Toronto has grand and historical hotels (the Royal York and The King Edward are particular stand out beauties). We also have many funky art-centred spots – ranging from the sublime gallery filled Gladstone (still feels weird to say that about a place
Streetcar platform (top photo) Aside from a brief stint above highway 401 in most-curious Lastman-land (North York, pre-amalgamation – growing hyper fast), I have always lived in downtown Toronto. I’m a walking guy – no use for a private vehicle – hands-off,
I still remember the very first time I sat as a model for a class being taught by Bogdan Luca. It was early in the year, this particular group of students were a bit unruly, one foot back in high-school, and it
Toronto is hardly alone even in North America, for being based around a fantastic natural harbour, which was once very important to industry along the waterfront, and is now used mostly by pleasure-craft. But that change long since established, it’s civilian tone
Hello my friends! I’m delighted to announce that “Structural Happiness” is now available! This book (and the several volumes which are to follow) is the reason we created Large Ess Small Press in the first place, and we are very proud of
While there are definitely quite a few more neatly manicured and tourist glammed areas one can visit – if you prefer honesty and heart to artifice and inoffensive mediocrity, it would be hard to name any area of Toronto more naturally photogenic
The Canadian National Exhibition, (CNE, or “The Ex,” to locals) is an annual end of summer fair which has been held in Toronto, in one form or another, since 1879. The diversity of the offerings is staggering – and more than ever
The Chinatown festival this year was wonderfully educational, chaotic, fun and noisy – and then we heard them announce a Shaolin demonstration, and to our surprise, we found we were unable to move, once they began – because every single moment of
Had another great exploration day with my dear friend Nada the other day. Started off very rainy – didn’t look promising, but we soon ran into a street festival, (youth day, for which they blocked-off a chunk of Yonge) live music, some
One of my favourite ideas from Buckminster Fuller is that designing basic improvements to the way people live (especially in terms of the ratio of quality of life versus efficient use of resources) is a much easier a way to gradually approach
More than once, I have considered writing some version of “All I ever needed to know about Life…” (or politics, or philosophy, or even the revolution) “…I learned in retail.” Amazingly, we continue to act as if our “customer is always right”
I’ve talked about Liberty village a few times – industrial lands out in the west end of downtown Toronto, now being turned into a diverse integrated neighbourhood. But this is not the only massive project to increase housing options in the city,
I’ve mentioned the value of walking a few times – not just for our physical health, but also for our mental and emotional well-being. The greatest gift of the modern world – our ability to construct gigantic complex structures out of nothing
I have a feeling that some of my Australian friends will be able to relate to this curiosity – and my European pals may well chuckle. America is famously founded upon the repudiation of a colonial relationship. But one of the funny
The day after a very painful election result it’s tempting to rant, but rather than dropping multiple tons of science from altitude (as is my usual habit), I think perhaps lowering some very gently and under control is a better idea –
Massey Hall fills up (photo credit: Nada Nesin) They are closing my very favourite room in the entire city of Toronto in July for a massive multi-year renovation project, and if they mess this one up, I fear they may just break
Music on the march (top photo) This is an age of pettiness, and I know I’m not the only one heartsick about it. I’m still trying to find a nice rhythm with which to bring you some fine honest (non-delusional) optimism and
One of the best things about an excruciatingly-long winter is that, eventually, it ends! (Definitely one of those feels-so-good-when-it-stops, phenomena). Curiously, I ran across all sorts of signs today, that it wasn’t just me feeling like I had a month of missed
Seriously – what could go better with a kitsch table like that, than a nice old comfy sofa? Curious view you don’t easily (and won’t again) see, here. The big blue box at left is part of Frank Gehry’s AGO redesign –
Downtown’s best (top photo) I’ve always had a great fondness for urban subjects – from Edward Hopper and the earlier (under-appreciated) George Bellows, to photographers like Feninger and Nan Goldin, all exploring the built environment and it’s inhabited feel, from a huge
Toronto has grand and historical hotels (the Royal York and The King Edward are particular stand out beauties). We also have many funky art-centred spots – ranging from the sublime gallery filled Gladstone (still feels weird to say that about a place
Across the bay (top photo) Some of the most interesting unexpected treats I’ve found, while getting back into photography, are the insights I keeps stumbling into about art in general. When we’re studying painters we like, we can easily get hung up