Ice

Yesterday Marcia and I visited the AGO to view the current exhibit.... "The Great Upheaval".

There were paintings by Matisse, Picasso and Modigliani, to name a few, and all were done in an era from 1910 to 1918. 

We were taken through the time period before the First World War, during the war, and after it. The effect was to show the differences in the mood of the artists as they lived through this upheaval in Europe.

I like most of the art work, but have limited patience for being in art galleries.

Afterwards, we retired to a cafe across the street (Espresso Etc). I always have found the houses on this block of Dundas Street to be wondeful examples of some Victorian homes.

The constant freezing and warming over the past few days has created some special ice sculptures that needed to be caught and published.

 

This, of course, is not on Dundas, but on the corner of Church and Maitland.

Soon the renos will be done, and patio season will be upon us. 

Can't wait! 

Art Deco

Last Saturday, my friend and I ventured to the Market Gallery, to view the current exhibit, "Art Deco, Style Moderne and Their Contemporaries in Toronto".

It showcased some of the buildings from the decades between the two World Wars. Many of these have since been demolished to make way for new larger offices and condos.

This advertising poster, shows the Concourse building at 100 Adelaide Street West, that currently is gone. The owners, Oxford Properties, will be replacing it with a 41-story office tower. Apparently, they will be keeping the facade of the first three floors, as well as the archway.

Photo by Jack Landau

This magnificent archway was created by J.E.H. MacDonald of the legendary Group of Seven. Hopefully, the finished edifice will be just a nice as the original.

The structure was built by Baldwin and Greene in 1928, and was most notable for the archway, the lobby and the Art Deco motifs on the east wall.

Halloween

Last Halloween, Nico, my youngest grand niece, dressed up as Maneki-Neko, the Japanese beckoning cat.

I recall buying this little white cat for her birthday last March.

This is what she looked like before going out to "Trick or Treat"

Now, when I look at her, and notice how she has grown these last few years, I am reminded of my mother.

I resurrected an old photo (a little blurry) of my Mum when she was young (18 or 19), and working at Willard s Chocolate factory.

There is definitely a family resemblance.

Bodh Gaya

Dateline - December 19:

Arrived here, in Bodh Gaya on December 15, and it feels very nice to be staying in one place for a little longer than a day or two.
I probably will only stay a week or so, since the rates will peak when His Holiness arrives for teachings.
I would rather not be part of the massive crowds that gather to hear Him.
I am staying at the Rahul Budha Guest House, since there is no room in any of the monasteries; and the hotels are filling up fast.
There is construction going on everywhere, with more temporary market stalls, restaurants, being erected.
My first impression of the main stupa area was almost carnival-like; complete with booths, peanuts, popcorn, cotton candy, hawkers and beggars.
What a production!

Here is a picture of the Bangladesh Temple.

Free Stuff

Since retiring, I have been actively seeking out stuff that's free here in the City.

Now, I'm sure that this is something most folks would like to know, especially if it is all in ONE PLACE!
So, here is my list that I have compiled, so far.
As time goes by and I discover new stuff that is ultimately free, I will update this page.

For stuff that you can get on your birthday, check out a site called Free Stuff Finder.

• Doors Open – held each year during the latter part of May.

• Nuit Blanche is held every year in October.

• Cabbagetown Festival, with tours, crafts, and films near the Riverdale Farm.

• Heritage Toronto and the Royal Ontario Museum conduct free walks around the city.

• Toronto’s Music Garden on the Waterfront, welcomes folks to their summer music concerts on Thursdays and Sundays from June until September.

The City conducts guided tours of the Music Garden.
We also have Edward Gardens at Lawrence and Leslie, and Allen Gardens has displays of plants and flowers, as well as a greenhouse full of exotic plants.

Here is a web sie where you can book tours of Toronto:
http://torontofreewalkingtours.com/

There are many great beaches along Toronto’s waterfront, as well as on the Toronto Islands.

