tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66190285047224882442024-03-19T07:53:22.691-04:00MuirA complete illustrated guideLaura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-29684284080183008412012-02-06T20:19:00.002-05:002012-02-06T23:34:35.123-05:00Expert livingThis has always been one of my favourite structures in Calgary — a vintage auto body shop plunk in the middle of a quiet residential neighbourhood and right next to a park (which is very close to the river and all its wonderful pathways). While out wandering the other day, I discovered it had been put up for sale and sold. I thought: I wonder who purchased it (I wish it were me!) and what they're going to do with it. Wouldn't it be cool to transform it into an open-concept home? Check out those windows — and that fun signage. Oh well. One can dream.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihf11XB29II0cL5jP1m9vNO-v-MjG7e9mxsjXVgDBt_CLcdYGWrXUbhVr68o23vbF2WKc7t6zN3gXqatcrCa8eWHl5BfMwi2y0O7fDpEdAQWeVw_BPcqH2QtNAGMqRz7gNaJI8o4632IU/s1600/auto_body2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihf11XB29II0cL5jP1m9vNO-v-MjG7e9mxsjXVgDBt_CLcdYGWrXUbhVr68o23vbF2WKc7t6zN3gXqatcrCa8eWHl5BfMwi2y0O7fDpEdAQWeVw_BPcqH2QtNAGMqRz7gNaJI8o4632IU/s320/auto_body2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-22263528445641020682011-04-23T18:16:00.002-04:002011-04-23T19:45:36.334-04:00Heading to the MarktSpring has finally sprung here in Toronto, so that means getting out of the condo and actually doing stuff. This morning I tagged along with a couple of friends (hello <a href="http://www.arrenwilliams.com/">Arren</a> and David!) to the Meister Markt Collector Show held at The Markham Fairgrounds, just north of Toronto. Alas, I didn't buy anything, but there were many interesting shots to be had.<br />
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</div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-21869806573077659272011-04-05T15:53:00.002-04:002011-04-05T19:03:29.067-04:00It's all in the deetsI've been noticing lately that someone in my condo's management has been playing around with clip art.<br />
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</div>I like this new turn of events. It gives those important notices a fun, playful touch. After all, why be so serious all the time?<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-59537709794467556722011-03-15T00:52:00.001-04:002011-03-15T01:02:45.440-04:00A stroll down the back alley...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...in search of a bit of inspiration and colour.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAt60SzwX7OvJ7jiBuLwt38HFKkXE3VGVu1C_qKLkpTv0LVkdvt-gZjC_h-x0zGqjyTobs7EEwGNaScvrLcr3FtDEFDns6Bbzc5EdhqbgzoJoEvdRPynbsZcoEvEgzMUj1hynWCP1dtZ4/s1600/men2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAt60SzwX7OvJ7jiBuLwt38HFKkXE3VGVu1C_qKLkpTv0LVkdvt-gZjC_h-x0zGqjyTobs7EEwGNaScvrLcr3FtDEFDns6Bbzc5EdhqbgzoJoEvdRPynbsZcoEvEgzMUj1hynWCP1dtZ4/s320/men2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXBws4AQKeIEcHV9XWZqUZ2-UkG3aKfHguq1Xcllm7dn-xg_MW8f-q_w6LM-BAWFfTjft6HbLzZtqSebi-K5Ucfb-V3FNrEsFI59lI9JLTzjE4vL_QnVis0lEP7Bk-ka33sRmNGOFE0M/s1600/noparking2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnXBws4AQKeIEcHV9XWZqUZ2-UkG3aKfHguq1Xcllm7dn-xg_MW8f-q_w6LM-BAWFfTjft6HbLzZtqSebi-K5Ucfb-V3FNrEsFI59lI9JLTzjE4vL_QnVis0lEP7Bk-ka33sRmNGOFE0M/s320/noparking2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGJo2zL4BF4l-LEkD48JW29XrhsRYC0FX9THdhovn4enzRT2hQnz0_cOqg3xkJ0Cbe9EbrWXniWikcIWwB2f4rEVrUAShXysez3PBCzEsTMVs2W6rpTSMEPxeqNnMyRXX4gmS9Bbfvx0/s1600/stairs2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGJo2zL4BF4l-LEkD48JW29XrhsRYC0FX9THdhovn4enzRT2hQnz0_cOqg3xkJ0Cbe9EbrWXniWikcIWwB2f4rEVrUAShXysez3PBCzEsTMVs2W6rpTSMEPxeqNnMyRXX4gmS9Bbfvx0/s400/stairs2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-25632931835136204422011-03-14T20:35:00.001-04:002011-03-15T22:16:10.707-04:00Not seeing this is not an option<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Favourite quote from "Inside Job" said by Citigroup chief economist Willem Buiter: "Banking became a pissing contest. 'Mine's bigger than yours.' That kind of stuff. It was all men that ran it, incidentally." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>I admit it. I can be a bit overzealous when it comes to certain documentaries. I see a documentary that outrages me or that is wildly edifying, and I get all riled and wish I could scream from the rooftops (or my soapbox) that it is everybody's absolute duty as a responsible member of this society to see this documentary. Something like, you know, not littering.<br />
That's how I felt when I rented the Oscar-winning doc "Inside Job." It's good because it clearly explains the financial meltdown, how it happened, who was involved. (Here's an interesting <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/1692989/inside-job-charles-ferguson-send-bankers-to-jail">interview</a> with filmmaker Charles Ferguson.) It's also good because Ferguson himself is a no-holds-barred interviewer who asks pointed questions that really expose the amorality (aka scumbag-ness) of not only the financial industry and political system, but also the corruption in American academia, something not really covered before.<br />
So, yeah, I do believe it's everyone's duty to see this flick.<br />
