Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Lake Huron Sunsets
The sun at sunset is like a diva coming off her stage. It's anyone's guess how she will leave - whether it will be a brisk departure or whether she will do one encore after another, come back every time you think she's gone for good.
After a week of watching the diva set over Lake Huron, I have yet to figure out whether she will hide behind the haze or break through and dazzle the onlooker. Even five minutes before she actually descended into the sea, she kept us guessing. It was tantalizing. When she went behind a cloud, will she emerge below it? Will the next move down bring her out in front for a final bow or just drop her unceremoniously backstage behind a thick curtain of haze? Will the stage left behind be dim and dull or will it be a magnificent display of fiery red in all its glorious hues?
That's the wonder of sunsets and why it's mesmerizing watching it every evening. It could take an hour for the spectacle to end and meanwhile the camera is clicking away with every change in shade. Dinner is interrupted if there is a remote chance it might be a glorious exit - afterall who wants to miss a good shot! Sometimes the second you looked down to check your camera setting, it's gone...
 |
| Friday night - a "clear" sun (my friend asked me how I kept the clouds from overshadowing the sun when she saw the photo) |
 |
| Saturday night - I managed to get the clouds to overshadow the sun, sort of |
 |
Sunday - at Grand Bend (and no, I didn't ask the fisherman to move, but he did) |
 |
 |
| Wednesday - she burnt through the haze |
 |
Thursday - mix of clouds - it's anyone's guess how she's going to look. As it turned out, she was so bright I couldn't get a shot in until she's halfway down the horizon. |
Finally, she's gone, leaving behind a painted ceiling in glorious hues of red and orange...
I can understand why there are sunset chasers - it's addictive.
Next post: I hope to get back to the Mekong Delta!
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
A week in Huron County
Driving through Huron County last week, I was struck by the vast expanse of pristine farm land - the farms were evidently thriving and well-kept. We didn't see a single broken-down barn in a week of cruising, while it's a much more common sight further east in Ontario. I was able to get some nice shots just snapping while the car was zipping along the highway.
Our first stop was Goderich, which has a farmers' market every Saturday morning. We were totally bowled over by the town, truly one of the prettiest towns in Ontario, as it claimed. The Courthouse Square, where the farmers' market is located, is a unique octagonal shape with streets radiating out from it. It is a hub with unique character, atypical of small Ontario towns. The courhouse (below) was built in art deco design in the 1950's. Upon checking the history of Goderich, it appeared that John Galt, the man behind the town planning (yes, there was actual town planning!) was inspired by the 1st century Roman architect Vitruvius, who had inspired Renaissance architects and planners all over Europe. No wonder it looked good.
We were in luck - the annual Celtic Arts Festival was in town and with it, scores of international artists, including the group RUNA, Jeremy Kittel and his band and the fabulous Irish traditional group TEADA, among others. It was our first experience with live Celtic music and we found it really enjoyable, particularly the exciting buildup to the reels. We heard some outstanding fiddle and guitar playing at the Sunday afternoon concert.
And there was more music when we got to Grand Bend beach! But Grand Bend was a comedown after Goderich. It's really a seaside town with the required "strip" of tourist traps - but the clientele was young and there were lots of them - guaranteed success. But I like the boardwalk and the lighthouse (see picture at the end) and the tourist crowd ensured a range of restaurant choices. We had an excellent dinner with outstanding service at a restaurant called "F.I.N.E." on Hwy 21 in town.
Two hours to the northeast of Goderich is Owen Sound and just outside of it is Inglis Falls. It's a pretty fall to look at but also looks like one that's fun but dangerous to climb. We held our breaths as these two kids and their mother braved the stepped rocks and climbed all the way to the top from the base. A slight change in the waterflow would have been disastrous - said she of the chicken heart, who opted for safer activity like hiking the Bruce Trail beside the river.
Rainy day activities included the interesting Huron County Museum in Goderich, with its special music collection and collection of farm machinery. It was here that we learned all about salt mining and the fact that Goderich has the world's largest salt mine under the lake. Who could have guessed that beyond that blue Sifto building at the mouth of the Maitland River, is a salt mine that extends the size of the entire town of Goderich into Lake Huron, and this is only the mined part of the salt deposits which are so extensive under Lake Huron and Lake Erie they could be mined for hundreds of years to come. A short video in the museum showed us the mine and the mining process.
.
And ever changing sunsets...
Next post: Lake Huron Sunsets
 |
 |
| The windmills were kind of eerie, especially when they seem so out of place, almost surreal, in the farmland |
 |
| I had never thought corn could be photogenic, but after seeing miles and miles of robust crops, I had to stop the car on the shoulder to capture some of it |
 |
| Courthouse Square with the art deco styled Courthouse in the centre |
And there was more music when we got to Grand Bend beach! But Grand Bend was a comedown after Goderich. It's really a seaside town with the required "strip" of tourist traps - but the clientele was young and there were lots of them - guaranteed success. But I like the boardwalk and the lighthouse (see picture at the end) and the tourist crowd ensured a range of restaurant choices. We had an excellent dinner with outstanding service at a restaurant called "F.I.N.E." on Hwy 21 in town.
 |
| Grand Bend Beach |
 |
| St. Christopher's Beach in Goderich is much quieter than the Grand Bend beach. |
Two hours to the northeast of Goderich is Owen Sound and just outside of it is Inglis Falls. It's a pretty fall to look at but also looks like one that's fun but dangerous to climb. We held our breaths as these two kids and their mother braved the stepped rocks and climbed all the way to the top from the base. A slight change in the waterflow would have been disastrous - said she of the chicken heart, who opted for safer activity like hiking the Bruce Trail beside the river.
We managed to get our hike in before the rain arrived promptly late in the day as forecasted. And what a storm! Our lakefront cottage was pounded all night by wind and rain. Having lived in brick or concrete all my life, I have to confess I was a little worried by the flimsiness of the cottage. While it was fun to watch the rough waters from atop the bluff, I definitely wouldn't want to be in the midst of it. But it was exciting to capture on camera after the rain.
 |
Perfectly okay snapping away on the Goderich beach, unlike this brave soul who took advantage of the surf to perfect the art of kiteboarding, unfazed by multiple slips into the icy waters |
Rainy day activities included the interesting Huron County Museum in Goderich, with its special music collection and collection of farm machinery. It was here that we learned all about salt mining and the fact that Goderich has the world's largest salt mine under the lake. Who could have guessed that beyond that blue Sifto building at the mouth of the Maitland River, is a salt mine that extends the size of the entire town of Goderich into Lake Huron, and this is only the mined part of the salt deposits which are so extensive under Lake Huron and Lake Erie they could be mined for hundreds of years to come. A short video in the museum showed us the mine and the mining process.
