Grey Days in the City

ass="aligncenter size-full wp-image-35084 blk-brdr" src="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/portland-and-adelaide.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480">It certainly has been a dark month here in Toronto. As reported on yesterday evening's newscast, during the past 26 days, or for most of January, we've only seen 12 hours of sunshine in total, when the average for the same period is 72 hours.  Although daylight hours are short, it’s usually relatively sunny and snowy at this time of year, but this year it’s been overcast and snow free.So, to commemorate this unusual month of gloominess, here are some shots I've taken recently.Thursday, walking down Spadina, after checking out the show at the Ukrainian Museum (written up here) ...

Stepping into a Colourful Oasis : The Art of Dave Melnychuk

I left home on Thursday at noon, walked half a block and turned around and went back for an umbrella. While I'm not complaining about the unseasonably mild weather we've had here in Toronto over the past week, a bit of sunshine would be appreciated. This is all to say that it was one dark and dreary day.I was on my way up to Bloor Street near Bathurst to meet my friend Julie for a sushi lunch. I took the bus up (streetcars aren't running on Bathurst right now), then, after our delicious lunch, I decided to take advantage of the snow-free sidewalks (uncommon here in January) and walk home, stopping at a place I wanted to check out on my way -- The Ukrainian Museum of Canada, located at 620 Spadina Avenue, just south of Harbord, on the grounds of The University of Toronto.There I was treated to a site for my colour-craving eyes to behold! On display was a breathtaking show called "Ancient / Contemporary - Symbolic Forms of Ukrainian Tradition", all created by a single artist, Dave Melnychuk.

Noodle-ee Goodness at Kinton

Last month, Meghan told me about an interesting outing she'd been on with a friend. They'd gone to the TIFF Cinema to see the 1985 Japanese film Tampopo, which has recently been fully restored.

This comedy is described as, "The tale of an enigmatic band of ramen ronin who guide the widow of a noodle shop owner on her quest for the perfect recipe. Sweet, sexy, surreal, and mouthwatering, Tampopo remains one of the most delectable examples of food on film." I'm sorry I missed it at the theatre but will be keeping my eyes out for another chance.

Clearly, the lushly visual movie is the catalyst for a ramen craving, so as a cross-promotion, the audience was offered a discount on a meal at a nearby ramen bar following the movie.

The bowl of delicious Japanese noodle soup Meghan described having had at Kinton Ramen stuck with me, and I wanted to try it myself. She liked the place so much that she gladly agreed to go a second time within a month, and we made a date for Sunday evening.

If you've been on Queen Street West near Spadina lately, you've probably seen the big metal sculpture of the pig that's outside this busy place, located at 402 Queen West between Cameron and Spadina.

Subway Station Art Installation : Tribute to Honest Ed’s at Bathurst Stop

As mentioned in my previous post, Andrea and I checked out an art installation while we were out on Saturday. This is what we saw : the signs at Bathurst Subway Station temporarily given the look and feel of the iconic signs that once graced the walls and displays at Honest Ed's Department Store.After running for 68 years, Honest Ed's, located kitty corner from the station, on the south-eastern corner of Bloor Street West and Bathurst Street, closed down for good on December 31, 2016.That whole block is undergoing major change (as discussed in this post from when I was there in the summer), so Honest Ed's will be demolished soon.Personally, while I understand that it was time for this change to happen, I have a soft-spot for the old place, and felt a pang of sorrow as I rode by it in the streetcar on Saturday, seeing it with its windows all papered over.

Toronto Neighbourhood Exploration : The Annex

c="http://www.loulou.to/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cheers-to-the-new-year-sign-bloor-street-west-toronto.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-34915 blk-brdr">Since first reading this article almost two years ago, entitled “25 Daily Habits That Will Make You Smarter”, I've revisited it regularly to ensure I continue to make an effort to practice the good ideas it contains, because, well, who doesn't want to be more smart?!One of their suggestions was to aim to read one book a week, and I am happy to say that I accomplished that in 2016. (I have a dedicated post coming up soon, about the reading journey I undertook last year, which has been rather mind-blowing, I must say.)Number 20 on that list is a suggestion to explore new areas. The description goes on to say, “If you can’t travel every day, at least try to find something new within your hometown. You’ll meet different people, learn new facts, and understand something new about the world. It’s a lot more productive than staying at home and watching TV.”Encouraged by that point, I have, indeed, gotten out of my own neighbourhood to check out other places in this wonderful and diverse city in which I have the good fortune of living, and aim to see more during 2017. On my list of places to go are: Little India, Riverdale Farm, The Beaches, The Scarborough Bluffs and The Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, which is the second oldest building in downtown Toronto that remains standing. Scadding Cabin, the oldest building in the city, is also on my list. These are all places I've never visited in spite of having lived in or near Toronto almost my whole life.But now, back to today's post -- when Andrea suggested I join her in a little poke around the western part of The Annex on Saturday, I gladly took her up on it.The area located along Bloor Street West, between Bathurst and Avenue Road, was originally a village on its own, separate from Toronto, called Seaton Village. It joined, or was "annexed to", the city in 1888. Today, its residents are a combination of students, as the University of Toronto is nearby, and the established wealthy living in the many old mansions located north of Bloor Street, which date back to the late 1880.