TD Bank Funky...what?

Keeping in mind that the bird in the previous post confuses me, probably no surprise that this pic does too. This is some kind of funky advertising/poster/technology on the way into the food court in the TD Bank Center. Fact is, this picture is 10x clearer than what you see live. It's like looking through an optical grate, where you only see the image at a certain angle. What's even more confusing is once you see it, it's still not clear what the purpose is. Maybe it's just cool?

Big Bird

First give me some credit. How tough was it to not call this picture 'Giant Pecker'. Fortunately, I'm more mature than that. This ugly woodpecker 'sculpture' outside the Toronto convention centre has always kind of confused me. First, it really is ugly. Second, it sits on a pole in the middle of nowhere. Third, it's right on the way to the Rogers Center where the Toronto BLUE JAYS play. Blue Jays, not Toronto Peckers. On closer inspection, not visible, is another pecker that sits on the far side of the pole, not really visible for anyone. One question: why?

Big Bank Tower

Scotia Plaza tower on a cloudy day. Home of Scotia Bank, this is the 2nd tallest tower in Canada and the 21st tallest in North America. The exterior features smooth Tennessee marble.

Toronto Convention Walk

Skywalk from Union Station to Toronto Convention Center and Skydome. Well known location to all Toronto Blue Jays and Auto Show fans.

TAGS:Toronto pictures

Peaceful Setting in Heart of Toronto

Picture taken out the back Lobby of the Sheraton Hotel. Sheraton is a great hotel for tourists and locals alike - central, great parking, good bar, connected by the Path Network underground to the rest of the downtown, wi-fi. Right across from City Hall.

TAGS:Toronto Pictures, Toronto Hotels, Waterfall

KLM 747 Landing at Toronto

Pics like this usually go on my other blog, JC's Toronto Plane Pics. This one has been getting big time views over at Flickr also.

Outdoor Plants in Toronto

The problem with growing plants outdoors in Toronto is that sometimes they mutate, get large and take on a grungy appearance. This beauty outside the entrance to the Royal York Hotel on Front Street.

Power Lines

I once asked a friend of mine from Europe what he noticed most about Toronto. His answer was very interesting - "all the poles full of wires". Take a look around. He's right. We've got ugly wires everywhere. These one's run throught the parking lot at the Finch subway station - and, to be fair - they've got fields full of these in Europe too.

Royal York Hotel Toronto

The grandaddy of Toronto hotels. Built in 1929, this hotel has lots of stories. From the hotel web site:

On June 11, 1929, the hotel officially opened as The Royal York. It was the tallest building in the British Commonwealth and quickly set the hospitality standard of the day. The magnificent hotel became known as a city within a city, rising in 28 floors of architectural splendor and replete with mechanical genius and opulence never before seen in Toronto. It boasted 1,048 rooms - each with radios, private showers and bathtubs. The 1.5 acres of public rooms included a 12-bed hospital, 12,000-book library and ten ornate passenger elevators. The Concert Hall featured a full stage and mammoth pipe organ weighing 50 tons, which surpassed anything else in Canada with 300 miles of copper wire. There was a glass-enclosed roof garden, the largest hotel kitchen in Canada with a bakery that could produce over 15,000 French rolls a day, a 66-ft.long switchboard manned by 35 telephone operators, its own bank and golf course (now known as St. George Golf & Country).

TAGS:Toronto Pictures, Royal York Hotel, Toronto Hotels

Toronto Reflections

From the North American Life building at Finch and Yonge.

Toronto City Hall Skating

Skating at +10 degrees. Toronto City Hall. Outstanding day for being outdoors and getting pics. This skating rink was a floating garden in a post here from September.

One King Street West

Spectucular spring day in Toronto. Picture of recently built, cool, condo hotel at One King Street West. Built on the old Toronto Dominion Bank building, this slender beauty stands 51 stories.