Why I Love Toronto

Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival

A picture is worth a thousand words and with number photographs that will be displayed during the month of May for Scotiabank’s CONTACT Photography Festival that number is sure to be in the billions. As one of my favourite Scotiabank festivals, CONTACT takes over cafes, shops, TTC stations and eateries for the whole month of May and makes them into outlets for creative expression. From local to national and international photographers the festival provides us with numerous ways to see the world.

CONTACT is a not-for-profit that started 16 years ago with the goal of celebrating and fostering photography as a profession. The festival has become the largest photography event in the world.  The theme for this year’s festival is “Field of Vision.”

Unlike last year were numerous unforeseen circumstances occurred, this year I am ready to see some photographs and working in Liberty Village is a major perk as it is close to the portion of Queen Street West that is frequented by the galleries and shops that partake in the festival. Below I have listed a few of the exhibits I want to see and above I have provided an image that represents some of them.

So enjoy the festival and tell me what you plan to see! Tweet me at @whyilovetoronto, tag me in your Instagram @whyilovetoronto or send me a message on Tumblr! I’d love to hear your suggestions and your thoughts on the ones I’ve suggest!

That is Why I Love Toronto

Why I Love Toronto’s Suggest Contact Exhibits: 

• What/ Who: Pyramid by James Nizam - When: April 29 to June 1 - Where: Brookfeild Place

• What/ Who: Conatcting Toronto: Under the Ground by Michael Cook and Andrew Emond - When: May - Where: St. Patrick’s Subway 

• What/ Who: Orion Tide by Kelly Richardson - When: May 2 to June 8 - Where: Birch Libralato

• What/ Who: In Naked Light I Saw by Gabriel Thompson - When: May - Where: Corkin Gallery

• What/ Who: I Shop by David Hlynsky - When: May 4 to June 1 - Where: De Luca Fine Art Gallery - (Preview: Image 1)

• When: Banal Baroque by Elizabeth Zvonar - When: May 15 to June 15 - Where: Daniel Faria Gallery

• What/ Who: Queer Protraits by JJ Levine - When: May 3 to June 16 - Where: Gallery 44

• What/ Who: In The Playroom by Jonathan Hobin - When: May 2 to 31 - Where: Gladstone Hotel - (Preview: Image 2)

• What/ Who: Macleans: Face to Face - When: May - Where: Gladstone

• What/ Who: Toronto Time by Harry Enchin - When: April 27 to May 22 - Where: Bezpala Brown Gallery - (Preview: Image 3) 

• What/ Who: Picturing Immigrants in the Ward by Susan Dobson - When: April 22 to May 30 - Where: City of Toronto Archives

• What/ Who: Portraits of the Esplanade - When: May - Where: David Crombie Park

• What/ Who: The Art of Cycling by Paul Hrmo - When: May - Where: Duke’s Cycle - (Preview: Image 4)

• What/ Who: Life in Paris by Matthew Kudelka - When: May 1 to July 31 - Where: El Almacen

• What/ Who: Dance by Gregory Holmgerm - When: May - Where: Hula Girl Espresso Boutique - (Preview: Image 5)

• What/ Who: City at Night by Robert Greatix - When: May - Where: The Junction Century 21 Fine Living Realty - (Preview: Image 6)  

Related Post:

• Why I Love Toronto Reason #275 – Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival

Images:

• All from http://scotiabankcontactphoto.com/

#ThrowbackThursday

Dream in High Park.

Ariel and I had a Skype date one day and I was telling her about all the exciting things I had planned for us this summer when she got back from Ireland. I had told her we should have a picnic one day in the Garden District, which led her to say (and I paraphrase),

Stephan we need to have a picnic during the Dream in High Park! We can’t get there last minute and sit on an awkward hill were we have to dig our heels into the ground so we don’t slide down. We need to get there early get a nice seat and bring food. I’ll bring the deviled eggs!