We have a multitude of City Parks, Bike Paths, and Discovery Walks dotting our city.

The City of Toronto runs Community Centres with drop-in programs for youths and seniors. As Well, you can get a free tree planted on your front lawn by the City.

Our cemeteries are open to walkabout until dusk.

(Mt. Pleasant and St. James are probably the best urban ones).

The Evergreen Brick Works is open year round and has a Farmer's Market on Saturdays during the summer months. There are vendors, a food court, plus a D.I.Y. bicycle repair space that offers free bike maintenance help.
Along with all this stuff, there is a free shuttle bus that runs every half hour from the Broadview Subway Station. Check the web site out for any changes to the timeline.

Farmer’s Markets pop up across the city during the summer months. 
The most popular one is at the St. Lawrence Market, which is open from Tuesday to Saturday, all year long. The North Market is scheduled to be demolished soon, and a new four story building will replace it. In the meantime, Saturday farmers and Sunday vendors will be re-located south of the main market on the Esplanade.
Upstairs at this market is The Gallery, which usually has an exhibit for visitors.

In the historic Distillery District one can explore galleries, and shops.

Here are a few festivals that take place in this cobblestone venue:

·        MEC Bike Fest,

·        Summer Jazz Festival,

·        Urban Art Festival

·        Arts and Craft Show

We have quite a few art galleries throughout the city, including the U of T Art Centre. Pick up a copy of a small magazine called "Slate" for a complete list.
The Ryerson Image Centre on Gould Street has a number of exhibits throughout the year.
There are free exhibition tours daily at 2:30pm.
The Contact Photography Festival appears during the month of May, and the photos usually appear on Toronto street installations, as well as a few galleries.

This festival is usually featured at the Museum of Canadian Contemporary Art, or "MOCCA" as it is known to locals, will be located on Stirling Avenue by mid September.2018.

Tiff Bell Light Box has 300,000 images, 11,000 film titles, as well as exhibits, and a reading lounge. They also offer free tours of the building on Sundays and Saturdays at 1 pm.

The Ontario Archives, and the Toronto Archives are both open to the public.
The City of Toronto Archives has rotating exhibits.

The Canadian Gay and Lesbian Archives, on Isabella is open Tuesday to Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Speaking of LGBTQ...the University of Toronto has an office called "Sexual Gender Diversity", and shows monthly educational film series. These are films within the U of T libraries' collections, and admission is free.

There a many free resources at all 100 libraries.
You can read a daily newspaper, a magazine, surf the net, or borrow music, movies, and even borrow a musical instrument. Of course, you can still borrow a book, just for showing them your Library Card.

The Toronto Reference Library conducts all kinds of classes for the community and shows movies in the summer. As well, there is a gallery located just inside the front doors that is sponsored by TD bank.There are free "Guided Tours" of the TD Gallery on Tuesdays at 2 pm. This branch also has weekly presentations showcasing material from their "Special Collections" on Wednesdays at 3 pm.
Some libraries issue free passes, known as "M.A.P. (Museum and Arts Pass). 
You only need to show your Library card and request a pass, if available.
Note: Go on Saturdays or there may not be any passes left.

The Beaches Library on Queen East shows movies  on Wednesdays from January to March every year. Call them to see what's playing.
There also little free libraries around the city that folks have set up on their front lawns.

The Art Gallery of Ontario offers free general admission to Ontario high school students with valid ID Tuesday through Friday after 3 pm.
Newly added to the AGO are the extended hours on Wednesdays, when the 
"General Admission" is free to everyone from 6 to 8:30 pm.
It should be noted here that the exhibits are extra ($5.50 pp). 

There is also an Inuit Art Gallery on Wellington Street west, sponsored by TD.

The Royal Ontario Museum also offers free general admission every Tuesday for Canadian Post Secondary students (with valid ID)
The 48th Highlanders Museum is located in the basement of St. Andrews Church on King Street West. 

