The rooster

I recently made it downtown to see the Ai Weiwei exposition that's up in Nathan Phillip's Square. There is a representation of each of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. They are quite detailed and I'm really glad I had the time to see these works before they're gone.

Watchful bench

Here's another golf course bench for you, courtesy of Black Bear Ridge. I liked this one especially because of the owl statue watching over it in the background. This course was very challenging but in fantastic shape. Everything was so green - just like in this picture.

Eagle in silhouette

This year I finally got a round in at Eagle's Nest. This was actually one of the first courses I played this season, but I never got around to posting this shot. The course was really beautiful and very challenging, I'd love to go back. Too many golf courses for so little time!

Portuguese mural

As promised, here's a closer look at the Portuguese Parkette that I showed briefly last week. There was a wonderful blue and white tile mural showing some of the historical moments of the Portuguese arrival in Canada. I upped the contrast on the top shot so the picture is more clear.

And here's a look at the mural in perspective. It's just near a bust of Portugues poet, Louis de Camoes. I'm not sure what he has to do with Portuguese-Canadians, but I guess all the greats of literature deserve a bust here and there! For more murals, take a look at Monday Mural.

Perfect symmetry

There is a wonderful courtyard area at Hart House where you can dine al fresco and enjoy the sites like this work by Sorel Etrog. The perfect symmetry of this scene appealed to me, hope you enjoy it too!

Bench of tribute

If you're brave enough to sit here in this chilly weather, you can honor some of the fallen heroes of Niagara Falls. I like the simplicity of this war memorial. For a look at other skies from around the world, take a look at Skywatch.

In celebration of two years in Toronto, I knitted a seed stitch hat. If you'd like to win it, just leave a comment before February 24th. I'll draw someone's name from the comments. If you're not interested in being part of the draw, just mention that and I'll keep your name out. 

Cold mists

In the spring and summer, the mists from Niagara Falls keep the nearby vegetation humid and happy. In the winter, those mists turn to ice making it a beautiful scene - especially for photographers! 

I'm not so sure this guy is enjoying the cold much though! Mr Tesla's looking a bit frosty.

That guy: part two

As promised, here's another look at That Guy. You'll find him on Cumberland Street, near the Yorkville shopping area. I scoured the internet and found a little more information about him and his creator, artist William McElcheran. Apparently, "that guy" is also known as "the businessman"; you can find different incarnations of him in cities around Canada and even the world! I'd love to see his incarnation in Pisa, I wonder if VP could be persuaded to venture over there and show us a shot?

PS: Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers. Eat some stuffing for me!

That guy

I thought I had shown you this guy before in another location, but I can't seem to find it! In any case, apparently you can find him at a few different places around the city. This sighting was at the Brookfield Place in downtown Toronto.

You can lead an elephant to water...

But if the fountain is turned off for the winter, you can't make it drink! 

Hope you're having a great weekend. We finally got a slight relief from the rain, but I still haven't seen the sunny skies we were promised. At least it's been dry enough to clean up the rest of the leaves in the yard; not exactly what I call a fun weekend, but it has to be done!

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.

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.

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.

The Tritons

I pass this sculpture every time I go to Yorkdale Mall and I always mean to get a photo of it. So the last time I was there, I actually did! The dramatic sky makes an interesting background for these figures who appear to be floating. Hope you have big plans for the weekend. Happy Friday! 

For more skies, check out Skywatch.

Pillars of Justice

I found the Pillars of Justice in downtown Toronto near the courthouse. There are actually only eleven jurors standing together, but you can see a space for the twelfth - that's the space for you! I rather like this idea of interactive art. Lots of people like to take their photo with the statue and I think that's a great sign of success for this piece of public art.

Brant's bust

I happened to find this bust of Joseph Brant when we visited Ottawa this past summer. It was sort of funny because once I had been to his former home, it seemed like he was popping up everywhere! He looks pretty strong and proud here.

A little Moore

I've been finding Moore works all over the place - both here at home and in Chicago! This work can also be found in the Galleria Italia at the AGO. I am thinking about purchasing a one year membership - that way I could visit more often as I just love this place. 

It's a long weekend for us North Americans. I'll be out of town until Monday, but I've got some posts ready for you and I'll be blogging here and there when I have time. Enjoy the long weekend!

Other works

The Art Gallery of Ontario is a work of art in its own right. It was given a major facelift a few years ago by Toronto's famous son, Frank Gehry. This is a look at a Moore sculpture which graces the Galleria Italia, one of the Gehry additions. It's a beautiful space for art!

The great one

Here's a look at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. If you sat at the flagged benches I showed a few days ago, you'd have a very nice view of this memorial. It honours fallen soldiers from both WWI and WWII.

I think the soldiers deserve a closer look. The expressions on their faces are something to see. I could have spent even more time discovering this work. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is also located here. Altogether, it's a very moving monument.

Grrr...

A close up look at some of the details of the war memorial at the Yacht Club. Hope you've got a great weekend ahead of you! I'm certainly glad it's Friday!