Drake on simulated purple CN tower for alphabet soup fest

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https://twitter.com/TimmyOVO/status/894731113758728192

Drake thrilled his fans tonight as he appeared on a mock CN Tower to kick off his OVO concert at the Budweiser Stage at Ontario Place. Drake’s music is one thing — his alphabet soup culture is another. It’s called OVO because as anyone who matters already knows, the singer likes you to understand that he is an autumn baby — October’s Very Own in fact. Further, his Canadian based collaboration group includes R&B singer The Weeknd (XO). It’s the nature of fame. We’re working on some funny little initials for The Bulldog.

Food Truck Show ends and Lucifer scorches Europe

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The Civic Holiday Food Truck Show has ended at Woodbine Park. City News surveyed the menu. In Europe, a heat wave now called Lucifer has created a kind of Hell on Earth for many countries. Below, the tornado that hit Tulsa Monday has left devastation only an Oklahoma twister could wreck. And a touching ad from Proctor and Gamble, wisely absent any refernce to its products, on how black parents might talk to their kids to keep them alive in a perilous world.

Hamilton Mountain adventures at Chedoke, Albion Falls

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Family of five rescued
How are you feeling?
Rescued at Albion Falls

A busy day for fire and police personnel along the Niagara Escarpment at both the west and east ends of the rocky formation. At Chedoke Falls, a family of five was rescued from a table rock they had perched on in the Chedoke River. In the east end, ten people and three dogs were brought to safety. Video shows picturesque but tricky waters at (top) Chedoke and (below) Albion. Did you know that the Niagara Escarpment forms the southern side of pre-historic Lake Iroquois which on the north side is seen in the ascent into Moore Park from Rosedale.

Full stop kids say sign means what it says! How about you?

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Full Stop Kids
Sign means Stop

These smartly decked-out kids from the Glenvale Blvd and Hanna Rd. neighbourhood are walking warnings to drivers who do the Leaside Slide. Seriously, it’s a lesson every driver should take to heart. The issue is especially keenly felt in North Leaside as traffic flees the LRT construction mayhem. Among the tactics employed by the full stop kids is to blow a whistle and hold up their hands to remind the sliders to stop. Real estate agent Charlene Kalia is a mom to one of the children, Madelyn Sergnese. Others are Abigail Burns, Mackenzie and Myra Gilland, Aiden, James and Olivia Laham and Kaitlyn Towle. Plan to block off Glenvale, Broadway and Craig at Bayview

Family brings Millwood and Rumsey new taste and style

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Avoca Chocolates
Special touch
Simryn Fenby
Vegan Gelato
Ice Cream

You read about Avoca Chocolates first in the The South Bayview Bulldog on May 6. We knew then that Simryn Fenby and her mom had started an attractive ice cream and chocolate shop just off the Danforth in 2015. It was easy to sense that a branch of Avoca Chocolates would be very welcome at the corner of Millwood and Rumsey Rds. But frankly, the expectations of early May have been enormously exceeded by the reality of early August. From the flowers and patio treatment of the exterior to the range of ice cream, Gelato, sweets, sugarless chocolate, espresso plus old-world courtesy and customer service, Avoca Chocolates is a delight. Please drop in and see them. We need Avoca Chocolates at this corner.

FB thread sheds light on Leaside, Thorncliffe perceptions

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A post now deleted on the Facebook account Leaside Community about theft and culprits last seen heading towards (or into) Thorncliffe Park has generated a long thread dealing with possible “discrimination” exhibited by the original writer. A response from a community member, apparently from Thorncliffe, complained that the post was “not inclusive.” This writer acknowledged “we don’t all share the same opinion and we won’t, but I feel it’s important we all share our perspectives so thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts.” The suggestion that the original post had been unfair brought a generous number of responses from Leaside saying that the Thorncliffe writer was too sensitive. One said “I didn’t see anything wrong with saying she followed them to the Thorncliffe area. To me there was nothing derogatory about the post. If she said she followed them to Forest Hill or a particular part of Leaside would it have made it any different?” Another writer who apparently approved of the back and forth said: “This is a great post. Thorncliffe is great. I’m there almost everyday.” In all, an exchange between people who are perhaps quite different, but civil and who wish to be understood.   

