Sweet Mama, That's Cold!

Made the wise move last night to walk to the not-so-local pub.

Didn't necessarily realize how frikkin' cold it would be walking in the
-27^o wind chilled night air for 40 minutes.

But that's exactly what it was.

But once there, was justly rewarded with a smooth pint of.....Betty's? Okay, Guinness.

And these are not personalized glasses either.

The pub was Betty's. Formerly know as the Betty Ford Clinic. But now, after multiple law suits, just known as Betty's.

But the inside of that warm bar never looked better, regardless of the name.

Took the subway home......

The Old Girl's Still Got It!

Condo Mongo will be sorry after they kick their next door neighbour firefighters out.

Here a couple of Toronto's finest respond to a local emergency.

Watch That First Step......

Holy freakin' doodle, these guys fly through the intersections.

With 14 pedestrian fatalities in the last two weeks, Toronto's streets feel like a battle zone. With only 50 all of last year, we're up to 14 already and it's still only January.

And you can feel the impact on the streets. It's almost as if everybody now has their head on a swivel.

I know I'm now looking two, three, four times before I jaywalk anymore.

That's More Like It

Well, they're wasting little time in getting holes in the ground for the codno across the street.

Especially at about 5 a.m. when I thought our building was coming down. But they were just unloading this bad boy across the street. They must have been dragging it down the road.

But we're in a recession. Who is buying all these condos?

I did read that, internationally, Toronto is very popular, though, as it is considered a "safe market"; stable banking system, multicultural society, low crime rate, etc.

And although the rest of Canada loves to hates us (no idea why you freakin' losers feel that way about Toronto The Great), it looks like somebody must, to buy all our condos.



So this looks like it is going to be a 30 story behemoth. Holy crap. Maybe I don't want it next door......

Uh Oh For Knee-o

Looks like Mr. Knee might have to go under the knife again.

A year and a half after surgery, and still swollen and stiff (why can't other things be like that?)

So my doc recommends another MRI. Get ready to wait.

So called up the Health Network today to ask if they have at least received the requisition.

"Sir, your doctor only sent the requisition in two weeks ago. It will be at least two to three more weeks until we process it. And then another three to four months until your appointment."

Pfffffffft......I love socialized medicine.

So I thought, what the hell, it can't hurt, "Any cancellations?"

She goes, "Let's see.....how about tomorrow?"

Unbelievable. You think she might have offered up that little tidbit of information herself. But that's just more work for a government employee.

Ay yi yi.......So it's off to the MRI clinic for 5:30am!

Just Remember......

...that just before they finally decided to put this "spent oil" into the bucket, it was cooking your meal....

Now where is this restaurant?

More places than you'd like to know.......

I Don't Believe It (Part Deux)

Hmmmmm..... I wonder why they've just blocked off the Canadian Tire parking lot across the street from me?

Aaaaarrrrgghhh!

Say it ain't so!!

It's one thing for them to build stinkin' condo's a few blocks away. But across the street?

From me?

I don't know how you spell NIMBY (well, I guess I do) but I think this is as good a reason as any for it.

Okay......[fifteen minutes later after time to think] they're not tearing down some heritage building, so I guess that is good. And it is just a asphalt parking lot. Hmmmm....it'll give the street a more neighborhood feel. It won't block my sun, because I don't get any sun! A lot more girls in the neighborhood.....

Hey, let's get moving, what's taking you so long?

I Don't Believe It!

Taken from The Condo-I-Love-To-Hate file [mongo-strocity condo they are building next to heritage firehall].

[Ed note: to see some earlier rants on this same topic, may I suggest "So Long, Yorkville", or, "Still Hanging In"]

I understand the poor babies (rich babies, actually) who are purchasing these things expressed concern that the fire engines will be just too loud for them to enjoy their caviar and whatever you drink with caviar parties.

So - get this - the fire engines are kaput! They have to find a new home.

Give me a freakin' break. I was shocked.

Luckily, the building will remain [probably turn into a caviaremporium or something] but the firefigthing service must go.

Not that I am wishing harm upon anyone, but I think you can see that the potential for delicious irony exists here......

[In one of the earlier posts, I commented that smallest unit is 2,000 square feet and starts at 1 million dollars. Today I learned that the penthouse just sold for...... 35 million dollars.]

