Toronto, Ontario (all images within bicycling distance of home)
Craigleigh Gardens: West gate into city park donated by benefactor in 1926 A.D. Bicycling around residential streets of Rosedale is a good way to see huge houses at a reasonable speed. Many curved roads and ravines of Park Drive and Rosedale Valley confused me on the way to the Evergreen Brickworks. (Craigleith Gardens, South Drive, Rosedale, Toronto, Ontario) 20160903Art Gallery of Ontario: The reality of the north @AGOToronto is Lawren Harris is part of The Group of Seven collection, so lining up for The Idea of North special exhibition repatriated from California has some irony. Outside the roped-off area, some of the larger canvases include Mount Robson from the South-East (1929); Mountain Sketch LXV (1929); Mount Lefroy (1929); and Brazeau Snowfield, Jasper Park (1924). (Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario) 20160907
Art Gallery of Ontario:
Visitors freely participating @AGOToronto “How to Build a House Museum” installation. Large screen video of “House Heads Liberation Training”, with disco-ball-like “Houseberg” inside the “Progress Palace”. Immersive work by American artist Theaster Gates fills the 5th floor of the building. (Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario) 20160907
Prairie Drive Park: Music @LidoPimienta @bike_music_fest #artsintheparksTO, free voice with beats and minimal sequences. Electronics powered by team of cyclists on mobile generators under the next tent. (Prairie Drive Park, Oakridge neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20160919
Prairie Drive Park: Singing a capella into the wind @LidoPimienta @bike_music_fest #artsintheparksTO. Bicyclists scattered on inclined lawn, most having ridden the PanAm Trail north from the Evergreen Brickworks. City streets were more direct for me. (Prairie Drive Park)
Prairie Drive Park: Crew generating electricity @bike_music_fest #artsintheparksTO to power amplifiers and electric instruments. Casual afternoon entertainment for a Saturday afternoon. (Prairie Drive Park, Oakridge neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20160919
Prairie Drive Park: B-boys @bike_music_fest #artsintheparksTO breaking tie of 6 points each. Surprised to see a head spin on the concrete surface. Deejay music powered by a single cyclist putting energy into a portable battery (Prairie Drive Park, Oakridge neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20160919
Sky Dragon Resto: Invited friends for Harvest Moon Festival dinner with the family at the Lowkong Society. Bigger turnout than last year, people understanding English now outnumber the people speaking Toisanese. (Sky Dragon Chinese Restaurant, Chinatown, Dundas Street East at Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20160911
Keating Channel: Barge with crane berthed along the manmade waterway connecting the Don River to the Toronto Harbour, in the Portlands. Elevated Gardiner Expressway just across the short expanse. Quiet at PortsToronto office in early evening. (62 Villiers Street, Portlands, Toronto, Ontario) 20160912
Keating Channel: The Iron Guppy, custom built single screw ice-breaking tugboat built in 2016, berthed in the Keating Channel. PortsToronto office is quiet in early evening, sun is setting earlier with fall coming. (62 Villiers Street, Portlands, Toronto, Ontario) 20160912
Lower Don Trail: Bike path afternoon rush hour eastbound beside Lakeshore Blvd. E. and ramp up to East Gardiner Extension. Remarkable for stream of cyclists moving at a quick pace, in packs after crossing the traffic lights at Don Roadway. Paved path the result of demolished elevation in 2001. (Lower Don Trail, Lakeshore Boulevard East, Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto. Ontario) 20160913St. Andrew’s Club: 16th floor view southwest from King Street West and University Avenue, skyscraper at 315 Front Street West obscures CN Tower. Reflection of indoor light in window explains white spot in sky, it’s not a UFO. (St. Andrew’s Club, 150 King Street East, Financial District, Toronto, Ontario) 20160915Mountain Equipment Co-op: Discovered most bike lights @Mec_Toronto now changed to USB internal recharging. Selected MEC Quattro white LED light. Replacing old Planet Bike unit with dead bulbs, could have been at least 5 years old. Have to prepare for shorter days. (Mountain Equipment Co-op, King Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20160919Rainbow Cinema Market Square: Foyer mural by Fred Harrison inside cinema depicts the hustle of the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood. Enjoyed Snowden movie, an appreciation of the character in the intelligence community. Venue now officially called Imagine Cinema, facades outside yet unchanged. (Imagine Cinema Market Square, St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario) 20160920Riverside Bridge: Southbound rush hour traffic on Don Valley Parkway diverted for police investigation. Across the street, yellow tape and cop cars suggest someone went over the side of one of the lower bridges over a major thoroughfare. On that side, northbound vehicles practically stopped on three lanes. (Riverside Bridge, Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20160922Victoria College: Has the newel post at the foot of the stairs at Old Vic always been that color? “St. Lawrence Foundry Co. Toronto” cast into post, dates maker 1856 to 1900 on Front Street, when the firm became acquired by Canadian General Electric. Victoria College building architected by W.G. Storm was completed in 1895. Visited building today for annual college used book sale. (Victoria College, University of Toronto, Ontario) 20160924L’Amoureaux Park: Dusk on bike path entrance southwest of McNicoll Ave. and Kennedy Road, along hydro tower right-of-ways. Scarborough has large parks. Biking to TTC Line 2 to Line 3, then biking to my father’s apartment took a lot longer than I recalled, and the fast traffic encourages riding on sidewalks devoid of pedestrians. Driving may be a better alternative. (L’Amoureaux Park, Scarborough, Ontario) 20160927
