#ThursdayDoors – Natalie the Explorer

Outside the Box | Front Street

February 2, 2024February 6, 2024Natalie115 Comments

Hello February and goodbye January! I ended my January with ten days of fun and wonderful adventures in Spain. I just got home and will take time to reflect on my trip and sort my photos.

Revisiting Spain

It was my third visit to Spain. My flights were all good. I had beautiful weather for the entire trip (15C to 23C or 59F to 73F). I revisited some of my favourite cities (Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Seville and Barcelona) and explored three new-to-me cities (Granada, Alicante and Valencia) which have also become my favourites.

While in Spain, I used public transport to get around. I walked and did a lot of sightseeing every day. I enjoyed delicious foods and drinks. I met and had fun exchanging travel stories with other travelers. I practiced basic Spanish throughout my trip. All in all, I had a fantastic time. Watch this space for my postcards from Spain in the next week or two.

Outside the Box

Today I am sharing five painted utility boxes and a mural located on Front Street. Front Street is one of the main east-west streets in downtown Toronto. The front of each box has a door handle while the back is flat. Have a look and let me know if you have a favourite.

Two boxes by artist Kirsten McCrae (or Hello Kirsten).

*Aquatic Garden* by artist Erin McCluskey, 2021.

Behind the Aquatic Garden utility box, I discovered a beautiful mural depicting “a way of life” of Aboriginal people by Native Canadian artist Joseph Sagaj. Zoom in to see the details of the mural. For more information on the artist and his artworks, click here.

Mural by Native Canadian artist Joseph Sagaj, 2006

I have seen other artworks by the above artists and look forward to seeing more of their creative designs in the future.

Link-Up

This post is my contribution to Dan’s Thursday Doors photo challenge and Min’s #WWWhimsy link-up.

I’d love for you to share your week’s highlights and/ or public art around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #151 below.

Festive Fleurs de Villes Noël Trail

December 15, 2023December 20, 2023Natalie94 Comments

Last week my friend and I enjoyed exploring the Fleurs de Villes Noël floral trail in Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood together. We saw over thirty gorgeous floral installations, created by Toronto’s talented florists.

I exercised self-control on the blog and shared just eighteen (18) pictures in this post. I left out a number of beautifully-dressed floral mannequins, headpieces, wreaths and floral arches. Have a look at the following festive installations and let me know if you have a favourite.

Fleurs de Villes Noël

*Holiday Floral Doorway* created by Pistil Flowers

*Winter Wings* created by Happy Fairy Art

*Holiday Swing* created by Zuhoor Designs

*Floral Telephone Booth* created by Sayuri Blossoms

*Floral Snowflake* created by Olivia’s Garden

*Festive Frame* created by Vinlex Floral

*Holiday Heart* created by Secrets Floral

*Floral Holiday Sleigh* created by Vogue Weddings & Décor

*Mrs. Claus Mannequin and Sled* created by Botany Floral Studio

*Lollipops* created by Sweet Magnolia Florals

*Fountain* (*& Bench* not shown) created by Flower Crown

*Yorkville Village Floral Entrance Arch* created by Flower Crown

*Ice Rink Skating Village* created by Dereves Floral Inc

*2024 Porsche Cayenne Coupe* created by Lena’s Floral Designs

We spent about an hour walking the trail, admiring the floral designs and taking pictures. It was a partly sunny morning and a delightful outing. Thanks to the event organizers and florists who made our walk so much fun!

Link-Ups

This post is my entry to Dan’s Thursday Doors, Terri’s Sunday Stills Festive photo challenges and Min’s #WWWhimsy link-up.

A gentle reminder that there will be a Weekend Coffee Share link-up on December 22 and December 29. I hope to see you then. If you’re taking time off for the holidays, have a joyful holiday season!

*Share Joy* created by Fresh Floral Creations

I’d love for you to share your holiday fun activities and/ or photos of public art around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #145 below.

The Gingerbread Way

December 8, 2023December 12, 2023Natalie91 Comments

Weekend Coffee Share Announcements

Greetings! I have three announcements to make before sharing a fun walk.

There will be a Weekend Coffee Share link-up on December 22 and December 29. I know it is usually quiet in the blog world in the last two weeks of the year. I am available to host. I hope to see you then.
In the new year, the Weekend Coffee Share link-up starts on January 5 and continues weekly as usual, except January 26. The Weekend Coffee Share badge stays the same. See my blog sidebar for the badge. I will repeat this announcement in January.
Most Weekend Coffee Share participants take time to read and comment on my post and other linked up posts. Unfortunately, there are a few bloggers who link and run. When they link and run again the second time, their links will be removed without notice.