Not Bad....

I've come up with way cheesier lines, but that's not bad.......

Where Is This?

One in a continuing series of Wonderful Washrooms Everywhere.

Very nice. Makes ya wanna go just looking at it.

A third world country?

Grossman's Tavern?

Okay, time's up....... it's Toronto's Union Station.

Great first impression for tired, and full, travellers everywhere. Hey pal, where you from?

And who says it needs a make-over.

[P.S. Union Station is undergoing a 615 million dollar facelift. I know where they can start.]

[P.P.S I got beat up just after taking this.]

I Agree!

World's Ugliest?

Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum (The ROM) has really taken a beating lately in the international press.

The Washington Post declared it the "worst Building of the decade".

"Sure, there were a lot of Wal-Marts thrown up in the Aughts, but Daniel Libeskind's addition to the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto surpasses the ugliness of bland functional buildings by being both ugly and useless."

But it doesn't stop there.

In November, travel website virtualtourist.com named the crystal one of the world's 10 ugliest buildings. And there are some ugly buildings out there.

And I get to look at this beauty everytime I head west of mia casa.

Oh well, it only cost 270 million dollars......

What The Exotic Dancers Heard When The Retailers Convention Was In Town

Okay.....groan.

[With thanks - or apologies - to Mr. Boffo.]

Too Much Fun!

Won tickets to the Raptors game Sunday.

And not just any tickets - to the Molson box!

Could it be.....free beer ALL DAY LONG?

OH YEAH!!!

Needed to find the biggest beer drinker I know. But he was busy.

But two other hearty lads stepped into the breach to rescue the day.

Just getting warmed up.

Whoa.....

Our waitress was a far better beer pourer than picture taker. Not that we were complaing too much.

And, of course, it was kind of our own fault for asking her to jump up and down all the time.

Now she's got it.

And here she is getting some of the credit for an excellent afternoon. Not sure if this was her idea of credit, though.

Ha ha, we were the three funniest guys there!

I don't think our beverages got more than half empty (or full, for you optimists) before she had three more cold ones plunked down.

Thanks, server who will remain nameless!

After the game fun, went to a pub (honest) to watch one of the lad's friend play sax in a band.

Excellent tunes all night, Toby!

But Elvis was freakin' me out, man.

Good Attitude

Was over having my favourite dish [all together now] Spicy Chicken Tikka and I said to the regular fellow, I've seen you in here a lot lately (I guess he could say the same thing of me).

He said his two partners went back to Pakistan for three months and he has to mind the shop. Every day.

Nice friends, his buddies took off for three months vacation and he has to be there every day. For three months.

I said I couldn't handle that. He said, it's better than sitting home doing nothing.

I said, I'll have to challenge you on that. Having just spent the better part of two weeks sitting at home on my butt and thinking this is not bad.

He said, I meant it better than being unemployed.

Man, that's a great attitude.

Some people, who will remain nameless unless you look up by bio, would be complaining all the time about having to work for three months straight, and how it's not fair, and how I'm going to stuff as much Chicken Tikka as I can in my face, that'll show 'em.

But for this guy, that's my job.......

Yeah, I Bet

But I didn't capture the full sign.

At the bottom it says "One Week Only - Then We Leave Town".

Or it should, anyway......

So How's That Workin' For Ya?

Let's see....buy myself a hot dog vendor licence, pay for a great spot like Yonge & Bloor, then sit back and watch the money roll in......

I watched this scene for a while, and even with a Special Menu, this guy can only look back wistfully, hands on hips, at all the people who are not customers.

Although you can't see it or feel it, it is brutally cold.

And windy (umbrella tucked under the cart).

Hmmm....what was I thinkin'?........

And while I'm at it, I hope you stinkin' mongo condo builders freeze yer tails off.

Holy Snappers!

Okay...an ad for a cosmetic surgery place.

Pretty standard fare.

Although a provocative picture, fer sure.

But is nothing sacred anymore?

Laser Vaginoplasty? Laser Vaginal Whatsamahoo?

Hey, you're looking good, Judy.

Yeah, I had my snapper done.

You're right, you look ten years younger!

[You know, if you're worried you need your Na Na rejuvenated, or if it's just plum worn out, I'd say life's been pretty good to you.....]