While getting to know what's available to me this coming year, I found out that my Faculty has Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
I'm not necessarily shocked, offended, happy, intrigued or any other emotion that you can think of, but it was, errr, neat to see that it was listed in the weekly activities sheet.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
A day downtown...
- Bought an agenda for school. Looks like the 5 others ones that I have, just with a different logo on the front.
- Got sweaty from the super hot and muggy weather.
- Went inside the crystal. Very unfinished, but could be good once done. Don't think it'll be done for awhile. The Peru exhibit is fab.
- Had ice cream from Greg's. Fantastic. Tasted the ginger, and got the roasted marshmallow and the peanut brittle and cream. I was going to go with ginger and roasted marshmallow, as if was my first time in awhile so thought the standards would be appropriate, but then, I figured a taste of ginger would be enough (it's pretty powerful) and this was I'd get to try a different flavour as well. This resulted in me realizing that I like ice creams that have intense flavour throughout.
- Went in lululemon again. Tempted, but no purchase yet. May breakdown soon. Same could be said for the facebook problem.
- Saw a red and white (I couldn't actually tell that it was white - it looked like a pale mauve to me) CN Tower. I like it.
- Got sweaty from the super hot and muggy weather.
- Went inside the crystal. Very unfinished, but could be good once done. Don't think it'll be done for awhile. The Peru exhibit is fab.
- Had ice cream from Greg's. Fantastic. Tasted the ginger, and got the roasted marshmallow and the peanut brittle and cream. I was going to go with ginger and roasted marshmallow, as if was my first time in awhile so thought the standards would be appropriate, but then, I figured a taste of ginger would be enough (it's pretty powerful) and this was I'd get to try a different flavour as well. This resulted in me realizing that I like ice creams that have intense flavour throughout.
- Went in lululemon again. Tempted, but no purchase yet. May breakdown soon. Same could be said for the facebook problem.
- Saw a red and white (I couldn't actually tell that it was white - it looked like a pale mauve to me) CN Tower. I like it.
Movie = Better than book
I'm re-reading The Devil Wears Prada. The movie was much better. I remember liking the book when I read it, but now it's just boring. I have to keep flipping past all the boring parts to get to the catty stuff.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The Second Mark
The Second Mark, by Joy Goodwin
I haven't read a book in awhile, so I thought I'd ease back into reading with something light and of definite interest to me.
This book highlights the pairs event from the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. The event that led to the changing of the figure skating judging system, from the publicly understood 6.0 system, to the confusing Code of Points System (CPC).
The top three teams at the event came from Russia (Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikharulidze), Canada (Jamie Salé & David Pelletier) and China (Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao) respectively...at least, until the scandal unfolded.
I'm happy NOT to give my opinion on who I think deserved the gold medal that night, as, well, it could get a little ugly.
The book itself was an easy read. The bulk of the book outlined the different cultures of the top three teams and how it effected their preparation (right from their first steps on the ice, individually and as a pair) leading up to the big event. The contrast in the styles of skating was clearly evident and one could really understand the history and tradition that produced those nuances in each of the team's styles of skating. I think the author did a great job in this aspect of the book, as I feel that while it's great to watch the beautiful skating unfold in those short minutes, it's easy to forget the pathway to those performances and depending on where you're born, the pathway can be so very different.
Once the background had been covered, and the long program from the Olympics had been described, I felt like the book lost its momentum. It did a lackluster job of describing what actually transpired in the judging circles after the event (although, I was a little alarmed to realize that I personally know one of the judges who was at the event and had absolutely NO idea) and what I hope was a very skewed view of the reaction from the skaters and coaches. From all accounts from the North American media (that I have been exposed to, until this book), the Russian skaters were very supportive throughout the whole fiasco and just wanted everything to be over. I have no idea where the truth lies, however, it still seems (given their current relationship on tour and such) that the book gave a skewed view. At least, I really hope so. And sure, I know that it was the gold medal that took the spotlight of the event, but the author still could have talked about the Chinese team after the event as opposed to practically leaving them out of the post event section (only to bring them back hastily at the very end).
One other thing confused me. The title. As a skating enthusiast, I know the meaning of the seoncd mark, and I believe that the significance of it was briefly discussed at the begining of the book, however this theme was lost in the storyline as the book progressed. I imagined that the author would discuss more about the second mark and how each team was different in this regard. How their training and upbringing effected their ability to capitalize of this important mark (the second mark used to be the deciding factor in the long program of tied marks), and how the judges could have used that mark to play around with their final placements. Honestly, to me the technical mark was clearcut (this is what was shady about the marking...although, it's so different live than it is on TV, so good quality elements could still hold up a program, even with a stumble) it's that second mark that you could have totally argued eitherway...but I'm going to stop there. Like I said, my own personal judgement could lead this discussion to get out of hand.
Anyway, the book itself is good. If you like figure skating, I think you should read the book. It's a great comparision between cultures and really highlights some of the extremely weird things that those in the figure skating world have just learned to accept.
-picture courtesy of www.chapters.indigo.ca
I haven't read a book in awhile, so I thought I'd ease back into reading with something light and of definite interest to me.This book highlights the pairs event from the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. The event that led to the changing of the figure skating judging system, from the publicly understood 6.0 system, to the confusing Code of Points System (CPC).
The top three teams at the event came from Russia (Elena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikharulidze), Canada (Jamie Salé & David Pelletier) and China (Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao) respectively...at least, until the scandal unfolded.
I'm happy NOT to give my opinion on who I think deserved the gold medal that night, as, well, it could get a little ugly.
The book itself was an easy read. The bulk of the book outlined the different cultures of the top three teams and how it effected their preparation (right from their first steps on the ice, individually and as a pair) leading up to the big event. The contrast in the styles of skating was clearly evident and one could really understand the history and tradition that produced those nuances in each of the team's styles of skating. I think the author did a great job in this aspect of the book, as I feel that while it's great to watch the beautiful skating unfold in those short minutes, it's easy to forget the pathway to those performances and depending on where you're born, the pathway can be so very different.
