Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter my Peeps

Easter long weekend means food, family and fun and hopefully a few days off to relax and enjoy it all as we celebrate the pagan goddess Easter and possibly for many other things. Peeps are the marshmallow treats shaped like cartoon chicks, bunnies and other animals and are only available around Easter and other major celebrations like Christmas and Halloween.

My daughter likes them when they are a little stale, or frozen. 

The Fire Guy returns

Toasty Spring temperatures in #Toronto brought out street performers The Fire Guy and Kate Mior. The Fire Guy said he is one of only three performers that can put on a show at Yonge-Dundas Square. He set up a roped off area and juggled, rode a skateboard and played with a lot of fire.
Kate Mior: character performer

See more of the Fire Guy after the jump.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Easter Weekend in #Toronto

The 2013 Beaches Lions Easter Parade begins at 2pm on Sunday, March 31 and leaves from Queen Street at Munro Park, following Queen Street and ending at Woodbine Avenue. Other weekend family activities from Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation include the following.

"Riverdale Farm
The perfect destination for families, visit the farm to see cows, horses, donkeys, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits and newborn lambs. While you’re there, visit the Residence and the Cabbagetown Regent Park Museum. The Farm is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free. More information is available at www.toronto.ca/parks/featured-parks/riverdale-farm/

Toronto Islands
Catch a ferry to Ward's Island and visit Far Enough Farm, which is home to a number of animals including horses, donkeys, cows, goats, pigs, rabbits, peacocks and emus. The farm is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission is free.

Playground Paradise
Located at Flemingdon Park Community Centre, 150 Grenoble Dr., the playground offers excellent family fun for children 12 years of age and under. Kids can play on a two-storey play structure, go down the spiral slide, swing on the track ride, climb the cargo elevator, talk to friends through the talk tube and play in the ball pool with over 8,000 balls.

Easter weekend public hours:
Saturday, March 30: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.
Sunday, March 31: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.

Fee: $2.50 per child
For more information: 416-395-6014

High Park Zoo
Located on Deer Pen Road, the zoo offers both domestic and exotic animals including bison, llamas, peacocks, deer, highland cattle and sheep. The zoo is open daily year-round to visitors from 7 a.m. to dusk. The llama pen with be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Easter weekend, including Good Friday and Easter Monday. More information is available at www.toronto.ca/parks/featured-parks/high-park

Preview of spring flower shows
The spring flower shows are in full bloom at Centennial Park Conservatory, 151 Elmcrest Rd. and Allan Gardens Conservatory, 19 Horticultural Ave. Both shows feature various spring flowering plants: cyclamen, kalanchoe, primula, crocuses, tulips and daffodils. The Easter flower shows open at both conservatories on March 24 and include Easter lilies and hydrangea. Both conservatories are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free. For more information, call Centennial Park Conservatory at 416-394-8543 and Allan Gardens Conservatory at 416-392-7288.

Discover The Shared Path
The Shared Path, the newest of the 10 Discovery Walks, includes approximately 15 km of trails through park areas along the banks of the Humber River. The self-guided Discovery Walks program links ravines, parks and neighbourhoods and is designed to showcase Toronto's outstanding natural features and cultural and historical attractions. Maps are available at www.toronto.ca/parks/trails/discover.htm

Programs, services and permits:

Friday, March 29: Due to the holiday, not all Parks, Forestry and Recreation programs and services will be offered during the day. Indoor arenas will be available from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. for scheduled tournament or league play.

Saturday, March 30: All programs and services will operate as per the usual schedule.

Sunday, March 31: All programs will operate as per the usual schedule. Indoor Arenas will be available from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. for scheduled tournament or league play.

Monday, April 1: Due to the holiday, all Parks, Forestry and Recreation programs and services will not be offered during the day. Indoor arenas will be available from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. for scheduled tournament or league play.

Toronto and East York District: East York Memorial Arena has regular leisure skate on Sunday, March 31, no other special events or programs.

Scarborough District: Centennial RC has regular leisure skate on Saturday, March 30 and Sunday, March 31.

Etobicoke District: no skate programs or special rink events on Easter weekend.

North York District: all rinks are closed and no skate programs on Easter weekend.

For more information visit: www.toronto.ca/parks/prd/facilities/index.htm."

