RETIREDRAGON

2/26/2007

In September of 2002, I enrolled in a Fly Casting Course with Eli Garrett.

I paid my fee and he gave me instructions on when and where to meet.

From the lobby of the King Eddy, we ascended , by elevator, to the top of the hotel.

After a short climb up a set of dusty stairs, we entered the abandoned floor, known as "The Crystal Ballroom".

The ceiling was awesome, and we were able to practice our fly casting without fear of catching anyone or anything in the process.

This is the west wall of the ballroom.

The view from the top is incredible, and, the whole day of practice makes for a great story.

2/22/2007

Lower Bay Street Station

"Doors Open Toronto"
is scheduled for Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27, 2007

The great thing about this event is, it's Free!

This will be the 8th year of this trek into the buildings and homes of Toronto.

The program guide will be available in the Toronto Star in May 2007.

Especially significant will be the ability to see the Lower Bay Street Station that has been closed off by TTC since the demise of the "interlining" in 1966.

For those of you who are not familiar with TTC history, I will expound.

Every second Bloor-Danforth subway car would enter the lower Bay Station and turn north or south at the wye.

This allowed passengers to go downtown without having to transfer north-south to east-west.

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2/06/2007

In January of this year, I posted a bit of information about Mickey’s Dining Car, in Minnesota.

The pictures were not mine, but I alluded to the fact that I would do “Diner Runs” once in a while.

So I've pulled some pictures out of the shoebox, dusted them off and scanned a few.

So herewith are some pictures of diners that Ruby (my red BMW ) and I visited in the mid 80's.

This is the Skylark Diner, in Edison, New Jersey. I understand that the new owners have retro-fitted this 50's diner so that it looks like something from out of the Jetsons cartoon show. Oh well.

And this is the Newark Diner, (as if you couldn't tell), in Newark, New York.
It is one of the few ceramic and wood diners that I have seen.
There is another in the Finger Lakes area of New York, and I believe the Miss Oxford, in Oxford, PA. is also constructed mostly of wood on the exterior, but the most famous one is the Wellsboro Diner, in Wellsboro, PA. It is a Sterling Diner.

Now this was a busy diner, located in north Philly.
Look closely, and you will see the name (Oak Lane Diner).
It is a Paramount Diner, and apparently has been sold.

I have also visited, the American Diner, Bob's Diner, the Domino Diner, in Philadelphia.
Daddypops Diner, the Gap Diner, the Mayfair Diner, the Melrose Diner, the Oak-Elm Diner, in Tom's River, N.J., the Penrose Diner, and Zinn's Diner, with my old friend Dot.
The Red Robin Diner, in Johnson City, New York, the Miss Batavia Diner, in Batavia, N.Y., and the Miss Albany Diner were done by myself. While the Salem Diner, the Skyliner, and the Worcester Diner, in Boston, were with my friend Woody.

1/20/2007

OK, so besides all the stuff that I put on my profile, I also love diners…that is real diners.

When I lived in the States, my friends and I did what we called Diner Runs.
We would choose a diner somewhere in the area, and make a beeline for it, on our motorcycles.

One of the best looking diners in the mid-west would be Mickey’s Dining Car, which was built by diner man Jerry O'Mahony, from Bayonne, New jersey.

It was pre-fabricated in New Jersey, shipped by rail to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1937 and installed at the corner of 7th and St. Peter Streets.

Inspired by streamlined railroad dining cars, Mickey’s sports a symmetrical facade clad with yellow and red porcelain steel panels, a horizontal band of plate glass windows and a projecting neon sign with Art Deco lettering.

The interior of the diner features stainless steel, mahogany and mirrored fixtures.

This classic art deco diner is open 24/7 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

This diner has been serving breakfast to Minnesotans for 70 years and is the only dining car of its type in this state.

Despite the proliferation of fast-food chains and franchised restaurants, the diner remains a successful business, in part due to its unique atmosphere…its wise cracking staff.

Mary, Queen of All Hash Slingers Everywhere!

John, the morning cook.

Mickey’s Chili-Cheese Omelet with raisin toast, a greasy-spoon classic!
Please note: I lifted these pics from a blog called "Rush Hour Rambling".
http://www.ridetowork.org/blog/
My apologies to Gary Charpentier.

1/09/2007

In December I posted pictures of Michelle's wedding for my cousins in England.

The following are from Jennifer's wedding, that took place in Varadaro, Cuba in mid July.

This is the gazebo on the beach, where the bride and groom will be married.