Once the background had been covered, and the long program from the Olympics had been described, I felt like the book lost its momentum. It did a lackluster job of describing what actually transpired in the judging circles after the event (although, I was a little alarmed to realize that I personally know one of the judges who was at the event and had absolutely NO idea) and what I hope was a very skewed view of the reaction from the skaters and coaches. From all accounts from the North American media (that I have been exposed to, until this book), the Russian skaters were very supportive throughout the whole fiasco and just wanted everything to be over. I have no idea where the truth lies, however, it still seems (given their current relationship on tour and such) that the book gave a skewed view. At least, I really hope so. And sure, I know that it was the gold medal that took the spotlight of the event, but the author still could have talked about the Chinese team after the event as opposed to practically leaving them out of the post event section (only to bring them back hastily at the very end).
One other thing confused me. The title. As a skating enthusiast, I know the meaning of the seoncd mark, and I believe that the significance of it was briefly discussed at the begining of the book, however this theme was lost in the storyline as the book progressed. I imagined that the author would discuss more about the second mark and how each team was different in this regard. How their training and upbringing effected their ability to capitalize of this important mark (the second mark used to be the deciding factor in the long program of tied marks), and how the judges could have used that mark to play around with their final placements. Honestly, to me the technical mark was clearcut (this is what was shady about the marking...although, it's so different live than it is on TV, so good quality elements could still hold up a program, even with a stumble) it's that second mark that you could have totally argued eitherway...but I'm going to stop there. Like I said, my own personal judgement could lead this discussion to get out of hand.
Anyway, the book itself is good. If you like figure skating, I think you should read the book. It's a great comparision between cultures and really highlights some of the extremely weird things that those in the figure skating world have just learned to accept.
-picture courtesy of www.chapters.indigo.ca
Monday, August 20, 2007
More sightings
Every year, around this time, I become star-struck.
This year was no exception. Along with the feeling that I want to get climbing up that ladder, I spotted lotsa people including *Karen* and *Louis*...two new entries to my superlong list.
And I don't know what they're doing in the States, but Canada's really got a lot to learn from them. Although, I get the feeling that many of them are home-schooled and earn a lot more money and I'm not sure how supportive I am of that aspect of it all.
This year was no exception. Along with the feeling that I want to get climbing up that ladder, I spotted lotsa people including *Karen* and *Louis*...two new entries to my superlong list.
And I don't know what they're doing in the States, but Canada's really got a lot to learn from them. Although, I get the feeling that many of them are home-schooled and earn a lot more money and I'm not sure how supportive I am of that aspect of it all.
It's just stupid
You've seen it on TV, you've watched it in movies, you've read about it in the papers/books. Regardless of how you've heard about it, I'm sure you know about "hazing/initiation".
Going through Frosh Week at university wasn't too big of a deal. I know that my year probably had it a lot easier because just prior it went out of hand, so the university tightened their grip on the whole situation and we got the "nice" side of the pendulum. Our week was definitely set up to be all about warm fuzzies.
The varsity team was worse, and while I embarrass easily, it was still fun. Dressing up like idiots and having stuff written and drawn all over our faces while we paraded around town and into bars...it really wasn't that bad because there was a group of us and it was truly a bonding experience. We spent most of it a a person's house doing embarrassing things, so we weren't even in public for most of the night. And once we were in public, the way we were dressed and the sign that I wore saying "I stroke long and hard" (equally amusing were other people's signs...among them: "Let me should you my spread eagle", "Let me ride you like a zamboni, slow and steady" and "Let me pivot on your pick") made it quite obvious that we were getting rookied.
The first experience with a serious team was even worse. We were segregated at someones cottage (although I guess that meant that we were safe from seeing people we knew) and between going out in town and making a fool out of ourselves and running into the lake when we really didn't want to...looking back at it now, it really wasn't too bad. I just didn't like it, because at the time I didn't feel comfortable enough around the people that I was with. I think that's what makes the difference. It's not like I didn't trust them in that they would maliciously hurt me, I just didn't have a personal bond with them yet, and a lot of them were just so different from me that I just felt awkward about the whole thing. Oh, and I guess that was my first experience sleeping in a tent too, which was a little weird.
I've recently had another initiation experience. It wasn't too bad. Actually, very similar to the second last experience. I guess similar traditions run in the same circles. I do have to tell you about one thing that we did.
So okay, I get that making people do embarrassing things is funny and that it's a good way for people to have something to bond over, but this is just stupid.
4L of milk. 1 hour. (one litre every 15 minutes or else some sort of physical activity to make you shake around the milk in your body)
As for me, the first 15 minutes was fine. 25 minutes in, I'd decided that I wanted to stop, not just because I was full, but because of what was happening around me. The premise of this wasn't...*cheer* *cheer* "you can do it!"...it was more like..."puke, puke!!" and "the further it goes, the better it is!" These are people who are supposed to be taking good care of their bodies who encourage something that is obviously damaging. I don't throw up very often (which apparently was "soooo amazing" that I got extra points towards my tally for keep down all the other stuff that we had to ingest in the prior activity) so I was just hanging out, sipping my milk as 6 people around me were throwing up to cheers, camera flashes and videotaping. I haven't lost complete respect for them, I just think it's stupid. (I have to say, it was obvious that some of them were clearly uncomfortable watching us go through this, so I do still have some people that I think are sane.) One of them threw up about 6 or 7 times in total throughout the whole gong-show. One other person had plain out stopped before I did because they were fed up with the whole situation. One of the pukers was crying from the pain. Sure, I push through pain on many occasions, but again...this was just stupid. They shouldn't have had to get to that point. Another person and I also learned that since your body can't break down the milk fast enough, it sits in you and just grows and grows in your gut. Pre-pepto bismol, we were both very uncomfortable. The other person kept trying to throw up, hoping that it would make them feel better. We both realized that milk farts are really stinky. The Pepto was great...soon after I felt a lot better, but it really wasn't worth it. Again, I repeat, the whole idea was just stupid, and due to this, I am afraid to drink milk. Something that is so nutritious and probably encouraged for us to drink (potentially more so than some other people) is actually feared.
Re-reading this post makes me realize that it didn't do this experience justice. I'm still disgusted about the whole situation...it's just stupid.
Going through Frosh Week at university wasn't too big of a deal. I know that my year probably had it a lot easier because just prior it went out of hand, so the university tightened their grip on the whole situation and we got the "nice" side of the pendulum. Our week was definitely set up to be all about warm fuzzies.
