Toronto Santa Claus Parade

The Toronto Santa Claus parade started in 1905 when a single float carrying Santa Claus arrived at Toronto Union Station and made its way to the downtown Eaton's department store where Santa shook hands with Timothy Eaton.

Last Sunday's parade (the 105th) had more than 25 floats;

Playstation's "Little Big Planet"

25 marching bands ;

including our own
Philippine Heritage Band
who has been part of
the parade for 38 years

and 1,700 volunteer participants.

It wasn't easy looking for the perfect spot

not unless you won a contest and

you get to sit on a couch by the curbside

A fully booked couch.

Despite the cold weather, long wait and the crowd, it is still one of the best activities to get you in a holiday mood.

Toronto by the Lake

Beloved city at night.

The PATH

According to Guinness World Records, PATH is the largest underground shopping complex in the world with 371,600 m² of retail space. PATH is a 27-kilometre (17 mi) network of pedestrian tunnels beneath the office towers of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Here's what's connected in the PATH :

• More than 50 buildings or office towers
• Twenty parking garages,
• Five subway stations,
• Two major department stores,
• Two major shopping centres,
• Six major hotels,
• A railway terminal

The CN Tower and Rogers Centre are connected via an enclosed elevated walkway, called Skywalk, from Union Station. Once a year, businesses in PATH host the world's largest underground sidewalk sale.

There are more than 125 grade level access points and 60 decision points where a pedestrian has to decide between turning left or right, or continuing straight on.

Each letter in PATH is a different colour, each representing a direction. The P is red and represents south. The orange A directs pedestrians to the west, while the blue T directs them to the north. The H is yellow and points to the east.

Just a Toronto tidbit.

Scarborough Guild Inn

Scarborough Guild Inn has been described as eccentric.

Where else can you find 90 acres of forest, gardens, lawns and woodland trails mixed with various architectural elements and sculpture from demolished buildings scattered in its ground?



Just one of the many places to discover in Scarborough.

Casa Loma, Toronto

It is a such a pity that Casa Loma is seldom suggested as a tourist destination for any of our guests. The place is a beauty to behold, constructed as a neo-romantic castle with 98 rooms and costing $3.5 million to complete in 1911 - it is a dream home.

Due to its unique architectural character in Toronto, Casa Loma has been a popular location for movies and TV. It has served as a location for movies such as X-Men, Strange Brew, Chicago, The Tuxedo, and The Pacifier. It was also temporarily transformed into "Hogwarts" for the release of the 7th Harry Potter book.

Casa Loma's back side.

Casa Loma Fridge Magnet

High Park, Toronto

If you have not been to High Park, now is one of the best times to go as the Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom.

But before you head out, be ready. Be very ready with the long car line-ups; absence of parking space; and even the chance of being ticketed for illegal parking. You will be competing with 1200 other people or more with cameras of varying lenses and types, babies in strollers, friends and lovers posing under almost every tree.

Cherry Blossom season is a beautiful season but a brief one. So, go if you dare!

Reflections

Sometimes, there are two sides to every photo. Specially when you are near water.

Don't let your eyes deceive you - the next 2 photos are just reflections - not the real thing.Photos taken at the Toronto Botanical Garden. More photos of reflections here.

Toronto's Rock

This is Yorkville's Rock - right in the middle of Toronto's priciest shopping district. A rock more than a billion years old, weighing 650 tonnes, containing no precious mineral or metal, and costing $300,000.

The rock was moved from Gravenhurst, Muskoka by 20 flatbed trailers with each of the 135 pieces carefully labeled so the whole jigsaw could be reassembled. This was part of the 1991 Toronto project to have a park in the city that would display the ecological variety of Ontario.

View of the recent IceFest from The Rock.

Just one of the many unusual things to see in Toronto.

Ice Fest Toronto 2010

TTC is Turmoil, Topsy-turviness and Chaos

The TTC is part of my Life After Steel. For the non-Torontonians, TTC is the Toronto Transit Commission, operator of buses, streetcars, subways and surface rail transit for the Greater Toronto Area.

But right now, TTC is more like Turmoil, Topsy-turviness and Chaos.

Late last year, TTC was the subject of rider dissatisfaction when they rationed selling of tokens. Reason was to prevent hoarding of tokens in the face of the impending fare hike. No matter how you look at it - it was a bad decision. (Related blog here)

Several days ago, TTC staff was on You Tube and on every other social network. Shown worldwide as they slept on the job, taking long coffee breaks, and providing just poor service. It became a fad to catch TTC employees on videotape. They almost became the laughing stock of Toronto.

