Toronto, Ontario
Bakery Lane: Canada Day urban pseudo-lumberjack trimming back the neighbour’s tree growing over our garage. Way overdue for maintenance, debris from many years had become soil in the eavestroughs, rich with earthworms. Elders now more cautious about taking on risky activities. (Bakery Lane, Riverside district, Toronto, Ontario) 20230701Aki Studio: Improv @Toronto_Fringe @mahjongmafiacomedy with @hello.anson #AllOurParentsAreAsian, interviewing on life history for content without scripts. Stories of Thai father Malaysian mother working in restaurant with English as common language, expressing love through food. Second act was based on prompts of secrets hidden away from Asian parents, back-to-back scenes with rapid dialogue. (Aki Studio, Daniels Spectrum, Dundas Astreet East, Toronto, Ontario) 20220711Godspeed Brewery: Couple to be joined officially in about 2 hours, in fun pose for photographer with brothers and cousins from California, Texas, Virginia, British Columbia. Lighting and available space was better in the parking lot than inside the brewery. The large Ing and Yee families participated in the traditional Chinese tea ceremony before other guests arrived. (Godspeed Brewery, Coxwell Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20230715Godspeed Brewery: Bride and groom entering the tank room of the brewery, to ascend the stairs and meet the officiant to take their vows. Relaxed venue for a marital ceremony, reception offered smoked fish, oysters, sausages and charcurerie to accompany Czech-style beers, sake and iced tea. Brief speeches and dancing into the night, with performance of break dancing from the crew members, as well as a toddler showing up the elders. (Godspeed Brewery, Coxwell Avenue, Toronto, Onrtario) 20230715King Spadina District: Family dinner with special recognition for successful PhD dissertation defence earlier in the week. Reflection on 6 years living in Toronto, will be moving to Hong Kong for a professorship in a few weeks. Watched newly transferred videos of childhood cottage visits, as well as delivery in the hospital at childbirth. (King Spadina district, Toronto, Ontario) 20230726Jimmie Simpson Park: Afternoon meetup with @cdnorman, since he walks past my street practically every day. Catch-up conversation for OCADU-affiliated faculty who haven’t been on campus so much recently. Last occasion on the same bench was almost 3 years ago, physically-distanced with pandemic disruption, we really should meet more frequently. (Jimmie Simpson Park, Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20230727
Kew Beach: Overenthusiastic passerby captures nonsharp image of walk on boardwalk at dusk. Visitors from Finland enjoying Toronto, except a warm day for us is a hot day for them. Happy that they’ve felt comfortable in our city, they said there’s more urban walking neighbourhoods than in Montreal. (Kew Beach, Toronto, Ontario) 20230728