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Other light-shedding documentaries I think are must-sees:<br />
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<ul><li>"Taxi to the Dark Side" — directed by Alex Gibney</li>
<li>"The Fog of War" — directed by Errol Morris</li>
<li>"Food, Inc." — directed by Robert Kenner (I actually haven't watched Food, Inc. because, to tell the truth, I'm afraid that seeing the mistreatment of animals will traumatize me. And I figure I'm already a vegetarian and eat mostly organic, so why put myself through that. But I know a few people who have changed their eating habits since viewing it.)</li>
<li>"Capturing the Friedmans" — directed by Andrew Jarecki</li>
<li>"King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters" — directed by Seth Gordon</li>
<li>"The Thin Blue Line" — directed by Errol Morris</li>
<li>"No End In Sight" — directed by Charles Ferguson</li>
</ul><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-33815785367302841772011-03-13T18:55:00.003-04:002011-03-13T19:40:54.644-04:00Coming soon"Limitless" starring Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and ... this dude:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUU5vFvz3bXv6GXgyknAYZgh4nSYNgEwmXtDxLAy9Xg6Z7KD80J2r5xBCNRnAhBxLMRWZQvp6x8kGiERW7oNwpiuqKGuOACqHG_ISFWn8xeepB7j3uIZEFQg6kNppkIfllZqQ5XHkkGM/s1600/limitless3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUU5vFvz3bXv6GXgyknAYZgh4nSYNgEwmXtDxLAy9Xg6Z7KD80J2r5xBCNRnAhBxLMRWZQvp6x8kGiERW7oNwpiuqKGuOACqHG_ISFWn8xeepB7j3uIZEFQg6kNppkIfllZqQ5XHkkGM/s320/limitless3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-58866765112319504352011-03-13T14:28:00.001-04:002011-03-13T14:28:52.726-04:00A brief absence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sorry for my lack of posts in the last little while. I've felt uninspired — sort of like the view that surrounds me in all its various shades of beige and grey.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSo-Y9WJobZaMJkvFjsj6uQu_rsKndpIqyKh1zJCH7ni984-TlB49AIYkuYigPBnVr2hc5v9ZWAoiaRAbympcHW6Puw2xrMEuXyFCMZHrUIeadhmpqaZq72snhMoQMY4F4ZEHMJHUkiYU/s1600/weather2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSo-Y9WJobZaMJkvFjsj6uQu_rsKndpIqyKh1zJCH7ni984-TlB49AIYkuYigPBnVr2hc5v9ZWAoiaRAbympcHW6Puw2xrMEuXyFCMZHrUIeadhmpqaZq72snhMoQMY4F4ZEHMJHUkiYU/s320/weather2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Laura Muir</span></div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-35523830842409574822011-03-03T22:54:00.003-05:002011-03-03T23:01:53.643-05:0012 Ways to Chill Out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBTjyw2SGsya-KdYVCYeTUwLQuGBkTW7rqHIB0IDzScgk7MJ8wUJZuwdmRWbPtGr8oW9Ybdzv_Mbpog1SAVEOhrOpEUI1PmDEySu9uWOCxlD0h_ez6CDbstP3rC3zOdqbVOHQ2jxOtjg/s1600/candle2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBTjyw2SGsya-KdYVCYeTUwLQuGBkTW7rqHIB0IDzScgk7MJ8wUJZuwdmRWbPtGr8oW9Ybdzv_Mbpog1SAVEOhrOpEUI1PmDEySu9uWOCxlD0h_ez6CDbstP3rC3zOdqbVOHQ2jxOtjg/s320/candle2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I recently emailed a friend and told her I was feeling a bit robotic lately: Get up. Put on clothes. Type at computer. Put on boots. Go outside. Come back home. Sit at computer. Watch TV. Take off clothes. Go to bed. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Busy with stuff and no time for fun, I found things becoming a bit routine and lifeless. Not good. When I went through the same kind of zombie-like stage last year, I started planning and saving, and I took a big inspiring seven-week trip to S.E. Asia. The Vitamin D alone did me a world of good. But there's obviously not always enough time and resources for the big getaway, so I try to recharge by changing things up in cheap and cheerful ways. One of my big ones is taking a couple hours and meeting a friend for a coffee or tea break and a chat. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFwb9MEpuRxb6MiLALbYJFTpd7koKOnK4NHSCwMIh-C2zpIGlZcCLz3tKa6k_6zPcWMoUwxiZu06vNEE-yDxJh6u79Hw1H_VEVAS8lBUYy5O3dSlo-oE78IowoV8Rjs0cvmpFMzklUIw/s1600/vietnamese_coffee2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFwb9MEpuRxb6MiLALbYJFTpd7koKOnK4NHSCwMIh-C2zpIGlZcCLz3tKa6k_6zPcWMoUwxiZu06vNEE-yDxJh6u79Hw1H_VEVAS8lBUYy5O3dSlo-oE78IowoV8Rjs0cvmpFMzklUIw/s320/vietnamese_coffee2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I wanted to know what other people do for a quick pick-me-up, so I posed the question: You're busy, you're feeling a bit burned out, and you have a limited amount of time. What do you do or what helps you de-stress and recharge? </span><br />
<br />
Here's the fun stuff people had to say (and thank you to you all!):<br />
<br />
<ul><li>"A cup of tea, feet up and, *gasp* (should I admit it?), trashy reality TV on the PVR!" — Erin Feasby Ventresca</li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"If I can get to a hot yoga session, that helps instantly, especially being reminded to keep slowly breathing. If I only have a few minutes, I like to turn off all devices, like TV, music, phone, and just do my nails or have a bath in silence!" — </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Sandi Tower</span></li>
<li>"I always like to have the ingredients for an Emergency Hot Fudge Sundae on hand." — Arren Williams</li>
<li>"A cup of tea." — David Pimentel</li>
<li>"Hot hot bath with dimmed lights." — Emily Norris</li>
<li>"Getting my makeup done at Bobbi Brown." — Jaimie Nathan</li>