Let’s use our time wisely. Link up when you have a few minutes to read and type a sincere comment. Details on how to join the Weekend Coffee Share link-up is on my blog menu bar and in the weekly Inlinkz dashboard.

The Gingerbread Way

Last week my friend and I visited the Gingerbread Way at Toronto’s historic and luxury Fairmont Royal York hotel. Upon arrival, we admired the gorgeous Christmas tree. It stands tall in the lobby, circled by a decorative crown. Many smaller trees, family of deer and festive decorative items are placed along the hallways.

Similar to last year, Chef Andrew Wilson and his team constructed a laneway lined with over 8500 freshly baked gingerbread bricks, real icing and twelve kinds of candy. The floor-to-ceiling bricks are glued together using royal icing. This year’s displays include:

Storefront with festive scenes in double windows

A smiling elf, North Pole sign and gift boxes ready to go

Storefront with twinkly lights, stockings and gifts

Storefront with two adorable sitting bears and lots of candies

Storefront with festive scene of gifts and a smiling snowman

The hand-made gingerbread displays are incredible and beautiful. We oohed and aahed while looking at the details of each display from top to bottom, including the crown and RY (Royal York initials) made of royal icing. Here are a few close-up photos. Click on any image to see its bigger version.

Gallery: Gingerbread Way close-up photos

It was a fun outing. I love everything about the Gingerbread Way. I hope to see it again next year.

This post is my entry to Dan’s Thursday Doors photo challenge, Terri’s Sunday Stills December Red and Green colour challenge and Min’s WWWhimsy link-up.

I’d love for you to share your holiday fun and/ or photos of public art around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #144 below.

Outside the Box | Bold and Bright

November 24, 2023November 28, 2023Natalie83 Comments

I hope my blog friends and readers in the United States who celebrate Thanksgiving had a nice Thanksgiving on November 23 and a great holiday weekend. Canadian Thanksgiving is on the second Monday of October.

This week has been a traveling week for me so I’ll keep this post short. I discovered these two painted utility boxes while I was out cycling and walking on the Waterfront Trail in Toronto. Even though the art designs are not my style, the bold and bright colours made me smile when I saw them.

Both boxes have different murals on four sides. I hope they also bring you a smile. Click on any image to see its bigger version and the doors. They are my entry to Dan’s Thursday Doors photo challenge and Min’s #WWWhimsy link-up.

Outside the Box #1

This big utility box was painted by Toronto muralist FPMonkey (Julia YH), who often expresses ideas with a surrealist and fantastical flair. Much of her work has elements of Chinese and overall Asian culture from which her roots are. Her design on this box looks like a dragon is swimming in Toronto Harbour.

Outside the Box #2

This utility box was painted by a muralist who goes by the name Eats Verbs. On the left side of the door, there are vertical letters that look like ‘MERGS’ to me. The bold red exudes energy and demands attention.

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share your week’s highlights and/ or public art around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #142 below.

Doors and Murals in Iceland

November 3, 2023November 7, 2023Natalie87 Comments

When I was in Iceland in August, I visited a number of churches and historic buildings. I also saw a few interesting murals and sculptures. I am putting those photos together in this post.

The door photos are for Dan’s Thursday Doors photo challenge. The murals are for the Photographing Public Art Challenge (PPAC). Have a look and let me know in the comments if you have a favourite.

Doors in Iceland

The first two pictures were taken in Bessastaðir. Bessastaðir was first settled in 1000. It is an important site in the history of Iceland.

The next two pictures were taken in the countryside. The ‘open door’ farm building is used to dry Greenland shark meat which is considered a delicacy in Iceland.

The next set of pictures were four of the churches that I visited in Iceland:

Reykjavik cathedral which was constructed in 1787 and demolished in 1847 to make way for a somewhat larger church building.
The church in Budir (black exterior with white door and gate) is one of the oldest wooden churches in Iceland. The first church in Budir was built in 1703. It was demolished, rebuilt and opened in 1848.
The present church in Borg á Mýrum (white exterior with red door) was built in 1880.
Bronze doors of Hallgrimskirkja which is the largest church in Iceland at 74.5 metres (244 ft) tall. It took 41 years to build the church: construction started in 1945 and ended in 1986.

Murals in Iceland

At Keflavik international airport, there is a large mural titled Silver Sabler by artist Erró who is best known for his painted pop art collages of images from comic books. The mural is made of ceramic tiles.

I took three close-up pictures to examine the impeccable and impressive artwork in detail.

I also discovered the following two murals while walking in Reykjavik. They both have blue, teal and wine colours. One is whimsical and the other is abstract. No title and no artist’s name on both.

