Toronto, when the light hits.

Untitled from butgooddifferent on Vimeo.

I took all these shots with my iPhone. I wasn't sure what to do with them, so now they're in a  slideshow on this blog. This collection was created by wandering around and meandering through various neighbourhoods in Toronto's West end, but you'll find some East end shots in there, interspersed with pics from the CNE and waterfront.  Somehow the iPhone camera captures light really well. 

I definitely want an upgrade though. 

The Spontaneous Prose Store

You might have caught the tail end of her interview on CBC one morning, like I did. She takes her typewriter to the streets of Toronto, setting up shop in different neighbourhoods. The products she sells are type-written poetry and prose, inspired by passerbys like you and I.

You can give her a theme, first line or title and she will rapidly do the rest, producing a piece of written work for you on sticker paper. We came by her in Kensington Market and were quite delighted. We gave her the title "The Methodology of Baking" (long story). Check out the poem she wrote for us:

Makes for pretty neat collaborative work between strangers. You can follow Kaile's wordpress for more!

- S.

butgooddifferent visits Red Hook, Brooklyn

This is what Toronto's Port Lands could be like if the Fords weren't in charge. Feels small- town-in-the-big-city like Leslieville (but much less developed). Looks like parts of the Distillery District if it extended further South East. Is being redeveloped in a similar vein to Montreal's St. Henri. Oh and Torontonians would have to make do with our scenic view of Leslie Spitt instead of the Statue of Liberty across the water...






















































(And throw in a couple of these guys for fun and we'd be set.)


Sold.
S.


PS. Did you read the letter?

Toronto Portlands Letter

Name that patio

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

S.

Location:Roncesvalles

Anser's back

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Grab your coat and get your hat

It's CNE time again!

As you may have heard, this year's features include:

the donut cheeseburger
patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato sandwiched between 2 Krispy Kreme Donuts! and we thought deep fried butter was a bad slash good idea

deep fried coke
funnel cake batter made with coke, deep fried, then drizzled with concentrated coke syrup and then hit with whipped cream. Apparently the fried bits themselves aren't bad, but the syrup is nauseatingly sweet.

And if that isn't enough to get you barrelling for the gates, check out blogTO's photos of the CNE from days gone by. People went in droves and apparently they were fancy back then - boater hats and long skirts were de rigueur for a day at the fair.

On until Sept 5, $16 admission ($12 if you're over 60 or under 13, but then you're not really our reader demographic).

e

PS. blogTO's been posting a series on old photos of Toronto, including the aforementioned CNE photos, the building of the Gardiner, and Yonge St in the 70s. Looks like fashion's come back around. Now if only the mullet could make an unironic resurgence.

bon homme

Dear Jack,


You inspired us, you fought for us, you gave us a reason to hope.


We will miss you and your mustache


Love, 
S&e

For urban enthusiasts and documentary lovers everywhere

By the banks of the LaChine canal, against a backdrop of industrial red brick and iron, 12 film-makers document a 'day in the life' of 12 residents of St. Henri, Montreal. And it literally is a day, one day of filming; the 26th of August. That's quite the feat right? Beautiful, desaturated images of St. Henri and heart-warming characters flicker across the screen to an original score by Patrick Watson-- a perfect way to end a weekend of Hot Docs. 

(And an easy post after a 3-month hiatus! Did e & I run out of content, inspiration or time? Or all of the above?)

S.


Official trailer: St-Henri, the 26th of August from Parabola Films on Vimeo.



PS. Blackpower Mixtape 1967-1975

...

Kids skating at Dufferin Grove Park...

...on my way home from work (in December...). I couldn't resist. How pretty is the sky? The rink is so full! Walking through the park is the best part of my day.

w

Publish Post

S.

Egon Schiele meets Modigliani on stage?

I decided to treat myself to the theatre the other night at Harbourfront's Fleck Dance Theatre. While taking advantage of art and culture in Toronto might be a New Year's resolution, this last minute decision was inspired by the following image in the Toronto Star: 

Taken from the Toronto Star- article 929182

Stylistically and emotionally, it resonated with me - Egon Schiele meets Modigliani on stage?  I had to see it.

Questo buio Feroce, The Wild Darkness, is a contemporary performance by an Italian theatre company that draws inspiration from the lives of the socially excluded, to the extent that  "non professional" actors are included in the company. "Non professional" actors meaning street-involved persons and political prisoners with no formal training. The theatre piece was adapted from essays and memoirs of American writer, Harold Brodkey, capturing his journey towards death while fighting a long battle with AIDS. 

I had an idea that it might be dark and artsy, but wasn't quite prepared. Questo buio Feroce was an hour and a half of very disjointed dream-like sequences, interspersed with comedic acts, dances, a karaoke performance and eerie theatrics. It was minimalistic in that it was just a white box, with few props, but way out there with costumes and make-up. Think Venician carnival meets 80's drag show. Despite not being able to understand the entire performance, themes somehow came across and were beautifully illustrated, from lust and longing, the war on mens' bodies by the medical world, to death and dying. Although the more carnival-esque aspects were out of my comfort zone, and the drawn out scenes made me squirm in my seat, the play inspired me enough to want to share the trailer with you. (And the music was great, especially the use of the theme music from In the Mood for Love! I'm a big fan.)



Plus you never know what you're going to find at Harbourfront...we stumbled across a few vernissages to top of our night. More art we didn't quite "get". Who knew that Harbourfront in the winter could be this much fun? 

S.