Up to Toronto - March 13th-18th 2012

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March 16th 2012: Downtown, the Art Gallery of Ontario (A.G.O.), and Food


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Lunch at California Sandwiches
California Sandwiches, a mini-chain known for its hot veal sandwiches, it located in a non-descript residential neighborhood. (This is the original location.)
It's a hole-in-the-wall, counter-order, mainly take-out joint.
Our huge sandwich, which we ordered medium-spicy. Notice my finger for the size comparison; we split the sandwich. Good, deep-fried veal cutlets. I can't see myself craving it, but wouldn't mind eating it periodically. The kaiser roll was the right kind of bread.
A close-up of the inside of the sandwich. There's more breading than veal.
California Sandwiches, a mini-chain known for its hot veal sandwiches, it located in a non-descript residential neighborhood. (This is the original location.)
It's a hole-in-the-wall, counter-order, mainly take-out joint.
Our huge sandwich, which we ordered medium-spicy. Notice my finger for the size comparison; we split the sandwich. Good, deep-fried veal cutlets. I can't see myself craving it, but wouldn't mind eating it periodically. The kaiser roll was the right kind of bread.
A close-up of the inside of the sandwich. There's more breading than veal.
Downtown
Osgoode Hall, headquarters of the Law Society of Upper Canada, seems like a nice place to hang out. By the way, it's surrounded by a long, ornate, wrought-iron fence (not shown).
The top of the Canada Life building has lights that signal the weather. When I took this picture, they were white/yellow and rising, basically meaning all-good and temperature increasing.
City Hall, with its circular UFO-like building (housing the main council chambers) and two curved buildings around it. Yes, those two tall buildings are different heights, and, yes, it looks odd in person too.
David Partridge's sculpture Metropolis, constructed of nails, looks fairly plain from this direction but one's eyes can tell something is odd about it.
Osgoode Hall, headquarters of the Law Society of Upper Canada, seems like a nice place to hang out. By the way, it's surrounded by a long, ornate, wrought-iron fence (not shown).
The top of the Canada Life building has lights that signal the weather. When I took this picture, they were white/yellow and rising, basically meaning all-good and temperature increasing.
City Hall, with its circular UFO-like building (housing the main council chambers) and two curved buildings around it. Yes, those two tall buildings are different heights, and, yes, it looks odd in person too.
David Partridge's sculpture Metropolis, constructed of nails, looks fairly plain from this direction but one's eyes can tell something is odd about it.
A video of Metropolis from the side. The nails are different heights!
A scale model of central Toronto. High resolution.
Details about the model. It's surprisingly accurate.
Looking across Nathan Phillips Square and its reflecting pool in front of City Hall at the Old City Hall across the street. It's Romanesque Revival. Also, for what it's worth, the clock is basically right. Incidentally, I sat in this square for a while to take notes.
A video of Metropolis from the side. The nails are different heights!
A scale model of central Toronto. High resolution.
Details about the model. It's surprisingly accurate.
Looking across Nathan Phillips Square and its reflecting pool in front of City Hall at the Old City Hall across the street. It's Romanesque Revival. Also, for what it's worth, the clock is basically right.
Incidentally, I sat in this square for a while to take notes.
Close-up of some of the intricately carved sandstone near the entrance.
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Old City Hall as seen looking north up Bay Street. Compare with the earlier picture.
Art deco elevator doors in the Canada Permanent Trust building (all of which is art deco).
Close-up of some of the intricately carved sandstone near the entrance.
Inside has similarly detailed flourishes on columns, a grand staircase, and a large stained glass tableau. Sorry, pictures aren't allowed; it's an active courthouse.
Old City Hall as seen looking north up Bay Street. Compare with the earlier picture.
Art deco elevator doors in the Canada Permanent Trust building (all of which is art deco).
Downtown is a mix of buildings from different periods side-by-side. By the way, in the foreground here is the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (built 1929-1931). The interior, like many other buildings I visited, is as molded as the exterior, with coffered ceilings and gilded moldings.
Two cool geometric glass buildings.
The former Toronto Stock Exchange (now design museum) is entirely surrounded by a modern skyscraper. Artificially brightened.
A close-up of part of the frieze above the entrance. Notice the banker with his hand in the worker's pocket! :) I would never have noticed this without a guidebook. It's even funnier when you remember what building it's on.
Downtown is a mix of buildings from different periods side-by-side.