As soon as she said that I had to see what the play was going to be this year. Last year it was an amazing rendition of A Midsummers Night Dream. Since I have been going to the event I have seen A Midsummers Night Dream twice, A Winter’s Tale, The Tempest and a modern version of Romeo and Juliet that I didn’t connect with. However, the two plays I have been waiting to see during the summer production are The Taming of The Shrew and Twelfth Night .

Well this year the Dream in High Park will be putting on two productions! Yes, I said two productions and they will be in association with York University. The two plays that will showcased this year, on alternating nights are…drum roll please…

Macbeth and The Taming of The Shrew!

I’m so stoked! I think the scene with The Witches in Macbeth will be epic under the stars and Katherine is such a powerful character that will liven up the stage! Anyways check out my review for last year’s Dream and my original Why I Love Toronto post below!

#Throwback Thursday Posts:

• Dream in High Park
• A Midsummers Night Dream in High Park

Source:

• Source 1

Images: 

• Image 1-2
• Image 3

Dating on a Budget: The University Student’s Guide to Dating in Toronto.

Maizal Quesadilla Café

Like all my Toronto adventures this one started with a dilemma. My friend Renee and I planned a lunch date and like always we didn’t know where to eat. That is why I enlisted the help of my co-worker Leila who had suggested we go to this Greek place on Jefferson Ave. (in Liberty Village). As we started walking toward the suggested venue I noticed the word “quesadilla” on a window. I was very intrigued because when you think about a Mexican restaurant the focus is mostly on Tacos. Therefore, when I saw the words quesadilla and café, I knew that this was going to be an exciting adventure.

The eatery is called Maizal Quesadilla Café and it is a Mexican restaurant that does not focus on Tacos – there was literally only one taco dish on the menu. I found this very refreshing as I was never a taco fan. What is most interesting about Maizal is that the quesadilla’s are made fresh daily – and I mean daily. The tortillas are made at the restaurant with the establishments very own Nixtamex corn grinder, which you can see when you walk in. You can also read the step by step process of how they make your quesadilla on the blackboard above.

Now the menu itself is pretty small, but has some great selections. They have a variety of vegetarian ($5 for one or $8.50 for two) and meat quesadilla’s ($6 for one, 10.50 for two) to choose from which are served with a side of pico de gallo and organic black beans. They do also serve other food like the one taco dish as well as Frijoles and other tortilla made creations.

The restaurant has a very cute presentation. It has a patio outside for the summer months, light coloured wood floors, pops of colour in the walls, a seating area for while you wait for a table and a homage to the owners Mexican heritage on the walls in the main dining area. Your food is also served in weaved baskets traditionally used in Central and South American countries.

Not only is this a great date option for the affordable food, but they also host “Noche de Danzon” a night where you can learn Danzon, a romantic slow dance from Mexico. It is suggested you pay between $5 and $10 and sign up by emailing the owner. The event has happened twice thus far and unfortunately I have never been to a lesson because they fall on the on night I always have to work. However, this is a fun date event because let’s be honest if we’ve learned anything from Strictly Ballroom, Shall We Dance and Silver Linings Playbook it is that dancing is the way to a person’s heart.

So let me break it down for all you students on a budget. If you go early enough you can take a stroll through Liberty Village ($0), have a meal (between $5-$10), and learn to dance (between $5-$10) all for under $30. Check their website for information on upcoming dance lessons, but if you just want to take your date to have some international cooking then Maizal Quesadilla Café is that place.

That is how to date on a budget in Toronto.

Related Why I Love Toronto Posts:

• Liberty Village

Sources:

• Maizal Quesadilla Cafe

Images:

• Image 1
• Image 2
• Image 3-5

Why I Love Toronto

TIFF Kids International Film Festival

Imagination. My father said I had the wildest imagination as a kid. I would make Lego villages, with Lego people and make up soap opera like storylines for them. My mom made me an art station where I could draw, paint and glue macaroni together to make some questionable art pieces I would call Christmas gifts and my grandmother would let me tell her these ridiculous stories about monsters and superheroes that I supposedly saw on my way to school. Yes as a child my imagination let me believe that anything was possible and that I could do anything.