Hmmm, Sugarbush

The annual running of the sap is happening right now in a tapped out maple tree in a forest near you. A full forest isn't really needed, just tap an individual tree and boil the sticky sweet sap until you are left with maple syrup. If you want to see a large scale Maple Syrup Festival in operation there are tours through GTA parks at Kortright Conservation Area, Bruce's Mill Conservation Area and Mountsberg Conservation Area.
The parks have trees tapped using traditional metal buckets, new plastic buckets and the new plastic tubes that run from tree to tree and collect in large containers.

Friday, March 29, 2013

#Toronto cherry blossom watch 2013




Blossoms are out in #Toronto right now - Saturday, May 4, 2013!
High Park blossoms along Grenadier Pond

See more flowers after the jump.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Yonge Street Alleyways

The Bills by Things graffiti are still surviving on the alleyways along Yonge Street in the downtown core of #Toronto. Not all cool graffiti is along Queen Street West, there is a lot of street art along small streets running parallel to the main drag.

A colourful butterfly 


I'm Ba-ack!

See more graffiti and more of the Bills after the jump.

Chalkmaster Dave's 3D lounge

Astronauts, knights of the round table and dinosaur fossils came to life in chalk 3D outside of the #Toronto Eaton Centre. The large sidewalk mural was done for a promotion for Bell and Fibe, 4G LTE. Dave also painted the LIFE of PI art in the Eaton Centre - see my post here.



Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Berczy Park sidewalk

Remembering the sidewalk which is painted for chalk colouring, sitting in the shadow of trees beside the #Toronto Flatiron building. If the drawing is to scale it must be Clifford the Big Red Dog beside the CN Tower. This is one of my favourite places in Toronto. Located within the St Lawrence Market area you can relax beside the fountain or stare at the art mural on the side of the Gooderham Building.
And this bird is eating a worm


See more of the park after the jump.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Box people in #Toronto

Two workers roll some box people along Queen Street West. They box people were out and about probably because the temperatures were above freezing and the warm sun was shining on our fair city. They seemed a little wooden to me.

Lady smokes at Cameron House

A new mural adorns the ever changing face of Cameron House on #Toronto’s Queen Street West. A young lady smokes a cigarette while talking on the phone, meanwhile just above her head are the giant “ten ants” that climb the brick walls of the building.
This is the King or Queen of the colony - I know because of the ant crown



Here is the old Cameron painting scheme

Monday, March 25, 2013

Hearts in Sonya's Park

Bright graffiti is complemented by hanging hearts at 63 Oxford Street in #Toronto. The community park and flower gardens in the Kensington Market is enclosed within bricks and fence and the bright graffiti really stands out. Joining the hearts are a bunch of purses and strips of cloth.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

MegaSpeed Bikini Contest 2013

It was a twofer as the #Toronto @MegaSpeedShow had a Best Booty of North America Contest along with the famous Miss MegaSpeed Bikini Contest at the car and truck show. First up was the Booty contest.
Miss MegaSpeed winners in 2011 Alisha Lynn, 2013 Kayja Rassweiler and 2012 Melissa Danielle

See more of the competitions after the jump.

Girls of MegaSpeed 2013

Girls, girls, girls of the 2013 #Toronto @MegaSpeedShow competed in the Bikini Contest and the Best Booty in North America Contest as well as the many promotional models in the halls of the International Centre.

Playboy cover models Rachelle Wilde and Ashley Perry


See more of the lovely ladies after the jump.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

MegaSpeed Custom Car & Truck Show 2013

The @MegaSpeedShow in #Toronto brought together the classics, racers and tuners together, along with a fine bevy of beautiful girls, for the weekend car and truck event taking over the International Centre March 22-24, 2013. See my photos of MegaSpeed Bikini Contest and Best Booty of North America on my post here.
2013 Grand Marshall Bill Goldberg 
Loaded down with wrestling belts waiting in line to meet Bill
Actress Candy Clark and the 40th Anniversary of American Graffiti
The Custom Car and Truck show has lots to offer automotive enthusiasts with over 600 cars, 20 clubs and associations and more than 300 exhibitors. Live bands and DJs will keep the music flowing in the 500,000 square feet in several halls of the massive centre - which also provides free parking. Besides cars you can spend time with some motorcycles, animals from Zoo to You, celebrities and special guests.

Got Ass? The Best Booty in North America contest
Miss MegaSpeed bikini contest
Lovely models pose for photographers in the many halls open for the car show. See more of the girls on my post here.

See more of the show after the jump.

Doors Open

Scarborough Bluffs

Pride

Redball

Beaches

Graffiti

Lake Ontario

Nathan Phillips Square

Transportation