MOS MOS

 Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader

Weekend Coffee Share
Sunday Salon

August 2025 - Toronto ON

York St. Toronto ON

My birthday week!

Saturday we slept in and wound down from our visitors. The smoke index from the western fires was moderate at 4. We mooched around, each doing whatever. I did throw laundry in and some more.

Sunday was more of the same. I finalized our 2025 6-month recap. Some stats from it, it has been a heavy travel period!!

TOTAL TRAVEL JAN - JUN 2025

NIGHTS                 86 

DRIVING KM   11,924

FLYING KM     16,041

PHOTOS             6,840 

TOTAL TORONTO JAN - JUN 2025
NIGHTS                  95

I finally sought out an answer to a question we often ask ourselves while SMH.

While there isn't one single, universally recognized name for the phenomenon of wires tangling, it's often described as spontaneous knotting or tangle formation. Mathematicians and physicists have studied this phenomenon, particularly in the context of headphone cords and other flexible strings, and their work often uses terms from knot theory.

The weekends are our time to catch up on our reading.

Monday Mural Reykjavik Iceland

Monday John headed out for a couple of routine appointments. He had a gap between them so I met him for lunch at Union Station.

The little white balls on sushi are usually fish roe, specifically masago (capelin roe) or tobiko (flying fish roe). John had tacos.

We were entertained by an indigenous musician Graeme Jonez.

As his next appointment was at Yonge and Bloor he came with me to the Reference Library's Seasons display.

We have incredible book collections in various locations.

One of my favourites is right in this building - Arthur Conan Doyle.

We;ve also visited the Lillian Smith collection of rare children's books and science fiction.

Tuesday Treasures Toronto and Signs from Portugal.

July Square Photo Challenge RED

Tuesday and I decided I didn't need to go anywhere. 

You would think it was John's birthday week with the stuff he got for himself. New glasses (2), underwear from a Canadian vendor Saxx (his son recommended), workout shorts and he found his favourite jeans from Canadian David Bitton Buffalo.

Look at the lining in the workout shorts!

First pair of glasses.

My Posterjack (Canadian) order arrived. This is my favourite company to use for large format print projects. Now we need to do some rearrangement to fit them in.

Wednesday and for the first time John planned and surprised me for my birthday!

This full-day tour from Toronto to Niagara Falls includes a wine tasting, a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake historic town, lunch overlooking the falls, and free time to explore Niagara Falls. Plus, you will get to ride the world-famous Hornblower boat ride.

We caught the 8 AM bus (you can never predict the traffic) as our day started out at 9:20 outside the Royal York Hotel. The tour bus arrived around 9:40. This day turned into a long enjoyable and HOT outing. Don and Nikki were our guides and I can't say enough about them. Nikki kept up a dialogue as we left Toronto giving loads of information as we headed to our first stop.

Experience the best of Toronto with a Premier Lunch Cruise aboard the newly renovated luxury vessel, Toronto Odyssey, and spend your afternoon in Toronto Harbour with dining and picturesque views. While onboard, you’ll enjoy our chef-prepared plated menus, creative cocktails, distinctive service, and breathtaking views of Toronto’s skyline and attractions from our climate-controlled interior and open-air rooftop decks. Whether for a scenic lunch for two or for an unforgettable afternoon with friends and family, our lunch cruises are the perfect way to elevate any occasion and see Toronto from the water! 

I like these tours where no one knows anyone else as the tour is made up of tourists travelling on their own. This group had people from Iceland, Mexico, Germany, Ireland, U.K., France, Americans etc.

Niagara College is Canada’s leader in experiential learning. With two campuses in the Niagara Region, Canada, we offer over 130 full-time postsecondary programs across 14 schools of study including hospitality, wine and beer making. They have even added cannabis as a program.

This was fun as we had never heard of this place. We were greeted with a glass of Pinot and headed outside.

We were then given a sample of their Red 101, a little rough. But their ice wine was excellent.

Back on the bus and we headed into Niagara Falls for lunch. Not everyone on the bus had chosen to have the lunch so they headed off on their own. We didn't know where we were eating as the bus parked. We kind of assumed the main restaurant overlooking the Falls. Again, I was pleased and surprised that it was the Queen Victoria as I had seen thought it looked like a great place but it was during the pandemic and it was closed.

Queen Victoria Place Restaurant is located on the upper level of historic Queen Victoria Place. This historic venue offers a fun and relaxed atmosphere, complete with panoramic views of the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls.

Constructed in 1904, this stately building was modelled after a Swiss chalet with a distinctive copper roof. Guests at Queen Victoria Place Restaurant enjoy the best view of the falls fireworks and nightly illumination.

Local Ontario wine.

Lunch choices were fish, chicken or pasta with soup and dessert. We chose the cod. Everything was delicious. The white sauce had dill, the vegetables were fresh. Dessert was a three berry crumble. 

We then had some time to walk around, although it was really hot and humid.

This link will take you to a post with links from our other visits to Niagara Falls.

It doesn't matter how many times you see the Falls, they are stunning! And it was packed with tourists!

The white foam is lime from the rocks.

American falls and Bridal Falls. Sorry, not sorry, we got the better deal!

John chose this tour because the boat ride to the Falls has always been on my bucket list.

Those tiny people on the left, almost in the middle are at the Power Plant tunnel which we did last fall.

Driving through Niagara Falls.

Boarding the boat!

We are about to get VERY wet!

And it's another ✅✅✅!!

