Life in the Concrete Jungle

There is life amidst the concrete! After getting a hair cut, I strolled along Queen St. W, using up a couple old gift cards and stumbled upon this...

In Nathan Phillips Sq. at City Hall, I heard music. There was a small crowd sitting at picnic tables, eating corn on the cob, and listening to this woman sing gospel music. She was nice to listen to and had some uplifting words of spiritual encouragement.

In this time when Mayor Ford is cutting budgets and generally aggravating a large amount of Toronto citizens, it was nice to hear and experience something positive and uplifting at City Hall. It was like a refreshing oasis in a dry and dreary desert.

Later I walked around to find some calm and quiet. There was only so much gospel music I could listen to, as nice as it is. It was time to move south where I found this view. I call it "Within the Concrete Jungle". 

Where is your quiet place within the concrete jungle?

Hot Child in the City

It was the hottest day of the summer thus far, and everyone in the city was on the search for the nearest air conditioned space they could take refuge in. A blanket of humidity covered the city and many people were at a loss of how to cope.

I, on the other hand, found a great way to cope with the sweltering temperatures. I went outside! Sounds crazy, right? Well, the Open Roof Film Festival in Toronto was a great way to spend an evening on the cities warmest day. Watching a film, eating popcorn and throwing back a few cold ones was just what the doctor ordered!



Behind the Amsterdam Distillery, a make shift theatre was created to show a film just like a "drive in", minus the cars. Rows of chairs seated adults, kids, hipsters, superhero nerds, and people of all kinds. I didn't mention that the film we were seeing was 'Kick Ass'; about a boy with no super powers trying to be a superhero. The evening actually began with a band- and I'm forgetting their name now- who performed before the movie began. That was fun, but not really my favourite kind of music. It was nice to have in the background though as my friend and I caught up with each other.

It wasn't so much the film that made the humid evening so enjoyable though. It was the ambiance, the shared experience of watching it outside in the parking lot of a rustic brewery in downtown Toronto. The CN tower shone in the distance behind the screen, along with the multi coloured lights of the surrounding condos.

Music, beer, popcorn, and an outdoor movie... the makings of a great summer city night!

The View from Here ...

Watching a free concert on a warm summer night from a 12th floor balcony brought friends outside from a fantastic party. Enjoy the summer city nights!

Bright Lights, Big Dreams

Cities are fascinating places. They draw people together with unique perspectives, hopes and aspirations, yet these individuals coexist amidst the hustle and the bright lights- usually in pursuit of big dreams.

People move to cities from small towns and distant shores. They move from city to city, exploring and learning from each metropolis they inhabit. Some never leave the city they grow up in. They find new ways to enjoy their city. New ways to live.

Outsiders may wonder what makes city-living so special.

Maybe it's the "street meat", the subways, or the sheer size of it's population. I believe it's the stories and the experiences among it's inhabitants that make a city something you need to experience, and not simply read about or see pictures of. The particular experiences people share with each other, and even those they endure alone, shape the cosmopolitan landscape.

Whether you live modestly of lavishly, whether you eat sushi or shwarma, there is a place for everyone and everyone has their place. Explore your city and share you're stories. That's what I intend to do!