A tray fit for a Royal Wedding (Party)

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Homefront client MaryAnn Lowry (left) is a royalist and doesn’t mind anyone knowing it. So when she and her friends gather on May 29, 2011 to celebrate the wedding of William and Kate, she will put on the Ritz. Among the items for the use of her friends (and MaryAnn) is the really stunning nickel and copper structure tray (centre) which we have been advertising. MaryAnn snapped it up as a fitting accoutrement to her party, which incidentally, will also celebrate the first time she and her friends gathered to pay proper tribute to a royal couple (Charles and Diana in 1981). It sounds like fun and MaryAnn has promised to send us pictures.

Why is there no looting in Japan?

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For some, this will the first time they have witnessed the admirable discipline and self-control of the Japanese people. In the presence of genuine calamity, they are calm and their conduct is exemplary. Even though they may be angry, bewildered and quite probably suffering deep grief, they carry on as best they can. And as we have seen, their best is very good indeed. Those who are familiar with Japan will know the island race has been like this for centuries. In the linked story a number of thinkers offer their opinions on the reasons for this. They all attribute Japanese orderliness to their culture of discipline and courtesy. All well and good. But a more challenging and maybe incorrect view is that the Japanese behave well mainly because it’s just how they’re born. Above left, a rescue team, centre, an aerial view of people waiting to get kerosene, right, waiting to get into the food market.

Torontoist blog sold to St. Joseph

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The arts and cultural online blog Torontoist has been purchased by St. Joseph Media, publishers of Toronto Life and other publications. Terms of the transaction were not revealed. Torontoist says it has as many as 10,000 readers a day. It was founded in 2004. Do you ever read Torontoist? If so please leave a comment by clicking below and tell us what you think of it. You can comment anonymously. The Globe and Mail story.

Foundation for 250 Sutherland Drive

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Work is underway on a basement for the new structure being built at 250 Sutherland Drive. A fire destroyed the under-construction house on the lot on the morning of January 23, 2011. Left, the front of the large lot. Centre, forms are going in for the foundation. Right, the house next door, No. 252, remains vacant. The family which had just moved in before the fire has not returned. Earlier stories.

Bring me El Toro’s T-Bone on a platter

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Did you hear about the contest to find a new nickname for Toronto? Not that Toronto needs a nickname. Nonetheless, Eye Weekly worked up some type of event and in the end, pronounced this town El Toro. Lord. As Mel Lastman used to say: “El Toro Poo Poo.” Look, names should not be embarrassing. Hamilton devised an excellent diminutive. Thanks to that Anglo-Saxon suffix er, it’s now named in unpretentious style The Hammer. It seems to have caught on with the Hammerites. Back in Toronto something equally unaffected is needed. Like The T-Bone. Simple and saucy. We like the image evoked by this one. Much better than “Hey Hey Toro. Senor Bull is lazy.” But we also like the energetic Pronto. Close enough, eh? How about The Rex. Come on folks stay with us. Dinosaurs, Tyrannous types etc. But Toronto doesn’t really need a nickname. We have to banish know-it-all writers who call it Torawnna. This is ignorant because no local would let that slip out. Torontonians sometimes say Torono, permitting a genteel dropping of the second T. Ono. Ono. Could be.

Prashanta Yoga to open on Davisville

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The transformation of the old Davisville Mini Food Mart into a Yoga studio is apparently nearly complete. As we told you many months, ago the two storey building at Davisville and Cleveland was being renovated for that purpose. Today the building sports a sign which states Prashanta Yoga, Coming Soon. It will be pleasant to have such an enterprise in that neighborhood although the renovation has taken a long time. The front door, which stands close to the bus shelter, is still surrounded by building materials. The new purpose for this address is a good one. Earlier story

Agnes Macphail lived here

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It’s not generally known that Agnes Macphail (above) the first woman elected to Parliament, lived for a period at the structure at the corner of Millwod Rd and Donegall Dr. It’s a duplex with addresses of 220 Millwood and 2 Donegall. Local historians and others are trying to have the home recognized in some way, perhaps with a plaque. Mary Macdonald, of Heritage Preservation Services, has been trying to achieve this for more than ten years. She’s still trying. It appears Macphail lived here in the upstairs apartment following her defeat in the 1940 general election when she began writing for the Globe and Mail and other publications. Agnes Macphail’s remarkable career as an Ontatrio MLA, MP, the Canadian Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and many other organizations, is well told in the linked Wikipedia entry. The elegant photo above is from Wikipedia and was taken by the famed Canadian portrait photographer Yousef Karsh. Also see Town Crier article