You wouldn't know it when driving around our neighbourhood these days, but the city and its surrounding areas used to be well populated by motels.
Shuttling along the QEW towards Toronto and the newly opened Gardiner Expressway in the late 1950s, one would get their first good view of the skyline at around Park Lawn Avenue.
Clinging to Humber Bay, this strip of lakeside properties brimmed with confidence, promising the transitional comforts of television, in-ground (but naturally unheated) pools, and stunning views of the city and you could still vacation in sight of the city.
The last of the Lake Shore motels were finally demolished in 2012 to make way for massive condo developments along the western waterfront, drawing a conclusion to a history with origins that stretch back to the late 1910s when the first tourist camps arose in Etobicoke.
These photos courtesy of BlogTO.
Sunshine Motor Court on Lakeshore Rd. mid 1960s.
West Point Motel ca. 1965
The towering lures of the Lakeshore motel strip. Photo by Roger D. Moore.
We moved here in 2012 and I remember they were demolishing the last one and I am sorry I never got a photo. Prior to that I wasn't really aware of this motel strip, we only moved to Toronto in 1990 and lived in the east end so never came to this end of town. This is how it looks now.
The other night I got this photo. They have finally put on the street sign (along with a new set of traffic lights) at Silver Moon Drive.
Silver Moon Drive are names that acknowledge one of the former motels that operated along Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Guinness puzzle was finished. Traded with a friend.
New one started.
Monday we're making breakfast (not dressed) and there's a knock on the door. I had placed a work order a few weeks ago again complaining about the wind whistling through the front door. One of our maintenance guys, added more weather stripping and tightened the hinges.
Then I am hearing what sounds like a child, only to realize it was a cat and sure enough there he was meowing at our door. I know my neighbours had a cat but nobody answered the door when John knocked. I called the desk and the concierge came and got the cat while he looked for its owner. He later said to John that he thought it came from another floor - by elevator or the staircase?? Either would need human intervention.
Damn pigeons are back! This only started last year and no way are they finding a place to nest on our balcony. John is waiting for it to be a little warmer to put out the Bird Off glue stuff.
Finally got the bill for the toilet, I thought maybe it was a freebie! $520 for the replacement piece. I actually had to find a cheque, an envelope and a stamp to make payment as well as take it to a mailbox! It's been a few (+4?) years since I've had to do that.
Forgot to show my silicon baking pan, bit the dust.
Tuesday
Went downtown - Union Station has new banners.
Got a haircut, finally, it hasn't been cut since before Christmas.
Picked up sushi in FCP at a new place and it was delicious.
We headed to Hamilton for fish and chips, our first in a long time! It was delicious as always.
From there we went to visit friends for the afternoon. They live in a small crescent so we were surprised to see two OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) cars parked. We got the scoop that they were at one house over busy checking out the car in the driveway. Soon more OPP arrived and then a couple of local Halton Police cars. They spent some time talking among themselves and then two spoke to a resident of the house. We are still waiting to hear what it was all about. We had a great time catching up and the guys even played a few games of cribbage.
Thursday John went to the golf simulator and chores got done. Then we had a movie afternoon.
Two weeks too late, Ford makes this announcement as he was outed for having been snowmobiling last weekend when Ottawa was in a state of crisis. See blog above.
John went out for fruits and vegetables (No Frills), I can't believe a litre bottle of HP Sauce was $8.99! I did price check and the 400 ml is $5.99 everywhere.
He also went to the bakery for some gluten free baguettes.
I went on a redecorating spree while he was out. I was tired of our front hall and had decided I needed to go shopping. Instead I shopped at home, and created this. Not the final look, I want to add/change a few things and also need to do the shelves below. At the moment it looks like this.
This meant I had to rearrange the stuff that was on there. I'll have some final photos next week.
WATCHING
I watched Tinder Swindler, we had started it together but John found it "so boring".
We both watched Falling a 2020 drama film written and directed by Viggo Mortensen in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Mortensen as John Peterson, a middle-aged gay man whose racist homophobic father Willis (Lance Henriksen) starts to exhibit symptoms of dementia, forcing him to sell the family farm and move to Los Angeles to live with John, his husband Eric (Terry Chen) and their Mexican adopted daughter.
This was not easy to watch but was so well done. All the kids in it were so good and did not put up with their Grandpa's nonsense.
Brian Banks is a 2018 American biographical drama film starring Aldis Hodge as Brian Banks, a high school football linebacker who was falsely accused of rape, convicted, sent to prison and upon his release, attempted to fulfill his dream of making the National Football League.
The Clovehitch Killer is a 2018 American thriller mostly inspired by the story of real life serial killer Dennis Rader aka the BTK Killer.
We watched Inhuman Resources that we really enjoyed. It is a 2020 French language series.
COOKING
Saturday we had planned to order/pick up Indian from downtown. But with the Freedumb convoy rolling into town we figured we wouldn't. So I made curry chicken, aloo gobi and onion bhajis with homemade tamarind dipping sauce.
Sunday roast beef, roast potatoes and Brussels sprouts. I made mushroom gravy and the BEST gluten free Yorkshire puddings ever!
Monday John asked for pasta Alfredo and I made parmesan crackers (a little too thin and overbaked).
Tuesday BBQ chicken quarters and kale salad.
Wednesday out for lunch so chips and eggs.
Thursday air fryer marinated tuna steaks (soy sauce, honey, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil) with a wasabi dip (mayo, wasabi, soy sauce, honey, lemon) topped with scallions and black sesame seeds.
Friday steak and Caesar salad, homemade gluten free crotons.
READING
I finished Miss Eliza's English Kitchen and Beth was right, it wasn't very good. It was very readable, and I loved the recipe development. I really liked Ann, although she is mostly a fictional character. But I just felt like it ended so abruptly! It needed further development of some of the story lines, like Ann's mother in the asylum.
Seven Lies is a debut for this author and WOW it is a page turner. Who needs enemies when you have Jane for a friend!
