Street Style : Cat Dress in China Town

You know I could not resist sneaking some shots of this dress, when I was walking behind these two in China Town yesterday.

To the the Market We Did Go

When I joined long-legged Nick on a walk to Kensington Market the other day, I got a good workout. That man is fast on his feet!

And while it would make for a better story to say that these shots were taken during a leisurely stroll in one of my favourite parts of town, in actuality, they were shot on the fly, with each being followed by a hop skip and a jump to catch up.

Backyard Barbecue : Grilling Portobello Mushrooms and Other Veggies

These days we aren't completely vegetarian but we used to be for many years, except we ate fish so I guess we were what is called Pescatarians.I'm telling you this because for all the years we didn't eat meat, we very rarely, if ever, used our barbecue. It sat idle, covered in plastic in the garage most of the time, pulled out only when we were having friends over. During those dinners we would cook meat for them, and have some form of pre-made veggie burger for ourselves.But we had both grown up in camping families, and a grilled dinner was a recurring element of our summertime memories. So it was that a bit of nostalgia and a desire to make more of the precious summer months by spending more time outside, got us thinking about how we could spark up that barbecue more often.At first, the thing that stopped us was taking the time to get to get our charcoal-burner going, only to cook a few vegetables which took barely 5 minutes to cook, seemed like a lot of effort. It was a heck of a lot easier to just cook the vegetables inside even if our food didn't have that smokey grilled flavour to it.Then, one summer a few years ago we were having a couple of friends over, and even though they were both meat-eaters one of them suggested we have Barbecued Portobello Mushroom Burgers. Well, we totally loved them and have been making them ever since.But we still feel that starting the charcoal is still a waste of time and fuel for such a quick cooking meal, so once we have that grill smokin' we take advantage of the fire and cook a bunch of other things while we're at it. Then we have plenty of tasty ingredients ready to add to other meals.

Ghost Signs in a Ghost City : Toronto on a Long Weekend

There is no question that I thrive on the hustle and bustle of living in a big city.

I love the people watching and the overheard conversations on the street, (like this one I caught on King Street the other day ... A male and female, about 21 years old, in front of a food shop giving out menus. Him : 'It was amazing. All these girls wanted to give me hugs, saying that I smelled good.'. Her : 'You doooo smell good.' Me : I didn't say anything but I sort of wanted to sidestep and take a whiff. lol.)

So sure, I enjoy the business of Toronto when it's in full force, but I also love it when people clear out and I get it to myself. And there is no better time to own your very own big city than on the Monday of an extended weekend in the summertime.

This was the case last weekend, when we had a statutory holiday on Monday called Simcoe Day. It seemed that almost everyone had left the city, heading to a cottage on one of the lakes up north.

Although I understand the allure of getting out of town on a summer weekend, and actually used to do it regularly myself, but the traffic is usually horrendous because there is really only one main highway to take. So it's been years since we've realized that staying in the city can also be a really nice time.

This is when I particularly enjoy taking to the streets to get photographs, that I just wouldn't be able to get otherwise. I can stop on the sidewalk and take a moment to frame my shot, without blocking the people trying to walk by. I can get pictures showing long spans of street without a car in sight. And without the cars, it is an opportunity to actually step back, sometimes out into the road to get a better shot.

The whole feeling changes when you're alone.

Caturday Goes to the Dogs : Friendly Brown Eyed Beauty

When I first spotted this dog, she was sitting quietly up on her porch beside an old chair. Nick and I were walking up a street in a neighbourhood called Little Italy, and I already had my camera out because I had just taken some of shots of the beautiful old homes in the area.

And so I came upon this scene where a perfect picture was waiting to happen ... Cute Chocolate Lab sitting nicely beside vintage chair, on the porch of a charming house.

But you don't see that shot in this post, do you? No, that's because the moment I paused in front of her home, she came bounding down the stairs right up to the fence. Turns out that she already knew the perfect spot to go, where she could poke her head out and therefore best visit with whatever company was stopping by to pay her a visit.

My immediate thoughts at the time were : (1) Oh no, she just ruined my picture by moving before I could snap it. (2) Oh oh, she is going to start barking because I've gotten too close to her fence.