Blue skies over Casa Loma

I've shown you flowers from the gardens at Casa Loma and luckily I got to visit the actual Casa recently with out of town visitors. It's a huge house and there's lots to see inside. It's almost too much, but it was fun and interesting, especially since we did an "Upstairs, Downstairs" tour.

Friday is finally here. The movers are packing up our things and they will be back on Monday to load the container. The big day is quickly approaching! For more skies, take a look at Skywatch.

Electrical development

I took one last trip to Niagara Falls recently. This time I actually caught a few things I'd never seen before, including this beautiful old building. Hope you enjoy - my time in Toronto is really coming quickly to a close.

View from the west

I got this nice skyline shot from the west side of the city when I was exploring there recently. This was actually taken from the pedestrian bridge I showed you earlier this week. For more skies, take a look at Skywatch.

I'm glad the weekend is finally here - and it's a long one for us! We've got visitors in town, so that should give me plenty of photo ops and a chance to use my new camera - the Nikon D7000. It's a long and sad story, but my old D3000 stopped working at a most inopportune time (right when I arrived in PEI for the second leg of my Farewell Canada Tour!). After returning from that trip, I looked at all my options and decided to upgrade to the D7000 - I'm hoping it will be worth it.

Stop and sit for a spell

This wonderful sitting area inside Hart House looked so welcoming. I just love the light coming through the windows. A perfect place to curl up with a book - although the chairs don't look too comfy!

Confidential to my niece: Happy birthday!!!

Where will it lead...

There was something I found very attractive about this hallway. Perhaps it's the lighting fixtures or the way the light seems to bounce off the wood floors and glow. I would have loved to see where this hallway would lead, but alas our tour did not take us this way.

Big reflections

Here's a look at the outside of the pumping station. You'll remember those big windows from yesterday's shot. They make great mirrors for the main building and the bit of sunny blue sky we had that day! For more reflections, head to Weekend Reflections.

PS: Happy Friday!!!

Pumping station

Just behind the main building I showed you yesterday is a secondary building where they actually pump the water right out of Lake Ontario. Once it's brought in, it goes up to the main building where it goes through several treatment steps before being sent out to Torontonians to drink!

The pumping station was quite impressive - all those motors running were really quite loud! But I love to see how things work and it was also fantastic that such a wonderfully decorative building still has a practical use today. 

Grand entrance

The main entrance into the water treatment plant was grand! Just look at that beautiful arch and windows - and all those fantastic art deco details. It's a shame they don't build them like this anymore.

Doors open Toronto!

Toronto once again opened its doors to let visitors see spaces that typically aren't open to the public. My first stop was the RC Harris water treatment plant. Everyone had told me how wonderful it is, an old Art Deco style building with loads of great details. The building definitely didn't disappoint and I'll be showing you more of it this week. Until then, enjoy this view of the main hallway that overlooks the holding tanks.

Blue skies

I love it when you look up and see blue skies! Things have taken a cold turn again here in Toronto, but I'm sure warm times are just around the corner. For more skies, take a look at Skywatch.

Artscape

Here's a look at the actual Wychwood Barns. These barns are actually old train storage/repair areas that have been turned into artist ateliers, a children's theater and a space for a Farmer's Market. I think it's great that the city has turned this space into something useful for the community. We should have more projects like this! For more reflections, head to Weekend Reflections.

Street sign

Another look at The Junction area of Toronto. I couldn't resist this building on the corner and that wonderful street sign. The weekend is getting closer! For more signs, take a look at Signs, Signs.

Beau bank

This gem of a building was built in the beaux-art style. I'm pretty sure the Canadian Bank of Commerce is now defunct, but it must be fun to work here whatever the building houses now!

Downtown details

Here's another beautiful example of great architectural details on one of the old banks downtown. They just don't make them like that anymore!

Old inside the new

It's back to Brookfield Place! Although this may look like any building you'd see out on the street, this is only a facade that was moved into the centre when it was. This is maybe one of the few cases where the city has actually done a good job preserving its history. This particular building was once the Midland Commercial Bank, and now it provides a nice contrast to the new glass and steel portion of Brookfield Place. For more signs, take a look at Signs, Signs.

TD reflections

The TD Dominion building was designed by famed German architect, Mies van der Rohe. I love his work and this complex of buildings is no exception. He was a stickler for details, down to the electrical outlets and flower bowls! If you're downtown, it's worth a look inside the bank's lobby to take a look at those details. For more reflections, take a look at Weekend Reflections.

Looking up for art deco

It always pays to look up! Otherwise I might have missed these wonderful lampposts and the detail on that building. Hope you're got a wonderful weekend ahead of you - it's starting to get cold in Canada. I think a cozy weekend bundled up at home is in order! For more skies, take a look at Skywatch.

Canada Permanent details

Here's a look at the details of the entrance to the Canada Permanent building. It's beautiful!

Art deco bank

The Canada Permanent Building is a beautiful example of Art Deco architecture. Unfortunately we couldn't go into the lobby of this bank for better pictures. But I got a sneaky photo from the outside looking in - enjoy! For more signs, take a look at Signs, Signs.

Victory in black and white

More art deco details on the Victory Building. I love the simplicity of art deco, and those wonderful designs on the windows lend themselves well to black and white.