realia

masts

I forgot to charge my phone (and workday camera) and it died at lunchtime today, and so again I was out after supper to find my daily photo.  Thursday night, lots to do at home, so I don't want to go far; but I've been down in the harbour and associated gardens plenty.  I'm walking around waiting for something to ask to be photographed, and something does.  Masts.

Lines.  Shapes.  Sky.  All gave me pleasure today.

Caught a plane taking off from the island airport. One of the things I love about being down here is the happy mesh of transportation sources - planes, ships, ferries, streetcars, canoes, taxis, sailboats, bicycles, skateboards, feet... Despite all that it's a peaceful feeling.  Maybe it appeals to my inherent restlessness.

it's official...

...summer is here.  Dad - they're early!  I hope we're still able to bring you some next month!

I bought these in the morning and my desk area smelled heavenly until I had some later. 

purple mockers

I love these purple pom pom flowers, how they float above gardens like colourful little clouds.  Apros pos because I found these ones at Cloud Garden off Temperance Street.  I really loved these ones sitting atop this brick wall.  They way they lean over it's as if they're looking over the wall at the parade of humans going by below them; mocking us for our Monday drudgery and wondering why we don't have the sense to hang about in a sunny garden instead of going back to the office after lunch.

 

Out Walking: University of Toronto, St. George Street, Beverley Street

Today we loaf the morning away reading and drinking coffee, and then Ceri goes in to the office and I go to the gym.  After showering there, I walk up Victoria then Yonge Streets to meet him in Yorkville on the roof at the Pilot Tavern. 

I'm a little cranky when I get there; navigating Yonge Street is not exactly a blast for a fast walker like me, particularly on hot Saturday afternoon.  A cool glass of white wine cures my cranky quick, and we have a really delicious snack of ginger beef, pita and foccacia with hummous, tzatziki and roasted red pepper dip and carrots and celery sticks.  It's breezy on the roof.  We remark at the sheer ugliness of the architecture in the Bloor/Yonge area (I'd say most of it is circa 1970s) yech.

We walk home via Philosopher's Walk / University of Toronto and I can't stop taking pictures.  I love this walk. We recall the last time we walked through here and what a cold winter's day it was. Selma, the gargoyles are for you.

Later we get home and share a bottle of Chardonnay on my building's roof, looking over the lake and city airport in my new camp chairs. I congratulate myself (again) on my portable outdoor furniture investment.  I make little pizzas on whole wheat pita with onions, peppers, salsa and romano cheese.

Summer, I'm so glad to see you.

A snack worthy of a return. Soon.

Royal Ontario Museum, Bloor Street, Toronto

 

The little fella was playing hide and seek with me. I won.

 

Royal Ontario Museum, Philosopher's Walk, Toronto

 

Loving the colours of this metal. Trinity College, University of Toronto.

 

Trinity College, University of Toronto

 

Trinity College, University of Toronto

 

Trinity College, University of Toronto

 

Trinity College, University of Toronto

 

This picture fails in expressing how beautiful this glass is; three walls of it. I must get into this chapel; I couldn't stop looking at it. Trinity College Chapel, University of Toronto

 

Old(ish) and new(ish).

 

A moose. St. George Street (I think).

 

Fun looking fellas. Knox College, St. George Street, Toronto

 

Knox College, St. George Street, Toronto

 

Detail on a house on Beverley Street, Toronto

 

dramatic window and sky drama

 

The Birkbeck Building.  This building warrants a return with my real camera. Adelaide Street, Toronto

Walking home we encountered these beautiful clouds under a tiny crescent moon, barely visible in this shot. Fort York Blvd., Toronto

Happy Friday.  It's been a relatively quiet week at work; calm before the storm with work on a big, important proposal launching next week.  I meet up with Ceri and my girls for beer o'clock and dinner on a patio, where we enjoy watching dogs of all sorts and sizes leading their humans in and out of a nearby condo building.  Quiet, chatty evening at home.   Life good.

walking home, it's old brick

 

A section of the Toronto Hydro-Electric Dynamo House. This is an addition to the original building (not shown, to the left), built in 1889. I'd like to come back at a time of day more conducive for shooting pictures of both lovely sections. Bay Street near Dundas, Toronto

Two kinds of brickwork on this gorgeous Mercer Street building. It's slated to become a facade on a new development.

Another view, including window reflecting sky and pointed edges bordering the bottom. Mercer Street, Toronto.

