Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween - trick or treat

It's Halloween and the scary snow started falling today and most of the leaves have fallen from the trees. Oooooooooohhhhhh, damn snow. Happy Halloween everyone.
Here is one more scary Bay Street Banker zombie to scare the heck out of you.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

U Can't Touch This

It's Hammer Time on a stop sign. And that sign has seen better times, it looks like a zombie pulled it down and ripped out it's little sign brains, then the City sewed it back together and glued it back up on the pole. What, they don't have any spare Stop signs lying around?

More cool zombies

All Hallows Eve is this Sunday and the little ghouls and goblins will be going door to door for treats. Here are some more zombies to help scare you to death in honour of the night. And the pictures are extra large so they are extra scary - except for the superhero.


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Make Local Hunger Disappear

Scott Hammell waves to children that had just donated food to his Free the Children Food Drive in Support of the Daily Bread Food Bank. Scott is a Magician ("entertain and inspire") and is living in a giant glass box at Union Stations. His box is quickly filling up with non-perishable food donations which will soon make him disappear as the space fills with a wall of cans. Probably the best type of magic - giving to those who are less fortunate.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Victoria's Secret - Heavenly Angels

The lingerie battle in Canada continues to warm up with the addition of the Toronto Eaton Centre’s Victoria’s Secret. The grand opening of the new store in downtown Toronto is Thursday, October 28th, 2010 and two gorgeous models will help launch the event – Alessandra Ambrosio and Lily Aldridge.
To promote the upcoming opening Victoria’s Secret, which is “the sexiest lingerie in the world”, they have set up a tent in Yonge-Dundas Square and are giving away secret awards valid October 28-31. You can also enter to win a chance to attend a fashion show and for those adventurous girls you can get a photo taken wearing some angel wings.
The water coming out of the fountains in the Square was even coloured pink in tribute of lovely underwear. I must admit I was disappointed that there were no angels on hand wearing some of the famous lingerie. Remember, you can’t have too many thongs!

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Flat Track Roller Derby Semi-Final #2

Downright Dirty Dawson #Z682

The second half of the Toronto Roller Derbry (ToRD) flat track semi-finals slammed into the Hanger as the Death Track Dolls and Chicks Ahoy went wheel to wheel and shoulder to shoulder. Doors opened at 6:30pm today (Saturday, October 23rd) and the game started at 7:30pm. The Dolls were in white and the Chicks were in green and Chicks Ahoy kicked a little ass tonite and took the semi-final game. I was sad because I love the Dolls and one of my favourite players is the incredibly fast Land Shark #33.
Jammers Demolition Dawn #36 & Candy Crossbones #5446
Toronto's Roller Derby League play is one of the best sports entertainment events you can go to with it's eclectic mix of action, girls, costumes and musical guests. The costs of tickets is very reasonable and so is the price of beer - and as a bonus parking is free! You can buy your tickets now for the hell on wheels 2010 competition final.

From ToRD "Ask the Death Track Dolls what kind of year it is and they’ll confidently proclaim, “Year of the Doll!” Showing an immense amount of team-work and strategy this year, the Dolls are stronger and more driven than ever before. Not to be underestimated, they are out for blood and there is no such thing as mercy at this stage. Poised to continue onto the championships for the first time, there will be no holds barred. The Death Track Dolls want their chance at fighting for TORD’s top trophy: The Boot, and they’re prepared to put up one helluva fight for it.
Land Shark #33 blows by the pack
The last time these two teams met on the track, Chicks Ahoy! squeaked by with a thin 121-109 victory – very close in the world of roller derby. This outcome has fostered a sense that both teams have something to prove in their rematch. The Chicks Ahoy! are a crushing force to be reckoned with, executing devastating hits and impassable walls that can render even the best jammers useless. But the Chicks are more than that, and they will be bringing every tactic and well practiced strategy in their arsenal to the track in hopes of a victory."
The winner goes into the Championship game against the Gore-Gore Rollergirls scheduled for Saturday, November 30th, 2010. The final game will provide the winner with the top prize; The Boot (I don't think I would like to get the boot, but I guess it's good in this case). In the picture below I think someone didn't get the boot, they got the hand and by the look of the tattoo the hand formerly belonged to a Chicks Ahoy skater. Sometimes those games are rough!
The place was jammed with fans and the arena filled up fast with people sitting on bleachers, sofas, lawn chairs or on the floor. The anthem and half time show featured the Cowgirl Choir.