The varsity team was worse, and while I embarrass easily, it was still fun. Dressing up like idiots and having stuff written and drawn all over our faces while we paraded around town and into bars...it really wasn't that bad because there was a group of us and it was truly a bonding experience. We spent most of it a a person's house doing embarrassing things, so we weren't even in public for most of the night. And once we were in public, the way we were dressed and the sign that I wore saying "I stroke long and hard" (equally amusing were other people's signs...among them: "Let me should you my spread eagle", "Let me ride you like a zamboni, slow and steady" and "Let me pivot on your pick") made it quite obvious that we were getting rookied.
The first experience with a serious team was even worse. We were segregated at someones cottage (although I guess that meant that we were safe from seeing people we knew) and between going out in town and making a fool out of ourselves and running into the lake when we really didn't want to...looking back at it now, it really wasn't too bad. I just didn't like it, because at the time I didn't feel comfortable enough around the people that I was with. I think that's what makes the difference. It's not like I didn't trust them in that they would maliciously hurt me, I just didn't have a personal bond with them yet, and a lot of them were just so different from me that I just felt awkward about the whole thing. Oh, and I guess that was my first experience sleeping in a tent too, which was a little weird.
I've recently had another initiation experience. It wasn't too bad. Actually, very similar to the second last experience. I guess similar traditions run in the same circles. I do have to tell you about one thing that we did.
So okay, I get that making people do embarrassing things is funny and that it's a good way for people to have something to bond over, but this is just stupid.
4L of milk. 1 hour. (one litre every 15 minutes or else some sort of physical activity to make you shake around the milk in your body)
As for me, the first 15 minutes was fine. 25 minutes in, I'd decided that I wanted to stop, not just because I was full, but because of what was happening around me. The premise of this wasn't...*cheer* *cheer* "you can do it!"...it was more like..."puke, puke!!" and "the further it goes, the better it is!" These are people who are supposed to be taking good care of their bodies who encourage something that is obviously damaging. I don't throw up very often (which apparently was "soooo amazing" that I got extra points towards my tally for keep down all the other stuff that we had to ingest in the prior activity) so I was just hanging out, sipping my milk as 6 people around me were throwing up to cheers, camera flashes and videotaping. I haven't lost complete respect for them, I just think it's stupid. (I have to say, it was obvious that some of them were clearly uncomfortable watching us go through this, so I do still have some people that I think are sane.) One of them threw up about 6 or 7 times in total throughout the whole gong-show. One other person had plain out stopped before I did because they were fed up with the whole situation. One of the pukers was crying from the pain. Sure, I push through pain on many occasions, but again...this was just stupid. They shouldn't have had to get to that point. Another person and I also learned that since your body can't break down the milk fast enough, it sits in you and just grows and grows in your gut. Pre-pepto bismol, we were both very uncomfortable. The other person kept trying to throw up, hoping that it would make them feel better. We both realized that milk farts are really stinky. The Pepto was great...soon after I felt a lot better, but it really wasn't worth it. Again, I repeat, the whole idea was just stupid, and due to this, I am afraid to drink milk. Something that is so nutritious and probably encouraged for us to drink (potentially more so than some other people) is actually feared.
Re-reading this post makes me realize that it didn't do this experience justice. I'm still disgusted about the whole situation...it's just stupid.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Mariposa Charity Gala
For the first time, I went to this year's Mariposa Charity Gala. This event is co-presented by The Rotary Club of Barrie-Huronia and The Mariposa School of Skating to raise money for charity.
Usually, the cast members are current and past skaters from Mariposa ranging of all ages along with a couple big guest stars. This year, after looking at the program, I was disappointed to see that, well, the big stars didn't really come out in droves this year. Sigh.
Anyway, I was still there, and it was my first entry back into the world of North American figure skating, at least from a spectator's point of view. I only got to see a couple numbers, but while Steven Cousins was performing, I got that pang of "this is where I belong" and "this is the sport I love". At that moment, I was in awe again, and I momentarily forgot about all the iffy things that I was dealing with. It was also kinda neat to see a Swiss skater (who I guess is training in Barrie for the summer) on the ice.
After the show, there was a meet and greet and I spotted some greats. You know, the coaches from Mariposa, all the skaters in the show and David Pelletier was wandering around. He looked tired. Really tired. Jamie was nowhere to be found...I guess too preggy to be out or something.
It was a fun show, and I guess I have to remember that it's for charity, but other than that, I would say that the ticket price of $35 isn't worth it. At least not this year. They do post the programa beforehand, so I would advise figure skating fans who are considering going out to this event to scope out the situation before investing in a seat. There's also the option of really splurging and buying a table and having dinner with the show, but I really think that's too much. If you're planning on giving to charity anyway, sure, go for it, but if it's the great skating you're looking for, Stars On Ice is a better bet.
Usually, the cast members are current and past skaters from Mariposa ranging of all ages along with a couple big guest stars. This year, after looking at the program, I was disappointed to see that, well, the big stars didn't really come out in droves this year. Sigh.
Anyway, I was still there, and it was my first entry back into the world of North American figure skating, at least from a spectator's point of view. I only got to see a couple numbers, but while Steven Cousins was performing, I got that pang of "this is where I belong" and "this is the sport I love". At that moment, I was in awe again, and I momentarily forgot about all the iffy things that I was dealing with. It was also kinda neat to see a Swiss skater (who I guess is training in Barrie for the summer) on the ice.
After the show, there was a meet and greet and I spotted some greats. You know, the coaches from Mariposa, all the skaters in the show and David Pelletier was wandering around. He looked tired. Really tired. Jamie was nowhere to be found...I guess too preggy to be out or something.
It was a fun show, and I guess I have to remember that it's for charity, but other than that, I would say that the ticket price of $35 isn't worth it. At least not this year. They do post the programa beforehand, so I would advise figure skating fans who are considering going out to this event to scope out the situation before investing in a seat. There's also the option of really splurging and buying a table and having dinner with the show, but I really think that's too much. If you're planning on giving to charity anyway, sure, go for it, but if it's the great skating you're looking for, Stars On Ice is a better bet.
I don't get it
You know, just because you've got your youth and the most amazing super skinny and toned legs that go on for days doesn't mean that wearing Abercrombie shorts in which the legs are cut shorter than "boy-short" panties and the waist low enough that even without sitting down you've got "plumbers bum" is ok.
I just don't get it.
[sorry for the ridiculously long, run-on sentence]
I just don't get it.
[sorry for the ridiculously long, run-on sentence]
Perfection
Today, at 20.23 the sky was beautiful. No matter what direction you looked, it was a-ma-zing.
