My Toronto - Caribana 2010

Saturday, July 31st was Caribana 2010 Parade day. I believe it's the 43rd anniversary of this event in Toronto.

This year, as in the past few years, it began in the Exhibition Grounds and moved onto the Lake Shore West (westbound). Supposedly it was to begin at 10:00 a.m., but when I got down to Lake Shore, just east of Jameson, at around noontime it still hadn't passed. Well nothing of significance anyway. I heard from the fellow beside me that the mayor and premier had gone by, but that was about it.

The first float I saw was the diversity one sponsored by the Toronto Police. The next one appeared around an hour later. All the spectators around me (myself included) were pretty annoyed at that. We heard something about a broken manhole cover that may have been the cause of the delay. But, even afterward the floats/trucks were separated by gaps of at least 10-15 minutes.

There was some good music, great costumes and wonderful bands, but, overall, what should have been a really enjoyable day out pretty much sucked. Far too much sitting/standing and waiting and waiting and waiting...

My Toronto - Beaches International Jazz Festival

I went down to the Beaches International Jazz Festival this past Friday with Vince's cousin Fiona. She's here visiting from Australia. Originally she had planned to stay for a couple of years, but finding a job is proving more difficult than she anticipated. So, she's going to cut her losses and do a quick tour of our lovely country then return home.

Anyway, my favorite part of the Jazz Festival is when the bands play on the street. This year they closed off a 2-kilometre stretch of Queen Street heading east from Woodbine Avenue. Along the route they had 50 bands scheduled to play. Though the Festival was just over a week long the Street Festival was just three evenings, Thursday through Saturday. As well, they had all different sorts of music, not just jazz. There was Latin, big band and soul among others.

We arrived early to find parking on Coxwell Avenue, just north of Lake Shore Boulevard (East). On weekdays you can park free after 6:00 p.m. The Street Festival didn't start until 7:00 so we walked along the boardwalk at the Beaches to kill some time. It was quite hot and humid out I have to say. I thought it was a bit uncomfortable, but Fiona, being from Melbourne, seemed to think it was fine.

At 7:00 we headed up to Queen and Woodbine and started walking east. A few bands had started playing, but others were still setting up. I suppose that's normal. Nobody every really starts on time. Especially since it ran until 11:00 p.m. There would be plenty of time to perform.

As time passed the bands were in full swing. Along the way there were also a bunch of vendors from nearby restaurants selling food from their stalls. You could get anything from pulled pork and chicken Souvlaki to roasted corn-on-the-cob and Thai food. Trust me, you'd never go hungry there.

It became a lot busier as more and more people came down to enjoy the music, food and festivities. Normally the organizers say they expect anywhere up to a million people over the 3-day street festival.

Not long after we hit the end at Beech Avenue we got a call from Fiona's sister's friend, Derricka, who is also visiting from Australia. They had arranged to meet up with us earlier in the day. We met her and her boyfriend, Shane (from Mississauga), and his friend, Mark, for a drink at a pub called Lion on the Beach (right by Lick's Homeburgers & Ice Cream).

We spent a bit of time there chatting and listening to music before I had to take Fiona back to Vince's parents' place. They don't like her to stay out too late because they're concerned about her safety.

All-in-all it was a really fun evening. I know I enjoyed myself. I'll try to make it back next year if I'm available. Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate again. This year it only rained one of the three nights the Street Festival was on. Two out of three ain't bad.

My Toronto - Edwards Gardens

Edwards Gardens is a botanical garden located on the southwest corner of Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East in Toronto, Ontario. It is also the site of the Toronto Botanical Garden, a private not-for profit organization previously called the Civic Garden Centre.

It is a former estate garden featuring annuals, roses and wildflowers and an extensive rockery. It is located on Wilket Creek, one of the tributaries of the Don River West Branch. The estate's title was once held by Alexander Milne, a Scottish weaver who settled here after the War of 1812 and left in 1832. The land and the woolen/saw mills was obtained by Rupert E. Edwards in 1944 and created his country home. Edwards home was left in neglect and was purchased by the Municipality of Metro Toronto in 1955 and became Edwards Gardens in 1956. The Civic Garden centre was relocated from another Milne property, the Milne home on Old Lawrence Avenue.

