Toronto International Women's Day Rally and March

Chalk writing filled the concrete of Nathan Phillips Square as the #Toronto International Women's Day Rally and March passed through Nathan Phillip Square. Escorted by bicycle police the women started on Bloor Street and wound through the city streets.

The ladies passed through the square, under the elevated walkway and headed north on Bay Street.

"Take Action to Reclaim our City! International Women's Day Toronto will take place on March 3, 2012, when thousands of women will take to the streets to defend decent jobs, public services and dignity. Join us: together we are stronger!"

Windy in Toronto: Moose Down

It looked like a gang of trouble making, trouble makers hit the City of #Toronto Friday night and Saturday morning on March 2-3, 2012. The high winds played havoc with street furniture, especially the newspaper boxes along Queens Quay aided by the open surface of Lake Ontario. Environment Canada had issued an alert for Toronto and the surrounding area and down into Southwest Ontario calling for gusts of 60 to 90 kmh winds.

 I expected to see branches of high rises on the streets with the occasional older building down, but I was shocked to see one of the Toronto Moose down on the ground and missing an ear. The horror, the horror.

Canada's best snowboarders in Toronto

The fast moving athletes gathered at Yonge-Dundas Square as part of the Mountain Do - Do Awesome, Do the Dew, ski and snowboard competition March 2-3, 2012. While they skied down the tiny man-made mountain, full of imported snow, the soft drink maker was giving out hundreds and hundreds of free bottles of the new Mountain Dew Citrus Charge.

See more jumps and crashes after the jump.

#Toronto International Bicycle Show 2012

It didn't disappoint - the Spring Show had plenty of bikes! Located down at Exhibition Place in the Better Living Centre the 26th annual bicycle show runs from March 2 to 4, 2012. You could load up on bikes and accesories and look at joining charity bike events and going on biking vacations. You could even get information on Toronto Bike Polo.

bikepolo.to

Wooden jumps were built in several areas where you could take in competitions featuring Toronto BMX Jam, Mountain Bike race and stunt competition, BMX Freestyle Competition. Some of those jumps were humongous and not everyone landed their jumps.

See more after the jump.

Improv in #Toronto: Best Busker Song

A lone guitarist stands at the corner of Queen Street West and Bay Street, the wide sidewalk is filled as people pass in the cold. Someone holds a sign saying they will make up a personalized song and sing it to them, for free. And so it begins as Improv in Toronto starts their latest flash mob performance, waiting for someone that wants a song. Few stop and take the bait, but when they do, the magic starts.

First Oliver (photo at top) starts the song, playing the guitar and singing into the mic, as groups of musicians quickly gather in a semi-circle around the victim (one of them is named Maya). The tune is catchy and the mob is enjoyable to watch.

Complete stranger Maya stops and asks Oliver for a song. His lone voice starts the flash mob

Improv Toronto musicians rush from hiding and converge around Oliver

The large group belts out the personalized song for Maya

Maya beams after the experience 

"Maya,  Though we just met, I can tell that you’re pretty cool.
I wanna take a moment to appreciate everything that’s great about you.
Maya, You’re a girl of a different kind, And people must be blind, If they don’t notice you...."

In between performances

See more after the jump.

Vintage in Toronto

Bling, bling filled the CNIB hall along with clothing and accessories during the 2012 annual Vintage Clothing and Textile Show on Saturday March 3. The selections were far ranging and with quite a variety of prices - something nice was available for almost any price range.  I picked up a nice brooch for my little honey.

It was time to shop for some "Vintage Clothing and Accessories; Vintage Designer Fashions; Vintage Textiles including Quilts, Linens, Laces, Samplers & Related Sewing Items; and Vintage & Estate Jewellery."

I loved to watch the people that attended the show. Some people lived through the fashions and wanted to rekindle some memories, some younger people wanted something unusual as an accent, and some people wore the outfits like a type of goth getup. It was fabulous baby.

Milk floods Union Station shutting down subway

Originally reported as a watermain break at #Toronto Union Station I have found that the actual cause of the service shutdown was a gigantic spill of milk on Saturday March 3, 2012. As part of the 100th birthday celebration of the Oreo Cookie, Nabisco was transporting a giant glass of wholesome milk on the TTC subway system when the glass tipped - just as the subway passed through the southern curve between the University and Yonge lines. The milk was destined to join the giant cookies at the Eaton Centre. Instead the mall became the nerve centre of a concentrated effort as Nabisco shifted into high gear to resolve the emergency.

Emergency Oreo headquarters at the Eaton Centre

With pumps unable to keep up with the flow of milk the subway was shutdown on both lines from Bloor to Union Station and a massive fleet of buses were dispatched to shuttle people between the stations. Yellow caution tape was put up at Union Station leading down to the tracks, with evidence of a moist chocolate substance on the floors, and at Dundas Station the gates were closed shut at the entrance.

