C is for chocolate

an exhibit at the Royal Botanical Gardens

enter the world of chocolate and learn of its ancient rituals and how it's made

ABC Wednesday

signs, signs

Monday Mural

I have driven down this street many times, but mostly it is in the other direction. So I was shocked and thrilled to see this Guinness mural on the side of a rundown bar as I drove down James St towards the waterfront. The bar did not look very inviting and I wasn't even sure it was still in business, but apart from the bizarre paint job to cover up what must have been a tag, it looks in great condition.


MondayMurals

Chemung with textures

...playing with post processing using Picnik on one of the bridges from my archives. this beauty is in Corning NY and crosses the Chemung River

Sunday Bridges

cats on front stoop

camera-critters

at owner's risk

likely in an effort to safeguard the newly planted trees,

these signs started appearing a few months ago (this one on Bloor Street) in Toronto. many cyclists were up in arms that now there were less places to safely secure your bike (not to mention an ongoing battle with the city over less places to safely ride your bike)

signs,signs

B is for Burlington

For this round of ABCWednesday, I thought I might try showing the sites and sights of things that are specific to the city where I live. I'm not sure how far into the alphabet I will be able to sustain this idea... but at least the letter B is no problem.

We have the brand spanking new Burlington Performing Arts Centre that officially opened in December 2011.

and just a couple blocks down the street is the 

Burlington Art Centre.

Neither has a particularly inspiring name, but at least they immediately indicate where you will find these centres of art, which you do not get with a corporately funded, naming right of a universal company.
...continued on VioletSky

ABC Wednesday

Monday Mural

I might be stretching this one a little.... 

three painted murals on the side of an outdoor clothing and adventure store 
the artist name is Kate MacLennan from Halifax and is involved in their Community Mural Project.

MondayMurals

cats in windows

camera-critters

safe

I don't know what this old safe is used for now, it sits in a spot outside a food market where one might expect to see an freezer for buying bags of ice.

But, being curious, I looked up J&J Taylor Safeworks, not expecting to find anything useful. I was wrong. Apparently John and James Taylor opened a factory in 1855 producing the first safes in Canada. It has been in continuous operation ever since and still retains the Taylor name though is now part of Chubb-Mosler and Taylor Safes Ltd, an association of three safe companies, which is now the largest security manufacturing company in Canada.

signs,signs

A is for art deco

An attractive art deco house near where I live.

It is not the best picture and I kept meaning to go back to get more of this audacious pink house. But I have been sidetracked over the past year... so today, wanting this for my 'A', I walked over. 


It was not the best day, being rather overcast and grey.

But then I was shocked to see 
just how grey the day was to be.

 It does look more elegant and formal 
(and it did need painting)

but I miss the pink...

ABC Wednesday

Monday Mural

One of Elicser's murals in the Queen and Bathurst Streets area of Graffiti Alley. Other than that it seems to be titled Omen, I know nothing else about it, but he seems to be a prominent and prolific artist in Toronto.  It is a shame that it has been disrespectfully tagged.


And we have a host for this Monday Mural meme. Thank you Carolyn at Oakland Daily Photo for taking the responsibility.
MondayMurals

McQuesten Bridge

The McQuesten High Level Bridge on York Street 
from Princess Point

Sunday Bridges

view over the water

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

~Confucius

There are some million dollar homes along the shores of Lake Ontario with this view over to the Stelco plant. It is not always pretty, but some days it doesn't matter.

SkyWatchFriday

Z is for Zellers

This Zellers department store is one that is slated 

to become a US based Target store in 2012 
when it will cease to be "truly Canadian" for good
another sad loss that may not actually be missed.
which is even sadder

ABC Wednesday
signs, signs

Monday Mural

a chalkboard mural in the Locke Street Bakery
other interesting murals are here, here, here and here

drink

I was quite taken with this sign
in a little town in cottage country














then I took a better look and discovered 

the other sign

but really, one should take a step back and look at the big picture

your one stop shopping experience!

(and yes, I really did take 3 pictures!)

signs, signs

Y is for yellow yarn

yarn bombing

ABC Wednesday

Monday Mural

A mural of the Credit River at Alton Mills depicting the scene before the trees grew up
more murals can be found here, here, here, and here