False Positives

With the arrival the fall Equinox, the summer (such as it was) is over.  It also marks the start of our tradtion of talking walks thur the neighbourhood and down to the the Humber River and Etienne Brule park (thanks to the Hurricane Hazel of 1954).

facing South

and North.

I also means checking our raspberry bushes for the fall crop every couple of days.

a benefit of all that rain, and if the frost stays away a couple more weeks, we will continue to have more berries to eat till thanksgiving.

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Toronto Ukrainian Festival had a successful return to Bloor West Village last weekend (September 12 - 14, 2008), the weather during the day behaved itself, and the crowds where out to enjoy.

Winnipeger Randy Bachman (of Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive (or BTO) fame, currently hosting on CBC’s Vinyl Tap) was the 2008 Festival Parade Marshal.

This was the Chevrolet Impala he rode in :

Randy also came out to play that traditional Ukrainian tune : “Taking Care of Business”

I understand this was a un-rehearsed (and a complete surprise to the bassist and drummer)

Families came out, of all backgrounds and generations, with many people in their finery:

with traditional activities for families

and adults :

and non traditional ones for the kids

Lots of food and booths.  Everyone had a great time.  It was good it see the Festival (formerly the Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival) back in the Village! (I also has a set of photo’s from 2006)

* “pyrohy“  are what us uniformed Canadians call “perogies“

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The 16th annual Junction Arts Festival has been a big success as the area ( Junction City in Toronto’s west end) celebrates the Junction’s Centennial of becoming a city in 1908, but on a big and crowded festival.

minor update : Junction Art Festival main page and the Junction Art Fest blog linked back! (and with a few links to others)

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The West Toronto Junction Historical Society, celebrating the Junction’s Centennial of becoming a city in 1908, has a serires of (well 2 so far) YouTube video’s of Historical Walking Tour in the Junction.

Junction Mayor G.W. Clendenan (Gib Goodfellow) and journalist A.B. Rice (Neil Ross) come back to life to share fascinating tidbits from the Junction’s exciting past.

Go to http://www.youtube.com/user/JunctionWalk for more.This is a great use of the Technology (video cameras, and the Web / YouTube) to educate, document, promote and distribute.  Good for the Historical Society!

Also worth mentioning is the upcoming (and 16th annual) Junction Arts Festival September 3 - 7, 2008, which includes a performance by (5 time Juno winning) David Usher on the Saturday.

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This weekend starting on Friday (May 30) at 6-9pm, then Saturday 11am-5pm until Sunday (June 1) from 11am-5pm, it will be time to enjoy the 11th Eleventh Annual BLOOR WEST VILLAGE ART TOUR SHOW & SALE some of the best art in Toronto’s West End, at 19 locations from Swansea to The Junction.

The http://www.arttour.info/website has a list of the 19 sites to get you started, all location and many fine shops in the area will all have the Art Tour pamphlet with a guide map. Enjoy!

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New to Toronto’s Juction Junction area is SMASH (http://www.smash.to, 2880 Dundas Street West,Toronto, Ontario, M6P 1Y8 , Phone 416-762-3113) a gallery of Art, Photography, Architecture and Residential / Industrial Salvaged Objects, and visual inspiration. It also includes a satellite location for design and architecture bookstore Function 13.

Currently in per opening mode, to take advantage of the CONTACT Annual Toronto Photography Festival (May 1-31 showing all over the city), it shows much promise in it’s visually stimulating and gloriously raw space.

SMASH is, at on the north side of Dundas and east of Keele Street, a happy addition to the Junction’s art scene. The Junction (also called Junction City) is the west end Toronto neighborhood centered on Keele and Dundas, just north of the better known High Park and Bloor West Village areas.

Update : SMASH is having it’s offical grand opening June 10, 2008, as “Toronto’s largest and best source of quality salvage materials, vintage fixtures and character architectural pieces”. Congradulation to SMASH partners Jose Nieves and Jose Ortega! Also showing is photography work by  Jerome Jenner , “Tattooed Pin-Up”.

Update : June 13th, Smash in Blog TO.

Update : on June 14, The Toronto Star reviewed SMASH in Smash offers eccentric mix of salvage.

And June 21 the Globe and Mail notices SMASH in Toronto’s bohemian Junction, but has not put the review on line.

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Lou’s Coffee Bar (as in Cindy Lou) @ (514 Annette :north east side side of Annette and Runnymede Road, in the west end of Toronto i.e. Bloor West Village, High Park, Malta Village, and The Junction ) is the friendly neighborhood bean shop (and my preferred “Third Place”). Friendly to dogs and new Mom’s as well.

Come on in Junction City, for the organic fair trade brew from micro-roaster Toi, Moi & Café (tea is served too!); and stay for the yummy baked goods (inculding absolute best New Moon vegan cookies)  , open WiFi, and atmosphere.

Lou’s Coffee Bar :

514 Annette Street, Toronto, Ontario, CA

Update : Now Open, minus the sidewalk sign, Sunday Morning’s from 9 to Noon to wild enthusiasm.

On May 6 the Bloor West Villager published the story Shop owners lose sidewalk signs to city about the loss of the side walk sign visible in the first photo. I was there and saw the theft.

Update  June 6th:  For their first year anniversary they held a special event “Gems of Dzherelo : a Benefit Art Show & Sale for the Dzherelo Children’s Rehabilitation Centre in Lviv, Ukraine.” It was a great success!! here are some Flirk Photos :The crowd outsite; The Joint is Jumping; The Chris & Danica Show : Signing for the Cause

Update July 11th : The Official Lou’s Coffee Bar web site is up! and they are on Twitter (come follow allow!)

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After the Storm

Originally uploaded by False Positives while enjoying a nice groundhog (day) stew.

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The hoarding is down at the once and future TD Canada Trust (2220 Bloor Street West), replacing a one story modernist (late 60’s or early 70’s?) bank building.

It’s a bit out of step with the neighbourhood being 2 tone stone and glass -the previous one was just as out of step as well, all steel and glass -and being 3 stories tall where almost everything else is 2. The intensification is inevitable in such a desirable area, and no doubt it provides more space for “banking services”.

Not completely bland is the best you can hope for. Like any facelift, you just hope it ages well.

Update : now with embeded Google Maps because, well because I can (now)

View Larger Map

Update October 16th 2007 : the TD branch is now (re)open.

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We woke up Tuesday morning to reports of lane-way arson a few blocks away (Windermere Ave & Ardagh St, at 3 in the morning, very near by ) :

The first fire appears to have started near , where a skid was set on fire. The arsonist is thought to have moved westward from there, setting three vehicles ablaze. In one case, a propane tank is thought to have been thrown into one of the vehicles, which was parked in a garage in a rear lane-way.

(via E Ontario Now).

It’s all the more disturbing because its so uncommon.

See also this from the Toronto Star , and this photo from the MetroNews (PDF) :

On a lighter note, my (old) car is safe, but only because it is evil (KA2.mpg ~944 K), very evil (ka1.mpg ~1 Mb). (not for people who really like pigeons or cats!)

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