.
 |
| Huron County Museum, Goderich |
 |
| A hair perming machine from the first half of the 20th century |
 |
| Monster machines from the farms |
45 minutes to the east is the North Huron Museum in Wingham, Alice Munro's hometown. Needless to say, they have made the most of the Alice Munro celebration, including building an Alice Munro literary garden with a self-guided tour of all the old Alice haunts in Wingham. There is an interesting Barn Dance Museum in the basement of the museum with memorabilia from barn dances and performers from the last century.
Not to be missed is the Blyth Festival Theatre a few minutes south in Blyth - great Canadian plays all summer, including a very touching one we attended - St. Anne's Reel. The Queens Bakery across the street from the theatre has the best tea biscuits ever.
 |
| North Huron Museum, Wingham |
 |
| Huron County after the storm |
When the sun came back, we were able to do more sightseeing, taking in the spectacular view of the Maitland River from the old CNR trestle bridge, which in itself is quite picturesque.
 |
| Old CNR trestle bridge (Menesetung Bridge) |
 |
| Looking towards the mouth of the river, you can see the Sifto salt mine buildings |
 |
| A cormorant waiting for some action in the river |
Life is never dull in front of the lake - an ever changing sea and an every changing sky...
And ever changing sunsets...
|
| Grand Bend lighthouse |
Next post: Lake Huron Sunsets
2 comments:
-
Anonymous20 August 2014 15:18Testing since Betty said she cannot post, posting as anonymous but really am hg. When I press Publish or Preview, I have to prove I'm not a robot, either use picture or voice numbers. Can you see me now?ReplyDelete
Sunday, 15 June 2014
Tranquil Wilderness in the City - Tommy Thomson Park
We had an unexpectedly interesting day today walking the Leslie Street spit in the guise of Tommy Thomson Park. We had expected a walk on flat land with no shade in the blazing sun where we would get our exercise then go and stuff ourselves at a nearby restaurant at lunch. But it turned out to be an eye-opener giving us a glimpse of the wild life that is accessible to us even in the City.
It started off with a tranquil Sunday morning walk by the waterfront, watching the few sail boats drifting by. Then all of a sudden, we saw a flock of cormorants flying in formation above us - it looked like they were heading out to the lake for lunch! One flock came after another with a distinctive V shape at the head of the flock. They flew low on the lake - guess that's how they caught fish - but I can imagine it must be pretty unnerving to be in the sailboats and have them circling above your head or beside your boat. This continued for the length of our visit to the park which was over five or six hours as we went back after lunch, being so fascinated by this piece of wilderness in the City. An article in the Starspoke to the damage these cormorants were doing to the spit.
On our afternoon walk, we ventured further out onto the spit and saw this family of trumpet swans in the marshland in the middle of the spit. Kudos to the father especially on this Father's Day - he was very aggressive in guarding his family. No one was allowed to set foot anywhere close to the edge of the pond and he was quite loud and insistent in his warnings. Then all of a sudden, two Canada geese flew into the pond - they seemed to have a nest in the middle of it. The two swans took off very quickly like fighter jets responding to an attack - they chased after the goose all the while loudly trumpeting and only came back after they felt they had suitably intimidated the goose. I was surprised and worried that they had left the six little cygnets undefended! But it was quite a sight to see this action taking place in nature right in front of us - not to mention I have never seen a swan in flight! That little episode truly made our day!
Then there was the nice little surprise of a spectacular view of the Toronto skyline from the spit! I was exhausted at the end of the "leisurely walk" but it was definitely worth it!
A tranquil Sunday morning walk by the lake, enjoying the spring flowers
A man enjoying the serene seascape - although you can see the cormorants starting to come in on the right - they don't make any noise
Cormorants hovering around the boat and above it...
They're finished lunch - heading back to the spit
The different formations of the flocks were like sky painting
The Toronto skyline from the western edge of the spit
Trumpet swan family
Mom and dad taking off like fighter jets
CIrcling and landing after warding off the Canada goose
Still trumpeting from leftover adrenalin...
Spectacular Toronto Skyline from the tip of the spit - Sky Dome is visible from this angle with the Toronto Islands in between
Some new dumps along the end - they are still filling in the land here on weekdays
The lighthouse at the end of the spit
Where else would you see a sign like this!
And this is what happened when you don't brake!
Tommy Thomson Park - Great place for a bike ride - or a walk...
We had an unexpectedly interesting day today walking the Leslie Street spit in the guise of Tommy Thomson Park. We had expected a walk on flat land with no shade in the blazing sun where we would get our exercise then go and stuff ourselves at a nearby restaurant at lunch. But it turned out to be an eye-opener giving us a glimpse of the wild life that is accessible to us even in the City.
It started off with a tranquil Sunday morning walk by the waterfront, watching the few sail boats drifting by. Then all of a sudden, we saw a flock of cormorants flying in formation above us - it looked like they were heading out to the lake for lunch! One flock came after another with a distinctive V shape at the head of the flock. They flew low on the lake - guess that's how they caught fish - but I can imagine it must be pretty unnerving to be in the sailboats and have them circling above your head or beside your boat. This continued for the length of our visit to the park which was over five or six hours as we went back after lunch, being so fascinated by this piece of wilderness in the City. An article in the Starspoke to the damage these cormorants were doing to the spit.
On our afternoon walk, we ventured further out onto the spit and saw this family of trumpet swans in the marshland in the middle of the spit. Kudos to the father especially on this Father's Day - he was very aggressive in guarding his family. No one was allowed to set foot anywhere close to the edge of the pond and he was quite loud and insistent in his warnings. Then all of a sudden, two Canada geese flew into the pond - they seemed to have a nest in the middle of it. The two swans took off very quickly like fighter jets responding to an attack - they chased after the goose all the while loudly trumpeting and only came back after they felt they had suitably intimidated the goose. I was surprised and worried that they had left the six little cygnets undefended! But it was quite a sight to see this action taking place in nature right in front of us - not to mention I have never seen a swan in flight! That little episode truly made our day!
Then there was the nice little surprise of a spectacular view of the Toronto skyline from the spit! I was exhausted at the end of the "leisurely walk" but it was definitely worth it!
|
| A tranquil Sunday morning walk by the lake, enjoying the spring flowers |
|
| A man enjoying the serene seascape - although you can see the cormorants starting to come in on the right - they don't make any noise |
|
|
| Cormorants hovering around the boat and above it... |
|
| They're finished lunch - heading back to the spit |
|
| The different formations of the flocks were like sky painting |
|
| The Toronto skyline from the western edge of the spit |
|
| Trumpet swan family |
|
| Mom and dad taking off like fighter jets |
|
| CIrcling and landing after warding off the Canada goose |
|
| Still trumpeting from leftover adrenalin... |
|
| Spectacular Toronto Skyline from the tip of the spit - Sky Dome is visible from this angle with the Toronto Islands in between |
|
| Some new dumps along the end - they are still filling in the land here on weekdays |
|
| The lighthouse at the end of the spit |
|
| Where else would you see a sign like this! |
|
| And this is what happened when you don't brake! |
|
| Tommy Thomson Park - Great place for a bike ride - or a walk... |
4 comments:
-
-
Yes, unexpected fun indeed!
