Much to our surprise, our visit in Toronto, coincided with the Monarch Butterflies’ last sojourn in early September before migrating south to Mexico. Monarch Abundance Not Far from Skyscrapers Quite frankly, I had no idea in advance, the number of monarch butterflies we would see in the city in several parks, with the city traffic…
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Firing Up Green Space: Eco-Transformation of Brick Works. Don River Valley, Toronto
It was strange for me to reach the Brick Works by car. Over a decade ago, I used to cycle daily near this area, between home and work, through the Don River Valley ravine park system when I worked up near the Thorncliffe Plaza area. Several times when we lived in Toronto, we would cycle hesitantly…
From Museum Exhibits, Personal Stories to Anti-Asian North American Sentiment in 21st Century. Part 1
This year, I biked through a bunch of peaceful activists gathering for anti-racism public rally. I felt quite guilty I didn’t stop for a few minutes to show my support for them. After all, my personal history includes volunteer work for several years in Toronto on social justice, anti-racism and equity matters. Toronto rally by…
Heron with Punk Haircut and Other Birdie Delights
I know..I know. Everyone complains right now about travel –the strait-jacket restrictions, barriers to healthy, care-free vacations overseas and in our home countries, during this covid-19 pandemic. Spontaneous Air Flights Impossible I feel the same pain. It can be more complicated, when one has loved ones and family living in other provinces in a huge,…
Overlooked Paths: Discovery and Unexpected Encounters
A few weeks ago, in a park I decided to veer off by bike, onto a different side route. This side route was right by the entry of a popular bike pedestrian bridge. I’ve been ignoring this well-marked cut-off, for the past 9 years. I’m not sure why we never bothered to slow down, dismount…
Outdoor Art Adds a Different City Heartbeat
If you need a break from the city’s fast pace and crowds while in the midst of its heartbeat, outdoor art can be a wonderful antidote to slow you down. Or indoor art in public places, such as the stained glass of Mount Rundle below, taken inside St. Paul’s Church, in downtown Banff. Not every…
Social Bonding Over Food
Before covid-19 hit the brakes hard globally on health and our social lives, the last social meal I had with several people was the last day in February. At lunch, I hung out over sizzling stone bowls of bimbap with egg, at a popular Korean restaurant with 3 other employees from another department. In fact,…
Daily Life Lessons During Covid-19 Pandemic
For some folks, a global plague highlights a lot what they took for granted since this past March. Or confirmed what one knew or decided long ago: Mask-Wearing for Hours is Hot I mean kind of sweaty. My double-sided, non-medical cloth mask is hot to wear for several hours at room temperature. When reading a…
Art Awakens Commuters, Tourists: Transit Rail Stations
This blog post aims to inspire the cynic and apathetic. In other words, art deniers don’t want to appreciate art for waiting commuters and walk-through visitors who appreciate visually distinctive stops for a liveable city. A city worth visiting, stopping and remembering well. For locals and for attracting tourists to even take transit as part…
Startled by Wildlife in Urban Parks
Until last year, I never paid any attention to birds, except for a trip to Brackendale Park in British Columbia to see bald eagles. I just miss seeing the red cardinal bird that’s frequently found in southern Ontario, but not in Alberta. Or the blue jay bird which seems to be rarer on the prairies….
For Fun, Attention or Quiet Self-Identity : National Heritage Dress
One thing for certain, travelling in big cities of Japan and South Korea, you can rent a national dress and parade around in it for a few hours. It’s around 30 – 45 Canadian dollars. We never saw this money-making practice when we were in Germany, France, Denmark, Czech Republic nor Barcelona, Spain. Maybe there’s…
Food Art, Tofu Doughnuts and Octopus Kimchi Pancake: Japan and Seoul, South Korea
Before we flew off to Japan and Seoul, South Korea, I only had one Japanese cookbook which I haven’t even cooked anything from it. My tasting experience has been based on eating in restaurants in Canada –primarily Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. And I don’t even eat out as often as others, for dinner. After Internet…
Different Flavours for Different Farmers’ Markets: Canada and Abroad
It’s de rigour for us to check out the local farmers’ market whenever we travel and visit a town, city or country. Squeezing in Happy Time– Local and Abroad In past blog posts, I’ve enjoyed showcasing a few in Toronto, Vancouver, Freiburg (Germany) and Hilo (Hawai’i) –wonderful local foods, sometimes crafts and ambience which puts…
Awestruck on La Rambla and Beyond: Barcelona, Spain.
Barcelona, Spain is like Vancouver, British Columbia –millions of tourists pour into each city every year. After four days, we still had not exhausted its rich treasure chest of sights and experiences. Inevitably visitors end up crossing or on its main pedestrian street, La Rambla. It was my first time in Spain whereas for Jack,…
5 Kids in One-Bedroom Apartment- Unearthing Space and Its Impact
There’s a Vancouver divorced dad-blogger who blogs about life in downtown Vancouver with his 5 children in a 1,000 sq. ft. rental condo. In fact, he probably lives just few blocks from us. Well, it’s admirable he has some of his growing children in bunk beds. And the kids are only with him for 2…
Are North American Cities Boring?
For some North Americans after a long European vacation trip, returning home is to the familiar and mundane –especially when home doesn’t have soaring, centuries old architectural monuments or lots of jaw-dropping art. Or the North American just might be relieved: thank goodness for space and wilderness. As a Canadian, I don’t quite view Europe as prime destination to experience stunning,…
Humanities and Arts: Talent and Creativity Redefines Logic
Whenever there are cutbacks to classroom time, courses or extracurricular school activities for: the arts, theatre, music, creative writing, I’m concerned. Arts, Humanities Touches Daily Life: Highest and Mundane Details Those snickers about people who major in philosophy, history, literature –university / college programs which don’t provide a clear-cut path to an immediate job, I wonder: …
Canadian Camping Newbie @32 Years
My first time camping in a tent on the ground was when I was 32 years old. I just started to know my partner who had been on numerous camping trips himself. That seminal, first camping time was during a bike trip outside of Toronto. It meant cycling with our gear, sleeping bag for over…
A Candle for Canada’s 150th Birthday
This blog post is light and small like a cupcake. 2017 is Canada’s 150th year as a country. Sure, the country did exist centuries before, as a collection of different nations of native Indian and Inuit peoples. That memory and consciousness is still with us today alongside with Canada – in their voices, in names of some…
Reject Not at First Glance : Stained Glass Church Art
Two decades ago, I tossed out my 30-lb. stained glass artwork into the garbage a few years after I finished two stained glass art courses. I dubbed the art piece, “Spring Thaw”. “Spring Thaw” was hoisted out into the garbage room, because I thought it was unworthy of transporting 4,000 km. in moving to Vancouver from Toronto. Yes, it was…
Where Was I? During History in the Making
Women’s March – Jan. 21, 2017 This peaceful protest march caught like a firestorm with over 160 sister city marches across the world. I didn’t join our local city march which attracted over 4,000 people. Instead I was having a hair cut. The massive march was galvanized first, by American women in protest of their newly sworn-in President Trump, known for his…
Teenager Helps Father Sponsor Relatives to Immigrate to Canada
That Ontario teenager was myself. I don’t have a photo like what you see in some recent newspapers: Smiling Canadians posing in photos with Syrian refugees as they arrive at our major city airports. My experience is not about helping refugees. Humdrum Insider View: Helping Others Immigrate Let me give you our family’s insider view. …