Edwards Gardens is one of several parks located in Toronto's ravines, many of which are connected by hiking and cycling trails ending on the shores of Lake Ontario. The park's manicured lawns and well kept flower beds make it a popular destination for wedding parties to take photographs. ~ Taken directly from Wikipedia

My Toronto - Eaton Centre

This photo was taken last year at the Eaton Centre. Obviously it was shot around Christmastime. The tree in the picture is decorated with Swarovski Crystals. They've been doing it for the past few years.

The Eaton Centre is a large shopping mall in the heart of downtown Toronto. Built in two stages in the late 1970's, it's located on Yonge Street, stretching one city block from Queen Street in the south to Dundas Street in the north.

There are 230 different stores and restaurants located on it's four levels. As well there are offices and parking on other levels.

The glassed-domed galleria was modeled after Milan's Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, by the centre's architect, Ed Zeidler. Suspended from the galleria is a model of a flock of Canadian geese designed by artist Michael Snow.

My Toronto - Traveling TO with Fiona

I've spent the last few days touring the city with my friend Vincent's cousin, Fiona, from Australia. It's been pretty fun. Of course I've been to most places here already, but we did make a couple of stops to places I haven't been to or seen in awhile.

One place we walked through was Cabbagetown. I haven't really taken the time to look through there before. We tried to visit the Riverdale Zoo/Farm, but it was closed when we dropped by. If I've been there before it was probably many, many years ago when I was a kid.

Last Thursday, on Canada Day, we visited the Beaches and the Distillery District. Since it was a holiday the Beaches was packed. Parking spots were at a premium. I was fortunate enough to be able to park at a church friend's home (Ray and Cathy) who live down there.

Fiona and I walked the boardwalk and had lunch at the Sunset Grill. I had eggs, toast and home fries which was actually part of their all-day breakfast menu. After that we headed over to the Distillery District for about 40 minutes before zipping by Vince's parents' place to pick them up and head up to Vince and Linda's place for Canada Day dinner.

On Saturday Fiona and I got a TTC Day Pass. It's good for unlimited rides on the bus, subway or streetcar for two people on holidays and weekends. So it's a pretty good deal at $10.

We started at Harbourfront. There were some tallships there for the weekend. We took the streetcar back to Union Station and did a walk through next. Then we headed across the street to check out the lobby of the Royal York Hotel. I think it was the first time I've taken shots in there. Next we strolled through Brookfield (formerly BCE) Place and snapped a few photos before walking to Toronto City Hall next to check it out. The new rooftop garden was open there. I believe it was my first time ever up there. I'm pretty sure it was never open to the public before. So that was a new experience for me again. I had planned on walking along Queen West a bit after that, but Fiona was hungry so we went to Rol Jui, my favorite restaurant in Chinatown, for lunch.

Little Italy was nearby so we walked through Kensington Market up to College and headed west. Along the way we encountered throngs of Spanish soccer fans celebrating Spain's 1-0 World Cup victory over Paraguay. We had considered eating dinner in Little Italy, but we were too full from lunch which we had finished only a couple hours earlier. So we decided to hop on the Bathurst streetcar and head towards Ontario Place to catch the fireworks show they were scheduled to have there.

On the way we decided to stop at Tim Horton's and grab a small iced coffee. They're having a summer promotion at 99¢ each. Since the fireworks would be starting fairly late Fiona was concerned that Vince's mom would be worried about her. She had been staying at Vince's parents place since she arrived a few weeks ago. Anyway, instead of stressing out about trying to get back to their place on time after the fireworks show finished we decided it would be best just to head back early. Besides I kind of wanted to catch the prelims of UFC 116 which was being broadcast free on Spike that evening. So we called it a day early.