The Cowgirl Choir

You can see more photos of the action after the jump.

2010 Toronto Zombie Walk

The 2010 Zombie Walk returns to the streets of Toronto, starting at Trinity Bellwoods Park at 3pm and winding it's way along various roads until it hits Christie Pits. Hide your brains and bring out the blood. I asked Thea Munster (pictured below) if she had gotten married yet - you may remember that she got engaged during last years Zombie Walk, and she said that she has been too busy to get married so far this year.
People were having fun gathering in the bowl in Trinity Bellwoods Park. Some of the outfits, costumes and makeup were out of this world. Use of special contacts has been increasing at every event that we attend.


After milling around and everyone taking lots of photos of the zombies they gathered around the stage for a few contests including best scream, best zombie walk and best costume. Then a little after three the zombie crowd headed out to Dundas and there route which ended at Christie Pits. They did do a little diversion to their planned route, heading up Bathurst instead of Borden, but the zombies and the crowds of people had great fun watching the bloody spectacle. This was another successful Zombie Walk and it was great fun to watch and take pictures of everyone.


And after the jump you can see many more of my pictures of the excellent makeup and costumes worn by some of the participants.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Photo Vault - Elton and Billy

I have fond memories of the 2009 Elton John and Billy Joel concert held in Toronto's Air Canada Centre and I wish Billy would come back again. I thought I would check out some of the pictures that I took and when I look at the crowds I am amazed by how many fans can fit into the ACC.
Here is Elton at the end of the show with some happy fans.

What a headache looks like

I always imagined that this is what a headache should look like. Or maybe it is what you would like to do to your head while suffering through a bad migraine.

Monday, October 18, 2010

The Corridor Club - A GO experience

Boinkin on the train! The modern and luxurious GO Transit commuter train comes complete with bathrooms and apparently some of the passengers are getting to know each other quite personally with members joining the "Corridor Club". The practice has been coming up in conversations as people read (and write into) the free evening newspaper t.o.night in their "Shout Outs (email link to submit your own shout out)" column and which includes talk of banana and oreo cookie eating. Now there seems to be a TTC Ride the Rocket Club after some sex on the Spadina Subway!
The shout outs are usually full of compliments (l laughed so hard, cute, beautiful) and verbal high fives, complaints of other passengers (loudly burping, boring old prude, complete moron, etc) and the occasional request for corridor club action, or boasting of having got some action. Here is a shout out from the October 18, 2010 edition "Looks like BB is looking for more that just initiation into the club, sorry BB I could not wait any longer, I received my initiation last night. Signed, previously Mile high member now Dual Club Membership." For the other side of the coin here is Concerned Observer saying "...there are a lot of weirdos out there, just look at the corridor club".
Now I see bumper stickers pasted over newspaper boxes on the streets of Toronto which state "The Corridor Club .com ....you know who we are". Their online tag is "the place where commuters come together".

Kevin Clarke for Mayor - message on the street

The dark asphalt pavement of Yonge Street has become a large billboard for Kevin Clarke and his latest run for political office as a contender for Mayor of Toronto. Kevin is a homeless man that has been running for office (of several varieties) since the early 1990's. A twitpic post asks the question who is supplying the invisible to white paint needed for his road posts. BlogTO has a story on Kevin and a few of the other fringe candidates hoping to win victory in this 2010 election.
I do remember seeing him quite often along Bay Street and at the corner near the courthouse (old City Hall) in long, flowing robes and talking, talking, talking to people that pass by.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Clovermead - A bee's paradise

Continuing our tour of Lake Erie area attractions in Southern Ontario we head to Clovermead Adventure Farm, home of 24 million hard working bees, a bee beard competition and a tasty honey giftshop. I didn't get to experience the bee beard but I don't think I would have tried if given an opportunity.

