Coffee shop Queen St. W Toronto June 2017
SATURDAY
Time
A lazy day at home I baked a coffee lover's coffee cake. I don't think this will make it into the recipe box. It is quite bitter and it would have been better baked in an 8 in pan instead of 9 as stated in the recipe.
Pizza for dinner using a new gluten free product. Our biggest complaint would be that it got really soggy on the bottom. The company suggested (as others had the same problem) moving it to a rack for a few minutes.
Since I have two pizza pans, one with holes, John suggested that we use the non-holey one for the first bake and then switch to the holey one for the baking with the toppings.
SUNDAY
One Word Sunday Underfoot
inSPIREd Sunday
I made Gordon Ramsay's butter chicken. It will make it into the recipe box!
MONDAY
Monday Mural another Elicser
Good Random Fun
Foto Tunes
John went to work on his golf swing. I went downtown in search of a sculpture and found this in Brookfield Place.
On display in celebration of Canada 150, multi-disciplinary artist, Douglas Coupland presents a unique sculpture made up of interlocking puzzle pieces inspired by the map of Canada.
Other works around town by Coupland include the tin soldiers at the bottom of Bathurst and the red canoe at CityPlace that can be seen from the Gardiner.
I was looking for this guy.
Renowned sculptor William Hodd McElcheran created a number of bronze sculptures of a portly man in an overcoat, tie and fedora. A selection of these famed pieces from the 1980s were placed around Toronto, some fittingly located in the Financial District. Find the Businessman at Brookfield Place standing tall with hat and portfolio in hand.
Renowned sculptor William Hodd McElcheran created a number of bronze sculptures of a portly man in an overcoat, tie and fedora. A selection of these famed pieces from the 1980s were placed around Toronto, some fittingly located in the Financial District. Find the Businessman at Brookfield Place standing tall with hat and portfolio in hand.
I'll be looking for the others. In fact, in Part 1 of Sculptures under Tuesday there is another McElcheran!
Dinner was hamburgers and chips!
TUESDAY
Tuesday Treasures
What's in my backpack?
I mentioned last week that I had bought a book on Toronto's sculptures so we headed out to track some down. 16,000 steps later we were home.
Click links below for detailed posts of some of the sculptures we tracked down.
Part 1 Sculpture at U of T
Part 2 Sculpture at U of T
We stayed around the University of Toronto for the most part.
The campus is just gorgeous, peaceful in the middle of the city, well, except for all the summer camps they were running.
Lester B Pearson Memorial Garden.
We walked to the Gardiner Museum, Canada's only ceramic museum to see the newly installed mosaic benches, the public had been invited to do the decorations this week.
For lunch we tried Freshi, a chain that is popping up everywhere.
John had the Buddha Satay bowl - rice noodles, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, crispy wontons, green onions, spicy peanut sauce. He was surprised that it was served cold and said there really wasn't any sauce.
I had Spicy Lemongrass soup - spicy lemongrass broth, rice noodles, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms, cilantro. It was good but so awkward to eat as it was served in a tall container.
Would I go there again? Not likely unless I was stuck.
Along the way we found a church for inSPIREd Sunday.
We came across the home of Herbert Marshall McLuhan, communication theorist (born at Edmonton 21 Jul 1911; died at Toronto 31 Dec 1980). Professor of English at the University of Toronto, McLuhan became internationally famous during the 1960s for his studies of the effects of mass media on thought and behaviour.
He is known for "the medium is the message".
Controversy always raged around McLuhan's work, for he was initiating a new paradigm which required that we recognize the form our information takes as basic to the way that knowledge is perceived and interpreted. The Mechanical Bride (1951) documents the power of advertising to manage public consciousness. The Gutenberg Galaxy (1962) presents a pattern of insights into the cultural transformation created by print technology. With the publication of Understanding Media (1964), McLuhan's reputation became worldwide. Of the several books that followed, War and Peace in the Global Village (with Quentin Fiore, 1968), The Interior Landscape: The Literary Criticism of Marshall McLuhan (collected, 1969), Counterblast(1969), From Cliché to Archetype (with Wilfred Watson, 1970), and Take Today: The Executive as Dropout (with Barrington Nevitt, 1972) are the most important.
We came back by University St. where we scored a few more sculptures in the book but not on today's agenda.
We also cut through City Hall where Caribana were having a kickoff.
Having an ice cream, it was finally hot, we noticed that there is a 2017 Brain Project, later on that.
When we got home it appeared dark and we realized that they have finally come around to work on our side of the building. They are making a mess with their sanding and welding but it needs to be done.
Dinner was pasta carbonara.
WEDNESDAY
Wordless
It was quite sunny when I got up and suddenly fog from the lake moved in and kept us surrounded all day.
The ropes are for the guys working on the building.