<li>"What I should do: yoga. What I usually do: eat a cookie." — Virginia Macdonald</li>
<li>"I drink red wine." — Sheila Tutty</li>
<li>"Crank the tunes." — Ian Cobb</li>
<li>"Sit in front of a Tissot at the AGO." — William MacDonald</li>
<li>"Hunker down and read a book (currently the fourth installment of Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie 'trilogy')." — Katie Hayden.</li>
<li>"Eat." — Lynda Harrison</li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span></div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-42833761024126121662011-02-28T11:05:00.004-05:002011-03-03T16:51:33.715-05:00Post-Oscar Day Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">See where cynicism gets you? (See predictions below.) I just knew The King's Speech deserved the big prize, but I thought the Academy was going to favour an American movie. But enough excuses. When all is said and done, how about that 83rd Academy Awards show, hey? How many awkward moments did you count? 83? And why didn't they get Alec Baldwin and Morgan Freeman to host? But with all of this year's suck-age, there were some good moments.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Off the top of my head, here's a list of 10 awesome moments:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Anne Hathaway's self-deprecating reference to an Academy Award-blunders drinking game.</li>
<li>Cate Blanchett saying: "That's gross."</li>
<li>Melissa Leo's zoned-out Farrah-Fawcett-on-David-Letterman-esque speech.</li>
<li>Natalie Portman unabashedly letting everyone know who she has sex with.</li>
<li>The Coen brothers not paying attention at all.</li>
<li>The creepy Bob Hope hologram looking more alive than James Franco.</li>
<li>Jeff Bridges.</li>
<li>Mila Kunis's dress making me go all "The Kids Are All Right."</li>
<li>The intense sexual chemistry between Helen Mirren and Russell Brand.</li>
<li>The King's Speech's writer's speech.</li>
</ul>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-11739623649026801122011-02-27T09:43:00.017-05:002011-02-28T11:03:49.880-05:00Happy Oscar Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6l4tRj1vYDndnDFqTlOoIpvUUXda-_l3-_7bHf-Wg5mVuBVyi1_S2ZzY_xa2EWsvkZJY1YzwWKRcrNzCAEjZo-ncWX5oyHrcsZXQwW-BBXxAgaMtLVaqE6RitZjG4ZLkGYDGvWcEh04/s1600/oscar_pics2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6l4tRj1vYDndnDFqTlOoIpvUUXda-_l3-_7bHf-Wg5mVuBVyi1_S2ZzY_xa2EWsvkZJY1YzwWKRcrNzCAEjZo-ncWX5oyHrcsZXQwW-BBXxAgaMtLVaqE6RitZjG4ZLkGYDGvWcEh04/s320/oscar_pics2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I'm going out on a limb and, for fun, publishing a few predictions for tonight's winners. Some of my guesses are kind of informed, and some, well, I may as well be throwing a dart. Some of my picks are based on hope, and some based on cynicism. (Academy voters can be dopes, and I'm still pretty bitter about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlSNk70kkFE"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">this</span></a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV0YbYECU7A"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">this</span></a>.) Anyway, here I go. Let's hope that when it's all over, I don't have to eat too much crow:<br />
<br />
Best Picture: "The Social Network" (although I think "The King's Speech" should win) <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;">x </span><br />
Best Director: David Fincher, "The Social Network" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">x</span><br />
Best Actor: Colin Firth, "The King's Speech" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>√</b></span><br />
Best Actress: Natalie Portman, "Black Swan" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>√</b></span><br />
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, "The Fighter" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>√</b></span><br />
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, "The Fighter" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>√</b></span><br />
Best Animated Feature Film: "Toy Story 3" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>√</b></span><br />
Best Art Direction: "Inception" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">x</span><br />
Cinematography: "The King's Speech" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">x</span><br />
Costume Design: "I Am Love" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">x</span><br />
Best Feature Documentary: "Inside Job" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>√</b></span><br />
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): "The Social Network" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>√</b></span><br />
