Pride On The Line

It is/was World Pride in Toronto this year.

First time ever in North America.  And Toronto gets the nod.

And today was the Gay Pride Parade.

Calm Before The Storm

Here they are hiding in a leafy ravine before unleashing themselves on the public.

And being in Canada, some good themes to go with the parade.

Although I'm not sure if this float is sanctioned by the NHL.  I'm sure the uniforms are not.

And another snippet of Canadiana, of course with a Pride twist on our "Out and About" motto.

Not really sure about the theme of this float.  Electrical workers?  On break?

Although again, I'm doubting the IEWU is funding this one.  No steel toes!

The theme of this one...?   Not so sure again.

This one?  Uhhh.....no.

Uhhh....no.

No......

This really looks to just be a bunch of people - not even buffed people! - standing around on a float in their underwear.

Looking very similar to the people watching them.  Art imitating life?

This one?  I'll let you draw your own conclusions.  May be lost, asking directions, trying to catch up to the other float.

Okay, this one I got!!  World Pride!

I'm now one for........

Hey, my Alma Mater - U of Waterloo Engineering!

I'm even getting the wave.

Engineers can recognize other cool guys.

And of course, the corporate sponsors have to get involved.

I guess this one to get you in the mood.

And this one to help you stay in the mood.

But these guys were probably the most talented of the entire parade.

They actually did something; twirl their batons.

I am not as talented, as I could not time it to get the batons in the air.

But they were up there, baby!

But some of the most interesting viewing was on the sidelines.

Although for viewing, these guys were also quite popular, if the number of people snapping pics is any indication.

But it's not over til the fat lady sings.

Or at least the fat drag queen.

But actually this parade was far from over.  And I thought Caribana was slow!

The parade started at 1pm and this pic is at the starting point, at 3:30pm.  So I would not have to be here all night, to get a lot of these shots I walked upstream, to the staging area.

And by 4pm (three hours after the parade started) it was still packed with many more floats. And at the speed they were going, all at least an hour away from the starting point.

I'm sure it's still going on as you are reading this.

But...nobody seemed to be a hurry.

Everybody was happy just celebrating lots of different shapes, sizes, colours, boxers, briefs, pierces, punctures and every last tattooed, dangley bit.

Way to go TO!

Let's see Rio top this!

Winner!

For most unpaid parking tickets!

For several years in a row, I'm guessing.

As seen in Toronto's Kensington Market the other day.

And I'm also guessing that there is as much of that green stuff inside car as well.  If you get my drift......

Okay.....slow news day. 

Or week.

I'm Guessing......

 ....that this Penthouse.....

...is one of the two Penthouses "featured" here.

And I also bet I know where a some of the "select few suites available" are located.

If this building looks familiar, it should, because I blogged about These Guys earlier....

It's hard to tell from this pic, but the building on the right is about five storeys higher (and growing)  than the poor schmucks on the left.

'Nuff Said.....

Sad, But Likely True

Wait, that's actually good news for me!  [And it's all about me.]

Now it may only be Canadian kids - because a study came out saying Canadian kids ranked something like second last on the lazy scale.

And who is to blame for that?

I used to walk to school both ways.  Uphill.

Luxury!

At least these street posters are trying to have some fun with it.

Unless it hurts the feelings of these some of these little darlings and their parents go after Sick Kids Hospital, who is sponsoring this slander.

But "entitlement" of today's kids is a whole nother blog post.

Names In The News

This is a picture of the Playter Farmhouse, part of Playter Estates in Toronto, built in the mid 1870's.

This is actually the farmhouse that was built in the 1870's.

It is supposedly the same building, but I'm not so sure.

The house above is now called the Playter Mansion and has been ongoing renovations for about as long as some people can remember.

It was written up in the paper the other day, so thought I would discretely check it out.

When I was snapping some pics a lady said, "So you read the article, huh?"

So it may look like a small farmhouse, but in behind, they have expanded it to about four times its original size. (Too big to get in one picture.)

And residents, certainly that lady, are chagrined.

Most homes in the neighbourhood are very stately.

But more modest.

So to give you an idea of scale and where this is, here is a shot, circa 1950.

(Is that the same ghost from the previous post?)

And today.  Well, yesterday.

And a bit further back, here is it in 1912.

And where is it?

If anybody is still reading, Broadview and Danforth.  It's at the end of the street there.

For those not in the know about Toronto, that's right in the heart of Greektown.

In a hundred years, things have certainly changed down on the farm.

Kinda Cool, Kinda Sad.....

Came across a kinda cool footbridge over the Rosedale Valley Ravine.

And it has been here for quite a while, too.

This picture taken in 1890.

Now that guy in front on the left isn't a ghost.

During the time lapse photography for this photo, he got tired and left. And then died, and came back - holy cow - as a ghost.

Since the first picture has so much greenery in it, you can't see the beautiful, old house in the background of the second photo.  Of course, at the time, it wasn't that old.

But in this photo  you can see it - well some of it.  Darn that greenery.

And they have done a good job of adding some nice greenery to these mini-parks.   And the stone work and plaque.

The one below recognizes the celebrated Canadian author, Morley Callaghan.

Great tribute to him.

But kinda sad, if you read to the last line.

Kinda sad, but I guess that's life......

Finally! A Good News Story

I had thought that this beautiful old Victorian home had been left for dead.  Like so many of Toronto's heritage buildings.

See  Demolition By Neglect for a refresher.

But I guess not.

Now at the time, on my own blog in fact (see Deja Vu for another refresher) there was talk that it was to be refurbished , but we've all heard that song before.

But these guys  - Casey House - were good to their word.

Hey, they even left a little of the old grey around the back, just as a reminder.

Just like those Grecian Formula commercials recommend.

"Hey, Richard.  Two minutes for looking so good."

Awwww, Screw It!

"Missed it by thaaaaat much."

As reported recently in Any Day Now..... I thought the re-pavering of Yorkville Ave was only a few days away from completion.

I snarkily - so unlike me I don't even know if I am spelling that right - suggested it may more be like months til they finish.

Hey, I guess they must read my blog!

Because yesterday, although they were mere inches from the finish line, I guess they said "Awwwww, screw it" and just dumped asphalt on the final 50 feet.

Or maybe they read the end of the blog post and they said, "Condo next door?  Oh oh.  Finish it up, boys, let's get outta here."

A fitting end to a this.....project.

And.....Eggplant?