Toronto

Toronto

Toronto City Hall Plaza on Queen Street at corner of Bay.  The reflecting pool in the summer and skating rink in winter.  Watch visitors snapping pictures of their friends on, arranging their families in front, standing Nana and Grampy on the water side all to send the city’s name to the important people in their busy lives.  It was a brilliant addition to the outdoor art of the city!  

Cribbed from City of Toronto web site - this guarantees the information is correct.  Search Toronto sign for all the art detail including name of artist.  He’s brilliant too.
In September 2020, a new 3D TORONTO Sign was installed at Nathan Phillips Square.

A more durable replica of the original (installed in July 2015 for the Toronto 2015 Pan American/Parapan American Games) the Sign is illuminated, stands three metres tall and features a designed vinyl wrap on the outer edges of the of its letters.

The current vinyl wrap is an artwork titled Rekindle, designed by Toronto-based artist Joseph Sagaj in recognition of UNESCO’s International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022 to 2032) 

 

Toronto - Temperance Street

A short street on the north side of the two tower Bay Adelaide Centre located on the north side of Adelaide between Bay and Yonge.  First is the Rainbow Dreams sculpture in the courtyard of the Bay Adelaide Centre.  The addition of tables on the side invites coffee or a picnic lunch to enjoy the garden creation.

The Cloud Garden is back after the years long construction of the second tower.  A vast improvement with lots of planters, trees and a gorgeous wall piece.

Just east of the Cloud Garden is a new restaurant (to me).  It looks like a pretty debutant dressed for her champagne dinner. On my must try list.

Next door is a quick lunch, a take your time in the outdoor patio lunch or call or open the app of favourite delivery service.   The menu looks interesting.  I’ve sent to my friends - hint… next time I wanna meet here. It looks too good not to try!

An old staple on Temperance Street at the corner of Yonge.   Look at those umbrellas!

I love this bench at St James Park on King Street.  A similar one is at Sumack and Front installed around 2026+.    St. James Park has a new music pavilion with tables for picnics., a fun playground, a picnic table beside the playground for all the Mums to set their coffee and lots of mini hills to lie on - have a blanket and mind that dogs cross across the park.  The gardens are beautiful from spring to fall.

The Well - Eats

Tired of the suburban Food Court?  Yes, that one with the chains: the four burgers, five Asian noodle shops and the Timmie’s on the corner. 

Go to The Well.  Whether it is true or not, it appears to be all individual creative moms and dads.  I tried three shops.  The food I know I like was yummy.  

All things Cuban.  Love the posters!


Jarritos?  How can you resist?

A Postman has never delivered so delicious looking waffles.

I don’t know what the posters have to do with Oysters, but the arrangement is a feast for the eyes.

East - Tea - Can.  I tried three dishes.  A taste treat delight. Look at the tile work on the floor.  



The Well - Architecture

December in Toronto is cold and damp.  My down coat, jewelled beret and winter walking shoes are just the ticket to venture out onto the downtown streets.  Walking from Front and York Streets I head north over to the new The Well.  A fancy shopping centre and office complex open for its first Christmas season.  

Toronto the staid, mature, bordering on elderly man, this is not.  

The architects and designers have opened their boxes, turned things upside down, put in imaginative scriptural artwork, tossed a few planters around  and hung everything from cement columns.  It’s gorgeous.  A place for strolling. For sitting with a cup of coffee or a glass of your favourite around a fire pit in the afternoons and evenings.

Outdoor covered pedestrian streets entice you in. Escalators send you to the outdoor sidewalks on the second and third floors.  Wie stairwells invite you into the great expanse of subterranean but open to lots of bright sky and light restaurants and an imaginative food court.  

Colours are the modern muted.  Muddy browns, darkish creams, chocolate browns with red brick highlighting the earth tones.  A shopping centre that is worth the time and effort to work around Toronto’s terrible traffic, never ending construction, littered streets, stuffed trash bins and begging hands.  

Don’t drive downtown.  Park at the GO Train station in Oakridge and take the Lakeshore GO downtown.  Or park at the TTC 407 station and take the subway to Union Station to start a wonderful day of wandering Toronto.  I repeat:  Do Not Drive Downtown.

No expense spared when it came to detail.  A work of art brick wall.  This may have been laid on site. Then again, it may be prefabricated.  Whatever method is used, it’s a lot of work.  The wall is very impressive.  


This is the entrance or exit off Draper Lane. The transition to housing is very thoughtful. I am in awe of the architects’ and designers’ vision and imagination.  



 

The TD Terrace - November 2024

In the fall of 2024 I was in Toronto a fair bit for various appointments.  Once finished, I wandered the streets to see what was new - the tied up traffic is not new.  I’m amazed anyone tries to bring their car into downtown. 

I walked around the new TD Bank building several times at different times of the day.  This image focuses on the building which is so hard to do with all buildings closing in on each other.   The cold and the blue black light of deep December make their presence felt - I’m pleased I finally captured that light.   

Architect:  Lemay.  
Designer:  Kendra Robinson   
Source:  Internet:  TD Stories - Inside TD Terrace at 160 Front Street West

 

TD Terrace Revisited - December 2024

In the fall of 2024 I was in Toronto a fair bit for various appointments.  Once finished, I wandered the streets to see what was new - the tied up traffic is not new.  I’m amazed anyone tries to bring their car into downtown. 

I walked around the new TD Bank building several times at different times of the day.  This image focuses on the building which is so hard to do with all buildings closing in on each other.   The cold and the blue black light of deep December make their presence felt - I’m pleased I finally captured that light.   

Architect:  Lemay.  
Designer:  Kendra Robinson   
Source:  Internet:  TD Stories - Inside TD Terrace at 160 Front Street West

 

 

 

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