Jack o'lanterns in waiting

I found this display of pumpkins at my local Real Canadian Superstore (Canada's version of Target). The bright orange pumpkins were almost enough to liven up an otherwise gray day. 

Happy Halloween everyone! May you get plenty of treats and not too many tricks.

Museum station

Several museums, including the Gardiner, are accessible from Museum Station. I know the columns with the fake Egyptian and Incan art are sort of cheesy, but I rather like them. It's one of my favorite stops on the yellow line.

Somewhere...

Over the Rainbow is one of Canada's latest reality shows. Loads of young women are competing for the role of Dorothy in an upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz. I've never actually watched the show, but I think I have a good grasp on what's going on just from the commercials. Pictures of the finalists are included along the bottom of this display - all of which was found inside the CBC building. For more murals, head over to Monday Mural.

Pixelated reflections

I found this wonderful piece of public art in downtown Toronto. The menkes building is connected directly to Union Station, so I am sure they get a lot of foot traffic, and I think it's great they've put up some art to make the public space more attractive to those who are passing through. For more reflections, take a look at Weekend Reflections.

Fall color

Here's another look at the fall color we're experiencing here in Ontario. You can't beat a splash of red in my books! Hope your weekend is off to a good start, it's going to be a rainy one up here.

Looking up

Fall is definitely here in all it's glory. While I do love the changing colors of the trees, I am not so fond of the dropping temperatures. We're lucky that it's been pretty mild so far in Toronto. Maybe that's a sign that we're in for another mild winter? I certainly hope so!

Happy Friday everyone! For more skies, take a look at Skywatch.

Glenn's bench

Glenn Gould is one of Canada's most beloved treasures. He was a piano virtuoso and you can hardly step foot in downtown Toronto without finding something that bears his name. In fact, this bench is just outside the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) building which is home to the Glenn Gould Studio. 

As is often the case with musical geniuses, Glenn had many eccentricities. People now suggest that he may have suffered from some form of autism. Whatever it was, it certainly made him special and he won't soon be forgotten by his Canadian fans.

The Gardiner

Here's a look at the museum that houses all the works I've been showcasing lately. I love the modern look and feel of this building. It was renovated in 2006 and the new design won the Pug Award for best commercial building that year.

Mith

This is another work from the Gardiner that I actually liked. Maybe I am drawn to these haunting faces, but there is something about the expression here that just pulls me in. This piece is by American artist Doug Jeck; it's part of the Gardiner's permanent collection.

Meaning unknown

Let's take a quick trip back to Sarnia for a look at an odd mural spotted there. I have no idea what this all means, but it certainly is intriguing. I found this building in an industrial zone and there was no sign around to give a hint at what kind of business occupies it. A mystery for the ages! For more murals, take a look at Mural Monday.

Lovers

This is one work from the Gardiner that I actually liked. The work is called Barque Saint Julien by French artist Georges Jeanclos. I find this piece really moving, there's something so real, yet haunting about the way these two are gazing into each other's eyes.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend! I was lucky enough to get in a round of golf today, so it was a good weekend for me.

Traditional pieces

Here's a look at some of the pieces in the Gardiner Museum's permanent collection. These works are certainly more traditional than the pieces I showed earlier this week. I must admit, I wouldn't necessarily want these in my home either, but I can admire the work that went into making and painting these figurines. 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! I'm hoping to get some nice fall shots to showcase next week.

Stadium in monochrome

The geometrical lines of the stadium seating just cried out to me for black and white. Hope you have some big plans for the weekend. I might play a little golf if the weather isn't too bad. Otherwise I might check out a movie or some theater. Happy Friday!

Big winner

Manga Ormolu Ver 5.0-K was the big winner of the People's Choice Award at the Gardiner Museum. Personally,  I don't care for it at all. But I suppose the bright colors are nice!

Under cover

I did a little more digging on the internet and found the website on the Emerging Artist People's Choice award that was going on at the Gardiner when I visited. Under Cover is the work I actually voted for, although to be honest, none of the entries really appealed to me too much. 

I suppose the ornate gun is somehow a symbol of today's society. I don't really know what to make of it all, but I'm sure someone artsier than I will see the beauty and mystery behind these works. I'll show you the winner tomorrow.

Lava

I saw this work of art at the Gardiner Museum a few weeks ago. There was actually a contest going on and this was one of the works in the running. It's a porcelain chain-link volcano entitled Shelter. For more red, take a look at Ruby Tuesday.

Sumo mural

You'll find this mural at one of my regular hangouts on Yonge Street - Ajisen Ramen. The worn-out pink seating might turn some people off, but I find it kitschy cute. I actually discovered this place a few months back when I saw a picture of ramen soup on someone else's blog. I started to get a craving, so I googled "best ramen in Toronto" and Ajisen came up. I've been going there ever since!

This is the first soup I sampled, vegetarian with a miso-based broth with two squares of fried tofu on top. Now I usually get number 25 which is veggies in a curry broth. Whatever you choose, it's bound to be delicious, I don't think there's anything "bad" on their menu. For more murals, take a look at Mural Monday.

PS: Happy Monday and happy birthday to me!

Reflections from the AGO

There are two big museums in town, the AGO and the ROM. I must admit, I am more partial to the AGO. But it's not just because of the renovations done by Frank Gehry, it's also because their exhibitions appeal to me a bit more. For more reflections, take a look at Weekend Reflections.

Giant spider in black and white

American artist Michael Christian was commissioned for some interesting works in the Distillery District in downtown Toronto back in 2009. This giant spider is one that remains. I think it looks even better in black and white. For more skies, take a look at Skywatch.

Strange sign

I'm not sure what to think about this place. Did someone confuse fair and flair? Or is this some kind of ironic statement? You decide. For more signs, take a look at Signs, Signs.

Ugly alley

This is rather an unattractive mural, in my opinion. But it's something to look at in the otherwise dirty, dull back alleys off Spadina. For a look at more attractive murals, take a look at Mural Mondays.

Bikes

I found these bikes parked on the University of Toronto campus. I love the lines and shadows the bikes created against the fence. Hope you're having a great weekend! For more shadows, take a look at Shadow Shot.

Another memorial

Sarnia seems to be full of memorials! This bench was donated by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and honours all victims of drunk drivers. I am beginning to wonder about the mortality rate in this town!

PS: I'm going to be out of town for a few days. One A Day will be on autopilot until my return, although I will be checking in now and then! And I hope to have some new shots when I get back.

Souls Memorial

The Souls Memorial is a tribute to the co-operation between Canada and the First Nations people. You'll find it under the Blue Waters Bridge in Sarnia, Ontario. It's quite a moving work and it looks great against a blue sky. For more skies from around the world, visit Skywatch.

Memorial walk

A closer look at the memorial walk I showed yesterday. As some commenters expressed, it does seem a sort of strange place for remembering those who are no longer with us. 

 But this additional plaque explains that those who are remembered here were part of Sarnia's elite - those craftspeople who helped build the city and make it what it is today. A nice way to be remembered!

Donated stone

I found a sort of memorial garden along the waters edge in Sarnia, Ontario. It was a nice place for a stroll, especially on such a lovely, sunny day! For more signs, take a look at Signs, Signs.

October theme day: Silhouette

I was sort of stumped on what to use for this month's theme day photo. So I've worked with this skyline shot a bit to make it somewhat of a silhouette. Not sure if I like the result, but the colors are interesting. 

For more silhouettes, take a look here.