Cherry Beach, Toronto

Despite the frigid temperatures last week, this was an awesome if not desolate spot on Toronto's Cherry Beach. Toronto sits on Lake Ontario and has an extensive waterfront. Only thing is, it's neither visable nor accessable to most of Toronto's residents. Which is why you get these haunting, lonely vistas...even in the heat of the summer.

Convention Delegates

Out for a stroll in Toronto's Distillery neighbourhood, I thought I was seeing triple. There was a sea of Boston Terriers attending their annual gathering (who knew?!) I couldn't get them to hold still and smile for me, but I think I captured the nature of these lovable and tenacious characters. I've owned 2 of them over the years and my heart pines for another one.

No they aren't rationing alcohol in Toronto

Sorry, dear readers. I haven't been posting much these days but I promise to jump right back into it. As for the shot of the long line up outside the LCBO (Liquor Control Board) on Spadina Ave...this photo was taken at 4pm on New Year's Eve.
Unfortunately these poor people neglected to plan ahead. Unlike the rest of the civilized world, here in Ontario, liquor sales are regulated by the province, and only available in government controlled stores. Kinda like the old USSR distribution system.
You can't just walk into any old neighbourhood shop and buy yourelf a bottle. Can't imagine what that might lead to??
Hopefully there was product left on the shelves for these folks. I'm sure they have all learned a very valuable lesson.

100th Post!!!

Facebook | My Photos – Dogs I've met Over the 10 months that I've been photoblogging, I have had the most favourable comments on the photos of dogs that I've posted. So, to celebrate my 100th post, I wanted to link the year's collection of dog photos I've taken to my readers. Happy holidays to all of you! Remember, don't drink and drive!

This is a HOOT!

Look "who" I discovered early one morning, as I pulled into my parking spot. I don't know how this little fellow got to be sitting on a fire escape just east of the city's downtown core, but our entire staff spent half the morning peeking out an office window to check on him and make sure he would stay safe until the wildlife rescue people arrived. A bit of an unusual site. Several people have commented that owls are signs of some kind. Do any of my readers have knowledge about that?

Urban streetscape

Out for a walk one sunny, chilly day, just off a busy downtown street, I was drawn to the solitude of this scene. I wish all my readers a place of peace and quiet in their hectic lives.

Toronto Santa Clause Parade

I stopped caring about the Santa Clause Parade years and years ago. My kids are all grown now and my interests are elsewhere, to say the least, but it was a thrill yesterday, out walking at the end of the day in Toronto's Distillery District, to stumble upon the floats returning to their quarters after the parade. It seemed the larger than life characters with their maniacal smiles would be a bit scary for young children, no?

The Bay

The Hudson's Bay Company has a long history in Canada. Now known as "The Bay" it is a Canadian institution having its origins in the days of the fur traders (having accumulated most of its wealth by exploiting the Natives,of course). But with the advancement of globalization, it has been in the hands foreign owners for the last many years, and most of its products are made in asia.

My Daughter's Chickens

Toronto sculptor Joshua Kalfa's installation piece "My Daughter's Chickens" found an unused area on the side of a certain art collector's house to roost. Some would call it extravigant, but it is a creative use of space that beautifies a boring exterior wall.

Raccoon Proof

Like urban dwellers everywhere, Toronto has a major problem with it's raccoon population. Our citizens have to do daily battle to keep the pesky critters from tearing apart garbage bins and composters. The City of Toronto's "green bin" programme, which encourages residents to compost food wastes has many benefits, but you can see the lengths my dear husband had to go to to keep the beasts from gnawing through the plastic to get at our goodies. I'll let you know how our fortifications hold.

My New Best Friend

I would like to introduce you all to "Flash" my new E-Bike!!Flash runs on electricity and can go 60km on a single charge. Great for the environment, and definitley good for attention getting! I have to say, I love the looks I get as I whizz by. Flash is built neither for speed nor for comfort, I'm afraid, but I am very excited to give my car a rest while this beautiful fall weather is still here.