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share your week’s highlights and/ or photos of public art around the world in the Comments or InLinkz #139 below. I’m also linking up with Min’s #WWWHIMSY.

Outside the Box | Simcoe Street

August 4, 2023July 25, 2023Natalie81 Comments

As mentioned in my previous post, I will be taking a blogging break the next two weekends. This means no Weekend Coffee Share linkup on August 11 and 18. I will be back with a fresh post on August 25.

Today I am sharing my photos of four traffic signal box murals that I found on my walk along Simcoe Street in downtown Toronto, between Richmond Street West and Wellington Street West. I tried to photograph the front and the back or the side of the box to show the overall design of each box.

These boxes are my entry to Dan’s #ThursdayDoors photo challenge. Have a look and let me know in the comments if you have a favourite.

Outside the Box

Traffic signal box mural by Xulin Wang, 2020, front view

Traffic signal box mural by Xulin Wang, 2020, back and side views

Traffic signal box mural by Dean Martin, 2018, front view

Traffic signal box mural by Dean Martin, 2018, back and side views

Traffic signal box mural by Roshni Wijayasinha, 2018, front view

Traffic signal box mural by Roshni Wijayasinha, 2018, back view

Traffic signal box mural by Ana Diosdado, 2018, front view

Traffic signal box mural by Ana Diosdado, 2018, back and side views

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share simple joys from your week and/ or favourite public art photos from around the world in the comments or Weekend Coffee Share linkup #130 InLinkz below.

Doors and Murals in Philadelphia

July 21, 2023July 18, 2023Natalie92 Comments

Greetings! When I visited Philadelphia in June, I enjoyed exploring the city on foot and taking pictures of iconic landmarks, interesting architecture and public art. Today I am sharing two galleries of doors and murals in Philadelphia. The city has done an excellent job with information boards or plaques that identify the building or artwork title, the artist(s) and pertinent information.

Gallery 1: Doors

This gallery is my contribution to Dan’s #ThursdayDoors photo challenge. Click on any image in the gallery to see the caption.

Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. — Gallery: Doors in Philadelphia

Masonic Temple since 1873. — Gallery: Doors in Philadelphia

Gallery 2: Murals

This gallery is for the weekly Photographing Public Art Challenge (PPAC) that I have been hosting. The first four murals are in Philadelphia’s Centre City. The last two murals Flight Pattern and We’re Going Up Together are located in Terminal D at Philadelphia International Airport. Click on any image in the gallery to see the caption.

Weekend Coffee Share

I’d love for you to share your week’s highlights and/ or favourite public art photos from around the world in the comments or Weekend Coffee Share linkup #128 InLinkz below.

Murals in Riverside: Part 1

June 9, 2023June 11, 2023Natalie107 Comments

Greetings! My coffee share today is my self-guided art walk to see the Women Paint Riverside ‘Currents of Change’ Mural Corridor in Toronto’s Riverside district in downtown east.

About Women Paint Riverside Mural Corridor

Women Paint Riverside Mural Corridor is an open air gallery of twenty+ murals that celebrate Toronto’s waterways and the traditional keepers of those waterways. All of the murals were created and completed by women and gender diverse artists from various backgrounds in September 2021.

The mural corridor spans three city blocks. Each mural has an information board that provides the mural title, the artist’s name, their background, their inspiration and about the Women Paint Riverside program.

It took me about 1.5 hours to complete the walk, including pauses to read the information boards and photograph the murals. On a weekday morning I had the entire mural corridor to myself. I greatly enjoyed my walk and would recommend it to anyone who’s interested in walking and murals.

The Murals: Part 1

I’m sharing ten murals today and the remaining murals next week. Since most of the murals are painted on or near doors with pink in them, this post is my entry to Dan’s #ThursdayDoors photo challenge and Terri’s #SundayStills June color challenge (Pink).

*Kusikus* by Carol-Ann Apilado (aka KARE). This mural is on a door that’s part of a long fence. The wavy pattern in the mural is based on a textile pattern that dates back to pre-colonial Philippines around the 1400s. It is referred to as ‘kusikus’, which means ‘whirlpool’, ‘whirlwind’ or ‘going in circles’.

*Dancheong Dragon* by Victoria Day – This mural is on a garage door.

*Persistence* by Margaret Cresswell – This mural is on a long fence. I’m sharing the left half of the fence where the saying starts: “*A persistent drop of water will wear away even the hardest stone*“.

*Where We Find Our Roots* by Scarbrite Collective & Memengwaa Kwe Originals. This mural is on a long wall that ends with a door and a garage (see next photo).

*Where We Find Our Roots* by Scarbrite Collective & Memengwaa Kwe Originals

*Riverside* mural by Girls Mural Camp artists on a fire door (left) and garage door (right)

*River Moon* by Moonlight Murals Collective – Do you see the door?