On Sunday we went to CPC. Again we used the TTC Day Pass. Same deal... Fiona came by my condo at Yonge/Eg and we headed down together. Tom was speaking today. His sermon was about Trustworthiness. It was based upon the bible passage on Ananias and Sapphira who sold their land and donated part of the proceeds to the church. But, their sin was claiming they donated the full amount. So they were being deceitful. It's a little more involved than that of course, but I won't get into all that now.

After church I grabbed buns and Fiona grabbed a Vietnamese sandwich in Chinatown and we headed over to College and Yonge to find a seat for the Pride Parade. Normally it's packed there so you have to arrive early. Since the parade is always held on Sunday afternoons sometimes I can't make it. Every other Sunday afternoon I volunteer at Kelly's boarding home (Carter Manor) at King and Dufferin with Rodger Hunter at Boarding Home Ministries. So for the past four years or so I wasn't able to attend the parade.

The Pride Parade is a huge event in Toronto. Normally we get upwards of one million spectators lining the route. It was a great day out this year too. A bit hot, but the sun was shining and the skies were blue. You couldn't ask for anything more.

The parade was fun as usual. It's always very colourful. You see a lot of nakedness all round. And not necessarily good nakedness, but naked, wrinkly, old men and things like that for instance. But, it's all in good fun. There's always a lot of music and dancing. Of course the big, corporate sponsors come out with their floats too. As do many local politicians and other groups promoting their causes. I suppose that's why it's so long now. The whole thing took about 2-1/2 to 3 hours to pass by. We were both feeling at hot and tired by the end.

After the paraded we zipped up Church Street to see the different Pride booths and things that were set up. Then we headed over to Rancho Relaxo at College and Spadina where we ended the day with Mexican food.

My Toronto - G20 Summit

The 2010 G8 and G20 Summits are being held in Huntsville and Toronto, Ontario respectively (June 25th-27th, 2010). Many leaders from all over the world are descending on our city as we speak.

In previous years that the summits have been held there have been violent protests. So our federal government has assembled a 20,000 man force made up of police officers and security guards from all around the country.

In the downtown core there is also a 3 metre high, 5 kilometre long fence surrounding vital buildings such as the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. In total the bill to pay for all this is supposed to top out at just over $1 billion. I thought I would ride down and have a look at this spectacle on Friday.

It was pretty weird. The northern border the fence runs along Wellington Street. It's western boundary is just west of Peter St. along the western edge of the Rogers Centre. It's southern boundary is Lakeshore Blvd. West. And it's eastern boundary is Bay Street.

I first entered the fenced off area at University and Front (where the photo was taken). Besides the odd tourist or two it was pretty much empty except for a huge police presence. Normally it's bustling with activity being right by the CN Tower, Rogers Centre and Union Station. There were almost no civilian vehicles inside. Those that entered the area were subject to a police check of course. In some areas pedestrians and cyclists like me were asked to have our bags/knapsacks checked too. In other areas I was able to ride straight in. I was denied access to one area. But, let in everywhere else. Including the back of the area I was denied access to after I rode around another way. Hmm.

Most of the officers I spoke with were very friendly. I chatted with cops from Calgary, Vancouver, Manitoba and Markham. I asked the out of towners what they thought of our city. They didn't really get a chance to see much on this trip, but most of them have been here before. I think some of them got to see the C.N. Tower on their free time and the "Fake Lake" at the press centre and the Direct Energy Centre at the CNE grounds.

I also told them the $1 billion+ price tag for the summit seemed pretty excessive. I think most of them had to agree. But, one officer said, "You can't put a price on safety". It's true that safety is important, but I'm sure we could have gotten it done for less.

They were all really shy too. None of them wanted their photos taken. I asked a whole bunch of them. Two agreed at one point, but when I asked them if I could shoot the rest of the guys they were standing with the others didn't want their photo taken. Okay, fine. No problem. I thought it might be nice to get a few group shots to highlight how many of them there were. Still you can see groups of them in the backgrounds of some of my photos.

Anyway, it was fun riding around. It's probably the only time any of us (including the officers I spoke with) will get to experience something like this. I thought it would be good to document it with my camera. Check my Flickr.com page soon for the rest of the shots.

