The Prime Minister’s father, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, effortlessly did a similar yoga move a few decades ago. It runs in the family.
Monthly Archives: March 2016
THE DESECRATION OF HOWARD STREET IS OVER THANKS TO RISING REAL ESTATE VALUES
After several decades of neglect, developers have re-discovered Howard Street, a short thoroughfare running between posh Rosedale and St. James Town with the TTC subway in between. From the 1960’s this area has been allowed to deteriorate but now, as downtown TORONTO booms, things are looking up.
<PHOTO ABOVE – this Victorian-era house is about to be moved, making way for development>
<One of two renovated apartment buildings just around the corner on Glen Road>
<Victorian-era row houses also on Glen Road>
<Graffiti-laden houses on Sherbourne and Howard will hopefully soon be rescued>
<The former Selby Hotel on Sherbourne Street will back onto a new 50-storey condominium building> Houses in nearby Cabbagetown are selling for as much as $2.5-million; Rosedale mansions go for even more than that. New towers are coming to Selby and Sherbourne Streets and the east side of Sherbourne, south of Howard, is being rebuilt. The neighbourhood’s remaining heritage buildings have been respected so far, which leads me to believe there are advantages to gentrification.
“IF THEY COULD SEE US NOW” – CROSS-DRESSERS GET THE AGO’S FULL GALLERY TREATMENT
In 2003 collectors Robert Swope and Michel Hurst came across a box of albums and snapshots in a New York City flea market. The subject: 1960’s era cross-dressers vacationing at Casa Susanna, a resort in upstate New York. Swope says “I was electrified. I realized instantly that these photographs were extraordinary and something that no one, outside of the group, was meant to see. These photos are not pictures of drag queens exaggerating femininity but men who longed to experience what it would be like to be a woman,” Swope says. “The cost is nominal, the value is acceptance, sociability, freedom of expression, conviviality and satisfaction is tremendous.”
The Art Gallery of Ontario purchased the collection in 2015 with funds donated by Martha L.A. McCain. The snapshots and large prints have a gallery all their own within the exhibition ‘Outsiders: American Photography and Film 1950s-1980s’. This is the AGO’s largest photography show since it reopened in 2008. It features work by such American masters as Diane Arbus, Garry Winogrand, Nan Goldin, Gordon Parks and Robert Frank. Until May 29. The Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West – http://www.ago.net
“TUNNEL VISION: THE STORY OF TORONTO’S SUBWAY” – THE MARKET GALLERY
Many of us take TORONTO’s subway system for granted. It’s been there since March 30, 1954 and for the most part it’s clean and reliable day in and day out. “Tunnel Vision” the story of Toronto’s subway” is an exhibition of photographs, maps, plans, ephemera and artifacts from the earliest public transit until the present day . For anyone who loves trains and tunnels or is curious about our city’s transit system. Website – http://www.toronto.ca/marketgallery
<A wine and gold subway sign – retired>
<Opening day ceremonial first run from Davisville Station to Union, March 30, 1954>
<Toronto newspaper headlines as the subway is being built>
<Toronto Transit’s Grey Cup float, 1950’s>
<“The Toronto Subway Song” by the Ozzie Williams Band, 1950, not in the exhibition>
<A modern subway train on Line 1>
“PARALLEL WORLDS OF TORONTO” IN RAIN PUDDLES BY GUIDO GUTIERREZ RUIZ
“Rain puddles can be more than magical. Every time I see a puddle I take out my smartphone and put my camera lens as close as I can to the water and capture a parallel world. This is one of my puddle reflections I took in TORONTO last month.” GUIDO GUTIERREZ RUIZ @guigurui
THE PROPELLER GALLERY AT 30 ABELL STREET CELEBRATES ITS 20TH YEAR
PROPELLER, one of TORONTO’s longest standing artist collectives, is celebrating two decades of unique programming.
