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,
And while I’m over at the far East end of town, I should probably mention that I reposted another music video (this one with my brilliant friend Joe Varga) to my new Youtube channel (which can be found here) Facebook’s compression algorythms
I am forever fascinated by the number of human engineering achievements suggested to us by nature, both animate, and in this case, erosive and geological, as resisted by animate trees and root-systems above. The Scarborough bluffs are a lovely (and slightly dangerous)
I am a big believer in the value of a good walk – lucky happenstance has a much easier time finding us when we’re out and about – but moving slowly enough to pay attention. Sights and sounds come at us –
Here we see a tiny unmarked and unremarkable door on the exterior of Hart house – I’ve walked by it many times without ever suspecting what lay behind it. But the general design philosophy (and dynamic contrast) behind the deceptively humble portal,
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 am of a naturally skeptical bent – but I’m insatiably curious too – so I was intrigued by the idea of the Frank Gehry redesign of our lovely Art Gallery of Ontario, without, at first, being entirely convinced. I was lucky
Lavish and Squalor, Queen St (top photo) Popular-taste isn’t what it used to be – and in a great many ways this is a good thing. More and more diversity of flavours and aesthetics, even in something like street-level retail, can often
Benchmark Gelato (top photo) Had another really lovely little excursion the other day with Catherine and her brilliant jazz-guitarist father, Neville. He’s just as fond of old Toronto as I am, and of course, knows far more about it’s history, and it’s
Art deco is lovely, gargoyles are wonderful, in combination we are always visually delighted to a high degree. The finish and proportions of this building, completed in 1933, just a few steps away from Yonge on the N side of Carlton are
Had a lot of fun investigating the motorcycle show this weekend, and in the process turned up still more (entirely superfluous) evidence that I’m a little bit on the odd side. I went because I always have a great time exploring things
Hello friends, artists, fellow-travellers and various and sundry curious investigators – we are delighted today, to announce the inaugural book-release from Large Ess Small Press. – Yes, the mission-clock is at last, running! The official release-copy follows. Thanks sincerely for contributions, inspirations,
There is a big (and stupid) tempest in a teapot going on right now in our downtown, as a very small group of owners of an extremely charming cluster of restaurants along one particular block in the very heart of the city
I still remember riding my bike downtown as a kid in ’75, to watch the giant twin-rotor Sikorsky sky-crane helicopter “Olga” lift the final sections of the CN tower into place, making it the tallest freestanding bit of inhabitable engineering in the
The Cocomile All-Stars (top photo) You’ve probably already noticed that I really enjoy trying to capture the modest beauty and niftiness of the city photographically, especially those things most perishable, but in some cases I have just plain missed my chance. The
Haven’t had a fantastic camera-day in a few weeks, but I do have a regular practise of ‘checking my film’ the same day I take them, and setting aside the curious ones for later processing. This means I can always have plenty
There is something about night-photography from a moving car that feels incredibly decadent to me. Probably the simple fact that it was utterly impossible to do, hand-held (certainly with cheap gear), only a few years ago. But motion around a subject can
The world is in a state of considerable upheaval, on a great many fronts at once. I am currently fascinated by (obsessed with) thinking about self-definition and mental health, acculturation and role within community (the very obvious and powerful life-meaning that everyone
I think the Empire Sandy is the most elegant three-master in the harbour, though she’s by no means alone – with bigger and smaller friends along the waterfront all summer long. Now that the real cold has set in, she’s tucked-in snug
Is that the cat that ate your new shoes? (top photo) The massive revamp of Union station has been going on for years – and clearly has years yet to run. The tracks themselves are currently open to the sky for the
One of the odd anglo traditions that is still very popular in Canada, is to listen to the Queen’s Christmas speech. Often this is done with fair sincerity by youngsters, and then increasingly for comedic or ironic value over time (even my