Toronto, Ontario; Vancouver, BC
Jimmie Simpson Park: Maze of white tents for #RiverdaleArtWalk @ArtistsNetwork1 annual event in early June. Came for a stroll in the last hour of the two day event, somewhat overwhelmed by the scope and variety of artistic styles and materials. Clear weather this weekend, prior years have seen unfortunate rainy periods. (Jimmie Simpson Park, Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20230604Rogers Centre: First visit to ballpark in section 521 with @codeforca social event, where the ball in flight is easy to see with good lighting. Toronto Blue Jays advanced runner to second base, and eventually defeated Houston Astros 5 to 1. Enjoyed meal of plant-based beef kofta bowl more than the vegan field roast hotdog, discovered elevators less tiring than walking ramps to tour the variety of stadium concessions. (Rogers Centre, Blue Jay Way, Toronto, Ontario) 20230607Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto: Green screen of Imposter Cities that was shown at La Biennale dii Venezia 2020 chroma-keys subjects into a subway station, with an armed assailant emerging from behind a pillar. Movie audiences may feel like a TTC subway train should arrive soon, but it’s probably the unused Lower Bay station. Ordered tickets to the exhibition a few hours before going, advantages of living in downtown Toronto. (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sterling Road, Toronto, Ontario) 20230609Little Portugal: Serious Filipino grillmaster @DoWestFest cranks fan to stoke flames from charcoal, wearing gas mask to filter out smoke. Some irony, given the air quality alert based on wildfire smoke was just reduced from high risk to moderate. Slow stroll for three in our family, we elders feel a little out of place with the hip, younger attendees dominant on the west side of town. (Little Portugal, Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20230609
David Crombie Park: Appearance by @walkwithamal in St. Lawrence neighbourhood, on weekend of @Luminato, a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year old Syrian girl looking for her mother and a new home. Visiting multiple venues in town each day, children gathering to the sound of drums and music ahead. Message of hope and solidarity has already visited 13 countries since 2021, will tour the USA in fall. (David Crombie Park, The Esplanade, Toronto, Ontario) 20220610
The Theatre Centre: Slowed down to listen to stories @iankamau #LossInIsolation interactive installation curated by @oddsidearts @LuminatoFestivalTO in the upstairs space. The couch welcomes visitors to hear experiences of Trinidadian diaspora in Canada, and their heritage families on the big screen, with a subtlety of slow movement on some small video screens amongst the pictures. Doilies and pens are offered, should some want to share similar journeys on the Clothesline Memory Wall. (The Theatre Centre, Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20230613
Fortune Seafood Restaurant: Saturday night dinner early for Father’s Day, to accommodate busy schedules. Paused to take photo after Peking duck, lobster, pork chop, chicken and eggplant we on the table, yet before the whole fish, scallops, mushroom with greens, and two friend noodle dishes arrived. More leftovers taken home than usual. (Fortune Seafood Restaurant, Midland Avenue, Scarborough, Ontario) 20230617
Little Italy: Latin trio @micheldequevedo drums, @Ericstlaurent guitar, @YoserBass bass, @TOLittleItaly encouraging couple to engage in close dancing. Many onlookers at the street festival at dusk, some recording selfies. Much more action on the street than one year ago, even as street lights came on. (Little Italy, Montrose Avenue at College Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20230618
White Spot Richmond Centre: Visitors flying into YVR for a midweek visit were hosted for lunch by two working professionals sneaking out on work. We’ve reached that age where debriefings on family health status has to be cleared before substantive conversation ensues. Venue chosen for proximity to the Skytrain terminus station, with easy access for us to continue to the West End. (White Spot Richmond Centre, No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC) 20230620Simon K.Y. Lee Seniors Care Home: With 2 years and 8 months since DY last visited her mother, we squeezed in a midweek run to the west coast with this primary agenda item. Arriving just before dinner was served, we spoiled the nutrional balance of the meal by offering