[Completely unrelated, I know I sound like a broken record, but no posts for a little while. I'm hoping to get caught up a bit next week, but there's so much more that's happened in the past little while that it's like a lose-lose situation. I do have to say, that I went to our nation's capital last weekend, Ottawa - hey, you never know, there are some international folks reading this who may need a little hint - and was blown away. I can't believe it's taken me this long to go there and feel good about our country. Anyway, along with that, I'm back on the ice - of course - and it's fab. Sort of related, I'm actually going to spend the better part of tomorrow sitting with pencil and paper tomorrow in a cold rink. I've already got my outfit planned out.]
[Completely unrelated, I know I sound like a broken record, but no posts for a little while. I'm hoping to get caught up a bit next week, but there's so much more that's happened in the past little while that it's like a lose-lose situation. I do have to say, that I went to our nation's capital last weekend, Ottawa - hey, you never know, there are some international folks reading this who may need a little hint - and was blown away. I can't believe it's taken me this long to go there and feel good about our country. Anyway, along with that, I'm back on the ice - of course - and it's fab. Sort of related, I'm actually going to spend the better part of tomorrow sitting with pencil and paper tomorrow in a cold rink. I've already got my outfit planned out.]
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
It's final
Well, all 17 boxes of my shipment (in retrospect, I should have made it a nice round 20) have arrived in Canada and are now taking up a lot of space in what used to seem like a very roomy house.
This means I am completely back in Toronto.
This means I am completely back in Toronto.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
I'm looking forward to...
- eating a Tim Horton's donut
- eating a Krispy Kreme donut (I hear that they've closed a bunch of locations though - are Canadians getting more healthy? I guess the craze has passed)
- eating at an Indian restaurant to see if I like it better now
- eating an oatmeal cookie
- having some special sauce from Swiss Chalet...and I guess some chicken wouldn't hurt either
- eating a cinnamon bun covered with icing from Cinnabon
- eating a Harvey's hamburger (with extra pickles on the side)
- eating Tostitos chips with a hint of lime
- eating an oreo cookie
- eating a fudge-o cookie
- eating something from Taco Bell (don't judge!)
- eating cheesecake
- drinking skim milk
- eating at a Thai restaurant to fill up on spice and make my face go pink
- eating ice cream from Greg's
- drinking a white hot chocolate (skim milk, no whip) from the Bloor St Second Cup (across from the ROM)
- eating a Krispy Kreme donut (I hear that they've closed a bunch of locations though - are Canadians getting more healthy? I guess the craze has passed)
- eating at an Indian restaurant to see if I like it better now
- eating an oatmeal cookie
- having some special sauce from Swiss Chalet...and I guess some chicken wouldn't hurt either
- eating a cinnamon bun covered with icing from Cinnabon
- eating a Harvey's hamburger (with extra pickles on the side)
- eating Tostitos chips with a hint of lime
- eating an oreo cookie
- eating a fudge-o cookie
- eating something from Taco Bell (don't judge!)
- eating cheesecake
- drinking skim milk
- eating at a Thai restaurant to fill up on spice and make my face go pink
- eating ice cream from Greg's
- drinking a white hot chocolate (skim milk, no whip) from the Bloor St Second Cup (across from the ROM)
Jet lag
How long does it take to get out of your system?
I still feel off. Jet lag? Reverse culture shock? Heat wave? Poor diet?
I walked around downtown Toronto for a good two hours today which was interesting. I'm sort of at a loss as to how to explain how I'm feeling about things. I just know something's off. I was walking a lot slower than usual. Taking the time to look around. Going inside Holts helped me a bit. Given some of the content of some of my posts, one might think that I'm completely superficial and materialistic, but I like to think that I'm not. I think the materialism is something that before going to Europe I was never really exposed to, but slightly intrigued by. Let's face it, most Europeans are more fashion forward than most Torontonians, especially me. I think I've learned a lot about this part of the world in the past three years, and so going into a high-end store with labels that I've gotten used to seeing and appreciating their quality of work...well, it was like going back to something that I'm familiar with. Something about the attitude of the store and its presentation really made me relax.
I really don't know what it is that's makes Toronto so different than Europe. Neither is better or worse. Walking down Yonge Street today was...I don't know. I really don't know. It wasn't shocking, becuase I've seen it all before. It's like I'm relearning. Relearning what? I'm not sure. How to be a Torontonian, I guess.
I still feel off. Jet lag? Reverse culture shock? Heat wave? Poor diet?
I walked around downtown Toronto for a good two hours today which was interesting. I'm sort of at a loss as to how to explain how I'm feeling about things. I just know something's off. I was walking a lot slower than usual. Taking the time to look around. Going inside Holts helped me a bit. Given some of the content of some of my posts, one might think that I'm completely superficial and materialistic, but I like to think that I'm not. I think the materialism is something that before going to Europe I was never really exposed to, but slightly intrigued by. Let's face it, most Europeans are more fashion forward than most Torontonians, especially me. I think I've learned a lot about this part of the world in the past three years, and so going into a high-end store with labels that I've gotten used to seeing and appreciating their quality of work...well, it was like going back to something that I'm familiar with. Something about the attitude of the store and its presentation really made me relax.
I really don't know what it is that's makes Toronto so different than Europe. Neither is better or worse. Walking down Yonge Street today was...I don't know. I really don't know. It wasn't shocking, becuase I've seen it all before. It's like I'm relearning. Relearning what? I'm not sure. How to be a Torontonian, I guess.
Robarts Library
This morning was the first time that I've ever been inside of Robarts Library.
It was really intimidating. I'm serious.
I wonder how much time I'll be spending in there in the future?
It was really intimidating. I'm serious.
I wonder how much time I'll be spending in there in the future?
More within the past year...
- The Crystal at the ROM has finished construction and lots of galleries are now open. While I have to admit that it looks a lot better than what I remember feeling when they were proposing such an idea, I'm shocked and disappointed at the prices of admission to get into the gallery. I'm happy to know that they are also doing bag check upon entering the museum, but sad to see that the crystal isn't completely finished as there's still lots of construction going on. So what...they had the opening party too early?
- Holt's on Bloor has (and still is) undergone a reno and has done a great job with their first floor. Mind you, when I say first floor, that's the floor above ground floor. I forget if I'm referring to it the American or European way.
