Day 33

Relax!

Frankie say relax man, you don't have to worry about any cars in the Market today, we own the road...just let me take this call.

Day 34

Textures of Kensington

Making it down to the Market for any reason usually ends up in being a good day. It is really the soul of Toronto; freaks, geeks, hippies, old school punks and new comers come together in an odd mix that sparks some of the best creativity in the city. Though I am usually down there for the cheap veggies.

Day 35

Where is My Mind?

The night life in Toronto has always been very intoxicating to me, especially during my early years in the city.

After the closing of my favourite club, System Soundbar combined with shifting priorities the club scene just simple fell out of favour.

Last night I got a little glimpse back into the past.

Day 36

In the Dark

Last night I got to partake in quite a unique dining experience. I visit O.Noir, a restaurant that you enjoy your entire meal in the pitch black. All the wait staff are blind and there is not even a sliver of light in the entire space.

Great service, great company, fantastic food, a night to remember.

Day 37

Wall of Nails.

I've always been a big fan of the architecture of Toronto's city hall. The inside of the building also contains some very interesting elements, including this giant wall of nails that in the main entrance. I don't know how many thousands there are, they all stick out at different lengths giving a very cool wavy look.

Day 38

Globe and Mail

I've done my best to not mix in any commercial work I've done with this project, but truth be told after a long day of shooting the patio called my name louder than the need to capture any more shots for the day. The squeaking wheel gets the oil.

This was day 1 of 3 for a major ad campaign for MPN, if you happen to see this image or one like it in the Globe and Mail in the coming months, you'll know who took the shot.

Thanks again Allison!

Day 39

Tommy Thompson

My favourite ride in the city is out to the end of Tommy Thompson park. The view was perfect this morning.

Day 40

The Old Swimming Hole

Here in Toronto you are blessed with a plethora of fantastic spots for a dip on a hot humid summers day.

Day 41

Danger! High Voltage!

Fire in the disco
Fire in the taco bell
Fire in the disco
Fire in the gates of hell

Day 42

Tornadoes in Toronto

Just after 7pm last night I got to experience one of the best blast of Mother Nature I've ever had thrown at me. Like you see in the movies, in a matter of minutes everything turned black, then shock and awe.

After the system moved through, the sky turned an eerie green, by the time I grabbed my camera and climbed onto the roof it was a golden brown.

Day 43

Flying Amy

Personal trainer to the stars, and all round awesome person Ms Amy Tsai was captured like a bolt of lighting this afternoon as my photo of the day.

She runs an bad ass bootcamp in Riverdale park, if you'd like deets let me know.

Day 44

Tracks to a Brighter Hell

"Fade out turn me up
Wrap your mind around me
For all and every one to see
What would you say falling from a building
So far so free
So far so free"

-The Watchmen, Brighter Hell

Day 45

Return to The Beach

The result of of very unfortunate theft at last nights event had me down at Cherry beach again this evening searching in vain for a friends stolen bag.

Even though the bag has still yet to be recovered, the evening proved to be best spend down by the water with the 39C weather we had in the city.

Day 46

Life's a Beach

One of the events I've always considered to be a uniquely Toronto experience is Cherry Beach Sunday. For almost 10 years the Promise promoters have brought down a sound system and given people a perfect place to wind down their weekends.

Unfortunately like all things in life it is experiencing some change and somewhat slipped from its original feel as it popularity has grown. Regardless it continues to be the best place in the city to meet new and old friends to ride out the weekend on a blanket in the sun.

Day 47

Music Garden

A really well design park at the waters edge is the Toronto Music garden. It's layout is inspired by the works of classic musicians, including Johann Sebastian Bach.

Day 48

Lovers in a dangerous time.

August 14th 2003 45 million people on the eastern seaboard of North America had their lives go dark. Everyone has a slightly different way to remember that day, I tend to have very fond memories.

Never in my life have I seen community come together like it did that night, neighbors talking on the street, hundreds of people in parks simply laying down looking up at the stars, giving strangers rides home, checking on elders. All of this with out instruction or the use of mass media, it came natural.

Last night there was a small celebration to mark the 5 year anniversary of the date on Ossington Ave.

" HiMY SYeD - Toronto City of Labyrinths Project "

Sometimes I do wonder how much more we would connect if every once in a while the power did just go out?