This happened yesterday morning but didn't last. It did get Instagrammed quite a bit as you can see in this article.
I had discovered that there is a 2017 Brain Project.
The TELUS Health Brain Project is a large-scale outdoor exhibit that brings brain health, art and imagination to the streets of Toronto. In 2016, The TELUS Health Brain Project launched its inaugural exhibit across the city to start a public conversation about brain health and bring awareness to diseases like Alzheimer’s.
As The TELUS Health Brain Project returns for its second year, one hundred artists from around the world will transform blank brain sculptures into beautiful, energetic and thought-provoking pieces of art. The sculptures are sponsored by corporations and philanthropists, and will be displayed in more than 15 locations around Toronto and the GTA.
Funds raised through the project are donated to Baycrest Health Sciences, a global leader in brain health and aging.
Click here to see the brains I found today at Union Station. There is also a link to the 2016 brains that I found.
My favourite so far.
Dinner was my old standby fajitas.
THURSDAY
Thursday Doors
ANOTHER gloomy day!
So housework and groceries (Costco) were on the agenda.
But I got a sunny surprise from John.
I did get an envelope from 1300 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC - my Nexus card!!! Just down the road from 1600.
Best shot ever by John, from the Hop On bus!! In 2014.
We have an early steak and baked potato dinner before we head out to the theatre to see a nephew who is starring in Titanic.
We saw this years ago on Broadway. Russ was great (I'm not being biased) but the production felt a little flat, I'm not sure if that was due to opening night jitters. There just wasn't an energy about it.
FRIDAY
Weekend Reflections - AGO
Weekend Green - Gardiner Museum
My Town Shootout - Rainbows
Another gloomy day!!! More flooding around town after last night's rain.
It was a good day to catch up on blogs, read a book,do a little baking and just veg.
I went out to get dinner and weekend ingredients at my favourite grocery store.
I spotted the CN Tower with its head in the clouds once again.
And even though our balcony is a mess from the construction work my succulents are doing great and are even flowering.
John even asked for a comfort meal, pork chops, mashed potatoes and beans!
BOOKS
After my moaning about All the Missing Girls last week due to the fat that it was told in reverse I ended up impressed with the ending.
I also finished The Exclusives, a quick read, I am a sucker for books about boarding schools. The ending left me disappointed as it felt like the story just dropped off.
I started The Decent Proposal and thought ho hum another predictable romcom. But a little into it and I got smacked in the head by where the story line is going.
The interwoven stories of families, friends, lost loves and tragedies speak to us all.
This week I flipped through The London Cookbook. OMG just in a twenty minute bus ride downtown, I tagged so many things. DO NOT read if you are hungry or if you LOVE London!!!
I am only a quarter of the way through this book and I will be devouring it.
I snapped these photos with my phone as I read on my tablet.
As I am working my way through Masterchef 2011 I have seen many of the chefs featured in the book as they were mentors in the series.
I now want to go to the Duck and Waffle.
I want to make/eat:
Never in my life have I had an interest to eat Welsh Rarebit until I read this review.
Here is the chef's own recipe.
Click here to check out the recipe.
Here's the recipe straight from the restaurant website.
Recipe
SHARING WITH:
Friday Photo Journal
We came back by University St. where we scored a few more sculptures in the book but not on today's agenda.
We also cut through City Hall where Caribana were having a kickoff.
Having an ice cream, it was finally hot, we noticed that there is a 2017 Brain Project, later on that.
When we got home it appeared dark and we realized that they have finally come around to work on our side of the building. They are making a mess with their sanding and welding but it needs to be done.
Dinner was pasta carbonara.
WEDNESDAY
Wordless
It was quite sunny when I got up and suddenly fog from the lake moved in and kept us surrounded all day.
The ropes are for the guys working on the building.
This happened yesterday morning but didn't last. It did get Instagrammed quite a bit as you can see in this article.
I had discovered that there is a 2017 Brain Project.
The TELUS Health Brain Project is a large-scale outdoor exhibit that brings brain health, art and imagination to the streets of Toronto. In 2016, The TELUS Health Brain Project launched its inaugural exhibit across the city to start a public conversation about brain health and bring awareness to diseases like Alzheimer’s.
As The TELUS Health Brain Project returns for its second year, one hundred artists from around the world will transform blank brain sculptures into beautiful, energetic and thought-provoking pieces of art. The sculptures are sponsored by corporations and philanthropists, and will be displayed in more than 15 locations around Toronto and the GTA.
Funds raised through the project are donated to Baycrest Health Sciences, a global leader in brain health and aging.
Click here to see the brains I found today at Union Station. There is also a link to the 2016 brains that I found.
My favourite so far.
Dinner was my old standby fajitas.
THURSDAY
Thursday Doors
ANOTHER gloomy day!
So housework and groceries (Costco) were on the agenda.
