Monthly Archives: July 2022
“MONTREAL – MONTREAL!” – I CAN’T WAIT FOR YOUR RETURN – SOMEDAY SOON!
Our morning began in a Taxi, driving through Downtown Toronto after arriving at our home and then at 6:00 a.m inside Union Station, for departure at 6:45 a.m.
And from there we were off to Montréal, Québec, on board a Canadian VIA Business Modern Train. It was a beauty, rapidly picking up speed, and free breakfasts were served to one and all. Montréal, the city of “joie de vivre” was waiting for those on the way, along with Old Montréal; Parc Jean-Drapeau, Plateau-Mont-Royal; the famous Jacques-Cartier Bridge; Little Italy; The Gay Village; and Chinatown.
Later that day, after unloading luggage we came across a massive construction site close to Downtown. It was fascinating and we checked it out end-to-end. The non-stop noise was non-stopping. That very night we were inundated by a heavy rain storm. Being outside isn’t something to take lightly – but we took it.
<ABOVE – THE MONTREAL STREET MIRROR by Ross Winter. Others are by David Moore.> That afternoon, in the atrium of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the cascade of water down the glass was like being under Niagara Falls. Being outside isn’t something to take lightly. 
FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2022 & “GAYBORHOODS” ARE APPEARING
“Gayborhoods” are falling victim to Rents and Social Change. Cultural leader Cleve Jones, graduate from Phoenix and hitchhiked to California. He created the nationally recognized AIDS Memorial Quilt. He swept The Castro in 1978 after the assasination of Harvey Milk, was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors; helped define The Castro community – and much more. The monthly cost of his one-bedroom apartment soared from $2,400 to $5,200 – priced out of a gentrifying housing market. And that’s where “Gayborhoods” came in. LGBTQ couples are starting traditional features – public schools, parks and larger homes – while deciding where they want to live. Looking to escape discrimination and harassment, reflecting acceptance of gay and lesbian people. Gay bars leading to relationships or sexual encounters. There are few places where a transformation is more on display than in The Castro over the past 25 years. Mr. Jones said “I just can’t help but think that soon there will be a time when people walking up and down the street will have no clue what this is all about.”
THE CITY OF HAMILTON, ONTARIO – SOMETHING NEW FOR ROSS AND DAVE IN JULY, 2022 – TO DO & SEE.
On June 17th, 2022, the City of Hamilton, Ontario surpassed $1 billion worth of construction since the beginning of the year. That marks the earliest the City has reached a billion-dollar mark in construction value. 
The milestone was achieving 3,761 building projects in the residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial sectors. With school out for the summer, residents can take advantage of the open municipal golf courses, or a golf tournament at King’s Forest Club and Chedoke Golf Club. Dundurn Castle along with the Hamilton Museum of Steam & Technology reopened for museum tours last week. The Cooks were excited to get back to demonstrate Victorian recipes in the Historic Kitchen. Hamilton’s Pumphouse was built in 1859 to get clean Lake water to the city. It’s received plenty of attention. Hamilton is home to The Royal Botanical Gardens, The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, The Bruce Trail, McMaster University, Mohawk College and Redeemer University. McMaster University is ranked 4th in Canada. 
Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and it’s home to “The Hamilton Tiger Cats” The city is 58 kilometers (36 miles) southwest of Toronto in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area (GTHA).
LOOKING BACK AT SOME OF TORONTO TRANSIT’S PAINTINGS AND CREATIONS – WELL DONE I’D SAY !
TORONTO IS LADEN DOWN WHEN IT COMES TO CINEMAS AND NEIGHBOURHOODS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF BOTH.
The Paradise Theatre is in comeback mode after near demolition in 2007. 
As time passed the exterior was plastered with tags and graffiti – not a pleasant sight for those walking by 1006 Bloor Street West. . The finished building should be fully functional by 2019. The 218 seats (formerly 400) will hopefully fill up with live music, talk series, comedy, programming for kids, and other events – along of course with feature movies and series. 
The Grand Cinema – one of Canada’s oldest, dating back to 1911, re-opened at 1035 Gerrard Street East. There are now lineups. (I’ve always believed that the best neighbourhoods have movie cinemas in them.) This one, in Toronto’s East End, was renamed The Grand Gerrard – the latest in a series, including the Bonita, the Athenium, the Sri Lakshmi, the Gerrard, the Wellington, and the Projection Booth. Robinson’s Musee – a museum-turned theatre – was the first to screen a motion picture in Toronto on August 31st, 1896. Gutted by fire a year later, it lead to the vaudeville stage by the giant HIPPODROM in Toronto.
Shea’s Hippodrome. Bay St., w. side, s. of Albert Street in TORONTO – was gutted by fire a year later, and then lead to the vaudeville stage by The Shea Amusement Company and eventually office space. 
The Crest will always be a part of Toronto’s Theatrical History. Opened in 1927 as The Belsize, it became The Crest in 1953, and in 1971 The Regent. The Crest Theatre Company was founded and a year later opened its first eleven-play season. This was the beginning of indigenous, commercial theatre in Toronto. Up until then there had been mostly touring productions from the West.
THE ONLY RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OPERATOR IN A TINY NEBRASKA TOWN CAN BE FOUND IN “MONOWI”
The Sunday, June 26, 2022 edition of The New York Times introduced us to Mrs. Elsie Eiler, 88, who runs a business on the brink of disappearing into the prairie.
She’s the sole business woman of the Monowi Tavern, which her family began running in 1971. On top of bar tending and cooking, she is also Monowi’s Mayor and Tax Collector.
Tavern regulars pour their own coffee, join the gossip conversations, and restock the beer coolers – but The Tavern probably won’t last forever. It’s one of the best gathering places for the county – a place to swap stories. “This is my home,” Mrs. Eiler once said. “All my friends are around. Why would I want to leave?” 
In the photo above friends and family are celebrating Mrs. Eiler’s half-century at the tavern last year – a place to swap stories – and enjoy themselves. As well – Arby’s featured her in a 2018 commercial, and has had visitors from all 50 states and more than 60 countries. MONOWI itself is the photo below. 
<Article and Photographs by ALYSSA SCHUKAR; Thanks to “Sunday Business” from The New York Times; and of course to Mrs. ELSIE EILER – wonderful story and fine images.>
Toronto Savvy 