We took the scenic route to NOTL, Niagara on The Lake with Nikki pointing out some sights.

 The intricate designs on the face of the Floral Clock are created with thousands of carpet bedding plants and are changed twice each year. The planted face of the Floral Clock is maintained by Niagara Parks horticulture staff, while the mechanism inside is kept in working order by Ontario Power Generation. The tower at the back of the clock houses Westminster chimes that greet each quarter hour.

The hands of the clock are made of three and a quarter inch and three and a half inch stainless steel tubing welded to stainless steel castings. They are counter-balanced in their short ends so that they require the same turning effort in all positions of their entire sweep. The hour hand is 4.4 m long and weighs 500 pounds. The minute hand is 5.3 m long and weighs 500 pounds. The second hand is 6.4 m long and weighs 250 pounds. This leads to a combined weight of 1,250 pounds for all three hands on this magnificent clock.

The clock was inspired by the Ontario Hydro chairman, Dr. Richard L. Hearn. It was based on the famous 1903 clock located in the Princess Street Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland. The clock is the largest of its kind in the world. It is three times the size of the clock in Scotland.

The Living Water Wayside Chapel is an interesting sight in the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake in Canada. It was built in 1964 by the Christian Reformed Church. It is the smallest church in Canada and is also claimed by some to be the smallest in the world. 

Niagara on The Lake no longer allows the tour busses to drive through town, The busses  typically park at a designated facility near Fort George. This facility, available from April 1 to October 31, includes an air-conditioned driver rest area with complimentary amenities. It is less than a 5 minute walk into town.

NOTL in 2018.

Aura Indian restaurant.

We left NOTL at 5:45 for what was a two hour trip back to Toronto based on construction, which meant we could catch our 7:45 shuttle. NOT. There was a bad fatal accident at Mississauga Rd. which meant Don had to work out a detour. We were the first drop off, at the Royal York at 8PM. We debated an Uber but instead went to Union Station Patio for a drink and fries! We caught the 9 PM.

Loved this tour, plenty of time to explore but not too much that we felt we were wasting time.

Lunch was exceptional for a group tour meal.

Guide and driver were friendly and helpful with lots of patience.

Thursday my birthday!!! And John had another treat in store for me.

Air quality statement issued as wildfire smoke drifts into Toronto meant we didn't have summer skies for our harbour lunch cruise that John had booked for my birthday.

After yesterday's extreme heat, the temperature had dropped so much that we had to stop into Winners and get a sweatshirt/jacket for us!

Experience the best of Toronto with a Premier Lunch Cruise aboard the newly renovated luxury vessel, Toronto Odyssey, and spend your afternoon in Toronto Harbour with dining and picturesque views. While onboard, you’ll enjoy our chef-prepared plated menus, creative cocktails, distinctive service, and breathtaking views of Toronto’s skyline and attractions from our climate-controlled interior and open-air rooftop decks. Whether for a scenic lunch for two or for an unforgettable afternoon with friends and family, our lunch cruises are the perfect way to elevate any occasion and see Toronto from the water! 

It didn't matter, it was such a great way to celebrate my birthday with John. It was also fun to enjoy the city like a tourist among many tourists experiencing our wonderful city.

The Odyssey.

John booked the deluxe package, window table, drink package and shrimp cocktail, garlic shrimp and steak (Butcher Shop) with mashed potatoes and green beans plus cheesecake and carrot cake for dessert.

Billy Bishop Island Airport, home to Porter.

Day care camp aboard a pirate ship!

Water taxi to the Islands.

We headed home for a nap!

Public Art Challenge  for Natalie's post.

Friday John went golfing (85) and I wandered the shops, had dim sum for lunch and picked up what we needed for the long weekend.

From our neighbourhood FB page this week. Taken on "our bridge".

It is Caribana this long weekend so that means road closures, crowds and traffic, but it is all good.

COOKING

Nothing got wasted from the food we bought for our visitors. We finished the croissants on Saturday. The leftover fruit became a berry compote for French toast on Sunday. I used the lactose free milk during the week in mashed vegetables, baking, and coffee.

Saturday ham, mashed potatoes and white turnip, Brussels sprouts

Sunday roast prime rib roast potatoes pot roast with turnip, carrots, onions, potatoes and creamy mashed cauliflower (NEW)

Monday ham au gratin potatoes and cauliflower

Tuesday leftover pot roast and cauliflower

Wednesday birthday trip 

Thursday birthday lunch

Friday steak cauliflower caramelized onions puree (NEW/ADDED), baked potato

WATCHING

The Union is a 2024 American spy action comedy thriller film. Construction worker Mike is thrust into the world of espionage when his high school sweetheart, Roxanne, recruits him for a high-stakes intelligence mission.

Back in Action  Former CIA spies Emily and Matt are pulled back into espionage after their secret identities are exposed.

Countdown  is an American crime drama television series (in progress). After a Department of Homeland Security officer is killed in plain sight, LAPD detective Mark Meachum is brought onto a covert task force with undercover agents from various law enforcement agencies to track down the murderer. However, the search reveals a much darker conspiracy than anyone expected, sparking a frantic race to protect a city of millions.

READING

I finally finished Under the Bridge and liked the second half, the trial, better. It reminded me of doing jury duty.

I also finished Sleep Tight, as I got halfway through, I realized I had read it 7 years ago!

I started Ken Follett's Fall of Giants and I know it's going to be a good read! Two more volumes after this one!!!