Bad things do come in three's and the latest to this bedlam is the involvement of the TTC chairman himself, Adam Giambrone. This young, ambitious councilor who leads the already problematic corporation did his own version of Tiger Woods. Denying, then admitting several affairs in the midst of his relationship with his longtime live-in partner.

Now, I don't wonder why I get crappy service from the TTC. There is nothing much to expect when they are being led by an incompetent leader. And he wanted to be mayor too.

There are no bad regiments, there are only bad officers - Field Marshall Lord Slim

Say It Again

In the GTA, listen well or have someone say it again. Here’s why:

You don't say "Yong-ge" when referring to Yonge – the world’s longest street. You say “Young”.

Grosvenor – the street and family name is not “Gros-ve-nor”, it is pronounced “Gruvs-nor”, or "Grov-nor".

Don't ever say you are in "Pa-pe" subway station. Pape is pronounced "Payp".

Etobicoke – is not "E-to-bi-cok", to get it right say "E-tou-bi-kou"

After Etobicoke, there is Mississauga, which is not "Misi-sawga", but "Misi-sa-ga"

And lastly, Vaughan, the city above Toronto, is not called “Vaug-han”. They call the place “Vauhn”.

If you are new, don't worry - we've all been through the same boo-boo.

And if you think they are confusing - wait until you start learning French. You will be most happy just knowing how to say Merci Beaucoup (pronounced "Mer-se Bo-koo") - meaning many thanks.

What's Up Toronto

Bored in Toronto? Rarely.
With all the activities the city has to offer, the real challenge is really choosing or finding the time. If you live nearby, try any of the following :

Music - June to September
Free concerts at the Music Garden every Thursdays at 7 pm and Sundays at 4pm. This activity runs from June to September and features different instruments and music genre in every show. Scanning through this season's schedule I saw The Kirby String Quartet, Voices of Ancient China, Jazz, and the Cecilia String Quartet. www.harbourfrontcentre.com

Culture - July to August
Caribana officially starts on July 14 and ends on August 1 with the Caribana Parade. In between there are a lot of activities including a junior caribana and art exhibitions. More details.

Filipinos Making Waves - a 3 day event on August 14-16 at the Yonge and Dundas Square. Celebrate with our kababayans! More details.

Film - September
Hollywood will be at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 10-19, 2009. TIFF is the springboard for those successful Hollywood releases and even award winners. It is 10 days of glamor and showbiz.

Books - September
Word on the Street - a weekend of books, books and more books on the last Sunday of September. A book lover's paradise with storytellers, presentations, performances and workshops. Click for details here .

Art - October
Nuit Blanche - the free all night contemporary art thing from sundown to sunrise will be on October 3, 2009. Downtown Toronto is a huge gallery for anything art and it is never the same every year. Click for details here.

Mentioned above are just a few of the more popular events. So go ahead and experience Toronto! It's our place.

Bad Times for T dot

Bad times, bad moments - for T dot (slang for Toronto).

The recent labour disruption of city employees is causing several headaches, top of which is the stoppage of garbage collection. Toronto is known for its cleanliness -- but in a while it will cease to be. Timing is not so good either as the strike is happening during these warm, humid days when everything just rots so easily. I hate to think of how the city will look or smell in 7 days.

The strike is also causing havoc among parents who depend on the city run day care centres. Unless grandma/grandpa is available -- parents are on their own. Other services affected are parks and recreations, ferry island service, and a few libraries. Some weddings have to be re-arranged. Photo shoots at city parks are cancelled, wedding facilities in some areas are closed.

Property taxes are still to be paid - even if the drop boxes are closed. They suggest paying by mail or through the bank. Same with parking tickets. They have to be paid with no deadline extensions. It is business as usual even though there is no usual business.

As I draft this, LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) employees are also threatening to strike. I really do not care but there is a long line up of customers in our nearby LCBO store. As if the absence of a liquor is a life altering situation. I just don't get it.

Finally, here's some sour medicine to this pain : Tuition fees at York University increased by way so much. Yet, faculty were on strike for 3 months late last year - causing chaos on the student's schedule.

Bad times for T dot (and me).

Luminato 2009

Toronto is a city that never fails to amaze. For 10 days (June 5-14) Luminato took over the city. Luminato - Toronto's Festival of Arts and Creativity showcased creative expressions in music, dance, theatre, film, literature, visual arts and lectures. Some events (mostly lectures, plays, film) required paid tickets, while others can be experienced for free.

