Monthly Archives: August 2013

08.30.13
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TIFFANY’s new flagship store is open for business

HOLLY GOLIGHTLY (aka Audrey Hepburn) would no doubt approve.  TORONTO’s spectacular Tiffany Flagship Store has opened at 150 Bloor Street West.

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The hoardings have come down, and – after three years of planning and construction – the 5,000 square foot, two storey luxury store is open for business.  By the end of 2013, there’ll be three stores in TORONTO, two in Vancouver, and one each in Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal.  WENDY EAGAN, group vice-president of TIFFANY Canada: “TORONTO is an extremely important market to us, and we are very proud of this new store. This shop is our crown jewel in Canada.”

08.29.13
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‘SEX BOXES’ – A NEW KIND OF DRIVE-IN OPENS IN ZURICH, SWITZERLAND

SEXBOX1 It’s a brothel with a minimal interior.  The progressive Swiss have opened a number of wooden ‘Sex Boxes’ in the ZURICH suburb of ALTSTETTEN.  Taking a cue from the Germans and the Dutch, the doorless structures come equipped with neon lights, posters promoting condom use, and panic buttons for the workers to guard against unwanted funny business.  The Sex Box allows clients to drive through a park full of dozens of workers between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. to negotiate prices, then pull into a stall to complete the transaction.  <PHOTO – Steffen Schmit courtesy AP>

08.28.13
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The Tower Automotive Building, 158 Sterling Road, is a piece of TORONTO’s industrial past

The Tower Automotive Building in TORONTO’s west end is the tallest structure for several kilometres around.  And it’s empty – a remnant of our city’s industrial past, near the crossover of the Carlton and Dundas streetcar lines.

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Built in 1920, the structure had a long history making aluminum, sheet-casting and automotive parts. In 2005 it was designated a heritage site and then shortly thereafter, closed.  It stands abandoned, occasionally accessed by graffiti artists, photographers and urban explorers.  PHOTOS BELOW – Vic Gedris, http://www.junctiontriangle.ca

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08.28.13
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TORONTO’S NEW AQUARIUM: 1.5 million gallons of water and thousands of fish

Our city now has a new star attraction.  RIPLEY’S AQUARIUM OF CANADA, one of the largest in North America, opened its doors in September/2013.  Home to 13,500 inhabitants and 450 species, the Aquarium features a 315 foot moving walkway under the Shark Lagoon occupied by sand tiger sharks, largetooth sawfish, and dozens of fellow sea creatures.  None were captured in the wild.

AQUARIUM1The $130 million complex, designed by B and H Architects, is open 365 days of the year.  Exhibits include a tropical reef tank, Great Lakes exhibits, and Atlantic and Pacific Habitats.  The Aquarium is located at the base of the CN Tower.

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08.28.13
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DON MOUNT COURT HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE AS RIVERTOWNE

For several years now, TORONTO has been remaking its downtown social housing.  The revitalization of REGENT PARK  is well underway, and DON MOUNT COURT (renamed RIVERTOWNE) is a fait accompli.  Located east of the Don River south of Dundas Street East, the neighbourhood mixes private and public housing in a complex of rowhouses and a four-storey apartment building.  In the middle – a large park and playground; around the perimeter, the many shops and attractions of Queen Street East.  As in REGENT PARK, the street grid has been re-opened as well.

08.25.13
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OTTAWA, CANADA’S CAPITAL CITY, IS NO STRANGER TO INCLEMENT WEATHER – SEE BELOW

GUY JONES is a videographer who brings history to life by editing old films and making them more watchable. He slows them down to a natural speed and adds sound – making each a totally new viewing experience.

GUY JONES is a videographer who brings history to life by editing old films and making them more watchable. He slows them down to a natural speed and adds sound – making each a totally new viewing experience.  A bit premature, but here are some “Streets scenes in OTTAWA after a blizzard, December/1942”.  The YouTube video focuses on digging out the city’s streetcars after a blizzard. Film speed has been slowed down, and sound added. It’s 5 minutes long . . . . .  . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErNTvl_psw0&feature=youtu.be

08.20.13
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TORONTO’S RENOWNED PHOTOGRAPHER, EDWARD BURTYNSKY, DEBUTS AS A FILM DIRECTOR AT TIFF/2013

WATERMARK2Following their triumph with MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES, photographer EDWARD BURTYNSKY and filmmaker JENNIFER BAICHWAL reunite to explore the ways in which humanity has shaped, manipulated and depleted one of its most vital and compromised resources: water.  Burtynsky will share directorial credits with Ms. Baichwal on the documentary, WATERMARK, premiering in September at TORONTO’S International Film Festival.  PHOTO – Evan Mitsui/CBC

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WATERMARK6EDWARD BURTYNSKY is one of Canada’s most respected photographers. His remarkable photographic depictions of global industrial landscapes are included in the collections of over fifty major museums around the world, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California.  He’s a graduate of Ryerson University (Bachelor of Applied Arts in Photography) in TORONTO, and studied Graphic Art at Niagara College in WELLAND.