After work I walk up to Canadian Tire in search of some camp chairs to have at home to take up to the rooftop patio and across the road to the lake.  I found some I liked, and lugged the suckers home with their shoulder-carry bags.  Of course these things are never as heavy in the store as they are halfway home.  I expect also they'd feel lighter if they were being lugged to a camp site or a beach than they do over sidewalks teeming with city dwellers.  I was happy to stop a number of times to take photos.  It was the brick photos that called out to be published today.

long weekend day two

 

The lovely Lorna has great things to look at in her backyard. This bloke could be singing, shocked, shouting... I decided to assume he is yawning.

 

Lorna's vine-covered wall with half-hidden treasures, like this one.

 

Today we soak up more sunshine, walking over to the St. Lawrence neighbourhood again.  It's good to get away from the Harbourfront - on the long weekend that heralds summer, the place is TEEMING with people.  We get to The Esplanade and are surpised to find half-empty patios.  I guess all the people are at the Harbourfront Centre.

We stop for a drink and a snack at Scotland Yard and run into a friend of Ceri's and have a nice chat.  Later we walk over to his other friend Lorna's for a gathering on her own back patio, and then a (gorgeous) meal of mussels, salad and canneloni.  It's my second time attending a party at Lorna's, and it's the second time she's outdone herself. 

We walk home, stopping only for a bag of coffee beans.

out walking: distillery district, corktown, st. lawrence market

Its a gorgeous, summery first day of the three-day weekend.  Ceri goes for a ride while I catch up with some blogging and picture editing, then we decide to walk over to the Distillery District to check out the arts and crafts fair happening there.  Later, feeling a little peckish, we wander up to Corktown to check out Jamie Kennedy's Gilead Cafe, which has had some great reviews.  Unfortunately, we arrive between meal servings, so we share a plate of their apparently famous poutine.  Yep, it was out of this world; not gooey and cheesy like typical poutine, but served with roasted beef brisket and its gravy.  Oh my. 

We make our way back down to the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood where we have big salads at the Jason George.  Walk slowly back home and have wine on my roof.  It's a really good day.

Dappled sunlight on beautiful brick. Trinity Street, Distillery District, Toronto

Yep, the building is doomed to become a facade. Glass towers even taking over the Distillery District. Trinity Street, Toronto

Ceri and a large A. Corktown Lane, Toronto

Gilead Cafe, Corktown Lane, Toronto

King Street, Toronto

Beautiful windows, Berkeley Street, Toronto

Fire escapes and beautiful window and brick detail, Gooderham (Flatiron) Building, Wellington Street, Toronto

 

daughters and windows and happy long weekend

 

Daughter Carly

Daughter Kelsey

Beautiful windows on King Street, from Fynn's of Temple Bar.

Beautiful King Street windows reflecting...

This filter worked out great for this windows shot! Duncan Street at Adelaide.

After work I meet up with Ceri, Carly, Kelsey and a couple of her friends for Beer O'clock - an extra happy one as it's a long weekend.  Pleased with myself for getting nice portraits of both my daughters.  I've had a nasty cold all week, and entering into the weekend feeling 100% better.  The three day weather forecast is stellar.  I'm blessed.

the colours of a rainy day in january

Last night Ceri and I were talking about how difficult it is to wake up in the mornings these days, and I agreed with him that’s it’s all January’s fault.  Then, this morning I find wakefulness particularly elusive and when I finally drag myself out of bed I find it’s because it’s even darker than usual, thanks to heavily overcast skies and rain outside.  My discombobulated state lingers when I find my apartment still dark as night even at 8:30 when I’m leaving for the office.  As I round into Spadina Ave. the wind whips down and tries to wrestle my umbrella from me, but I win and when I get up into the street it’s not so bad. 

I adore the colour of the atmosphere when it rains; I think that’s why I have this perpetual love for rainy days.  The colours are mystical, and they paint the world under those clouds sinking low to enclose us protectively, and the glint of wet pavement, and lights taking on an incandescent glow sparkle against that purple-blue-grey hue in a way I find both comforting and inspiring. 

Okay, generally, rainy days in January are not so charming.  But it’s +4C and feeling absolutely balmy.  Thinking about the forecasted big freeze coming our way this weekend, me and my rose – I mean purple-blue-grey – coloured glasses try to capture photos of the colours over the course of my journey while considering buying a new warm coat because it is, after all, January.

The colours of rain - beautiful thing number eighty-three.