Yonge has something for everyone. leading arts venues, grand architecture, and countless shopping opportunities.
DATE: Saturday May 4, 2013
TIME: 2:23pm - 3:34pm
Whoa! It's been such a long time since our last walk. This is long overdue. No worries - we plan on making the most of today, and the rest of the year. I know I said this last year, but I think we'll finally make it to our halfway mark this year. (fingers crossed)
Our walk today is along a small stretch of Yonge street - a street whose pavement all Torontians have walked along one time or another. Many cities have that one long street that dissects the city in which many stores and venues are on - that's Yonge Street for Toronto. (Yonge Street used to be the longest street in the world!) So lets see what this segment of Yonge has to offer.
Yay! We're back! The weather has been beyond amazing (it's like we skipped over spring), that we had to take advantage by doing a walk... or two! Actually not only has it been awhile since we've done a walk, but for me it seems like forever since i've been downtown! So this walk will be kind of a reintroduction to downtown for me...
All Smiles!
Alma commented that I wasn't wearing any Leaf parafanilia. (Later that night was game #2 of our playoff series against Boston). I had thought about it, but the weather was soooo gorgeous - I knew I would be too hot in my Leaf gear. I did make sure to not wear Boston colours (black and gold) - and quite frankly, the original name for the Leafs was the Toronto St. Pat's (team colour green) so I'm not exactly off with my greed cardi. (FYI: we did win!) Anyhoo, to show my allegance, I'm typing in Maple Leaf blue.
Go Leafs Go!
1. BCE Place
The stunning Santiago Calatraca-designed atrium, a soaring canopy housing 11 heritage buildings, is a landmark in itself.
The building has since been renamed Brookfield Place. I often come here with the girls for dinner at Marche since its easy to please everyone there.
I do feel like Marche is synonymous with Brookfield Place since the only reason I venture here is to eat! Alex and I went here on our third date... I remember he got a Stella glass with his order of beer, which he then later forgot... :(
So have we mentioned that all these pictures today will be taken with iPhones? If only we had a large following of readers to entice Apple to send us free new iPhones for all our free advertising.... hehe. (if only!) Just to clarify, any subpar pictures are not a reflection of the iPhone camera but of Monica being self-conscious taking pics in public. Like this one.
I must say, it should be easier to take photos since it's the two of us... but it's not.
Allen Lambert Galeria - designed by Santiago Calatrava
A photographer's delight! Look at that internal structure!
It's interesting to see how this structure ties buildings from one side to another.
Hmm... according to wiki,
"The six story high pedestrian thoroughfare is structured by eight freestanding supports on each side of the Galleria, which branch out into parabolic shapes evoking a forest canopy[9] or a tree-lined avenue because of the presence of building facades along the sides of the structure."
Hehe. Did you read that bit about the building being disassembled and reassembled stone by stone? Reminds me of what they are doing in Sochi Russia for the upcoming winter Olympics. Apparently for one of the venues, they are assembling it and then after the Olympics plan and disassembling it and moving it piece by piece to another location. Like a building made of LEGOS! (Think we can get free Legos for that Lego shout out?)
When Alma and I read that line from the card about the building housing 11 heritage buildings, we were both a bit perplexed. The only one we could think of is the one below (described by the plaque above).
The Hockey Hall of Fame is also within the building. Perhaps this is one of the 11 heritage buildings? (The Hall of Fame is a venue on another walk though)
Alma promised me that the next time we come here for the walk with the Hockey Hall of Fame, she will pose as a "player" behind this bench with these guys.
Who doesn't take a picture like that?! But yes... i promise!
Who doesn't take a picture like that?! But yes... i promise!
So with the help of a little thing called the internet, I decided to look up the other heritage building facades housed in Brookfield place. Yes, the Hockey Hall of Fame was one. The others?
The Bank of Montreal
This arch sittings diagonally to the Yonge and Front intersection; didn't know it was different from the Hockey Hall of Fame facade.
The others.... well can't figure out exactly where they are in Brookfield Place. Maybe one day I'll try tracking them down. But this article has pics of the original buildings. Check them out.
2. Trader's Bank Building (67 Yonge St.)
Canada's first skyscraper.