Gates bar the entrance to the underground TTC system

When Nabisco learned of the spill, and the TTC's heroic efforts to contain the spill, they immediately made plans to send giant Oreo cookies down to the station (photo at top: the giant cookies had to be cut in half because they could not even fit in the truck in one piece), hoping to soak up the milk and provide yummy goodness to the citizens of Toronto. Large white SUVs brought TTC Chef Supervisors (not Chief Supervisors as some thought) to site along the closed subway stations to help with the shuttle buses and to supervise the dietary requirements resulting from this culinary disruption to public transit.

Brave men will be working throughout the night and into tomorrow to contain the flood of milk and many more workers will be required to eat the soft cookie. Additional help will still be necessary to split apart the cookie and eat the tasty, white centre stuff. Thank god they were not double stuffed! Emergency workers were also seen bringing powdered chocolate mix to site, looks like a party might be getting started here. Hmmm, chocolate milk and Oreos. I think that Mayor Rob Ford's weight loss plan might suffer a setback tonite as he is personally leading the fight from City Hall and large, wet chunks of cookie have been diverted to Nathan Phillips Square. No word on the impact of the loss of milk and cookies will have on Tuesdays planned Oreo birthday celebrations.

The Nabisco Nerve Centre where the best milk and cookie minds seek a resolution to the crisis.

March Break at PawsWay

I am trying to think what is cuter - the pets that enjoy the activities at #Toronto PawsWay, or the names of the activities that they can take part in: Booty Camp Fitness and Pug Meetup? And are their owners sending them to University or fancy private schools: Puppy Kindergarten and March Break at PawsWay? Those little dogs probably have more reading week parties than actual human students (they really know how to party) and I have yet to see dogs carrying books to class.

Riding the dog statue

The red fire hydrant is the boys room

Check out the March calendar of events at the Queens Quay PawsWay.

Booty Camp Fitness: Continuing every Mon 6-8pm in the Pet Park and Wed 6-8pm in Cliffords BCF will be here until the spring. For more info please contact: Sammie Kennedy, CEO and Creator of Booty Camp Fitness

Puppy Kindergarten : Learn everything you need to know about being a new puppy owner, from obedience, grooming to socialization and behaviour. *ADDITIONAL CLASS* Drop in classes every Saturday at PawsWay class 1 at 11:30 – 12:30 and class 2 4-5 $10 per drop in.

Canine Good Neighbour: March 24th Naomi will be holding the CGN evaluations all day on a drop in basis. Cost $25, for more info please contact Naomi or forward her email naomi@lewenhart.com.

Off Leash Safety Course: Thurs Mar 8th 630-8 pm and Sunday Mar 25th from 230-4pm we are offering this mandatory course for anyone that wishes to take part in our Off Leash Programming. Cost $10, guests may sign up or show up on the day. This class will be held in the Pet Park.

March Break at PawsWay: March Break is back and PawsWay will be offering 5 fantastic activity Stations from 12 – 4 pm Mon thru Fri for our guests to enjoy. Our regular programming will also continue in the Pet Park, an Event Flow for this week has been created and distributed to all staff.

Chihuahua Meet Up: Sun Mar 11th from 11-1 pm the Chihuahua monthly meet up will take place. Open to the Public for a fee of $6 per family. This is a private event and not a PawsWay initiative.

Fitzgerald’s Doggy B Day: Sun Mar 11th from 3-6pm, this private doggy birthday party takes place in the Pet Park and is a closed private event not open to the public.

St Patrick’s Day Photo Booth: For the entire March Break week PawsWay is offering guests the opportunity to have their St Patrick’s Day themed photo taken with their pets. This themed set up will be located at the front of the building near the arts and craft table. Photos will be $10 for the first print $5 for every additional and $5 for an e-mailed copy..

C.A.N.D.i – Cats And Dogs International: CANDi-is on site Mar 17th from 1-330pm in the pet park holding a meet-up/play day for dogs to raise money for their charity and for the public to meet ‘Hule’ the Cocker Spaniel that was rescued by CANDi after a machete attack that almost fatally injured her.

Ask The Vet: Dr Krista Nelson is back on Mar 22nd from 530-730 providing free Veterinary advice to PawsWay visitors. This is a free event so encourage visitors throughout the month to come by for free veterinary advice

Pomeranian Pom Pom Prom: On Thurs Mar 15th from 6-8pm PawsWay’s monthly breed specific returns with the spotlight on the Pomeranian. This free event is open to all Pomeranians and their owners.

