Tune Sharing at Yonge and Eg

Zoom-zoom

On Bayview, outside my favourite bagel shop (near Davisville).

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

****************

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...

The Training Ride

Yonge and Soudan, Walking the Dog

Still Life on Bayview

Found in a bakery/cafe on Bayview Avenue in Toronto.

Ask Me

Taken last September at Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum, the young girl is looking at a monarch caterpillar transforming itself into a chrysalis right before her eyes.

Talking to Peggy?

On the cell at TD Centre.

The Ice Bear

Since Pappy mentioned the messenger race Global Gutz yesterday (in which Critical Path racers did very well), I thought today might be a good time to show the winner, one Jim (the Ice Bear) Kuz. Here's a guy in his '40's who regularly wins races against kids half his age.

Amazing.

Here's to ya, Jim!

The Psychic

I went to see a psychic the other day. She wasn't in.

If she could really see into the future, I figure she'd have known I was coming and would have been there waiting for me.

I'm not going to see her again. I'm skeptical that she can really solve all life's problems...

Shane

The Cigarette Girl

The title's not PC to be sure, but that's what they were called, back in the 30's and 40's. I've always thought things would have been cooler back then. Smokey bars, floor shows, dancing girls...

Of course, I'm sure real life never looked so good as these places looked in the movies. Whatever the case may be, this young lady would not have looked out of place walking from table to table at places with names like Kon-Tiki Lounge, The Coconut Grove or The Cotton Club.

On an unrelated note, Passover starts tomorrow at sundown. Le-shanah ha-ba-a b'Yerushalayim!

A Moment of Shameless Self-Promotion

You've seen them both before, but when you pick up the next issue of Momentum magazine, you'll see these two photos (Tofu and Brooks, above and Kiki, below) again. Yes, Knarf has been published!

I don't know when it'll be out, but it's sold at bike shops and print media outlets across Canada and in some part of the US. The photos in question will be used in an article on CMWC.

Cool, no?

Watching the World Go By

The subway emerged from the tunnel just above Bloor, and this young man and his mother enjoyed the passing view.

Cheesecake

I know, I'm shameless. Why change now?

We were at a fundraiser for the arts (actually, a fundraiser for an artist - more on it later in the week). Lots of camp and fun - and some serious stuff, too.

In the "camp" department, this young lady was doing her best Marlene Dietrich, and doing it very well!

The Look

I don't believe he was serious when he said, "Put the camera down, or I'll break it and your face!"

I didn't stick around to find out...





PS: just joking. I know the fellow (but not by name); he's a regular at the Jet Fuel, and we laughed about his scowl as we looked at it together on the LCD screen on the back of my camera.

Spoke Cards

When messengers have a race, they get these registration cards, which are placed in the spokes as souvenirs of the race. As you can see, this bike's been in a few races...

We Don't Need No Stinking Carbon Fibre

I love cranks, spiders, rings and chains.

In another time, in another context, I could probably have been arrested for making such an utterance in public...

Hot Babes on Trackbikes

Leah

























Maija

Italian Weapons

At the CMWC photo shoot on the weekend, most people had their favourite steeds on display. Here, a Cinelli, Bianchi and (my) Fondriest rest in the late-afternoon sun, next to the Toronto Dominion Centre.

One Pretty Bike

Another photo shoot yesterday for CMWC (only two months away!). A bunch of messengers showed up for their chance at glory (or at least notoriety, or at least a bit of free publicity), including yours truly, who took a few pix, and who had a few pix taken of.

I think I have a lovely bike, but Dennis had the prettiest bike of all...

The Urban Oasis

I suppose that some thirty or thirty-five years ago, when this little resting spot was constructed, it seemed like a nice idea: a place where passing pedestrians could rest their weary feet for a few minutes.

The years haven't been kind and maintenance has been non-existant. The school that it's in front of is slated for demolition, making way for yet another high-rise condo.

Progress...

Art

It can make you think.

Or does it make you feel?

Or can it do both? Or neither?

My Bike

She needs a cleaning, but she's still lovely, no?

Sweet Sixteen

I was at the Jet Fuel for the first time in many months on the weekend. As you can see, not much has changed.

I was reminded that April 1st is the annual Jet Fuel Birthday Party. It started on the first anniversary of its opening, with a free keg of beer. Each year he adds another free keg. This year Johnny Jet Fuel (in the pic, on the only phone in the coffeeshop) will be providing 16 kegs.

In a break from tradition, the shindig will be starting at 4 in the afternoon, rather than the usual 8pm. Every year, no matter how many kegs, they always run out of beer at around midnight. I wonder what time they'll finish this year?

I won't know, as I won't be here. I was a stalwart over the years, but being older, wiser and "married", I'm just not up to this sort of stuff anymore. I'll leave it to the young kids to indulge.

I'm guessing there may be more than a few hung-over messengers on the road tomorrow morning. That, or half my crew will book off "sick"...

;-)