Great Lunch Place

Rapido is a nice little lunch spot with Italian flair located along Bathurst St.  The atmosphere is great and they make a great panino. Another pic tomorrow.

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

Snowy Morning

We haven't had much snow this winter until March came and since then we have had days of snow followed by days of melting. It doesn't feel like spring. This shot was taken last week at Prospect Cemetery.

A National Treasure

What a surprise it was to walk along a laneway and spot a mural of David Suzuki on a garage door. David Suzuki is a world-renowned scientist, broadcaster, and environmental activist. He works tirelessly to protect the natural environment through the David Suzuki Foundation that runs projects all over Canada.

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

An Irish Dog

This wonderful Irish dog was spotted outside a corner store. Today is our St Patrick's Day parade and I will be heading to Bloor St to watch even though it is to be a bit cold out.

What's Your Problem?

This Red-tailed Hawk swooped by my car and then landed in a nearby tree where it then turned and gave me the evil eye. I obviously was not welcome in the area.

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Happy St Patrick's Day

My parents loved going to New Orleans and they always visited Pat O'Brien's pub. I imagine that it is a busy place today. Enjoy the day!

They're Back

 The little Winter Aconite flowers survived under the 10 inches of snow we had and finally opened up in the sunshine on a coolish day last week. Unfortunately for them it snowed again the next day but they are tough.

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.

Elegance

This is yet another interesting entrance to one of the small older apartment buildings that are found in many neighbourhoods around the city. It has an understated elegance to it don't you think? Much nicer than some of the sterile entrances to the new condos. 

Making Friends With Cats

This wonderful cat was found on a utility box in the Oakwood Village neighbourhood. It may be hard to read the writing but it says "You will always be lucky if you know how to make friends with strange cats". The bright colours were great to see on what had been a few snowy days. The artist for this one is L. Davies.

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

A Snowy Deck

 This was the scene last weekend as I looked out onto the roof deck. We got a load of snow on the Friday night and even Frank the plastic snowman was not amused at the amount of snow covering him. The temperature rose a lot and much of it disappeared by Monday but it was not a pretty sight by then with dirty snow piled along the roadways. I can't wait until spring.

The Angry Polesitter

A couple of weeks ago I showed you how the squirrels walk along the utility wires to reach safe places and that is the way these guys get onto my roof deck. I had just chased this one out of a planter where it was tossing dirt around looking for something. It took off along the wires to this pole and then sat there for a long time chattering away at me. 

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

The Tailor

This sculpture with the vintage sewing machine incorporated into it was found out front of a tailor's shop just off St Clair Ave.  It really attracts your attention to what could otherwise be a hidden shop.

Kurbmaster

This plate was found on the front of the old truck which I showed you on Tuesday. I loved all the textures & details so thought it all deserved a close-up. I think the nameplate was a new addition since in small letters above the Kurbmaster it says DeSotos which is the name of the nearby restaurant.

Neon

I spotted this Mexican restaurant on a sunny cool winter day and loved their Atomic 10 sign. I didn't visit this time but will be back when that patio is open in summer. The name for the restaurant is in reference to Neon being the 10th element on the periodic table and they have a large collection of neon signs inside. 

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

Imperial Upholstering

 This old truck was spotted beside a Mexican restaurant just off St Clair Ave. It has faded signage saying it is from the Imperial Upholstering Co in Salem Ohio and has a 4 digit phone number which means that it is quite old. It has new tires on it so I'm thinking it is used during the summer months. I love the look of it.

Let Love Rain Down

I love this door which was spotted at the side entrance to a building on St Clair Ave. The whole wall was covered with those colourful drops of rain but it was also hidden behind many garbage bins and cars. The door itself was the star of the wall. 

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

Dreaming of Green Trees

 This is a shot from last autumn when I spotted this large elegant willow tree in Prospect Cemetery. I am dreaming of sitting out in the warm sunshine this spring and getting rid of winter coats & boots.