The Aga Khan Museum on Wynford Drive offers free admission on Wednesdays from 4 to 8 pm.
The Fox Theatre on Queen East has a free movie on the last Thursday of every month for us seniors.

There are three major film festivals each year in this city:
TIFF, Hot Docs and Inside Out.
All three provide one or two free out door screenings.
As well, there is the Christie Pits Film Festival, that is an outdoor screening event from June to August.

The Bloor Cinema has FREE (two per person, per film) for most of their Holiday (Christmas) Classics, beginning the Friday before Christmas Week.
Plus, during the Hot Docs Festival, seniors (60+) and students with valid ID can take advantage of free daytime screenings (i.e. before 5pm). The only drawback is that you must pick up your tickets on the same day as the screening, and at the respective venues.
Tiff offers free movies under the stars when the festival is playing.


The Bay Street Video generally select a theme every couple of months and make those films available free to all of their members. 

Most churches in the downtown core can be accessed for viewing or for sanctuary.

The Big Carrot on Danforth has evening lectures and movies every Thursday.
Check out their web site for further information.
.

Riding the T.T.C. on New Year’s Eve is usually free when a company sponsors it.
During the C.N.E., if you walk in the Labour Day Parade with all the union folks, they arrive on the grounds without paying for admission.

Free WI-Fi is available in most coffee shops, as well as many bar/restaurants. 
Lately, the T.T.C. has been installing WiFi at some subway platforms.

Most of the big box home improvement stores will put on free D.I.Y. workshops and Lee Valley Tools has workshops, as well.

The William-Sonoma stores offer cooking classes, you only have to sign up.

Many of the larger supermarkets, such as Loblaws in the Gardens and T N T on Cherry Street, offer free food samples in store, on weekends.
The Steam Whistle Brewery at the foot of the CN Tower provides tours and hosts monthly art exhibitions in their gallery for local talent, from Monday to Saturday (11- 6 pm) and Sunday until 5 pm.

The Canadian Opera Company has free mini music concerts at noon in June and July.
Free concerts happen from June until September in Trinity Square, College Park and the McGill-Granby Parkette.

Redpath Sugar sponsors a "Sail In" Cinema in August at Sugar Beach.

Check out the fireworks display at Ashbridges Bay on Victoria Day

There are many festivals occurring all summer long in the city including:

·         Riverside on Queen East

·        Queen West Art Show

·        Buskerfest

·        Woofstock
     A Taste of The Danforth

·        A Taste of Lawrence
    A Taste of Little Italy
    The CHIN Picnic
    TO Food Festival
     Luminato

·        Kensington Market – Pedestrian Sundays, in the summer

·        Chinatown’s New Years’ celebration
    The Japanese Summer Festival

·        Pride parade and Pride Weekend Festivities

·        Toronto International Dragon Boat Festival

·        The Junction Summer Solstice Festival

·        The Toronto International Film Festival
    The DOCNOW Film Festival

·        Muhtadi International Drumming Festival

·        Beaches Arts and Craft Show

·        Toronto Ribfest (in Etobicoke) and Canada Day Fireworks

·        Toronto International Jewelry Show

·        Roundhouse Craft Beer Fest

·        Steam Whistle Summer Parties and Exhibits
    The Toronto Jazz Festival and the Beaches Jazz Festival  
    The Beach BBQ and Beer Festival 

·       The Redpath Waterfront Festival

·     Woodbine Beach Music Festival

·       Bloor Street West Street Festival 
        The Caribbean Festival

     

There are plenty of free outdoor movies to enjoy at dusk in the summer at:

·        The Waterfront

·        Dundas Square

·        David Pecaut Square

·        St. James Park

·        The Junction

·        Riverdale Park East

    If absorbing culture is not your thing, then stop by Christie Pits on weekends for a bit of Inter County Baseball.