Starts with "M" 2. A Favorite 3. MULTI - chosen by Tom
Starts with "M"
We'll take a road trip this round.
Main-à-Dieu Nova Scotia
Main-à-Dieu (population 240) is a community located in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality. It is the most easterly community in Nova Scotia.
Its name in French means "Hand of God". Main-à-Dieu's name was likely the transcription of a Mi'kmaq word having to do with evil spirits, a reference, perhaps, to the large number of ship-wrecks in the area. Another potential source of the area's name: "mennadou," a Gaelic-like word meaning "resolutions, intentions, and projects." It is a fishing village, the homeport for a large lobster fishing fleet, and each spring at the start of lobster fishing season, the local parish priest holds a blessing of the fleet service dockside to pray for the safety of fishermen.
FAVOURITE
MAGNETIC MAGIC MOUNTAIN
MAGNETIC Hill MONCTON New Brunswick
The Magnetic Hill is an example of a gravity hill, a type of optical illusion created by rising and descending terrain.
In the 19th century, a cart path was built from the city in the south onto the ridge. The path was subsequently expanded during the early 20th century and during the age of the automobile, ca. 1931, it was noticed that at one point near the base of the ridge when driving south, motorists were required to accelerate in order to prevent rolling backward (i.e., what appears to be uphill). The novelty became known as "Magnetic Hill" and was more-or-less an amusing local attraction for residents and visitors to try.
Nowadays, for a fee, you can try the road. No, we didn't bother.
MULTI-CULTURAL
Toronto ON
Déjà Brew A catchall for leftover beer, coffee and whatever catches my fancy!
In a previous lane post I had shown Central Hospital Lane and mentioned that Cabbagetown had been a hub of medical activity in years gone by.
Anna Marion Hilliard, physician (b at Morrisburg, Ont 17 June 1902; d at Toronto 15 July 1958). She studied at the University of Toronto (BA, MB), did postgraduate work in Britain and in 1928 joined the staff of Women's College Hospital, Toronto, where she headed the department of obstetrics and gynaecology from 1947-57. In 1947 she helped devise a simplified Pap test. Her common-sense approach to women's problems, especially those connected with childbirth, brought her many devoted admirers and led to a series of articles that were the basis of her book, A Woman Doctor Looks at Love and Life (1957). She was also the author of Women and Fatigue, published posthumously in 1960.
The naming is in honored memory of Ms. Shaw, a former president of The Village Green Tenants Association. Her hard work is responsible both for establishing a working - 2 - relationship between tenants and management as well as for improving the general quality of life for thousands of Village Green tenants over the years.
This lane is not in Cabbagetown but in the St. Clair West neighbourhood.
I also discovered that we missed a mural in that lane so will have to go back.
A talented storyteller, Helen Carmichael Porter was very effective at developing complex characters and storylines by seeing the world through various points of view. Always looking for stories in the things she saw, Helen based her works on what she researched and what she created; stories based on historical characters; stories on people she met locally or in her travels; stories on her own experience, transmuted and imagined.
Although she spent much time in other regions such as the Ottawa Valley and the Northern Ontario Lakelands, Helen's roots were still strong in this city, obtaining a Master's Degree at the University of Toronto, and teaching English and Drama at the Vaughan Road Collegiate Institute. Some of Helen's contributions to the community include her published stories – My Father Taught Me to Swim, My Grandmother's Mouth, I Love You So Much It Hurts, and The Bully and Me: Stories that Break the Cycle of Torment. The latter saw great success on her tours in countless schools – a testament to Helen's ability to connect with other people's issues and struggles.
Some other venues she told her stories in were the National Arts Centre, the Blyth Festival, St. Lawrence Centre, Roy Thomson Hall, the Hans Christian Anderson statue in Central Park (New York), and on CBC radio, television, and film. Helen passed away in 2007.
After doing research into the history of the building, brothers Lester and Norman Coloma, wanted to honour the family owned and operated furniture manufacturer that once occupied this space. They painted labourers working hard to “lift a hammer”, symbolizing the grit and determination of Hamiltonians.
RAISE
One of Richard Mace's most striking recent works is the minimalist mural art on the exterior of 140 Caroline Street South, now home to the brand new Chantilly Lace Bridal Boutique; and it also happens to be one of Mace’s personal favourites.
“I wanted to create something for the neighbourhood that would lift spirits and inspire optimism,” he explains. “The return of more birds of prey to the Hamilton area in the last 10 years is a remarkable story, and I view their re-emerging as representative of Hamilton’s rebirth and reinvention.”
A stark white background sits under massive monochromatic birds with wings spread in flight, accompanied by typewriter-style typography capturing messages such as ‘I told you that we could fly. We all have wings.’
I forgot to mention last week that our building issued a directive that security cameras will be monitored for mask non-compliance and any offenders will be reported to the city bylaw officers and you will be fined. I am guessing that the office is getting a lot of flack from people and this will be easier and more effective. I am surprised as I haven't seen anyone without a mask.
Effective March 22 John can register online for his vaccine, slots will be allocated by age. My friend, who is 80, already has her slot for next week. 80+ were allowed to register a week ago. UPDATE MAR 20 - Pharmacies are vaccinating, by appointment, 60-64 year olds (born between 1957 to 1961). The pharmacy vaccinations take advantage of Ontario's newly acquired supply of AstraZeneca vaccine, which is being given to those under 65 due to limited data about its efficacy in older people. However, this is now being rethought. AS OF MARCH 22 PEOPLE OVER 60 CAN REGISTER AT THE PHARMACIES FOR THE ASTRAZENECA VACCINE!! I will be booking mine.
