Underpass Park turned into a (street) art gallery!

A concrete milestone for the Pan Am Path!

I expected that we would see murals gradually pop up in the Underpass Park under the Gardiner but I didn't count on the Live Art Festival on June 20th, when many pilars got a major make-over all at once!

A friend who lives in the neighbourhood told me that Corktown Common, which hosts a fantastic splash pad (one of my most popular post!), would be closed for the summer because of the Pan Am Games. So yesterday, I went to see for myself. 

Bad news: Corktown Common and its splash pad will be CLOSED until August 31. Good news: the Underpass Park and playground on the west side of Lower River Street will remain open.

I crashed a party!

Little did I know that a multi-arts festival was going under the Gardiner! I was so distracted by the dancing performers on stilts colourful costumes that I did not see right way that something was different in the background. 

The only touches of colour we used to see in the Underpass Park (on the east side of Lower River), came from lights effects.

That was before artists were commissioned to adorn the pilars with murals!

 

Now, skaters and basketball lovers will be able to enjoy the most beautiful park in Toronto! 

When the Friends of the Pan Am Path said 

"Let's paint the Corktown!"...

They meant business!

While you're there

Two other great additions in the neighbourhood: Tim Hortons with a patio (south-west corner at the corner of King East and Lower River Street), perfect for families to grab a snack and drink after they've let off some steam in the park. And Odin (across the street at 514 King east), a new independant café which belongs to the owners of Thor Espresso Bar on Bathurst.

About the Pan Am Path

Friends of the Pan Am Path is the main organizer of the Pan Am Path Art Relay, motivated by the chance to celebrate the best of the region while also creating a meaningful legacy of the TORONTO 2015 Games for residents. Much of the route lies on existing trails and pathways that are being improved and connected.

Since its inception, the Pan Am Path project has been endorsed by the Pan Am/Parapan Am leads at all three levels of Government and 22 other elected officials. Legacy construction to improve and create new connections along the Pan Am Path will continue through 2017.  

ROM's Pompeii: 9 proofs that things haven't changed much in 2,000 years!

When in ROM... Visit the Pompeii exhibition!

The new exhibition Pompeii: In the Shadow of the Volcano will be at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) until January 3, 2016. It is your chance to see 200 artifacts from this ancient city frozen in time following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Year 79.

It is obviously fascinating to see casts of people who perished in Pompeii, and watch the eruption simulation in a dark room. It is equally impressive to see jewelry, portrait statues, and even glassware so well preserved.

But this is not what we truly enjoyed (apart from the fact that this exhibition is entirely bilingual!) about this time capsule of the 20-km wide city of 12,000 (as big as Leslieville in Toronto, which hosts a population of 25,000).

What really caught our attention (I was visiting with my 22-year old son), was similitude between Year 79 and 2015 in terms of behaviors and values (better appreciated by children 10 years and older).

Political PR
A mural was found, depicting politicians running for office, offering bread to the crowd.

Product placement
The mural was located within the baker's shop! (There were 30 bakeries in town.)

Action figures
Gladiators had action figures!

Sponsorship
There were advertisements painted on the walls to promote the games in Pompeii. In the one shown in the exhibition, we can read: 
"Lucretius Satrius Valens will provide 20 pairs of gladiators, and his son, 10 pairs, to fight at Pompeii, on April 8 to 12. There will be proper wild-animal hunts and awnings."

Two magistrates financed the construction of Pompeii's 20,000-seat amphitheatre.

Holliganism
A mural illustrates holligans from Year 59 involved in a partisan battle that got so violent that even NERO (Roman emperor at the time, know for his cruelty) banned gladiator combats for 10 years!

 

Art collectors
We are told that the orator Lucius Crassus paid 100,000 sesterces for a set of two cups chased by the artist Mentor. Based on the information found in other parts of the exhibition, we calculated that 100 sesterces equal one gold coin.  Knowing that a gold coin weighted 7.96 grams and that the current price of gold is $1175 per once, we figured that the two cups would now be worth $300,000. 

Grafitti
We saw a grafitti of musicians at a gladiator fight in a town near Pompeii, etched on a tomb in the nearby cemetery...