I am bringing this up because last week I attended some screenings at the TIFF Kids International Film Festival. After seeing six films I noticed two common themes emerge in all them. The first was that a child’s imagination can lead to endless possibilities and the second was that if you believe, you can achieve.

TIFF Kids, as the event is commonly referred to as, is a festival for children between the ages of 3 to 13 and has been around for the last sixteen years. This year’s festival featured 115 films from 40 countries and had a diverse range of genres from animation to Claymation to comedy and drama. The festival also featured Q&A sessions with some of the directors of the films, where children got to ask questions like “How did you make the aliens” or “Did you like making the film?” These films and Q&A sessions are a great learning experience for children and teaches them about different cultures, languages, the world of film and the most valuable lesson which is “if you set your mind to it you can achieve great things.”

As mentioned above I was lucky to see six films, five shorts and one full length feature. The first set of films I saw was a compilation of short films called Creativity Unleashed, which showed you what can happen when you unleash your imagination. The films included were Sky Colour, The Invention, My Strange Grandfather, The Intergalactic Space Adventures of Cleo and Anouk (which I was lucky enough to hear the director Celeste Koon speakabout) and Caine’s Arcade. All of these films taught me that having an imagination is crucial to your development as it allows you to be creative, passionate and solve problems. The feature film I saw was a British film entitled Believe, whichtruly made me believe in something. It made me believe in second chances, hope and reminded me to never doubt yourself.

Also, I have to note how adorable the Programme Guide was to read. We all know that films have content advisories, for example, “this film may have nudity and coarse language viewer discretion is advised”. Well the Programme Guide for TIFF Kids also has advisories, but they are not what an adult would think is advisory worthy. Below are some of my favourite advisories from the Programme,

1. “Discussion of violent crime”
2. “Urination”
3. “Romantic situations”
4. “Student skips class”
5. “Deceased mother seen in visions”
6. “Romantic kiss on the cheek”

You have to admit this is really cute and to an early 20 year old like myself, they are utterly hilarious. However, being their first hand I understand why those advisories were included because when those kids saw that kiss on the cheek between the boy and the girl there was sheer panic.

Lastly, the digiPlayspace, an interactive area where kids could make their own shorts film, experience a green screen and play with other media technologies, returned to the TIFF Bell Lightbox.

“Films to Fill the Imagination.” That is the slogan for TIFF Kids and from the films that were showcased to their brilliant logo and the digiPlayspace, I truly believe that the festival was able to live up and stay true to its slogan. Experiencing international movies, being exposed to culture, getting to talk to directors and having some hands on fun is so entertaining and educational. Plus it reminds all of us how important having an imagination is.

That is Why I Love Toronto.

Related Why I Love Toronto Posts:

• The Toronto International Film Festival
• TIFF Bell Lightbox

Images:

• Image 1
• Image 2-5

#ThrowbackThursday

Scotiabank Buskerfest

It’s weird to writing a post about an event that marks the end of summer when spring just literally began on Monday. However, on Tuesday it was announced that the Scotiabank Buskerfest in support of Epilepsy Toronto would be saying its goodbyes to the St. Lawrence Market area and hello to one of the busiest streets in Toronto – Yonge Street.

The move is largely due in part to the increasing number of people who visit the event each year. Last year over a million people came to see an international squad of Buskers from Yonge to Jarvis on Front Street. I will admit that the area is too small and when I went last year I felt as though I was making my way through a nightclub. To put it in perspective from Yonge to Jarvis is about 0.55 km, whereas the new location between Queen Street West and College will add about another 0.45km making the festival 1km in length.

However, I do see some pro and cons to the move. A major con is that the St. Lawrence Market area is a beautiful place. From the architecture of the Gooderman Building (Flatiron) to the old row houses turned shops to St. Lawrence Market itself, the area is truly a great representation of  Toronto’s past. My major concern with Yonge Street is that it is already such a busy pedestrian spot. It is known as the heart of Toronto and on any given weekend the area is packed with shoppers and tourists, not to mention the bumper to bumper traffic which for the event will move to other spots of the city. However, a pro with Yonge Street is that the festival will be more accessible with multiple TTC stops. Not only do you have Queen, Dundas and College Station, but you have the 501, 505 and 506 Streetcars that all stop at Yonge as opposed to the walk you would need take from King or Union Station to get to Yonge and Front.  Another pro for Yonge Street is that it does have Yonge-Dundas Square which can fit a large number of Buskers.