But I got a sunny surprise from John.
I did get an envelope from 1300 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC - my Nexus card!!! Just down the road from 1600.
Best shot ever by John, from the Hop On bus!! In 2014.
We have an early steak and baked potato dinner before we head out to the theatre to see a nephew who is starring in Titanic.
We saw this years ago on Broadway. Russ was great (I'm not being biased) but the production felt a little flat, I'm not sure if that was due to opening night jitters. There just wasn't an energy about it.
FRIDAY
Weekend Reflections - AGO
Weekend Green - Gardiner Museum
My Town Shootout - Rainbows
Another gloomy day!!! More flooding around town after last night's rain.
It was a good day to catch up on blogs, read a book,
I went out to get dinner and weekend ingredients at my favourite grocery store.
I spotted the CN Tower with its head in the clouds once again.
And even though our balcony is a mess from the construction work my succulents are doing great and are even flowering.
John even asked for a comfort meal, pork chops, mashed potatoes and beans!
BOOKS
After my moaning about All the Missing Girls last week due to the fat that it was told in reverse I ended up impressed with the ending.
I also finished The Exclusives, a quick read, I am a sucker for books about boarding schools. The ending left me disappointed as it felt like the story just dropped off.
I started The Decent Proposal and thought ho hum another predictable romcom. But a little into it and I got smacked in the head by where the story line is going.
The interwoven stories of families, friends, lost loves and tragedies speak to us all.
This week I flipped through The London Cookbook. OMG just in a twenty minute bus ride downtown, I tagged so many things. DO NOT read if you are hungry or if you LOVE London!!!
I am only a quarter of the way through this book and I will be devouring it.
I snapped these photos with my phone as I read on my tablet.
As I am working my way through Masterchef 2011 I have seen many of the chefs featured in the book as they were mentors in the series.
I now want to go to the Duck and Waffle.
I want to make/eat:
Never in my life have I had an interest to eat Welsh Rarebit until I read this review.
Here is the chef's own recipe.
Click here to check out the recipe.
Here's the recipe straight from the restaurant website.
Recipe
SHARING WITH:
Friday Photo Journal
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI don't know a lot about Toronto but it was enveloped in fog the time I visited. The fog wasn't the only thing I didn't expect, though. The diversity was such a lovely surprise. Also, there were so many ways to get around other than cars.
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly a wonderful time to visit, what with the 150th anniversary of Canada.
https://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-madeleine-project-uncovering.html
OMG ! What a week.. Being a vegetarian, I'm particularly interested in the Freshi restaurant.. I googled it and found one about 25 minutes from me in NJ-
ReplyDeleteAlso , being GF that Namaste pizza sounds interesting as well..Nice photos and interesting read. ( saw you on Beth's Weekend Cooking)
Coffee cakes are quite a welcome thing to have.
ReplyDeleteThat fog really can be dramatic.
Given that he was playing Thomas Andrews, that's quite a lot to play with.
Sculpture is probably my favorite form of art, so I was intrigued by your photos. And your food photos always make me hungry! Thanks for sharing Toronto with us. I'd love to visit there for more than a layover at the airport.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.
I loved the tin soldiers and the mosaic benches...and the food! Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteWelsh Rarebit is just fab. Thanks for the tip about the London Cookbook. Cheers from Carole's CHatter
ReplyDeleteI love the picture of the pink tree. I'm not quite sure what type of tree it is- but it looks gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had another great week Jackie!
I didn't know McLuhan was from Toronto. Love how much there is to do in your city. Although I've been there, I clearly didn't explore enough
ReplyDeleteDid using the 2 pizza pans work? I have the same product and problem.
ReplyDeleteWe have not tried yet however will do sometime over the next week and will advise.
DeleteOh that mosaic bench is gorgeous! I wish I had to time to undertake a project like that myself. Thanks for all your great photos #MySundayPhoto
ReplyDeleteA fascinating look at Toronto! I love the fuzzy flower tree! A fun collection of art, architecture, flowers and people!
ReplyDeleteAm quite taken with the colorful first sculpture - fascinating, Jackie! But also love the fun white puzzle piece sculpture. Thanking you for Seasons and laughing about the wildly dressed ladies passing by! Wishing you another week of food experimentation:)
ReplyDeleteI love your fog photos. I didn't know fog crept into Toronto, but then I don't know much about Toronto. I love it when succulents flower, especially when it happens for the first time.
ReplyDeleteThe View from the Top of the Ladder
On the pizza crust, try pre-baking the crust a bit before putting the on the toppings. From our Sicilian exchange student, brush the crust with olive oil, poke it (a lot) with a fork if will rise and bubble, and bake so it gets a somewhat hard crust.
ReplyDeleteYou are making me hungry! Great collection of photos! That art with the face was cool too!
ReplyDelete