International Bloggers' Day for Burma on the 4th of October

Spread the word. Sign the petition. Show you care!

Free Burma! Petition Widget

Name: (required)

Email:  

Web:  

Country:  

Nuit Blanche

Last Saturday night, all of Toronto was out taking in the festivities of Toronto's 2nd annual Nuit Blanche "a free all-night contemporary art thing" The weather was extremely cooperative as most of the exhibits were outdoors, such as the one pictured above. This event was at the Royal Ontario Museum, just outside the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal (which I've posted about previously), designed by super-star architect Daniel Liebeskind. The striking exterior of the building was used as a screen for projected images, which were combined with a DJ / VJ and contemporary music. It was a great crowd scene, and surely as much fun to watch as to participate.

In Memoriam

The St. James Cathedral and Crematoriam sits on the property adjascent to the St. James Cemetary. Smack in the heart of the city, it is a lovely and peaceful destination for an early fall walk. Especially when the weather is so cooperative. I have no loved ones burried here. I hope to soon post a photo of the Pardes Shalom Cemetary where my dear sister Cathy is burried. It's a bit of a hike, well outside the city, but a very special place to me for remembering.
St. Louis (MO), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - New York City (NY), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Mainz, Germany - Hyde, UK - Arlington (VA), USA - Cape Town, South Africa - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Toulouse, France - Arradon, France - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Joplin (MO), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Seattle (WA), USA - Baziège, France - Baltimore (MD), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Sequim (WA), USA - Stayton (OR), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Anderson (SC), USA - Orlando (FL), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Nashville (TN), USA - Tenerife, Spain - Manila, Philippines - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Jacksonville (FL), USA - River Falls (WI), USA - Chateaubriant, France - Quincy (MA), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Inverness (IL), usa - Lubbock (TX), USA - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Moscow, Russia - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Crepy-en-Valois, France - Minneapolis (MN), USA - New Orleans (LA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Toruń, Poland - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Christchurch, New Zealand - London, England - Paderborn, Germany - The Hague, Netherlands - Selma (AL), USA - Sunderland, UK - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Stavanger, Norway - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - Weston (FL), USA - Portland (OR), USA - Forks (WA), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Boston (MA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Wellington, New Zealand - Montpellier, France - Jackson (MS), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Evry, France - Saarbrücken, Germany - New York City (NY), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - North Bay (ON), Canada - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cypress (TX), USA - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Paris, France - San Diego (CA), USA - Wichita (Ks), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Prague, Czech Republic - Zurich, Switzerland - Budapest, Hungary - Paris, France - Saigon, Vietnam - Grenoble, France - Zurich, Switzerland - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Naples (FL), USA - Toronto (ON), Canada

A Spiritual Moment in Time

On Tuesday, Sept. 18th I attended a recital of Olivier Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time" It was the the 1st concert of the season at Toronto's Four Season's Centre for the Arts. This was an especially poignant piece for many reasons. The composer wrote this in a Prisoner of War camp and even in that misery found uplifting comfort in his faith, and transcribed it into an erie yet hopeful score. The quartet performed in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, named after the dynamic visionary director of the Canadian Opera Company, who died suddenly one month ago at age 62. This piece was given extra solemnity as it served as a memorial for this great man. And, dear readers, my darling son Ben was the pianist of this esteemed quartet, standing front and centre in the photograph. An honour for him... and for his listeners.

Amazing Foodie Event

cranberry sorbet
Cassoulet
I spent most of the day Sunday sampling the food at the first ever Picnik at the Brickworks, sponsored in part by the Toronto Slow Food Convivium. The best chefs in town were there offering morsels of their exquisite creations. These are but a few of the many items that were served not on paper plates (God forbid!) but on leaves. I had no idea how to eat some of these concoctions, but trust me...they were amazing. There were also large quantities of Ontario Wines to wash everything down with.