I'll start a thread of my new photographs of this city. I took these in the past couple of days. They are in no particular order, andI hope you enjoy the tour despite the fact it is still very early spring here and the trees are not green yet! :cheers:
Looking South from the rooftop patio:

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/9121/april0206adowntownviewpanorama.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Looking North from the rooftop patio:

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/9781/april0206adowntownviewpanorama1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/2246/april0206clubmonacobuilding1bh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Then off to another rooftop bar to snap some more pix:
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/1905/april0206viewparkplazai4fq.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/2235/april0206viewparkplazaii1jj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/7595/april0206viewparkplazaviii9hm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/4377/april0206viewparkplazavx5cs.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/3472/april02batashoemuseum4yz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Renovation of the Royal Conservatory of Music

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/8046/april0206royalconservatoryofmu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img471.imageshack.us/img471/1269/april0106downtownshoti1xc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/8632/april0106downtownshotlotri4ck.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/3120/april0106downtownshotlotrii7nv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/4141/april0206135stgeorgest4vi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/538/april0206downtownshoti9wp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/7236/april0206downtownshotii3do.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

And for some reason, this building always reminds me of the opening credits
for the old tv show, Dallas!! LOL!

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/8335/april0206downtownshotkingsti3s.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/7600/april0206downtownshotkingstiii.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/1854/april0206downtownshotkingstxiv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/74/april0206downtownshotkingstix5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/4900/april0206downtownshotkingstxvi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/1135/april0206downtownshotkingstxvi1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/7505/april0206downtownshotkingstxvx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/205/april0206downtownshotkingst2xg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

A view down on the construction of the Royal Ontario Museum renovation:

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/6008/april0206rom6up.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/5787/april0106cibc2xn.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/4764/april0206downtownshotbayst4qd.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Note the moon above the First Canadian Place.. it is not a disco ball! ;)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/8974/april0206downtownshotbayyongei.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/7811/april0206downtownshotcrabshack.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/5756/april0206downtownshotyongerich.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/3813/april0206downtownsidestreeti3c.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/323/april0206downtownsidestreet4fr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/9215/april0206kingedwardhotel5bm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/9878/april0206yongeandwellington5cl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img438.imageshack.us/img438/6202/april0106anightshotsvii8cf.jpg

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/8553/april0106firstcanadianplacei4u.jpg

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/8735/april0106cibcoldentrance7zv.jpg

http://img471.imageshack.us/img471/4825/april0206royalalexandriatheatr.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Pictures taken around 1am of an almost empty Union Station:

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/3923/april0106aunionstationii3ym.jpg

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/4425/april0106aunionstationav2hm.jpg

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/8250/april0106aunionstationaiv7ly.jpg

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/3300/april0106anightshotsii3li.jpg

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/1880/april0106anightshotsv2fa.jpg
And lastly, my favourite shot of the session:

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/3086/april0106anightshotsunionstati.jpg

Awesome pics of one of my fav cities :D

fantastic shots.

fascinating! lol

Wow! I love the Gothic architecture of the Royal Conservatory.

Wow! I love the Gothic architecture of the Royal Conservatory.

It is one of those projects that has completely flown under the
radar here in TO.... I had heard nothing of it til I noticed the
hoarding outside. It is a style of building that was very popular
in Toronto in Victorian times and there are lots of good examples
about. Here is another shot for you! :)

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/8046/april0206royalconservatoryofmu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Awesome pictures mate!

It is one of those projects that has completely flown under the
radar here in TO.... I had heard nothing of it til I noticed the
hoarding outside. It is a style of building that was very popular
in Toronto in Victorian times and there are lots of good examples
about. Here is another shot for you! :)

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/8046/april0206royalconservatoryofmu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Thanks for the pic, it's really an interesting structure. A strange mix of Victorian and Gothic. Very, very cool.

ROM looks nice, they gotta change the copper roof though.
Anyway nice pictures!

I love these photos

very, very, very nice!

WOW WOW WOW

alot of those pics need to go into the Toronto Density thread..

very nice tour.. you show the city well.

Great pics:D:D

Nice pics TB!

Wow!

I love Canada!

I lived in Victoria for about 6 months, and I loved everything about the city and the people!

But i didnt go to toronto, i only went to the airport.....I MUST GO!

Toronto is jawdropping!

Great pics and great thread!

Thanks everyone! I'm bowled over by the kind response! I'll add more pix
as I take them! :hi:

Great pictures of a very nice American city. ;)

Seriously, great pix Taller.

Great pictures of a very nice American city. ;)

Seriously, great pix Taller.

LOL! You almost blew it, USS... but I guess I'll give you a frosty
Canadian beer after all :cheers:
ps. Have you ever braved it north of the border?

A few more pix I took this morning, while out walking the dogs. This time in my
neighbourhood.

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/159/april0806jarvisstv1rv.jpg

http://img464.imageshack.us/img464/5156/april0806jarvisstiii0lv.jpg

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/575/april0806jarvisst9wz.jpg

The almost completed new home for the National Ballet of Canada School:

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/2861/april0806nationalballetofcanad.jpg

Allan Gardens, where my dogs love to run. It is the home of the Toronto Horticultural
Society, formed in 1834, and a fine place to go on a chilly day when you want Spring
to hurry up!!

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/2623/april0806allangardensi7dp.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/8371/april0806allangardensii8pn.jpg

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/3448/april0806allangardensvii3re.jpg

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/3208/april0806allangardensviii1bm.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/2623/april0806allangardensi7dp.jpg

WOW LOVE THESE PICS :)

I love old Victorian greenhouses! Sure they are kind of stuffy but I think they
are dead romantic. Especially when summer takes its time to make an appearance!

The Allan Gardens remind me of the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton. The Muttart Conservatory has more of a 'biodome' character though, while Allan Gardens seem more Victorian. Both are nice though, wish we had similar indoor gardens here to escape the winter for a few moments.

TO is looking sick as fark! I love it. It seems like the condo boom is showing no signs of slowing. Now if we could only transport Toronto to Perth's or Cape Town's location. :booze:

TO is looking sick as fark! I love it. It seems like the condo boom is showing no signs of slowing. Now if we could only transport Toronto to Perth's or Cape Town's location. :booze:

Or better still, send us your weather! Specially right now
on the cusp of summer.... we're gaggin' fer it! :cheers:
I'll take more pics tomorrow, as it is my day off.

Yesterday was a lovely sunny day, so I grabbed my camera and went out snapping..
the first fellow is a bit of the "local colour" who wears this outfit year 'round and is always eager for any publicity! ;)

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/7411/april0906zanta3hg.jpg

Some pix taken more uptown, toward Yonge/Eglinton, and Yonge/Summerhill:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1599/april0906yongeeglinton4ty.jpg

An old train station beautifully renovated into the largest and best liquor store in Canada-an 8000 sq metre Temple o' Booze:

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5809/april0906summerhilli5zg.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/4068/april0906fivethieves0dr.jpg

Then hop on the subway and head downtown:

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/8346/april0906yongebloorplatformsub.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/581/sanglican1910i7dy.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/8981/april0906molsonbldgi2pu.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1513/slifeheadofficevii9en.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/5921/slifeheadofficei5qy.jpg

these shots were all on Bloor St, and here is one looking West:

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2498/april0906lookingwestonbloori3t.jpg

Back on the subway, and right downtown to the financial district:

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8824/april0906downtownshots8fh.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6281/april0906downtownshotsxibetter.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/3710/april0906downtownshotsvi1ol.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/3050/april0906downtownshotsv3ju.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1639/april0906downtownshotsi4uy.jpg

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/2364/april0906downtownshotstdbetter.jpg

Then a wander over to Queen Street, and the entertainment district:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1107/april0906queenstreetmarket3ik.jpg

Dinner at the Queen Mum, in an old building that started out as a tailor shop in 1850

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5029/april0906queenmothercafe18507p.jpg

Catch a movie ( Ice Age 2):

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1497/april0906famousplayersparamoun.jpg

http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/1497/april0906famousplayersparamoun.jpg

And up the long escalators.......

http://img348.imageshack.us/img348/1497/april0906famousplayersparamoun.jpg

View out the lounge window after the movie:

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/1663/april0906downtownfromparamount.jpg

then the walk home- here is the almost completed new home of the Canadian Opera
Company, that will open this year with a series of four epic operas Der Ring des Nibelungen:

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/5888/april0906canadianoperacompany2.jpg

and finally, as Samuel Pepys famously said "and then to bed"!

it's Zanta! He's a TO celebrity...

it's Zanta! He's a TO celebrity...

Indeed. He is bigger than Ed the Sock.

^^That guy's completely insane...

Btw TB I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU (in a forumish way:D) THANKS finally some nice pics of the Manulife headquarters!

I seriously need to steal this Klingon Bird of Prey to complete my collection. :bash:




http://img348.imageshack.us/img348/1497/april0906famousplayersparamoun.jpg

Nice pics. 1KW looks awesome as usual. That building is god-like.

^^That guy's completely insane...

Btw TB I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU (in a forumish way:D) THANKS finally some nice pics of the Manulife headquarters!

LOL! Right back atcha! (metaphorically speaking!!)

[QUOTE=ditto]I seriously need to steal this Klingon Bird of Prey to complete my collection. :bash:
QUOTE]

All yours Ditto! Fill yer boots!

nice tour, good shots.

S U P R E M E !!!!!!

I know this seems a bit "bloggish", but here are some pics from my past week. I
like to jump on the subway or streetcar and photograph some of the neighbourhoods
in Toronto. This week I was briefly in Little Italy/Portugal, and yesterday I visited
The Beaches (or, as some yuppies insist, the grander sounding "The Beach"!).
I will start with a few pix from Little Italy:

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/617/april1106collegestsceneii9js.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/263/april1106collegestsceneiii6mp.jpg

The Beaches is an area about a mile or so due East of downtown. There are several
lovely beaches there, and it is about as closest thing to Vancouver life that exists
East of the Rockies. Fiercely proud and very family oriented, the Beaches are always
an excellent place to visit on a sunny day. As always, my pix are in no particular order,
just snapped as I go along my wanderings. Let's start with the 1850's Ashbridge House, which still charms us to this day:

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/3278/april1606xashbridgehouse18547t.jpg

The beach I chose to go to yesterday was Kew Beach, in the heart of "The Beaches".
It is still too early for sunbathing, but the charming Victorian habit of "promenading on
the boardwalk" is still a big part of life in the beaches. Yesterday was no exception and
the boardwalk was crowded all afternoon:

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/5883/april1606kewbeachboardwalkii7m.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/132/april1606kewbeach7ya.jpg

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/5775/april1606kewbeachboardwalkiii3.jpg

Even the housing is different in The Beaches... because there is very much a
"seaside" feeling (albeit on a lake), much of the residential architecture has a
mediterranean flair, with an emphasis on outdoor balconies:

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/2294/april1606beachesstylehouseiii9.jpg

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/9812/april1606beachesstylehousesii5.jpg

the quaint old 1915 Beaches Library:

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/7125/april1606beacheslibrary19155kx.jpg

and some street scenes:

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/9472/april1606abeachesfirestation2m.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/66/april1606abeachesscene4eu.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/5928/april1606abeachesscenexv6tr.jpg


http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/3185/april1606abeachessceneii1sz.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/47/april1606abeachesliononthebeac.jpg


The Beaches has a bit of a reputation as being a laid-back, hippie community
which stems from the 70's. Remnents remain. This is the Church of the Universe:

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1228/april1606abeacheschurchoftheun.jpg

Let's catch the streetcar and head toward downtown.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/7375/april1606abeachesscenexiii9vv.jpg

Here are scenes along the way:

St Paul's Basilica.. a Roman Catholic church which is an unusual Italian Renaissance
style:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2305/april1606stpaulsbasilica18993u.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/9782/april1606stpaulsbasilicalapiet.jpg

The old 1879 Dominion Brewery, since renovated for office space:

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/4113/april1606dominionbrewery0gu.jpg

and various downtown shots:

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/575/april1006pix4if.jpg

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9818/april1306ryerson5qw.jpg

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/1121/april1306ryersonfrisbee5mz.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9420/april1306ryersoni2uy.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/9079/april1306ryersonii7xg.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/3073/april1306bistro9907xo.jpg
Our Lady of Lourdes Church across from the No Thrills in Jamestown:

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/297/april1506ourladyoflourdesi2br.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/5091/april1106baystcanyoni9xe.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/510/april1006yongestreeteastside3c.jpg

http://img474.imageshack.us/img474/3472/april1706viewfromtheymca9pl.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4128/april16brahmabeer1cr.jpg

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/9930/april1606yongestscene8hp.jpg

Here is an empty old Georgian style brick building, almost 200 years old.
Handsome, but in poor shape... will this survive into its third century?

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/3822/april1606shuterandgeorge9vl.jpg

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/6941/april1606manifestofutebolista3.jpg

More downtown buildings:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2690/april1606queenst1re.jpg

a smart old Greek Revival townhouse from the 1850's:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1937/april1606mckenziehousegreekrev.jpg

an old Knights of Columbus hall:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2043/april1606knightsofcolumbus6ma.jpg

a landmark hotel, The Selby, whose claim to fame was having Ernest Hemingway as a tenant while he lived in Toronto as a reporter for The
Toronto Star:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/592/april1606selbyhotel8wp.jpg

Victorian rowhouses..

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/8616/april1606selbyhoteli7hg.jpg

and various downtown sights:

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/4964/april1606gooderhamrestaurant3q.jpg

men playing chess:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5619/april1606chessplayers0vd.jpg

an old library built in the now toney Yorkville, by the Carnegie Foundation,
about 100 years ago:

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/9481/april1506yorkvillelibrarymaybe1.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1409/april1506yorkvillelibrarymaybe.jpg

an old mid 1800's firehall in Yorkville:

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/2332/april1506yorkvillefirestation1.jpg

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/6981/april1506patiochurchst9ss.jpg

evening sets in:

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/6250/april1606yongestscenev7dt.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5008/april1606yongestscenesams5kr.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2153/april1606yongestsceneii0sr.jpg

Construction is everywhere downtown, and only rests at night:

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/1290/april1606rocp2pl.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/3345/april1106mars6tl.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1737/april1606yongestsceneiii3oc.jpg

Great pics TB!!!

The Beach or The Beaches?! ;)

Thanks for the tour, you make your way around to quirky places.

Please keep this 'blog' rolling, I love to see the new pics.

Thanks guys! I don't know about you, but I feel weird saying "The Beach"! LOL! I figure if it was good enough for them to carve "The Beaches" in stone on the front of the library in 1915, then it is good enough for me to say it today! :hahaha: More pix will follow... I am just patiently awaiting green leaves and cherry blossoms! Have lots of nice pix from last year, but am trying to keep this thread fresh with only brand new pictures. Here is a pic that only Torontonians will recognise that I saw on the streetcar coming home from the Beaches. "Jilly's Girls Girls Girls"!! Where the girls, apparently,
never stop! ;)

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/7749/april1606jillysgirlsgirlsgirls.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

wow amazing pics! :D I really enjoyed them all ;]

Thanks pairsuite! I will take more pix once all the blossoms come out!

This past weekend I ventured out to Roncesvalles St, which is the heart of the Polish community in Toronto. I went on a Monday afternoon, which is a strangely quiet time to visit the street... many of the businesses close Monday, and as this is a strongly working class neighbourhood most people are at work. There is a sometimes shabby, but very comfortable 50's feel to this street- I think a big wave of Poles came to Canada around that time, and it continued to the mid 80's. Today the neighbourhood is finding increasing influx of other nationalities, and young people from across the city seeking inexpensive lodgings, with good shopping nearby. However, the heart and soul of Roncesvalles remains Polish. I hope you enjoy this little tour, even though
it is not a glamorous part of Toronto, it is part of what makes our city a "City of Neighbourhoods" :)

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/4530/april2406aroncesvallesv0qg.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9590/april2406aroncesvallesxxxi1ej.jpg

I remember years ago when I first became aquainted with this street, I
marvelled that it seemed to be a street where the Churches looked like Banks:

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8937/april2406aroncesvallesxxii1gq.jpg

and the Banks (or in this case Credit Union) looked like Churches:

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/9937/april2406aroncesvallesxxviii9t.jpg

Some street scenes:

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4682/april2406aroncesvallesii7uu.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/5613/april2406aroncesvallesiii4cn.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8981/april2406aroncesvallesiv7sp.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/1239/april2406aroncesvallesviii0tb.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/994/april2406aroncesvallesx6oo.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1692/april2406aroncesvallesxi8lh.jpg

The main Polish Church (which does not look like a bank!! )

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4500/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxi0ti.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1486/april2406aroncesvallesxxxiv8wx.jpg

The best bakery on the street, which makes the best Easter goodies.. Mrs.
Granowska's:

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/2918/april2406aroncesvallesxxxii9kt.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3450/april2406aroncesvallesxxxiii3k.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/2434/april2406aroncesvallesxxvii1xx.jpg

One of the local weekly Polish newspapers:

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/9695/april2406aroncesvallesxxvi6mc.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/9338/april2406aroncesvallesxxv5ia.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8599/april2406aroncesvallesxxiv6jh.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9267/april2406aroncesvallesxix7zc.jpg

I was crushed to find my favourite chocolate shop, Wedels, has closed, but
was relieved to find I could still buy some of their products:

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/7547/april2406aroncesvallesxvi3rk.jpg

Strangely, while one side of the street are solid shops and restaurants, the
other side is almost completely residential. Very post WWII houses, looking
right out of an old Archie Bunker show:

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/9009/april2406aroncesvallesxii1kv.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/1295/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxiv4n.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/615/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxix4m.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2036/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxv2gq.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/2166/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxvi5b.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/7203/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxvii3.jpg

My favourite of the many Polish delicatessans along the street:

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/9391/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxx1eo.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/8544/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxxi4j.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/2931/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxxv0t.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/7710/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxxvi0.jpg

There is pretty much anything you need to buy, on Roncesvalles... you just
have to keep your eyes open:

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/435/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxxvii.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/6921/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxxvix.jpg

Walking and gawking and snapping pix is hot, thirsty work and a fella works
up a big appetite. I figured I deserved a "fix" of good old fashioned Polish
cooking, so I swung into Krak, my favourite restaurant on the street:

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6440/april2406aroncesvallesxxxviii4.jpg

Sure, its a bit hokey and 50's.....

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/4600/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxxxii.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/149/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxxxv1.jpg

but the people are always friendly, and the food always delicious. Here
you can see I enjoyed schnitzel, cabbage rolls, and meat pierogi. All washed
down with a frosty Zywiec or two.... Nosdrovia! :cheers:

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/128/april2406aroncesvallesxxxxxxvi.jpg

Thanks for taking this little tour with me through one of my favourite neighbourhoods!

WOW! Thank you for photos from polish area! The pictures are litttle dark but they are great! I see that beer ŻYWIEC rulez in polish restaurants! There are also many interesting things from Poland in shopping windows...

Thanks for checking them out! It was a pretty dark and dreary day on Monday,
so the pix are dark. Many Polish Canadian's in Toronto have now moved to "better" neighbourhoods in High Park, and in the suburb of Mississauga, but they all eventually wind up coming back to shop on Roncesvalles for some specific items. And yes, ŻYWIEC rules on the street! LOL! There are a few others but I think it is the one most widely drunk, and I like it the best. But all Polish beers are very good.
The city I was born in, Winnipeg, also has a Polish community, albeit smaller
and definitely from the 50's period. But Winnipeg has a huge Ukrainian community, which is a major part of the spirit of Winnipeg. I don't want
to insult anyone, but I am biased toward Polish pierogi and think they are tops! ;)

Awesome tour! When my family first moved to Toronto we did most of our business on Roncesvalles. My dentist is still there down near Queen and my mom hits Granowska's from time to time. It's an amazing feeling for me to go to this neighbourhood and talk to people in Polish... it's like I never left Warsaw.

I have so much love for this city it's ridiculous.


Keep it up, TB!

Thanks for sharing, TB! I didn't know Toronto had a street so distnictively Polish. Regarding gastronomy, I confess that I'm surprised to see that our classic cuisine old-style, may be easier to find overseas than in Warsaw these days! :shocked:

Most of new additions in eateries here are not Polish cuisine at all - pizzerias, Chinese/Vietnamese stuff, Middle East kebabs and US fast foods dominate! Seems I shall go to Toronto to savour real żurek (fermented rye-flour soup), pierogi, bigos, gołąbki and schabowy!!! :D

Speaking of beer, well... I know Żywiec is perhaps the most renowned, but I prefer TYSKIE and WARKA! The latter in contrast to both previous (which represent our southern Carpathians) is from Mazovia, my Warsaw region! :) TRY IT, TB!!! :cheers:

Wonderful photos. I love these intimate street level tours, rather than the impersonal "skyline" photos meant to impress. Virtual armchair traveling at its best. Thank you T,B.

Thanks guys! Glad you enjoyed the little tour. Next week, if the weather is good,
I'll pick another neighbourhood and go 'hunting'!
@Vars... it is nice to get different styles of restaurants, but I hope they never
lose the traditional old style Polish cooking in Warsaw- it is just too delicious!!
I was tempted to have zur polski before the platter, but that would have been
too much! My big disappointment was finding the big Wedel shop had closed.
The only other Polish beer I am really familiar with is Okocim, and it is very good.
I think it was only about 14 years ago that Polish beer started arriving in our
beer stores. Before that there was none. Now there are a fair number of varieties,
and I will keep an eye out for those ones you mentioned...

Thanks for the pics! I've never heard of Roncesvalles before..
Downtown TO is so big, I don't think I've even seen half of it yet. But when I get to university (hopefully UofT) or during the summer, I will definately be going around sightseeing alot ;]

Wow!

