Urban Flowers

 

There are not as many large garden centres in the city as there used to be so a lot of the corner stores have taken over that function. This small store on St Clair W had a huge display of plants spreading all over the sidewalk.

Streetcar Art

 

When the streetcar line along St Clair was updated, artists were commissioned to design art for the top edge of each stop. This one called "Scenic Routes" by artist Carlo Cesta was installed at the stop near Avenue Rd. It is said to resemble vines growing along the top. I like it.

"Reclining Figure"

 

This bronze sculpture titled Reclining Figure by artist John Fillion was installed in front of an office tower on St Clair Ave W in 1967 and continues to be one of my favourite sculptures in the city. It is so powerful.

Butterfles and Streetcar

 

These butterflies and flowers were found on the side of a commercial building along St Clair Ave W. The streetcar is a nice addition since they run along St Clair right out front of the building.

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Fitness Workout

 

I was intrigued by the "Lift Sweat Hiit" sign out front of this personal training place on St Clair Ave W. Turns out that Hiit stands for 'High Intensity Interval Training' which involves short bursts of high intensity exercise followed short intervals of rest. 

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

At The Market

 

Sunday afternoon and everything was so neat and tidy at this fruit market along St Clair Ave W. I was out for a long walk and it was hot so I resisted buying anything.

April Theme: Medicine

 The April theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is Medicine and for this one I offer a shot of the Garrison Creek Toronto Western Family Health team which is a multi-faceted team of health care professionals working together and is a satellite part of the Toronto Western Hospital. There are family doctors, nurses, dietitians and more all offering a range of services.

Taking part in the theme Medicine. Click HERE to see more takes on the theme from around the world. 

The mural running along the window lists all the services they provide. Find more murals at Monday Murals HERE.

Burgers For Sale

 When I saw this place on St Clair Ave I thought it was a vaccination site but on reading the sign in the window you can see that it is "Just Another Burger Spot". Tricky name.

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Happy Dancers

These people were having a grand time dancing at one of the booths belonging to a dance school during the Salsa On St Clair event. They were really good dancers and were really enjoying themselves as you can see from the smiles. The guy in the middle, particularly, had a great smile don't you think?

Dancers

Some people at the Salsa On St Clair event didn't need to be taking lessons like those in yesterday's post. This couple was really good and they were dancing along to the music coming from one of the main stages. As you can see from those people in the background it was hard to stand still with all the great music around.

Dancing Lessons

During the Salsa On St Clair event there were several dance schools giving lessons. They had some of their own students taking part and then the crowd really gets into it as they follow along. It's hard to stand still with the great music and all the dancing. 

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Salsa

A weekend ago was the annual "Salsa On St Clair" which celebrates Latin life in Toronto. There were tons of food stalls serving every kind of food you could think of as well as 2 main stages with entertainment such as this one. The couple on stage were showing some basic dance steps before a performance took place.  The street was alive with music and there were several locations of demonstrations and instructions. I'll show a few more pics in the days ahead.

A Flowery Laneway

 I spotted this laneway just off St Clair Ave as I drove by and went back the next day to check it out. The whole lane had been painted with murals that combined flowers and also the stylized signatures of the artists. I could not decipher any of those.

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Tea For The Young

When I saw this storefront I thought the cafe belonged to someone named young but it turns out that it is a bubble tea place owned by two young people. Cute name they chose. I've never had bubble tea have you? 

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Saves

This sign has hung out front of a religious community building on St Clair Ave for years. It looks a bit worn and I'm not sure if the neon still works but it was good to see that it is still there. You can see that a condo is under construction beside it but so far it is a survivor.  

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

A Craft Brewery

There are many craft breweries opening up around the city and this one is called True History Brewing. It opened during the pandemic on St Clair Ave on the site of what had been a popular pizza place. The brewery specializes in pilsners and pale ales and also has an extensive food menu. With a large patio I'm betting it will be popular when the weather gets warm and stays that way.

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Shiny Door

 This rather elegant door was spotted along the side of a building that fronts on St Clair Ave. In days past they took the time to make this type of entrance attractive whereas in the present times this would probably be a plain door leading to the apartments above a store. We have lost something.

Urban Flowers

When the updated streetcar line was installed along St Clair Ave artists were commissioned to design images for panels that run along the top of the stops. Some are really nice as is this floral one while some others leave you shaking your head. I don't know who the artist is for this one. 

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Closed For The Season

 I was surprised to see that this shop that serves granita & gelato was closed for the whole winter season. They are famous for their granita so I guess they make enough money to pay the rent even when closed. I plan on trying some treats when the weather gets nice. In the meantime they have a rather funky window display.

A Bright Spot

When walking along St Clair Ave in the Regal Heights neighbourhod I spotted yet another Mexican restaurant that I hadn't seen before. I am going to have to do some food exploration in this area.

Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.