Writing (Original Screenplay): "The King's Speech" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>√</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-51914303190775073282011-02-25T23:45:00.002-05:002011-02-26T08:17:42.600-05:00Construction sitesThey can look rather interesting at night:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDfOcNgpEzR2-k6Tq0Q4yys2Iz8YaKGHyZIMuSDWM66-K5E44F83m0zvJrdISJeftlpGw_3CKnehoA1dK1JxhyG-UwzLGiYQfmSa811n31kZsjhVS4gVKUwjtv17Tg_hGgzAVNBgQg6I/s1600/industrial_light2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDfOcNgpEzR2-k6Tq0Q4yys2Iz8YaKGHyZIMuSDWM66-K5E44F83m0zvJrdISJeftlpGw_3CKnehoA1dK1JxhyG-UwzLGiYQfmSa811n31kZsjhVS4gVKUwjtv17Tg_hGgzAVNBgQg6I/s320/industrial_light2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5e7abfcqgYrKFTAJ5y5V9zOSzpvI_dxQTVleO5431aLH-_Un76sqCRd0aZRyCFUUXJ1k6gb389bz40L8MgQYLrFdPhhrGcxcZnZO4NepNQjeTFw9AnupEwGY3CfjqYtAK9EFbuX8tjnY/s1600/night_shots3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5e7abfcqgYrKFTAJ5y5V9zOSzpvI_dxQTVleO5431aLH-_Un76sqCRd0aZRyCFUUXJ1k6gb389bz40L8MgQYLrFdPhhrGcxcZnZO4NepNQjeTFw9AnupEwGY3CfjqYtAK9EFbuX8tjnY/s320/night_shots3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLra9Whyv0vg5_O6_bljVXwAO1yjxA1ynDUa2QIxgCYW9cH0DQ4Uz5oFcN2RNDkp4CoUYwo74UoIF5kpdPZzfqEDPC7EMBPrB5ZKJpZ5h2cCOesd7KbNvmRhMKOaIdB3BsS_xuJKvH8M4/s1600/reno2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLra9Whyv0vg5_O6_bljVXwAO1yjxA1ynDUa2QIxgCYW9cH0DQ4Uz5oFcN2RNDkp4CoUYwo74UoIF5kpdPZzfqEDPC7EMBPrB5ZKJpZ5h2cCOesd7KbNvmRhMKOaIdB3BsS_xuJKvH8M4/s320/reno2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span></div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-27939868156242216102011-02-25T23:35:00.004-05:002011-02-28T02:34:49.503-05:0014 College StreetJust a little bit of architectural interest and charm among the street poles, condo towers and ugly office buildings that dominate the area where I live.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8p01WyMKF8k41jUh1MrD2a9NqQUPkYZFPSYy64k4aVNtwZ-UrQdyGN0N5Hg6GDG2zKmq6KNKBpsIJwu36vau5DVklV-SDaN81fzUw4JIIVC3LJcVdPgV87W1soOyD5kidaX04-6ZGt1E/s1600/cross3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8p01WyMKF8k41jUh1MrD2a9NqQUPkYZFPSYy64k4aVNtwZ-UrQdyGN0N5Hg6GDG2zKmq6KNKBpsIJwu36vau5DVklV-SDaN81fzUw4JIIVC3LJcVdPgV87W1soOyD5kidaX04-6ZGt1E/s320/cross3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Laura Muir</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-12445367477683490502011-02-21T17:20:00.005-05:002011-02-21T18:04:16.974-05:00So close and yet so far<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Y-QeyAEbUvjrMu7pMgdDafFDbfIAl20cjZZq1sLWQxfDLkBSDf-WWFzHdfAyZGUdbR-2FOxPLPsJh7vxjfE-wGPgKTRvKc9QxTPu7spzfY1TGrK_yG3PTToCZEEFPH-C1MQDHERJONw/s1600/lotto_649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Y-QeyAEbUvjrMu7pMgdDafFDbfIAl20cjZZq1sLWQxfDLkBSDf-WWFzHdfAyZGUdbR-2FOxPLPsJh7vxjfE-wGPgKTRvKc9QxTPu7spzfY1TGrK_yG3PTToCZEEFPH-C1MQDHERJONw/s320/lotto_649.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I only buy Lotto 649 tickets when the jackpots start getting massive, as if winning something like $3.5 million just wouldn't be enough. I wasn't a $41 million winner (not this time!) but this turned out to be a nice bit of excitement for the long weekend. What will I do with my windfall? (It's always the question.) Maybe invest in a new blender. (Pretty crazy I know.)Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-54144801897107426962011-02-18T18:19:00.004-05:002011-02-21T19:59:57.806-05:00Remnants of Valentine's Day?This afternoon on my way to the store, I came across this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinU9TVR7fzvVb6vLZztmZFt9XD7Y2qmqUv_xOVbIcGHGoMY6BaX1UOQWhQvgER5UzbUK37CBzuZb2Z1lLHDB_vxsbVOZLJNlgowYWTXokTgXnqrr_iIG9rMjDg2aysba1Ts-Kb2vNUdI8/s1600/annie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinU9TVR7fzvVb6vLZztmZFt9XD7Y2qmqUv_xOVbIcGHGoMY6BaX1UOQWhQvgER5UzbUK37CBzuZb2Z1lLHDB_vxsbVOZLJNlgowYWTXokTgXnqrr_iIG9rMjDg2aysba1Ts-Kb2vNUdI8/s320/annie2.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>On my way back home, taking another route, I came across this:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeHss7BnJXMZedc45KsDixoV-u2x6rUti02uSsMxyVUNqb4YyU4gLlax11hIdJeQWy-Udvh5x3FImRmalWSb-JgqBUUZYka4L8PZ-NDOura3tCuzPVy7hox0RqTpVfG6pIoRcLAhoEiA/s1600/rose2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeHss7BnJXMZedc45KsDixoV-u2x6rUti02uSsMxyVUNqb4YyU4gLlax11hIdJeQWy-Udvh5x3FImRmalWSb-JgqBUUZYka4L8PZ-NDOura3tCuzPVy7hox0RqTpVfG6pIoRcLAhoEiA/s320/rose2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Somehow, they just seemed to go together so well.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-49088513624352901302011-02-16T19:31:00.000-05:002011-02-16T21:26:37.187-05:00Reading list<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SaxN-IGQVkAXVIy8DtTCC_w9k42iv4bWUSUqrcavbYbPnp2_vgsh6C1EmdudLHVG8VcrCJvAoBPfH17OB3nxsJ9iGFU5hM0-Uo8ZMZdQS_e1tYcFpOYAMcNDfujvpVRkug76uD-8Cok/s1600/books2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SaxN-IGQVkAXVIy8DtTCC_w9k42iv4bWUSUqrcavbYbPnp2_vgsh6C1EmdudLHVG8VcrCJvAoBPfH17OB3nxsJ9iGFU5hM0-Uo8ZMZdQS_e1tYcFpOYAMcNDfujvpVRkug76uD-8Cok/s320/books2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
A couple years ago, a friend posted a question on Facebook that went something like this: without thinking about it too much, list 15 books you've read that really stuck. I liked the question, and when I took on the task of creating my list (you were only supposed to take 15 minutes), many of the books that quickly popped into my head were accompanied by a flood of significant memories — some good, some bittersweet. Did these particular books "stick" because of nostalgia? Do these books help conjure up certain life events I don't want to forget? We know that's one thing we love about music (the whole "soundtrack to our lives" thing), and it's fun to think that a book sitting on a bookshelf — about the oil industry no less — can help us do that too. Anyway, without much further ado, here was my list of books (all of which I still highly recommend by the way):<br />
