began at Glencairn Station and ran up to Finch and back down again, lasting nearly two hours. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Along the way, curious passengers began to take notice and participate in the feast. 'At first, people were just laughing or taking photos,' Petraglia said. 'But then some came up to grab plates.' 'One woman had just worked a 12-hour shift and told us she could cry from how hungry she was. That meant a lot to me, and when I realized that's why I did it.' Story continues below advertisement A handwritten flyer listing all ingredients was handed out with each plate, ensuring passengers with allergies had full transparency. While Petraglia did receive some backlash online over hygiene concerns, she said her team made hygiene a top priority, regularly sanitizing and serving the food themselves rather than letting people self-serve. 'I was careful, we sanitized, we listed all allergens, served people, and we did it as safely as possible,' she told Global News. The subway feast wasn't just a one-off stunt, according to Petraglia, who plans to do another one in a few months. 'I love gathering people over food,' she said. 'Everyone on the TTC is in their own little world. I wanted to get people out of that and talking to one another.' View image in full screen A group of passengers on the TTC enjoy the spontaneous feast. Izzy Petraglia In the meantime, Petraglia is continuing to develop her cookbook, bake for friends and dream up new ways to connect with her city, one plate at a time. Story continues below advertisement Amid rising inflation, a worsening housing crisis, and growing food insecurity in Toronto, Petraglia said she's grateful her initiative could provide a warm meal and a moment of connection to those who needed it. 'Food is how we connect, it always has been,' Petraglia said.
Calgary Herald
11-07-2025
- Calgary Herald
Shades of kindness: Rangeland Derby Rockstar Chanse Vigen's pink sunglasses raise money for families in need
Article content The Rangeland Derby has its own version of the Pink Pony Club. Article content Pink sunglasses are taking over the chuckwagon world — and for a very good cause. Article content The I'm Your Huckleberry campaign, launched by Chanse and Brie Vigen, is a grassroots charity that supports families facing difficult times. Article content Article content Article content 'That winter, I thought — this is a great opportunity to create a non-profit,' Brie recalled. 'I didn't know exactly how at first, but I knew we could sell the sunglasses and raise money for something good.' Article content The couple from Grande Prairie, Alta., quickly got to work — and didn't have to look far for a name. Article content 'When we started dating, Chanse would always say, 'I'm your Huckleberry,'' Brie said. 'It meant, 'I'm your man. I got you.' So, I thought, what a perfect name for the grant: I'm Your Huckleberry — we got you, when you don't have anybody else there to support you.' Article content Article content And just like that, the I'm Your Huckleberry charity was born. Article content The campaign launched last year, and while it took some time to catch on, the chuckwagon community quickly rallied once they realized what it was all about. Article content 'It's been amazing,' Brie said. 'At first, I think people didn't fully understand what we were doing. Some thought we were just selling merch. But then, on Thanksgiving, we knocked on doors and delivered support directly to families — and when people saw that, everything changed.' Article content So far, the charity has helped two families and plans to support two more this year — with hopes of expanding even further.