I love Canada!...

I agree. Canada is the model country (unlike her whacky neighbor to the south (where I reside)).

Toronto looks nice. It looks like a mix of Boston and Chicago.

Hot damn do I want to make it to Toronto someday soon. It looks like such a great place. Nice pics! :okay:

Hello! Me again... here is what has been going on in my life these past three weeks. I apologize in advance if there are too many pictures... but Spring is such a beautiful time that I have been out snapping photos on any sunny day off. My first stop was on April 28 to the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition the oldest and largest annual fair in the world. In 1878 it settled in its current location in Toronto and has not looked back. This is off season for the fairgrounds, and workmen are just starting to tinker about and get it ready for the summer season ahead. We enter the fair through the grand gates, which you could say are Toronto's answer to the Brandenburg Gates. Opened in 1927 by Edward, Prince of Wales, these portals are appropriately called the Princes' Gates:

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/8808/gate1927iv8dj.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/5009/gate1927v0xf.jpg

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/672/gate1927ii2zg.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Most of the architecture on the CNE grounds tends toward the theatrical
grandiose.... none of it is a pure style... none of it is done with particular
finesse (concrete statues replace marble ones) but this type of fairground entertainment was the opiate of the masses, and the masses demanded to be awed with some of the grandeur that they imagined lay far from the farming community that they tended. The result is a romantic hodge-podge of styles that has held up remarkably well over the years:

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/5066/april2906cnegroundspressbuildi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/2078/april2906cnegroundsscene0sy.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6969/april2806cnegroundsiii2lj.jpg

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/8765/april2906cnegroundsi1ot.jpg

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3071/april2906cnegroundsiii4xc.jpg


http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/5029/april2806cnegroundsviii3vz.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/4752/april2806cnegroundsvii5lp.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/9716/april2806cnegroundsxiii1wt.jpg

The heart of the CNE was historically the agricultural show, which carries on to this date in the form of the annual Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Here is the charming old Art Deco "Horse Pavillion":

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/443/april2806cnehorsepavillion9ye.jpg

Ironically, nearby I encountered a couple of mounted City of Toronto policemen. This mounted force is a vital part of our city life, and we see them downtown frequently on their magnificent steeds:

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/3103/april2806cnemountedtorontopoli.jpg

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/8416/april2806cnemusicbuildings2bz.jpg

And, a visit to the CNE grounds is a visit to the very cradle of Toronto... this is
where Europeans first settled and built a fortification in 1750 called Fort Rouille:

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/6623/april2806cnefortrouille1750vie.jpg

As you can see, this fort held a commanding view of the Harbour:

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/6623/april2806cnefortrouille1750vie.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Also on the grounds sits the oldest existing residence in Toronto... a humble log cabin built in 1794 by John Scadding. I have a mental image of Mr Scadding sitting at his supper table, reading the only newspaper in Toronto at the time, The Upper Canada Gazette, of exciting and rebellious events happening in France that would lead to Napoleon Bonaparte declaring himself emperor ten years later:

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/6240/april2806cnescaddingcabin1794i.jpg

The good Mr Scadding and his family must have been short people, for when I stand
upright on his doorstep my chin hit the top of the door! LOL! One hopes Mr. Scadding
was not tall and came home drunk one night.... Mr. Scadding would surely have felt he was drunk had he looked out his window and saw this, North America's first urban wind
turbines, modelled after those in Denmark. So, from the past we go to the future:

http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/5259/april2806cnegroundsx3de.jpg

The weather was fine, and my day was free... so I wandered back over the bridge to Old Fort York, which dates back to 1793, and was burned to the ground in the War of 1812 by our American friends, and rebuilt as we see it today. Here is a view from an overpass showing the view from the CNE
location relative to downtown. Interestingly, the Gardiner Expressway was closed that day for repairs:

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/1041/april2906cnegroundsviewdowntow.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Welcome to Old Fort York:

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/9567/april2906oldfortyorkentrancei8.jpg

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3528/april2906oldfortyorkbarracksi4.jpg

Where the soldiers slept:

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/6485/april2906oldfortyorkbarracksin.jpg

and where the officers took dinner in the Officer's Mess:

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3290/smess3je.jpg

The old Union Flag, which changed to the current Union Jack shortly after
this fort was founded:

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/5230/sept2604oldfortyorkunionjack2p.jpg

Now, onto the streetcar, and then on the subway to High Park, to view the magnicent
display of Japanese flowering cherry trees... these are the earliest to bloom (late April)
and are called Somei-Yashino and were donated by Japan to Toronto in 1960. But first,
a couple of subway scenes as I get off to go to High Park:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2508/april2806highparkttcplatform2b.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/47/april2806highparkttcstation1ke.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/5987/april2806highparkblossomsxi4ib.jpg

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/9223/april2806highparkblossomsvii7u.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/4603/april2806highparkblossomsxvii9.jpg

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/8616/april2806highparkblossomsiii6q.jpg

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/5341/april2806highparkblossomsvi9rp.jpg

and the final picturesque setting of Grenadier Pond.....

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/6595/april2806highparkblossomsxi3qv.jpg

Back downtown for a well deserved dinner on Queen Street, and just enough energy
for two more shots before I trundle home with sore feet and a full memory chip of pix!

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/2107/april2806ontariocollegeofarti2.jpg

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/1742/april2806ontariocollegeofartdo.jpg

And so, to bed.. :)

Another day, another photographic adventure. What better way to see April out than to tour through Cabbagetown. Cabbagetown was settled in the 1800's by Irish families who fled the famine to find a new life in Canada. It is one of the largest intact collections of brick Victorian houses in North America, and... if there is a more blatantly picturesque neighbourhood in all of Toronto, then I am a monkey's uncle. Cabbagetown was headed for typical 1950's North American urban decay... but its downward spiral was halted by the wonderful luck of an amazing group of urban planners who took
root in Toronto in the 60's to halt the "doughnut" effect of a hollow downtown with suburbs. In particular, gay men took to the dingy old Victorian neighbourhoods, and soon real estate was spiralling. Today it remains a highly desireable area to live, and is a short 15 minute walk from the gay village. It has a strong community feel to it, and is a wonderful place to raise a family. Come with me on a tour of Cabbagetown in the Spring... a heady mix of fragrant cherry trees and magnolias. Enjoy!!:

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/4580/april3006cabbagetownii6ip.jpg

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/7788/april3006cabbagetownmagnolia0v.jpg

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/2315/april3006cabbagetownconvenienc.jpg

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/4138/april3006cabbagetownv8hq.jpg

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/8352/april3006cabbagetownwellesleyc.jpg

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/526/may0606acabbagetownamelianears.jpg

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/7844/may0606acabbagetownsceneoldnur.jpg

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/3408/may0606acabbagetownscenevi0bi.jpg

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/3489/may0606acabbagetownscenevii2qq.jpg

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/8662/may0606acabbagetownscenexvi3jb.jpg

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/1461/may0606cabbagetownii3hv.jpg

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/9681/may0606cabbagetownv2cc.jpg

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/8673/may0606cabbagetownscene7rv.jpg

Down to the ravines of the Don River....

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/1843/may0606cabbagetowntoriverdaler.jpg

and the magnificent Riverdale Park. This extensive park also houses quite an exotic
petting zoo for children, and an 1850's Ontario farmhouse that acts as a focal point
for the park. In the summer on Tuesdays there is an organic vegetable market where
produce of the farm is sold to the public. Lots of old fashioned vegetables grown from
heritage seeds, and bread baked in an outdoor oven:

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/7273/dsci00050dh.jpg

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/6841/may0606cabbagetownriverdalepar.jpg

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/6537/may0606cabbagetownriverdalefar.jpg


http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/3433/may0606cabbagetowntorontonecro.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/3433/may0606cabbagetowntorontonecro.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/2346/may0606cabbagetownxii2nu.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/409/may0606cabbagetownxvii0zh.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/6716/may0606cabbagetown2ax.jpg

Another picturesque Victorian Chapel, St. James-the-Less:

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/1650/may0606stjamesthelesschapeliii.jpg

and as we walk back toward the village, an Afghani man peddling some exotic carpets:

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/2623/may0606stjamestownafghanrugs8d.jpg

and a few random downtown shots to round off a full day:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/103/may0706unionstationstatueii5ts.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/3057/may0706bceplace9ws.jpg

the lovely old 1822 Campbell House:

http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/8222/may0706campbellhouse0px.jpg

One of the groups of old men who gather every day downtown in various spots to
play serious games of chess:

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/381/may0706chessplayers5md.jpg

Probably the oldest gates in Toronto, they originally graced the grounds of St Paul's
Cathedral in London. They were brought to St Jame's Anglican Cathedral in Toronto
in Victorian times..:

http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/3607/may0706fencestjamesstpaulslond.jpg

St James Anglican Cathedral, which has the second highest church spire in Canada:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/5663/may0706stjamescathedral3oj.jpg

lovely old Georgian buildings in Old Toronto, dating back to 1830:

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/6434/may0706frontstiv7gn.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9756/may0706kingsteast3qj.jpg

and the St Lawrence Market, founded by farmers in 1803:

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/5748/may0706frontstiii4rg.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/3100/may0706frontsti2qp.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9094/may0706frontst3ad.jpg

http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/9819/may0706royalbank9rh.jpg

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/7258/may0706hockeyhalloffameii3qt.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/2617/may0706hockeyhalloffamei3qn.jpg

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/9946/may0706hockeyhalloffamecarving.jpg

http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/384/may0706tdcentrev8sl.jpg

http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/8200/may0706tdcentrecow7ga.jpg

http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/8213/may0706stmichaelscathedralcath.jpg

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/6105/may0706stlawrencehalli5wm.jpg

Birthplace of Canadian painter Paul Kane:

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/512/april3006paulkanehousei5hh.jpg

And a wander to watch a movie downtown before toddling off home. Parting shot: City TV station on Queen Street:

http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/2816/may0706citytv4cl.jpg

And then, awa' tae bed.

Another fine day, so on May 17 I set out to enjoy the wonders of Queen's Park. This
glorious park was a "planned" park... laid out and designed in 1860, and named after
the reigning Queen Victoria.

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1942/may0706queensparkiii7vm.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9333/may0706queensparkiv1ie.jpg

Our provincial legislative buildings:

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/3379/may0706queensparklegislatureii.jpg

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/6555/may0706queensparklookingnorth5.jpg

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/1707/may0706queensparkjusticestatue.jpg

and across the road to the University of Toronto. The largest university in Canada,
this magnificent downtown campus was granted by Royal Charter in 1827. The
grounds are a peaceful oasis in the rush of downtown life... join me on this spring
tour! Let us start with the 1866 momument to volunteers:

http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/3773/may0706uoftvolunteersmonument1.jpg

http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/2569/may0706uoftuniversitycollegese.jpg

http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/3118/may0706uoftuniversitycollegepo.jpg

http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/2347/may0706uoftuniversitycollegeii.jpg

http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/8821/may0706uoftuniversitycollegeco.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/7497/may0706uofttrinitycollegei7zn.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/3533/may0706uofttrinitycollege1lr.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/9793/may0706uofttrinitycollegeinter.jpg

http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/5118/may0706uofttrinitycollegeiii2e.jpg

A couple of lovely stained glass windows installed in old Trinity College in 1949. The
first depicts a hockey scene:

http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/6127/may0706uoftstainedglasswindow8.jpg

and the second looks eerily like Harry Potter:

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/8640/may0706uoftstainedglasswindowi.jpg

who I am sure would have felt right at home in the old halls , such as this one
from Hart House:

http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/2891/2005sept18universityoftorontoh.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/7238/oct2404harthouseiijpg8kj.jpg

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/2891/2005sept18universityoftorontoh.jpg

The old Observatory:

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/8639/may0706uoftobservatory3fe.jpg

Old cannons found in the harbour of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia, that were sunk in a
battle in 1750, and transported to the University to take their place on the lawns:

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/787/may0706uoftlousiburgcannon1758.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/4817/may0706uoftharthouse4fy.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/9355/may0706uoftcampusx1oq.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2710/may0706uoftcampusviii9fz.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6037/may0706uoftcampusvii9ch.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/3286/may0706uoftcampusvi0kv.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6630/may0706uoftcampusv6px.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/1858/may0706uoftcampusstatuei7ej.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/333/may0706uoftcampusiii9ie.jpg

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/4062/may0706uoftcampusii6wj.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1084/may0706uoftcampusi0hf.jpg

And leaving the campus, we travel south on University Avenue. This is the "Avenue d'etat" of Toronto... a grand boulevard sweeping through the heart of the business district:

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/7039/may0706universityave8fd.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9913/may0706universityavestatue4nh.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8822/may0706universityavelookingnor1.jpg

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/4540/may0706universityavei7tp.jpg


and a visit to the gracious Osgoode Hall; home of the Law Society of Upper Canada,
and built around 1830:

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/5372/may0706osgoodehall9kl.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/7440/may0706osgoodehallxv8rf.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/5449/may0706osgoodehallxii8ki.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9028/may0706osgoodehalli3au.jpg

I've more pictures, but will save them for another day. Thanks for putting up with
all the heavy downloading!! Cheers!

Very beautiful photographs! :):)

great pics TB thanks for sharing....


wait a minute!!.......TB ??!

lol

Your pictures are amazing man! You make me very proud to be a Torontonian!

beautiful pics, as usual!! :D
ah I love living in Toronto..I wish I can take a few days just to explore downtown. It would be so fun hehe

Great pics:D:D

This city has many angles. If only... I could live in such a place.

Oh wait. I do.

Hey guys, thanks for the nice comments! Next posting will be some more residential from old Rosedale, and who knows what else! Cheers! :booze:

Thanks again TB for showing so many different sides of TO to us...
'T is a world city indeed!

oh the good old TO! i miss u!!

wow T'B... i love this thread so much. great pictures, and each page is really easy to load, so don't hold yourself back. POST MORE!!

OMG TB, You rock my socks!!:D:D

Sick gallery, great pics of the most "napicnuti" grad I've ever lived in:D

Incredible

Thanks guys!! :)

Before I dash off to work, here are some pics that didn't make the cut, but I liked for
whatever goofy reason. Starting with the 1840's House Of Industry which I like mostly
for its name!

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/8906/may0806houseofindustrybldg4fp.jpg

Statue detail almost obliterated by weathering:

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/3773/may0706uoftvolunteersmonument1.jpg

me in a purple haze:

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/7690/may0706tdcentrepurple7nh.jpg

A clever subway advertisment for the upcoming Toronto Jewish Film Festival. Makes me want to go and see some of the movies!!

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/8199/may0706innerjew2it.jpg

a liquour store in Old Town

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/4800/may0706frontstiisepia8ds.jpg

Our Flatiron Building:

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/2351/may0706frontstflatironbldg8ti.jpg

A byzantine church on Bond Street:

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/2700/may0706byzantianchurchbondst4i.jpg

an apartment building in my 'hood

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/627/may0606100wellesley6hp.jpg

City Hall during Tulip season:

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/7791/may0506cityhalltulipsi2xk.jpg

a manhole cover installed in 1889 and still doing its job well today. Speaks volumes for
the quality of work then:

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/7233/may13061889manholecover9kr.jpg

And finally, I don't know how I missed this little guy. He is a fierocious monster from
old China who guards the entrance to the Royal Ontario Museum. He looks pissed off!!

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/226/may1306rom0ss.jpg

ok. I'm outta here. Dang.. just started to rain as I leave for work. Sheesh.

There are parts of Toronto that I have still not seen, and this makes me
want to see them. Beautiful pictures, and please post more!

Nice pics.

The pics are great, however, it is the commentary that makes this thread special. Keep up the good work.

Thanks guys! I like to chose pix that have a bit of a story attached to them! I was going to be lazy and not post pix from this past couple of weeks, but Hey! now I am here I may as well put some on. They are just all jumbled up and are from various areas downtown. Let's start on May 09 with a bicycle tour around Rosedale. Rosedale
was Toronto's first bedroom suburb, and took its name from an old 1821 farmhouse there called Rosedale Villa. It quickly became a leafy retreat for the elite of Toronto, and to this day is home to many of Toronto's older, monied elite families. There are neighbourhoods of bigger, flashier, newer homes... but none have more charm or cachet than these gracious residences. The first picture shows the relation of Rosedale to downtown Toronto:

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/9996/may0906rosedalei5er.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/684/may0906rosedalexjpg5by.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/6199/may0906rosedalestonecottage8sf.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/705/may0906rosedalesceneiv5ln.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/2067/may0906rosedalesceneiii7dz.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/9273/may0906rosedalescenei5ae.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/8260/may0906rosedaleplaquere1821cot.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/3498/may0906rosedaleii8ad.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/5535/may0906rosedaleiscene4gw.jpg

The day I rode my bike through, almost all of the houses had their gardeners out working to make the grounds ready for summer. This is not the type of neighbourhood
where the family has to get out and plant the pansies themselves... Even new homes in this neighbourhood make a supreme effort to fit in with the older ones:

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/9493/may0906rosedalegerryschwartzho.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/5073/may0906rosedalecherryblossoms3.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/4074/may0906rosedalecherryblossomsi1.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/3507/may0906rosedalecherryblossomsi.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/705/may0906rosedalexxxiiv2et.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/8813/may0906rosedalexxxiii5gk.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/3952/may0906rosedalexxxii4se.jpg

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/2223/may0906rosedalexxx5ng.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/1407/may0906rosedalexxviii6sd.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/2080/may0906rosedalexxvii3ry.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5817/may0906rosedalexxix9yb.jpg

http://img447.imageshack.us/img447/5385/may0906rosedalexxiv1gc.jpg

http://img447.imageshack.us/img447/7979/may0906rosedalexxi7wj.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8134/may0906rosedalexvii9ry.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5909/may0906rosedalexiii8pe.jpg

http://img447.imageshack.us/img447/8129/may0906rosedalexii2qe.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8547/may0906rosedaleiviii1xf.jpg

I can just see myself living here:

http://img447.imageshack.us/img447/7446/may0906rosedaleiiv2ai.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/2029/may0906rosedaleiii1es.jpg

http://img447.imageshack.us/img447/9181/may0906rosedalei5jj.jpg

And cycling back downtown I noticed one of my favourite reno's of an old apartment
building to a very smart condo.

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/6373/may1306condoatroxborough7yg.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/3577/may1306condoatroxboroughii1pa.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/3936/may1306condoatroxboroughi4tk.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8821/may1306hahnandcoi9wp.jpg

Beside the Rosedale Subway Station:

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/830/may1306rosedalesubwaystn7sr.jpg

Ridpaths, an old Toronto furniture shop to the wealthy:

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8967/may1306yongestridpaths7tc.jpg

Now fast forward to today, where I rode my bike downtown. First stopped in at St Lawrence Market for my lunch. This market started over 200 years ago as a farmer's
market, and is still much loved by Torontonians. Wonderful meats, vegetables, cheeses, fish and just about anything else can be bought here:

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3131/may2306stlawrencemarket200year1.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8651/may2306stlawrencemarket200year.jpg

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/7884/may2306frontstflatironautosett.jpg

Popping into St James Cathedral, where an organ recital was about to begin:

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9181/may2306stjamescathedralinterio.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/9181/may2306stjamescathedralinterio.jpg

This window is called an Amity (friendship window) to display the connection at the time of King George V between England/Canada/South Africa/Australia, NZ, etc... the quality is high, and the window was made by Tiffanys. It felt surreal taking the pix as Sir Edgar Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance crashed away in the background from the organ recital:

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8113/may2306stjamesgeorgevwindow9kh.jpg

One of the older gravestones from the church, laid in 1817:

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1121/may2306johnrideoutsgravestone1.jpg

One of the two oldest Post Office buildings standing in TO, and now headquarters for
the embattled Hollinger, Inc

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4339/may2306postoffice1tw.jpg

Annesley Hall, part of the University of Toronto:

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/5834/may1306queensparkannesleyhalli.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/610/may2306frontstlookingdowntown6.jpg

One night we went to a Brazilian restaurant, located up in the original Little Italy:

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/8941/may2206stclairlittleitaly6lu.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/1087/may2206stclairrio401gl.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/1430/may2206stclairrio40ii1bf.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/539/may2206stclairrio40i9ux.jpg

and in closing some pix I took last weekend in my neighbourhood, one some of the
streets I walk my dogs on. So, these are from the gay village, and nearby Cabbagetown:

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/8116/may2206wisteriatime7ue.jpg

http://img464.imageshack.us/img464/9966/may2206villageareai3da.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/8690/may2206villageareavi4dn.jpg

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/4565/may2206cabbagetowniv2pd.jpg

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/3631/may2206cabbagetownvi4ur.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/6392/may2206riverdalenecropolis9ep.jpg

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/9418/may2206riverdalecemetary1au.jpg

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/1844/may2206riverdaledogwoodi2xu.jpg

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/7804/may2206riverdalesimpsonhousefo.jpg

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/5769/may2206cabbagetownrhododendron.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/6740/may2206villageareavi9nw.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/3206/may2206villageareavii4jl.jpg

http://img285.imageshack.us/img285/3159/may2206riverdalesimpsonhouse7u.jpg

And a dear old lion having a snooze after protecting this tombstone for the past 150 years ( I'd want a nap, too)

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/7607/may2206riverdalecemetarylionse.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/7014/may2206riverdalecemetaryiii1zj.jpg

Nothing is as pretty as dogwood in full bloom:

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/5974/may2206riverdaledogwood8fr.jpg

Hope you liked tonight's tour, and I am so exhausted I am going straight to bed!!!
Cheers!

I been to the city a hundrend times and have not seen half these thigs.

Maybe i should get off young street more.