-
It seems to me that you are always very lucky in catching your photography objects in the right place at the right time. Should name you 'Bingo'. Ha ha! Great shots regardless.
-
Oh Connie, you don't know how many good shots I missed! There was one where the cormorants were appearing right above my head with the tail of the flock coming up from the horizon, sailboats to the right. it would have been a spectacular shot except I was in the middle of taking off my jacket, hands tied!!
Reply
-
-
Yes, unexpected fun indeed!
-
It seems to me that you are always very lucky in catching your photography objects in the right place at the right time. Should name you 'Bingo'. Ha ha! Great shots regardless.
-
-
Oh Connie, you don't know how many good shots I missed! There was one where the cormorants were appearing right above my head with the tail of the flock coming up from the horizon, sailboats to the right. it would have been a spectacular shot except I was in the middle of taking off my jacket, hands tied!!Reply
Sunday, 20 April 2014
Muted Spring (in memory of a dear friend)
The first bright glorious Sunday of spring, muted
The passing of a dear friend casted
A long shadow over TooGood Pond
In spite of the sun
Remembrance of past Easter walks
Where are the buds, the new life of spring
All I saw were trees dead
Branches broken
Trunk split
Remains of the ice storm
She loved the outdoors
I remember the birds she fed
The spring flowers she captured
And the mountains she climbed
That she was going to climb with me
And the rhododendrons that would be along our paths
And so, I know there's life anew somewhere
In the depths of the pond
Beyond the tall grass
Like our reflections
It will emerge
Muted
But slowly return
The passing of a dear friend casted
A long shadow over TooGood Pond
In spite of the sun
Remembrance of past Easter walks
Where are the buds, the new life of spring
All I saw were trees dead
Branches broken
Trunk split
Remains of the ice storm
She loved the outdoors
I remember the birds she fed
The spring flowers she captured
And the mountains she climbed
That she was going to climb with me
And the rhododendrons that would be along our paths
And so, I know there's life anew somewhere
In the depths of the pond
Beyond the tall grass
Like our reflections
It will emerge
Muted
But slowly return
Sunday, 20 October 2013
Late Fall in Wilket Creek Park
We missed the height of the fall colours by a couple of weeks at least but time and again, my photographer friend and I have found that the lack of fresh bright colours actually forced us to look harder and in unusual places for photo opportunities. We didn't have masses of reds and oranges to show but in the end, we found the subtler colours of late fall - it's really all about light.
We missed the height of the fall colours by a couple of weeks at least but time and again, my photographer friend and I have found that the lack of fresh bright colours actually forced us to look harder and in unusual places for photo opportunities. We didn't have masses of reds and oranges to show but in the end, we found the subtler colours of late fall - it's really all about light.
Monday, 2 September 2013
Doing nothing at Sandbanks
With miles of fine sand and lots of space for everyone (especially on a weekday), Sandbanks Provincial Park is a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon doing nothing other than people watching, staring at the expansive nothingness of the lake, or dozing off, to the sound of gently lapping waves. I don't need to say anything here either, just show you the evidence...
Day's end
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Canoeing on the Black River
We took a short break in Prince Edward County this week staying at a lovely B&B on the mouth of the Black River. Colleen Cottage, apart from having a gracious hostess who can cook and spacious rooms and grounds, has the advantage of being by the waterfront. We were comfortable canoeing on the slow moving river and I was particularly thrilled by all the photo ops in spite of the conscious decision not to bring my DSLR with me in the canoe. But between my Elph and my Blackberry, it all worked out.
The lovely view from the cottage
The only boat we saw on the river
The neighbourhood heron
It took off when we got too close
A peaceful setting for a pair of swans
Back to the delta
A peaceful day's end
We took a short break in Prince Edward County this week staying at a lovely B&B on the mouth of the Black River. Colleen Cottage, apart from having a gracious hostess who can cook and spacious rooms and grounds, has the advantage of being by the waterfront. We were comfortable canoeing on the slow moving river and I was particularly thrilled by all the photo ops in spite of the conscious decision not to bring my DSLR with me in the canoe. But between my Elph and my Blackberry, it all worked out.
 |
The lovely view from the cottage |
 |
| The only boat we saw on the river |
 |
 |
The neighbourhood heron |
 |
| It took off when we got too close |
 |
A peaceful setting for a pair of swans |
 |
| Back to the delta |
 |
| A peaceful day's end |
Saturday, 17 August 2013
According to What?
"According to What?" is the header of the Ai Wei Wei show at the Art Gallery of Ontario, opening today. I was at a members' preview last night and was totally touched. I love this kind of art - exquisite work where it is required, stunning symbolism, expressing meaningful social, political and personal issues. But above all, it is very accessible art. Art that I can understand and appreciate. My photos don't really do them justice but it's for my friends who are not in Toronto - maybe they'll make a trip. For those of you who are here, it is definitely worth a visit.
 |
| The backpack snake - a memorial to the 380 school children who died in the Sichuan earthquake of 2008. |
 |
| Incredible - but these two sculptures are made up of compressed pu'erh tea leaves! They sit on a bed of loose tea leaves. They are imaginary tea rooms - traditionally the centre of Chinese culture. |
 |
A sculpture of Ai's childhood memories - parallel gym bars that were in every school yard during the Cultural Revolution and the stack of firewood outside his home of exile in Xinjiang. The sculptures were made from wood salvaged from Qing dynasty temples. |
 |
Another iconic piece - there are many variations of this concept in Ai's work - deconstruction of old furniture (in this case Qing dynasty stools with no nails) and reassembling them in new ways with obvious application to new ideas stemming from the breaking down of our old assumptions. |
 |
| Old vases dipped in new paint - same idea |
 |
Moon Chests - fascinating piece! A series of wood chests made with rare Huali wood, artfully constructed and aligned so that someone standing at one end can see all the phases of the moon. Extremely popular - almost impossible to get a picture without a person's head sticking out as you can see! |
 |
| Chateau Lafite - supposedly a play on the word feet - this is a sculpture of a pair of Chinese shoes wrapped around a bottle of Chateau Lafite - he does have a sense of humour |
 |
| The famous crabs - river crabs to be specific - He Xie - an important pun on the two words which in Chinese also sound like "Harmonious" - a satirical take on the Communist slogan. |
 |
| The iconic antique vase overpainted with the Coca-Cola logo - need we say more |
 |
| Another memorial to the Sichuan earthquake. These steel rods were from the scene of the earthquake. Each bent rod was hammered 200 times to straighten them for this installation. This piece represents Ai's anger at the government's unwillingness to acknowledge the earthquake victims, their pretense that nothing had happened and carry on business as usual. At the far end of this sculpture, is the memorial wall made up of the names, date of birth, grade and school record of the 380 children who perished. |
 |
| A beautiful rosewood sculpture inspired by an antique rosewood box from Ai's father |
 |
| Divina Proportione - Ai created these sculptures without using nails or screws using a Ming dynasty woodworking technique. He named it after a Da Vinci drawing of the same forms which he found after he completed the works. |
 |
Two highly symbolic pieces representative of China and its long history - the map of China on each end of a long piece of log and on top of a beautifully finished sculpture of mahogany. |
 |
| I was not tall enough to get the shape of China! You have to go and see it for yourself! |
3 comments:
-
-
Anonymous17 August 2013 11:49I saw the exhibit yesterday too, and thought it was wonderful. In spite of what you say, your photos do do it justice! PeggyReplyDelete
-
Thank you H and Peggy. It is a wonderful show.
