High in the Sky with Friends

No doubt, we always enjoy spending time at the lovely home of long-time friends Chops and Leslie, however, being there when it's warm enough to sit outside really takes the cake. From their perch way up in the sky, they have an ever-changing view of the city that takes your breath away. You feel as though you're plopped there, right inside a painting.

Doors Open Adventure Part III : Historic Meets Ultra-Modern

Hello! Today I'll continue my series describing the places I visited during the citywide "Toronto Doors Open Event", an annual weekend when visitors are invited to see inside a wide range of interesting buildings, which they would normally not have access to.

So far, there was Part I - the TD Centre in the financial district, and Part II the church at Simcoe and King. I left off having walked north along John, leaving you near the corner of John and Richmond Streets.

From there, I walked westward along Richmond, towards Peter Street, and as I did so, this unique building revealed itself.

Big Duck and The Two Marketeers

c="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/big-rubber-duck-in-toronto.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-36482 blk-brdr">Hello! You might have seen or heard about the enormous rubber duck that was in Toronto's harbour this past holiday weekend. Nick and I rode our bikes down to have a look on Sunday morning.The six story tall spectacle and weighs in at 13 tonnes. It was quite a sight to behold! She was here for the three days of the Canada Day weekend, and now is on her way to visit other parts of the province.

At The Art Gallery : “Every.Now.Then : Reframing Nationhood” and more

c="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/toronto-dundas-street-west-summer-ago-art-gallery-of-ontario-sign.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="640" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-38811 blk-brdr">As I paused in the lobby of the AGO the other day, a group of four approached the reception desk and asked, "How long does it take to see this place?". They were travelers to the city, trying to figure out if the art gallery fit in their schedule.I didn't hear the response, but thought to myself that it would take a lot of time to see all that the gallery had to offer, particularly this summer when there are several special shows on, each filled with many different artworks. Those are in addition to the Georgia O'Keefe Retrospective, the Free Black North photo exhibition, and, of course, the extensive permanent collection and long-term displays.Without a doubt, there is a whole lot of art within these walls! This being so, unless you have unlimited time, you'll want to select a few areas to concentrate on, and I'm here to help you plan by giving you a quick look at some of your choices. All exhibitions are included in the regular price of admission except the Georgia O'Keeffe show.Every. Now. Then : Reframing Nationhood -- Occupying the entire 4th floor, showing until December 10th, 2017.To quote the AGO's description, this show "explores three urgent questions through the eyes of some of the country’s best emerging and established artists: where has Canada come from, what it is now, and where is it going?"I had the privilege of attending a preview last week, which included a guided tour by the show's curator Andrew Hunter, and co-curator Anique Jordan, who clearly put a lot of thought and effort into pulling this unique and interesting exhibition together.A quick scan through my photos leads me to estimate that there are forty different installations/areas to see, each with several individual pieces. There are paintings, sculptures, photographs, and videos, many of which are accompanied by a sound element.Here are some shots representing a fraction of what there is to see at Every. Now. Then : Reframing Nationhood ...

Stepping Back in Time at The Mackenzie House Museum in Toronto

c="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/basket-and-bowls-at-mackenzie-house-toronto.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-36401 blk-brdr">Hello! Although I still have two of the places I visited during the "Toronto Doors Open Event" to write about, I'm going to interrupt that series with a couple of other posts -- One about what I did on Saturday with my dear friend Stella, and the other about a terrific new exhibition at the AGO.On Saturday, I got together with my longtime friend Stella, the one person aside from family, who I've known the longest, with whom I keep in regular touch. While we maintain an ongoing correspondence on email, we don't see each other often these days though, as she lives outside the city. So, an actual date with this lovely lady is a pretty big deal!Such a big deal, in fact, that I planned ahead -- One morning prior to our meeting, I went to the library to pick up one of the "Museum and Arts Passes", which grant two adults (and some children, if you have them) free entry into a number of Toronto's Museums and Art Galleries.