I been to the city a hundrend times and have not seen half these thigs.

Maybe i should get off young street more.

I think you said you have kids, so you can make some cheap but fun family
outings for Sunday afternoons. Nothing more fun than taking the kids to the
petting zoo at Riverdale farm. Take your camera along and share it with us! :cheers:
Pix from the last 18 hours... first coming home on my bike last night past the
rather grand entrance of the Princess Margaret Hospital with its superb broken pediment. If I had to take a broken arm anywhere, I would feel slightly better entering a grand portal like this! ;)

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/4915/may2406princessmargarethospita.jpg

Pix from walking the dogs.. just got back into my apartment.

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/6010/may2406cawthrapark3im.jpg

Cawthra Park, where I walk the dogs every day:

http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/2166/may2406cawthraviewtomonteithst.jpg

If you go through the portal shown, you come across charming Victorian rowhouses... if you look on the RHS, this is the townhouse where a Toronto
barber and his wife had a baby in 1892 named Roy Herbert Thompson. I wonder if Roy, when playing on the steps of these townhouses, had any inkling that someday he would own a huge international fleet of newspapers including The Times of London. He was to become, of course, the famous
Lord Thompson of Fleet.

http://img478.imageshack.us/img478/9219/may2406monteithstlordthompsono.jpg

If you walk down my street, Church Street, be sure to look up at the rooflines of the old Victorian houses. There are some fanciful ones that I
love to gaze upon:

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/2684/may2406churchstrooflines0kl.jpg

Around the corner, and the dogs lead me to a very English style garden of
Rhododendrons and Azaleas. I refuse to let them pee on one:

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7453/may2406charlesstgardenrhododen.jpg

One of the hundreds of elegant old brownstone apartment blocks downtown, built to last in the 1800's. This whimsical old one always makes me smile! Plus
I love the late Victorian Art Moderne lettering they used for the rather grand-
sounding "St Charles Court"... the little white lions guarding the entrance look
far from ferocious and appear to be swatting flies.

http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/2016/may2406stcharlescourt6aq.jpg

not really i am only 19, however i am planning to move downtown in a few years.

Its sad that when most people think of Toronto they think of the CBD and young street(even though are nice areas), but there is soooooooooooo much more.

Ahh... I thought you were older! Well, the sooner you get downtown the better!!

Rosedale looks like such a beautiful neighbourhood!

I haven't even seen half of the places you've posted either. I would love to though. I'm hoping to move downtown if I can get into U of T ;]

Thanks parisuite! Rosedale is gorgeous, and would be my number one choice of neighbourhood to live in if I were filthy rich (which sadly I am not). Even if you
do not get into UofT, you should move downtown anyway!

Taller... the biggest compliment I can pay you sounds a little trite: "I like your attitude".


And your pictures (seen em all).


And your drugs since anyone this positive must be medicated.

Can I have some? preferrably generic (slow year).

LOL! I'm not positive about everything... that's why I tend to be selective about what
I photograph! ;) If I had one wish for our city it is that we had more and older historical buildings... but seeing as we don't I just enjoy what we have, to the max!
When I first moved to TO, I had just come out of University with a lot of Bauhausian training and had pretty much been taught to scorn Victorian architecture. Bit by bit
I overcame this predjudice, and the charm and romance of it all soon swept me up.
I guess in Toronto we are building our architectural heritage at the moment, as opposed to having it already here for the past 500 years.
As for medication, may I prescribe the odd cold Brahma to counteract negativity!! :)

Fantastic pictures, T,B.
Love the spring time pics. Toronto is sooooo beautiful.

Thanks Wildchild! Where are you from?
I didn't do a major photo shoot yesterday or today; been busy so just snapped
a few pix here and there. Firstly, here is a nice example of an old Victorian building
being saved as part of the wave of condos sweeping the city. This old building used to be a community centre, and played host to "Homo Hops" back in the early 70's.
Times changed, and need for such a space decreased, so this condo development, Jazz, was built:

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/634/may2306jazzonchurchst0qc.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/8000/may2306jazzonchurchsti6aq.jpg

While walking my ever patient dogs this morning, I snapped a couple of pix at neighbouring old homes on Jarvis Avenue. Jarvis was once THE street to have a
smart house or townhouse on, in Toronto. There are wonderful examples of "Robber-Baron" houses that are all Victorian, and range in style from this fanciful Mock
Medieval:

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/848/may2606jarvissthomesjpg3et.jpg

to more classical Georgian:

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/647/may2606jarvissthomesi7jk.jpg

A popular style for both residential and public buildings in Toronto during Victorian times
was Romanesque.. here is an example on St. Joseph Street that caught my eye:

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9725/may2606stjosephstchalmershouse.jpg

And some earlier Victorian townhouses from about 1850, that probably had the Mansard rooflines installed twenty years later as a "modernisation":

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/7620/may2606stjosephsttownhouses1pn.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8764/may2606stjosephsttownhousesii7.jpg

I just got home after seeing DaVinci Code, and was famished, so stopped at my "local"
for some take-out Buffalo Wings. The patio was packed with people taking advantage
of the warmer weather:

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/8836/may2606theartfuldodger8em.jpg

And, I have to say, the wings were most excellent! Night!

Beatiful shots of Toronto, good work.

Taller,Better,

I live in Michigan, and at the tender age of 24 I've had the privilege of travelling to many places such as : Paris, NYC, Tokyo, Sydney, Istanbul, just to name a few.
I've also visited Canada's top 3 cities(TO-MTL-VAN), and without a doubt Toronto is my favorite city. It's a city which always feels like home and in the future it will be!

Taller,Better,

I live in Michigan, and at the tender age of 24 I've had the privilege of travelling to many places such as : Paris, NYC, Tokyo, Sydney, Istanbul, just to name a few.
I've also visited Canada's top 3 cities(TO-MTL-VAN), and without a doubt Toronto is my favorite city. It's a city which always feels like home and in the future it will be!

Looks like we've hooked another one!

I suggest that you move to The Beach. :)

Great picks TB.

I suggest that you move to The Beach. :)


Is that near the Beaches?

LOL!! Hey Wildchild, good to hear you are a TO convert. All are welcome! Finally the dreary rainshowers seem to have left, and it felt much warmer tonight as I cycled home from work. A few random shot... first, our Legislature Building:

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3742/may2706legislature8cx.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/7936/may2706lachancewindow7yv.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/39/may2706charlesst5ko.jpg

This is an awsome thread... *subscribes to updates*...

Taller, Better

In return for your interesting phototour of "Polish" Toronto, I was willing to show some "Canada in Warsaw". Well, your country's embassy is all I found in my archives, hmmm... but I hope you enjoy these two pics.

Canada's representation is behind the trees. Here's how it looks in autumn and in winter. It's a very prestigious place, our Parliament is nearby.

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/8615/1002181net2jk.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/6007/1002973net4yo.jpg

Excuse me for this little offtopic. ;)

Is that near the Beaches?

I don't know. Are you talking about the eastern beaches, or the western beaches? Is the Beaches near the lake? :runaway:

Taller, Better

In return for your interesting phototour of "Polish" Toronto, I was willing to show some "Canada in Warsaw". Well, your country's embassy is all I found in my archives, hmmm... but I hope you enjoy these two pics.

Canada's representation is behind the trees. Here's how it looks in autumn and in winter. It's a very prestigious place, our Parliament is nearby.


Excuse me for this little offtopic. ;)

Hey Vars, thanks so much for the cool pix!! I love those shots! Not off topic
at all. The Polish Consulate in TO is a very handsome and large old Victorian house.
I will have new pix to post soon from this past weekend!

I finally got my pictures from last weekend organised. The annual "Doors Open Toronto"
was held, with the added bonus of sunny, hot weather. Doors Open features 144 buildings/spaces that open up to the public for tours, free of charge. It started out as a one time only event to celebrate the millenium in 2000, but proved so wildly popular that it has become annual. Torontonians love their architecture, and the crowds are immense. I used my bicycle for greater agility and was able to hit about 30 places over the two days. I'll start with my favourite, the 54th floor of the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower. The tower, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, was completed in 1967, and looks as fresh and contemporary today as it did then. Very similar in design to The Seagram Building in New York, this marked the beginning of this newer style of highrise office towers in Toronto. Here are some views I snapped:

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/2364/april0906downtownshotstdbetter.jpg

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/2133/may2706tdcentreviews4bh.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/340/may2706tdcentreviewsvi7ut.jpg

http://img439.imageshack.us/img439/2886/may2706tdcentreviewsiv4zv.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/7919/may2706tdcentreviewsiii4yf.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4681/may2706tdcentreviewsii2ay.jpg

http://img331.imageshack.us/img331/4232/may2706tdcentreviewsxii7pm.jpg

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/17/may2706tdcentreviewsx3lj.jpg

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/391/may2706tdcentreviewsi2il.jpg

As was van der Rohe's style, every minute detail has his touch, including of course all the furniture. Here are his famous Barcelona chairs:

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/7391/may2706tdcentrebarcelonachairs.jpg

and here is the 11 metre boardroom table, cut from a single tree:

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/1774/may2706tdcentre11metretable9fa.jpg

Then, down the street a few paces to a much older style of "skyscraper". Commerce Court North, completed in 1931 in a beautiful Art Deco style, was the tallest building in the British Commonwealth from 1931-1962. The immense banking hall is very grand and luxe in finishes.. a sight to behold.

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/1208/2005sept18cibcbldgsoldnewi3lu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/3739/may2706commercecourtnorth2we.jpg

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/6803/may2706commercecourtnorth19277.jpg

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/7310/may2706commercecourtcofferedce.jpg

Next stop, on the same famous King Street, is a newly renovated office tower from 1913, that has had an elegant, slim condominium tower built behind it. The old Dominion Bank looks fresh and sparkling after the conversion:

http://img322.imageshack.us/img322/2120/may2806onekingw7hu.jpg

the massive walk in vault:

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/7153/may2806onekingwestwalkinvault0.jpg

Views from the boardroom penthouse of the old banking building:

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/4118/may2806onekingwestviewfrboardr1.jpg


http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8236/may2806onekingwestviewfrboardr.jpg

http://img322.imageshack.us/img322/1628/may2806onekingwestiv4vj.jpg

http://img322.imageshack.us/img322/6636/may2806onekingwesti3kg.jpg

http://img322.imageshack.us/img322/316/may2806onekingwmainboardroomwa.jpg

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/5085/may2806onekingwestii0ro.jpg

http://img317.imageshack.us/img317/1204/may28061kingwestdominionclub0n.jpg

Next stop, the much loved Canada Life Building on University Avenue. Built in 1931 in a neo-classical Beaux Arts style, it has remained a landmark on The Avenue since day 1:

http://img328.imageshack.us/img328/4708/may2706canadalifebldg6et.jpg

views from the observation tower

http://img426.imageshack.us/img426/5314/may2706canadalifebldgviewii9lz.jpg

Nearby, the beautiful 1928 University Club, modelled after the famous Boodles club in London, it is regarded as one of the finest examples of classical architecture in Canada. It houses a very important collection of Canadian art from "The Group of Seven":

http://img331.imageshack.us/img331/4939/may2706universityclubafterbood.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4939/may2706universityclubafterbood.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/9472/may2706universityclubhallway4m.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/425/may2706universityclubroom4va.jpg

Then it is outside and back onto the Avenue, with a spectacular view of the brand new "Canadian Opera Company" Opera House:

http://img331.imageshack.us/img331/3254/may2706universityavenuei3zt.jpg

Next a short bike ride North on the Avenue to the University of Toronto campus, where several buildings were open for tours. First The Soldier's Tower, built to commemorate the men and women of the University who died fighting in World War I:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2710/may0706uoftcampusviii9fz.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/1417/may2706uoftsoldierstower2rh.jpg

http://img439.imageshack.us/img439/6470/may2706uoftsoldierstowerwindow.jpg

an interesting building detail on Hart House:

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/1411/may2706uoftharthouse4fe.jpg

and the grand University College building of 1856:

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/9355/may0706uoftcampusx1oq.jpg

http://img317.imageshack.us/img317/2721/may2706uoftuniversitycollegewi.jpg

http://img435.imageshack.us/img435/5296/may2706uoftuniversitycollegeii.jpg

I will post more pictures later today, but now must dash to a dentist appointment! ;)

There, glad that dentist thing is out of the way. Next we move on to one of the most
beautiful Art Moderne spaces in North America - The Carlu. In 1931, Lady Eaton commissioned Jacques Carlu to design a recital hall and dining area that would be the jewel of Eaton's Uptown Department store. Carlu, who was from Paris, was of course famous for designing the interior of what I believe to be the most beautiful ship ever built- The Normandie. Buoyed by the success of the stunning space he created, Carlu then went on to create the famous Rainbow Room in the Rockefeller Center in NYC. Here are some pictures I took at the Carlu. I start with a photo of the beautiful Art Deco College Park store, of which the Carlu is on the 7th floor:

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/8045/nov1205collegepark7ux.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img317.imageshack.us/img317/8793/may2806carluii8vc.jpg

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/3678/may2806carluiii8bk.jpg

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/115/may2806carluix8es.jpg

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/5295/may2806carluvii1th.jpg

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/8061/may2806carluviii2xx.jpg

Here are details of some of the wall murals painted by Carlu's daughter Natacha:

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/8391/may2806carlumuralsbynatachacar.jpg

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/8391/may2806carlumuralsbynatachacar.jpg

I am sure the good Lady Eaton was rightfully proud of this jewel that she brought to our city. Now, for variety, some Toronto churchs. First, St Paul's Basilica, built in 1887 in the style of the Italian Renaissance style St Paul's Outside the Walls. It is the only official Minor Basilica in Toronto, and was built to serve the poor Irish Catholic immigrants who flocked to Toronto to live and work. Recently the magnificent interior was cleaned and restored to its original glory. Enjoy!

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/1179/may2806stpaulsbasilica1887i0ea.jpg

http://img312.imageshack.us/img312/4898/may2806stpaulsbasilica1887inte.jpg

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/4898/may2806stpaulsbasilica1887inte.jpg

http://img359.imageshack.us/img359/2804/may2806stpaulsbasilica1887inte1.jpg

http://img312.imageshack.us/img312/2804/may2806stpaulsbasilica1887inte1.jpg

And, only a block away, let us compare it to an Anglican church that was built in 1844 to serve poor Irish immigrants as well, but Protestant ones. This is the oldest church building still standing in Toronto, and suffered a fire in the 50's:

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/2475/may2806littletrinitychurch1844.jpg

http://img431.imageshack.us/img431/2475/may2806littletrinitychurch1844.jpg

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2475/may2806littletrinitychurch1844.jpg

http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/2475/may2806littletrinitychurch1844.jpg

And now for something completely different!!! St George's Greek Orthodox Church, which started out life in 1890 as the Holy Blossom Synagogue, and converted to Greek Orthodox in 1937. The lush interiors were painted by the Pachomaioi monks:

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/5157/may2806stgeorgesgreekorthodox2.jpg

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5157/may2806stgeorgesgreekorthodox2.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/1553/may2806stgeorgesgreekorthodox1.jpg

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1553/may2806stgeorgesgreekorthodox1.jpg

I feasted on traditional Greek foods in the basement, made with love by a group of Greek grandmothers. When I asked for a Coke, one wagged her finger at me and playfully said: "No Coke. Orange Juice only. Is good for you, has fibre"!!

I spotted an interesting building on the way as I cycled. Here is the SAS building, built with environmental technology and planning:

http://img476.imageshack.us/img476/4586/may2806sasbuildingi0dn.jpg

also drove past the whimsical Paradise Cafe, which appears to have closed, sadly. They've closed Paradise, but not put a parking lot just yet...

http://img322.imageshack.us/img322/9811/may2806queenstreetparadise6jw.jpg

A live Swing Band entertaining the troups for free on King St East:

http://img312.imageshack.us/img312/3185/may2806uptownswingband5lm.jpg

One of Toronto's most cherished buildings, The Gooderham Flatiron Building, built in 1892 on a small wedge of land, in a combination of Gothic Revival and Romanesque styles. It predates the Flatiron Building in New York City by ten years.

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/6116/may2906frontstflatiron7np.jpg

and another solid Victorian Gooderham building built entirely in the Romanesque style:

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/6350/may2906gooderhambuilding2bc.jpg

And, one of my favourite downtown Churches, the Anglican St. Jame's Cathedral built in a Gothic Revival style in 1853:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/9989/may2906stjamescathedralviewxi6.jpg

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/1323/may2906stjamescathedraljpg4bd.jpg

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/88/may2906stjamescathedralshotjpg.jpg

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/4197/may2806stjamescathedraliv1vx.jpg

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/482/may2806stjamescathedralii8xk.jpg

And one last church, so as not to burn you all out, as this one has a spectacularily pretty stained glass window. Also one of the oldest churches in Toronto, The Holy Trinity was built in 1847 by the grace of a good lady in Yorkshire, who left money in her will for the building of a Free Anglican Church in Toronto. At the time, people were always charged money to rent a pew.... this lady was opposed to the concept and wanted a free church to be enjoyed by all:

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9517/may0506holytrinitychurch18472o.jpg

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/8210/may0506holytrinitychurch1847i7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img431.imageshack.us/img431/6492/may2806holytrinity18470zw.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9589/may2806holytrinity1847i5qp.jpg

and the spectacular window created by a Toronto stained glass firm, McCauslands, around 1850. They are still in business to this very day.
Mr McCausland had the good sense to marry the daughter of a powerful Torontonian, and enjoyed many plum projects after that wise decision:

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/5775/may2806holytrinity1847mccausla.jpg

Moving on now to a Toronto landmark, Osgoode Hall which was built in 1832(with additions since), and which houses the Law Society of Upper Canada. The facade looks the same today as it did in 1860:

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9028/may0706osgoodehalli3au.jpg

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/2197/may2706osgoodehall5na.jpg

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/5588/may2706osgoodehallskylight4yi.jpg

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/8684/may2706osgoodehallmainhall1pt.jpg

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/6704/may2706osgoodehalljustice5eg.jpg

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/856/may2706osgoodehallceilingi5vr.jpg

Next stop, Firehall Number 4, built in 1903, now The Alumnae Theatre:

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/9676/may2806firehall419036fw.jpg
It is on Berkely Street, with its charming cobblestones in front of Victorian rowhouses:

http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/3811/may2806berkeleystcobblestones7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

And speaking of charming Victorian rowhouses, there is one particulariy cute row built in 1879 on Clarence Square. They are in the shadow of The CN Tower, and God only knows how they survived to this day:

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/5176/may2806clarencesquare2db.jpg

One departure from the 143 buildings on Doors Open, is one Tall Ship! The Empire Sandy which was requisitioned by the British Government during WWII, and used as a tug. Today it is a pleasure yacht which can be rented out for harbour cruises..

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/4531/may2806harbourfrontempiresandy1.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/4531/may2806harbourfrontempiresandy1.jpg

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/1578/may2806harbourfrontempiresandy.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1578/may2806harbourfrontempiresandy.jpg

While down on Harbourfront, I snapped a few pictures:

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/4826/may2806harbourfrontcaptainjohn.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/8876/may2806harbourfrontboardwalk8c.jpg

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/3426/may2806harbourfrontlookingnort.jpg

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/3426/may2806harbourfrontlookingnort.jpg

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/6089/may2806boatrides4zu.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1892/may2806harbourfrontscenesviii4.jpg

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/3474/may2806harbourfrontscenesvii5t.jpg

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2136/may2806harbourfrontscenesvi8pv.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1653/may2806harbourfrontscenesiii5n.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/8595/may2806harbourfrontscenesii3nu.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/207/may2806harbourfrontscenesi8ml.jpg

I will revisit Harbourfront in the summer to take more pictures.

And finally The Royal Canadian Military Insitute (1890) on University Avenue:

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/2391/may2706royalcanadianmilitaryin.jpg

With a spectacular collection of antique toy soldiers:

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/6483/may2706royalcanadianmilitaryin1.jpg

On Monday, the temperatures soared to 34C, so I hopped on the ferry to the Toronto Islands, to enjoy a cooler day soaking up the beauty of these largely undeveloped islands.

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/6457/may2906ferriestoislands5dj.jpg

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/8210/may2906torontoislandsviewdtwni.jpg

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/5647/may2906torontoislandshanlansdo.jpg

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/7056/may2906torontoislandsviewdtwn4.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9595/may2906torontoislandsswanbridg.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/6448/may2906torontoislandspond1qh.jpg

The Southern tip of Toronto is a beach:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7002/may2906torontoislandssouthernt.jpg

A City of Toronto nude beach on Hanlan's Point (taken at a discreet distance! ;) )

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/1628/may2906torontoislandshanlansbe.jpg

A 200 year old Lighthouse that is allegedly haunted!!

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/8338/may2906torontoislandsgibralter.jpg

A cheeky swan who wouldn't stop pestering me at lunch til I tossed him a french fry

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9535/may2906torontoislandsswan6cq.jpg

The peaceful, bucolic charm of the islands is everywhere you look...

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/2835/may2906torontoislands6lr.jpg

A statue of a famous Canadian rower Ned Hanlan, after whom part of the Islands is named:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2301/may2906torontoislandsnedhanlan.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8313/may2906torontoislandsmap0me.jpg

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/6421/may2906torontoislandsi6jb.jpg

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/6462/may2906torontoislandsferryi7do.jpg

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/9992/may2906torontoislandscentrevil2.jpg

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/5640/may2906torontoislandscentrevil1.jpg

And Centreville, a children's amusement park not yet open for the summer:

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/4161/may2906torontoislandscentrevil3.jpg

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/9992/may2906torontoislandscentrevil2.jpg

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/8334/may2906torontoislandscentrevil.jpg

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/5640/may2906torontoislandscentrevil1.jpg

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/8334/may2906torontoislandscentrevil.jpg

and finally a few leftover pics that didn't seem to fit into anywhere!

