Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Fun things to do in #Toronto May & June 2014

Now that's what I'm talking about! Warm, golden sun starts to heat the city and bake in the goodness of full patios and exciting events until everyone is just cooking.

World Naked Gardening Day Sat, May 3 (usually first weekend of May)
Toronto Marathon Sun, May 4.
Canadian Music Fest Tue to Sat, May 6-10.2014
Toronto Comic Arts Festival TCAF Sat to Sun, May 10-11.
Discovery Ontario Centres of Excellence Mon to Tue, May 12-13.
Toronto Freedom Festival (Toronto's largest outdoor spring festival) with GMM  and Freedom Festival both Saturday and Sunday. Note: No permits means no festival but the march continues - gather at high noon Sat, May 3 at Queen's Park North, march begins at 2pm.
Toronto Roller Derby League.
Cherry Blossoms in Toronto - should happen May 14-22. Best views in High Park.
Toronto International Circus Festival Sat to Mon, May 17-19.
Anime North Fri to Sun, May 23-25.
Woofstock Sat to Sun, May 24-25. Cute dogs in costumes at Woodbine Park in the Beach area this year.
Doors Open Toronto Sat to Sun, May 24-25. Chance to see things normally closed to public or attractions with no entrance fee.
2014 Miss Hooters Toronto Bikini Contest Tues, May 27 at the Downtown Hooters and Wed, May 28 at the Toronto Airport Hooters - doors open at 7pm. Cost is $10.
 Toronto Pro SuperShow Fri to Sun, May 30 - June 1.
Colour Me Rad 5k Sat, May 31 in Downsview Park.

Hope Volleyball Tournament Sat, Jun 14 on Toronto Islands. Charity volleyball bash/tournament.
Luminato  Fri to Sun, June 6-15. Cool art installations. 
North By North East (NXNE) Music Festival Mon to Sun, June 13-22.
Great Heart Festival Thurs to Sun, June TBD.
Northern Ink Xposure Tattoo Show Fri to Sun, June 13-15.
Woodbine Beach BBQ and Brews Festival Fri to Sun, June 13-15.
Taste of Little Italy Fri to Sun, June 13-15.
World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) Sat, Jun 14. Right through downtown Toronto, nude. Meet at Coronation Park by noon, ride begins at 1pm.
Toronto edition of the Global Reddit Meetup in Trinity Bellwoods Sat, Jun 14, starting at 2pm.
Roncy Rocks in Roncesvalles Sat, Jun 14.
Bloorville Exotic Cars Sun, Jun 16.
MuchMusic Video Awards 2013 Sun, Jun 15.
Battle of Black Creek Re-enactment Sat to Sun, June 14-15.
Toronto Wine and Spirit Festival Thurs to Sat, Jun 19-21 at Sugar Beach.
World Pride: Toronto Pride Week and Pride Parades Fri to Sun, June 20-29. The parades are things of colour and beauty: Trans March on Friday, Dyke March on Saturday and the Pride Parade on Sunday. The Street Festival on Church St is on during Pride Weekend.
Toronto Jazz Festival Thurs to Sat, Jun 19-28.
Redpath Waterfront Festival Fri to Sun, Jun 20-22.
OM T.O. Sat, June 21. Summer Solstice Yoga Classes in the Distillery District.
Dragon Boat Race Festival Sat to Sun, Jun 21-22.
Toronto Roller Derby League: Clam Slam Fri, Jun 27. Part of the Pride Celebrations - love the name.
Scotiabank CHIN Picnic on Canada Day weekend - Sat to Tue, Jun 28 - Jul 1. Fun in the sun at Exhibition Place. Miss CHIN Bikini Contest Saturday June 28 from noon to 2pm.
Canada Eve Fireworks Mon, June 30 (10:30pm-11:00pm).

Monday, December 30, 2013

Fun things to do in #Toronto March & April 2014

Put away those snow shovels cause Spring is coming. Actually just keep them handy, just in case. But you need to get out of the house and forget the cold, long winter that will soon be a distant memory. Exhibitions and shows will give you reason enough to come out of hibernation.

International Home and Garden Show Thurs to Sun, Mar 6-9.
Sexapalooza Fri to Sun, Feb 28 - Mar 2.

International Bicycle Show Fri to Sun, Feb 28 - Mar 2.
Toronto Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival Mar 1 - April 6.
Toronto Roller Derby League.
Toronto Rock Lacrosse
Toronto FC Home Opener Sat Mar 22.

Toronto ComicCON Fri to Sun, Mar 7-9. Come for the costumes, read a few comics and meet some stars.
Fashion Week Tue to Sat, Mar 18-22.
Canada Blooms Tue to Sun, Mar 14-23.
International Spring Motorcycle Show Sat to Sun, Mar 15-16.
St Patricks Day Parade Sun Mar 16.
Megaspeed Custom Car and Truck Show Fri to Sun, Mar 21-23.
Monster Energy Supercross Sat, Mar 22.
Earth Hour Sat Mar 29 at 8:30 pm.
Toronto Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival Mar 1 - April 6.
Toronto Wine and Cheese Show Fri to Sun, April 4-6.
Toronto Pillow Fight 2014: Saturday Apr 5, starting at 3 pm at City Hall.
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Roller Derby League
Toronto International Art Expo Thurs to Sun, Apr 10-13.
2013 Miss Hooters Toronto Bikini Contest at Toronto Airport Hooters - TBD starting at 8pm at the Toronto Hooters.
National Motorcycle and Tattoo Show Sat to Sun, Apr 12-13.
Miss Hooters is now in May
Green Living Show Fri to Sun, Apr 25-27.
Toronto Beaches Lions Easter Parade Sun, Apr 20.
Fort York War of 1812 Festival: Battle of York Commemoration Day Sun, Apr 27.