Sunday, 30 June 2013
The Gardens
I just realized I visited the Gardens (the Toronto Botanical and Edwards Gardens) almost exactly a year ago, last July 2nd. It seems that every time I visit, different things caught my eye. One likely reason is because the flowers and plants peak at different times in different years. When I look at last year's photos I noticed that many of the summer flowers in full bloom this time last year are already wilted today. But the wonderful thing about the Gardens is that no matter when you go, there are always things to capture with your camera. So here it is, the second edition of "The Gardens".
Love the lavender!
Busy bee in an amazing cactus flower
This is the Spiral Mound which you can walk to the top of supposedly to get a panoramic view of the gardens - but the top is so overgrown you have to take your panoramic picture before you get to the top. And here's the view before you get to the top...
Fuzzy lamb's ears
Amazing red maples
Random wall in the Floral Courtyard with bamboo
Even the hostas look great in the wild garden
Awesome ornamental grasses!
I would love to know if these are corn lilies (and they are not, my gardener friend told me they are astilbes - thanks!)
Always photogenic
I just realized I visited the Gardens (the Toronto Botanical and Edwards Gardens) almost exactly a year ago, last July 2nd. It seems that every time I visit, different things caught my eye. One likely reason is because the flowers and plants peak at different times in different years. When I look at last year's photos I noticed that many of the summer flowers in full bloom this time last year are already wilted today. But the wonderful thing about the Gardens is that no matter when you go, there are always things to capture with your camera. So here it is, the second edition of "The Gardens".
 |
| Love the lavender! |
 |
| Busy bee in an amazing cactus flower |
 |
| This is the Spiral Mound which you can walk to the top of supposedly to get a panoramic view of the gardens - but the top is so overgrown you have to take your panoramic picture before you get to the top. And here's the view before you get to the top... |
 |
| Fuzzy lamb's ears |
 |
| Amazing red maples |
|
| Random wall in the Floral Courtyard with bamboo |
|
| Even the hostas look great in the wild garden |
|
| Awesome ornamental grasses! |
|
I would love to know if these are corn lilies (and they are not, my gardener friend told me they are astilbes - thanks!) |
 |
| Always photogenic |
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Ravine life in late spring
It's mid-June and we finally had our first decent sunny and warm day - perfect for a ravine walk, which we did instead of going to the gym. I was determined that this should be an exercise and that it would be a brisk walk so deliberately did not bring my camera with me. At the back of my mind though, I try never to leave myself without options - what if something exciting comes up during the walk?! So I had my blackberry with me and when I saw the little snail, I couldn't resist and of course, once I started, I couldn't stop!
It's mid-June and we finally had our first decent sunny and warm day - perfect for a ravine walk, which we did instead of going to the gym. I was determined that this should be an exercise and that it would be a brisk walk so deliberately did not bring my camera with me. At the back of my mind though, I try never to leave myself without options - what if something exciting comes up during the walk?! So I had my blackberry with me and when I saw the little snail, I couldn't resist and of course, once I started, I couldn't stop!
2 comments:
Thursday, 30 May 2013
Playing tourist in my own city Pt 2
After our tour of the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres, we came out onto Yonge Street and caught sight of this attractive renovated building, the Dineen Building, at no. 140 Yonge St, another Doors Open site. This used to be the home of the Dineen Company, a prominent hat and fur company. It has undergone extensive renovations but many of the historic features are preserved. You can check this interesting article on the Urban Toronto site to see some photos of the interior during renovations. There was a lineup to get in when we were there so we saved it for another year. But judging from the pictures, it's well worth a visit.
Continuing on our trek south, we visited One King West, originally the old head office of the Toronto Dominion Bank, now a luxury hotel. This is the grand staircase that took us up to the grand banking hall.
Grand banking hall set up for a wedding.
This is the vault entrance. This was once the largest bank vault in Canada. The door weighed over 40 tons but was apparently so well-made that a paper-clip dropped in the opening will stop the door from closing.
Our next stop was lunch at the Marché in BCE Place. The highlight of the lunch was the berry flan and the stroll through BCE Place, always spectacular and particularly so when I had my camera with me.
This rather reminded me of a similar building in Milan.
For the month of May, there is a photo art installation "Pyramid" by James Nizam as part of the Scotiabank Contact Festival. You can read about the art on the Contact website.
You see below my own photo of the reflection of the arches in the glass entrance. Truly amazing - the reflection of the reflection on the glass - the juxtaposition of layers of reality and illusion. Astounding!
This was not the first time we visited BCE Place but every time we did, we couldn't help but be awed by the artistry of the design. For a change of pace, we headed towards the more stolid Canada Life Building, a few blocks north, at Queen and University. In front of the building, I noticed this graceful statue on top of a granite column, a memorial of the Boer War. Forty years in Toronto, and I have never actually "seen" this winged statue.
This Pelican statue is the only thing I liked in the Canada Life Board Room.
Clearly I wasn't the only one who thought this portal worth photographing
Another one to add to my collection of elevator doors
View from the 17th floor. I was mildly disappointed because I thought we had lined up to take the elevator to the open observation deck. But it turned out it was not outdoors. These shots of the city were taken behind glass. View of the the Ontario College of Art, designed by British architect Will Alsop.
Looking south towards the CN Tower
East towards the old and new City Halls, Nathan Phillips Square
The Trump Tower in front of the Bank of Nova Scotia Building (the most amazing thing in all this is that I didn't know this was the Trump Tower. But I walked by the Bank of Nova Scotia Building earlier and recognized it. I did a Google search for "Bank of Nova Scotia Building behind" and identified the Trump Tower that way. I'm completely in awe of Google - if I had the money, I'd buy its stock. It's going to take over the world!
After our tour of the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres, we came out onto Yonge Street and caught sight of this attractive renovated building, the Dineen Building, at no. 140 Yonge St, another Doors Open site. This used to be the home of the Dineen Company, a prominent hat and fur company. It has undergone extensive renovations but many of the historic features are preserved. You can check this interesting article on the Urban Toronto site to see some photos of the interior during renovations. There was a lineup to get in when we were there so we saved it for another year. But judging from the pictures, it's well worth a visit.
Continuing on our trek south, we visited One King West, originally the old head office of the Toronto Dominion Bank, now a luxury hotel. This is the grand staircase that took us up to the grand banking hall.
Grand banking hall set up for a wedding.
