Interesting Find: Of Toronto the Good

I found this book on Ebay and bought for less than 10 bucks, including shipping. Its basically everything I need to know in regards to why Toronto is "The Good" It defines the term through every aspect of the city just before the turn of the century. It talks about the government, how it is formed, the budget, tourism, housing, homelessness, traditions, social and night life, businesses, restaurants, schools, drunkenness and a bunch of other cool stuff. After reading some of it I can truly say some things never change.

Artricle in Torday's Toroto Star: Surprised by Toronto the Good

Who was C W Jefferys?

Yes, I know the name rings a bell. Yesterday a 15 year old boy was gunned down in the very same hallway I use to hangout in during my lunch hours when I went to high school there many years ago. Here is a different side to the name we are going to hear for the next couple of days...

C.W. Jefferys (1869-1951) was the first artist to take Canadian history and make it leap off the page and come to life. Before Jefferys, history was written down, but never illustrated in such a dramatic and refreshing way. As well as being a newspaper illustrator and historian, Jefferys was also an accomplished landscape artist and political cartoonist.

An inspiration for many artists, Jefferys played a hand in forming Canada's most famous group of landscape painters, the Group of Seven. Even today, Jefferys remains Canada's most reproduced artist and has influenced the work of Order of Canada recipient artist, Tony Urquhart, and comic book writer and illustrator, Chester Brown.

Through the artist's own words, as read by passionate Canadian actor, Eric Peterson, expert opinions, and personal accounts from his daughters and grandson, this documentary provides a comprehensive look into Jefferys' life and work and explains why he remains relevant for anyone interested in Canada's political and cultural past.



Click Here to watch his biography.

Victoria Day Bike Ride

Today a couple of buddies and I went on the longest bike ride I have ever taken. I live at Bathurst and Sheppard and at 8:30 this morning I biked north to Bathurst and Steeles to meet them. Then we proceeded to just about Steeles and Leslie and started south. We followed the paths all the way to Queen, cutting through Edwards Gardens, Sunnybrook Park, Don Valley Brick Works and past the Bloor Viaduct. Then across Queen to University, Left on College and stopped at Mossimo's Pizza on College west of Spadina for a bit to eat. After eating it was home time, College to Bathurst north all they way to Sheppard. I got home at 4:30pm. I was biking for about 8 hours. How sick is that?

For more pics of my trip check out my Flickr account here.