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/8666/may2906stlawrencemarket1ft.jpg

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/9303/may2906stjamescathedralbust0eq.jpg

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/3677/may2906kingstlamaquettei3bd.jpg

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/332/may2906kingst6rf.jpg

http://img317.imageshack.us/img317/2339/may2806bistro9900gj.jpg

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/7729/may2906frontstwhalesmural1fk.jpg

City Hall by day:

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/8078/may2706cityhallangle8dz.jpg

and a parting shot of City Hall by night

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/7183/may2706cityhallbelltower8ez.jpg

Thanks to everyone who joined me on this tour today! :hi:

Fabulous set. I enjoyed your commentary thoroughly.

I haven't been inside any of those churches. The frescos and ceiling murals are very nice.

Especially St. Paul's
http://img312.imageshack.us/img312/4898/may2806stpaulsbasilica1887inte.jpg

So good it hurt...

Nice photos. Just about killed my computer though. :lol:

Thanks guys!! :) I worry about it crashing people's computers so let me know if I get too many pix!
I, too was a bit shocked at St Paul's... I did not expect it to be that beautiful.
I have always loved the exterior, though... one does not expect to find an Italian Renaissance Church in Toronto! Just wasn't a style that caught on here. We are so lucky to have Doors Open... next year I will have my new, better camera.

A few signs of summer that I saw while out walking the dogs through Cabbagetown this afternoon. Rhododendrums- these are as big as they will grow here in TO as the
winters are too cold to get as luxuriant as they are in Vancouver:

http://img431.imageshack.us/img431/969/jun0206rhododendronssackvillea.jpg

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/3567/jun0206cabbagetownirisesandang.jpg

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/318/jun0206cabbagetownlabrunum3mi.jpg

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/1438/jun0206cabbagetownwindowbox5my.jpg

Here is a bush that leaves a thick carpet of white petals on the sidewalk:

http://img285.imageshack.us/img285/5214/jun0206cabbagetowntreewithpeta.jpg

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/5214/jun0206cabbagetowntreewithpeta.jpg

One of a hundred cute little doll-sized old brick cottages in the area:

http://img285.imageshack.us/img285/1092/jun0206cabbagetowntinycottage6.jpg

White picket fence with poppies:

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/1560/jun0206cabbagetownpoppiesandap.jpg

and a nearby apartment building with irises and peonies

http://img333.imageshack.us/img333/6326/jun0206100wellesleyirisespeoni.jpg

i cant believe i had to miss open doors this year as i am out of town. it looks like it was
amazing this year! great fotos btw

It was my first Doors Open, really, as I had been put off by a big lineup at the Carlu one year. Takes planning and determination, but it is sooooo worth it!

http://static.flickr.com/56/159545690_6d4dece5ec_b.jpg

This old building used to be a community centre, and played host to "Homo Hops" back in the early 70's.

So, um, the obvious question being, have u ever gone to one of these "homo hops"?

But I must warn u, if u say yes, there's a very good chance I'll never stop laughing. :lol:

Incredible pics btw. Some of the best TO if ever seen on here in fact.

^^^ No, never did any homo-hopping.... those were the days before I moved to TO! :) Here are some more pix from the last couple of weeks. I got a new camera, and have had fun playing with it. First stop, Kensington Market. This is one of the last remaining open air markets in North America, and most definitely there is no other place like it in Canada. It was started about 100 years ago by Jewish immigrants, who created a little self contained village by adding shops to their houses. Over the years Kensington has remained popular with new immigrants, but most of the original Jewish population moved to better parts of town in the 50's. They were replaced by Italians, Ukrainians, Hungarians, South America and people from the Caribbean. There were plans to demolish it in the 60's to create a new urban development, but luckily a new mayor, David Crombie, put the kybosh on the idea. I suppose he was one of those NIMBY'S that get skewered daily on SSC! ;) It remains slightly grubby, rundown and a bit ramshackle... but also remains one of the most fascinating area of our City! And besides.... how can you not love a neighbourhood with a store like this?

http://img474.imageshack.us/img474/28/jun1206kensingtonroachorama4mp.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/7031/jun1206kensingtonmarketaa6wq.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/2066/jun1206kensingtonmarketaai7fx.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/8322/jun1206kensingtonmarketaaiii1i.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4187/jun1206kensingtonmarketaav5yy.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/9245/jun1206kensingtonmarketaavi1ky.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/6171/jun1206kensingtonmarketaavii6p.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/8725/jun1206kensingtonmarketaaviii9.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9590/jun1206kensingtonmarketaavx9az.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9346/jun1206kensingtonmarketaavxii9.jpg

The last time I spent any time in Kensington was about 15 years ago. At that time it
was even more authentically old time European, with cages of live chickens for sale on the sidewalks, and the fish stores had fish spread out on ice. I have to say, as I walked down these streets last Monday, that this is the only area in Canada or the USA that I have ever been that really reminded me of Sao Paolo in Brasil. The open air shops with clothing hung on the front of the run down shops, the graffiti and painting on the shop walls.... the exotic goods for sale in bins. Took me back to Brasil!

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7325/jun1206kensingtonmarketc4by.jpg

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/9707/jun1206kensingtonmarketbvxiii3.jpg

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/4639/jun1206kensingtonmarketbvxii1l.jpg

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/5191/jun1206kensingtonmarketbvxi6mu.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2202/jun1206kensingtonmarketbviii7y.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9674/jun1206kensingtonmarketavi0pq.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/4305/jun1206kensingtonmarketavii5kg.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4871/jun1206kensingtonmarketaviii9b.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8741/jun1206kensingtonmarketavix8by.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5813/jun1206kensingtonmarketavxii0g.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/4617/jun1206kensingtonmarketbii3oq.jpg

a group of British tourists that appeared to be totally lost:

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/743/jun1206kensingtonmarketbritish.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/224/jun1206kensingtonmarketbiv2gy.jpg

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/1529/jun1206kensingtonmarketbvii2wd.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6083/jun1206kensingtonmarketbv1bq.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6264/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvxx4rc.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9594/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvxi5dm.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/3614/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvx3gp.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1152/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvii4hv.jpg

There is an element of trendiness slowly creeping in. So far it fits in nicely with the laid-back community, but one fears someday it may become another Queen Street West:

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/8506/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvi5nv.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/2295/jun1206kensingtonmarketxv8kz.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9449/jun1206kensingtonmarketxii3fx.jpg

A very cool Spanish (as opposed to South American) tapas bar:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3637/jun1206kensingtonmarketxi5fi.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8317/jun1206kensingtonmarketviii0qv.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/6738/jun1206kensingtonyokoonomad9vp.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/861/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvxxvix.jpg

I loved this little South American grocery store. I stocked up on quantities of Brasilian farofa, rice and beans, Mexican Mole sauce, etc... even if a person fancies whipping up some cactus for dinner, here is your source:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/655/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvxxiv0.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/7792/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvxxii0.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5929/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvxxvi2.jpg

I've not seen a shop with Piñatas hanging from the ceiling since last I was in Puerto Vallarta!

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5154/jun1206kensingtonmarketxvxxv5b.jpg

Houses in the surrounding neighbourhood range from the respectable well maintained Victorian

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/338/jun1206kensingtonmarket9nf.jpg

to a mish-mash of styles and conditions:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9449/jun1206kensingtonmarketxii3fx.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8913/jun1206kensingtonmarketiii9mf.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8944/jun1206kensingtonmarketii5op.jpg

And, now we walk a block or so east til we reach Chinatown.

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5293/jun1206chinatowncntower1rz.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/990/jun1206chinatownstreetcar4zu.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/8493/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevxv1.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3378/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevxv3.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/341/jun1206chinatownyuccascasava1p.jpg

dried shrimp

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8493/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevxv1.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6259/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevxv.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7258/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevx2.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7144/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevix.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/4841/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevii.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8121/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevxi.jpg

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/6259/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevxv.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/6980/jun1206chinatownstreetscenev3m.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7947/jun1206chinatownstreetsceneii2.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/38/jun1206chinatownstreetscenecvi1.jpg

Sections of Chinatown are quite Vietnamese influenced:

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7651/jun1206chinatownstreetscenecvi.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/6318/jun1206chinatownstreetscenea5g.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2651/jun1206chinatownstreetscenevxv2.jpg

The sun was beating down on your intrepid reporter, so after a refreshing ice-cold beer on an outdoor patio I biked South to King Street, and Queen Street. Just a few
sights I saw on the way:

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6999/jun1206kingstvamsterdambrewery.jpg

King West is a VERY up and coming area, and is home to many of Toronto's hottest restaurants:

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/6057/jun1206kingstvilee0qn.jpg

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/6060/jun1206kingstviiithuet9vr.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2256/jun1206kingstvii9uw.jpg

a hot new place, Blowfish:

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/333/jun1206kingstvixblowfish8ui.jpg

One of my very favourite watering holes is actually the oldest surviving pub in Toronto... opened in 1849, it has been slinging suds ever since:

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/6045/jun1206kingstvxwheatsheafiii1i.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/7192/jun1206kingstvxwheatsheafpatio.jpg

Inside the Wheat Sheaf is a framed copy of the Illustrated London News of 1859 featuring a brand new King's College over in Toronto, Upper Canada:

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/8904/jun1206illustratedlondonnews18.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6606/jun1206kingst8ht.jpg

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/3036/s18857vd.jpg

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/2339/s1885picturei6et.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9783/jun1206kingstreetstpauls1885ga.jpg

A bit further East, and off Dundas I found a very interesting old Catholic Church serving the Chinese community:

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/5924/jun1206ourladyofmountcarmelrcc.jpg

Over to Queen Street, which is positively booming these days. Perhaps it has lost some of its bohemian charm through gentrification, but it is a very exciting area to live or visit:

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/6564/jun1206queenstidressshop1ih.jpg

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/8692/jun1206queenststreetscenei8zp.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/2074/jun1206queenstii0gj.jpg

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/2711/jun1206queenststreetsceneiii7v.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/7974/jun1206queenststreetscene3az.jpg

This enterprising lad was selling hugs for 25 cents. I gave him enough for four hugs,
but politely declined on the merchandise:

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/9857/jun1206queenstvxii25centhugsi7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

a souvenir-mobile peddling his wares:

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/910/jun1206queenstviisouvenirmobil.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

A fire many years ago destroyed most of St George the Martyr Anglican Church, except for its handsome tower:

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/351/jun1206stgeorgethemartyrtower1.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/9367/jun1206queenstvxibuilding6ao.jpg

The oldest pub on Queen St.- The Black Bull, in a Georgian building from the 1830's

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/9709/jun1206queenstvxtheblackbulljp.jpg

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/9179/jun1206queenstvxtheblackbull3j.jpg

A Goth on Queen Street painting his black paintings:

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/6250/jun1206queenstviiigothart7yq.jpg

On the bike, and North a few streets to College Street. Here is a beautiful Gothic Revival Church from 1858, St Steven-in-the-Fields:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1052/jun1106ststeveninthefields1858.jpg

I love the old Victorian firestations of Toronto... each has its own whimsical theme and style. This Italianate town hall style with a handsome campanile graces College Street (No 8 Firestation)

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/9971/jun1106no8hosestationcollegest.jpg

The area was tradtionally settled by many Portugese people. This style of house is very popular, and they usually have well tended gardens. This one has an outstanding feature of two large mooses on the balcony:

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/9642/jun1106collegestcanadiana9bs.jpg

Knox United College, 1875, built by the same architect who had built the Canadian Parliament Buildings:

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4029/jun1106knoxcollege1875i0es.jpg

Another day, another tour. This time I cycled North along Avenue Road, toward my destination of Casa Loma. Built around the turn of the century by Sir Henry Pellat, this "Castle on the Hill" occupies one of the most prime residential locations. Of all the great Victorian homes built in Toronto, this ranks as the biggest and... well, most ostentatious as well. A combination of many styles, it is a little overwhelming to the visitor:

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/2779/jun0806casalomavii1wd.jpg

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/9696/jun0806casalomaneighbourhoodi0.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/7019/jun0806casalomaiv7vg.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1219/jun0806casalomaii9wx.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/3892/jun0806casaloma3oj.jpg

Even the horse stables can only be described as.. well, grandiose:

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/1900/jun0806casalomastables19057fq.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/4701/jun0806casalomastables1905i8zo.jpg

Nearby Spadina House, another gracious Victorian house with beautiful gardens:

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/7546/jun0806spadinahousei8wl.jpg

And finally, as the hour is getting late, I will just post some pictures that I took that have not fit in to any of the previous postings, or which I may have missed first time round. Just a mish mash of snaps:

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4881/jun0506cityhall4sq.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/3804/jun0906stjames0wo.jpg

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/6650/jun1506universityave8xo.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/8841/jun1506canadapermanentbuilding.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/8841/jun1506canadapermanentbuilding.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/4352/jun1506baystthenationalclub3rt.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/5231/jun1506baystthenationalclubi5r.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/651/jun1506baystbankofmontreal0dw.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/6273/jun1506baystbankofmontreali8gh.jpg

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/2636/jun1206ocad2hd.jpg

A picture for everyone who thinks Toronto is completely flat...

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/5248/jun1606avenueroadnorth2jx.jpg

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/686/jun1606amsterdampark1uv.jpg

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/1500/jun160618yorkville0rr.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4632/jun1106pubyongedavisville9mc.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/5027/jun1106neighbourhoodvics3tr.jpg

A statue of Peter Pan, dedicated in the 20's to the children of the neighbourhood:

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/8527/jun0806glenngouldparkpeterpans.jpg

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8004/jun0806avenueroadiii3hk.jpg

A fountain built in the 20's by a Dutchman to remember his home in Amsterdam:

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/8813/jun0806amsterdamparkfountain9x.jpg

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/6343/jun0806150stclairwestii6ul.jpg

Another Gothic Revival Church, St Peters (1893):

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/5997/sanglican18634bf.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/9841/jun0606ocadii7nw.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/8106/jun0606downtownfromocad3ip.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/1441/jun0506oldvictoriahospitaldeta.jpg

A brand new Pharmacy Building at the University of Toronto, with "pods" that act as
classrooms, in the atrium space:

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4489/sleslieldanpharmacybuildinguof.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9454/jun0506downtownfrparamounti0bp.jpg

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/9509/jun0506collegesttorontolibrary.jpg

Another University of Toronto building, for Molecular Research:

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/6818/jun0506collegestmolecularresea2.jpg

Its interior is very sculptural, and contains a mature forest of bamboo:

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/5601/jun0506collegestmolecularresea1.jpg

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/7435/jun0506collegestmolecularresea.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/7435/jun0506collegestmolecularresea.jpg

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/7435/jun0506collegestmolecularresea.jpg

Our new Opera House which just opened this past week:

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/5510/jun1506universityavecoc8cm.jpg

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/3401/jun1506universityavecanadalife.jpg


http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/565/jun1506universityavehydrobldgi.jpg

a condo under construction, taken at night:

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/2995/jun1406spireatnighti3np.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/7922/jun1406kingstfountain8dm.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/2994/jun1406unionstation1zh.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/1975/jun1406oldcityhall9ro.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/235/jun1406universityavenue1ef.jpg

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/646/jun1406bird3xd.jpg

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/5666/jun1406birdseagullcloseup4mn.jpg

http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/3616/jun1406nationalballetschoolres.jpg

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/1416/jun1006climbingrosesatcawthrap.jpg

http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/7388/jun1006ourladyoflourdesdome6ez.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4743/jun0606cityhallclocki0sg.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1849/jun0606ocadv8rj.jpg

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/8323/jun0606downtownfromocadiii6fq.jpg

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/5300/jun0506universityavefountainsj.jpg

The CN Tower, taken from my balcony with my new camera:

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/1103/jun0406secondpicwithcanon5dr.jpg

And now, I bid you good night! Thanks for joining my little tour!

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4922/jun0606moon3dz.jpg

oh cool, I never seen this thread..

Really nice pictures dude.. especially the night ones!

Thanks Ashok! I am enjoying my new camera and particularily like to take pix outdoors at night.

Taller_Better, nobody takes street shots like you... I don't think we've had a half-decent database of pictures of Toronto outside the CBD or Yonge on this forum before you... There was an odd pic here or there, or an odd neighbourhood photo tour, but nothing of this depth.

Wow, very thorough tour, makes me think I need to get out more :)

Great job!

Thanks guys! Also I am learning more about my city because of these outings. You look at things differently and closer when you have a camera!

nice, another pic to show toronto is not falt is to take a drive along the 401 or Don valley Parkway or young street when it goings down that massive hill towards the 401.

I say this to all good photographers but I think you should enter some of those in the UPC. I like the OCAD one with the CN and the moonlight. Gives a surreal look to it.
Good work :okay:

I love these pics! Keep 'em coming.

Will do! Getting lots more pix of people out celebrating World Cup Games, and will post them when I get them all organised!

I always enjoy your tours..Beautiful pictures!

& ooh can't wait for the ones of World Cup fever ;)

I am so happy to see the pictures! They remind me of my wonderful trip to Toronto!
I love it so much. I remember to have seen a lot of these places when I was there:)
My favorite is the chinatown.

GREAT photos... you captured Toronto in your photos, as always.

I hope it shoes the public that in the 21st century, Toronto really can be... dare I say it... sexy and outrageous.

-thryve

Thanks guys! I am utterly exhausted... spent the entire day at College and Dufferin in the Portugese/Brasilian area celebrating the big Brasil win. I am getting so many photos of World Cup pix that I think I will do a separate thread for them. So much fun,
and I don't watch soccer at all! Just the people having fun! ;)

TB,
You definitely do your city proud. I'm really loving your pictures.
If I can ask a request from you, I'd ask you take pictures of Liberty Village. It's an area I don't think I've visited and I hear many make reference, mostly in part many buildings are under construction.

Odd you should mention that... I rode my bike down Liberty today after taking some pix of 53 Fraser. Liberty is an amazing street now with so much going on, both new and renovations! Very exciting area!

thats real cool how you went from wheat sheaf to newspaper article on kings college to actual pics of kings college

AMAZING!

haha... i really appreciate the effort you've put into this photoblog

I love that old copy of the London Illustrated News, and the Wheatsheaf was a mere 10 years old when it was published. The King's College shown is slightly different from
today's as parts were burned during a fire that broke out during a Ball. To this day they call that annual Ball the Fire Ball! Everything except the West Wing and the round building on the left had the interior burn because a man walking down the stairs at night carrying a coal-oil lamp tripped and dropped the lamp. Boom!

I really, really enjoyed looking through this thread! Toronto has such an unique vibe.

Thanks, Pottebaum! I've taken a lot more pix of celebrations during the World Cup games but just have not had time to organise them all. I will get them posted, but here are a small sample in the meantime. First the celebration last Monday in the Brasilian area of town, and later that day in the Korean village.

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/8242/jun1806brasilvsaustraliacelebr.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4052/jun1806brasilvsaustraliavi9fy.jpg

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/2092/jun1806brasilvsaustraliav2vw.jpg

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/8719/jun1806brasilvsaustraliaiv4hm.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/6044/jun1806brasilvsaustraliaiii1um.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3382/jun1806brasilvsaustraliaii2cw.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2316/jun1806brasilvsaustraliai8sd.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/286/jun1806korea8xl.jpg

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/3494/jun1806koreai2yu.jpg

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/9831/jun1806koreaii3ay.jpg

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/5513/jun1806koreaiii1hv.jpg

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/381/jun1806koreaiv2nz.jpg

Cheers to everyone and enjoy the World Cup! :cheers:

Today saw beautiful weather, 27C and sunny, and the largest ever Toronto Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade. This 26th annual event drew 1,000,000 to the downtown to watch the festivities, and it has become one of the largest Pride parades in the world. Enjoy!

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/3116/jun2506pridevxvi5kh.jpg

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/2706/jun2506pride3bd.jpg

Hmmm... I thought they were real, but I hear they were fake Mounties!!! LOL!

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/5590/jun2506pridemounties7lb.jpg

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/3828/jun2506pridei4kk.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/4563/jun2506pridevxiii0lp.jpg

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/6480/jun2506prideii9cu.jpg

Hopefully the next Prime Minister of Canada, Liberal Party contender Michael Ignatieff:

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/3310/jun2506prideimichaelignatief2j.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/5029/jun2506prideiproudpuppy5dm.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2206/jun2506prideiii0tt.jpg

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/6298/jun2506prideiv9nh.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/4310/jun2506pridev0mm.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/2209/jun2506pridevii5en.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/2833/jun2506prideviii7os.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/1247/jun2506pridevix9zv.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/2328/jun2506pridevx4bq.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/584/jun2506pridevxi3bm.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6687/jun2506pridevxiv8ko.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4245/jun2506pridevxvii8wg.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/9618/jun2506pridevxvxi1bq.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6093/jun2506pridevxvx9hh.jpg

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/2471/jun2506pridevxviii4cg.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/920/jun2506pridevxvix9uq.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4203/jun2506pridevxvxvvii4cy.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/9638/jun2506pridevxvxvvi7vw.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/3180/jun2506pridevxvxvv7yj.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8899/jun2506pridevxvxviv8mg.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8169/jun2506pridevxvxvii6rp.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/8505/jun2506pridevxii7po.jpg

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/544/jun2506pridevxvxvi5ik.jpg

a happy DJ

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/8527/jun2506pridevxvxv7bk.jpg

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/6745/jun2506pridevxvxiv0rt.jpg

a little Cuban salsa

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/47/jun2506pridevxvxii7ts.jpg

and a LOT of dancing

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/3159/jun2506pridevxvxiii7oo.jpg

and finally a few pix I snapped late last night

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/8931/jun2406pridei6ub.jpg

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/4479/jun2406prideiii3yj.jpg

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/5913/jun2406prideii1id.jpg

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/5328/jun2406pride2ev.jpg

Thanks for everyone who took this little tour! Cheers!