13th Blog Birthday

Today is the 13th birthday of this blog and I have loved it all those years. When I first started I thought I would post occasionally and hence my blog name but I soon found that I wanted to post everyday and so here we are years later. I have loved meeting so many blog friends and some of you I have known almost from the start. Thanks for all the great posts you all put up each day & I hope that we all keep at it for many more years. The ducks make many Saturday appearances so I thought a party with a bunch of them would be suitable for the day. 

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Gone For Now

A week ago I showed you a pic of the yellow Winter Aconite in bloom and this pic shows what they look like now. They are sound asleep under a blanket of snow. Large clumps of them had come out so I am hoping the snow insulates them from the cold we have since had.

Face To Face

This was spotted on the side wall of a gallery building along St Clair Ave, not the usual place to find such a work. I quite like it.

March Theme: Comfort Food

 The March theme for the City Daily Photo Blog community is Comfort Food and I chose this pic of my Pancake Tuesday dinner as my example. Pancakes with maple syrup, veggie sausages, and a nice glass of Chardonnay fits the bill for me.

Taking part in the theme Comfort Food. Click HERE to see more great food from around the world.

Ready For An Adventure

I spotted this Defender parked out front of a mechanic shop that often works on exotic & unusual vehicles. This one looks like it could take you anywhere you wanted to go and then get you back.

Landscape In The City

 I love this mural which was spotted on the side of a building that faces onto St Clair Ave in the Regal Heights neighbourhood. It is really unfortunate that there is no where else to store all those garbage & recycling bins. I could find no artist name but it may be hidden there somewhere.

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

Elegant Entrance

This is one of the entrances into an old small apartment building in the Annex neighbourhood. It is 4 storeys high and fits nicely in with the houses around it. Much better than the huge condos that are being built most of the times these days.

On The Tightrope

When driving I often see squirrels crossing above the roadways along the overhead wires but never can get a shot. One day I was on a small street and this squirrel was on a long wire (about 50 ft) so I pulled over and managed to catch a shot before it reached the tree. I don't remember squirrels doing this when I was a kid but maybe there were not thick wires around for internet etc in those days.

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

In The Wind

While wandering along a laneway looking for new murals I happened to spot this weather vane just visible over the roof of a garage. It is a nice one and has such a lovely patina.

A February Surprise

Last week we had a day when the temperature went up to 14˚C which is unusual here in February. We have had above normal temps a lot and I went out to check a patch of flowers and found these Winter Aconites flowering. I have seen them a few times in March but never this early. We got a cold spell last weekend and the wee flowers simply folded their petals up and waited for the sun to warm them up again this week.

Getting A Buzz

This is yet another cannabis shop, one of the many that have turned up on our streets. This one really looked like a variety store to me and then I realized that it must be part of a chain since I had showed another similar one back in December. I like the idea of that flat on the top floor which must have a nice big deck that looks out onto Trinity Bellwoods park. 

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

Limestone Column

I spotted this sculpture while wandering around an apartment building complex just off Yonge St. The complex had a lot of sculptures throughout the grounds. This one is carved limestone by the artist Valer Chende. I quite like it.

Playing With Blocks

This large mural was spotted on the side of a house that faces Dundas St. The large figures playing with blocks are by Elicser but there are also credits for Media H, Sight, & Jax.Eve. This location seems to have a rotating mural most of them done by Elicser.

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

A Mystery Building

 I spotted this building on a small dead end street off Davenport Rd. There was no signage, no uncovered windows and no sign of anyone around it at all. It made me curious but I have found no info about it. It remains a mystery.

A Little Crowded

On the same day as the pic from last Saturday of the ducks on the icy pond I went for a walk along one of the trails at James Gardens and spotted this group of Mallards all crowded together in a small section of a stream. They all seemed quite happy together and some were actually sleeping. I counted 8 of them in that spot.

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Old Carving

This wonderful carving is found on our old city hall which is right beside our new city hall. The old city hall was used by the city council from 1899 to 1966 and is now used for various government things such as some courtrooms. I love the details in this carving.

