I thought that this mural was suitable for the last day of the year - the old guy leaving as the fresh new year gets ready to start. Hope you all have a Happy New Year's Eve!
This cool Neo-Gothic building was built in 1925 for General Motors as the McLaughlin Motor Company Showroom and it continued to be a car showroom until 2007. It has heritage designation so the structure itself has become a restaurant with a condo building rising from the former parking lot.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
This cool station wagon was parked behind my local pub but it was gone by the time I went there later. It is a 1956 BelAir. Love the skirts and all that chrome!
Yet another laneway discovery, I quite like this abstract mural. I assume the artist is CBS but I'm not sure.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
Those reindeer really know how to play a jazzy tune especially with a few elves to accompany them. I don't know whether this float played music during the parade but I bet it did!
The Three Little Pigs seem to make an appearance every year at the Santa Claus Parade and this year they had nice warm sun to work in. Construction seems to have been going well at this point before the wolf arrived!
The last float in the Santa Claus Parade before Santa's Sleigh is Mrs Claus's dining room where the elves and Santa will be treated to a fine meal after all their work on Christmas night. The Santa float isn't the same without him so I didn't get a shot of it! Merry Christmas to all of you - hope you were all good and got what you wanted in your stockings.
The Mad Hatter served pizza on this float from the Santa Claus Parade which was sponsored by Pizza Pizza. There will have been a few little kiddies riding along on those little silver stools when the parade began.
These fine chickens were found on the fence on the Maple Lodge Farms (a supplier of chicken products) sponsored float at the Santa Claus Parade. I don't think they are in any danger of becoming part of the company product line. I really liked this float with the great red barn!
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.
This is the Santa Claus Parade float sponsored by Tim Horton's which is the iconic coffee & doughnut stop for Canadians who drink coffee. (I don't.) I do love the Christmas sweaters that the creatures are wearing!
This float from the Santa Claus Parade was sponsored by Sears so it is suitable that "Darcy's Toy Delivery" comes loaded down with gifts!
The Thomas the Train float was waiting for its little load of passengers who will sit on those little stools beside the #1 train. I'm sure it was a popular float with the kids along the route of the Santa Claus Parade as it wound its way downtown.
Our Annual Santa Claus Parade took place a few weeks ago on a day that was very pleasant for the little kiddies to be sitting out for hours to watch it. One of my favourite floats was this one for the new Disney pic "The Good Dinosaur". And Christie Pits Park makes a great background it. I go down to the staging area on Bloor St several hours before the parade begins to get close-up shots of the floats but during the actual parade there will be kids in costume sitting on all the floats.
I spotted this vintage ambulance on Bloor St just before the Santa Claus Parade began so I think it was going to be part of the leadoff for the event. Elegant isn't it? I have lots of pics from the parade which I will show you over the next couple of weeks.
This house is on Queen's Park and was originally a private home when built but is now part of St Michael's College at U of Toronto and is used for offices. You can see yesterday's carving to the right of that fabulous turret. I love the little balcony above the corner turret. And that very old little fence.
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.
This has to be some of the most beautiful carving I have seen on a house. And it has been beautifully maintained and possibly restored. Tomorrow I will show you where it can be found.
This is the entrance to the wonderful Burwash Dining Hall at Victoria College at U of Toronto. Those windows on the right are windows from the hall itself. So beautiful!
Another laneway find, I really like this flower which seems to be a group effort by several artists since I found a lot of signatures on it! A nice sight to drive by when you are arriving home!
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
This shot was taken from a 12th floor room in the north end of the city about 10 miles from the downtown skyline. The sun had come out for a few minutes just enough to highlight the steam from the downtown towers but the top of the CNTower is still in the clouds.
My dad is still in the hospital and so I have been unable to visit any blogs much. The shot was taken from his room.
This lovely spire belongs to St Basil's Church at St Michael's College at U of Toronto. You can see again how there are condo towers springing up everywhere in our city!
This is the main entrance to Spadina House which always makes me think of elegant people arriving for a fancy ball. Taken when we still had leaves and the sky was wonderful!
This little parkette in the foreground is being constructed on the site of the old Women's College Hospital and those arches are supporting a few of the old sculpted windows from the original building. The large building on the left is the new hospital and the other buildings are condos and office towers in the financial district. I have to go back when the park is finished for some shots but I like that they are retaining a bit of the history of the site.
I showed you this sculpture back in 2010 but thought I would try for new image with different lighting. You can see the other one if you click on the McElcheron label below. It is one of many from William McElcheran's Businessman series.
This is one of the doors into one of the many government buildings that are located around Queen's Park. I love the details around the windows too!
Another laneway find, this looks like a nervous goat to me. It looks like the artist is Travis.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
This very old coach house is located behind the library at St Michael's College at U of Toronto but from this direction it looks to be surrounded by condo towers which are going up all over the downtown area of the city. It is being used for something but I couldn't tell what and most of the windows have been closed in.
This black squirrel had been digging about beneath this bush until I came along and then climbed up and gave me a dirty look from behind its dirty nose. There are a lot of chubby squirrels around so winter must be close to hitting us!
If you walk through the opening beside yesterday's gate you enter Philosopher's Walk and this is a shot from half way down the walk looking back up to the entrance on Bloor St. The walk follows the route of the now buried Taddle Creek as it winds its way through the U Of Toronto campus between the Faculty of Music and Trinity College. I showed you a pic of the walk when the trees were green back in September of 2010 (HERE). And yet more condos are under construction as you can see by the crane!
This fence is located on Bloor St at the entrance into Philosophers Walk which I will show you tomorrow. In the background you can see the "Crystal" addition to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) which I have shown you several times. The fence itself is said to be from the early 1900s.
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.
I'm not sure if you have neighbourhood watch signs in your area but ours usually have little houses in the middle of the sign and not Xena The Princess Warrior! This is obviously a safe neighbourhhod with the protector of those who are unable to defend themselves on duty. That is the kind of innocent mischief I love. Bravo to someone!
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
The December theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is Shop Window and my contribution is this elegant window from Holt Renfrew, an upscale store on Bloor St. All the supplies are there for gift wrapping Christmas presents and the 2 mannequins on the right are actually revolving on the rolls of ribbon. It is hard to take a window pic without a reflection especially on a sunny day.
Taking part in the theme day. Click HERE to see more shop windows from around the world.
