Monday, June 21, 2010

Tourists in Toronto: Brick

I have to beg the indulgence of my blogger friends from the North. Brick buildings may be a common sight to all of you, but they are rare here in Manila so I was fascinated by the different kinds of brick architecture that we saw in Toronto.

The Royal Conservatory of Music.

The Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto


Canadian Opera Company.

Canadian Opera Company, Toronto


No. 8 Hose Station. I'd never seen a fire station with a clock tower before either.

brick fire station, Toronto


Steam Whistle Brewing. They only make one kind of beer, a pilsner, which I tried (along with many other kinds of beer—we don't have as much variety here in Manila). It was fine, but of all the beers we tried, I liked the St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout the best.

Steam Whistle Brewing, Toronto


St. Lawrence Market. The neighborhood around this historic building is also called St. Lawrence.

St. Lawrence Market, Toronto


One of the many buildings which house shops, galleries and restaurants of all kinds along Queen Street West in the Art & Design District.

shops along Queen Street West in the Art & Design District, Toronto


Funky Junky at Kensington Market. If I lived in Toronto, I'd do much of my clothes shopping at Kensington Market, one of the city's older neighborhoods. Shops in brightly painted historic buildings selling retro, vintage, multicultural ethnic and army surplus clothing. It is also the location of Average Joe's Café, owned by Chinese-Canadian Joe Ng. His coffee was the first we had in three Canadian cities that was brewed the way we like it—strong.

the Funky Junky shop at Kensington Market, Toronto


I never found out the name of this church. Neither can I remember now what district I saw it in. But I love its domed spires and the painting over the doors. Very unique in my eyes. (6.23 UPDATE: My cousin tells me that this is St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral on Bathurst Street. Thanks, Ana!)

brick church, Toronto


St. Stephen-in-the-Fields. Surrounded by big, beautiful, leafy trees, it had a poster on a wall saying that it was available for rental for performances, meetings, classes or weddings.

St. Stephen-in-the-Fields, Toronto