(Jan. 07) About research

About research
Saturday, when I tried to write the description of my Mount Pleasant Cemetery Stroll, I hit a dead-end. I did not know how to approach it. I has to be clear to me in order for me to write clearly about it.

So I went back to rethink the whole think.

I spent 5 hours revisiting every nook and crannies... in my car (there are over 12 km of paved paths in Mount Pleasant Cemetery!), getting out in the wet snow every 5 minutes to snap photos for my files.

I discovered statues I had never seen. I spotted my favourite sections and finally found a way to link most of them into a nice walk. Mission accomplished.

A security guard came to warn me that I'm not allowed... to photograph the names on the graves (OK, this might involve some photoshop on my part). On the other hand, he confirmed to me that we are allowed to park anywhere and as long as we want along the roads within the premises.

Related blogs about:

The making of a Toronto walking guide

(Jan. 05) About editing

About editing
Oh boy! I could write a whole guide about Mount Pleasant Cemetery, the stroll I'm working on today.

There are so many great spots throughout this cemetery! I'm now facing the difficult task of choosing to mention one great panorama over another. 

Sometimes, I also have this kind of problem when the text is too long. I have to sacrifice a perfect little sentence to make room for more down-to-earth information for the sake of clarity.

The good news is that it's a bit like with renovations. Once it's done, you forget about all the great ideas you did not get to realize and you start enjoying what's been accomplished.

Still wondering which ones I should choose...

Related blogs about:

The making of a Toronto walking guide

Last minute Christmas activity suggestion!

If you want a local Leslieville experience, reserve your ticket now for the pantomine presented at the Red Sandcastle Theatre: A deal at $50 for a family of 4!

I saw their pantomime last year and it was totally wacky, colourful and fun. A friend saw it this year and said it's equally fun with lots of dance, mime, and interaction with the crowd. Probably better for kids 8 years and older and fun for adults as well.

The cool theatre is very tiny (which adds to the funky experience). It faces Mercury (a great coffee shop) and is next to Ed's Real Scoop (best gelato & ice cream, and hot chocolates). You can bring your drinks inside the theatre. 

More posts on Christmas fun.

(Jan. 04) About feedback

About feedback

What a great feeling! My Bloor West Cool Stroll is officially cool. I did it with my two teens a few weeks ago and my 19-year-old son is taking his friends there today!

All of this in one block (Bathurst, Bloor and Markham): 
Sonic Boom (for second-hand CDs), Honest Ed's (so tacky it's pure fun), Suspect Video & Culture (for real finds in horror B movies) and Beguiling (wall-to-wall comic books).

Related blogs about:

The making of a Toronto walking guide

 

(Jan. 03) About flexibility

About flexibility
Wow, life has a way of "getting in the way"!
On my way to the café (my office, remember?), I noticed I had forgotten my phone. I walked back and saw my neighbour on the sidewalk (and babysitter of both my kids when they were preschoolers). She was walking towards me with a grocery bag. I cracked a quick joke, already somewhere else in my mind, thinking we were both heading inside our respective home when my French brain realized what she had just told me: "I think I broke my wrist..."

Four hours in the Emergency room!

Then I left her in the good hands of her daughter.

(Solid broken bone which they had to put back into place. Aouch!) Not exactly what I had planned for the day. Not exactly what SHE had planned neither. 

Back to the regular program

I'm now catching up with my program (writing beautiful Rosedale Valley Road Stroll) after putting my husband in full charge of grocery shopping and dinner. (See what I did here? I delegated!)

Related blogs about:

The making of a Toronto walking guide

More posts on the making of a guide (Toronto Urban Strolls 2)

Useful blogs for crafting

When I wrote a post about Creative Bag, I didn't know they had a blog. And a very good one! 

It includes posts and tutorials on how to get the most out of some of the products they carry in their store (how to decorate their clear metal pails, how to sew on paper bags, etc). They also offer free labels to download.

They promote free workshops (with limited space, you need to register) presented in the store by artist Lorrie Everitt (another one with a fab blog!).

Finally, they've archived all their posts under an exhaustive list of categories (check the Labels section on the right-hand side of their page).

Here's the link to this useful blog on blogspot.

Like Toronto Fun Places on Facebook!

(Jan. 02) About motivation

About motivation

When I don't feel productive, it always helps me to remember author Henry Miller's advice: If you can't create, work. 

The fun part of any production is the actual act of creation but it requires a certain quality of presence that is not always attainable. Work, on the other hand, down-to-earth little actions that need to be done in order to realize something concrete, can be adapted to any kind of circumstances and time frame. 

I enjoyed some down time with my family and friends in the last week and did not get to write a full stroll but I got to do a few side actions that required less "brain work", such as selecting the best photos. 

OK, back on track!
To get back on track when writing after a period away from the computer, I need to reconnect myself with the purpose of the book I'm writing. 

In the present case, my guide's purpose is to pass on my enthusiasm for all the whimsical surprises Toronto has to offer. 

My goal is to provide friends with a fun (and relatively inexpensive) way to do something different together.

As I go through the best photos for my Sherbourne High and Low Mix Stroll, I can see how it totally fits the bill!

Related blogs about:

The making of a Toronto walking guide

Allan Gardens at Sherbourne and Carlton: a great free outing until the end of the Christmas holiday (read some comments on yelp)