Our next stop was lunch at the Marché in BCE Place. The highlight of the lunch was the berry flan and the stroll through BCE Place, always spectacular and particularly so when I had my camera with me.
This rather reminded me of a similar building in Milan.
This was not the first time we visited BCE Place but every time we did, we couldn't help but be awed by the artistry of the design. For a change of pace, we headed towards the more stolid Canada Life Building, a few blocks north, at Queen and University. In front of the building, I noticed this graceful statue on top of a granite column, a memorial of the Boer War. Forty years in Toronto, and I have never actually "seen" this winged statue.
Continuing on our trek south, we visited One King West, originally the old head office of the Toronto Dominion Bank, now a luxury hotel. This is the grand staircase that took us up to the grand banking hall.
 |
This is the vault entrance. This was once the largest bank vault in Canada. The door weighed over 40 tons but was apparently so well-made that a paper-clip dropped in the opening will stop the door from closing. |
Our next stop was lunch at the Marché in BCE Place. The highlight of the lunch was the berry flan and the stroll through BCE Place, always spectacular and particularly so when I had my camera with me.
This rather reminded me of a similar building in Milan.
 |
For the month of May, there is a photo art installation "Pyramid" by James Nizam as part of the Scotiabank Contact Festival. You can read about the art on the Contact website. |
You see below my own photo of the reflection of the arches in the glass entrance. Truly amazing - the reflection of the reflection on the glass - the juxtaposition of layers of reality and illusion. Astounding!
This was not the first time we visited BCE Place but every time we did, we couldn't help but be awed by the artistry of the design. For a change of pace, we headed towards the more stolid Canada Life Building, a few blocks north, at Queen and University. In front of the building, I noticed this graceful statue on top of a granite column, a memorial of the Boer War. Forty years in Toronto, and I have never actually "seen" this winged statue.
 |
| This Pelican statue is the only thing I liked in the Canada Life Board Room. |
 |
| Clearly I wasn't the only one who thought this portal worth photographing |
 |
| Another one to add to my collection of elevator doors |
 |
| View from the 17th floor. I was mildly disappointed because I thought we had lined up to take the elevator to the open observation deck. But it turned out it was not outdoors. These shots of the city were taken behind glass. View of the the Ontario College of Art, designed by British architect Will Alsop. |
 |
| Looking south towards the CN Tower |
 |
| East towards the old and new City Halls, Nathan Phillips Square |
 |
The Trump Tower in front of the Bank of Nova Scotia Building (the most amazing thing in all this is that I didn't know this was the Trump Tower. But I walked by the Bank of Nova Scotia Building earlier and recognized it. I did a Google search for "Bank of Nova Scotia Building behind" and identified the Trump Tower that way. I'm completely in awe of Google - if I had the money, I'd buy its stock. It's going to take over the world! |
Monday, 27 May 2013
Playing tourist in my own city
The annual Doors Open Toronto enabled me to play tourist for a day. When we travelled abroad, we would go madly looking for beautiful architecture and unique buildings - in fact these are in abundance in our own city. The old CIBC building in Commerce Court North and the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres are two such buildings within a 10 minute walk of each other downtown.
Walking north a few blocks from 25 King West up Yonge Street at No. 189 is an unassuming building that houses the Elgin and the Winter Garden Theatres. You would never have guessed what the interior looks like when you see the building from the outside.
Once you're inside though, you'll realize that you are in a very special building.
We have gone to the Elgin many times as it is the home of the baroque opera company Opera Atelier but we have never gone as "tourists", have never taken pictures of the inside, have never gawked! In general, we behaved ourselves as concert goers. Visiting it during Doors Open was another experience all together.
It was a great way to spend a Sunday - exploring my own city! After lunch we visited One King West, BCE Place and the Canada Life Building. More in the next post.
 |
| Staircase to the lobby of Commerce Court North from the basement mall |
 |
| Stunning lobby |
 |
 |
| The limestone building was completed in 1930 as the headquarters of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and was for three decades (until 1962) the tallest building in the British Commonwealth |
 |
| Door handle details |
 |
| The front door portal |
Once you're inside though, you'll realize that you are in a very special building.
 |
| The faux marble is everywhere but it created the ambiance for the hallways and inside the Elgin Theatre itself. |
 |
| The ornate boxes |
 |
| The balcony and the ceiling above
Seven stories above the Elgin Theatre is the Winter Garden Theatre. These are the last surviving Edwardian stacked theatres in the world. We walked up several flights then up three sets of escalators to get to the The Winter Garden Theatre. It has a very special look - literally that of a winter garden, with trees for columns and millions of leaves, faux, dried or otherwise preserved.
|
 |
 |
| The Doors Open crowd listening to the history of the theatre and descriptions of how the leaves were preserved. Someone asked how they are cleaned - response is they build scaffolding in order to do the cleaning. You can imagine they won't be cleaned every month! |
 |
| The boxes are very differently decorated from the ones at the Elgin |
 |
| The hand painted fire screen |
 |
| A closeup look at the tree and the leaves |
Monday, 6 May 2013
Sakura in Toronto
The Japanese government presented cherry blossom trees to the people of Toronto to thank them for their support of Japanese Canadian refugees after World War II. This started a tradition of sakura(cherry blossom viewing) in Toronto. More than fifty of the trees were planted in High Park.
On Sunday, I joined hundreds (possibly even thousands) of Torontonians on their annual pilgrimage. It was a zoo, but the cherry blossoms were gorgeous. They were in full bloom and in fact most have peaked and there were even some petals falling off. The weekend before would have been a better time to enjoy both buds and flowers and a weekday would mean a less crowded and more enjoyable park - however, not always an option...
I've found the trunks as photo-worthy as the flowers...
This is to give you an idea of the crowds and the traffic - DON'T drive. For many of the people here, it was an expensive parking fee - $105 - the parking control staff had a field day!
On Sunday, I joined hundreds (possibly even thousands) of Torontonians on their annual pilgrimage. It was a zoo, but the cherry blossoms were gorgeous. They were in full bloom and in fact most have peaked and there were even some petals falling off. The weekend before would have been a better time to enjoy both buds and flowers and a weekday would mean a less crowded and more enjoyable park - however, not always an option...
 |
| Leaves have already started to come out on some trees |
 |
| Photographer's paradise |
 |
The "stars" were very much in demand, including this "bride" below... |
I've found the trunks as photo-worthy as the flowers...
This is to give you an idea of the crowds and the traffic - DON'T drive. For many of the people here, it was an expensive parking fee - $105 - the parking control staff had a field day!
 |
| The better way... |
Sunday, 14 April 2013
Spring in the ravine
Two weeks ago when we did our spring walk at Too Good Pond, the only visible signs of spring are the courting geese and ducks. Today, we can see the first buds. And of course, further south downtown, the crocuses are already in bloom. It's when you really have to look for it that made the first signs of spring so precious.
Even the algae are budding!
Just the faintest touch of green!