Armed with an open mind, a good pair of walking shoes, and the cooperative Toronto weather -- I decided to embrace and experience Luminato's weekend activities at the Harbourfront. It was a weekend well spent.

An ad on the street along Queen's Way West

The free boat ride from The Music Garden
to the Harbourfront Centre was a hit
basing on the long line up.

Another hit was President's Choice 1000 Tastes.


The main attraction however was the
Cirque Du Soleil performances on 2 separate areas.

A Cirque Du Soleil stage

A Cirque Du Soleil performer

This year was only Luminato's third year but I enjoyed it so much and I am looking forward to the next.

Open Doors Toronto

One reason why I like Toronto are the numerous activities available for almost nothing. May 23-24 was the 10th Doors Open Toronto. For 2 days, 175 buildings of architectural, historic, cultural and/or social significance open their doors to the public for free.

To enjoy the 175 buildings is not meant to be completed in just 2 days. You are lucky if you can even get to see 2-3 in a day. But then, there is always next year.

View of Toronto's City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square
from the 17th floor of Canada Life Building.

Entrance of the Fort York Armoury, headquarters of four
active units of the Army Reserve. The armoury's main entrance is
emphasized by pilasters of rusticated masonry with a large carved
coat-of-arms of the Dominion of Canada.

Toronto's oldest house, the Scadding Cabin built in 1794.
A one-room cabin constructed of squared, white pine logs with
dovetailed corners. The cabin is still in its original location at
centre of the Canadian National Exhibition Place.

The lobby of the Beaux-Arts / neoclassical Canada Life
Building with its thousands of decorative details,
guilded ceilings and marble floors and columns.
The building is open to the public only during
Doors Open Toronto.

We started out with a list of places to see - but ended up nowhere near. Many other inviting sights can distract you.

Toronto - the beautiful.

Casa Loma, Toronto

It is a such a pity that Casa Loma is seldom suggested as a tourist destination for any of our Toronto guests. The place is a beauty to behold, constructed as a neo-romantic castle with 98 rooms and costing $3.5 million to complete in 1911 - it is a dream home.

Due to its unique architectural character, Casa Loma has been a popular location for movies and TV. For example, it has served as a location for movies such as X-Men, Strange Brew, Chicago, The Tuxedo, and The Pacifier. It was also temporarily transformed into "Hogwarts" for the release of the 7th Harry Potter book.

Casa Loma, just one of Toronto's must visit places.

The Toronto Public Library

One thing I truly admire in Toronto is the The Toronto Public Library (TPL). The TPL is the largest public library system in Canada, with 99 branches and more than 11 million items to borrow or use in the library. What amazes me?

Items to borrow – books (hardbound, bookbound, large print), magazines (of every topic), videos, DVDs, music CDs, audio books (in CDs or cassettes). And mind you, it is not English only items you find. Some branches have materials in Hindu, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Greek, whatever language you speak. I even get to borrow Filipino DVDs from the branch near our home.

Basic Service – You can choose the books you want just by browsing their site. Found the book you want? Place it on hold and request them delivered to a branch convenient to you. No need to hop from branch to branch. Returning items? You can do it 24/7. All branches have that special nook where you can drop your items when they are closed. Computers, Internet access, copying services, even reasearh assistance is available.

Extended service – during cold winter months, these libraries open their doors to any homeless person needing warmth. On very warm summer days, they also become cooling centers offering shelter and water.

Service de Luxe – The library caters not only to the able public, but also to the not so able public. They have the Bookmobile – a bus that make stops at community centres, apartment complexes and shopping centres around the city. Complete with computer access to the Library’s online catalogue, databases and web page, the Bookmobile is also equipped with a wheelchair lift. There is the Home Library Service, the Dial A Story Service, Hospital Service, and a lot more.

The branch I like best? The big Toronto Reference Library. I say big, because it can accommodate 1,420 people in its more than 3 floors. This branch has periodicals for 87 languages, Ilocano and Tagalog (counted separately) included. Items cannot be borrowed from this branch, but it is worth visiting once in a while. I am always in awe by the magnificence of this place – then I end up not knowing where to look for the items I want.

And by the way, all these services from our Toronto Public Library is for free. As I said, simply amazing!

Do you still visit the library?

Dollar Stores

Hammers, lipsticks, shower curtains for a dollar each? How about a pack of paper plates, a pair of socks, or eyeglasses? From notebooks to microphones, from ropes to CDs -- you can get them from the nearby dollar store.