Close-up of a large mural titled *Ohútsya kékha* by Mo Thunder

Weekend Coffee Share

Which mural do you like?

I’d love for you to share what’s been happening, simple joys from your week and/ or favourite public art photos from around the world in the comments or Weekend Coffee Share linkup #122 InLinkz below.

Doors Open: The Second City

June 2, 2023May 31, 2023Natalie89 Comments

Last weekend May 27-28, 2023 was Doors Open Toronto weekend when over 140 buildings and sites opened their doors and invited the public to explore some of Toronto’s most architectural, cultural and socially significant sites for free. This year’s theme is City of Sound.

I chose to explore The Second City Toronto, one of the newer buildings to avoid crowds and lineup, and the sound of laughter is appealing. I made the right choice visiting The Second City. There was no queue. Visitors could explore the front stages, back stages and take pictures. Knowledgeable volunteers and staff were on site to answer questions.

The Second City Toronto

The Second City Toronto is the biggest improv comedy theatre and training centre in Canada. It has nurtured performers whose wit and friendly faces have dominated the comedy landscape on both sides of the border for decades. The list of famous alumni includes John Candy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Joe Flaherty, Dave Thomas, Dan Aykroyd, Andrea Martin, Robin Duke, Gilda Radner, and many others.

This year, The Second City Toronto celebrates 50 Years of Funny in June and invites visitors to explore its rich history and see the original flooring where John Candy made history.
City of Toronto website

Here’s my The Second City Toronto photos. For more door photos, visit Dan’s #ThursdayDoors.

John Candy Box Theatre with the original flooring at the front of the red barn doors

Chairs and bench in The Second City Lounge

I had fun exploring The Second City. As I left the building, I saw this attractive sculpture. Ah, how I’d like to have infinite energy!

Weekend Coffee Share

Have you heard of The Second City or John Candy? Who is your favourite comedian?

Postcards from Portugal: Coimbra & Porto

May 19, 2023May 17, 2023Natalie104 Comments

Today’s post is the third of three in my Postcards from Portugal series. The first post on Lisbon, Cascais & Sintra is here. The second post on Évora, Fátima & Tomar is here. As usual, when you see an image gallery, click on an image to get a better view and use the arrows to move through the gallery.

Coimbra

On Day 6, from Tomar, I headed north to Coimbra, the third-largest city in Portugal. I visited the University of Coimbra, among the oldest universities in Europe, with more than 700 years of history, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Upon arrival, I met two University of Coimbra students in their uniforms. They were fundraising for their upcoming graduation. The university campus has amazing art and architectural details in all directions. The walkway to the main courtyard has unique star-shaped tile design. I took time to look up, down, left, right and around to appreciate this incredible site.

Students in robes at the University of Coimbra

In the photo below, note the distinct tiles on the roof, the beautiful columns, statues and carvings that frame the entrance. Then there is a small black iron gate at the entrance with some garments. The tradition is that once the students receive their final marks and pass, they throw their gowns as high up on the entrance as possible. Some of the gowns get stuck there.

A mosaic of the university’s seal in front of the main gate

The University Tower in the main courtyard

The Minerva Stairs – A popular spot for graduation photography

The tour at the university is very interesting and shows beautiful art and architecture inside. Most rooms have gorgeous tiles (azulejos) on the walls, paintings on the ceilings and texture-rich furnishings.

The jewel at the University is the stunning Joanine Library with its rich baroque decor. However, no photography is allowed inside. I learned that there are small bats in the library. They eat insects and naturally preserve the books. Each night, all surfaces in the library are covered with fine leather to protect them from bat droppings.

Entrance to Joanine Library (left); St. Michael’s Chapel founded in 1290 (right)

Porto

From Coimbra I continued my journey to Porto (or Oporto), Portugal’s second largest city with a 2000-year history. The Historic Centre of Oporto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I visited the Church of St. Francis and and walked the upper part of Porto to get a fantastic view of the city, the Clerigos Tower and the Duoro River.

A palace well worth visiting is the Stock Exchange Palace, renowned for its exquisite neoclassical façade and ornate gilded Arabian Hall.

On the last afternoon in Porto I enjoyed a Douro River Cruise to view the city from a new perspective. The boat passed by the numerous port wine cellars and under the magnificent bridges crossing the Duoro river valley. I visited a Port Wine Cellar for a tasting. It was a wonderful way to end my trip.

Weekend Coffee Share

This post concludes my three-part ‘Postcards from Portugal‘ series. Thank you for following along. For more door photos, visit Dan’s #ThursdayDoors photo challenge.