Spring in the ravine
Two weeks ago when we did our spring walk at Too Good Pond, the only visible signs of spring are the courting geese and ducks. Today, we can see the first buds. And of course, further south downtown, the crocuses are already in bloom. It's when you really have to look for it that made the first signs of spring so precious.
 |
| Even the algae are budding! |
 |
| Just the faintest touch of green! |
 |
Sunday, 31 March 2013
Early spring at Toogood Pond
It was a gorgeous day to make what has become an annual spring ritual for us - a trek to Toogood Pond in Unionville - it always seems to give us just enough of a taste of nature in the city (and the promise of a good lunch afterwards) without overtaxing our energy. It is tempting to think that it is named "too good" because it is too good to be true but it is actually named after the man who owned the pond prior to its acquisition by the Town of Markham in 1980 - Arthur Toogood. The geese that always seem to be there and the quieter mallard ducks enlivened the peaceful pond and trails. It usually takes us no more than hour to do the trail with multiple stops for photos. Here are some taken yesterday.
 |
| Testing the waters with one foot? |
 |
| Spring rituals! |
 |
| Not much I can add to this perfect landscape |
 |
| Spring jogger |
 |
| Aggressive spring behaviour |
 |
| Amen! |
5 comments:
-
Hey! Thanks to you, I now know where the name "Toogood" comes from! Also, your portrayal (accompanied by photos) does justice to its beauty and the tranquility (and joy) it brings to the visitors.ReplyDelete
Roch -
-
Your photos are gorgeous - as always! You marvellously captured the beauty in that bleak colour palette of pre-spring.ReplyDelete
-
Thanks, MVK! You're right about the pre-spring though - there is no green so I will change my title!ReplyDelete
-
TUESDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER 2012
City Parks - Rouge Park and Milliken Park
Toronto is full of walkable parks right in the city. In our efforts to get into shape for a more strenuous hike coming up, we visited two parks in Scarborough in recent weeks. The Rouge Park at Meadowvale and Sheppard and Milliken Park at McCowan and Steeles.
Rouge Park has attained National Urban Park status whereas Milliken Park is relatively small. You get more of a hike feel at Rouge Park and could spend the whole day hiking while at Milliken you would be mostly walking on paved paths throughout and you could probably do a couple of loops around the park in an hour. But it's exercise with a view, without having to drive hours to get to a hiking trail and lots of photo opportunities in both places!
On the other hand, at Milliken Park,
Rouge Park has attained National Urban Park status whereas Milliken Park is relatively small. You get more of a hike feel at Rouge Park and could spend the whole day hiking while at Milliken you would be mostly walking on paved paths throughout and you could probably do a couple of loops around the park in an hour. But it's exercise with a view, without having to drive hours to get to a hiking trail and lots of photo opportunities in both places!
 |
| Rouge Park pond at the south trail head of the Cedar Trail |
 |
The pond at the north end of the Orchard Trail |
 |
| Shady Orchard Trail |
 |
| The Little Rouge River beside the Orchard Trail |
 |
| At the top of the Vista Trail, they have built a viewing platform that looks out on the bluffs around the river - should be a vantage point for viewing fall colours. |
 |
| you can take a nap on the manicured lawn |
 |
| Enjoy the spectacular flower beds |
 |
| Look out for a Monarch or catch a ball on the green |
 |
| Or watch the birds! |
 |
| Stare at the trees |
 |
| Watch the Canada geese land on their practice flights Just keep walking... |
MONDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2012
Niagara Parkway
One of my favourite day trips was to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The main reason is the scones at Taylor's Bakery on the main drag They are the best scones ever, with fresh local fruit - peaches, cranberries, blueberries. I always get a half dozen as that's the best deal at $5.99 with no tax. They are worth the drive, if you like fluffy scones.
Of course, that's never the only reason we made the hour and a half drive (on a long weekend more than two hours) from Toronto. We would usually catch a play at the Shaw Festival. But this year, we decided to not put ourselves on a schedule and just take it easy.
We started with a leisurely lunch at Benchmark, the Niagara College Canadian Food and Wine Institute's restaurant (read my post Learning to cook in farm country), thankfully avoiding the hungry hordes at Niagara-on-the-Lake. We popped into town just long enough to buy the scones and peek into the chocolate shop - almost passing out with the intensity of the sugar aroma. But if you've never been to the town, there are many interesting shops and it's definitely worth a stroll through.
You will notice bicycle rental shops in town too. There is a bike trail starting from the town all the way to Niagara Falls along the Niagara Parkway. It is also a hiking trail but we did a small section of it and found the fumes from the Parkway too much on a high traffic weekend. But some of my favourite stops are the Whirlpool and the Botanical Gardens. You see below the cable car ride over the whirlpool, one of the more dramatic sections of the Niagara River.
The Botanical Gardens are a real gem. The best time to come is earlier in the summer when the roses were in bloom. But the formal gardens are always spectacular in any season. Entry is free to the 99 acres of gardens, you only have to pay for parking.
Stunning "Black pearl" an ornamental pepper plant
This reminded me of the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris
The centrepiece
Every time we were on the Niagara Parkway, the debate always came up as to whether we should go on to the Falls. It was so near and yet so far! We were concerned about traffic and the crowds, especially on a long weekend and we were always right. But we always gave in to the desire to even get a glimpse of the falls. It's still the most magnificent and exciting falls ever! And so we drove on into the traffic nightmare. I hopped off just to take some quick shots but also found that I couldn't get too close because of my precious camera! The wind and the spray had to be just right to get the right close up. And it's only in closeup that you could feel the palpable danger and excitement generated by the falls. It would be another reason to come back...maybe in the winter...
American falls on the left and Canadian falls on the right
The Canadian Falls is still my all time favourite wonder!
One of my favourite day trips was to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The main reason is the scones at Taylor's Bakery on the main drag They are the best scones ever, with fresh local fruit - peaches, cranberries, blueberries. I always get a half dozen as that's the best deal at $5.99 with no tax. They are worth the drive, if you like fluffy scones.
Of course, that's never the only reason we made the hour and a half drive (on a long weekend more than two hours) from Toronto. We would usually catch a play at the Shaw Festival. But this year, we decided to not put ourselves on a schedule and just take it easy.
We started with a leisurely lunch at Benchmark, the Niagara College Canadian Food and Wine Institute's restaurant (read my post Learning to cook in farm country), thankfully avoiding the hungry hordes at Niagara-on-the-Lake. We popped into town just long enough to buy the scones and peek into the chocolate shop - almost passing out with the intensity of the sugar aroma. But if you've never been to the town, there are many interesting shops and it's definitely worth a stroll through. 
You will notice bicycle rental shops in town too. There is a bike trail starting from the town all the way to Niagara Falls along the Niagara Parkway. It is also a hiking trail but we did a small section of it and found the fumes from the Parkway too much on a high traffic weekend. But some of my favourite stops are the Whirlpool and the Botanical Gardens. You see below the cable car ride over the whirlpool, one of the more dramatic sections of the Niagara River.
