Grand Opening

After months of doggedly trudging from bakery to bakery, relentlessly downing pastry after pastry, this scribe can confidently inform you that Toronto's best croissants can be found at Patisserie le Celestin on Mount Pleasant.

Until recently it was a hole-in-the-wall next to Le Celestin Bistro, but a few weeks ago it became an actual cafe - a seperate entity - as seen in this photo; filled with happy customers (including yr hmbl srvnt).

Try the butter croissants, and if you're lucky they may have some almond croissants available; if so, try them! Your taste buds will thank you.

An Inviting Facade

Swath of Tulips

A rare splash of colour in knarfworld, but how could these glorious blooms not be shown in all their natural glory?

Waiting for Customers

Sunday in Indian Bazaar (Toronto's East Indian district).

Pizza on Yonge Street

As the weather warms, more and more people (and dogs!) are choosing to dine al fresco.

The Result of April Showers

May flowers

Two Sides of Love (plus an announcement of great import)

Captured on the Yonge line, coming into St. Clair Station.

And now the announcement:

Photos taken in the subway (and transit in general) will become a rarity on This Blog, as yr hmbl srvnt recently launched Under Ground - a Transit Photoblog.

Check it out and visit often!

Thanks.

Hot Tea

On a cold morning

A Night in Yorkville

Walking the Dogs

Smile!

The upcoming weekend is Canada's Victoria Day weekend, the first long weekend of the "summer season". The weather isn't slated to be very summery, but hey, weather prognosicators have been wrong before.

Wherever you are, here's hoping you have a wonderful weekend. I know I will!

Stile Italiano

What is it about the Italians? There's a style about the things they make that's instantly recognizable. From espresso machines to bicycles, one look and you know it's Italian!

Audrey had Grace

"You can't have a little grace. You either have grace or you don't."

"Okay, fine. I have no grace."

"And you can't acquire grace."

"Well, I have no intention of getting grace."

"Grace isn't something you can pick up at the market."

"Alright, alright, look, I don't have grace, I don't want grace, I don't even say grace, okay?"

--Elaine and the Interviewer from the Seinfeld episode The Chaperone

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I sort of stole the format for today's post (for today and today only, I promise) from a new blog, Seriously Amused, who came up with the brilliant idea of a daily photo accompanied only by caption and pithy quote. You really should check it out and bookmark it for daily viewing; it's lots of fun!

Skatepunks

At the Bloor Subway Station, Sunday afternoon.

Lucky on the Main Street Bus

Lucky and his human had a day on the town yesterday.

It's Coming

It's been a cool, grey week for the most part, but one can feel that summer's approaching. There's something in the air.

Equal Opportunity Hydration System

"Finally!"

Listen up!

Cinza has become aware of a hot new blog (okay, maybe not so hot, but certainly new) called Mondo del Ciclismo, and she suggests that you might want to go there to check it out.

Since I have so many bike-related photos to show, I've decided to have a separate blog for them. Bikes, the people that own and ride them, the events and races that they attend, all will be there and more. To get the ball rolling, I've posted a few old favourites but henceforth new bike photos will be seen "over there", not here.

Please visit regularly, and I hope you enjoy!

So does Cinza.

The Open Window

Tulip in the Twilight

Flowers for the Missus (in living colour)

I showed the B&W version of this last week, and even though I'm a B&W guy at heart, after some thought, I have to admit this colour version works better. Hope you enjoy it!

Mies' Masterpiece

I know I've mentioned him here before, but Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is my favourite modern architect. From Germany's Bauhaus School, he moved to the US in the late thirties, where his buildings dot Chicago, Detroit and New York among many other places.

Here in Canada we're fortunate to have two of his masterpieces, Montreal's Westmount Square and Toronto's Toronto Dominion Centre, the latter being perhaps his most grandiose and majestic work.

When I was a messenger on stand by (between calls) I used to love lying down on my back on the grass to watch the changing shadows and reflections play on the buildings, much as they are in this photo.

Flowers for the Missus

Decisions, decisions, decisions...