At The Corner

 There is something about this building that I really like. You can see the the Dog Bowl shop that I posted yesterday is part of it off to the left. It has nice proportions and a nice small courtyard up the side for the tenants to enjoy. I hope it is as well kept inside as it is outside.

The Dog Bowl

This shop on Dundas St W caters to dogs offering them all kinds of cool toys and accessories. It is conveniently located right by Trinity Bellwoods Park which has a large dog park area. I love the vintage glass on the storefront. 

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

There Had Been Snow

We have had little snow this winter so far and it has been warmer than usual. I took this shot just over a week ago showing one of the Dundas St entrances to Trinity Bellwoods Park. It is a large park right downtown and runs from Queen St W up to Dundas. It is well used all year but particularly in the summer when all the people who live in condos gather here. 

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.

Lady With The Tattoos

 This lovely lady has appeared on the side of a building on Dundas St W. At first glance she seems to be quite conservative until you notice all the tattoos. I like the addition of the streetcar which runs by just feet away from the mural.

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

Bears

 I am back into my archives since it was too cold to wander around for a while until we finally warmed up again this past week. I took this shot a couple of years ago along Bloor St and hope that it is still there as the bears are so nicely done. I could find no info about it.

Ducks On Ice

The pond at James Gardens only rarely freezes totally over as there is always water running down a hill into it. The ducks take advantage of the bit of open water and gather around it. They don't seem to mind the ice. 

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

From The Archives

With leaves on the trees you know this is not a recent photo but rather it is from a few summers ago. The sculpture is yet another by artist Sorel Etrog and is called Grand Odalisque. He did a few castings of this one in the 1960s. You can see more of his work by clicking the Etrog label below.

The Hall

This wonderful structure is the Helliconian Hall that was described in yesterday's sign post. It is so unusual that it is not brick that it catches the eye immediately. Almost all of the older buildings in the city are red brick like the one to its right. The Helliconian Club is still going strong.

Lovely Sign

This is the sign out front of the Helliconian Hall in the Yorkville neighbourhood. I was impressed by all the details in this sign that was presented to the hall by the government of Canada. The hall has been the home of the Helliconian Club for women in the arts & letters since 1923. I will show you the unusual hall tomorrow but liked the sign so much that I thought it deserved its own post. 

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

New Rings & Trees

I showed you a shot last February (HERE) where all the trees had been taken out along the block by a local grocery store because most of them had died. Well construction continued all summer with new sidewalks installed which included large soil pits for new trees. The final step was the recent installation of this long line of bike rings. Ready for some nicer weather.

Red

A few portraits have appeared on the sides of a building on Bathurst St near Bloor St. They are camera shots that have been transferred to the wall as large murals. This one is a portrait of DJ Nino Brown and the artist is Jorian Charlton. The mural on the lower part of the wall has been there for years but the name has been obscured and the mural itself is quite weathered.

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

Snow On The Deck

We got some very fluffy snowfall last Sunday with some flakes the size of a fist. It was quite pretty. Frank, the snowman, likes to hang out on the roof deck until spring before hiding away in a shed during the hot summer days.

Looking For Lunch

These two guys were right at my feet demanding that I feed them but they were out of luck. The guy on the right had a tear in the webbing on his foot. Poor thing, that must have hurt. 

Taking part in Saturday's Critters. Click HERE to see more creatures from around the world.

Finally Snow

We finally got some snow and also some sunshine so it was a pretty day along one of the trails at James Gardens. The trade off is that it also got really cold.

A Yorkville Oldie

There are some beautiful large homes in the Yorkville neighbourhood but in the oldest section there are some pretty smaller homes like this pair of semi detached ones. It was built around 1875 and was probably brick like its neighbour to the right but I don't mind the stucco at all.

Happy Groundhog Day to everyone!

February Theme: Virtue

The February theme for the City Daily Photo community is Virtue which I found to be a hard one. I chose this shot of the toddler learn to skate session at the skating rink in Christie Pits Park. The little ones are showing courage being out there on slippery ice with thin blades under their feet. Courage is a virtue isn't it? 

Taking part in the theme Virtue. Click HERE to see more examples of virtue from around the world.