Day 49

The perfect colour

Sometimes it is a smell, sometimes a taste, the first beat to a song, everyone has some kind of trigger that puts a smile on their face and reminds them that we really do have it pretty good.

For me it happen when I'm sitting out on the patio of my favourite watering hole the Rhino, right around the time in the evening the sun hits the big pink wall. Lighting it up with perfect summer light, I know that soon as I look down I'll be surrounded by good friends, good drinks, and reminded that I really do have it pretty good.

As Sharon pointed out to me as I took these shots, I will indeed miss Toronto.

Day 50

Half way home.

The middle (or quarter way if you count the first 100days still to come) of the project, it is going by fast. The 24 hours leading up to the shot almost perfectly describe why I've fallen in love with this city;

Perfect summer weather, a stellar concert by Underworld , then just after I shot this getting to see Bowie in Labyrinth under the stars with 1000 other people all singing along.

This particular shot is a heard of cow statues smack dab in the middle of the financial district.

Moo

Day 51

This is my bike.

As essential to this project as my camera and my left eye my beloved bike is making at least one appearance in this project.

I've had this bike for 7 years, and sure it is a little bit beat up, and out of date thing is it has never let me down.

I don't know how many thousands of km's it has carried me, a rough estimate is almost an extra 1000km thus far just in the first half of the project.


Freedom is two wheels.

Day 52

Luminous Veil

The Bloor street viaduct connects Bloor street to the Danforth, it was always a very impressive structure to walk/ride across.

Unfortunately it also seem to be a magnet for suicides. In 1998 a plan was approved to put up a barrier in an attempt to stop these unfortunate decisions. Because of funding issue these plans were delayed and completion of the project did not finish until 2003. Sixty additional people used the viaduct as their exit fro this earth during those five years.

Day 53

Lake Life

Another summer storm greeted us this morning, but after it dumped in guts out on the city a beautiful summer day was born.

By the time it was all said and done I had my longest ride of the season, almost 75km.

Day 54

The heart of the Beast

A stunning new sculpture great visitors to the Distillery District through the Parliament entrance. It stands about 20 feet tall and made of pieces of metal formed together allowing light to shine through.

if anyone has any info on its name, or who it is made by please post a link.

Day 55

Union Station in Toronto. . I was fortunate to check it out at night with hardly anyone walking around. Luckily I was able to take a few shots using my tripod until a few security guards came by and told me to stop.

Day 56

Chasing the Moon

On my ride home I was really glad I brought my big glass with me as the moon was playing hide and seek behind the tower. As seen from Bellwoods Park

Day 57

all my instincts they return

A cyclist enjoys the perfect summer ride over the Bathurst overpast. Another great Wednesday down at the harbour front. tonight, Say anything.

Day 58

Lighting Crashes

And I'm pretty sure I saw a placenta wash right by me in the alley, probably left over from the garbage strike. When it decided to rain here in Toronto, it doesn't screw around. Monsoon season 2009 continues.

Day 59

In the midnight hour, she cried more, more, more.

The once proud Rainbow Wolf once roamed free in the land that is now called Toronto. A mystical creature that was driven north during the early part of 20th the century was finally hunted to complete extinction in the early part of the 1990's by a class of people know as "Candy Ravers" . The valued "fun fur" it possessed was not only sought for its broad spectrum of colours which was turned into clothing, but it has been said that once you adorned the attire of the beast you adopted its spirit strength; peace, love, unity and respect. Sadly this need for p.l.u.r drove these "Candy Ravers" to near madness, and while they were not in possession of the spirit typically on a Tuesday the world seems small and bleak.

All we have left to remember the Rainbow wolf is this statue that sits in Trinity Bellwoods Park.

Please feel free to add on to the know history of the Rainbow wolf.

Day 60

A late start to the day, and some dog sitting responsibility had me out searching for a night time scene. I took a ride down towards the OCAD building but as I passed through the Grange Park, the CN tower was just looking to pretty to not take her photo.

Day 61

Well it took me 9 years to finally make it down to my first caribana celebration. I had a really good time. I did find the lay out of the event very confusing and for the life of me could not find my way to the parade route. So I people watched.
it is very tough to sum up this afternoon in a couple images, but I feel these two give a nice ying and yang feel to how I saw the event.

The thing I enjoyed most about the party is that none of the outside world body image issues existing, at least for the day. lots of skin of every shape and colour all bouncing away to a steady stream of beats.