- The price of a local call using a pay phone has doubled an id now a whopping 50cents! I can't believe it! That's a big difference. Anyway, I guess I still like the flat-rate system compared to the keep-putting-money-in-to-keep-talking method. I never did get the hang of that in Switzerland.
- A Lucky Brand store has opened up in the Eaton's Centre. I remember going to LA in university and visitng this store on the Manhattan Beach strip and thinking that it was the coolest thing ever.
- The Varsity Centre (AKA the new Varsity Stadium) had been built and looks amazing!!! I like the fact that it's accessible to people just passing by and interesting in what's going on inside.
- Holt's on Bloor has (and still is) undergone a reno and has done a great job with their first floor. Mind you, when I say first floor, that's the floor above ground floor. I forget if I'm referring to it the American or European way.
- The price of a local call using a pay phone has doubled an id now a whopping 50cents! I can't believe it! That's a big difference. Anyway, I guess I still like the flat-rate system compared to the keep-putting-money-in-to-keep-talking method. I never did get the hang of that in Switzerland.
- A Lucky Brand store has opened up in the Eaton's Centre. I remember going to LA in university and visitng this store on the Manhattan Beach strip and thinking that it was the coolest thing ever.
- The Varsity Centre (AKA the new Varsity Stadium) had been built and looks amazing!!! I like the fact that it's accessible to people just passing by and interesting in what's going on inside.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Don't judge me
I can't believe I'm writing this, but I actually miss watching the silly shows from MTV. You know the ones: Parental Control, The Hills, Dismissed, Room Raiders, Laguna Beach, My Super Sweet Sixteen, MADE, Pimp My Ride, Making the Band, the Wade Robson Project, etc. I kinda miss watching shows that have been voiced over in French, even though you can vaguely hear the English original in the background.
The Distillery District
From a combination of feeling like a little bit of an outsider in Toronto and knowing that it has so much more to offer than I've ever known, I'm discovering and experiencing some interesting emotions/things due to this great city.
Yesterday, I was in The Distillery District...at little area out of the way of hard-core downtown Toronto. I'd only been here once before, but it was nighttime and everything was closed. Still, at night, it seemed to have a great presence.
Anyway, a visit in the middle of the day ensured that I would have the chance to see the area in all its glory. What you would imagine a block of distillery buildings to look like, well, that's exactly how the area is and I LOVE it. It adds an old character to an otherwise modern city (remember, I'm coming from Europe here). After walking the concrete jungle of King and Bay, this was a nice breath of fresh air. As I mentioned to one of my companions, I feel like the Distillery is a bit like a movie set. It just doesn't belong with its surroundings. The beautiful brick buildings, streetlamps that would be fabulous to sit under and have a good chat and cobblestones that any women with heels should be weary of.
The buildings of the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery now house shops, cafes, restaurants and even gallery spaces. It seems like a very trendy area that I could see myself wanting to visit quite often, but the problem is - it's out of the way. I guess in the grand scheme of things, it really isn't too far of a walk from the centre of town, but if I fall back into my old Torontonian self, an attitude that I feel many Torontonians have, the walking will just seem too monumental for me to ever get back there again.
Among the places ventured into:
Corktown Designs. A small shop selling local jewellery maker's items. Some trendy and unique pieces displayed sparsely in a well lit shop. Descriptions of each designer accompany each collection. The salespeople are welcoming and quite chatty.
Brick Street Bakery. A bakery which makes you immediately salivate upon entry. Well designed lemon and chocolate tarts, old school big oatmeal chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies and creative sandwiches which rival the best panini shops in Italy. Personal favorites are the sandwich with turkey and stuffing and the lamb with apricot curry/mayo(?) sauce.\
SOMA chocolatemaker. As the name gives it away, if you like chocolate, this is where to go. I've been told that they have just recently moved to their current, more spacious location and it was still busy with activity. A seating area for those wanting to sample their goodies before heading out into the heat and having it all just melt in front of their eyes is in front of big class windows so that you can spy on the lucky few who are paid to be surrounded by all that cocoa-y goodness. I notice an area with seating fit for a school group - do I smell education opportunity? Good for them! I notice on the website that they are in association with Oliver Bonacini restaurants - if the restaurant at Sheppard and Bayview still exists, it's not bad. Not exquisite, but not bad. I am immediately drawn towards the little sacs of milk chocolate with almond and toffee brittle and realise that I'm surrounded by dark chocolate items. Yes, I get that this is the real deal, but I just don't like the stuff. I mean, I still enjoy white chocolate (gasp!) for goodness sakes. Truffles look delicious as do the other praline specialties. I'm intrigued by the olive oil truffle along with the balsamic vinegar one. Companions opt for a more sensible Douglas(?) fir praline and an espresso one. Freshly made gelato is also tempting including such staples as pistachio, mango and stracciatela along with creative options including rhubarb with ginger. Yum!
lileo. A trendy retail location housing an even more trendy juice bar. This shop reminds me of a mixture of Over the Rainbow (but thankfully, more mature) and Kitson (but thankfully, less errr, annoying Hollywood starlets). You know, your typical bring in trendy items and place them in a store kind of concept. It could easily be a Yorkville immigrant. I was witness to a full-out swearing confrontation between a salesperson and a customer which needed to be stopped by the laid back, canine doting owner. Not what you'd expect in this kind of shop. I'm pretty sure it was an anomaly. Merchandise ranged from clothing, accessories and footwear (all for men and women) to home designs and even a small baby and toy centre. This is your typical "we sell a lifestyle" concept shop. They're having a huge sale right now, so head on down to find many an item at 50% off.
Just looking through the Distillery's website, it seems that there are more alleys that we didn't have a chance to get to. I'd like to return to fully discover the Distillery and sample what they have to offer. La Creperie anyone?
Prices in the Distillery seem to be more expensive than your average Toronto venue, but I would pay for it. It's different, the quality is better, and well, quite frankly, it's a steal compared to other countries! Seriously though, if you can afford it, I say do it. Life's too short to skimp out on the great things that Toronto has to offer.
Yesterday, I was in The Distillery District...at little area out of the way of hard-core downtown Toronto. I'd only been here once before, but it was nighttime and everything was closed. Still, at night, it seemed to have a great presence.
