Thursday, May 31, 2012

#Toronto Pro SuperShow starts Fri June 1

Tomorrow is the start of the #TOProSuperShow as the fitness show muscles into the Metro Toronto Convention Centre June 1 - 3, 2012. The doors are open 1-6pm on Friday, 9am-6pm Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sunday.
Entrance to the Expo is only $15 per day and the Expo stage will feature the IFBB Pre prejudging, Oxygen, MuscleMag and Reps Model searches, Strongman Finals, Armwrestling Finals and a number of entertainment and guest speakers.
"SPORTS AND EVENTS: The Toronto Pro SuperShow EXPO will be hosting several new events this year including The Toronto Pro SuperShow Amateur MMA Championships and a Crossfit Challenge. Returning will be Powerlifting, Weightlifting, Armwrestling, Strongman, Boxing, Kickboxing, Model Searches and IFBB Pro Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Bikini and Physique Competitions."

Protest against Ontario Bill 13

#Toronto has seen several protests against Ontario Bill 13: Accepting Schools Act, and today there was a sizeable one in the downtown core. Protesters gathered on both sides of Yonge Street at Dundas Street holding signs as several bicycle police gathered nearby to provide traffic control during the later march. The Thursday, May 31, 2012 event is described as a parental protest with all faith groups welcome and without religious signs or symbols. People were asked to dress in red and white to show solidarity to the protest and many had tape over their mouths saying “silenced”.



The noon hour display was to be followed by a 1pm march to Queen’s Park where the protest would continue until 2:30pm.

See more of the protest after the jump.

Come sit on Oprah Winfey's #Toronto couch

A familiar chair and couch setup at Nathan Phillips Square alerted me to another on location filming of a new documentary for Oprah Winfrey Network Canada. I have run into this furniture a few times at the historic Distillery District, now they seem to have added wheels and are traveling around Toronto.
They were getting ready early in the morning of Thursday, May 31, 2012 and the signs say “Want to talk? Do you have a story to tell? Come talk to us”. Who needs therapy when Oprah’s crews are around?

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Popeye and the scary guy graffiti

Popeye smokes his corncob pipe and winks at people that pass by
A scary figure in black waves a flag over a pile of skulls

#HondaIndyTO track construction begins

Hot on the wheels of Dario Franchitti's recent third win of the Indy 500 race the Honda Indy #Toronto has begun construction of the street course at Exhibition Place. I really love it when the grandstands also start to go up and the race track start/finish line gets a fresh coat of paint. Dario is seen holding the William Ashley Waterford Crystal trophy as winner of the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto in the photo above.
The confetti cannon greets Dario as he climbs out of his car at the Winners Circle
Leaving pit row

Honda Indy Director of Operations Jim Tario once again leads the construction of the 2.84km, 11-turn race track. With over 20 years experience setting up the course his expertise is invaluable in directing the placement of the 2000 steel reinforced barriers, fencing and tonnes of other equipment in the almost 40 days it takes to setup the course.

See the press release after the jump.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

2012 Rogers Media Up Front

The red carpet and giant balloons wait at the #Toronto Hard Rock Café for the 2012 Up Front Rogers Media TV Sales after party event on Tuesday, May 29, 2012. The Fall television launch includes Citytv with the release of it’s primetime schedule for the 2012 season. In Canada pitches will be made to domestic advertisers and the press for Rogers, then Global Television Up Fronts tomorrow and CTV follows on Thursday.
This sales job will secure advertisers spots on the shows months before the new television season rolls into town. Growth in television advertising dollars is suggested to continue at a mild pace, unlike the falling prospects of newspaper and the flat radio advertising revenues. Internet growth continues to lead the media pack. Advertisers need to keep it varied as many people watch television and surf the net at the same time.
I haven’t bought a newspaper for over a year now and when I do read one it is either one of the free editions, or one of the big boys (Star, Sun, National Post) that love to give away their papers on the streets of Toronto. While I listen to radio in the car, my kids tend to bring their own CDs and generally skip what is happening over the airwaves.

