Toronto Coffee Shop Date : At and Around Wallace Espresso on King Street West
Hello! I was happy to have coffee and a snack with Julie at a new independent coffee shop in my own beloved Niagara neighbourhood of Toronto.
Wallace Espresso opened at 848 King Street West six month ago, in the middle of a strip of restored row houses located west of Bathurst near Niagara Street.
The Bay Queen Street Store : “Photo Backdrop Installation”
I'd read about and seen some pictures taken on the 7th floor of Hudson's Bay Queen Street location, in an temporary installation called "The7TO - PopUp Exhibition".
In a nutshell, they've taken part of their 7th floor and turned it into a space specifically meant for taking fun photographs. There are 8 different areas/backdrops, some that you physically get into and some that you stand in front of.
They don't say, however, since you pass through it to get from the elevator to the store's bridal boutique, Kleinfeld, I imagine that the idea began as a way to enhance the experience of shopping for wedding and bridesmaids' dresses, but morphed into something that anyone would enjoy.
And enjoy it they have -- the person I spoke to about it told me that, when it first went up, there were long line-ups and they had to put time limits on people.
It was originally meant to be on for a few months during the winter/early spring but due to popularity, they extended its run until next Thursday, May 9th. It's open during store hours and is free of charge.
It wasn't overly crowded when I went on Wednesday, and it was quite fun and interesting, so I encourage you to grab a friend and head on over. I was by myself which made taking good pictures a challenge as I'm terrible at taking selfies. I had my selfie-stick with me, but even so, I only got a few clear shots. Thankfully, a couple of people offered to take a picture for me, and I did the same for a few others.
And, I was told that there were plans to replace it with a whole new set of backdrops in a second installation of its kind, which will open sometime in the summer! (I'll update this post when I get exact dates.)
Playing Pool at The Rivoli and Other Birthday Highlights – 2019
It was my birthday recently and when Nick asked me what I'd like to do, I didn't have to think for long before requesting a few games of pool.
We went to The Rivoli Pool Hall (which is upstairs from the restaurant at 332 Queen Street West, Toronto.)
Gorgeously Gilded : Art by Dalia Elcharbini at C9 Gallery
The Opening Reception for "Disturb and Elevate", the debut solo exhibition by artist Dalia Elcharbini, took place at Toronto's cool C9 Gallery on Thursday evening and I had the pleasure of being there. My friend and fellow art enthusiast Julie came along.
Creative ReUse : Handmade Springtime Easter Baskets
Something changed in Toronto last spring, in that berries began being sold in plastic baskets rather than the recyclable cardboard ones that we were used to. We ended up with two of them and were confused about whether or not they could be put in the recycling bin, so they ended up sitting in the corner of the counter until I scooped them up and put them with my crafting supplies. (Today, I remain confused about whether these are garbage or recyclabe, as the city's website still doesn't mention them at all, so don't quote me, but I think they likely go in the garbage.)
Here's what I made with them -- By weaving some cotton yarn through them, they were transformed into Springtime/Easter baskets! They weren't particularly quick to make but they were quite fun and didn't require much concentration, so I could work on them in the evenings while we watched Netflix (Season 2 of The OA, to be precise).
Perhaps you have some of these baskets hanging around, or will be bringing some home once berry season kicks in, and would like to try this craft yourself.