fresh strawberries first. Cool day in Vancouver, 10 degrees C lower than Toronto, so visiting in the garden was ill-advised. (Simon K.Y. Lee Seniors Care Home, Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC) 20230620Sushi Aboard: Last minute coordination for early dinner with nephew, when original plans to visit Vancouver Art Gallery were squashed by them changing their schedule to close on Tuesdays. Restaurant reduces human contact when ordering is done on the overhead tablet, and sushi is delivered from behind the wall via the little boat on the conveyor belt. Conversation graduaally eroded as the easterners who woke up at 5:30am ET were dealing with 7:30pm PT jet lag. (Sushi Aboard, Denman Street, Vancouver, BC) 20230620
Emily Carr University of Art and Design: Overlook onto machines for Great Northern Way – Emily Carr segment of Broadway Subway Project due to open in 2026. We came to view the art, and inadvertently crashed the Summer Patio Party sponsored the the Emily Carr Students’ Union. Hospitality was shared with the offering of gourmet popsicles, we enjoyed one mango and one lime, in addition to viewing the Student Exhibition The Show 2023. (Emily Carr University of Art and Design, East 1st Street, Vancouver, BC) 20230621
False Creek Ferries: The shortest route to Granville Island Public Market from our hotel on Robson Street west was to walk south to the dock by the Aquatic Centre, and take the short ferry ride. The multiple ships are small and cozy, with frequent arrivals for the 5-minute jouney. The stroll along Beach Avenue was unfamiliar to me, as only DY lived in the West End in the early 1980s. (Aquatic Centre Ferry Dock, False Creek, Vancouver, BC) 20230621YVR Airport Canada Line Station: On the bridge from Canada Line into the terminal, #SusanPoint (2009) Cedar Connection represents the Musqueam view the great rainforest and the Fraser River. Human face is on this side, the owl is on the other side. Return to Toronto barely 2 days after arrival, visited DY’s mother and a few family members. (YVR Airport Canada Line Station, Grant McConachie Way, Richmond, BC) 20230622Galata Restaurant: Family dinner enjoying boru kebabı (Turkish pipe kebab), as well as grilled combo and two orders of pide without cheese. Staff bring their own lighting wand to snap photos, we may end up on their web stream. Son #2 arrived late, crosstown traffic on weekend with Pride celebrations, and Toronto Jazz Festival. (Galata Restaurant, Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20230623
Gardiner Museum: Standing on a stool on a raised plaza for #TorontoJazzFestival big stage, the Royal Ontario Museum was much easier to see than #BadBadNotGood. Crowd scene isn’t my style, I prefer less commercial musicians. Biked past two concert stages for Pride 2023, wending around Toronto Metropolitan University on the way home. (Gardiner Museum, Queens Park, Toronto, Ontario) 20230624
Victoria University: Dreamy moody performance @jonahyano @torontojazzfest #TDMusic Main Stage on university quad. Audience of young adults, the categorization of music as jazz is loose. Bike route to venue evaded Pride Parade route on Yonge Street, but didn’t account for barricades on Bay Street by Nathan Phillips Square. (Victoria University, Queens Park, University of Toronto) 20230625
Village of Yorkville Park: Rainy day cleared to sunshine for @nickyschrire singing selections from Nowhere Girl release @torontojazzfest, with #TaraDavidson sax, @ChrisDonnelly99 piano, @DangerHerring bass, @ErnestoCervini drums. Cheerful tunes, and the band was laughing at jokes onstage. Closing singalong encouraged, “Everyone can sing. Bob Dylan is a living testament”. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Torotno, Ontario) 20230626
Village of Yorkville Park: Scheduled to record first album next week, @andrewmarzotto guitar @torontojazzfest leading @ewenfarncombe piano, #JonathanChapman bass, #AustinGambora drums. Rain delay was 30 minutes, stage still partially covered after crew swabbed the stage. Crowd accumulated after the sun came back. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20230627
Victoria University: Attentive audience for @MarkGuiliana drums @torontojazzfest with @JasonRigby sax, #JasonLindner piano, @ChrisjMorrissey bass. Commented that 10 minutes before taking stage, the band saw a large lawn of open grass. Speaking with a volunteer, a large contingent from the Humber College music program anticipated the talent. (Victoria College, Queens Park, University of Toronto) 20230627