My Toronto - Gay Pride Parade

This is a photo I took from the 2006 Gay Pride Parade here in Toronto. This year is it's 30th anniversary.

It's a hugely popular event that attracts upwards of a million people along it's route. Major corporate sponsors have floats and people of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds participate.

2010 Pride Week begins on June 25th culminating with the much anticipated Pride Parade on Sunday, July 4th. The parade starts at 2:00 p.m. at Bloor and Church, runs south on Yonge to Gerrard before heading back to Church.

If you want to get a curbside spot be sure to arrive at least an hour or two before the parade starts. And if you have a camera be sure to look out for the many parade participants with squirt guns. Have fun!

My Toronto - Distillery District

This a shot from the Distillery District I took from Nuit Blanche back in 2007. It's a pretty nice area. They redeveloped it a few years ago. I can't remember exactly when. They're building condos and have a lot of nice restaurants and stores there now.

In a past life was former the grounds of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery. It was started in 1837 after William Gooderham had an excess of grain from his farming operations. By 1871 it was a booming business. He was rolling in dough. I heard this on a tour I went on to one of his other buildings, the Flatiron building, down on Front and Church.

Anyway, it's a good place to spend a few hours on a sunny afternoon if you get the chance. You can take the TTC, ride your bike down or drive. If you drive make sure you look for the "cheap lot". There are three in the immediate area with different hourly rates. The least expensive is 75¢ for 1/2 hour. It's the second lot north of Mill Street on the east side of Parliament Street.

My Toronto - Sam The Record Man

This is a photo of local record shop Sam The Record Man I took in the summer of 2006. Established in 1961 by Sam Sniderman it was located on Yonge Street just north of Dundas. With it's iconic twin, giant, neon records it was landmark in the local music scene for many years until it's closing on June 30th, 2007. Sadly it couldn't keep up with big box stores like HMV and the availability of "free" music on the internet.

My Toronto - Dundas Square

This is Dundas Square. It's on the southeast corner of Yonge and Dundas. Right across the street from the Eaton Centre and south of the recently built Toronto Life Square (2007).

In a past life it was a block of old commercial buildings. Sometime in the mid-90's it was decided the city needed a new public space and in 1998 the Toronto City Council expropriated the land for such a use. Designed by architects Brown + Storey Dundas Square became a reality by the end of 2002.

Surrounded by many bright lights and giant billboards it's been called Toronto's version of a mini Times Square. Among it's many uses it's been the site of concerts, film screenings and other public events. During the summer you can find many people, visitors and locals alike, lounging about enjoying the weather.

My Toronto - The Beach(es)

Here's a photo from the boardwalk down by the beach at Ashbridge's Bay (south of Lake Shore Blvd. E., east of Coxwell Ave.). Ashbridge's Bay was named after the first settlers, John and Sarah Ashbridge from Philiadelphia, who came to Canada in 1793.

The Beach is an extremely popular area in the summer. During that time it's inundated by thousands of people who come to bike or in-line skate along the Martin Goodman trail or walk or jog along the 3 km long boardwalk. There are also many people who come to play beach volleyball or just lay out on the sand to get a tan. On Victoria Day in May there's a fireworks show. Another popular event is the annual Beaches Jazz Festival in July.

Things weren't always so tranquil here though. There was a "name war" about what to call the area. Some people liked "The Beach" while others were partial to "The Beaches". In April of 2006 the residents had their say. 58% of the voters selected "The Beach". That's what appears on the top of the street signs today.

My Toronto - Toronto Chinese Presbyterian Church

This is a photo of my church. It's our 100th anniversary this year. We're located close to Chinatown, just north of the Art Gallery of Ontario. Our current location was built in 1960. Before that we were on University Avenue.

I've been attending since 1986. I started attending with my friend from high school, Vince. Like many others, he's since moved on. Though he hasn't landed too far from the CPC tree. His family attends our sister church near Fairview Mall.

My Toronto - High Park

This is a shot of the cherry trees blossoming on the hill overlooking Grenadier Pond at High Park in Toronto. Every spring the trees blossom for just over a week at the end of April/beginning of May. It's a very popular spot for people to visit at this time. The side of the hill is normally filled with people picnicking or just hanging out with their friends enjoying the scenery.