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<i>The Human Stain</i> by Philip Roth<br />
<i>The Corrections</i> by Jonathan Franzen<br />
<i>Oil & Honor: The Texaco-Pennzoil Wars</i> by Thomas Petzinger<br />
<i>In Cold Blood</i> by Truman Capote<br />
<i>The Fall of Japan: The Last Blazing Weeks of World War II</i> by William Craig<br />
<i>1984</i> by George Orwell<br />
<i>Capote: A Biography</i> by Gerald Clarke<br />
<i>The Fountainhead</i> by Ayn Rand<br />
<i>Not Wanted on the Voyage</i> by Timothy Findley<br />
<i>Captain Corelli's Mandolin</i> by Louis de Bernieres<br />
<i>Naked</i> by David Sedaris<br />
<i>My Year of Meats</i> by Ruth Ozeki<br />
<i>The Road</i> by Cormac McCarthy<br />
<i>Gone with the Wind</i> by Margaret Mitchell<br />
<i>Survivor</i> by Chuck Palahniuk<br />
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(If it was 16 books, I would have included <i>Cat's Eye</i> by Margaret Atwood.)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-88336966308667390492011-02-12T14:04:00.000-05:002011-02-16T19:33:42.223-05:00I can believe that @#*!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix-I8F7RtTqAWrgvjnaYLUFaBfWiFNW5IuNFlwlEbPNZ-iuVLN-Sr2xP0jcFhdXuEpuJIg90Z7Hkl48gNW9asietqMU8Xwak_V_LhfXrJHIV-mgbKOySaMfcvoSB4V5LySN-ZWty_-UU/s1600/w_man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgix-I8F7RtTqAWrgvjnaYLUFaBfWiFNW5IuNFlwlEbPNZ-iuVLN-Sr2xP0jcFhdXuEpuJIg90Z7Hkl48gNW9asietqMU8Xwak_V_LhfXrJHIV-mgbKOySaMfcvoSB4V5LySN-ZWty_-UU/s320/w_man.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><i>Winnebago Man</i> is about Jack Rebney, that pissed off RV spokesguy who turned into a viral-video sensation even before the invention of YouTube. The film rated 91 per cent on the tomatometer and was listed on Roger Ebert's <a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/01/the_best_documentaries_of_2010.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">ten best documentaries of 2010</span></a>, so how can I not respect that. But, I don't know. What came between me and a real appreciation for this movie was its director, Ben Steinbauer, who tracked down Jack Rebney and then didn't know what to do with him. I kept thinking: "Let the man speak!" Does this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDQQfBrSUs0&feature=related"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">guy</span></a> seem like the kind of guy who wants to open up about his childhood? Let him rail against Dick Cheney, for $%!@ sake! </div><div>Maybe five minutes of altercation between Ben and Jack would have told a story, but it seemed to go on and on. Until, finally, Ben steps out of the way and the movie takes off and we get to see Jack at his finest and receive the round of applause he deserves for, guess what, expressing his contempt for Dick Cheney (among other things).</div><div><div><div>So, I recommend renting (or ordering?) this documentary because you just gotta meet Jack. The confrontation between him and a Walmart manager is worth the price of admission. I just wish that someone like Steve James or Errol Morris or even Michael Moore had found him first.</div></div></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Laura Muir (from YouTube)</span></div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-21673321203140869362011-02-09T17:45:00.000-05:002011-02-16T23:12:57.711-05:00Fun with macroIt's cold outside, work is busy, and I'm feeling a bit Vitamin D deficient. But rather than neglect my blog, I decided to putter around my condo and take pictures of things with my Canon G10 set on macro and see how that turns out. An organic strawberry made for a pretty subject:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkv-8qTGNrl0S3BFzyghcBhyPnXJtz7ukqwH-1PJb4lY3xJ1JJV_HfUVif8Zlr_w8jYfuKTkbY8fzYk5C-bW5GbeG9ymPeXAyUs1RebXYQzhwLksdRx4GFiwybTRhXf71hdZuhEjPCMg/s1600/strawberry2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkv-8qTGNrl0S3BFzyghcBhyPnXJtz7ukqwH-1PJb4lY3xJ1JJV_HfUVif8Zlr_w8jYfuKTkbY8fzYk5C-bW5GbeG9ymPeXAyUs1RebXYQzhwLksdRx4GFiwybTRhXf71hdZuhEjPCMg/s320/strawberry2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">How about that mundane cord on my sun blinds...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBJsRsx5EyDzt6vDWtGATpnf3HI5Gj_Bcn3pHNhthQPa7ZHAAqzxPrhNiJcnyfzhukXtpRlaZEa5dAUq_LOK61YEXQjBz2731scjjBPbrlR2Un6-CuyyueOYcV8tdT3jsweY9G2iAt04/s1600/cord2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBJsRsx5EyDzt6vDWtGATpnf3HI5Gj_Bcn3pHNhthQPa7ZHAAqzxPrhNiJcnyfzhukXtpRlaZEa5dAUq_LOK61YEXQjBz2731scjjBPbrlR2Un6-CuyyueOYcV8tdT3jsweY9G2iAt04/s320/cord2.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...or my vintage tin toy phone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKcOu08MtZzaxVs_sR4JvNQAkO0mGqHgwjEqDxHfyQs3mBy0lMCN2ixMjwwqp3VyUVY4-6DVCZnOqatoQFNYQ5CW5S3qr3RnlXb7w6oe3uYTgRkusGfzP3Idos9q7xyd2HKAaFyLbbWXg/s1600/tin_phone2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKcOu08MtZzaxVs_sR4JvNQAkO0mGqHgwjEqDxHfyQs3mBy0lMCN2ixMjwwqp3VyUVY4-6DVCZnOqatoQFNYQ5CW5S3qr3RnlXb7w6oe3uYTgRkusGfzP3Idos9q7xyd2HKAaFyLbbWXg/s320/tin_phone2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-13508591424163710872011-02-07T23:23:00.001-05:002011-02-17T00:40:36.293-05:00Where would you be?I was sitting on the streetcar today gazing out the window...