Toronto City Hall Zip Line

Toronto City Hall gets is wings. For a limited time and just in time for the Grey Cup Festival this weekend take a 20 second ride on the tallest zip line in North America. 

The ride is 130 feet in the air and you get a unique view of the financial district and Toronto City Hall.

ZIP LINE HOURS:

Saturday, November 17: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Sunday, November 18: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Monday, November 19: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Tuesday, November 20: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Wednesday, November 21: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Thursday, November 22: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Friday, November 23: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Saturday, November 24: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Dairy Free Love

The one woman show is making its tasty debut in Toronto for 10 shows in November and December.



For more information and tickets, go to www.dairyfreelove.com.

Autumn Colours Along the Humber Shores

By Irene Fantopoulos

Summer's final curtain call has set on Humber Shores. As always, the seasonal changes come abruptly with little warning other than a date on the calendar. As I look to the east, the angle of the setting sun makes the distant city sparkle, the light reflecting off the windows of buildings and skyscrapers along Toronto's skyline. 

Birds of Florida's Gulf Coast: Caught in Action

There is no shortage of birds along Florida's Gulf Coast. The following is just a sample of the many water birds find in and around the Gulf of Mexico. Predatory in nature, they lie in wait and swoop upon their prey without mercy.

As fish dive up in the water, the birds are quick to grab them with beaks made for the purpose of grasping their prey. Swoop and soar - that was the pattern of many of these birds. A major virtue is their patience as they wait for the right moment before nabbing their meal.

Gulls

Florida's Gulf Coast: The Cycle of Life

Today is the first day of fall, but the heat of the day won't release itself from the final throes of summer. The rains come and go, mostly during the night, but they leave behind a path of destruction. Many jellyfish line the beaches, offering themselves unwillingly to the numerous species of birds, such as the American Oystercatcher or the Sandwich Tern. 

SANDWICH TERN

AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER

CRAB SCURRYING AWAY FROM THE WAVES

VARIETIES OF JELLYFISH

Ursula Handleigh

Based around a residency in Syracuse, NY at SPARK Contemporary, Adrienne Crossman and Ursula Handleigh created work responding to their surroundings.

See this exhibition September 14th at 7 p.m. at XPACE Cultural Centre, 58 Ossington Avenue, Toronto.

Humber River Art: Part II

By Irene Fantopoulos

I took a walk over to the Humber Bridge today to see if any progress had been made since last week regarding the completion of the interactive sculpture of two squids suspended off the arch of the Bridge.  I couldn't tell if I was looking at the final product as there was a sign saying there is more to come.

Colourful globes that appear to be Christmas decorations, are threaded through the wires. I believe they depict water bubbles coming out of the mouths of the squid. That's my guess.

Humber River Art

By Irene Fantopoulos

Here's what's going on in the Humber River these days. I've written about this area in previous blogs. The news this week is that new interactive art will be added to the Humber River Bridge.

The art is a gift to the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada by a group of local volunteer artists along with interactive arts which will be on display over the next two months on the iconic Humber River Bridge, shown above. Pictures of the art to follow in the coming days.

They are looking for contributions as all of the work: the mounting, the rental of equipment and the art itself is donated for free. Click on the links below where you can check out their video describing the project, their next steps and what contribution you can make!

Humber River Discoveries

by Irene Fantopoulos


There is so much natural beauty just beyond the shores of Lake Ontario, that I feel it is incumbent upon me to share my Humber River trails discoveries to the west of the City of Toronto in Canada.

This time, my explorations led me to dedications and monuments that pay tribute to people who have left their mark upon Canadian soil over the years. Some are known. Many are unknown.

Jumping the Weir at the Étienne Brûlé Park, Ontario, Canada

Étienne Brûlé Park, runs parallel to and along the West and East sides of the Humber River. It is named after Étienne Brûlé (c. 1592 – c. June 1633), an early French explorer in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area.

The park is accessible by car from Old Mill Road or by public transit to the Old Mill subway station or, one can walk to it from either Pasadena Gardens or Lundy Avenue.

Spring: A Time of Awakening Along the Shores of Lake Ontario

Humans and birdlife alike, share the bounty found along the Martin Goodman Trail along the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto, Ontario. 

The Trail is 20 kilometres long and runs from the Humber River, near the Palace Pier in the west, to just west of Victoria Park in the east. The focus here is the part of the Trail that starts near the Grand Harbor condominium complex in the west to the Sunnyside Pavilion Cafe in the east, about six kilometres.