Overall, no matter where it is located Scotiabank Buskerfest is a great way to support Epilepsy Toronto and is a pay what you can event. However, I do suggest you bring some coin as it is customary to drop money into the Buskers hat after they are done performing. Every year Buskers with remarkable talents from around the world come to perform. From break dancers, daredevils, contortionists and sword swallowers - just to name a few – it is truly a see it to believe it event.

So click the link below to read the original Scotiabank Buskerfest post and make sure to check out the event at its new home August 22^nd to 25^th 2013.

Happy #ThrowbackThursday!

#ThrowbackThursday Post:

• Scotiabank Buskerfest

Related Why I Love Toronto Posts:

• Gooderham Building
• St. Lawrence Market
• Yonge-Dundas Square
• Yonge Street
• 501 Queen Street Car

Sources:

• Torontoist

Images:

• Image 1
• Image 2
• Image 3 

Why I Love Toronto

The Restoration of the Toronto Silver Plate Company Factory

Restoration. It has to be one of my favourite words in the English language. To me the word restore means to breathe new life into something or to give a second chance. Many buildings that are restored get that opportunity after being neglected for years. These buildings are usually in a state of despair, are eroding, discoloured, victims of vandalism, abandoned and falling apart, which is something that is not attractive in an up-and-coming area like King-Spadina  

Many of you may know that one of my favourite restoration projects has to be that of the former Bank of Commerce on Yonge Street which is an architectural wonder that has been left in despair for years. However, MOD Developments is in the process of restoring and integrating the former bank into the new Massey Tower. Yes I will agree that the condominium situation in Toronto is a tad extreme, but if a historical building with so much history is restored in the process then I am all for it! I mean it’s either that or the building gets demolished for a new condominium project.

That is why today’s post is dedicated to the restoration and integration of the Toronto Silver Plate Company Factory into the future Fashion House Condominiums. Sitting at 570 King Street West the building is the former factory of Toronto Silver Plate Company which was founded in 1882 by James A. Watt. The company, which would be taken over by E.G. Gooderham, eventually became a major player in the Canadian silver plating industry. The building itself holds both architectural and cultural values that are significant to the history of the King-Spadina neighbourhood. One of the main architectural values of the building is that it is a prime example of a late 19^th century industrial building and is noted for its unusual gable roof and peak. Culturally, the building is one of the earliest surviving factory complexes in the neighbourhood.  

For myself the moment I saw the roof and brick, I knew that the building had some sort of importance to the city of Toronto. However, after years of passing the building on the King Streetcar I would have never been able to guess it was a factory. I honestly thought that the building was a home or an orphanage and that is in large part due to its gable roof which resembles the roof of a house. Sadly though after my years of passing the building I started to notice it was being neglected.

So when I originally saw the scaffolding go up I had a feeling that the building would be torn down and that a part of history would be lost. Well, I was wrong. Today the former factory will be incorporated into a 12 storey, 334 residential condominium. This is a match that I see fitting for the area for the new condominium structure and the old factory will do a fantastic job in complimenting each other. The condominium will speak to Toronto’s future and the development of the King-Spadina area, while the factory will speak to its past as an industrial neighbourhood.

If you walk by the complex today the windows to the condominium are being installed and the building still looks like it is has been neglected. However, the restoration of the former factory will soon begin and the Fashion House will have been able to achieve a perfect fusion of old and new Toronto.

The restoration and integration of a heritage landmark is

Why I Love Toronto.   

Related Why I Love Toronto Post:

• Former Bank of Commerce - Future Massey Tower
• Yonge Street

Sources:

• City of Toronto
• Freed Developments
• Silver Forums 

Images:

• Image 1 
• Image 2
• Image 3