Monday, February 20, 2012

Monday Mural

with the crest of Austria at the top centre and clockwise Vienna, Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria, Salzburg, Tyrol, Vorarlberg.
a mural on the side of the Continental Austrian Club "a family club for folks with an Austrian connection. The club has a varied social program including monthly dances with live bands... Austrian and German food is served at the Hubertuskeller every Friday evening." 

MondayMural

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Niagara St Bridge

 Niagara Street Bridge leading to Division St 
and the view from the other side towards St Andrews Presbyterian Church
Built in 1981, it was from this bridge that I took the photo of the Main St Bridge featured last week. 




Sunday Bridges

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Dunlop St

in italics
Barrie is possibly the only city I have noticed to italicize their street signs 

signs, signs

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

E is for escarpment






The Niagara Escarpment 
is a Unesco World 
Biosphere Reserve











 It is from the top of the escarpment that one can get such sweeping views of the city of Burlington

ABCWednesday

Monday, February 13, 2012

Monday Mural

three historical scenes
 painted by John Hood, 
the one on the left is dedicated 'for my dad' 
with the one on the right dedicated 'for my mom'
 these depict scenes from the early days of Welland, specifically King St in 1911 above 
and on the top photo Merritt Park from 1910
and the market from 1906 
I have enhanced the photos to bring out the colours which have faded since these were painted in 1988

Saturday, February 11, 2012

bridge #13

or the Main Street Bridge as it is more commonly called in Welland where it has become the symbol of the city. It is a vertical lift bridge crossing the abandoned portion of the Welland Canal. It was locked permanently in a lowered position after the shipping season in 1972 when the canal was rerouted to the east of the city to make it a straighter and safer route. The bridge is now a oneway west-bound road crossing the recreational waterway from the city centre.
this view give an idea how the vertical towers dominate the skyline 
from Main Street. The bridge is actually at a an angle to accommodate the lack of a right angle between Main Street and the canal channel.

for the SundayBridges celebrating its 100th post!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

D is for Dutch

Until about 50 years ago, Burlington was rural with many farms, orchards and greenhouses utilizing prime growing soil. Eventually, the farms disappeared as the city became more urban. The orchards have been obliterated for new roads and housing development, and now all but one of the greenhouses are gone. Most, if not all, of the greenhouses were operated by the many Dutch families who emigrated here after the war. 


There is The Dutch Shop that sells everything you might need imported from Holland. It is rare that I have gone in there and been the only customer.


And there are these Dutch homes situated on Lakeshore Road


I'm not certain what exactly de ketilburcht means, except that burcht is 'castle'... and a bit of research shows that the family who currently live here are named Ketelaars

And this house, which was built in 1872 for William Dalton and was known as Applevilla after being sold to John Chamberlaine 'Apple Jack' Smith. It sits on the corner of Lakeshore Rd and Smith Ave. As an aside, there are three other farmhouses on Smith with the names Dalton or Smith on the historical plaques. 


The house was later the residence for the Netherlands consul - which explains that crest over the front door.


ABC Wednesday

Monday, February 6, 2012

Monday Mural

The cafe at the Royal Botanical Gardens has changed hands several times and that could be why this mural - or more specifically, trompe l'oeil - has now disappeared. 

Friday, February 3, 2012

up on the roof


Right smack dab in the middle of town, I've found a paradise that's trouble proof (up on the roof)
and if this old world starts getting you down there's room enough for two (up on the roof)
(Gerry Goffin & Carole King)

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

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



Monday, January 30, 2012

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

Sunday, January 29, 2012

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

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

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

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

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

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