By the way, in the foreground here is the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (built 1929-1931). The interior, like many other buildings I visited, is as molded as the exterior, with coffered ceilings and gilded moldings.
Two cool geometric glass buildings.
The former Toronto Stock Exchange (now design museum) is entirely surrounded by a modern skyscraper.
Artificially brightened.
A close-up of part of the frieze above the entrance. Notice the banker with his hand in the worker's pocket! :) I would never have noticed this without a guidebook. It's even funnier when you remember what building it's on.
Lunch of brown rice sushi: California rolls (crab + avocado) and dynamite rolls (prawn tempura, avocado, and cucumber).
In the courtyard between the Toronto Dominion Towers, Torontonians enjoy the sun amid Joe Fafard's cow sculpture: Pastures. My guidebook remarks it reminds bankers of other kinds of stock, harhar.
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A building with a neat wave.
Lunch of brown rice sushi: California rolls (crab + avocado) and dynamite rolls (prawn tempura, avocado, and cucumber).
In the courtyard between the Toronto Dominion Towers, Torontonians enjoy the sun amid Joe Fafard's cow sculpture: Pastures. My guidebook remarks it reminds bankers of other kinds of stock, harhar.
Mies van der Rohe's Toronto Dominion Pavilion is a clear reminder of his boxy, metal-and-glass, open style. I like its interior. Too bad it's a bank and I couldn't photograph it.
A building with a neat wave.
The "Scottish Romanesque"-style St. Andrews Presbyterian Church.
There are some old, short buildings in and around downtown such as this one at left. At right, by the way, is the headquarters of the Toronto International Film Festival. This shot looks west down King Street into the entertainment district.
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Liveliness along King Street in the entertainment district.
The "Scottish Romanesque"-style St. Andrews Presbyterian Church.
There are some old, short buildings in and around downtown such as this one at left. At right, by the way, is the headquarters of the Toronto International Film Festival. This shot looks west down King Street into the entertainment district.
The Toronto International Film Festival has exhibitions! The current one was about A Game of Thrones. In an odd contrast, someone in a well-worn stormtrooper costume was posing for pictures in the lobby.
Liveliness along King Street in the entertainment district.
More liveliness, including a cow.
John Street has a nice row of townhouses with al fresco dining. This is a block north of King.
Approaching Grange Park.
A panorama of Grange Park. At right is the Sharp Center for Design on its colorful stilts. In the middle is the Grange, the original home of the Art Gallery of Ontario (A.G.O.). I'm sorry the panorama is stitched badly; this was made automatically by my camera-phone and I cannot fix it.
More liveliness, including a cow.
John Street has a nice row of townhouses with al fresco dining. This is a block north of King.
Approaching Grange Park.
A panorama of Grange Park. At right is the Sharp Center for Design on its colorful stilts. In the middle is the Grange, the original home of the Art Gallery of Ontario (A.G.O.).
I'm sorry the panorama is stitched badly; this was made automatically by my camera-phone and I cannot fix it.
The funky curved staircase that emerges from the blue face of the new A.G.O. It's shown in the panorama but heavily obstructed.
Across the street from the A.G.O. are townhouses converted into businesses, mostly art galleries.
The funky curved staircase that emerges from the blue face of the new A.G.O. It's shown in the panorama but heavily obstructed.
Across the street from the A.G.O. are townhouses converted into businesses, mostly art galleries.
Art Gallery of Ontario (A.G.O.)
The Art Gallery of Ontario (A.G.O.), renovated by Frank Gehry. I took this picture two days earlier, on March 14, 2012.
This interior stairway has a similarly funky twist as the one outside.
Galleria Italia, which has tons of natural light, is bowed like the hull of a ship. This is directly above the main entrance.
A panoramic video of Toronto's skyline, sweeping counter-clockwise from the west to the south (Grange Park) to the south-east. Note the CN Tower and the Sharpe Center for Design. Taken from A.G.O.'s funky stairway above Grange Park.
The Art Gallery of Ontario (A.G.O.), renovated by Frank Gehry.
I took this picture two days earlier, on March 14, 2012.
This interior stairway has a similarly funky twist as the one outside.
Galleria Italia, which has tons of natural light, is bowed like the hull of a ship. This is directly above the main entrance.
A panoramic video of Toronto's skyline, sweeping counter-clockwise from the west to the south (Grange Park) to the south-east. Note the CN Tower and the Sharpe Center for Design. Taken from A.G.O.'s funky stairway above Grange Park.