Pug Meet Up: The Pugs will be invading PawsWay on Mar 18th from 130-330pm in the pet park. This is a private event that is open to the public for a small entry fee

A.V.A.C – Association of Veterinary Acupuncturists of Canada: Feb 29th – Mar 3rd A.V.A.C will be back for their third of four certification seminars for veterinarians. They will be in the Pet Park during their stay and there will be no Pet Park Programming during their seminar.

Boston Terrier Meet Up: Mar 31st or friend at the Boston Terrier club are back for a meet up here at PawsWay. This is a private event that is open to other Boston Terriers and their owners for a small fee.

Oreo Cookie 100th Birthday

Oreo is celebrating it's 100th birthday on Tuesday March 6, 2012 with a little party in the #Toronto Eaton Centre at noon. There is a giant gift in the middle of the mall announcing that host Colin Mochrie will be joined by a special musical guest on the Nabisco cookie which was started in 1912. Don't miss out on cookies, milk and other goodies for everyone that attends is what the website says. Mmmm, cookies, I wonder if the Cookie Monster will be on hand for all the excitement.

The Union Subway Station flooding might impact the Oreo birthday celebration.

Occupy Toronto: Yonge and Dundas

Gregory Alan Elliott's covered wagon has circled Yonge and Dundas Streets just outside of the Eaton Centre as part of the Occupy #Toronto Movement. The lone protest vehicle is taking up valuable religious, black history or entertaining busker space with it's beautiful blue graffiti covered wagon. On second thought it seems to belong there. New signs have been added which say "occupod" and "taste the freedom".

Winter Hearts

I Heart You #Toronto. Damn winter.

St Patrick's Day Parade is coming

March 11, 2012 is the 25th annual #Toronto St Patrick's Day Parade. The Parade begins at 12:00 noon with the procession starting from Bloor and St. George (near old U of T Varsity Stadium). The Parade will continue along Bloor Street down Yonge and finishes on Queen Street at Nathan Philips Square. Wear something green - like this bikini from the Toronto Pro Supershow.

Saturday March 17, 2012 is the actual St Patrick's Day in Ontario and the place to be would have to be the Irish Embassy at Yonge and Wellington. During St Patrick's Day Eve the Leprechauns are busy putting green in the beer supplies, checking their blarney kissing naughty list and getting St Paddy's golf cart ready for the journey around the Emerald Isles, or maybe just Berczy Park.

A Mountain grows in Toronto

Update: They managed to truck the snow in, about 6 inches of the cold white stuff probably from the Arctic Circle, and the slopes are ready for ski and snowboarders to do their stuff. They started practicing on the snow on Friday, March 3, 2012.

Panorama of the Square

Mount St Yonge and Dundas

See more after the jump.

Hedley 2012 Shipwrecked Tour

Hedley (@Hedleyonline) will hit #Toronto on March 13, 2012 at the Air Canada Centre. The Canadian rock group Hedley breaks out of British Columbia for their 2012 Shipwrecked Tour on the heels of their November ’11 release of the Hedley Storms album (which went gold later that month, that's their cool album cover below). On Thursday March 1, the group will rock Guelph at the Sleeman Centre – where my daughter (the concert photographer) will be enjoying the show along with thousands of other screaming fans. SHE LOVED THE SHOW!!!!!!!!

The group puts out hit records with Universal Music Canada still has a great sense of humour, and as talented musician and lead singer Jacob Hoggard matures I notice that he tends to leave his clothes on in interviews now.

Erin with the band Hedley before the concert

Hedley shipwrecked, drinking some beer

The foursome is rounded out with fellow musicians Dave Rossin on guitar, Tommy Mac on bass guitar and Chris Crippin on drums. See more photos after the jump.

Motorcycles in March 2012

#Toronto has two Motorcycle Shows this month: The International Spring Motorcycle Show March 17-18 and the National Motorcycle Show and Tattoo Show March 31 - April 1. Luckily they both do not check if I actually have a motorcycle and they will happily let me come in. Ha, suckers.

The Spring Show is at the International Centre and will fill 4 halls (1, 2, 3 & 3A) and I look forward to the works of art known as Custom Bikes in Hall 1. Vintage bikes can also be found in this hall. You can save $3 off if you buy your ticket online before March 4. There is also a $3 coupon to save on the entrance fee. A bonus of the International Centre is the free parking. You can see my photos of last year's show here.

Then you can buff your hog for two weeks, get your biker chick's easy lift top prepped, and arrive all refreshed at the National Show held at the Better Living Centre in Exhibition Place. They have a $2 coupon for savings at the door and the show comes with more ink, tattoo ink that is - which is new this year. I am building up my courage to get a tat, most definitely temporary, that will go somewhere private. I will have to build my tolerance for pain to get the tattoo though, I better start my mind control exercises right now.