^^Looks pretty gay.....

The cute guy with the painted "M" for Motorolla was the only hot guy I saw @ pride. Turns out he's str8 2. :drool:

^^ You saw only one cute guy out of a million people? :runaway:

The parade appears to be tamer than I thought it would be. Granted, it’s still a desecration of the Sabbath. It is hard to believe that Toronto was known as the Methodist Rome a century ago.

We had a blast in this years parade. It was amazing. Thanks for the pics.

We had a blast in this years parade. It was amazing. Thanks for the pics.

We did too... it was AMAZING this year! :cheers:

Apparently CTV interviewed one of the 'mounties' and said they were really a part of the RCMP when they weren't.

Anyway I hope ya had a good time!

Apparently CTV interviewed one of the 'mounties' and said they were really a part of the RCMP when they weren't.

Anyway I hope ya had a good time!

Those sneaks!! I will have to edit my post. I thought they were real!!! :scouserd:

The cute guy with the painted "M" for Motorolla was the only hot guy I saw @ pride. Turns out he's str8 2. :drool:

lol i noticed him too... was thinking "hmmm too bad he's gay". But if he's straight, woohoo :)

^^^ I think everyone noticed him... he was stunning!

WOW i'm amazed by this thread, I just feel like showing these pics to everyone i know, I miss Toronto so much, this thread almost makes me cry! Thanks for Toronto in pictures ;)

Don't see whats so great about that Motorola guy, looks pretty average to me :/

Don't see whats so great about that Motorola guy, looks pretty average to me :/

If he's average, I want to live in your neighbourhood, monkeyronin!! ;)

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/9253/jun2506pridevxvxvviii1mv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

@kagevrtugol - thanks for the nice words! Glad the pix made you feel at home! Are you living in Lisbon at the moment?

If he's average, I want to live in your neighbourhood, monkeyronin!! ;)


well just looking at the pictures there seems to be better guys haha. I dunno, I'm not really an expert on the subject :uh:

well just looking at the pictures there seems to be better guys haha. I dunno, I'm not really an expert on the subject :uh:

I saw excellent guys everywhere I looked!! He stood out in my memory, though.

[/QUOTE]@kagevrtugol - thanks for the nice words! Glad the pix made you feel at home! Are you living in Lisbon at the moment?[/QUOTE]

Well i actually have been living in Torres Vedras, a small town 30 min north of Lisbon, for 10 years! It's nice, but i sure do miss Canada.

What better way to celebrate Canada Day, than to go to Little Portugal to watch a football match? Big day here in Toronto for Portugal, and a rather sad day for the teams I have been cheering for ( 1.Brasil, 2.England) Oh well, had a blast celebrating for the Portugese in that area of town, and my Brasilian T-Shirt got thumbs up from everyone in the crowd:

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/5260/july0106collegestvxvxi1yb.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/8891/july0106collegestvxvx1tn.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/1760/july0106collegestvxvix8qt.jpg

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/9895/july0106collegestvxvii7co.jpg

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/1747/july0106collegestvxvi9og.jpg

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/9871/july0106collegestvxv9fa.jpg

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/1838/july0106collegestvxiv7wq.jpg

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/9518/july0106collegestvxiii2vk.jpg

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/1791/july0106collegestvxii6mx.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/1639/july0106collegestvxi2tp.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/7348/july0106collegestvx8uk.jpg

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/6654/july0106collegestviii5pc.jpg

Paris Hilton?

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/3074/july0106collegestvii4qp.jpg

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/1421/july0106collegestvi8sw.jpg

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6103/july0106collegest4sv.jpg

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3802/july0106collegesti0og.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/3034/july0106collegestii1qu.jpg

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3802/july0106collegesti0og.jpg

And, I have to add... a lot of sadness for those of us cheering for Brasil.. I shared the sentiments of this wee little boy:

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/3553/july0106collegestiii0vr.jpg

but found a table of supporters for France (and they were few and far between in the Portugese/Brazilian part of town), and wished them a "felicitations et bonnes chances"!!

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/8001/july0106collegestivlesfrancais.jpg

HAPPY CANADA DAY EVERYONE!!
139 happy years of Confederation! :cheers:

Pictures from yesterday when we visited the Bata Shoe Museum. Very pleasant surprise and we thoroughly enjoyed the day!

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/8922/jun3006batashoemuseum1ky.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/3603/jun3006batashoemuseumvxiii9zq.jpg

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6084/jun3006batashoemuseumii5po.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7738/jun3006batashoemuseumi2vu.jpg

Shoes from ancient times to present day. Something for everyone, whether it be old ceremonial shoes for an Indian wedding:

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/5593/jun3006batashoemuseumiii8xf.jpg

or ruby slippers!!

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/4969/jun3006batashoemuseumrubyslipp.jpg

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/7452/jun3006batashoemuseumvxi3wv.jpg

Outside, on Bloor St across from the museum, a handsome 50's office building:

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/370/jun3006medicalartsbuildingbloo.jpg

and some shots from the new OCAD building downtown:

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4074/jun3006ocadviewi9uo.jpg

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/300/jun3006ocadviewii2jd.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2710/jun3006ocadview2qd.jpg

and the receptionist who was more than helpful:

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/8295/jun3006ocadviewiii3hp.jpg

Great pics....

Thanks!

Excellent pics!

Even though Canada does not have a team in the Worl Cup, we are lucky enough in Toronto to be guaranteed many spontaneous parties.


One correction though....."Outside, on Bloor St across from the museum, a handsome 50's office building".


The Medical Arts Building is pure 1920's Deco.






KGB

Excellent pics!

Even though Canada does not have a team in the Worl Cup, we are lucky enough in Toronto to be guaranteed many spontaneous parties.


One correction though....."Outside, on Bloor St across from the museum, a handsome 50's office building".


The Medical Arts Building is pure 1920's Deco.

KGB

Well blow me down, you are absolutely right, KGB. 1929 to be exact!!
I don't know why but I thought it was post WW2. It is a beauty, isn't it?
I took a closeup of the deco detailing at the top with my new zoom:

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/370/jun3006medicalartsbuildingbloo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Hot day today.... hit 32C so I jumped on my bike and headed for the beach. Toronto is blessed with miles of lovely natural sand beaches, and I was not the only one today to have this brainwave!

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/7383/july0206ashbridgebay9an.jpg

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/5807/july0206ashbridgebayi7uc.jpg

Ashbridge beach is very popular for Beach Volleyball:

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/9679/july0206ashbridgebayii2rj.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/715/july0206ashbridgebayiii0hr.jpg

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/8972/july0206ashbridgebayiv4xi.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/4227/july0206ashbridgebayv2fw.jpg

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9599/july0206ashbridgebayvi4lq.jpg

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/4240/july0206ashbridgebayvii6ip.jpg

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2355/july0206ashbridgebayviii4wc.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1020/july0206ashbridgebayvix2ui.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/1211/july0206ashbridgebayvx5tm.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/2774/july0206ashbridgebayvxi6kw.jpg

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/9325/july0206ashbridgebayvxii1vn.jpg

dropped into here for an amazing burger, ice cold beer, and watched the US Grand Prix

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/622/july0206ashbridgebayvxiii3cm.jpg

Back on the bike, and up to Queen Street East to ride a bit further to another Beach-
Kew Beach. I posted pix of this area of The Beach/Beaches in the Spring, and thought it would be fun to show you how it comes alive in the Summer!! Enjoy the tour:

http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/6477/july02thebeaches4kf.jpg

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/1702/july0206thebeachesi8bd.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/7919/july0206thebeachesii4qn.jpg

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/4750/july0206thebeachesiii6ea.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/293/july0206thebeachesiv4oc.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5152/july0206thebeachesv2pb.jpg

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/9205/july0206thebeachesvi7nx.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/6403/july0206thebeachesvii1nx.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/372/july0206thebeachesviii2ux.jpg

http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/2473/july0206thebeachesvix8ly.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/8353/july0206thebeachesviv5bq.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5788/july0206thebeachesvx5ui.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/2040/july0206kewbeach3zc.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/7141/july0206kewbeachi0uh.jpg

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/7816/july0206kewbeachii3le.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/73/july0206kewbeachiii0tz.jpg

http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/6645/july0206kewbeachiv4rw.jpg

The most famous of the Lifeguard Stations in Toronto - Leuty:

http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/6707/july0206kewbeachleutylifeguard.jpg

http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/879/july0206kewbeachleutylifeguard1.jpg

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/853/july0206kewbeachv0gu.jpg

And finally some pix I snapped while riding my bike home from my day at the Beaches. All are on Queen Street:

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/307/july0206queensteast4vi.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/9324/july0206ashbridgeestate7zr.jpg

The place to go if you are looking for an Elvis to match that special blue drapery you got:

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3208/july0206queensteastelvis4gy.jpg

The only place I know of in Toronto to go if you like cooking Cajun food (I do). You can even get alligator sausage and Androuille sausage. They are not easy to find here!

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/564/july0206queensteastcajun4zt.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4913/july0206queensteastcajuni6yk.jpg

May favourite brunch place and bakery, Bonjour Brioche:

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8153/july0206queenstebonjourbrioche.jpg

a handsome building that was once an old Postal Station

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3496/july0206queenstepostalstna1913.jpg

an old Canadian Bank of Commerce:

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/6211/july0206queenstebankofcommerce.jpg

The view downtown from Corktown. Corktown, as its name would suggest, was settled by Irish immigrants in the 1800's:

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/4071/july0206queensteastviewdtn7wx.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1739/july0206queenstecorktown1om.jpg

Terrace housing from 1877:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8107/july0206queensteterracehousing.jpg

one of the locals giving his dog a lift:

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/2246/july0206queenstecorktowni6nl.jpg

Honestly it is like going back in time in this area... but in a nice way!

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/3143/july0206queenstecorktownii0lg.jpg

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/8582/july0206queenstecorktowniii1oe.jpg

Tomorrow it will be 31c or 32c again... I will have to come up with what I saw on this sign tonight on my way home from seeing SUPERMAN!!!

http://img391.imageshack.us/img391/4163/july0206queenstwestbrainstorm3.jpg

Hot again today, 32c so again I decided to get to the Toronto Islands to escape some of the heat. Pix I snapped on my bike tour:

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/199/july0306ferryqueue3bs.jpg

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/509/july0306ferryloading9wv.jpg

http://img482.imageshack.us/img482/3527/july0306lakeontario0qe.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/9479/july0306torontoislandsviewi3yb.jpg

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/9585/july0306torontoislandsview5al.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/2585/july0306ferry9by.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/1687/july0306ferryi3dz.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/880/july0306ferryiii9wr.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/1508/july0306torontoislands4rp.jpg

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/6724/july0306torontoislandsi3sh.jpg

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/9724/july0306torontoislandsii5mx.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/3762/july0306torontoislandsiii7bm.jpg

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/9502/july0306torontoislandsiv6jy.jpg

Steppin' out..


http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/8756/july0306goosie7ly.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4204/july0306torontoislandsgeese9ou.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/2867/july0306torontoislandsbridge1v.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/2825/july0306torontoislandsvx3jo.jpg

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4720/july0306torontoislandsvix5gm.jpg

Did you ever have the irrational feeling that somehow, somewhere a goose was watching you?

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9544/july0306torontoislandsgoosei8m.jpg

Well.. he is. And he wants your food.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9550/july0306torontoislandsgoose6xq.jpg

Kids riding swan boats

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/160/july0306torontoislandsviii1wt.jpg

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/2934/july0306torontoislandsv4kq.jpg

a North American robin

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/1148/july0306torontoislandsrobin5tq.jpg

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/3486/july0306wardsislandcottagev1bl.jpg

People do live on the Islands, on Wards Island, to be exact. Lovely picturesque cottages:

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/6702/july0306wardsislandcottageiv1l.jpg


http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/4709/july0306wardsislandcottageiii3.jpg

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/2448/july0306wardsislandcottageii7c.jpg

and the view some of them have out their windows!

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/295/july0306wardsislandview2eq.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1771/july0306wardsislandcottagei5vm.jpg

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/1276/july0306wardsislandcottage4uk.jpg

The Islands have their own school, water filtration plant, lighthouse, arts community, theatre, and fire hall

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/6018/july0306torontoislandsfirestn2.jpg

and their own church, St Andrew-by-the-Lake (1884):

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/8315/july0306standrewonthelake18947.jpg

The Royal Canadian Yacht Club dates back to the 1850's. It was originally called the Toronto Boat Club, but when members in 1852 sent a proposal to Queen Victoria for a Royal Charter, the name did not strike her as being, well... grand enough. So, with the flick of a pen she changed the name to The Royal Canadian Yacht Club and sent it back with her blessings!!!

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/4862/july0306rcycplaque4wv.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/672/july0306rcyciv2gc.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/6174/july0306rcycvi3mq.jpg

Time to go home!!

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/6849/july0306torontoislandsvii5si.jpg


http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/1400/july0306torontoislandsviewii1j.jpg

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/1935/july0306torontoislandsviewiii7.jpg

and, once off the ferry, my bike ride home.....

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/1908/july0306yongestiv8ct.jpg


http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6774/july0306yongesti1vn.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/6795/july0306yongest0yb.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/1401/july0306yongestii5iy.jpg


and, to say goodnight, two views from my balcony with the moon!

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1265/july03viewoffbalcony1jh.jpg

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6597/july0306viewfrombalcony7jr.jpg

Sweet pics.....that goose is my hero;);).....

This thread is a must visit!
I greatly enjoy your pictures and the tours. Your effort is always appreciated and you should be given credit.
Still hoping you can get out towards Liberty village and I'd like to see NYCC through your lens.

Your thread has captured the city better than one million CBD tours ever could.

Thanks guys! I am trying hard and it is gratifying to get the positive feedback! :cheers2:

nice pics.

-

I haven't been to the islands in years;your wonderful pics have inspired me to do so as soon as I can. This city is so big, and I've become so enamoured with certain sections of it, that it's possible to forget that there are many other great areas to visit. Thanks for reminding me.

Haha great great AMAZING pics!!!! The goose is hilarious;)

Btw:
Are you like 10 ft tall or something?:D
http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/199/july0306ferryqueue3bs.jpg

^^^ LOL! Nope, only 6', but when I am in a crowd I just stand on tip-toe and raise the camera up as high as I can. Sometimes works! Yes, I love the crazy geese on the
Islands, and the swans are just as cheeky!

Thanks, Taller... Are there any pix around the Lake??

Oh,,, I saw them; they just didn't show up somehow. How is the shore and the water front? I heard it was industrial area and not all are being converted to recreation and parks. Thanks

Thanks, Taller... Are there any pix around the Lake??

Thanks! I'm not sure what you mean... some of the pix are of Lake Ontario. Is that what you mean?

Great Pics! :okay:

Very nice tour of the beach :D

What an exciting day in Toronto!! Italy wins the World Cup, and all Hell breaks out in the second of Toronto's Little Italy's.... Come with me on my bike as I venture to St. Clair Ave West, to discover what happens when the Italian community celebrates a World Cup!! An estimated half a million people crammed the street this evening, in what is undoubtably one of the largest celebrations happening outside of Italy today!

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/671/july0906stclairlittleitaly3zv.jpg

http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/3512/july0906stclairi6st.jpg

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/4447/july0906stclairii7ec.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/1787/july0906stclairiii2jx.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/2791/july0906stclairiv1hm.jpg

City Police keeping an eye on things...

http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/9853/july0906stclairv6xy.jpg

We're on Corso Italia!!

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/1462/july0906stclairvi6uc.jpg

http://img478.imageshack.us/img478/6425/july0906stclairvii1st.jpg

http://img478.imageshack.us/img478/8885/july0906stclairviii3ft.jpg

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/6342/july0906stclairvix2qk.jpg

Naturally, not everyone was pleased with the outcome of the game. These two fellows got into fisticuffs over one too many "Vive la France"'s, and this poor sod left with a bloody nose:

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8181/july0906stclairvxi4fu.jpg

as did his pugilistic partner....

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5786/july0906stclairvxii1ro.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1087/july0906astclairscene9qh.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/365/july0906astclairscenei0ux.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9763/july0906astclairsceneii9ka.jpg

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/2882/july0906astclairsceneiii7eo.jpg

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/2218/july0906astclairsceneiv8gu.jpg

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/7241/july0906astclairscenevi9fy.jpg

http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/1113/july0906astclairscenevii5nm.jpg

Well, it was a hot day.....

http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/1052/july0906astclairsceneviii4tn.jpg

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/8051/july0906astclairscenevix1cw.jpg

Lads playing soccer in the street:

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/377/july0906astclairscenevx0xq.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/6743/july0906astclairscenevxi2rw.jpg

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/5350/july0906astclairscenevxii8ki.jpg

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/2537/july0906astclairscenevxiii2pw.jpg


what every party needs... BEATS!! :dj:

http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/4061/july0906astclairscenevxiv7bf.jpg

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/978/july0906astclairscenevxv5ed.jpg

And food!! This old gal couldn't keep up with the demand for her sausages!
Talk about stress!!

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/7066/july0906stclairfood2ie.jpg

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/6711/july0906astclairscenevxvi1fm.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/8118/july0906astclairscenevxvii9gj.jpg

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/7743/july0906astclairscenevxviii7zh.jpg

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/6798/july0906astclairscenevxvix3gl.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1896/july0906aastclairscene1yp.jpg

And what would any Italian party be without an appearance by a talented La Cicciolina? Here, apparently, is Toronto's Cicciolina, giving her all to please the crowd:

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/2407/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9854/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli1.jpg

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/9854/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli1.jpg

"Oh, I couldn't possibly take it off"

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/2407/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli.jpg

Hmmm... where is that damn clasp?

http://img490.imageshack.us/img490/9854/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli1.jpg

Jeez, they make them bra's fiddley nowadays:

http://img490.imageshack.us/img490/2407/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli.jpg

Does she get it off? Naturally! But I am not posting those pix here.... our plucky Cicciolina scales new heights by shimming up the post to the top of the streetcar wires.... gasps all around. Is she Electric Lady from the circus?

http://img490.imageshack.us/img490/776/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli2.jpg

Shockingly she does not seem to sizzle, well, any further than she already has, by perching amid the streetcar wires:

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/776/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli2.jpg

She has a captive audience,to say the least:

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/8435/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli3.jpg

http://img358.imageshack.us/img358/2407/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli.jpg

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/2407/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli.jpg

Oh, go on Cicciolina...you know you want to... get it off one more time. It is, after all, very hot and humid out. What a trouper!! :cheers:

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/9854/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli1.jpg

Cicciolina is a hard act to follow, and this girl repeatedly refused.. with the urgings of her boyfriend behind her.. she waggled her finger "NO NO NO" to the rambunctious crowd:

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2407/july0906aastclairsceneciccioli.jpg

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/9192/july0906istclairave8nr.jpg

gladiators abound:

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/733/july0906istclairavei0lb.jpg

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/5207/july0906istclairaveiii4hb.jpg

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/7578/july0906istclairavev5ad.jpg

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/1439/july0906istclairavevi2fq.jpg

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/598/july0906istclairavevii2ii.jpg

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/4336/july0906istclairaveviii3za.jpg

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/3782/july0906istclairavevix6fx.jpg

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/6167/july0906istclairavevx8fp.jpg

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7064/july0906istclairavevxi6nr.jpg

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/3953/july0906istclairavevxii9hl.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/2311/july0906aastclairscene9sj.jpg

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/8519/july0906stclairtowest2kd.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/3507/july0906stclairtowesti5ny.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/3453/july0906stclairtowestii2oz.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1417/july0906astclairscenevxvx4xr.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8647/july0906stclaircelebration8th.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/704/july0906stclaircelebrationi1bf.jpg

Pheww.. how does a gal stay cool?
http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/5200/july0906onthestreet3kf.jpg
or a guy for that matter:

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/4990/july0906stclairvxiii9gz.jpg

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/91/july0906onthestreeti9sd.jpg

Aye Chihuahua!

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/9641/july0906onthestreetii0tm.jpg

Look up on the roof:

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/2566/july0906ontheroof3ov.jpg

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/7393/july0906onthestreetiv5nq.jpg

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/8756/july0906ontheroofi2jh.jpg

http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/3023/july0906onthestreetv2lj.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9772/july0906ontheroofii8ov.jpg

This was the scene on sidestreets as everyone poured into the Corso Italia
to party the night away. As I type this the party goes on to the wee hours of the morning!! Viva Italia!!!


http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/8738/july0906updufferin1cz.jpg

And, as we all know, there cannot be a winner without a loser. I started out my day on King St West. We do not have a large French community in Toronto, but there are a few bars on King Street that became the home base of the French fans.

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/9168/july0906kingstfrance6er.jpg

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9062/july0906kingstfranceiv1or.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/2033/july0906kingstfranceii7uq.jpg

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9158/july0906kingstfranceiii0gv.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/3394/july0906kingstfrancev1rq.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/9847/july0906kingstfrancevi4ct.jpg

High hopes...

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/8859/july0906kingstfrancevii6ee.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6429/july0906kingstfrancevx2sn.jpg

and a large dose of reality:

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/4525/july0906kingstfrancei8mc.jpg

First, you cry......


http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/9123/july0906kingstfrancevxiii8dy.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6948/july0906kingstfrancevxii4cz.jpg

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/9016/july0906kingstfrancevxi3wx.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6305/july0906kingstfrancevix6kq.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6184/july0906kingstfranceviii0uc.jpg

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/7803/july0906kingstfrancevxv8nq.jpg

A la prochaine.... peut-être:

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/5296/july0906kingstfrancevxvi1yc.jpg

And with a shirt like this, all you can do is hot foot it home fast before the Italian fans see you!