Built in 1906 - it was the tallest building in Toronto for almost 6 years!
Its height was very controversial at the time that height restrictions were made...
... clearly those height limits didn't last!
This lamp makes me sad - wasting electricity in the middle of the day.
Mon pointed out this odd looking building.
We didn't get the address, but it is the building of a suit shop.
Doesn't the windows look like they were 'stitched' on?!
Which came first?!
prolly the building.
Wonder what the real inspiration behind the building was...
3. The Bay
Canada's oldest company, it started as a fur-trading corporation in 1670 but is now an upscale department store.
The bottom 4 (?) floors of The Bay is the department store, but above is a skyscraper (with offices?). The top floor has a banquet hall where I had my high school prom. It was really nice. Think it's call the Arcadia.
Fancy!
(I like this shot, Mon!)
Fancy!
(I like this shot, Mon!)
The world's last remaining "stacked theater", with two stages - one on top of the other- each showing different performances simultaneously.
Not sure if I have seen any real theater performances here. I have seen a TIFF movie here with Sean - "Breaking and Entering" with Jude Law and Robyn Wright Penn. Probably the best film fest movie I've seen (at the film fest).
Oddly enough... I've never seen any performances here.
Oddly enough... I've never seen any performances here.
5. Eaton Centre
A mall that stretches two city blocks and contains more than 250 shops. Don't miss Michael Snow's installation piece, Flight Stop, hanging from the atrium; it depicts a flock of Canada geese.
Eaton Center! No Toronto visit is complete without shopping at Eaton Center. And since there are two subways stations with direct access to the mall, it attracts everyone. I'm surprised the cards don't talk about the name and the history of Timothy Eaton and Eatons (the department store).
When we were younger, my mom used to take us to that green fountain at Eaton Center and we'd kill time while my dad worked. And now as an adult my brother Carl takes my nephews to the fountain too.
I feel like I don't have any standout memories here cause so many things happen in this area! Besides the shopping, if you live here... the Eaton Center can be one of those "passing through" places (esp when it's cold out) but at the same time, it's one of the best meet up areas, since it's kinda smack dab in the middle of everything.
Oh... Nuit Blanche. Eaton Center does hold installations here during that event. I went once and just where the Sears entrance is, they laid down astroturf for people to lie on so people can watch other people's drawings in the "clouds". Also there was a balloon maze!
Apparently one of the 2011 Nuit Blanche installations called "Slipstream" now remains permanently here.
The minions from Despicable Me
Classic shot!
(Alex usually mixes up this skylight with the one at the BCE place... )
A fellow Torontonian!
It turns out that another one of Michael Snow's sculptures has appeared on our walks!
Name that walk!
(Answer in the link)
6. Trinity Square
Home to the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Labyrinth.... a copy of the one in Chartres Cathedral in France. The latter, a path meant to be walked.
There's some information how this park and church were being threatened in the 1970s, by the construction of the Toronto Eaton Center. However protests from Holy Trinity changed that and ultimately the design of the Toronto Eaton Center! Neat!
More information on the design of this area can be found here.
There's some information how this park and church were being threatened in the 1970s, by the construction of the Toronto Eaton Center. However protests from Holy Trinity changed that and ultimately the design of the Toronto Eaton Center! Neat!
More information on the design of this area can be found here.
Okay, I have walked the path from Bay street to the Eaton by the labyrinth a million times (the hotel where my dad worked is on the other side of Bay St.) but I don't think I ever knew there was a labyrinth here.
I've been here a couple times - one time being at the end of high school. The labyrinth wasn't paved back then, but made of grass! It was a great place to hang out since it was kind of an oasis from the chaotic Eaton Centre. There used to be a lot more park benched along the perimeter.
This was where I witnessed a young woman cruelly taunting a squirrel with a peanut. At the end of it, the squirrel had enough and leaped onto her hand!
This was also the spot where Mark proposed to Nina!
Getting instructions to start the walk!
In braile!
Taking the lead!
That's a cheater's smile kids! She didn't do it right.
:(
:(
Winner's Circle!
If anyone knows of any other labyrinths in Toronto,
leave'em in the comments below!
We do like labyrinths.