Boardwalk looking west toward Palace Pier

Swan tending to the gulls

The path boasts two main watercourses: the Humber River and Mimico Creek. The Humber River is a tributary of Lake Ontario and runs to the west of the City of Toronto. Although the main artery of the Humber River runs approximately 100km (from the Niagara Escarpment in the northwest to Lake St. George in the Oak Ridges Moraine near Aurora to the northeast), many creeks and tributaries feed into it.

Yoga Retreat in Prince Edward County, Ontario

Between April 28 - 30,  2012, I spent three wonderful days at a yoga retreat in Prince Edward County, Ontario. The setting was idyllic and far from the din of city life. There's a lot to be said for a pastoral lifestyle, that's for sure.

Super Moon - May 5, 2012

If you didn't happen to see the Super Moon on Saturday May 5, 2012, here are a few photos for your enjoyment.

Peter Maher: Follows his Passion through Art

IF: This month, Around the World Travel Blog welcomes Peter Maher, painter, artist and world traveller. Thank you for joining me today, Peter.

PM: Thank you, Irene.

IF: When did you begin painting? 

PM: The earliest painting that I have is one that I did when I was around five years old. I have drawn and painted ever since. My first job was in the royalty department of a publishing house in London, England. This meant I had to write royalty statements in ink with a dip-in pen. One day the owner came by and noticed some scribblings on the blotter and suggested that I apply for the newly vacated job of book designer. From here, I eventually moved on to art director and freelance graphic designer and left London for Toronto. Eventually I freelanced and occasionally did a bit of painting. In 1989 I moved to France until 1991 and, during this time, I worked on renovating a French farm house for an English painter and then started painting with him. When I returned to Toronto I tried to paint one day a week. I moved to France in 2006 and have painted full-time ever since.

Dining at Del Posto, Manhattan (New York City)

By Irene Fantopoulos

Del Posto Ristorante is located on 85 10th Avenue near what is known as the Meat Packing District, just south of Chelsea and near the High Line Park. It is the brainchild of renowned chefs and entrepreneurs Joe Bastianich, Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali. 

The Greek Bucket List - Are these on Yours?

Written by: Irene Fantopoulos

We’ve seen many lists on just about everything. What we haven’t seen is Greek things to do before you die. 

Check out my top picks for the Greek bucket list.

Syros, Greece: Hidden Gem of the Aegean

It’s that time of year again, when many of us are planning our summer vacations. Perhaps Greece is your next destination, and while there you’re planning to visit the islands. Why not visit one of the less popular ones, like Syros found in the Cycladic cluster of islands in the Aegean.

Few are familiar with Syros, and if they are, it is in passing. Syros, is the capitol of the Cyclades and has made significant contributions to the Greek culture and economy. Syros was once the epicentre for justice, medicine and architecture for the Cyclades until the early 1900s.

Picasso Exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario

          Join me next month as I visit the Picasso Exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Canada. Having seen some of Picasso's artwork at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid, I look forward to seeing his work in my own backyard, so to speak.
          I will always remember Picasso's famous and awe-inspiring mural-size (11 ft by 25 ft) canvas, Guernica, depicted below. The painting, in black and white, is about the devastation of war and its impact on everyday people. Picasso painted this oil on canvas to bring attention to the German bombing of the town of Guernica in the Basque region, during the Spanish Civil War.

An Interview with Doug Spencer: Author, Film-maker and World Traveler

IRENE: Join me for a candid interview with Doug Spencer, published author, film maker, world traveler and Gemini Award-nominated director. Doug, thank you for joining me on Around the World Travel Blog.

DOUG: Thanks Irene for the invitation to speak to you and our fellow travelers.

IRENE: How did you become interested in travel? 

DOUG: My father was an adventurer who wanted to join the Air Force during WWII as a means to travel. My mother died young. She was 27. She left behind four children, including me. My travel is an homage to my mother. I’m living her fantasy life because I know that she would have wanted more out of life than just raising kids.

IRENE: Where was your first travel adventure?

Christmas in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

         We spent a fabulous five days with family in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where southern hospitality knows no limits.
         We had been in Tuscaloosa back in May and witnessed the aftermath of the devastating tornado that had hit the area in April, 2011. Today, while much of the debris has been removed, many homes remain in desperate need of repair. Some are abandoned, without indication of returning owners. Some of the homes have been rebuilt or are in the process of being restored. None-the-less, it is a long journey back to the oak-lined streets that are now bereft of much of the splendour of these graceful trees. Read the story, 40 Seconds, which was inspired by the events of the tornado
         But all is not doom and gloom.