I was browsing around Kensington Market this afternoon. As I walked into Exile (20 Kensington Avenue), the lovely salesgirl looked at me and giggled. When I asked what it was, she said that after the last time I had come in the store (3 weeks ago, I was looking for some surgical scrubs for my medical party) she and her co-workers had decided that I was a soap opera star. I thought she meant that I resembled an actor on General Hospital or something, but when I queried as to who it was she said, “No - we created a fake persona for you.” Apparently they called me Dr. Kendall Wembley, and then made up a brief but detailed backstory for my character. As it goes, I am currently in a coma, and my twin brother has just arrived on the scene (also played by me) who may or may not actually be my twin sister. Whew!
I wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or frightened.
My roommate introduced me to pretty much the most amazing and useful internet site for Torontonians: The Beer Hunter! It tells you, at any given moment, how many retail outlets in Toronto are currently selling alcohol. At this particular moment, it’s 10:34 am on Wednesday. There are 184 retail outlets you can get booze in Toronto right now.
Not only does it tell you how many LCBO franchises, Beer Stores, Wine Racks, and independent liquor outlets are open, it shows you a real-time Google map of Toronto with each of their locations and hours of operation!
Back in 1988 the City of Toronto created Bike-to-Work Day. Eventually, this became Bike week. Now, for the first time ever, this event is morphing into an entire month of bike-related activities. “The Bike Month 2008 calendar of events will include events that encourage commuter, utilitarian, and recreational cycling. Come check out Bike Month: Toronto’s Festival for Cycling Culture, May 26 - June 21 2008, from fast pace racing to community meetings there’ll be something for everyone.”
Get out there and encourage the city to create more bike lanes, install more parking facilities for bikers, and promote biking as a healthy and inexpensive - and hopefully safe - way to get around Toronto!
What’s the deal with these things? They’re obviously advertisements for Vespa, but they’re strangely only found on the windows of out-of-business stores. I’ve noticed them along Queen Street West and College Street.
That was the hand-written message on the bottom of the “gospel tract” [the printed page material that is needed for God's people all around the world to fulfill His command] that I found on the streetcar. That’s not really the funny part. The funny part is that this particular tract is called The Blood and the front features a picture of a severed hand with a river of blood draining out of the wrist.
The Fellowship Tract League (a ministry of the Fellowship Baptist Church) has a website; unfortunately, the electronic version of The Blood is a lot more boring than the physical copy. So I thought I’d post some of the more interesting ones . . .
- one of the 100 Blue Jays fans asked by Toronto Life magazine ( June ‘08 ) what the Rogers Centre has that is comparable to Fenway’s Green Monster or Wrigley’s ivy.
Next time I go to a Jays game, I’m taking a poster with this quote on it. By the way, I was on the JumboTron last monday!
I went to my hometown this weekend and who was on the platform beside me as I was waiting for the train to come in? Well if it wasn’t Elizabeth May, the leader of Canada’s federal Green Party! I bet Stéphane Dion and Jack Layton don’t take VIA Rail. Her partner or husband was there to see her off, which reminded me of the fact that Stephen Harper doesn’t hug his children, but rather shakes their hands.
I kind of regret not introducing myself to Ms. May. I’ve read her book “How to Save the World in Your Spare Time” and I’ve seen her speak at Queen’s University. I’ve actually seen a bunch of politicians speak live, and she was the only one who actually answered the questions she was asked in the Q & A periods. She’s very real and very interesting.
She was traveling with a fluorescent green suitcase.
It’s that time of the year again. Pretty much everyday for the last 2 weeks I’ve seen at least one of my neighbours hosing down the sidewalk. People around here LOVE hosing down the sidewalk. Why? I think because it wastes both time and water. Today, it was especially notable because this woman was actually hosing down the cement in the rain.
Money Sense Magazine just came out with its 3rd annual ranking of the best places to live in Canada. 154 communities were compared on 16 factors including climate, salaries, real estate, and (supposedly an indicator of quality of health care) doctors per capita.
Those conducting this ranking claim it to be “the fairest, most unbiased guide you can find to Canadian communities.” Interestingly (and ironically), they also tout the fact that their rankings “aren’t about who has the best scenery, or the best restaurants, or the best beaches.” In fact, there are absolutely no cultural indicators contributing to their rankings whatsoever.
So, that being said, here’s the list. Obviously, I would much rather live in Burlington (No. 8 ) than, say, Montréal (No. 82). Toronto came in at No. 51, down significantly from last year. Ottawa-Gatineau was tops at No. 1. And the worst place to live in Canada (according to these people)? Port Alberni, BC.
The Toronto Raptors face off against the Orlando Magic tonight in Florida. It’s must-win for the Raps, as they trail the Magic 3-1 in the best-of-7 first-round series.
It kinda sucks that Toronto hasn’t seen a major league sports championship title in a decade and a half.
GO RAPTORS!
UPDATE: They lost 102-92. Oh well - they did better than the Leafs.