Anyway, a visit in the middle of the day ensured that I would have the chance to see the area in all its glory. What you would imagine a block of distillery buildings to look like, well, that's exactly how the area is and I LOVE it. It adds an old character to an otherwise modern city (remember, I'm coming from Europe here). After walking the concrete jungle of King and Bay, this was a nice breath of fresh air. As I mentioned to one of my companions, I feel like the Distillery is a bit like a movie set. It just doesn't belong with its surroundings. The beautiful brick buildings, streetlamps that would be fabulous to sit under and have a good chat and cobblestones that any women with heels should be weary of.
The buildings of the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery now house shops, cafes, restaurants and even gallery spaces. It seems like a very trendy area that I could see myself wanting to visit quite often, but the problem is - it's out of the way. I guess in the grand scheme of things, it really isn't too far of a walk from the centre of town, but if I fall back into my old Torontonian self, an attitude that I feel many Torontonians have, the walking will just seem too monumental for me to ever get back there again.
Among the places ventured into:
Corktown Designs. A small shop selling local jewellery maker's items. Some trendy and unique pieces displayed sparsely in a well lit shop. Descriptions of each designer accompany each collection. The salespeople are welcoming and quite chatty.
Brick Street Bakery. A bakery which makes you immediately salivate upon entry. Well designed lemon and chocolate tarts, old school big oatmeal chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies and creative sandwiches which rival the best panini shops in Italy. Personal favorites are the sandwich with turkey and stuffing and the lamb with apricot curry/mayo(?) sauce.\
SOMA chocolatemaker. As the name gives it away, if you like chocolate, this is where to go. I've been told that they have just recently moved to their current, more spacious location and it was still busy with activity. A seating area for those wanting to sample their goodies before heading out into the heat and having it all just melt in front of their eyes is in front of big class windows so that you can spy on the lucky few who are paid to be surrounded by all that cocoa-y goodness. I notice an area with seating fit for a school group - do I smell education opportunity? Good for them! I notice on the website that they are in association with Oliver Bonacini restaurants - if the restaurant at Sheppard and Bayview still exists, it's not bad. Not exquisite, but not bad. I am immediately drawn towards the little sacs of milk chocolate with almond and toffee brittle and realise that I'm surrounded by dark chocolate items. Yes, I get that this is the real deal, but I just don't like the stuff. I mean, I still enjoy white chocolate (gasp!) for goodness sakes. Truffles look delicious as do the other praline specialties. I'm intrigued by the olive oil truffle along with the balsamic vinegar one. Companions opt for a more sensible Douglas(?) fir praline and an espresso one. Freshly made gelato is also tempting including such staples as pistachio, mango and stracciatela along with creative options including rhubarb with ginger. Yum!
lileo. A trendy retail location housing an even more trendy juice bar. This shop reminds me of a mixture of Over the Rainbow (but thankfully, more mature) and Kitson (but thankfully, less errr, annoying Hollywood starlets). You know, your typical bring in trendy items and place them in a store kind of concept. It could easily be a Yorkville immigrant. I was witness to a full-out swearing confrontation between a salesperson and a customer which needed to be stopped by the laid back, canine doting owner. Not what you'd expect in this kind of shop. I'm pretty sure it was an anomaly. Merchandise ranged from clothing, accessories and footwear (all for men and women) to home designs and even a small baby and toy centre. This is your typical "we sell a lifestyle" concept shop. They're having a huge sale right now, so head on down to find many an item at 50% off.
Just looking through the Distillery's website, it seems that there are more alleys that we didn't have a chance to get to. I'd like to return to fully discover the Distillery and sample what they have to offer. La Creperie anyone?
Prices in the Distillery seem to be more expensive than your average Toronto venue, but I would pay for it. It's different, the quality is better, and well, quite frankly, it's a steal compared to other countries! Seriously though, if you can afford it, I say do it. Life's too short to skimp out on the great things that Toronto has to offer.
I still want, but have no access too
What I notice about Toronto
- There are people of all shapes, sizes and colours
- It doesn't smell that much. Only stinky, sour and rancid whiffs every so often if you're in the right spot
- Everyone blasts the air conditioning
- Most cars on the 401, 427 and 404 have only 1 person in them (I'm guilty too)
- Eating out is less than half the price of what I'm used to and portions are usually bigger
- People haven't gone cuckoo for Longchamp's Le Pliage bags yet
- People haven't gone cuckoo for any uber-designer bags yet (unless you count Coach - barf)
- There is more variety in the way people dress. Too loose or too tight exists. Too long or too short does too.
- There are actually tourists wandering around! Complete with maps and confused looks! Oh, and there are open top sightseeing buses...and potentially Segway tours too.
- Either the new collection from Zara sucks, or else Toronto gets a different style of clothing. I'm not really sure about this one, because I arrived as the collections changed over, so I'm not sure what's going on.
- It doesn't smell that much. Only stinky, sour and rancid whiffs every so often if you're in the right spot
- Everyone blasts the air conditioning
- Most cars on the 401, 427 and 404 have only 1 person in them (I'm guilty too)
- Eating out is less than half the price of what I'm used to and portions are usually bigger
- People haven't gone cuckoo for Longchamp's Le Pliage bags yet
- People haven't gone cuckoo for any uber-designer bags yet (unless you count Coach - barf)
- There is more variety in the way people dress. Too loose or too tight exists. Too long or too short does too.
- There are actually tourists wandering around! Complete with maps and confused looks! Oh, and there are open top sightseeing buses...and potentially Segway tours too.
- Either the new collection from Zara sucks, or else Toronto gets a different style of clothing. I'm not really sure about this one, because I arrived as the collections changed over, so I'm not sure what's going on.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Abercrombie & Fitch
Oh A&F.
I've heard of this brand for awhile. Not as long as most people (I don't think I really caught on to the fact that there was a world called fashion until much later than a lot of people), potentially around the time I went to Queen's University. You see, the stereotype of Queen's is kinda true. Oh, and I think a former Canadian figure skater used to model for the company. Of course there's got to be a skating link somewhere.
Anyway, I visited a friend in the States post Queen's and had my first experience with an Abercrombie store. I hadn't formed a complete hatred (no wait, it's not really hatred, just repulsion) towards the brand yet. Not at all. Quite the contrary. I bought three items at the store just to be part of the fad. I was sound enough to think that their prices were still way too high and therefore did buy my items in the kids section (thank goodness for XXL!). Anyway, the point is, I jumped on the bandwagon. I was intrigued with the brand.