Their Anniversary Retrospective Celebration opened on a cold, wet evening but that didn’t deter painters, photographers, media artists and enthusiasts from turning up to light some candles and sing “Happy Birthday Propeller!”
The Propeller Gallery is located in the West Queen West arts district at 30 Abell Street, south of Queen not far from the Drake Hotel.
FORMER MAYOR ROB FORD, WHO KEPT THE “CHATTERING CLASSES” CHATTERING, IS DEAD
TORONTO never had a mayor like him, and probably never will again. This morning at Mount Sinai Hospital he passed away after battling pleomorphic liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer, at the age of 46. Mr. Ford is survived by his wife Renata and two pre-teen children Stephanie and Doug.
Famous world-wide for a plethora of escapades and off-colour comments, Rob Ford put TORONTO on the map. Readers and viewers from every corner of the western world knew his name and followed him on the BBC, the American networks, the New York Times, and The Guardian. Cartoonists and the Canadian media couldn’t get enough of him. One estimate of free publicity for the city due to Mr. Ford alone, was $1-billion.
He was very unkind to the LGBTQ community and refused to walk in a single Pride parade. He could be misogynistic at times, loved football, froze in front of reporters, wasn’t big on bicycles, hated streetcars, threatened to close libraries, cut suburban bus services, encouraged the split between downtown and the suburbs, drove his Escalade while doing office work at the same time, and tossed a monkey wrench into plans for a city-wide fully-funded LRT network.
<IMAGE ABOVE – Cuppa Coffee Studio, stop-motion animation>
<Rob Ford was a favourite subject of muralist SPUD>
<Mayor Ford appearing on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live”>
Rob Ford, the voice of the suburbs, was a millionaire with working-class attitudes who believed in cost-cutting and building subways everywhere it seemed. “Subways, subways, subways”, “stop the gravy train”, “downtown elites” – that was Mr. Ford. Despite his brash, uncompromising political style he will be missed and remembered as TORONTO’s most colourful mayor. As one who experienced the ‘Rob Ford Era’ up close, I’m unlikely to ever forget it.
“Rob Ford earned widespread respect for his unwavering persistence in the face of serious health concerns — which he summed up in a statement released from his hospital bed during the 2014 campaign for re-election: ‘Be strong, stay positive and never, ever give up’,” – Ontario’s Premier, KATHLEEN WYNNE
Rob Ford’s Obituary in Britain’s Telegraph and the Irish Independent, Sunday, March 27 – http://www.independent.ie/world-news/obituary-rob-ford-34575166.html
A TORONTO EDITORIAL CARTOONIST’S TAKE ON WHAT’S HAPPENING DOWN SOUTH
<THEO MOUDAKIS, Toronto Star, March 22/2016>
IT’S WONDERFUL & IT’S FREE – RIVERDALE FARM IN CABBAGETOWN WELCOMES SPRING/2016
<Riverdale Farm’s iconic horse beside the Simpson Farmhouse has a new look. Kids love it.>
<2 of 5 piglets born at the Farm in 2015>
<New-born goats and their mother under heat lamps, 2016>
What better place to spend some quality time than Riverdale Farm? Formerly the site of Toronto’s Zoo, Riverdale is a delight for tourists and locals alike. Adjacent to the Farm you’ll find Riverdale Park and Ravine, a wildlife sanctuary, the Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District (the largest collection of Victorian-era houses in North America) and one of the oldest cemeteries in Ontario. Open all year, it’s been resolutely defended and kept financially stable by the community.
To reach Riverdale Farm by public transport – CASTLEFRANK subway station, and then Parliament bus #65 to Winchester Street, and walk east. OR COLLEGE subway station, and then streetcar #506 eastbound to Parliament Street and walk east.
SPOTTED IN THE CHERRY TREE OUTSIDE MY WINDOW – SPRING’S FIRST ROBIN. HERE’S LOOKIN’ AT YOU.
Toronto Savvy 