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1383/july0906kingstfrancevxvii9yw.jpg

Hoping you all enjoyed my tour as much as I did! Thanks for coming along.. :cheers:

^^ That deserves it's own thread ;)

Awesome!
Coincidentally, the three towels in my bathroom are green, white and red. I think that's why Italy won the World Cup. :cheers:

Wow... That was extremely cool.

^^ That deserves it's own thread ;)

Awesome!
Coincidentally, the three towels in my bathroom are green, white and red. I think that's why Italy won the World Cup. :cheers:

Thanks guys! I took 350 pix, and there was not enough room to show them all
(especially of La Cicciolina's big boobs!! ) .
What a day! So much fun! ! :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

More pix from this past weekend- so much was going on. 10 major events including the Molson Grand Prix (which I did not attend), and AfroFest at Queen's Park. I did check out the Yonge Street streetparty, which closed Yonge from Dundas St south for a number of blocks:

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4637/july0806yongestfestival0qn.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9372/july0806yongestfestivalii6wy.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3980/july0806yongestfestivali9ak.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/7444/july0806yongestfestivaliii1oq.jpg

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/3545/july0806yongestfestivalperform.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/7088/july0806yongestfestivaliv1oe.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1743/july0806yongestfestivalv5iz.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/5195/july0806yongestfestivalvi7nu.jpg

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/2646/july0806yongestfestivalvii9rx.jpg

I got some interesting pix of buildings along Yonge Street as I rode South to Harbourfront. Many blocks had been closed to traffic but not all were used for the celebration, which gave a unique traffic-free look to the usually busy street:

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/7648/july0806yongestfestivalclosedo.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2194/july0806yongestscenes7ab.jpg

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3055/july0806yongestscenesi5bs.jpg

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/811/july0806yongestscenesidetail2o.jpg

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/3181/july0806yongestscenesidetailb4.jpg

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/3820/july0806yongestscenesii9cn.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/6206/july0806yongestscenesiv2lj.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/3780/july0806yongestscenesvi6wk.jpg

and finally, under the Gardiner Expressway:

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/253/july0806gardinerexpressway6ct.jpg

Arriving at Harbourfront, I went up to the lounge of Tula at the top of the Westin Harbour Hotel and snapped these shots of the downtown core:

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/951/july0806viewfromharbourfrontwe1.jpg

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/216/july0806viewfromharbourfrontwe2.jpg

I know that earlier in the summer I posted some Harbourfront pix, so if I am repeating myself I apologise, but it was such a gorgeous summer day on Saturday that I could not help myself from escaping the heat of the City.

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9553/july0806harbourfront5cj.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/6499/july0806harbourfronti2jp.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7135/july0806harbourfrontii0sj.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/4831/july0806harbourfrontiii0qh.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2706/july0806harbourfrontiv6tl.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/3858/july0806harbourfrontv4bf.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/6018/july0806harbourfrontvi8qp.jpg

my friend from England who was here last week was shocked to see a deep sea freight this far inland. I explained that the St Lawrence Seaway project completed in 1954 is a series of river and canals that allow ocean going vessels to sail as far as Lake Erie and even Lake Superior:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8695/july0806harbourfrontvii1vc.jpg

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/8034/july0806harbourfrontviii8in.jpg

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/3466/july0806harbourfrontvix5gp.jpg

Queen's Quay is an old Art Deco terminal that was converted into a shopping centre with some residential units:

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/6003/july0806harbourfrontvx8mq.jpg

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/6176/july0806harbourfrontvxi3wa.jpg

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/964/july0806harbourfrontvxii5ze.jpg

I marvelled how similar buskers are around the world. This guy reminded me very much of bronze statue buskers that I saw on Avenida Paulista in São Paulo:

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5903/july0806harbourfrontvxiii2bn.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/725/july0806harbourfrontvxiv6qz.jpg

I still love motorised toy boats!!

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6619/july0806harbourfrontvxv5mf.jpg

Free concerts all day long at the Harboufront Stage:

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/5057/july0806harbourfrontvxvii5gb.jpg

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4513/july0806harbourfrontvxvi5fw.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/8374/july0806harbourfrontvxviii0ep.jpg

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/477/july0806harbourfrontvxvix3mv.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6196/july0806harbourfrontvxvx6ty.jpg

http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/5086/july0806harbourfrontvxvxi1ye.jpg

another scene that took me back to Mexico or Brasil... a man selling green coconuts that he chops the top off and you can drink with a straw:

http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/1500/july0806harbourfrontgreencocoa.jpg

http://img277.imageshack.us/img277/198/july0806harbourfrontscenes3jd.jpg

Who doesn't love a tall ship?

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4736/july0806harbourfrontprideofbal1.jpg

Old Glory:

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/705/july0806harbourfrontprideofbal.jpg

http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/705/july0806harbourfrontprideofbal.jpg

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/4165/july0806harbourfrontscenesii5f.jpg

Much has changed since Governor John Graves Simcoe and his wife sailed onto the shores of Toronto Bay, back on July 30, 1793 (at the area now known as Garrison Creek, to the west of this area):

http://img286.imageshack.us/img286/7921/july0806harbourfrontscenesiii9.jpg

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/2336/july0806harbourfrontscenesiv1g.jpg

http://img286.imageshack.us/img286/6692/july0806harbourfrontscenesv9ei.jpg

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/3043/july0806harbourfrontscenesvi8t.jpg

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/161/july0806harbourfrontscenesvii4.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8358/july0806harbourfrontscenesvix4.jpg

a wonderful park known as The Music Gardens:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/768/july0806harbourfrontscenesmusi.jpg

a wedding was being held there on Saturday:

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/7770/july0806harbourfrontscenesmusi1.jpg

http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/768/july0806harbourfrontscenesmusi.jpg

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/768/july0806harbourfrontscenesmusi.jpg

http://img60.imageshack.us/img60/7770/july0806harbourfrontscenesmusi1.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7770/july0806harbourfrontscenesmusi1.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/768/july0806harbourfrontscenesmusi.jpg

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/16/july0806harbourfrontscenesvx4w.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2291/july0806harbourfrontscenesvxi5.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4604/july0806harbourfrontscenesvxii.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/3591/july0806harbourfrontscenesvxiv.jpg

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/8663/july0806harbourfrontscenesvxvi.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/8663/july0806harbourfrontscenesvxvi.jpg

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/8663/july0806harbourfrontscenesvxvi.jpg

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/7664/july0806harbourfrontvxvxii0mr.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2397/squay7up.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/7169/july0806harbourfrontvxvxiv8kh.jpg

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2141/squayi3sa.jpg

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7651/squayii0qy.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/5161/july0806harbourfrontscenesvxvx.jpg

We have great hopes and plans for our harbourfront in Toronto, but as it stands it is strangely underappreciated and undervalued by many in Toronto.. I am excited about what the future holds for it, but like a tourist I also get out and enjoy what we have! I think there are many cities in the world that would love to have one like it! Thanks for joining me on this tour!

One final entry for the day.... just some left-over pics that didn't fit in the other sections.

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/5989/july0906kingstsecondcup6rx.jpg

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/7966/july0806harbourcommissionbldg0.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2817/july0806harbourcommissionbldgi.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/2817/july0806harbourcommissionbldgi.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/1618/july0806cityplace4wd.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/9641/july0806bayst8tc.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/5328/july0806baysti0zl.jpg

http://img439.imageshack.us/img439/9181/july0806royalbankbldgi2kf.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/7858/july0806unionstation4vu.jpg

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/2756/july0806frontstreeti7ez.jpg

http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/6779/july0806unionstationi1nt.jpg

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/9344/july0606uoftuniversitycollege1.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/966/july0606uofti9pj.jpg

And Convocation Hall at the University of Toronto, which always vaguely reminds me of Albert Hall in London:

http://img430.imageshack.us/img430/2088/july0606uoftconvocationhall4xv.jpg

I have posted a great many pictures today and I hope they have not caused downloading problems with anyone! :cheers:

Went out for a bike ride tonight, and snapped these various photos downtown...

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9256/july1006ryerson3bl.jpg

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/8524/july1006downtown1uy.jpg

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/7659/july1006spire3fj.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2338/july1006downtowni5it.jpg

an old stone Royal Crest from an early Post Office Building:

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/4731/july1006royalmail0nk.jpg

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/2370/july1006downtownii5kz.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/7664/july1006downtowniii7kw.jpg

Fun with sepia:

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/2970/july1006downtownvi1lp.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5567/july1006novatelhotel8cu.jpg

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/8970/july1006novatelhoteli1fr.jpg

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/2087/july1006downtownviii9fj.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5175/july1006domestlawrencehalli8sk.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1906/july1006satchiandsatchi8ue.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9417/july1006kingedwardhotel8td.jpg

A couple of building I photographed the other day in daylight look different at night!

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8391/july1006yongest2az.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8085/july1006yongesti1ji.jpg

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/3066/july1006yongesthardrockcafe1bu.jpg

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/2973/july1006yongestii3kx.jpg

^ that's a sweet shot of St Lawrence Hall.

^ that's a sweet shot of St Lawrence Hall.

Thanks, salvius! I didn't have a tripod with me, so had to set the camera at iso 400 which is a bit grainy.. but it turned out not bad! :cheers:

Great photos of the World Cup celebrations - I always love any crowd shots. I was down on College St. in Little Italy for the game and celebrations long after the game on Sunday - although it looks like the crowds were even bigger up on St. Clair!

With all the various locations you took photos during the game did you manage to catch any of it?

Do you have any more photo's from the celebrations? or any from College St? Also feel free to post those extra shots of Cicciolina - those were some especially entertaining shots (along with the commentary of course)! Don't be shy!

Great photos of the World Cup celebrations - I always love any crowd shots. I was down on College St. in Little Italy for the game and celebrations long after the game on Sunday - although it looks like the crowds were even bigger up on St. Clair!

With all the various locations you took photos during the game did you manage to catch any of it?

Do you have any more photo's from the celebrations? or any from College St? Also feel free to post those extra shots of Cicciolina - those were some especially entertaining shots (along with the commentary of course)! Don't be shy!

LOL! I'll never be accused of being shy, but if I posted the one pic of La Cicciolina freeing her captive... err.... uhhmmm... puppies it would require a massive picture taking eating up a lot of bandwidth!! ;) Jan would not be happy with me! I've found the key to getting good crowd shots is having a good zoom lens. I took probably 600 pix in all this month of the Brasilian celebration, Korean celebration, Portugese and finally Italian. And a few of the French fans on King St. I am not a football fan, and don't even know the rules, but I do like to party! :cheers: So I go where the action is, and photograph the participants. For photographing sporting events it is best to be non partisan, I think.. as you can "get into" any celebration going.

Hot humid day, but still snapped some pix while out on my bike:

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/1421/july1306windsorarmshoteliii8fy.jpg

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/1593/july1306baystlookingsouthfromb.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1161/july1306onestthomas2sx.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6871/july1306baystbistro990a4fj.jpg

Some pix from today:

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/5443/july1406viewdowntownimx3.jpg

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/7376/july1406dundasstfilmoresikr6.jpg

The Bank of Upper Canada (one of Canada's first banks) built in 1827:

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/6549/july1406bankofuppercanada1827iav9.jpg

De La Salle Institute of 1871:

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7020/july1406delasalleinstitute1871ikb3.jpg

Toronto's first Post Office ( York Post Office 1833) that remains today the oldest Post Office still standing in Canada:

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8646/july1406postofficeno11833ny4.jpg

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2295/july1406theesplanadeish3.jpg

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/9599/july1406theesplanadenovotelhoteliho1.jpg

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/4945/july1406theesplanadevk0.jpg

and a view from Riverdale Park this evening:

http://img459.imageshack.us/img459/774/july1406riverdaleparktodowntownviyw6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

And with the camera set at a different iso speed:

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/5642/july1406riverdaleparktodowntownivdx6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Great photos as usual! :)

nice photos!!!

Thanks guys! I appreciate the nice words!

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/7376/july1406dundasstfilmoresikr6.jpg



Forget the CN Tower, forget the Islands, forget EVERYTHING. The TRUE Toronto landmark! ;)

^^^^ LOL!! Totally! Another place where the girls never stop! Well, seeing as I am here, I may as well post pix from my weekend. Scorcher in TO with temps hitting 35C yesterday and today. I started off the weekend by walking home from work Saturday night in my 'hood, on Church St.

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/8765/july1506churchsticw5.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8288/july1506churchstpy0.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5305/july1506churchstiiiov2.jpg

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/1913/july1506churchstivme5.jpg

Love for sale (and yes, she does have clothes on. Poor girl must not be able to afford many clothes as these were miniscule):

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/4677/july1506churchstloveforsalezb7.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/47/july1506churchstvjt4.jpg

Billboard for anyone who is not sure which neighbourhood they are in:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/3403/july1506churchstbillboardyq3.jpg

Woke up yesterday and decided it was too hot to not go to the lake, so I jumped on my speedy blue Canadian Tire bike and zipped off to Queen St at Kingston Rd to ride up to the Bluffs. The area is relatively hilly, and made for an exhausting day in the heat for cycling:

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/359/july1606scarboroughcf3.jpg

Made it to my secret location to go down the cliff to a very secluded beach that is a lot like Wreck Beach in Vancouver. Come with me down the rather steep 300ft cliff:

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/2564/july1606scarboroughiiif4.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/9598/july1606scarboroughivlk5.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/5446/july1606scarboroughiiiaj9.jpg

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/1456/july1606scarboroughbluffssv5.jpg

The air was cooler and fresher than in the city above, and I could hear none of the buzz of a city stretching and yawning in the heat:

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/110/july1606scarboroughvhy2.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7295/july1606scarboroughvirz5.jpg

Unofficial "clothing optional" beaches along here:

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/1271/july1606scarboroughbluffsiipf0.jpg

After lollygagging around listening to my radio and cheering the Blue Jays as they whooped the Mariners, I headed back up the cliff (ten times higher than coming down):

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/4596/july1606scarboroughbluffsiiimd3.jpg

along Kingston Road til I hit The Hunt Club.. very posh and dating from 1843, but the only hunting done nowadays is for golf balls:

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/3204/july1606scarboroughtorontohuntyh4.jpg

Seeing as no one said I couldn't, I whizzed through it on my bike:

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/6199/july1606scarboroughtorontohuntigh8.jpg

This is how the rich spend a hot day... tooting around the cool lushness in their motorised golf carts:

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/4743/july1606scarboroughtorontohuntiihr6.jpg

Peeking around the corner of the Club House, a gaggle of matrons getting tipsy on wine while their hubbies bravely wield their mashie niblicks froze and stared at me as if I were the Abominable Snowman. I suppose "Dress Code" does not include a shiny reflective skateboarding helmet! Feeling about as welcome as a boil on your bum I took my cue and vamoosed.... Here are some typical houses in the neighbourhood of Fallingbrook Road:

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/3329/july1606scarboroughfallingbrookigo4.jpg

more hills:

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/3338/july1606scarboroughfallingbrookiiiyc9.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1516/july1606scarboroughfallingbrookivjc7.jpg

This street dips down to look out on the lake. People are forever whingeing that they wouldn't want to live in Scarborough, but I would be quite happy settling down in this little nook:

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8827/july1606scarboroughfallingbrookvibp8.jpg

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3006/july1606scarboroughfallingbrookviidm4.jpg

I can picture myself waking up to this view every morning:

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4505/july1606scarboroughfallingbrookviiibg6.jpg

Back in the saddle, and peddling furiously toward Queen St in the Beach area, I pass a fairly typical brick apartment building from the 20's, with reasonably common Art Deco detailing:

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8823/july1606queenstartdecodoorjpggz9.jpg

I hit more up and down riding on Queen Street. It struck me for the first time yesterday how heavily treed Queen Street is in the Beach. A pleasure to ride down:

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8362/july1606queenstqo3.jpg

But quite frankly, by this time I am ravenously hungry, and gagging for a cold drink. Stop in at a Fish and Chip shop:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/2769/july1606queenstfishandchipsvi3.jpg

and had, without question, the best Fish and Chips I have had in many, many years. And a nice frosty brewski from the country where cougars do not wear lipstick ;)

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/9761/july1606queenstfishandchipsizf0.jpg

Suitably refreshed and energized, I head back out into the sweltering 35C heat:

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/5962/july1606queensttodowntownwe2.jpg

As were the golf matrons, this young boy seems suitably impressed by my chrome reflective helmet. Either that or he is terrified of me on my blue bike:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/7870/july1606queensteyeopenerbb8.jpg

We continue on, toward downtown. I am cycling slowly as it is waaaay hot:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/184/july1606queensttodowntowntreesxh2.jpg

I stop at the Toronto Transit yards to scan over the streetcars:

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/2041/july1606queenststreetcaryardxn2.jpg

and look lovingly at an old Red Rocket:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/3185/july1606queenststreetcaryardoldcareb5.jpg

Sadly the TTC has scrapped most of its old fleet of these beauties :( I reach the bridge going over the Don River. Looking north at the Don Valley Parkway:

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/3501/july1606donvalleyparkwaytg3.jpg

The Don River (which was "improved" in the early century by being straightened out. It is technically a canal now)

http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/9897/july1606donriverid3.jpg

Typical warehouse renovation to condos.. this is the Queen City Vinegar Co building:

http://img426.imageshack.us/img426/44/july1606queencityvinegarcoiifq4.jpg

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/2121/july1606queencityvinegarcoqt7.jpg

and over the bridge. The steel artwork here was done by a Toronto artist Eldon Garnet. If you read the inscription, you will see he has taken inspiration from our old friend and Greek Philosopher Heraclitus, who wisely noted:" You cannot step in the same river twice". Ain't that the truth?

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/3356/july1606queenstbyeldongarnetafterheraclitusvh1.jpg

Glancing over we see the BMW Toronto showroom:

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/1614/july1606bmwshowroomur0.jpg

no that is not a billboard on the side, it is a "Living Billboard" of windows to showcase BMW's. Clever and very attractive building:

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/6651/july1606bmwshowroomiqu1.jpg

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/7849/july1606todowntowntf7.jpg

Lower Broadview is a "mixed bag".. some warehouse reno's and some houses in need of a lick of paint. This was a nice middle of the road Victorian in this working class part of downtown:

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/1937/july1606housesnearkingriverbridgeqm5.jpg


I saw a steady stream of folk dressed in their Sunday-Going-To-Church clothes coming from this church:

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/9008/july1606broadviewscenegy3.jpg

Broadview hosts Toronto's second downtown "Chinatown", but having said that it is a mixture of Chinese and Vietnamese. Best place in the city to buy live lobster and crabs for cooking at home:

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/8880/july1606broadviewscenechinatownixk0.jpg

http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/2294/july1606broadviewscenechinatowniifx6.jpg

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/2684/july1606broadviewscenechinatowniiink4.jpg

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/2856/july1606broadviewscenepubliclibraryhv7.jpg

What a gem of a library:

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/7170/july1606broadviewscenepubliclibraryiry6.jpg

a closeup of those men playing Chinese Checkers:

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6567/july1606broadviewscenechinesecheckersbn2.jpg

Next stop (luckily a voluntary one) at the Don Jail (or Don Gaol as it was originally called). Built in 1859 it held a host of bad-guys and ne'er-do-wells at Her/His Majesty's Pleasure for over a century. It is a fascinating building, grandiose in its Italian Renaissance Revival style:

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7616/july1606donjail1859iird7.jpg

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5175/july1606donjail1859visv3.jpg

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7643/july1606donjail1859qr1.jpg

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/4926/july1606donjailentryportalhh4.jpg

Prisoners arriving at the gaol could hardly not notice Father Time above the entry portal glaring down at them... not a cheery thought, is it?

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/8554/july1606donjailentryportalfathertimeeo2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

imagine my shock moments later when I saw Father Time sitting on a bench around the corner, in Riverdale Park:

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8219/july1606riverdaleparkhw9.jpg

70 men were executed in the gallows of the Don Gaol. When it was new, public hangings were held outside, right where I was standing. I will not lie to you, I felt a strange sensation when I entered the area. Not fear, but very intense and almost one of building anticipation. I swear on a Bible my heart was pounding as I looked up at the old jail and imagined all the poor souls who must have stared out these bleak windows waiting for Father Time to take pity on them and set them free:

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/3788/july1606donjail1859vlr9.jpg

On now to Riverdale Park... one of our treasures in Toronto. First the statue of Dr Sun Yat-Sen (1866-1925), a political activist instrumental in the overthrow of the tyranical Ching Dynasty:

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/3002/july1606riverdaleparkdrsunyatsenizt9.jpg

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/3822/july1606riverdaleparkdrsunyatseniisv4.jpg

I parked my bike, took off my sandals, and lay down on a beach towel to soak up the cool lushness of the peaceful oasis in the heart of Toronto:

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/2356/july1606riverdaleparkviewqu0.jpg

I know Toronto got scolded a lot in City vs City fisticuffs over the fact it is not as densely built up as some other cities in the world, but give me a bit of parkland anyday and I am happy:

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/3305/july1606riverdaleparkipu1.jpg

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/1584/july1606riverdaleparkiiixv8.jpg

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/4715/july1606riverdaleparksoccervy9.jpg

I sat for a few hours, and captured some views of downtown with the sun going down. Apologies to out-of-towners who will wonder why I am posting so many photos of the same view, but seeing as it is mostly locals who view my thread I think they will enjoy seeing this familiar sight! ;)

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/4941/july1606riverdaleparkviewdtwnug3.jpg

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/7646/july1606riverdaleparkviewdtwniwd9.jpg

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/7876/july1606riverdaleparkviewdtwniikb3.jpg

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/9946/july1606riverdaleparksplendourinthegrasspk4.jpg

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/1460/july1606riverdaleparksunsetiwk3.jpg

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/1249/july1606riverdaleparkviewdtwnlargewo2.jpg

Every few minutes a streetcar would rattle by at twice the speed of light behind me:

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/5461/july1606riverdaleparkstreetcarfn2.jpg

http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/932/july1606riverdaleparkvxil4.jpg

ain't it a beauty? I love my town!!!