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjP6N1xTOPXyEeIEeKRYRh2QstYzo2jMY5mbEQEWZVJnofhNcJg0rLnHQb2t8FjiAzPcpIr1UqWPmfeXkx14bT-adP3yxtgYMZeghAs3ZWQU7Pk4cxWXCPp4Pno1BfO8oFAI6TRKlE_p4/s1600/thebay2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjP6N1xTOPXyEeIEeKRYRh2QstYzo2jMY5mbEQEWZVJnofhNcJg0rLnHQb2t8FjiAzPcpIr1UqWPmfeXkx14bT-adP3yxtgYMZeghAs3ZWQU7Pk4cxWXCPp4Pno1BfO8oFAI6TRKlE_p4/s320/thebay2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">...and that's when my mind started wandering to, well, other locales. Wouldn't it be nice, I thought, to be accompanying my brother on that United States/Mexican road trip he's on. Or, it sure would be great to be hopping on a flight to Bali, just like that woman who I talked to last week about S.E. Asia. Then, my little daydream got me wondering, what do other people think? So I asked some folks the question: "If you could be anywhere but here, where would you be?" Here's what I found out (and thank you to you all!):</span><br />
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"Paris, sitting at Le Sévigné in the Marais." — Virginia Gaviller.<br />
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"New York, for love and fashion." — Kimberley Brown.<br />
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"Tahiti. I've never been, and always wanted to go. If I win the lottery, I'm retiring there. Besides, it's a French territory, so has excellent healthcare for my golden years, and there's no fear of civil unrest like in nearby Fiji." — Darren Simonelli.<br />
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"Driving with the top down through the Coachella Valley desert on our way to Palm Springs on a warm spring evening." — Arren Williams.<br />
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"Kelowna, where we're going skiing in March. I've never skiied out West and I'm really looking forward to skiing a mountain, as opposed to the smaller hills at home, and skiing for seven days in a row and hanging around in my long underwear." — Claudine Quinn.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-80332697505851503842011-02-05T19:16:00.002-05:002011-02-22T09:11:30.289-05:00Power in numbersI live right along protester alley here in Toronto. After gathering at Queen's Park, protesters make their way east down College Street, passing right underneath my south-facing 10th-floor-condo window, before they turn up or down Yonge Street, whatever the case may be. It's like having my own CNN such as it was back in the old days under the tutelage of Ted Turner. (I wish I had my handy G10 during the city's G20 protests.)<br />
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Today when I heard a group of anti-Mubarak demonstrators marching this way, I ran downstairs to take some snaps.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDStmyMws-QzuF-CyJfARGROOUaUCbe7xxvdz-KL4tJvlN8wpVCTd6WydEC6guAwTnmWXuhmV0yGj22Z9GzYlK7jcp8vJK1lPoFLqcbUUWYJGMM4yIScQyWbm28oaK8iK9RhNjb1pjyY/s1600/protest_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDStmyMws-QzuF-CyJfARGROOUaUCbe7xxvdz-KL4tJvlN8wpVCTd6WydEC6guAwTnmWXuhmV0yGj22Z9GzYlK7jcp8vJK1lPoFLqcbUUWYJGMM4yIScQyWbm28oaK8iK9RhNjb1pjyY/s320/protest_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Dh36oEsyy2q-JzUhDM_3WT9jjeuWpYASf66cAyprWsiokJN-u1FZ5bXn6XESGbbOV9p8qcQc2AvwMhvwFdm2tZXNdEBQKgZZ-9T6hNxtAvB02faa4eSwLISkzVkx6pflg2GGkNl9lWU/s1600/protest_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Dh36oEsyy2q-JzUhDM_3WT9jjeuWpYASf66cAyprWsiokJN-u1FZ5bXn6XESGbbOV9p8qcQc2AvwMhvwFdm2tZXNdEBQKgZZ-9T6hNxtAvB02faa4eSwLISkzVkx6pflg2GGkNl9lWU/s320/protest_5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5tfA5Wr21roMCPoMl9F4hPsmg32ZU7mqtVURvDDDJqgedQ0I4kDVTQh3y_xfj_zPNtRfY5-Nh-tK405XJ9saK9tGXTNfURjfJ6GBjXRbBCUqEjP-W0NhjFWRl0iYoXKOgiVcK_9UohI/s1600/protest__4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5tfA5Wr21roMCPoMl9F4hPsmg32ZU7mqtVURvDDDJqgedQ0I4kDVTQh3y_xfj_zPNtRfY5-Nh-tK405XJ9saK9tGXTNfURjfJ6GBjXRbBCUqEjP-W0NhjFWRl0iYoXKOgiVcK_9UohI/s320/protest__4.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpW7-ayqWwzzNX1tIIoMOdtXNVV_9qFXYRETBzBLnt8DYv2Uypz9KZzojPC_uvq6vScUDZhVQbm2jGYxneDY9zK94DfNuchuHiFUw_MZN2GRMS8iCF0xUI4u1rvM4gfTUktbhT4C62NM/s1600/protest_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpW7-ayqWwzzNX1tIIoMOdtXNVV_9qFXYRETBzBLnt8DYv2Uypz9KZzojPC_uvq6vScUDZhVQbm2jGYxneDY9zK94DfNuchuHiFUw_MZN2GRMS8iCF0xUI4u1rvM4gfTUktbhT4C62NM/s320/protest_6.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span></div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-48113031390235292432011-02-04T18:37:00.001-05:002011-02-18T23:54:48.161-05:00Soul foodYesterday during a visit with teacher/world traveller/<a href="http://myhth.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">blogger</span></a> David Pimentel, I felt nothing short of crazy excited when he offered to make sandwiches for lunch. There's something about having a sandwich made for you that rekindles the spirit. And what spirit doesn't need a bit of rekindling right in the middle of a long, cold, grey winter?<br />