Taylor Swift to defend herself in $3 million action by DJ

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It is not known if this picture will be an exhibit on Monday as Taylor Swift defends herself against a $3 million dollar damages action brought by DJ David Mueller after she accused him of fondling her three years ago. Swift, 27, will testify, says Reuters, that Mueller slipped his hand under her dress and grabbed her bare bottom as they posed during a meet-and-greet session before her June 2, 2013, concert in Denver. Here she is seen with him and another DJ Shannon Melcher at the shoot where the alleged incident occurred. “It was not an accident, it was completely intentional, and I have never been so sure of anything in my life,” Swift said of the incident during a deposition. Mueller was fired two days after her allegation.

Gullible world still shocked, shocked by Airbnb fake listings

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Christina
Address in Stouffville

City News tells the story of the nice lady above named Christina who has had at least eight sets of travellers arrive at her door in Stouffville in recent days and tell her they have rented a room in her house. It’s an Airbnb misfire of course. No other 21st-Century enterprise is so open to gullible people booking (and paying for) places that aren’t really for rent. Some victims travel across the ocean expecting to find accommodation.  And yet, our Internet-of-fictions society is just utterly gobsmacked by it. In Christina’s case, her upper floor was advertised by a vaguely named person called Yun. Yun’s picture shows a shot of actress Naomie Harris. City News is calling it an “Airbnb mystery” Why? This is no mystery.  It’s what happens. Airbnb issued a statement saying that fake and misrepresented listings have “no place in our community.” But, of course, they keep showing up.

Twitter Sunday night and just what these guys were doing

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Safe at second
Close call
Still friends
Fix this Davisville crosswalk
@patsokay map

What have guys been doing this weekend? The Leaside Leafs and Niagara Metros played to a 10 to 8 come-from-behind finish for the Metros at the Ontario Senior Men’s Elimination Tournament in Strathroy Sunday. See many more shots by Bruce Ideson at #Leaside.  And then, LexAnder @PurpleRaison was posting photos of eyesores in Davisville Station and along the street of the same name. Above left, is the north side of the crosswalk at 84 Davsiville Ave. and we agree, it’s a mess. To the right, Pat Jones @patsokay posted this map of the trails he has walked in recent days and says he is looking for more. Go Pat.

Shameful or important? Diana doc “betrayal” airs in Britain

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Release of tapes of Diana talking about the most intimate and frankly humilating things is a betrayal of the Princess and the Royal Family say critics. It is a second program intended to celebrate the late mother of William and Harry.  CBC

Jack Rabinovitch dead at 87 after fall at home last week

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Jack Rabinovitch, the distinguished businessman who created the prestigious Scotiabank Giller Prize literary award, is dead at age 87. Mr. Rabinovitch died Sunday afternoon in Toronto, his daughter Elana confirmed. The prize, the foremost honour in Canadian literature, was named in memory of his wife, Doris Giller. It was established in 1994, a year after her death from cancer.  An obituary posted on the website of Benjamin’s Park Memorial Chapel, which handled funeral arrangements, said Rabinovitch died as a result of a “catastrophic fall” at his home last week. Obituary

Stoney-faced Chinese FM and an unwanted kiss on the air

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Nobody smiles when they are seen publicly with a North Korean official and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is no different. It is said he was tough on the North Korean FM Ri Yong-ho, who was grinning like a fool. Smile or no smile, the Chinese have much to answer for after their long support of this nasty little haven of tyranny. Then, when is an unexpected kiss on the cheek also entirely unacceptable? In this case a dope in the crowd tried to kiss the broadcaster in Montreal. Wrong of course. The zero-tolerance spin taken by the CBC however seems to foreclose on a lot of good unexpected kisses. Context is everything. Below that, the quite heart-wrenching case of a woman who says she was entrapped into voting illegally in the US. Now she is being deported. And finally, a visit to Her Majesty’s Royal Mail Train Tunnels under London. Who knew?