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6678/july1606riverdaleparkviewdtwnxxf0.jpg

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/8896/july1606riverdaleparkviewdtwnxxcz1.jpg

and one last study before we move on:

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/7132/july1606riverdaleparkviewdtwnxxxivr1.jpg

I biked my way to the corner of Broadview and Danforth, and turned onto the bridge:

http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/5662/july1606broadviewatthedanforthuw7.jpg

and a final parting shot of the Don Valley Parkway stretching north into the night:

http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/5016/july1606dvpgoingnorthpt6.jpg

That was the first half of my weekend. Today and tonight is the second half as I get Sunday/Monday's off. Thanks everyone for patiently putting up with all the downtown skyline shots!

Wow Amazing shots.
Thank you

Great!

I believe the Don Jail was used in the Best Picture film 'Chicago'.

Woohoo some Scarborough shots!... Nice pix!

Thanks guys! Glad you enjoyed the shots! I took the ferry to the Islands tonight hoping to both escape the heat of the city (34C) and to catch a nice sunset. Successful on escaping the heat, and the sunset was a dud. But, got some nice other
pix:

Royal Canadian Yacht Club:

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/6489/july1706atorontoislandsrcycom9.jpg

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/1142/july1706atorontoislandsviewdtnios6.jpg

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/7178/july1706atorontoislandsviewdtniinb0.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4820/july1706atorontoislandsiiaa4.jpg

a swan that was terribly interested in some of my picnic lunch. I am a sucker and parted with a half a biscuit

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/5339/july1706atorontoislandsswanzh9.jpg

http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/7974/july1706atorontoislandsiiiwo0.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6048/july1706atorontoislandsvlargenw1.jpg

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/8921/july1706atorontoislandsviijl5.jpg

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/3580/july1706atorontoislandsvxiicd3.jpg

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2744/july1706rogerscentre1ix4.jpg

Wow great pics!! I miss TO!!

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6048/july1706atorontoislandsvlargenw1.jpg

Cityplace sure is starting to be felt on the lake view.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6048/july1706atorontoislandsvlargenw1.jpg

Amazing.. I hope there will be more nice skyscrapers in the future.

^ wow cityplace had made its mark already.. that skyline pic is AMAZING

Thanks guys! Yes it is amazing the difference City Place has made in only a year or two. What an eery effect the Roger's Centre gives across the water... looks positively glowing!!

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/5062/july1706atorontoislandsvxiiiup1.jpg

I love the different colours that are being reflected onto the water

Prisoners arriving at the gaol could hardly not notice Father Time above the entry portal glaring down at them... not a cheery thought, is it?

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/8554/july1606donjailentryportalfathertimeeo2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

imagine my shock moments later when I saw Father Time sitting on a bench around the corner, in Riverdale Park:

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8219/july1606riverdaleparkhw9.jpg


... that's perfect!




http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/9946/july1606riverdaleparksplendourinthegrasspk4.jpg


wow, the sexual tension is palpable... hope they didn't have a long way to get home! Or at least somewhere more private.



also, interesting shots of the village and all its night time shenanigans.

... that's perfect!





wow, the sexual tension is palpable... hope they didn't have a long way to get home! Or at least somewhere more private.



Oh they got home alright... put on quite a show for the crowd. They downed
quite a few beers and were... uhmmmm.. frisky! LOL!
The old Father Time guy on the bench freaked me out. He truly looked like he had been sitting there since 1859!

This is the best thread ever! I love the photos, they show so much detail and unknown areas in the city, besids the great photos, artisticlly speaking ;) i'm in love with them!

Yep, this thread is for those people that want to discover more than just the usual tourist rounds.

Thanks guys! Your support means a lot! Ventured out today to do a phototour of Little India on Gerrard, and was caught unawares by a thunderstorm. Had to sit in a donut shop for an hour and shivering in the freezing air conditioning eating dreadful chocolate donuts from Coffee Time! LOL!

looking forward to your next bunch !! :D

I'm going to hold off on the Little India pix til I get a few more. In the meantime here are a few random shots I took this past weekend. The first is a sign in Kensington Market that I have shown before, but it always makes me crack up laughing!! :clown:

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/1686/july2406kensingtonroachoramary9.jpg

Community Art project- Kensington style:

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/7530/july2406kensingtoncommunityartys5.jpg

Moving onto King Street East I see some of the magnificent steeds used by the Toronto Police:

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/5149/july2406kingstmountedpolicezb9.jpg

And some various old warehouses along the street and in the area that have been renovated for modern use:

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/4038/july2406libertyvillagemowattstku0.jpg

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/6950/july2406fraserstatlibertyiiic2.jpg

http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/1903/july2406kingstsceneiwr0.jpg


http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/5985/july2406kingstamsterdambreweryre3.jpg

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/5383/july2406kingstmasseyharrisbldgbg1.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/7493/july2406kingstmasseyharrisbldgitl7.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/4629/july2406kingstactonleathercozq7.jpg

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/8661/july2406kingstsceneiibz7.jpg

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9312/july2406kingstsceneivdv1.jpg

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8163/july2406kingstactonleathercowf2.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/148/july2406richmondadelaideentertainmentdistrictbf6.jpg

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/6443/july2406richmondadelaideentertainmentdistrictijpgkx4.jpg


http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9976/july2406queenststarbuckswf8.jpg

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/5227/july2406downtownimu4.jpg

and one final shot from Avenue Road and Davenport, when I needed to go shopping for flowers:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/8125/july2406aveanddavenportfo6.jpg

til next time, :cheers: !

bumping for the lil' India pix hood. A place I rarely visit and have little knowledge of.

bumping for the lil' India pix hood. A place I rarely visit and have little knowledge of.

I'm totally pumped for getting the rest of them. If it does not rain on Sunday I will. I love the pix I got, but there is a certain "feel" to Little India that must be experienced on a hot summer night. The elegant saris, the families eating in outdoor restaurants like Lahore, and the street vendors selling barbecued corn on the cob. I can't describe it.... but I am determined to capture it.

Very nice.

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/4141/april0206135stgeorgest4vi.jpg

Finally I have organised my Little India shots from the past week. I went on two days, one being before the crowds arrived so I could properly photograph the shops, and the second day being at the height of a Sunday afternoon shopping/entertaining day for families. Little India is on Gerrard Street East, and is within a comfortable bike ride from my home in downtown Toronto. While the community is prominently Indian, it is really a centre for South Asian nationalities in Toronto like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc... my Sri Lankan friend goes there to get his cricket equipment. I rode my bike down from Greektown (a future thread), and I will give you the lay of the land by showing you a couple of shots of what the terrain is like in that area:

http://img275.imageshack.us/img275/4096/july3006littleindiaxxiikz5.jpg

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/8545/july3006littleindiaxvivdu6.jpg

I am not all that knowledgeable about the history or the intricacies of this 'hood, so if any of my fellow Torontonians have more expertise, or would like to correct me, please feel free! The official 'hood name is Gerrard India Bazaar, which is a tad business oriented, I suppose:

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/5969/july3006littleindiavxvxviiikx2.jpg

I loved these movie posters on this cinema. Is this man proud of his set of chompers, or what!:

http://img271.imageshack.us/img271/3672/july3006littleindiaxxef1.jpg

http://img275.imageshack.us/img275/4707/july3006littleindiaxxibp8.jpg

The first time I went through Little India was on a very hot summer night... a number of years back. I was shocked to stumble across it, with its exotic sights and smells and musical sounds... the gorgeous colours of the saris and everyone eating fragrant barbecued corn on the cob. I longed to come back and take photos some day, and finally have had my chance. I think, in a small way, I have been able to capture a bit of the magic that is Little India:

http://img284.imageshack.us/img284/481/july3006littleindiaiiisp3.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/1355/july3006littleindiasceneiq4.jpg

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/9248/july3006littleindiaiwz0.jpg

http://img438.imageshack.us/img438/2872/july3006littleindiaivzb1.jpg

Everywhere are these stands selling roasted corn... they fiercely compete and one pretty lady convinced me to sample her wares:

http://img274.imageshack.us/img274/2639/july3006littleindiaxxvxvirz8.jpg

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/2558/july3006littleindiavxike2.jpg

her son was barbecueing the corn, and as he pulled it off he asked if I would like it "spicy". Why not? He rolled it in a heady mix of spices and handed it piping hot to me:

http://img271.imageshack.us/img271/5859/july3006littleindiavxviilf2.jpg

It is everywhere... everyone seems to be eating it. Like hotdogs, I suppose, but more delicious and infinitely more healthy:

http://img435.imageshack.us/img435/8683/july3006littleindiavxvxiiigu3.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7369/july3006littleindiavxvxec6.jpg

http://img438.imageshack.us/img438/3111/july3006littleindiavxvixik6.jpg

This picture is for our good friend Ashok from Montreal! ;)

http://img435.imageshack.us/img435/2783/july3006littleindiavxvxiics5.jpg

Vibrant colours everywhere.. a delight to the eye:

http://img286.imageshack.us/img286/3299/july3006littleindiavfv9.jpg

Fruit and vegetable markets spill out onto the sidewalk. Some I recognise from Chinatown:

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/8301/july3006littleindiaviig9.jpg

and some I have never seen before. Have you ever seen a more beautiful fruit than these?

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1741/july3006littleindiaviihl9.jpg

http://img271.imageshack.us/img271/5311/july3006littleindiavxviiipr6.jpg

http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/1307/july3006littleindiavxvihz9.jpg

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/8730/july3006littleindiavxvdq8.jpg

http://img274.imageshack.us/img274/5649/july3006littleindiavxivoi2.jpg

I met a befuddled middle aged couple from Hamilton, who had come all the way into Toronto to visit Little India, and had asked their cab driver where would be a good place to eat. He seemed to not think much of the suggestions they had written on their notes, and instead encouraged them to get back in his cab and go downtown to
a restaurant in Atrium on Bay (a small mall). I told them to do nothing of the kind and to just stay put and try one of the restaurants on the street:

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/4408/july3006littleindiavxiiwh8.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/5052/july3006littleindiaviiitf9.jpg

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/4356/july3006littleindiavxxi2.jpg

http://img274.imageshack.us/img274/2489/july3006littleindiavxiiilq3.jpg

to give you an idea of what the houses are like in the neighbourhood, here is an example.. Neat, tidy but very definitely a working class blue collar neighbourhood:

http://img277.imageshack.us/img277/51/july3006littleindiaxviint1.jpg

a sign I noticed on a pole:

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/4463/july3006littleindiaxvmg9.jpg

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/7029/july3006littleindiaxivsz7.jpg

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/7796/july3006littleindiaxiiisl0.jpg

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/5927/july3006littleindiaxiimg3.jpg

http://img286.imageshack.us/img286/1410/july3006littleindiaxijs5.jpg

and everywhere there is South Asian music... blaring from speakers to entice shoppers to come in.

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3593/july3006littleindiaxna8.jpg

http://img286.imageshack.us/img286/337/july3006littleindiavxvxvxtu6.jpg

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9650/july3006littleindiavxvxvixui0.jpg

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/9039/july3006littleindiavxvxviirm0.jpg

more corn:

http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/2636/july3006littleindiavxvxvbs7.jpg

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9027/july3006littleindiavxvxivmn2.jpg

http://img277.imageshack.us/img277/9394/july3006littleindiaxxvxvqw9.jpg

http://img277.imageshack.us/img277/4123/july3006littleindiaxxvxivhe3.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/5962/july3006littleindiaxxvxiiish5.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/2883/july3006littleindiaxxvxiidr6.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/2938/july3006littleindiaxxvxinm6.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/1139/july3006littleindiaxxvxpu6.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6453/july3006littleindiaxxvixar8.jpg

http://img289.imageshack.us/img289/3829/july3006littleindiaxxviiiex5.jpg

http://img277.imageshack.us/img277/2135/july3006littleindiaxxviird5.jpg

http://img275.imageshack.us/img275/4811/july3006littleindiaxxvhr8.jpg

http://img275.imageshack.us/img275/7083/july3006littleindiaxxivfa7.jpg

http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/4626/july3006littleindiaxxiiidp0.jpg

my first visit was cut short by a thunderstorm, which forced me to spend an unpleasant hour trapped in a Donut Shop which was freezing cold due to excessive air conditioning! LOL!

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/4754/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvvxiilf9.jpg


the aforementioned cricket supply store:

http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/1899/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvvxilr8.jpg

ICICI bank:

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6033/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvvixkq1.jpg

and that fellow who pops up on our tv screens quite a lot:

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/9356/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvvxob3.jpg

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/4874/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvviieu6.jpg

the local library:

http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/6461/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvviee9.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/261/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvvva9.jpg

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/900/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvivds0.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2381/july3006littleindiaxxvxvviiigk2.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/386/july3006littleindiaxxvxvviitk1.jpg

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/1107/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvifk9.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/696/july3006littleindiaxxvxvvbq2.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/4918/july3006littleindiaxxvxvivzv3.jpg

http://img274.imageshack.us/img274/4054/july3006littleindiaxxvxviihw6.jpg

Thanks to everyone for joining me today! Also thanks to Jan for making this great website... had it not been for SSC, I would probably not have done this photo tour. I am surprised how much I have learned about my own city since joining SSC! Ironically, the reason I began this thread was that I very much enjoyed one about Colonial architecture in Bombay.. that got me started thinking to start my own photoblog! I guess now I have come full circle. Due to an extremely efficient day yesterday, I have pictures for a few more entries "in the can" ... Greektown, The Annex, and Bloor St Yorkville area (including the new and glamorous Gardiner Ceramic Museum reno! I just need time to organise them all... Cheers! :cheers:

^^
Wow Little India in Toronto is so vibrant, it made me wonder if Chicago also have same sort of neighborhood like it?
Since, out here is Chicago SW suburb, I know lots of indians and having lots of indian temples out here in da burbs, but unaware if there is Indian Town in Chicago!
Wonderful pix!:)

^^
Wow Little India in Toronto is so vibrant, it made me wonder if Chicago also have same sort of neighborhood like it?
Since, out here is Chicago SW suburb, I know lots of indians and having lots of indian temples out here in da burbs, but unaware if there is Indian Town in Chicago!
Wonderful pix!:)

Thanks Chicago! I'll bet there is a similar area in Chicago... grab your camera and do a bit of sleuthing in your city's 'hoods! Start a thread! I know for sure that Chicago has the biggest Polish neighbourhood in North America :cheers:

Thanks Chicago! I'll bet there is a similar area in Chicago... grab your camera and do a bit of sleuthing in your city's 'hoods! Start a thread! I know for sure that Chicago has the biggest Polish neighbourhood in North America :cheers:

Yea, I know that Polish has estalished tremendous hoods in Chicago, just not sure about our Indian freinds tho!:)
BTW, is little indian the biggest foreigner hood in Toronto after Chinatown?

Yea, I know that Polish has estalished tremendous hoods in Chicago, just not sure about our Indian freinds tho!:)
BTW, is little indian the biggest foreigner hood in Toronto after Chinatown?

Hmmm... I think the two Little Italy's are bigger... Little India is about the same size as the Polish 'hood in Toronto (see past pages for those). Naturally there are suburbs where many people of South Asian descent live that are far away from this older downtown centre... but I think they come down to it to shop, and to eat and to soak up the scene! Soon I am going to photograph the Sri Lankan part of town, as I have some friends living there. It is smaller than Little India. The Chinatowns are still the biggest, though. The more the merrier! :cheers:

Feel like having a real tour of the place, Taller, Better :)

Feel like having a real tour of the place, Taller, Better :)

Thanks for coming and visiting my little tour!! :cheers:

That's SO neat, taller,better...

Thanks for showing us that 'hood like that... you portrayed it really nicely! Thank God SSC has you to show neighbourhood life in Toronto!

how can I say....the people in colours... :grouphug:..thanks.. ;)

Nice pics!

And finally, as the hour is getting late, I will just post some pictures that I took that have not fit in to any of the previous postings, or which I may have missed first time round. Just a mish mash of snaps:


http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/9509/jun0506collegesttorontolibrary.jpg



I recognise here the Lillian Smith Library :D ...by the way great photos , and if I may suggest nice places like North York , Yorkville , Yonge/Bloore ...etc and for the bad areas , Parkdale , Parliament st/Shutter ,Scott Mission , Jane/Finch ( just kidding) ....anyways as you know there are so many places and so many things to see in Toronto , you can visit the world just by visiting Toronto ............keep it up mate ............ :)

Thanks for the additional info! I've got pix for a Bloor St thread, from the Annex to Yonge St, but am just organising them. Also for a Greektown thread, but I want to wait to get pictures from the Greektown Festival next weekend to add to them. I will definitely do Yorkville too, and will do Cabbagetown Festival on Parliament St. Plus the Sri Lankan area. There are too many communities to do in just one summer!!! LOL!

Great thread.

For those that can't be there in person, I wish you could hear and smell some of these hoods (and taste, for the food). The pictures are great, but can't do them full justice.

Great picts! Toronto is wonderful!

^ errr... yes, it was really empty there on his St. Clair tour :|. Little India is one of the emptier nabes, certainly nothing in comparison to many other nabes. Your 'attempt' to make the city sound deserted are pathetic.

Beat it troll!

Allen gardens reminds of Kew Gardens in London, England. Never been there but there are certainly a lot of English things here in Vancouver as well!

I apologize to everyone for the spamming on my thread. There is a mentally unbalanced guy who has been repeatedly spamming the Toronto section the past
couple of days and he has hit my thread too. Please ignore his posts. Thanks! :)

edit: The spam has been removed. Thanks!

Haven't checked this thread in awhile. Those latest pics show how diverse our city is.

Too bad there aren't any NAican mods online. That serch character has been posting that same pic in numerous threads in all Canada related sections. :no:

Too bad there aren't any NAican mods online. That serch character has been posting that same pic in numerous threads in all Canada related sections. :no:

Someone kindly removed the pornography posted, but I should count my blessings that only two trolls have hit my picture thread. The other one I just ignore! Thanks whoever took out the trash! :) I have probably 1500 pics in files that I have been taking this summer, waiting to be sized, labeled and eventually put onto photobucket to be transferred onto here. A good winter project! Right now I have been busy just taking nice summer pix! Thanks again to everyone who takes the time to check this out!

amazing pics.

Time for some new photo's! Today I am mounting a presentation of photo's along Bloor Street, and Yorkville. My journey of the area begins on Prince Arthur Street, and wends its way over to Bloor. Bloor St is the "Rodeo Drive" of Toronto, with many of the high end jewelry and coutourier houses.

http://img272.imageshack.us/img272/6386/july3006xbloorstprincearthuravao4.jpg

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/852/july3006xbloorstprincearthuraviiics1.jpg

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/8625/july3006xbloorstprincearthuravivit4.jpg

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/4466/july3006xbloorstprincearthuravvhn7.jpg

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/2316/july3006xbloorstprincearthuravviom8.jpg

http://img490.imageshack.us/img490/2484/july3006xbloorstprincearthuravvixaz1.jpg

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/8347/july3006xbloorstprincearthuravvxide2.jpg

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/3488/july3006xbloorstprincearthuravvxiidk9.jpg

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/3560/july3006xbloorstprincearthuravvxiiiiv7.jpg

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/8526/july3006xbloorstvxipe1.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2499/july3006xbloorstvxixim4.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4769/july3006xbloorstvxxwt4.jpg

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/3368/july3006xbloorstvxxijl4.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7451/july3006xbloorstvxxiiisu4.jpg

On Avenue Road just South of Bloor just across from the Royal Ontario Museum is the
Gardiner Ceramics Museum. Currently under a complete renovation, I was able to go in for a tour. The space is breathtaking and the top floor is a restaurant run by one of the top chef's in Toronto:

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/5614/july3006xbloorstvxxivyg5.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7697/july3006xbloorstvxxivgardinerej6.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/3475/july3006xbloorstvxxivgardineriiye8.jpg

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/5310/july3006xbloorstvxxvca7.jpg

http://img274.imageshack.us/img274/8117/july3006xbloorstvxxivgardineriieventspacezp2.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/1607/july3006xbloorstvxxvics7.jpg

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/6215/july3006xbloorstvxxviihf2.jpg

The view from the rooftop is breathtaking...