As well as viewing the lovely cherry trees by the pond there are many trails and roads throughout the park for people to hike on or ride their bikes. They even have a small "zoo" with bison, deer, llama, peacocks and other non-exotic animals. It's not that impressive, but the upside is that it's free. You can go for a nice walk there then head over to the Grenadier Restaurant for an afternoon bite.

My Toronto - Flatiron Building

The Gooderham/Flatiron Building down at Front and Church Streets. Comissioned by George Gooderham, owner of Gooderham & Worts Distillery, construction was started in 1891. It was completed in 1892, ten years before the more famous "Flatiron Building" in New York City was finished. It cost $18,000, a huge amount of money at that time.

I took this shot back in May of 2009 as part of the Doors Open Toronto. It's an annual event where many public and private buildings, both historical and newer, open their doors to the public so we may get the chance to glimpse at sights we otherwise might not get the opportunity to see. I'd highly recommend going the next time it comes around.

To see more photos click here or here.

My Toronto - Skating at Nathan Phillips Square

This is a photo of the skating rink at Nathan Phillips Square looking east. I took it in the middle of December, 2006. In the background (behind the arches) is Old City Hall. Beyond that is a shiny, glass office tower by the Eaton Centre.

This is one of the larger outdoor rinks open to the public in downtown Toronto. The other one is by the Harbourfront. It's quite nice down there because of the view overlooking Lake Ontario. Though that can also be a problem because it can be windier and colder there. So there's a trade off that's for sure.

I have to say, skating outdoors is much more enjoyable than skating indoors. Who wants to look at grey, concrete walls when you can look at endless, blue skies and enjoy the wind in your face? You have to make sure to bundle up though. Mittens, a scarf and hat are a must. And though it's forbidden, you can always bring your hockey stick and pass the puck around with whoever else has theirs after the ice has "officially closed" for the evening.

My Toronto - Kensington Market

Kensington Market is located close to Chinatown in the heart of Toronto. It's just west of Spadina Avenue in between College Street to the north and Dundas Street West to the south.

There's an eclectic mix of used/vintage clothing shops, cafés, ethnic restaurants and cheese, meat and small grocery stores here. If you want to experience something a little out of the ordinary you can't miss it.

View the video here.

My Toronto - CN Tower

This is a shot looking east from the Skypod of the CN Tower. I took it back in October 9th, 2007. It was the second year of Nuit Blanche an all night "Art Thing" sponsored by Scotia Bank. Various venues were open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m around downtown Toronto. You could see artwork, musicians and other performers. It's quite a popular event.

This was the second and last year they opened up the CN Tower to visitors. You had to sign up in advance. You could book a free one-hour time slot to go as high up as the Skypod (which usually costs extra on top of the regular fee). The view up there was really cool. The streets glowed bright orange from the streetlights illuminating them. One annoying thing about trying to take photos from up there was the lights they had lighting up the Tower. They would shine brightly upwards once every 10 seconds or so. So if you had your camera set for a long exposure it would mess it up. You had to shoot in between as the lights flashed on and off.

There were also coloured lights that illuminated the Tower. They were neat in a way. They would light up your shots in various hues which made them look pretty cool. You can check out the rest of my shots from this evening here.

My Toronto - Harbourfront

I just finished my Flavor of the Week series and was trying to think of something else to replace it. A few ideas popped into my head. Usually when I travel I like to take a lot of photos of whichever place I'm visiting. Also, from time to time, I'll take my camera and go out around Toronto and take a few shots. That's what I decided to base my next series upon. I'm calling it - My Toronto.

This photo was taken last June at the Harbourfront along Queens Quay, west of York St.. At one point I started taking photos at these crazy angles. I can't remember exactly when I first started. I like the look, though I believe I tend to overuse it. I'm also a big fan of evening shots. I like taking photos just before the sun completely disappears from the sky. You get a superb, dark blue background that fades to black. I think it looks great.