#TDMusic Keep the Music Going

Visitors to Yonge-Dundas Square in #Toronto were listening to a big band up on stage as part of the TD Discover Music and the Keep the Music Going event on Tuesday, May 29, 2012. The band was warming up over the lunch hour in front of an empty conductor’s box. At 2pm people could come up to the green symphony conductors perch and conduct the orchestra – no experience necessary. 
I tend to think it will go better than the time Bugs Bunny conducted an opera singer to greater and greater notes until the building started to fall apart. Oh, those Looney Tunes!

You can check out the TDLiveMusic.com site to see all sorts of musical events including the upcoming TD Toronto Jazz Festival.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Ball Hockey Prohibited

I took this photo of the Ball and Hockey Playing Prohibited sign on a residential street in #Toronto because I was surprised and thought it was funny. Growing up in Canada kids always played ball hockey in the summer and pick up ice hockey in winter. I didn't know that it was actually against the (by)law.
This has recently been in the news as one city Councillor wanted to establish a complicated set of rules that would allow some street hockey to take place.

Beware the spokes of #Toronto Bike Month

Started by the Emperor Chainus, the first Bike Month celebrated the Roman eco-friendly commute to the Colosseum, where bikers would dance for the lions and then get eaten by the big cats. Large legions of Roman Centurions would ride into battle on tandem bicycles before they realized that horse drawn war chariots were a little more formidable.
Cut to present day Toronto and bikes have their own Month. Originally that month was in February, but bikers acted like a bunch of Quebec students and rioted - many didn't even ride in the few bike lanes still available in the big smoke. So from May 28 to June 30, 2012 bicycles take over the calendar during Toronto Bike Month. On June 30 bikes are sacrificed to the memory of Chainus - bikes are chained to various pieces of street furniture and left overnight, the gods of bikes then come in a fog and take parts of the bikes away. That is why you can find so many bicycle frames, stripped to the bone, still chained up to bike racks or bike rings.
A poster for the Doomsday Ride
Norco does some bike repairs

Monday, May 28, 2012 is Bike to Work Day. At City Hall you could pick up a free t-shirt and enjoy a pancake breakfast. Check the City of Toronto calendar for Bike Month events.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Walk for Values

The 10th annual #Toronto Walk for Values on Sunday, May 27, 2012. Departing at 11am from Yonge-Dundas Square the planned route included Dundas St E, Church St, Gerrard St, Sherbourne St, Richmond St E and up Victoria St to end back at the square. The walk occurs throughout the year in various Canadian cities and is sponsored by the Sathya Sai School Parent Council.

The parade promotes love, peace, truth, non-violence and right conduct. The mission is "designed to raise awareness of Human Values and to promote individual responsibility towards the collective future of humanity, one step at a time" and is open to everyone.

I came upon them on Saturday getting some floats ready for the march.

Anime North 2012: Fantastic cosplay


@anime_north is the chance to gather together in costume at the #Toronto Congress Centre. While the colourful, sold-out crowd filled the halls they also came out to wander the parking lot to display, admire and photograph the cosplay characters that they work so hard on.








See more mega post cosplay photos after the jump.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

#Toronto Desifest 2012

Canada's only South Asian Music Festival filled Yonge-Dundas Square with a celebration of South Asian culture, music and food during @getDesiFIED Desifest presented by Rogers on Saturday May 26, 2012 (11am to 11pm).

Artists included Raaga Toronto Music, Stephanie Braganza, and groups like Daizy Danzers, Jadoo Entertainment and Raang Garba. My favourite singer was Urvah Khan - she rocked the crowd!

Singer Urvah Khan

 See more of the fun after the jump.

DOTO 2012: Doors Open #Toronto

#Doors_OpenTO is back during the May 27-28, 2012 weekend with over 135 attractions open to the public for free! The range of available places to visit include some tall ships on the waterfront, historical locations and other architectural, socially or culturally significant properties that are usually closed to the public or would normally charge admission.
The DOTO Doors Open Toronto banner flies at the participating attractions
The Pathfinder steering wheel
Welcomed aboard the Empire Sandy

It is an excellent opportunity to view places that you might never had thought you would see, or to visit familiar places that deserve further exploration. See more of DOTO after the jump.

Doors Open

Scarborough Bluffs

Pride

Redball

Beaches

Graffiti

Lake Ontario

Nathan Phillips Square

Transportation