Marketing
On a vase containing garum, we can read: "The flower of the flower of mackerel garum, made by Scaurus, from the workshop of Agathopus."

Sex in the City
In a secluded part of the exhibition (easy to bypass if visiting with children, just around the corner from the "Early warning signs?"wall), you'll find a kinky little X-rated section!

Related posts:
What you'll like, what your kids will like 1
What you'll like, what your kids will like 2
 

Things you'll like about ROM's new exhibition Pompeii (1)

The new exhibition Pompeii: In the Shadow of the Volcano opening today at the ROM will be on until January 3, 2016. (Go to our page Royal Ontario Museum for our photo gallery.)

What YOU will love about it:
The portrait head depicting Gaius Cornelius Rufus, an ancestor of the house owners, found by the entrance of the ruins of their home post Pompeii, complete with the photo on location.

    

What YOUR KIDS will love about it:
The volcano eruption simulation! Graphics on the wall offers a timeline with play-by-play state of the natural disaster! (The lava was going down at 100 km/hr!)

An specimen of the pumice ejected from Mount Vesuvius. 

Related posts:
Things you'll like about ROM's new exhibition Pompeii (2)

The gift of some time alone for Mother's Day

Best advice this morning in Dave McGinn's article in the Globe and Mail: The Mother's Day gift every woman wants: Time alone.

It might not sit well with young mothers of a first child but Dave is right on for most of the mothers I know. About breakfast in bed, he warns: "Make it with the kids. But let mom sleep in. Don't go crashing in with burnt toast and a giant bowl of Froot Loops at 7 a.m." How thoughtful... and true.

My definition of "time alone" includes outings with my girlfriends!
As the author of both a guide for families and two walking guides for girlfriends (also interesting for guys, I must say), I've always said to the moms I meet: "Give Toronto Fun Places to your partner, and take the rest of the day off with your girlfriends and a copy of Toronto Urban Strolls."

It is not a surprise that today, Toronto Fun Places ranks #2 on Amazon.ca in three categories: Toronto guides, Ontario guides and Canadian Family Travel guides! (Toronto Urban Strolls 1 also ranks #5 in Toronto guides).

Family outing suggestion of the week

Dear readers,

Every week, I'm suggesting a weekly family outing on www.torontofunplaces.com. Check it out! 

You're presently on the previous version of my blog (hosted by Blogspot). I now post my updates, photo galleries and fun bits on the Toronto Fun Blog on my website. Enjoy!

Bragging alert!

Every month, over 15,000 people visit my website, and over 60,000 viewers see my boards on Pinterest.com/NathaliePrezeau. You might find these two resources useful!

Note that my three guides are sold on Amazon, Indigo and in major bookstores (in their Travel section) and gift shops in the GTA. 

Fundraising tips for school councils during special family events

I was part of the School Council in my kids' school for years and have organized my share of fairs and parties. 

Those days are over but I could not resist creating a few Pinterest boards to help schools and other groups with their fundraising efforts. 

I invite you to have a look for inspiration: School Party & Fair & Fundraising, School Bake Sale, School Fair: Photo ops.

Fundraising with Toronto Fun Places
As the author and founder of Word-of-Mouth Production, my publishing company, I am more than happy to facilitate your fundraising efforts by offering 482-page Toronto Fun Places at a very advantageous wholesale price. (See what people said about the guide!)

Daycares, schools and associations can benefit from this opportunity to raise funds or to offer parents and members the advantage of buying my 482-page guide at a bargain price.

Contact me directly for more information.
I wish you the best of luck with your fundraising efforts!

Nathalie Prézeau (Toronto)
Author, publisher, photographer, mom

Toronto Fun Places' outing suggestion for this week!

Hi dear readers!

Every week, I'm suggesting a weekly family outing on www.torontofunplaces.com. Check it out! 

Note that you're presently on my previous blog (hosted by Blogspot). I now post my updates, photo galleries and fun bits on the Toronto Fun Blog on my website. Enjoy!

Bragging alert!
Every month, over 15,000 people visit my website, and over 60,000 viewers see my boards on Pinterest.com/NathaliePrezeau boards. You might find these two resources useful!

My three guides are sold on Amazon, Indigo and in major bookstores and gift shops in the GTA.