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First David started off with some freshly baked bread straight out of the bread maker...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSeOwqkPbkpgZQUSSMboBbPtVB0NJPiFt1OGDGINWO6pIYK4gjk7Lkhys3s7tQD_CQT38olvP7fMx-YfmDIHBF0z3DLtdJY_BKRYQ4J-tAWpgV5H3XWoOETQGExW4_FmgSx0r_762KWU/s1600/bread2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSeOwqkPbkpgZQUSSMboBbPtVB0NJPiFt1OGDGINWO6pIYK4gjk7Lkhys3s7tQD_CQT38olvP7fMx-YfmDIHBF0z3DLtdJY_BKRYQ4J-tAWpgV5H3XWoOETQGExW4_FmgSx0r_762KWU/s320/bread2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">... and if you're lucky enough to have a bread maker, here's the recipe that he kindly shared with me:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPll5AHtJz4lRXECma9P0zNZOB8PLCMBGsfn4EWjSZyLzwc12mUNCPm6fKFqphEyHwu3fbD-UVS5cRQyOp9hDsNb_Id8cIm8FfYI0T0D7Xmondd0PJp1c9R19ZVUgFugS_5mF67-Es6ok/s1600/bread_recipe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPll5AHtJz4lRXECma9P0zNZOB8PLCMBGsfn4EWjSZyLzwc12mUNCPm6fKFqphEyHwu3fbD-UVS5cRQyOp9hDsNb_Id8cIm8FfYI0T0D7Xmondd0PJp1c9R19ZVUgFugS_5mF67-Es6ok/s320/bread_recipe2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then he heaped on vegetables, sprouts, a couple types of cheese, and (instead of mayo) hummus and vegetable spread...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQwKkp1vxV0jiKzJmdzRwLt-wGf6P_9k027-nFGRESJJoX_sqqTiWL0bemFyFe5b2sJgv5ulOS5AlJWjwlCbON2shPiFFLF_pWk2Tnoe75hSgXPbb4KHHdGv3X2GUQOxeobHjkCmmcyg/s1600/veggie_spread3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivQwKkp1vxV0jiKzJmdzRwLt-wGf6P_9k027-nFGRESJJoX_sqqTiWL0bemFyFe5b2sJgv5ulOS5AlJWjwlCbON2shPiFFLF_pWk2Tnoe75hSgXPbb4KHHdGv3X2GUQOxeobHjkCmmcyg/s320/veggie_spread3.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>...and the final creation came out like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEPYmBlBsPV_yYR4Cy4qfExrrnJ3JNsG6dS3bk6vk6cSnUZuAUyBAvBE2dX79kWelwxCzT6Jo81vAIl3C0zsAzlCMMZHm9PBQxWSxon2aI8nY6s-OF3IAXrTva_ddGx9xmcBMxsXWbJE/s1600/sandwich4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEPYmBlBsPV_yYR4Cy4qfExrrnJ3JNsG6dS3bk6vk6cSnUZuAUyBAvBE2dX79kWelwxCzT6Jo81vAIl3C0zsAzlCMMZHm9PBQxWSxon2aI8nY6s-OF3IAXrTva_ddGx9xmcBMxsXWbJE/s320/sandwich4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I could go on and on, but I think this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUDqQSwdBjM"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">video</span></a> says it all.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span></div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-57204620960603275492011-02-01T11:51:00.000-05:002011-02-16T23:18:38.025-05:00The strum of a ukulele will never be the same again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><i>Blue Valentine</i> is as intense, raw and heartbreaking as everybody says it is. Indeed, I haven't been as unhinged by a relationship drama since watching <i>Brokeback Mountain</i>.<i> </i>I'm not sure why it didn't get more Oscar nods including a nomination for Best Picture, instead of <i>The Kids Are All Right</i>, and one for Best Actor for Ryan Gosling's performance. (As you probably know, Michelle Williams is up for Best Actress.)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzT0XohwtDi0nmZuxd0_dEMLD4TRlIb-1_9otzgVHYJLp9-hWdVxRbji63qOBqmwCcjW7vP88fxgPICLgRR_xQPM3qNuECBOUqu1jEgIrC268NZFJ1GIkZ4oHb5-o4sS7L2jgeUo-axk/s1600/blue_valentine2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzT0XohwtDi0nmZuxd0_dEMLD4TRlIb-1_9otzgVHYJLp9-hWdVxRbji63qOBqmwCcjW7vP88fxgPICLgRR_xQPM3qNuECBOUqu1jEgIrC268NZFJ1GIkZ4oHb5-o4sS7L2jgeUo-axk/s320/blue_valentine2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I like how writer/director Derek Cianfrance explains the movie in this <a href="http://cinedork.com/2011/01/18/interview-blue-valentine-writerdirector-derek-cianfrance/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">interview</span></a>: "I wanted the past to feel like they were fish in the ocean and the present to feel like they were in a bucket."<br />
And just something to keep in mind: instead of quickly getting up and putting on your coat after the last scene, pay attention to the closing credits. You'll see what I mean.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photo by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-7526856416934767592011-01-30T11:16:00.000-05:002011-02-02T21:54:35.276-05:00There was a guy...Just farting around on YouTube on a Sunday morning.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPravGJ5224osiX0JYhBM44oWt899m9XbDWEpYAX168VfxE3X0q-jyAMi69YM1v2tPWZ8-m0_uBGnvvbScSZ516jikt5GTXdNw2KqW_erR4LOqQVMzLXcIpIOE_LcERzUxnFUfSdYUAI/s1600/pixies2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPravGJ5224osiX0JYhBM44oWt899m9XbDWEpYAX168VfxE3X0q-jyAMi69YM1v2tPWZ8-m0_uBGnvvbScSZ516jikt5GTXdNw2KqW_erR4LOqQVMzLXcIpIOE_LcERzUxnFUfSdYUAI/s320/pixies2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Have you listened to this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R_-3w_Iwk0&feature=related"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">song</span></a> today? You should.Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-18061121196356701922011-01-30T10:46:00.000-05:002011-02-02T21:55:06.019-05:00Cooking up a storm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the beginning of December, I discovered a delicious-looking quinoa-lentil-shiitake bake recipe posted on <a href="http://nosubstitutions.ca/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">No Substitutions</span></a>, a fantastic blog aimed at vegans, vegetarians, people with food allergies — anyone with "tricky eating habits," as they say. Friday night, feeling in an adventurous mood and ready to expand my culinary horizons, I printed off the recipe and headed out to gather up my supplies. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESVaYgjWDreoY-51yFvkoNOJGJadYXbl3DfT_HDJfCBQLw4JELJfi2FP6EHLdzqLaPIli7zgZmbwCvnSVlk7KXF_j-WjZ7G7LQN09P22Rm9DLEwr_fGdz1gJlqBzUNPpDYRa0UsyFPho/s1600/bake6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESVaYgjWDreoY-51yFvkoNOJGJadYXbl3DfT_HDJfCBQLw4JELJfi2FP6EHLdzqLaPIli7zgZmbwCvnSVlk7KXF_j-WjZ7G7LQN09P22Rm9DLEwr_fGdz1gJlqBzUNPpDYRa0UsyFPho/s320/bake6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is my creation right before popping it into the oven:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40y7038okIGgrDG-67EQMthjDZT9khJT8Mvst6Rifcm1dJ0Skir2pH2MU42FVh0jf-BwcNFMNR3yIxFhQcK7_5jUGvtiV7LohUA7gwVrg-FJmB0YPTsfnt0lBIzDnIOp7NcfEecV4cT4/s1600/bake5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg40y7038okIGgrDG-67EQMthjDZT9khJT8Mvst6Rifcm1dJ0Skir2pH2MU42FVh0jf-BwcNFMNR3yIxFhQcK7_5jUGvtiV7LohUA7gwVrg-FJmB0YPTsfnt0lBIzDnIOp7NcfEecV4cT4/s320/bake5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And about 35 minutes later, viola! I was ready to eat my dinner. I paired it with my own version of a tomato and avocado salad, but, as <a href="http://nosubstitutions.ca/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">No Substitutions</span></a> says, it would go well with some crispy greens. I recommend this tasty bake to vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Here is the <a href="http://nosubstitutions.ca/?p=246"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">recipe</span></a>. Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_sxlXYYflbKpfVvyvFjyvHpTBLE5dIH_c3t0snGhEZoTKBi6_MV9uUGfJA274izzfaSrGAgRzcvjfxpUObrTwE4GNAIcF3V9JPgr5A5id8y6bmmwo8rwOXr06YA-5releXPGxmdFmuA/s1600/bake4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_sxlXYYflbKpfVvyvFjyvHpTBLE5dIH_c3t0snGhEZoTKBi6_MV9uUGfJA274izzfaSrGAgRzcvjfxpUObrTwE4GNAIcF3V9JPgr5A5id8y6bmmwo8rwOXr06YA-5releXPGxmdFmuA/s320/bake4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span></div>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-85284051647313127902011-01-27T16:42:00.000-05:002011-02-05T11:21:52.686-05:00Highly recommended<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeAkmrdXn9X_uxJ26fChMRIfGZUH-nfypEsu0oZJF9JO10RId7gyOPtZOZ75Iz_J0NFzSyZ71Ip3G0SMJMieDZpCOADNGivB6qgpCuOieZ0G9GdiVS1HU1TiErHL9DmCHNw5oO5A-2mw/s1600/elgin2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeAkmrdXn9X_uxJ26fChMRIfGZUH-nfypEsu0oZJF9JO10RId7gyOPtZOZ75Iz_J0NFzSyZ71Ip3G0SMJMieDZpCOADNGivB6qgpCuOieZ0G9GdiVS1HU1TiErHL9DmCHNw5oO5A-2mw/s320/elgin2.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br />
A couple of nights ago, I had the great honor of attending the dress rehearsal of <i>Barrymore</i>, starring Christopher Plummer, at Toronto's Elgin Theatre. Invited by a friend (hi Meg!) who was invited by a friend (hi Virginia!), I was one of a small crowd of lucky people who fit in the centre orchestra section (aka primo seats) to experience this once-in-a-lifetime "private screening."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZ6nBsRpp3exO6w949BQktwkRIdESq9EhKdy3DVDsLt6_9F6gbDQ3vIrh-T9NleHNp6pVsN92rH20kVmq8orfo5hlKWc9lOeDys3DK5FXRoNKNnc9W_2icar8R-wfHWm6mK04TMyV4iM/s1600/plummer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZ6nBsRpp3exO6w949BQktwkRIdESq9EhKdy3DVDsLt6_9F6gbDQ3vIrh-T9NleHNp6pVsN92rH20kVmq8orfo5hlKWc9lOeDys3DK5FXRoNKNnc9W_2icar8R-wfHWm6mK04TMyV4iM/s320/plummer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Just so you know, Plummer's Toronto presentation is a reprise of his Tony award-winning <i>tour de force</i> and reunites the original Broadway team, including director Gene Saks and set and costume designer Santo Loquasto. I say run, don't walk, to get your tickets for an amazing night at the theatre. The show starts tonight!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619028504722488244.post-32804350277193761462011-01-25T16:50:00.000-05:002011-01-25T17:09:50.369-05:00Maple Leaf Gardens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-J1LC2eCxESHhLo5lMc4neqXe5ecvB3eRx1yfSHVtUQmC2ucZ2MapORhieGiQOGEoy4o2-ZKTg54dezpr8QJhlTt_py0szX9U5KSrhbayuDGH4r3Np9cdZY7S7Nj_8dBtyimeFRZceuI/s1600/maple+leaf+gardens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-J1LC2eCxESHhLo5lMc4neqXe5ecvB3eRx1yfSHVtUQmC2ucZ2MapORhieGiQOGEoy4o2-ZKTg54dezpr8QJhlTt_py0szX9U5KSrhbayuDGH4r3Np9cdZY7S7Nj_8dBtyimeFRZceuI/s320/maple+leaf+gardens.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mjulQThbuz1KdRgNqcjt4F7-hhi-qG3kgP2aN-UOiFH2drLB4xRNRmfbn-vjUDZwd036oBV7TySvJrR5J3CrmoLPmmHa6VlU7i4LBrcv2Rtz-D_KubQm8ODRqr_zheA4mpbil_gPu9E/s1600/maple+leaf+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mjulQThbuz1KdRgNqcjt4F7-hhi-qG3kgP2aN-UOiFH2drLB4xRNRmfbn-vjUDZwd036oBV7TySvJrR5J3CrmoLPmmHa6VlU7i4LBrcv2Rtz-D_KubQm8ODRqr_zheA4mpbil_gPu9E/s320/maple+leaf+sign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I was in the right place at the right time today and managed to get a peek inside the Maple Leaf Gardens, (which is being turned into a Loblaws and sports facility for Ryerson University). I was struck by its massive size. It reminded me of Charlie Kaufman's <i>Synecdoche, New York</i>, where the main character builds a city within a city.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Photos by Laura Muir</span>Laura Muirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06941802424248873588noreply@blogger.com