Into the Clouds

"Into the clouds" is a temporary art installation at Adam Lambert Gallery, Brookfield Place by a Los Angeles based group 'FriendsWithYou'. Four happy clouds are hanging above with a message of love and happiness.

Street Art Near Parliament Square Park

The murals are about local history, its transition over time and diversity of its culture. It was created by Shalak Attack, Julian Periquet, and Bruno Smoky under city StreetArt program in 2014.

Outside the Box

City's 'Outside the Box program' is about turning the drab traffic signal boxes into works of art. Each year a number of signal boxes are either hand-painted by local artists or covered with graphic synthetic wraps. Here are a few that I photographed recently.

Photographer Raccoon by Jeff Blackburn at Church St & Front St.

Fun by Gary Taxali at Danforth Ave & Broadview Ave

Wrapped box at Nassau St & Bathurst St, Artist unknown.

'Theatre Curtains' by Margaret Cresswell at Parliament St & Mill St.

Thinking of Flight by Uber5000 at Bloor St W & Montrose Avenue.

A time for white wildflowers

Intricate white wildflowers are abundant during this time of the year. You see them lurking near sidewalks, roadsides, waste places, and ravines. Just like bright yellow Dandelions in early summer, these are considered a weed and an invasive species. But how can one ignore or hate such an elegant and extravagant beauty? 

I spotted a particularly dense field on a former golf course near Freshco at Victoria Park Avenue and started taking snaps. I soon realized that each flower is a little bit different from the rest. Are they as unique as snowflakes? I am not sure about that but still, their great variety and diversity is nothing less than astounding.

Google tells me that probably most of these are just wild carrots. Although a number of related plants like Wild Chervil and Poison Hammock have almost identical blooms. Wild carrots can be identified by a single deep purple flower in the middle. These are also known by several monikers like bird's nest, bishop's lace, and Queen Anne's lace. The last one refers to its lace-like flower structure that was in vogue during the reign of Queen Anne in the early 18th century. I think it perfectly describes this ornate beauty and should be preferred over others.

Flatiron Buildings in Toronto

A building constructed on a triangular piece of land is called a 'Flatiron Building' as it resembles a cloth pressing iron when viewed from the top. Such types of buildings are now few and far between in this age of straight-line city planning and symmetry. Most of these are heritage buildings from the past.

According to Wikipedia, there are currently only four Flatiron buildings in Toronto so I decided to visit all of them.

Most famous of these is the 'Gooderham' Building which is situated next to the Berczy Park in downtown. The 'Flatiron Curtain Mural' by Derek Michael Besant is on its back wall. This historic office building is from 1892. 

Twenty-Five The Esplanade is a condo building that is situated near the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in downtown. It is at a walking distance from the Gooderham Building.

The building at 553 St Clair Avenue West, Toronto seems just marginally flatiron in shape. This former Dominion Bank building from 1912 currently houses an optical chain.

CIBC branch at 90 Danforth Avenue, Toronto was built in 1918.