And then, I guess in the past two years, somehow I developed a repulsion (as prior mentioned) towards this label. I haven't given up hope on my three tops that I bought from there (they're still good tops...don't want to waste good clothing items - and with my limited bush coloured clothing, the brown tee came in particularly handy in Kenya), but I just couldn't see myself adding anything more to the collection. When I'd heard that a store was to be opening in Toronto, and wanted to gag. I forget if I wrote about it, but even going into the new Hollister store (which I'd never heard of) last summer made me feel sick. Since Queen's I've also boycotted American Eagle (I still remember counting how many times I saw that stupid ladies rugby shirt a day) and have had a slight disdain for the Gap.
Anyway, flash forward to early July 2007 in London, England. I think I'm safe from silly American fashion, until I see a whole bunch of people walking around with A&F carrier bags. I ask around and yes, indeed a store has opened up in the last couple of months and it's all the rage. My company desperately wants to go as he's, well, Swiss and thinks that anything American is cool. Poor, poor boy. Reluctantly, I help him find the store, I little intrigued to see how the British are responding to this phenomenon and wondering how marked up the prices are. The store is located at a perfect location. Not on one of the main shopping streets, but just off of them. At the end of Seville Row, near Oxford and Bond...you know...the good stuff. It's in a huge building, apparently a former office space (which must have been a pretty amazing office to work in - think the bank from Mary Poppins, but two floors and much more welcoming). I walk up the stairs to the building and am greeted by your typical A&F male model standing in front of a wall covered with the latest ad. Yes, a typical A&F male model is wearing fashionably low slung jeans...and that's about it. Well toned abs? Check. Yummy? Check. I can't help but laugh at this new store opening gimmick as I walk into the store. [Flash to today, and I realize it's an "all the time" gimmick. The Eaton's Centre store has been open for almost a year now and I was also greeted - only visually, male models don't seem to talk - with a shirtless teen. And it was today that it truly hit how wrong this is, as in London, everyone I saw was tween and up, whereas today I saw a child, around 5 years of age follow mum into the store looking at model boy in utter confusion.]
The store is beautiful. Well, it was after my eyes adjusted to the darkness. It's friggin annoying, the mood lighting. I'd go blind working in there. Dark wood everywhere and it's set up so that you have to walk around the entire store and look at all of their merchandise (smart, smart, smart!) before you can get to a till. There's a shortcut for men, but only apparent after doing the full loop (at least it'll save time on future visits). Merchandise is carefully set out on tables, racks, walls, shelves and even in glass covered cabinets. Smart, for the sales staff who probably don't want to deal with refolding everything every time a customer tries to find their size. Sample items are put on display and customers then have to approach a sales person to get the right colour and size for them. All the colours of the rainbow are available and laid out like a seamless palette for you to marvel at and pick your favorite. Prices are outrageous.
Along with the darkness and too loud club hits blaring from the sound system, something bothered me. All the salespeople were young and beautiful. It bothered me because it just seemed so sneaky. I get that the company is trying to sell an image. It's trying to sell a lifestyle. And here, they've hired people to represent that look. It's perfect. As a customer, you come in and see the people that work there and think, "I want to look just like them". I give credit to the people way up there in the company who know to do this, but am disappointed that they don't hire a variety of faces and shapes. Variety should be encouraged. That being said, it was still fun for me to look around. (I did notice that some of the Zara stores in Europe tend to place nice looking men to work in their women's section for a similar effect.) I was entertained enough as I waited for my companion to find his token purchase. Today, I was a little disappointed to see that I didn't have as much eye candy in the Toronto store and therefore jumped to the conclusion that Brits are better looking, until I realised that maybe Torontonians have their heads on their shoulders a little bit more and have decided to hire a variety of faces and shapes. [And yes, the male model greeter in T.O. wasn't as yummy as his London counterpart either.]
Okay, the quality of the clothing was really nice, I give it that, but I still couldn't wait to get out of that store and continue to mentally diss the brand as much as possible. And just like icing on the cake of ridiculousness, as we walked out of the store, my companion basking in his >30GBP t-shirt purchase ("It was the cheapest one I could find!"), I see a leggy blond-haired, blue eyed sales princess standing beside the male model with a Polaroid camera, asking drooling shoppers if they want to take a picture with the handsome hunk.
Classic.
I've heard of this brand for awhile. Not as long as most people (I don't think I really caught on to the fact that there was a world called fashion until much later than a lot of people), potentially around the time I went to Queen's University. You see, the stereotype of Queen's is kinda true. Oh, and I think a former Canadian figure skater used to model for the company. Of course there's got to be a skating link somewhere.
Anyway, I visited a friend in the States post Queen's and had my first experience with an Abercrombie store. I hadn't formed a complete hatred (no wait, it's not really hatred, just repulsion) towards the brand yet. Not at all. Quite the contrary. I bought three items at the store just to be part of the fad. I was sound enough to think that their prices were still way too high and therefore did buy my items in the kids section (thank goodness for XXL!). Anyway, the point is, I jumped on the bandwagon. I was intrigued with the brand.
And then, I guess in the past two years, somehow I developed a repulsion (as prior mentioned) towards this label. I haven't given up hope on my three tops that I bought from there (they're still good tops...don't want to waste good clothing items - and with my limited bush coloured clothing, the brown tee came in particularly handy in Kenya), but I just couldn't see myself adding anything more to the collection. When I'd heard that a store was to be opening in Toronto, and wanted to gag. I forget if I wrote about it, but even going into the new Hollister store (which I'd never heard of) last summer made me feel sick. Since Queen's I've also boycotted American Eagle (I still remember counting how many times I saw that stupid ladies rugby shirt a day) and have had a slight disdain for the Gap.
Anyway, flash forward to early July 2007 in London, England. I think I'm safe from silly American fashion, until I see a whole bunch of people walking around with A&F carrier bags. I ask around and yes, indeed a store has opened up in the last couple of months and it's all the rage. My company desperately wants to go as he's, well, Swiss and thinks that anything American is cool. Poor, poor boy. Reluctantly, I help him find the store, I little intrigued to see how the British are responding to this phenomenon and wondering how marked up the prices are. The store is located at a perfect location. Not on one of the main shopping streets, but just off of them. At the end of Seville Row, near Oxford and Bond...you know...the good stuff. It's in a huge building, apparently a former office space (which must have been a pretty amazing office to work in - think the bank from Mary Poppins, but two floors and much more welcoming). I walk up the stairs to the building and am greeted by your typical A&F male model standing in front of a wall covered with the latest ad. Yes, a typical A&F male model is wearing fashionably low slung jeans...and that's about it. Well toned abs? Check. Yummy? Check. I can't help but laugh at this new store opening gimmick as I walk into the store. [Flash to today, and I realize it's an "all the time" gimmick. The Eaton's Centre store has been open for almost a year now and I was also greeted - only visually, male models don't seem to talk - with a shirtless teen. And it was today that it truly hit how wrong this is, as in London, everyone I saw was tween and up, whereas today I saw a child, around 5 years of age follow mum into the store looking at model boy in utter confusion.]