If anyone knows of any other labyrinths in Toronto,
leave'em in the comments below!
We do like labyrinths.
The Church of the Holy Trinity. According to the cards its a copy of the cathedral in Chartres. It was one of the many church towers I walked up many years ago on my Paris trip. At least I think I did. There was a lot of stair climbing on that trip. I know I went there, I just assume I climbed it too.
As we make our way to Dundas street, we pass the site of the former theaters at Eaton Center. It was a small, cheap theater. I think it played movies just before they were released on video. I remember seeing "Boys and Girls" with my friend Karen here as well as "The Matrix" with my brother and cousins.
I completely forgot about those theaters! My aunt took me to see "Jurassic Park" and possibly "Hocus Pocus"... but I might've made that last movie up...
I completely forgot about those theaters! My aunt took me to see "Jurassic Park" and possibly "Hocus Pocus"... but I might've made that last movie up...
Free beverages! We participated in the Pepsi challenge. As I knew I would, I picked Coke. (Holy product placement for this walk!)
I picked Pepsi...
Man... talk about the 90s! I think that's when this whole Pepsi challenge first started?! Is it weird I still remember doing my first Pepsi challenge? It was at Victoria Park Station. My "aunt" from Chicago was a huge Pepsi drinker, so she insisted we take the test. I remember we got a Pepsi card and coupons after.
Finish at Dundas St., traditionally the domain of colourful street vendors and buskers - the perfect place for lively people -watching.
We end our walk with burrito from Chipolte Mexican Grill (more product placement). Yum!!!
and really filling!
We both didn't have to eat dinner that night!
and really filling!
We both didn't have to eat dinner that night!
And free refreshments provided by the Pepsi challenge. Sorry, Coca Cola, my frugalness won this round.
MONICA RATING: Hmm... A stroll along Yonge Street is like the quintessential Toronto walk. I like some of the architechture we saw and would like to know more about those heritage buildings. Nothing wrong with any of these venues, but the walk was a little dry. Been there done that. 2 cokes out of 5.
[I know all you imaginary faithful readers are probably wondering about the Harry Potter reference for this walk. It's true, I didn't make one during the walk - though I tried to think one up during lunch. However, later that night as I worked on this blog I was of course watching the Leafs playoff game. And the play by play commentator Jim Houston made an unexpected Harry Potter reference at the end of the 1st period. Brad Marchand (of the Bruins) drew Dion Phanneuf into a roughing penalty by being his usual pesky self. And so Houston made a comment comparing Marchand to Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter's nemisis). Said something to the effect of 'you shouldn't get goaded into Malfoy's trap'. Just thought I'd share. You can sleep easy tonight now.]
Alma's Rating: For me this walk is hard to rate. For one - I think the cards does touch on the main attractions, while somewhat presenting something new (like the Trader's Bank Building). I guess in the perspective of a tourist, this is a really great walk - Brookfield place is gorgeous (we saw a German tour group there!) and the Eaton Center is a huge mall with a great fountain, which can spray from 85' - 120' high! Though the cards are once again lacking in the info department and hence all my wiki additions...as a Torontonian, when doing this walk and now writing this post, a lot of wonderful memories happened around here... Eaton Centre is kinda the heart of the city. So out of nostalgia, I give this walk a 3 out of 5.
Oh Alma. The voice of reason. After reading what you wrote, I feel like I was too harsh. Maybe cause it's been too long. Can I add another coke to my rating?
Alma's Rating: For me this walk is hard to rate. For one - I think the cards does touch on the main attractions, while somewhat presenting something new (like the Trader's Bank Building). I guess in the perspective of a tourist, this is a really great walk - Brookfield place is gorgeous (we saw a German tour group there!) and the Eaton Center is a huge mall with a great fountain, which can spray from 85' - 120' high! Though the cards are once again lacking in the info department and hence all my wiki additions...as a Torontonian, when doing this walk and now writing this post, a lot of wonderful memories happened around here... Eaton Centre is kinda the heart of the city. So out of nostalgia, I give this walk a 3 out of 5.
Oh Alma. The voice of reason. After reading what you wrote, I feel like I was too harsh. Maybe cause it's been too long. Can I add another coke to my rating?
No comments:
Post a Comment