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/9637/july3006xbloorstvxxivgardinervixao6.jpg

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/3512/july3006xbloorstvxxivgardinerviiihc4.jpg

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/296/july3006xbloorstvxxivgardinerviiqh1.jpg

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/7067/july3006xbloorstvxxivgardinervxm6.jpg

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/3764/july3006xbloorstvxxivgardinerivrm8.jpg

Back to Bloor Street:

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/1344/july3006xbloorstvxxivgardinervxixt8.jpg

On Bloor Street there is an interesting early "Shopping Centre" built in the 60's,
"The Collonade" which still looks handsome to this day:

http://img416.imageshack.us/img416/4813/july3006xbloorstxfi9.jpg

http://img416.imageshack.us/img416/9205/july3006xbloorstxidn5.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/8508/july3006xbloorstxiiibj0.jpg

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/9374/july3006xbloorstxivpl1.jpg

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/9638/july3006xbloorstxviho0.jpg

http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/8711/july3006xbloorstxviilh7.jpg

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/7152/july3006xbloorstxvixgw6.jpg

http://img474.imageshack.us/img474/5602/july3006xbloorstxvxrq8.jpg

http://img439.imageshack.us/img439/9378/july3006xbloorstxvxiib5.jpg

http://img439.imageshack.us/img439/6272/july3006xbloorstxvxiitf5.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/7976/july3006xbloorstxvxiiifi5.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/707/july3006xbloorstxvxvmi9.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/8804/july3006xbloorstxvxvihq3.jpg

http://img434.imageshack.us/img434/4492/july3006xbloorstxvxviiqt0.jpg

Breakfast at Tiffany's, perhaps?

http://img434.imageshack.us/img434/3530/july3006xbloorstxvxviiijj2.jpg

http://img434.imageshack.us/img434/6352/july3006xbloorstxvxvixrp6.jpg

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/1447/july3006xbloorstxvxvxul8.jpg

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/6985/july3006xbloorstxvxvxiqa8.jpg

One of Canada's oldest shops, the venerable Holt Renfrew, which has for 180 years been a purveyor of fine goods and coutourier clothing to the carriage trade:

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/6074/july3006xbloorstxvxvxiholtrenfrew1837tq2.jpg

Another old Canadian institution, Birk's Jewelers:

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/4294/july3006xbloorstxvxvxibirksqd2.jpg

http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/487/july3006xbloorstxvxvxihmfe8.jpg

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/9240/july3006xbloorstxvxvxiizh3.jpg

And Stolleries, yet another old time Toronto institution:

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/8031/july3006xbloorstxvxvxiiiou4.jpg

Looking North to Bloor, from Bay Street:

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/7540/xaug0606ipk8.jpg

Next, we will move north of Bloor Street to Yorkville.

^ wunderbar photos as usual!

Always ben a fan of this guy:

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/8526/july3006xbloorstvxipe1.jpg

The Village of Yorkville was founded in 1830 by Joseph Bloor, as one of the earlier
suburbs of the settlement. It has a quiet Victorian charm, and during the 60's was
a hotbed of bohemian life, rife with hippies and beatniks. Some singers that rose from
these heady days were Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. Today Yorkville has become a genteel neighbourhood full of trendy restaurants and boutiques:

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/5203/xaug0606yorkvillepy7.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/4844/xaug0606yorkvilleini3.jpg

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/2269/xaug0606yorkvilleivfv0.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8797/xaug0606yorkvillevxr5.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4492/xaug0606yorkvilleviwp1.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4706/xaug0606yorkvilleviizv4.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/3937/xaug0606yorkvilleviiijk3.jpg

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/7152/xaug0606yorkvillevixcf6.jpg

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/4750/xaug0606yorkvillevxiicy8.jpg

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/2346/xaug0606yorkvillevxiiivs6.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/7227/xaug0606yorkvillevxivxu1.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/4948/xaug0606yorkvillevxvlw8.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/5765/xaug0606yorkvillevxvibl0.jpg

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/8004/xaug0606yorkvillevxviipn6.jpg

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/5739/xaug0606yorkvillevxviiidr9.jpg

But Yorkville is not entirely a village that lives in the past... it fully intends to keep up
with the future:

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7282/xaug0606yorkvillevxvivhq0.jpg

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/7308/xaug0606yorkvillevxvivoldyorklanezs6.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5946/xaug0606yorkvillevxvivinn1.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6453/xaug0606yorkvillevxviviioc7.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/503/xaug0606yorkvillevxvivivas8.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1341/xaug0606yorkvillexvviiicg8.jpg

The Yorkville library was built by the Carnegie Foundation:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4899/xaug0606yorkvillexvviigx7.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2770/xaug0606yorkvillexvviqg8.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/5780/xaug0606yorkvillexvivib4.jpg

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/6963/xaug0606yorkvillexviiidz2.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4002/xaug0606yorkvillexviifv2.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5823/xaug0606yorkvillexvipv1.jpg

The village "Bobby", Constable John Daniels needed a home from which to police and this charming house was constructed for him in 1867:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/7434/xaug0606yorkvillexiijohndaniels1867eh8.jpg

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/2925/xaug0606yorkvillexiijohndaniels1867sepiart8.jpg


http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9791/xaug0606yorkvillexiijohndaniels1867iex0.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/8916/xaug0606yorkvillexivam1.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/7894/xaug0606yorkvillexiien1.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/8105/xaug0606yorkvillexiaq8.jpg

A new condominium is being built behind this facade:

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/238/xaug0606yorkvillevxvivv100yorkvilleus7.jpg

Yorkville's Coat-of-Arms from an 1859 building, followed by a plaque:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/442/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxiiou2.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/362/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxiiien6.jpg

The old Yorkville Fire Hall:

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/6331/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxfl2.jpg

more construction:

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/7615/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxxiivx0.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6646/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxixsb2.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5999/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxivxv5.jpg

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/3226/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxxvcq1.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1038/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxxvihf9.jpg

Where to buy your Rolls Royce.....

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8427/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxxviitl0.jpg

and that Ferrari that you have been promising yourself:

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/3433/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxxvivifa9.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/73/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxxviiipb0.jpg

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/3460/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxxvivrg9.jpg

In the market for English furniture from the 1800's?

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/125/xaug0606yorkvillexvvxxviviipo4.jpg

View north on Avenue Road, with Upper Canada College visible in the distance, up the hill:

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/3325/xaug0606yorkvillexvxmg1.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/5377/xaug0606yorkvillexvxigt2.jpg

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/3465/xaug0606yorkvillexvxiidl0.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/1732/xaug0606yorkvillexvxvixxq7.jpg

Man's best friend:

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6017/xaug0606yorkvillexvxvxnc6.jpg

The Helliconian Club, built in 1875 as a home for local women in the arts, and still used for that purpose to this very day:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7070/xaug0606yorkvillexvxvxiiixo5.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7406/xaug0606yorkvillexvxvxivxz0.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/8876/xaug0606yorkvillexvxvxvipj9.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2425/xaug0606yorkvillexvxvxviilh0.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5602/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxiua7.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/5812/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxivkr9.jpg

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/3531/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxviipr6.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8973/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxvxdg5.jpg

Inside Hazelton Lanes, a small upscale shopping centre:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4946/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxvxiixm5.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/38/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxvxvwa8.jpg

Little Pug:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/3688/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxvxivxb7.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/6055/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxvxviigw9.jpg

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/79/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxxex7.jpg

and back to where we started on Bloor Street:

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/9886/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxxigt6.jpg

Now a few extra pix from the Bloor/Yorkville area, starting with one of the lovely old dowager hotels from Toronto's past.. The Windsor Arms:

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3891/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxxiiky9.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2816/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxxvpg9.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4070/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxxviiuf9.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2631/xaug0606yorkvillexvxxxviiidc1.jpg

and some shots I took this past Spring:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4579/april1006yorkvilleshotshugobosszp5.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7443/april1006bloorshotschanelzv9.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/3619/april1006bloorshotscollonadeia0.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/858/april1006bloorshotshermesxy7.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/9838/april1006bloorshotshermesiay0.jpg

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/2185/april1006bloorshotspradaiuq4.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/3319/april1006yorkvilleshotsmuranoglassigv0.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1849/april1006yorkvilleshotsvijf1.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4720/may1006yorkvillehazeltonaveivys3.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/8840/may1006yorkvillehazeltonavevijh7.jpg

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/4238/may1006yorkvillehazeltonavevxiiisq8.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7912/may1006yorkvillehazeltonavevxixiu2.jpg

http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/7450/may1006yorkvillehazeltonavevxxiiicl6.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4007/jun160618yorkvillewe0.jpg

I hope you enjoyed your visit to the Bloor Street/Yorkville neighbourhood! Thanks for coming along! :cheers:

Oh I DID enjoy it; very much! Definitely my favourite part of town...

As Monty Python used to say: "And now.. for something completely different", I recently visited an installation of Chinese Lanterns at Ontario Place, on the lakefront. This is the largest display of "lanterns" ever assembled outside of China, and some are actually hundreds of feet long. The viewing is from 7pm til 11, so one sees the transformation of the silk structures into a breathtaking and very magical display of twinkling lights. The displays are "alive"... the individual parts move, the lights flash, and there is Chinese music. We are blessed to have this exhibit here this summer and if you are in town, it remains til October. Here is Ontario Place:

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/5731/aaug0806lanternsviiirt0.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4711/aaug0806lanternsivrz0.jpg

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/8766/aaug0806lanternsvkc1.jpg

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/8738/aaug0806lanternsdragonsfightoverpearlbridgeir7.jpg

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/479/aaug0806lanternsvxizu8.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/6332/aaug0806lanternsdragonsfightoverpearloj4.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7554/aaug0806lanternsdragonsfightoverpearlbridgeitf5.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6445/aaug0806lanternspeachorchardssignqa8.jpg

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/9169/aaug0806lanternspeachorchardszr0.jpg

This was one of my favourites.. the entire dragon is clad with porcelain plates, cups and spoons. Later you will see it illuminated in green and blue, and you will not recognise it:

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2629/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragongu4.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6715/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragoniinb6.jpg

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2606/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragonivwv0.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6452/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragonvuk3.jpg

As dusk set in, the true beauty of the lanterns is revealed... here is the forest of the hundred species of birds:

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/3046/aaug0806lanternshundredspeciesbirdsiqk9.jpg

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/57/aaug0806lanternshundredspeciesbirdsiiigl3.jpg

The nine dragon wall:

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/2857/aaug0806lanterns9dragonwalliirc3.jpg

live performances by Chinese dancers:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/355/aaug0806lanternsdancinggirlsnp1.jpg

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2823/aaug0806lanternsdancinggirlsiiiow5.jpg

Lions chasing the spinning ball:

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4290/aaug0806lanternslionsspinningballuy9.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/1755/aaug0806lanternslionsspinningballiizm8.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/6227/aaug0806lanternslionsspinningballiiiuh1.jpg

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/3830/aaug0806lanternslionsspinningballvipl9.jpg

The displays fan out on the lakeshore, and one cannot help but notice the beautiful display of colour being performed by Mother Nature at sunset:

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/5594/aaug0806viewijp1.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4269/aaug0806viewiiijp9.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7968/aaug0806viewvixis0.jpg

Earlier you saw two dragons on the entrance bridge fighting over a pearl.. night-
time brings the battle to life:

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/3170/aaug0806lanternsdragonsfightoverpearlvgv6.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2964/aaug0806lanternsviewiimx5.jpg

Our friend the porcelain dragon slowly awakens and takes on a fiercesome glow:

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/7328/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragonviiirl2.jpg

look closer:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/3189/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragonviige6.jpg

but not too close or he will bite!

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/271/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragonxiieb2.jpg

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/7388/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragonxviid6.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/8056/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragonvxiqc7.jpg

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/9461/aaug0806lanternsdragonsfightoverpearlvikw5.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2848/aaug0806lanternsdragonsfightoverpearlbridgexxv2.jpg

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8812/aaug0806lanternsviewiiixf7.jpg

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3976/aaug0806lanternshectometerporcelaindragonxvivkd9.jpg

a family of Panda's:

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/4864/aaug0806viiivm3.jpg

a girl with one thousand arms:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2739/aaug0806thousandarmsiiitl9.jpg

pure magic:

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/4551/aaug0806viewxok9.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/2874/aaug0806viewxiiizc5.jpg

a one hundred dragon arch:

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/9151/aaug0806hundreddragonarchijt9.jpg

and one of my favourites.. a family of peacocks composed entirely of thousands of tiny bottles of coloured water, lit up:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4313/aaug08peacockinglassbottledo9.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/286/aaug08peacockinglassbottleidp2.jpg

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/703/aaug08peacockinglassbottleiimi7.jpg

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/15/aaug0806auspiciouspeacockjh2.jpg

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/8762/aaug0806auspiciouspeacockicb3.jpg

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/470/aaug0806archkp0.jpg

again, glancing out at the lake to enjoy the display of a nearly full moon reflecting on
the water:

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/8899/aaug0806aviewte1.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9087/aaug0806aviewimu2.jpg

Gods of Fortune:

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/8310/aaug0806archgodsoffortunecn0.jpg

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/474/aaug0806archgodsoffortuneicx4.jpg

fierocious Raptors and Dinosaurs:

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/9871/aaug0806dinosaursfg9.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4963/aaug0806lanternsvxgs3.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8563/aaug0806vxgq3.jpg

The Face of Chinese Opera:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4986/aaug0806facesofchineseoperabo7.jpg

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/3889/aaug0806facesofchineseoperaiaq3.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4417/aaug0806facesofchineseoperaiiss4.jpg

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/17/aaug0806facesofchineseoperaiiikx7.jpg

Chamber of the Immortals:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7149/aaug0806chamberofimmortalswd9.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4917/aaug0806chamberofimmortalsiez4.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/8476/aaug0806aviewbkt0.jpg

a couple of insects in a peach orchard:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7193/aaug0806aviewbiizx5.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/3478/aaug0806aviewbiiiid8.jpg

and finally the Grand Entrance under the full moon, as I bade farewell to the wonderful display!

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3058/aaug0806entrancefb0.jpg

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/6175/aaug0806entranceijf5.jpg

and goodnight to our ferocious duelling dragons fighting over a precious pearl:

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/2025/aaug0806adragonue3.jpg

http://img435.imageshack.us/img435/2783/july3006littleindiavxvxiics5.jpg

Thanks :) Looks great!

The guy on the poster that you said seems proud is a tamil comedian.

^^^ LOL! I was hoping you would catch that entry! Thanks for the info on the Tamil actor.. I had no idea who he was. Only today I was on Parliament photographing some Sri Lankan shops and restaurants for a future entry here, so stay tuned!!

Nice lanterns. I saw a similar exhibition at the CNE around Chinese New Year. This one seems more extensive.

Very nice pics! The Chinese Lantern festival looks amazing.

Wow, the Yorkville pics were amazing, and so was the lantern festival. I'm speechless, really.

Great pics TB! Its great to see different areas of our city that are rarely seen here.

I love this thread. Unusual off the beaten track photos!

Beautiful pics! :D
I was just at Yorkville today hehe. & I was at the Lantern Festival last saturday night. It was amazing.

nice .cong, glodry

Thanks guys! Glad you liked them! Lots more to come in the following months.

My favorite thread in all of SSC!

You have such a great eye for shots, and the smaller photos make it easy to look through these threads and look just as good as large shots!

You do a really good job, and I love the comprehensive tours through Toronto you give us without us even having to step outside- great!

-thryve

It has been awhile, but now that Autumn is here, I hope to start organising some of the photo's I took this summer. I will start with Hallowe'en celebrations last night on Church Street, in the heart of the gay village, where they shut down the street every year for a big Hallowe'en party. The weather was good, and the costumes were amazing! Thousands of people packed the street for the fun and entertainment:

The range of costumes went from the very tasteful:

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/8554/img7541jn1.jpg

to the cheerfully taste-free:

http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/8839/img7535ay6.jpg

and ran the gamut from The Good:

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/9994/img7646hc7.jpg

the Bad:

http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/5171/img7719iz5.jpg

and The Ugly:

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3540/img7830yy5.jpg

Being at night it was hard to photo the crowds, so please forgive the dark
quality of some of the pix:

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/51/img7793tk0.jpg

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/2428/img7798yk5.jpg

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/7140/img7819bw6.jpg

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/5916/img7810js1.jpg

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/3849/img7809qn1.jpg

A surprising number of families join the fun, and this little fella was all tuckered out:

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/1221/img7808gy5.jpg

I couldn't quite catch if this was Condoleeza Rice, or Jackie O... more likely
Jackie O; she had more fans on the Street:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4343/img7803lb3.jpg

Carmen Miranda showed up:

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/1922/pavigw8.jpg

and people apparently came from all over the world for the event ;)

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/3281/img7780qt3.jpg

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/4215/img7779mw5.jpg

"Friendly" describes the atmosphere:

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/8064/img7772hh5.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/4045/img7771ao4.jpg

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/327/img7823qv1.jpg

The centre of the fun on the street is always the second floor patio bar of
LUB lounge... no party on Church Street is complete without a DJ :dj: and Go-Go boys:

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/9784/img7578vl7.jpg

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/5797/img7580vo8.jpg

http://img351.imageshack.us/img351/4936/img7560gd1.jpg

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/6866/img7547yt7.jpg

table for one:

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/3131/img7544lu6.jpg

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/6181/img7542cs9.jpg

The Gloved One:

http://img430.imageshack.us/img430/3673/img7615yo8.jpg

Sailors galore:

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/6724/img7617cy9.jpg

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6496/img7622ad7.jpg

Feathers everywhere:

http://img276.imageshack.us/img276/5309/img7626jc5.jpg

drama/tragedy often go hand in hand.....

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/9343/img7627il7.jpg

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/782/img7632os3.jpg

The Tunes were excellent, and soon had the entire crowd dancing:dance:

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2684/img7694wo5.jpg

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/6669/img7690cr9.jpg

Borat put in an appearance:

http://img290.imageshack.us/img290/9697/img7673ma1.jpg

Another little cutey-pie:

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/3151/img7671xw0.jpg

and yet another:

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/3564/img7670lg9.jpg

a juicy big Strawberry:

http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/6521/img7665vm0.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1894/img7659zm4.jpg

http://img285.imageshack.us/img285/7287/img7654ca0.jpg

http://img273.imageshack.us/img273/1701/img7650fv2.jpg

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/2278/img7645ej2.jpg

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/5785/img7643zt9.jpg

The Pirate theme was predictably strong this year:

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/3029/img7639st3.jpg

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/4924/img7636ix4.jpg

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/3228/img7764ra4.jpg

http://img416.imageshack.us/img416/1290/img7737eg8.jpg

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/3311/img7734ix9.jpg

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/7274/img7733is3.jpg

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/1561/img7726eo0.jpg

Look up.... look waaaay waaaay up:

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/4688/img7723ed5.jpg

http://img430.imageshack.us/img430/9350/img7721gx7.jpg

Lot's of cocktails:

http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/8428/img7714fx6.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/7103/img7708ty8.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/3279/img7707cf2.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/6571/img7703cz5.jpg

a full moon explains much of the hijinx!

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/157/img7698fr1.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/4988/img7695dt0.jpg

A great time was had by everyone! Thanks for taking the tour!!

I've never seen such elaborate Halloween costumes before. Thanks for taking the time to shoot these photos and post them. I hope you had a good time at the street festival.

I've never seen such elaborate Halloween costumes before. Thanks for taking the time to shoot these photos and post them. I hope you had a good time at the street festival.

Hey Clay, thanks for the comment! I have to agree.... I have attended 21
Hallowe'ens in Toronto, and this year the costumes were far better than I have ever seen before. I could only choose a few of them to show here as the choice was amazing! What a night....:cheers:

Great shots TB... hilarious. More colourful than Pride, less skin though. Why do gay peeps have all the fun.... even the term "straight" sounds boring, linear, organized... ah well, I suppose somebody has to reproduce. Better get to it.

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1228/april1606abeacheschurchoftheun.jpg


this place was just recently shut down for selling marijuana over the counter...only been there once, they sold pretty good stuff but it was only a matter of time until they got shut down

I've missed looking at your pictures ;P
I love the Halloween ones!

LOL! Thanks guys! Elliot, I think the answer has to do with lots of alcohol! ;).
Thanks Parisuite! You always follow the thread and I appreciate that! Yin Yang, you are right, it got busted. I hope it gets thrown out of court. I like the whole "Church of What's Happenin' Now" idea of it!

I'll just post a mish mash of Autumn photos that I have taken recently!

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/3886/img7340ak3.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/8357/img7343ev2.jpg

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/6291/img7345ko1.jpg

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/7178/img7349px7.jpg

http://img322.imageshack.us/img322/9212/img7350xx5.jpg

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/2599/img7412jf6.jpg

Here is a nice shot looking down at the construction site of the Royal Ontario
Museum addition:

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/3050/oct2306viewromidj8.jpg

a shot looking West on Bloor, from Avenue Road:

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/6617/oct2306bloortowestsm4.jpg

The test outlet for Coca Cola's plans to break into the Starbucks-type coffee business. If this Far Coast test works, they may open up across North America:

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/8246/oct2306bloorstrq8.jpg

http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/7853/oct2306bloorviewcornerrw8.jpg

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/7182/oct2306bloorstmanufacturerslifeii0.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/4714/img7339nw7.jpg

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/5828/img7337zc8.jpg

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/340/img7357zp3.jpg

http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/2993/img7362wx5.jpg

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/6866/img7445ro0.jpg

http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/808/oct2306viewdonvalleykb6.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9452/img7453tf8.jpg

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/8066/oct2306viewdowntownqb2.jpg

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/3055/img7428sn1.jpg

http://img435.imageshack.us/img435/790/img7342hx3.jpg

http://img289.imageshack.us/img289/1007/img7345hb2.jpg

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/5964/img7451ae9.jpg

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/8673/img7448jw1.jpg

http://img346.imageshack.us/img346/4269/img7332cj1.jpg

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4710/oct1806sherbournestxk4.jpg

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4720/oct1806viewjz5.jpg

A 300+ year old white oak near where I used to live:

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/6074/oct30300yroldoakiiixp0.jpg

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/3696/oct0906amsterdamparkvyh9.jpg

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/963/oct0906amsterdamparkivkx0.jpg

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5247/oct0906uoftiqs9.jpg

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3453/sparkiiv7.jpg

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/6867/sparkyk9.jpg