They have plenty of animals with horses, goats (and goat bridge), bunnies and a lazy cat enjoying the sunny day. They also have several play areas for the kids with a zip line, rope walks, swings, a hay bale mountain castle, a bee train as well as animal and bee displays. As this was the end of the season we had fun on the pedal cart track vehicles without the large crowds.

See the goat bridge after the jump.

Port Stanley Terminal Rail - Lake Erie Fun

While zillions of people head north on the summer and fall weekends I take the opportunity to visit the lands along Lake Erie and I start with the Port Stanley Terminal Rail which is an operating tourist railway. The line started in the mid 1800's as a passenger and freight line between London and Port Stanley, then became an electric commuter railway which ceased in 1957 with the freight train ending in 1982 with the railway now running as a scenic tourist trip up and down a short section of tracks. You can lean out the train in the cars that don't have windows or stay in the enclosed car and later check out the trains at the park at the end of the line, like the train plow below.
The period in the 1910's into the 1940's provided transportation to over a million people a year, many of them servicemen on a pleasure run to the Stork Club in Port Stanley for some weekend fun before they had to go overseas. I know this because of the volunteer conductor on board rhyming off his little golden nuggets of information. I especially loved his blurbs about the type of wildlife we could see during the ride. You could see deer, coyotes and foxes - you probably won't see them, but you could. I would say that the highlight of the animal life is the few Blue Herons that hang around the creek. He also liked to point out that they didn't have to signal when going through private crossings; so if you got run over, too bad, it's your own fault!
The trip passes right by Union Station. It is so tiny that the cute little station house would be smaller than a bathroom in Toronto's own Union Station.

The train ride, including a stop at the park at the end, takes about an hour and the 15 km/h ride (I panned the camera to give a fake sense of the speed of the train, above) is a pleasant journey on a weekend afternoon. You can even arrange for a party car to be added to the train and enjoy a birthday or wedding party - now that's fun.

See more pictures of the train at the park and a tiny, little rail car after the jump.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Leaves fall on a pond

The fall colours are fading fast and there won't be much time left to view the beauty of Ontario's forests. After the leaves fall there is nothing left but the coming of winter, the harsh, harsh winter. This weekend is supposed to be sunny and warm, maybe a little on the coolish side so get out and enjoy it if you can.
I went to a local pond (Frog Pond in Acton) to see the colours and what was left of the leaves on the trees. We have definitely passed peak and the majority of leaves have fallen to the ground. The remaining leaves are burnt and colours with very few vibrant orange, yellow and reds.


Thursday, October 14, 2010

Canada's Walk of Fame Festival

I was waiting for my call to the 13th annual Walk of Fame but I must have missed the ringing phone. To honour some of Canada's true celebrities and others that excel in entertainment, sport and science we have the Walk of Fame event which includes a Tribute Ball, a free festival at Yonge-Dundas Square, concerts featuring the inductees, and the unveiling of the sidewalk stars around Roy Thomson Hall.

The 2010 inductees are David Clayton-Thomas, Nelly Furtado, Doug Henning, Clara Hughes, Eric McCormack, Farley Mowat and Sarah Polley. The Walk was started in 1998 and now has 131 inductees.
The free festival has started in the square and will continue to the 17th and will feature concerts by emerging talent from 12 noon to 11pm each night and a films at 9pm. I caught JRDN doing a few numbers at lunch time (pictured at top) followed by Jacynthe.
See photo's of Jim Carrey's star on the Canada Walk of Fame after the jump

Doors Open

Scarborough Bluffs

Pride

Redball

Beaches

Graffiti

Lake Ontario

Nathan Phillips Square

Transportation