Toronto public libraries have reopened with limited resources. This photo, from the TPC website, makes me smile. This is a favourite branch of mine, click link as it has two exceptional world-class collections in rare children's books and science fiction.
I updated my Titanic post after a discussion with a friend.
These photos are excellent. Would you allow me to use them on a website I am creating about Stratford sites. I would of course credit you. Paul
I will have to look into this.
Got some work done on my embroidery on the weekend but no work got done on the jigsaw puzzle that is sitting on the dining room table.
Tuesday was movie day which includes popcorn!
We have started to see pigeons on our balcony, first time ever. The building also mentioned that we are having an issue as the pigeons are looking for places to nest. We cleared any nesting spots off the balcony and other than me looking like a mad woman wielding a broom and shouting obscenities at them we also spent $50 on Bird X scare eye balloons and a deterrent spray. The balloons arrived and are on the balcony, so far I have only seen one land. The spray hasn't arrived as yet.
Wednesday St. Patrick's Day and John brought me flowers. A friend delivered some goodies. We celebrated with an Irish whiskey.
Thursday we went for lunch (safe, ordered online, eaten in car) at Burger's Priest.
Saw this sign at a school.
Toronto’s Half House was constructed around the late 19th century on what is now St Patrick Street.
It is the result of a legal property battle in the 70s that led to the house being cut right down the middle, turning an internal supporting wall into the exterior.
It would be easy to think that the house’s odd number, 54 ½ is the result of this modification but that numbering system dates back to when the house was originally built in the 1890s.
It is on record of being one of the smallest houses in Toronto. The house is also known as "the little house ."
The Dimensions of the house is 2.2 m wide and 14.3 m long or 29 square feet. This small lot was conceived as a future laneway for the neighboring home. it was not used for this purpose because the city never cut the curb to allow for vehicle passage so in 1912 Mr. Weeden built a home on the small lot. Mr. Weeden lived in this home with his wife for 26 years before he sold it.
This house, in Corktown, might look tiny from the outside and is only 8 feet wide, but it has high ceilings and is flooded with light thanks to an impressive array of windows.
This house is not unusual in its architecture or design. It is on this list because of its unusual selection of lawn ornaments. You can find a large statue of a first nations man on horseback, a pair of cowboy boots sticking upside down out of the ground and the landscaping has been done to best emulate a western desert.
A Rusty Nail is made by mixing Drambuie and Scotch whisky. The drink was included in Difford's Guide's Top 100 Cocktails. A Rusty Nail can be served in an old-fashioned glass on the rocks, neat, or "up" in a stemmed glass. It is most commonly served over ice.
SOPHISTICATED SHAKERS - MENU
Mai Tai with orgeat which is new to us
Tequila Sunrise
Rob Roy required bitters which we had never bought
New York Sours
Gin Fizz
Saturday I asked John what he wanted for dinner and he said hamburger patty with gravy and mashed potatoes?!? I decided to make a peppered gravy and Brussel sprouts. He also asked for a mousse and I had strawberries, I muddled some berries in the bottom before adding the mousse.
Monday chicken nuggets with maple chile glaze from Chasing Favor and broccolini and bok choy. The sauces from this cookbook have been amazing so far.
For my kitchen viewing I started watching MasterChef UK Celebrity 2020 (YouTube), format is slightly different from the regular MC and I like that it includes cooking demonstrations by John Torode, an Australian chef.
On my laptop for browsing Everyday Dorie: The Way I Cook. An interesting book, not one I would buy when I can get it at the library and most recipes are online.
I was interested in her take on chowders, but didn't really learn anything new.
I was excited to see an entry for lettuce soup as I have been adding ends of lettuce to my soup bag lately. She basically made a lettuce soup and added scallops to it.
Still on my phone, a Canadian thriller, The Calling, a little disturbing. And still on my tablet Conflict of Interest. I need to finish both of these.
Toronto is one of the top five screen-based industries in North America with a full scope of industry connections, services, suppliers, talent, crew, facilities and locations delivering everything required for success in pre-production through post production. Although a number of films/series are shot in Toronto, not every one uses Toronto as its setting. In both cases, and in most movies shot in Toronto, the city fills in for some other, usually American, location. Locals are accustomed to spotting the landmarks through the cinematic disguise.
We love when we spot a location in the city in a movie/series! I thought I would capture some of them for this weekly post.
Shows like The Handmaid's Tale and Suits would require long detailed posts so I'll start off small.
The clips are from Youtube and the photos are mine.
Coroner is a Canadian police procedural crime drama developed by Morwyn Brebner (Saving Hope, Rookie Blue), and based on the Jenny Cooper series of novels by M. R. Hall.
CORONER premiered as the highest-ever rated series launch in the UK for Universal TV in January 2019.
This clip, from Episode 2 begins as they walk north on John St. at King St. West. I worked a block west of that corner and watched, from our office window as the TIFF Toronto International Film Festival Tower was built.
I also included the history of the Tim Horton's building you can see in the opening clip in that post.
BTW that Tim Horton's is no longer there as the White building is being restored.
Episode 4 starts with a scene filming in walking distance from our condo, under the overpass at the Humber River.
Photos taken 2016.
Episode 4 continues and in this full length episode clip at 23:07 you can see a mural that spells PARKDALE and is located at the Duggan's Brewery off Queen St. West.
At 23:53 you can see the edge of this mural at the entrance to the lane. You can see the Parkdale mural at the far end.
