In & Around Downtown Toronto...

[Compry]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

Did you check out any of the shops CEW? Wholesale or retail? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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Obviously, one can find just about everything at the market!



...and again; even "wholesale and retail"!



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[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] I might have looked at a thing or two in one of the windows, but that was about it. As I recall, there was a wide array of feminine toys, of the battery operated kind, on a rotating-type display thingie in the "Birds and Bees" [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Compry]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

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[img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] I might have looked at a thing or two in one of the windows, but that was about it. As I recall, there was a wide array of feminine toys, of the battery operated kind, on a rotating-type display thingie in the "Birds and Bees" [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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Really now??? Where are the pictures? Let me guess, they had Barbie dolls and Easybake ovens. Lemme see, lemme see. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

[mountaingal]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

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...too bad you didn't go on the other side of the Village by the Grange building, on mcaul st., CEW, and take a picture of the famous "crayon box" - the new addition to the Ontario College of Art and design. it's tissue box shaped and stands on massive stilts that looks like crayons. i hate to walk past it cause it feels as if the box is going to fall on me. planning issues around land apparently made the college build the building up in the air.

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Well, after all that, I went in search of the "crayon box" and boy, was I surprised at this oddity!



I really couldn't believe my eyes, but this was some odd but creative looking structure.



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[img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img]
i worked in the Zurich building when this building was going up, and it was sure strange to see it slowly appear in the sky, and even stranger to see it from the ground.

it was designed by Will Alsop, a British architect (who ironically has gone out of business). the building has won numerous design awards.

thanks for the pics, CEW! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[mountaingal]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

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There was hardly any traffic going into the store on this particular evening, but I'd have to assume it is somewhat popular in the market.



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you know, i remember 20 years ago when there was only one patty shop in Kensington (we called in Jew Town, then), run by this Jamaican couple who also made bread and other baked goods on site. Used to go there regularly when I went to Ryerson, even on weekends. The European Meat Market, which was on the same side of the street as the patty shop, used to give away free beef soupbones with meat purchases. And of course, you could get fruit and vegetables for cheaper. There were a couple of West Indian stores where I'd buy produce, too - I remember this was in the day before the mainstream supermarkets started selling yam and stuff like that. And it used to be THE place to get mangoes in summer, glorious ripe fragrant mangoes, especially on the Augusta ST. side of the market.

I used to pass through Kensington, too, on my way to and from meetings at the United African Improvement Association on College Street. That's the Canadian arm of the movement started by Marcus Garvey, and Dudley Laws was executive director at the time.

Kensington then, as the article says, CEW, was mainly for people who didn't have a lot of money, and for poor students like me it was a familiar haunt. it wasn't a place to hang out, per se.

I don't go much to Kensington anymore - the last time I was there was last year to get a special spice - dried pomegranate seeds - that I could not find anywhere else. There's a little spice shop (I think on Augusta), that has been there forever, which has ALL and i mean ALL the spices you can think of.

I hope to get to Kensington for real this year for the annual Winter Solstice celebrations - I keep saying that every year and haven't made it yet.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

MG: I should have had you on a couple of these tours as you have so many wonderful anecdotes. I still get a chuckle at your describing the OCAD building as a “crayon box”, though once I saw it I could immediately relate. No problem re my going back to get pics of it. This whole foot-tour has been an incredible experience, and having you and others mention certain things, do provoke my curiosity to go check it/them out.

Kensington Market was quite the experience because for the longest while I thought it was a single building like the St. Lawrence Market. I was even more surprised when I read its history and discovered it was actually started by Jewish folks who lived in the area back then, hence the area being called “Jew Town”. I would sure love to experience the hustle and bustle of Saturday shopping there, and that is something I look forward to. In the interim, if you come across any information re the Winter Solstice celebrations, please pass it on. Who knows, I just might run into you over there [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

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[img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] I might have looked at a thing or two in one of the windows, but that was about it. As I recall, there was a wide array of feminine toys, of the battery operated kind, on a rotating-type display thingie in the "Birds and Bees" [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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Really now??? Where are the pictures? Let me guess, they had Barbie dolls and Easybake ovens. Lemme see, lemme see. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70371-jump.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/704555_dwl.gif[/img]

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Sorry, I only took a pic of the sign on that particular building, but if you are curious and want to check out the "Barbie dolls and Easybake ovens", feel free to check with SueSumba for directions to the Market [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Suesumba]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

a lot of credit belongs to the skill of the photographer [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

really not blowing smoke up CEW's butt, but man these pictures are gorgeous [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Compry]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

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Sorry, I only took a pic of the sign on that particular building, but if you are curious and want to check out the "Barbie dolls and Easybake ovens", feel free to check with SueSumba for directions to the Market [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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Used to go there when I was a teenager and went there recently as well...I think I can find it. If I'm not mistake that store is on Augusta.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

Can't recall the name of the Street, but you could be right [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

Nothing spectacular about the pic below, but the doors caught my attention.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

I thought these murals were very well done.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

More 'artwork'...

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

I was somewhat intrigued by the "randomness" of the artwork. Maybe it was all symbolic, but I couldn't figure out just exactly what was being depicted.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

My inner child grinned at this one ... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]