If we are lucky it will be an early spring and the Cherry Blossoms with fill the trees and the air with their scent at places like High Park, above. Check out the 2012 blossoms here.

Ice in the streets and in the harbour

Toronto police shut down Yonge Street at Gerrard Street as falling ice posed a danger to the public. The falling ice started on Saturday, December 28, 2013 and the road remained closed on Monday, December 30. Meanwhile in other ice news the harbour has some as well.

Toronto Police Service Public Safety Alert, 
Rising temperatures causing falling ice


Broadcast time: 10:30
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Corporate Communications
416-808-7100

Between last night and this morning, in the aftermath of rising temperatures, police have received numerous calls for falling ice. The most recent call is for ice falling off a crane at Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue East

Major concerns for police are: 

- ice falling off buildings 
- ice falling off large structures (such as cranes) 
- ice falling off vehicles, especially the tops of large trucks 

Police are urging members of the public to be alert to the risks posed by falling ice.


Forlorn Captain John's sits in a slip surrounded by ice sheets at the foot of Yonge Street

Ferry Ongiara heads through the ice to the islands

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Annual #Toronto Cosplay Skating

Costume players on skates took to the ice at the Natrel Harbourfront ice rink on Saturday, December 28, 2013.
"It’s that time of year again where you can pull out your skates and put on those cosplays that are just too warm to wear indoors. The annual Toronto Cosplay Skate is happening once again! This year, same as last, it will be taking place at Harbourfront. If you choose to cosplay, awesome! if you can’t / don’t cosplay, that’s cool too! Same goes for skating; there’s plenty of room on the sidelines for you to sit with a warm drink in hand and talk with your friends, take photos, or meet new people. This rink also offers all day skate rentals in case you don’t have a pair, but still want to skate."

Visual Arts at @HarbourfrontTO

Harbourfront Centre's public gallery showcases many diverse forms of contemporary art in a free and easily accessible setting. They rotate the works and feature paintings and both large and small installations. I dropped by to see the end of Other Worlds and Vanishing Into Thin Hair exhibitions. I liked the less than subliminal yeses mixed in the chalkboard writing. Yes, I liked it.
Narcissus by Ian Carr-Harris
Sculptural Cyclops Simulacrum by Robyn Cumming
Part of theVanishing Into Thin Hair photography by Alex Kisilevich 

Friday, December 27, 2013

Some colour for a cold winter's day

You can't fight Mother Nature in #Toronto and when it rains, it freezes. So here are a few photos to remind you of the beauty of spring, summer and fall. And now some rest as tomorrow Fresh Joe and myself ride on bikes in Toronto.
Hopefully the city's cherry trees survived the Ice Storm of the Century
An artist works on a graffiti mural during Nuit Blanche 2013

Nuit Blanche coloured toilet paper rolls
OCAD University


A graffiti mural at Allan Gardens Conservatory park
A bee gathers pollen on a bright sunflower

Monday, December 23, 2013

Diamonds in the trees

Bright sun turned ice into shiny diamonds decorating the trees for Christmas. The evening sun peaks through a layer of clouds over Fairy Lake in Acton, Ontario.
A side street shines in brilliant mix of ice and branches
Berries frozen in ice will prove to be a hard supper to eat for the birds
The beauty of the frozen landscape helps to forget the damage caused by falling branches.

There is plenty of ice after the jump.

Winter Ice Storm 2013

It seemed innocent when it fell to the ground as rain but the ice grew quickly on everything it touched. In Toronto 24.8 mm of freezing rain began to weigh down trees which bent under the added weight and soon branches, large limbs and ice began crashing to the ground. The storm event started on Friday and continued over the weekend from December 20-22, 2013.
My power was out from Saturday night until early Monday morning. Here are pictures of the storm from my little town of Acton.


The wires could handle the ice but the lines could not withstand the onslaught of heavy trees and branches
A hydro substation has no electrical supply
A tree limb lays across two primary distribution circuits

And here is storm information from the City of Toronto, The City Fire Department and GO Transit.

December 23, 2013 City of Toronto storm update

The City of Toronto is continuing to provide updated information this morning on ongoing impacts and the City's response to the ice storm. City staff scheduled to work today are asked to report for their regular shifts to continue to deliver as many services as possible to residents, businesses and visitors.

Toronto Hydro is currently reporting that approximately 225,000 customers are without power. Hydro crews have been and will continue working around the clock to respond. The utility hopes to have power restored by Wednesday. Call Toronto Hydro's Lights Out number, 416-542-8000, for serious situations only.

Read more after the jump.

Doors Open

Scarborough Bluffs

Pride

Redball

Beaches

Graffiti

Lake Ontario

Nathan Phillips Square

Transportation