The Botanical Gardens are a real gem. The best time to come is earlier in the summer when the roses were in bloom. But the formal gardens are always spectacular in any season. Entry is free to the 99 acres of gardens, you only have to pay for parking.
 |
| Stunning "Black pearl" an ornamental pepper plant |
 |
| This reminded me of the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris |
 |
| The centrepiece |
 |
| American falls on the left and Canadian falls on the right |
 |
| The Canadian Falls is still my all time favourite wonder! |
SUNDAY, 26 AUGUST 2012
CNE the Canadian National Exhibition
We used to have to take our kids to the CNE every summer until they became teenagers and then they went by themselves. Friday night was our first visit in almost 20 years. Our main reason for going - the free Don Mclean concert, and what a smashing performance it was! Before the concert we checked out old haunts like the Better Living Centre and the Food Building. They were a bit of a disappointment - I used to think of these places during the CNE as sources of new ideas and showcases for innovation. Now the Better Living Building has a farm and a casino. The Food Building is giant food court and the Direct Energy Centre one big mall with so called "international goods" which you can find all over Toronto.
What hasn't changed is the midway with the rides and the money swallowing game booths. There also seems to be lots of shows and celebrity chefs. The skating shows and the horse shows are still attractions. It's definitely worth going if you're young enough to enjoy the rides or if a performer you like is appearing at the multiple concert venues on the grounds. Check out the CNE website for what's on. Below are some snapshots of the CNE 2012.
The Midway
Enticing!
Anna Olsen - celebrity pastry chef
One of many "international" shops
Prize-winning sandcastle
Sand angel
Fountain still pretty
Kendel Carson and Dustin Bendall - the opening act - great fiddling from Kendel!
Don Mclean!
Lit up fountain
Ferris wheel at night
Dufferin Gates
We used to have to take our kids to the CNE every summer until they became teenagers and then they went by themselves. Friday night was our first visit in almost 20 years. Our main reason for going - the free Don Mclean concert, and what a smashing performance it was! Before the concert we checked out old haunts like the Better Living Centre and the Food Building. They were a bit of a disappointment - I used to think of these places during the CNE as sources of new ideas and showcases for innovation. Now the Better Living Building has a farm and a casino. The Food Building is giant food court and the Direct Energy Centre one big mall with so called "international goods" which you can find all over Toronto.
What hasn't changed is the midway with the rides and the money swallowing game booths. There also seems to be lots of shows and celebrity chefs. The skating shows and the horse shows are still attractions. It's definitely worth going if you're young enough to enjoy the rides or if a performer you like is appearing at the multiple concert venues on the grounds. Check out the CNE website for what's on. Below are some snapshots of the CNE 2012.
What hasn't changed is the midway with the rides and the money swallowing game booths. There also seems to be lots of shows and celebrity chefs. The skating shows and the horse shows are still attractions. It's definitely worth going if you're young enough to enjoy the rides or if a performer you like is appearing at the multiple concert venues on the grounds. Check out the CNE website for what's on. Below are some snapshots of the CNE 2012.
The Midway
Enticing!
 |
| Anna Olsen - celebrity pastry chef |
 |
| One of many "international" shops |
 |
| Prize-winning sandcastle |
 |
| Sand angel |
 |
| Fountain still pretty |
 |
| Kendel Carson and Dustin Bendall - the opening act - great fiddling from Kendel! |
 |
| Don Mclean! |
 |
| Lit up fountain |
 |
| Ferris wheel at night |
 |
| Dufferin Gates |
SATURDAY, 18 AUGUST 2012
The hunt continues - Eugenia and Hoggs Falls
As the weather gets cooler, I'm able to continue my hunt for waterfalls nearby. There is a neat websiteGreat Lakes Waterfalls which lists all the major waterfalls in the Great Lakes area. We visited two falls about an hour from Toronto, half an hour south of Owen Sound. Hoggs Falls and Eugenia Falls are within hiking distance of each other but we didn't hike because we didn't want to do a return trip on the same route to get back to the car. Now I wished I had the forethought of a colleague of mine who had arranged for a pickup at the other end! I didn't get in my share of exercise but did get some neat photos.
Hoggs Falls is much smaller than Eugenia Falls but was much more fulsome because the water going into Eugenia has been diverted for hydroelectricity. We read too late that the fall is best seen in the spring - duh! But to look at it positively, if we had come in the spring, we wouldn't be able to walk on top of the falls or take pictures of water rushing over the falls right at the rim.
It was an easy scenic walk to Hoggs Falls with light filtering through the forest
Upstream from Hoggs Falls
Hoggs Falls is much smaller than Eugenia Falls but was much more fulsome because the water going into Eugenia has been diverted for hydroelectricity. We read too late that the fall is best seen in the spring - duh! But to look at it positively, if we had come in the spring, we wouldn't be able to walk on top of the falls or take pictures of water rushing over the falls right at the rim.
It was an easy scenic walk to Hoggs Falls with light filtering through the forest
Upstream from Hoggs Falls
 |
 |
| Hoggs Falls |
 |
| Eugenia Falls |
 |
| Top of Eugenia Falls |
Three feet from the edge of the falls!
 |
| Picture this in the spring |
 |
| Green as far as the eyes can see |
 |
| Stop by for a cone at the Beaver River Grill and buy some preserves from the Pickle Guy |
 |
| An unexpectedly huge wind farm between Shelburne and Fresherton - felt like an alien world! |
 |
| Surreal! Watching over the cows... |
 |
| Eerie! |
Sunday, 8 July 2012
The "Marilyn Monroe Towers"
Amazing condo buildings are a common sight in Chicago, but who would expect to see such spectacular buildings in Mississauga, Ontario? Well, it's only a half hour drive from Toronto and the past couple of years when I visited the Mississauga City Centre for an annual concert, I couldn't help but marvel at the way these two buildings look - the voluptuous shapes, alluring from every angle and particularly dazzling in late afternoon. I'm sure if I had hung around for sunset, they would look stunning. They won the Best Tall Buildings in the Americas prize in 2012, awarded by the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. I will follow with some equally stunning Chicago buildings in the next posts.
3 comments:
MONDAY, 2 JULY 2012
The Gardens
Right in the middle of uptown Toronto is a green oasis of beauty and calm - Edwards Gardens. I'd always loved its accessibility and the peacefulness it offers - the expansive grounds and the walk down the valley provide ample opportunities for the photographer. With the adjacent Toronto Botanical Gardens, there is the bonus of seasonal changes in the floral displays. You can see some of them here.
One of many giant willows in the Gardens
A Monet!
SUNDAY, 27 MAY 2012
Toronto - A very creative Semele
We travelled to an amazing world of opera love and passion taking place in the restored ruins of a 16th century Chinese temple, amidst dazzling stage effects and playing to the strains of the baroque music of Handel's Semele at the Four Seasons Centre, home of the Canadian Opera Company.
