Watching

I spotted this great door out along the Danforth. It leads up to a space above the ground floor stores and certainly lets you know that you are home. Too bad someone tagged it.   

Taking part in Monday Murals today since the theme was yesterday. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Family Day

Today is Family Day in Ontario so the kids are all off school and many workplaces are closed for the day. The kids in this mural by Elicser seem to be spending the time writing notes to send to friends and family. I spotted this one out on the Danforth.   

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

The Only

The Only Cafe has been on the Danforth for over 30 years and hopefully continues for many more when we get back to normal. The left side of the cafe is a great espresso bar while the middle part is the beer bar which serves an extensive variety of microbrews. They have a huge patio out back which I have enjoyed in summertime. The mural didn't seem to have a signature that I could find.   

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Neighbourhood Diversity

This quite long mural was painted on the side of a store along the Danforth last fall as part of a project involving several murals and artists. The artist for this one is Elicser who has certainly captured the diverse population of this neighbourhood. This particular area is dominated by the really tall minaret similar to the one in the mural. It is a great area to go for a meal since there is a restaurant serving any type of food that you could want - when we aren't in lockdown and can go to restaurants.   

Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.

Cinnamon

I was stuck in traffic on the Danforth last Sunday when I looked over and saw this shop selling cinnamon rolls. There was no parking available anywhere nearby or I would have pulled over to get some. A place to explore one day!  
Taking part in Signs 2. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

A Street View

While I was a passenger in a vehicle traveling along Danforth Ave in surprisingly light traffic I took this pic of the streetscape. You can see the bell tower of the Church of the Holy Trinity way off in the distance and realize how much of a landmark it is. I showed it to you back in February (HERE). The snow is gone since I showed you the Danforth but there are still no leaves on the trees or flowers in the planters.

Good Stuff

Cannabis became legal in Canada last year but in Ontario the shops selling it will not be opening for another month and up until then it is only available by mail order. The Good Grass shop opened this winter on Danforth Ave and they intend to provide "a new & refreshing experience for the contemporary Canadian cannabis user". I didn't go in but assume they offer a lot of accessories at this time. I like the look of their storefront.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Along The Danforth

Toronto's Greek Town is found on the Danforth as this banner tells you. Even the lampposts have Greek stripes on them along this stretch of Danforth Ave. In the summer there is a huge festival where the street is closed and millions of people come out to eat and enjoy entertainment.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Pub Sign

The Black Swan Tavern has been a fixture on the Danforth since 1972 and continues to be a great neighbourhood pub as well as a venue for live music. It is impossible to get a pic without a car parked out front but it is their great sign I wanted to show. Black swans are a bit unusual in Canada so it is nice to see this one.  
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Patio Closed Due To Snow

Pappas Grill is one of the most popular Greek restaurants in Greektown along Danforth Ave and in summer its large patio visible along the side is packed with people. Not an option at this time of year!  
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Looking West

If you look at the right side of this pic you can see the Bookmark that I showed you yesterday and its location right beside this bridge which is called the Prince Edward Viaduct and which connects Danforth Ave in the east to Bloor St on the other side of the Don Valley in the west. The Viaduct opened in 1918 and is 494 metres long (1,620 ft) and 40 metres (131 ft) above the valley. It is a double decker bridge with the subway running below the roadway and has 5 lanes of traffic and also has bicycle lanes as you can see. In 2003 the metal structure that you can see above the railings was installed in an effort to halt the many suicides that took place here. This structure is called the Luminous Veil and has hundreds of rods that form a screen and at night is lit by changing colours of LED lights. It has been a success in its role as a safety barrier. I'll show you the view from the bridge tomorrow.

Another Bookmark

While I was wandering along the Danforth a couple of weeks ago I happened upon another of the Bookmarks from the Project Bookmark Canada endeavor which places parts of texts at the exact physical location as they are set in the fictional world. Click HERE for more info. This one is from "In The Skin Of A Lion" by Michael Ondaatje, a Booker Prize-winning author, and the location is right beside the Prince Edward Viaduct which I will show you tomorrow. This one is Bookmark #1 and I think there are a few more in Toronto which I will have to look for.
 Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

The Church Of The Holy Name

The Church of The Holy Name Catholic Church on the Danforth is without a doubt the most impressive sight along the street. It is located just west of Pape Ave but that tower is visible for blocks and really is a landmark. The church was built from 1913 to 1926 with an interruption in construction caused by WWI and it was designed to resemble the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.  

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!

Along The Danforth

A couple of weeks ago I ventured to the east side of Toronto from my usual west side and headed out along Danforth Ave (aka the Danforth). This area is known as Greektown and is full of Greek restaurants, bakeries and businesses and is the centre for our huge Greek population in the city. The Danforth becomes Bloor St after you head west and cross over the Don River & Don Valley. These two stores show what is a fairly common sight in older parts of the city where years ago stores were added onto the front of homes, probably in the front gardens. It was a bit above freezing so all of the fruits & veggies were out on display.   
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Music Hall

This is the Danforth Music Hall, a music and event venue,  located on Danforth Ave. It originally opened in 1919 as a movie theatre and was so until 2004 when it closed until 2006. It then opened and closed a few times until new owners took over in 2011 and renovated and continue to operate it now. The building was given heritage protection in 1985.  
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.

Saved

This is almost a drive-by pic as I was driving along Dandforth Ave in the east end of the city, an area I don't often go to and I spotted The Allenby Theatre and quickly pulled over. This Art Deco beauty was constructed in 1935 and was hugely popular until being renamed The Roxy in the 1970s. It became famous in the city for showing the Rocky Horror Picture Show and did well for many years until finally closing. In 2007 it was given historical protection and so it avoided being torn down but it no longer operates as a theatre. The facade and box office have been restored but the rest of the building was changed and it is now a Tim Horton's outlet (the famous Canadian coffee & donut shop). I intend to go back one day to check out the details and have a look inside. 
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.