Our Middle of the Night Adventure : Nuit Blanche 2016

c="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/toronto-nuit-blanche-oblivion-installation-city-hall.jpg" alt="toronto-nuit-blanche-oblivion-installation-city-hall" width="640" height="480" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33966 blk-brdr">So, one of my favourite nights of the year came and went on Saturday -- Nuit Blanche, when artworks from around the world are installed all over downtown from sundown until sunup Sunday morning.Toronto Nuit Blanche is very popular and therefore gets very crowded from about 10pm until about 2am, so to avoid that, for the past few years, we've gone to bed and woken to our alarm at 3 in the morning and set out then. Another change we made over recent years is that we've begun to take our bikes, and this way can see much more of the art.I love it for the art, of course, but also for the novelty of being up and about in the darkened city at that time of the night.With about 100 installation located all over the place downtown, it's impossible to see everything, so you either plan your route, or look at the pieces that you happen upon just travelling around. I tend to be a route planner, and this year chose the area roughly bounded by King West and Queen West, between Spadina and Bay.Here's what we saw this year ...Meet Me at the Glass House by Tim White-Sobieski - New York , USA, - located near King Street West and John.A video installation watched on four screens that surrounded the viewer.

Exploring the Art at Toronto’s Waterfront

ass="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33919 blk-brdr" src="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/toronto-harbour-front.jpg" alt="toronto-harbour-front" width="640" height="480">I was pleased to be invited to contribute to a magazine article, especially after discovering my topic would be the interesting things to see and do at Toronto's waterfront.Aside from enjoying the beautiful water and boats in the harbour, the waterfront is home to a variety of galleries, museums, design shops and more, that are certain to leave visitors artistically inspired.Here is a look at some of those excellent places.The Design Exchange - 234 Bay Street (on the south-west corner at Queen Street West.)Admission: FreeIt makes sense that the Design Exchange is located within a beautifully designed space. Erected in the heart of the Financial District in 1937 to house The Toronto Stock Exchange, the building features a combination of streamlined moderne, art deco and classicism styles, and is revered as an architectural marvel. The same can be said for the wide range of items on display there today, each selected for its innovative or unique design. The extensive permanent collection includes fascinating furniture, housewares, electronics and lighting, created over the past five decades in Canada and internationally.There are two ways to enter this museum, one via the original art deco doors located on Bay Street, and another through the high-rise office tower directly west of the building. I went in that way.

At the Art Gallery : The AIMIA AGO Photography Prize Exhibit

Meghan and I had an excellent art-date at the gallery recently -- it was the opening of a contemporary photography exhibit, where the works of the four finalists for The 2016 AIMIA AGO Photography Prize were on display.

The prize of $50,000 will be given to the winning photographer, as voted for by the people who see their work hanging at the gallery. Eligible artists were selected from a pool of Canadian and International talent. The display will be there until November 27th, 2016, when voting closes and the winner declared. There are voting stations there or you can vote later online. Admission to the show is free with the price of a regular gallery visit. Read more about this prize and the finalists on the AGO's site here - AIMIA AGO Photography Prize.

First we met for a glass of wine and the best potato chips we've ever tasted in the gallery's Galleria Italia. Yes, those chips -- handmade, fresh and totally delicious. It's hard to believe that we found the best of something food-wise at the art gallery!

Vintage Shopping in Kensington Market with my Sister

ass="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33743 blk-brdr" src="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/c-with-mannequin.jpg" alt="c-with-mannequin" width="640" height="480">While I've written a number of posts about a favoured part of Toronto, Kensington Market, I've never specifically concentrated on a main reason many people love this area -- the wonderful vintage shops that line both sides of Kensington Avenue. There are fourteen different vintage stores on this short street, which runs north/south between Dundas and Baldwin. It's a vintage lover's dream place, and there's no one better to go there with than my sister Camille, a fellow-fan of all things previously loved.She and I learned to appreciate old things at a young age, after being brought to many the country flea-market by our parents. We know each other's tastes well, and can quickly pick out items that the other will appreciate/want or get a good laugh over.After meeting in the market we made a beeline for that vintage strip, beginning at Exile.

A Great Concert in a Beautiful Setting : Jenny Lewis at Massey Hall

Here's a post that does double duty, in that it is about one of Toronto's most interesting historic buildings, and the concert Meghan and I recently saw there. The building is Massey Hall and the show was Jenny Lewis and The Watson Twins, with opening performer The Weather Station.My going to this show was a lucky turn of events, as I got to go after the original ticket holder, Meghan's childhood friend, a person with whom she shared a major love for Jenny Lewis, couldn't make the show. While I wasn't familiar with the music, I knew it would be really good though because, one, I trust Meghan's taste in music and this was one of her all time favourites, and two, I have the final album by Rilo Kiley, the band that Jenny Lewis was in before they broke up and she embarked on a solo career.Before elaborating on the concert, here's a bit about the building : Opening 122 years ago in 1894, Massey Hall is one of, if not the oldest concert venue in Toronto that still operates as such. It was financed by businessman and philanthropist Hart Massey, who generously wanted to provide the burgeoning city with a place to enjoy choral music that wasn't tied to a particular church or religion.