The store is beautiful. Well, it was after my eyes adjusted to the darkness. It's friggin annoying, the mood lighting. I'd go blind working in there. Dark wood everywhere and it's set up so that you have to walk around the entire store and look at all of their merchandise (smart, smart, smart!) before you can get to a till. There's a shortcut for men, but only apparent after doing the full loop (at least it'll save time on future visits). Merchandise is carefully set out on tables, racks, walls, shelves and even in glass covered cabinets. Smart, for the sales staff who probably don't want to deal with refolding everything every time a customer tries to find their size. Sample items are put on display and customers then have to approach a sales person to get the right colour and size for them. All the colours of the rainbow are available and laid out like a seamless palette for you to marvel at and pick your favorite. Prices are outrageous.
Along with the darkness and too loud club hits blaring from the sound system, something bothered me. All the salespeople were young and beautiful. It bothered me because it just seemed so sneaky. I get that the company is trying to sell an image. It's trying to sell a lifestyle. And here, they've hired people to represent that look. It's perfect. As a customer, you come in and see the people that work there and think, "I want to look just like them". I give credit to the people way up there in the company who know to do this, but am disappointed that they don't hire a variety of faces and shapes. Variety should be encouraged. That being said, it was still fun for me to look around. (I did notice that some of the Zara stores in Europe tend to place nice looking men to work in their women's section for a similar effect.) I was entertained enough as I waited for my companion to find his token purchase. Today, I was a little disappointed to see that I didn't have as much eye candy in the Toronto store and therefore jumped to the conclusion that Brits are better looking, until I realised that maybe Torontonians have their heads on their shoulders a little bit more and have decided to hire a variety of faces and shapes. [And yes, the male model greeter in T.O. wasn't as yummy as his London counterpart either.]
Okay, the quality of the clothing was really nice, I give it that, but I still couldn't wait to get out of that store and continue to mentally diss the brand as much as possible. And just like icing on the cake of ridiculousness, as we walked out of the store, my companion basking in his >30GBP t-shirt purchase ("It was the cheapest one I could find!"), I see a leggy blond-haired, blue eyed sales princess standing beside the male model with a Polaroid camera, asking drooling shoppers if they want to take a picture with the handsome hunk.
Classic.
Within the past year...
- they've sold a lot of license plates in Ontario. I remember seeing A's starting off the plates. And not even AZ's or anything. I've seen quite a few BB's since I've been back
- lululemon has gotten even bigger than I remember. And it was pretty big. Yes, I get that they have nice bags. That their tops are really cute. That their pants suck you and and lift you at all the right places. That their stuff is really comfy and easy to clean. I get all that. Enough that I wandered into their store to check out their merchandise...but then I saw the price tags again, and I was appalled.
- Chinatown has started to cater a little bit more to the tourist. More writing in English, but only on kitchy trinkets and other goods that regulars may scoff at.
- they've added LEDs to the CN tower. I know that this is recent, but I had the privilege of seeing the tower lit up tonight. It was a weird purple and red combination. It wasn't too impressive, but I think that's because it wasn't completely dark out yet. I was a little disappointed with it. I still think that they should get it to sparkle regularly...like on the hour, every hour after dusk (comme la tour Eiffel, bien sur!) as opposed to just at midnight (at least that's what someone mentioned to me)
- Abercrombie&Fitch has opened up in Eaton's Centre and it makes me gag (see next post solely dedicated to this unbelievable store)
- Rudsak has opened on Queen St. West (and according to their website, in Sherway Gardens as well), and I will remain true to m0851. What confuses me is why, after all this time, there's still an overlap in their designs. The stole the ideas so many years ago and have been separate companies for awhile now. How do they keep producing the same styles? (Mind you, design stealing/copying/whatever you want to call it happens all the time.)
- they've added timers to pedestrian signals on street lights. What spurred this on? People crossing the street too slowly?
- a lot of shops have been opened/renovated. Gap on Queen St. West is new and pretty (and they're still using actresses as models). So is Umbra, just north of the former Caban store. And MEC. Club Monaco's changed their tags on their merchandise. I guess everything needs to evolve and get updated.
- lululemon has gotten even bigger than I remember. And it was pretty big. Yes, I get that they have nice bags. That their tops are really cute. That their pants suck you and and lift you at all the right places. That their stuff is really comfy and easy to clean. I get all that. Enough that I wandered into their store to check out their merchandise...but then I saw the price tags again, and I was appalled.
- Chinatown has started to cater a little bit more to the tourist. More writing in English, but only on kitchy trinkets and other goods that regulars may scoff at.
- they've added LEDs to the CN tower. I know that this is recent, but I had the privilege of seeing the tower lit up tonight. It was a weird purple and red combination. It wasn't too impressive, but I think that's because it wasn't completely dark out yet. I was a little disappointed with it. I still think that they should get it to sparkle regularly...like on the hour, every hour after dusk (comme la tour Eiffel, bien sur!) as opposed to just at midnight (at least that's what someone mentioned to me)
- Abercrombie&Fitch has opened up in Eaton's Centre and it makes me gag (see next post solely dedicated to this unbelievable store)
- Rudsak has opened on Queen St. West (and according to their website, in Sherway Gardens as well), and I will remain true to m0851. What confuses me is why, after all this time, there's still an overlap in their designs. The stole the ideas so many years ago and have been separate companies for awhile now. How do they keep producing the same styles? (Mind you, design stealing/copying/whatever you want to call it happens all the time.)
- they've added timers to pedestrian signals on street lights. What spurred this on? People crossing the street too slowly?
- a lot of shops have been opened/renovated. Gap on Queen St. West is new and pretty (and they're still using actresses as models). So is Umbra, just north of the former Caban store. And MEC. Club Monaco's changed their tags on their merchandise. I guess everything needs to evolve and get updated.
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