I was awestruck by the many creative ways the temple on stage was transformed and wish I was allowed to take photos of each of the scenes. Two particularly memorable scenes took place on the roof of the temple. One was Semele singing on the roof with a moon behind her and eventually taking off with the moon - a very recognizably Chinese myth. The other was Somnus, the god of sleep, waking up on a gigantic red quilt spread out on the temple roof with a sleeping balloon giant beside him. Then to the audience's surprise, a nymph emerged out of the red quilt. It was awesome! Yet another scene has a whole mirrored wall on stage as a backdrop for the aria "Myself I shall adore, if I persist in gazing" - it provides a giant reflection of the orchestra and the audience. Dazzling! You can go to the COC website to see more scenes.
The costumes by Han Feng were stunning - a rich blend of Asian and baroque aesthetics with some Hellenistic flavour persisting throughout the opera. Other than her very Asian marital costume in the first scene, Semele wore flowing Greek goddess gowns throughout. There were ethereal scenes with haunting arias by the gorgeous soprano Jane Archibald as Semele. In marked contrast, there were rowdy scenes which included one with riotous sexual romps on the temple grounds with the strains of the familiar Handel oratorio music vigorously playing in the background. It was the sacred and the profane all in one!
This production of the mythical story, under the bold direction of Chinese artist Zhang Huan (previously staged in Brussels and China) is hugely sardonic, heavy on stage machinery but also richly creative. He took out the last scene with the triumphant chorus, choosing to end the story with the chorus' lament of Semele's death. The opera began and ended with a person sweeping ashes off the floor of the temple, attributed to Zhang Huan's buddhist belief in the impermanence of all things. Critics didn't like the loss of the last chorus, but a recording of it was played as the audience exit the theatre. I could live with that - given how memorable the rest of the opera was.
The final bow
I share below some of the photos of the Four Seasons Centre which I took when I first visited it during its Open House, June 2006:
The Four Seasons Centre atrium
The glass staircase
The hall with perfect acoustics. If you're visiting Toronto, it's worth getting a ticket just to hear the hall.
Outside the hall
SATURDAY, 12 MAY 2012
I have to confess though, I love it more for the architecture than the art. I've enjoyed the art every time I was there but the art seldom evokes the same passion as when I looked at the spiral staircase or the Galleria. I will share with you some of those photos, taken shortly after the Frank Gehry redesign of the Art Gallery of Ontario was completed in 2009.
We visited the gallery again yesterday to take in the Picasso exhibit from Paris and the Toronto debut show by the Chinese artist Zhang Huan on Ash Paintings and Memory Doors. The Picasso needed no introduction but the Zhang Huan show was a little different. The much sought after artist had gone through some tough times but is now rich and famous. His work commanded millions and one of his commissions in Toronto was the dragon sculpture Rising outside the new Shangri la hotel. We will also be seeing his work at the opera later this month. Handel's Opera Semele will be performed under his artistic direction at the Four Seasons Centre and part of the set consists of a Ming dynasty Chinese temple that he had rescued from some small town in China. Check on the links to learn more.
The stunning "ballustrade" of the spiral staircase
Looking up at the top of the spiral
View of the spiral from Walker Court
The spectacular Galleria on a Sunday morning (the only time you'll find it empty)
Memory Door "Buddha"
MONDAY, 2 JULY 2012
The Gardens
Right in the middle of uptown Toronto is a green oasis of beauty and calm - Edwards Gardens. I'd always loved its accessibility and the peacefulness it offers - the expansive grounds and the walk down the valley provide ample opportunities for the photographer. With the adjacent Toronto Botanical Gardens, there is the bonus of seasonal changes in the floral displays. You can see some of them here.
 |
 |
| One of many giant willows in the Gardens |
 |
| A Monet! |
SUNDAY, 27 MAY 2012
Toronto - A very creative Semele
We travelled to an amazing world of opera love and passion taking place in the restored ruins of a 16th century Chinese temple, amidst dazzling stage effects and playing to the strains of the baroque music of Handel's Semele at the Four Seasons Centre, home of the Canadian Opera Company.
 |
I was awestruck by the many creative ways the temple on stage was transformed and wish I was allowed to take photos of each of the scenes. Two particularly memorable scenes took place on the roof of the temple. One was Semele singing on the roof with a moon behind her and eventually taking off with the moon - a very recognizably Chinese myth. The other was Somnus, the god of sleep, waking up on a gigantic red quilt spread out on the temple roof with a sleeping balloon giant beside him. Then to the audience's surprise, a nymph emerged out of the red quilt. It was awesome! Yet another scene has a whole mirrored wall on stage as a backdrop for the aria "Myself I shall adore, if I persist in gazing" - it provides a giant reflection of the orchestra and the audience. Dazzling! You can go to the COC website to see more scenes.
This production of the mythical story, under the bold direction of Chinese artist Zhang Huan (previously staged in Brussels and China) is hugely sardonic, heavy on stage machinery but also richly creative. He took out the last scene with the triumphant chorus, choosing to end the story with the chorus' lament of Semele's death. The opera began and ended with a person sweeping ashes off the floor of the temple, attributed to Zhang Huan's buddhist belief in the impermanence of all things. Critics didn't like the loss of the last chorus, but a recording of it was played as the audience exit the theatre. I could live with that - given how memorable the rest of the opera was.
|
| The final bow |
I share below some of the photos of the Four Seasons Centre which I took when I first visited it during its Open House, June 2006:
 |
| The Four Seasons Centre atrium |
 |
| The glass staircase |
 |
| The hall with perfect acoustics. If you're visiting Toronto, it's worth getting a ticket just to hear the hall. |
 |
| Outside the hall |
SATURDAY, 12 MAY 2012
I have to confess though, I love it more for the architecture than the art. I've enjoyed the art every time I was there but the art seldom evokes the same passion as when I looked at the spiral staircase or the Galleria. I will share with you some of those photos, taken shortly after the Frank Gehry redesign of the Art Gallery of Ontario was completed in 2009.
We visited the gallery again yesterday to take in the Picasso exhibit from Paris and the Toronto debut show by the Chinese artist Zhang Huan on Ash Paintings and Memory Doors. The Picasso needed no introduction but the Zhang Huan show was a little different. The much sought after artist had gone through some tough times but is now rich and famous. His work commanded millions and one of his commissions in Toronto was the dragon sculpture Rising outside the new Shangri la hotel. We will also be seeing his work at the opera later this month. Handel's Opera Semele will be performed under his artistic direction at the Four Seasons Centre and part of the set consists of a Ming dynasty Chinese temple that he had rescued from some small town in China. Check on the links to learn more.
 |
| The stunning "ballustrade" of the spiral staircase |
 |
| Looking up at the top of the spiral |
 |
| View of the spiral from Walker Court |
 |
| The spectacular Galleria on a Sunday morning (the only time you'll find it empty) |
 |
| Memory Door "Buddha" |
Great introduction, beautiful shots :-)