Dollar stores are everywhere here in Canada and they are fun places to go. With nice and catchy names like Dollarama, Everything for a Dollar, and Buck or Two - who would not want to get inside.

Get into one of these stores and you are sure to come out with a purchase.

Much as I love going to any dollar store, I am always armed with these words of caution :

1) They may be only a dollar each but watch your wallet -- you might end up paying $20-$30 if you are in a shopping mood.

2) For safety reasons, don't buy anything electronic or electrical.

3) Don't expect your items to last - after all they are only a dollar.

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This is my 5th post to the series "Toronto Life"

Toronto Commuting

Commuting in Toronto is better the TTC way. TTC is of course the Toronto Transit Commission, a public transport authority that operates buses, streetcars, subways, and rapid transit lines in Toronto. The TTC operates the third most heavily-used urban mass transit system in North America (after the New York City Transit Authority and the Mexico City Metro). There are three subway lines and one elevated rapid transit line with a total of 69 stations, as well as 149 connecting "surface" routes (buses and streetcars). If ever you are in Toronto, make it a point to take the TTC, however before doing so, read below.

* * *
The average daily ridership of the TTC exceeds 2.46 million passengers. With these number, it is no wonder that some commuters seem to forget some basic commuting etiquette like . . .

1) Feeling superior at the bus stop. Use your eyes, yo! I've been braving the cold wind here. Just because you look so cool with your hoodie/cigarette/new clothes does not give you the right to go ahead and stand at the beginning of the line. My toes are freezing because I did not watch the weather news, and I came to this very spot earlier than you did, thus your place is at the end of the line.

2) Feeling reality show contestant at the bus station. A close cousin to etiquette no. 1. Please no jostling, bumping, elbowing everyone else just to get in. The bus is big and we will all fit. If we don't, there is always another one a few minutes after. This is not "The Amazing Race" or "Survivor".

3) Escalator Rides 101. On the escalator. Stay on the right when you prefer to enjoy the ride. When you are on the left, please bend the knees and walk up as someone behind you wants to get to their destination faster.

4) The fully loaded backpack. A lot of people who slug those bags behind them don't even care if they hit someone. How can I enjoy my power nap if your backpack keeps hitting my face everytime the subway stops?

5) The seat hogger. Do I have to give you the dagger look so you will give up the seat where you placed your laptop, bag, or the other half of you?

6) Here's Entertainment. Ladies, leave the make-up in your bag and put them on in the privacy of the washroom. I did not take this bus/subway ride to watch you put on mascara, lip liner, or clip your nails. Then after putting on lipstick, you take out gum to chew. Duh, forgot to brush teeth too?

7) More Entertainment. Talking too loud on the cellphone. Yes, there are times I feel like eavesdropping on other people's conversation, but then if they talk in their native tongue the conversation becomes no longer interesting but so irritating and boring.

8) Chivalry is (not) dead. Remember, it is your option to give up your seat for the ladies. It is an "to each it's own world" and we female riders are used to it already. But please be considerate of the elderly, the pregnant, the disabled. A little kindness won't hurt.

Ah, Toronto life...

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This is my 4th post to the series "Toronto Life"

Living with Credit Cards

Part of Toronto living (or living anywhere actually) is having credit cards. See if you can identify the following “credit card phases” :

Phase 1
As newly landed immigrants – one needs to apply for a credit card. For reasons ranging from establishing credibility, easier transactions, to assimilating Canadian life. However, all your applications are denied. Reason: You do not have credit history. Of course, you do not have credit history because you are new, you do not have a credit card, and that is why you are applying for one. A real catch 22 situation. Darn these credit card companies !

Phase 2
So, forget about those credit cards. You get a job, you live life the simple Filipino way. Slowly, credit card companies who have previously denied your application starts sending you applications forms . They entice you with “You are Pre-Approved!”, “Lowest Interest Rates”, “No Annual Fees”, “Earn Points When You Spend” . Hmmm, this is getting fun, you feel so important. Someone wants your business! You apply, receive the cards -- yet you receive more mails. It gets to be annoying. Your mail box is deluged with all their junk mail. It is now an additional chore to shred these mails because it has your basic information. Darn these credit card companies !

Phase 3
Now, you have more credit cards than your wallet can carry. They are fun to have. You can get anything you want just by swiping and signing. Life is good. However, as most everyone knows, having these credit cards also includes having new friends: Judith and Therese. Judith is that friend who reminds you when payment is due. And Therese will run after you when you forget Judith. Due date and Interest – your new found friends. Darn these credit card companies !

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This is my 3rd post to the Series "Toronto Life"