Thrift Store Finds

It seems like it's been ages since I've shown you some Thrift Store finds, but that's certainly not because I haven't gone! I have but summer was a busy one and I never got around to taking photos.Here are the things I found while visiting my parents in Barrie (this trip). They have really great thrift stores there and my mother and I always check them out when I visit. This last trip we made it to Value Village and Goodwill (where they were having a sale ... everything for 30% off if you spent $30, so we pooled our purchases and got an extra great deal!)We'll start with the find of the day, which actually could be the find of the year. These side plates by Grindley are very rare and very collectable. I was thrilled to find a stack of 11 brand new ones for only $1 each.This thick durable crockery, called Vitrified Duraline Hotelware was originally designed for use in restaurants, cafeterias, and hotels, so they got a lot of use, which is why they're hard to find these days, especially in perfect condition. The pattern on these plates is called "Country Fair" and matches some cereal bowls and fruit bowls that I have (seen here). An interesting thing about Grindley Hotelware is that they stamp the date when they were made on the back of each piece -- these were made in 1972, so they've survived for 53 years. They're in such pristine condition that I imagine they were spares that had been put away in storage.

Goings On About the Garden : Late Summer 2015

While we live amoungst plenty of concrete and glass, there is still a good dose of nature to be seen around our urban home. Here's a little visual summary of some recent sightings ...

I'll start with a bird who graced us with her presence in August, every afternoon for a week. She's a Downy Woodpecker and since she lacks a red patch on her head, we know she is a she.

This was an exciting one for me I can recall only one brief glimpse of one before in the city, so getting a good look was pretty cool. (They aren't a particularly rare bird though and I'm sure there must be plenty in High Park.)

I knew she was there by the muffled tapping sound coming from the tree she preferred; once she'd arrived, she would stay for a good hour, pecking lightly at the bark while circling around the tree trunk. The fact that her head was in constant motion made getting a good clear shot a challenge, so there were plenty of blurred pictures in addition to these. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- thank goodness we live in a time of digital photography, because otherwise getting one clear shot of a rapidly moving target like this would cost a mint in film and processing.

The Calm Before the Storm : Preparations for TIFF

The 40th Toronto International Film Festival began on Thursday evening. Over the 10 days of the festival, over 300 films, originating from more than 30 countries, will be screened here. Many are making their debut showing and the actors and directors are in the city to introduce them, walking the red carpets and watching the film along with the fortunate viewers who snagged tickets. The list of celebrities in Toronto is a long one and there are the many celebrations, parties and special dinners going on.

Ground zero for the whole thing is the TIFF Lightbox Theatre, (located on King Street West at John), and the area surrounding it. I popped over there a couple of hours before the first stars were to make an appearance on Thursday, to catch a glimpse of all the buzz involved in setting up for such a big and exciting thing.

I got to the intersection of King Street West and Spadina just as the barriers were being set up that would close the street to vehicles for the weekend. This is a busy street that usually has lots of traffic, so seeing it empty was a sight in itself. Nick had walked me to the corner and then was heading off to do something else, but before we parted ways we snapped this shot of the rare opportunity to step onto the street.

Great Art, Music, Food and Friends = First Thursdays at the Art Gallery

Last Thursday evening, being the first one in September, we had a great time at the art gallery for their First Thursdays event.

Since the theme is different for each one, no matter how many times you've been, these special parties are interesting and fun. This is proven by the fact that they always sell out well in advance! Clearly, this is something that people look forward to.

While we had planned to meet Meghan and her friend, due to confused instructions and my lack of cellphone, that didn't happen -- we were all there, but never found one another! However, we did happily run into our friends, Julie and Guy, who first introduced us to the First Thursdays (see our first time here).

This month the theme was Nostalgia Canadiana, and my numerous photos only capture a portion of what was being offered. There was so much to do and see that I can't imagine anyone was able to do everything.

Of course, there was fantastic art everywhere : in addition to the AGO's huge regular collection there was some art, including performance pieces, set up especially for the evening, and some exhibits on display for a limited time.

A Sunday Afternoon in the Park

Here are some shots of a Sunday afternoon hangout in Trinity Bellwoods Park with Meghan.