Weekend Cooking

Beth hosts Weekend Cooking where you can post anything food related.

July 2014 - Toronto ON

Trendy condos on Queen St. W repurposed from factories.

Dating back to the 1930s, this warehouse is located west of downtown Toronto in the West Queen Street neighborhood. It previously had been used as a Ce De Candy Company factory, the makers of Rockets called Smarties in the States. Ce De Candy's Canadian operations were first established in Toronto, Ontario in 1963, and were later moved to Newmarket in 1988. The Canadian Smarties go by the name Rockets to avoid confusion with Nestle’s candy coated chocolate Smarties

The six-story post and beam loft building now houses 121 loft units. Some of the amenities enjoyed by the residents include 24-hour concierge service, a party room, a guest suite, fitness room, roof terraces and wide hallways.

The Chocolate Co Lofts, formerly the Patterson Chocolate factory was converted in 2004 by Plazacorp. The building houses 144 lofts. 

Image and Source

John Patterson and Robert Wilson launched the Boston Candy Company as a retail store on Yonge Street in 1888. Soon after Wilson’s retirement in 1891, Patterson bestowed his name on the company and expanded into manufacturing with a successive series of plants along Queen Street West. Among the company’s claims was the opening of Canada’s largest soda fountain on Yonge Street in 1911, which promised patrons “the most delightful cooling drinks you’ve ever tasted.” After Patterson’s death in 1921, his sons William and Christopher took full control of the company. They sold the business to Jenny Lind Candy Shops owner Ernest Robinson in 1947, who maintained the Patterson brand for at least another decade. At the time of Robinson’s purchase, it was noted that many of the employees had long tenures with the company, possibly due to benefits like a cafeteria, music during working working hours (not specified if it was live or piped in), paid holidays, and a generous health plan. Judging by the number of Patterson-sponsored athletic teams mentioned in the sports sections of local newspapers, and sizable donations given to the YMCA, it appears that the company was very interested in the physical health of their employees or wanted to prevent them from suffering the ill-effects of overindulgence on the production line.

The most enduring legacy of Patterson Candy is the plant it built at the southwest corner of Queen Street West and Massey Street in 1912. After an expansion in 1928, the five-storey plant included a printing plant and paper box manufacturing equipment amid its 60,000 square feet of air-conditioned work space. Full O’ Cream and Wildfire bars may be long gone, but you can live sweetly in the old Patterson premises in its current incarnation as the Chocolate Company Lofts.

Friday My Town Shoot Out

I'm posting over here this week.

This week's theme is SURPRISE - Share with us something you came across in your town that surprised yourself; or something that might surprise visitors!

Toronto ON


In the heart of downtown Toronto, steps away from City Hall and the Eaton Centre is Campbell House.It only took me 20+ years to visit this historic spot that I'd walked by a million times.

It is the oldest remaining house from the original site of the Town of York and was built by Upper Canada Chief Justice Sir William Campbell and his wife Hannah in 1822.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Fontana CA

November 2008 - Fontana CA

We did some Route 66 side trips on our vacation in Palm Springs CA that year.  We used this book to guide us.

Bono's Italian Restaurant was opened in 1936 to supplement Bono family farm revenue. Both the restaurant and orange stand are on Foothill Boulevard, which is old Route 66 in Fontana. The restaurant appears locked in time as many of the original plates, utensils, chairs and tables are still visible through the windows. It is as if the restaurant was closed normally one night and just never opened again.

Our World Tuesday

Our World Tuesday

July 2014 - Toronto ON

On Saturday my BFF and I went to the Museum of Canadian Contemporary Art, a free museum.

Here is a link to the magnificent mural painted outside.
THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN ART

An intimate portrayal of gay male sexuality and beauty in the face of mortality is on view in Par amour / Paramour. From Stephen Andrews’ iconic Facsimile drawings that memorialize men lost to AIDS-related illnesses in the early 90s, to Robert Flack’s ornate depictions of the male body as a vessel of tantric power in response to his own diagnosis as HIV+, the exhibition features drawings, prints, photography, and an ambient audio soundtrack by Andrew Zealley that together etch a moving and emotional record of a community that came of age through its adversity in the face of loss. The show takes its title from Jean-Luc Verna’s work that subverts an emblematic Hollywood studio name and logo to reference the existence of a “paramour,” an illicit lover, as well as to an act done “par amour”: by love.

Stephen Andrews, Robert Flack, Jean-Luc Verna, Andrew Zealley

I was especially drawn to the Robert Flack display as the colours were so vivid.

My photos are not the best, I was surprised I was even allowed to take any, as the overhead lights and reflections were getting in the way.

Anatomical Garden - Ascent - Circle

Circle - Vitality - Portal

 Passage - Warrior - Crown

Monday Mural

I'm linking up at Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo.

July 2014 - Toronto ON

Outside the Museum of Canadian Contemporary Art.

Last year there was a different mural on this wall, click here to see it.

 You can find more information at Jim's website.

Weekend Cooking

Beth hosts Weekend Cooking where you can post anything food related.

July 2014 - Toronto ON

Today I attended the first Taste of Toronto at Fort York. I had posted about visiting Fort York a few weeks ago.

Taste of Toronto web site.

We've attended Taste of Buffalo in the past and love it, the streets ate closed off and local restaurants serve up their specialties.  Tasting plates range in cost from $2 and up. It is easy to buy one sampler and then share so you can try as many things as possible.

Taste of Toronto was very elegant, Fort York is a perfect place to host it. The food was delicious. BUT the price??? I really vacillated about going when I saw the ticket prices. Entrance was $30 but really $39 with taxes. You were given a card preloaded with $6 to spend. You could then go to a Crown bank and load more money as required. Great idea!!!
Each plate ranged in price from $6-$10, plus admission not a cheap day out!!!!

I enjoyed it and everything I tried but I think the entrance fee is way over the top!

I had picked out the food I wanted to try before I got there using their web site.

Barque Smokehouse Stand R4Smoked duck tacos with pickled radish, carrots, crispy fried chicken skin and a hoisin BBQ sauce on a flour tortilla. 6 crowns

The Harbord Room and THR & Co Stand R9 Griddled Crab & Prawn Roll, Spicy Pickled Cucumber, Avocado, Crispy Bacon and Old Bay Chips 10 crowns

Mark Mc Ewan!! Famous Toronto chef and head judge on Top Chef Canada.

The McEwan Group
Stand R11 

One’s Fried Chicken with a Buttermilk Biscuit, Housemade Slaw and Chipotle BBQ Sauce
8 crowns

The Bellwoods - really enjoyed them.

Friday Pop-Up – Yours Truly
Stand R3 

Salt cod inari: Salt fish, sushi rice, horseradish
6 crowns 

Fresh made queso seasonal accompaniments:(Hewitts cream fresh cheese, early summer garnishes, orange blossom vinaigrette
8 crowns
GF Charred octopus: Sous vide, charred BC octopus, chorizo, green mango
10 crowns