Notebook(blog)

Che is alive on the streets of Toronto

My contribution to cataloging the street art of Toronto was featured on the Torontoist the other day.

The lady no. 12

Where the lady roams (updated)

Click on the map to make it bigger. Scroll down to see the photos of the lady.

The lady no. 11

The lady no. 10

The lady no. 9

Thank you again, August.

The lady no. 8

The lady no. 7

The lady no. 6

Thank you to August for finding this version of the lady.

The lady no. 5

The lady no. 4

The lady no. 3

The lady no. 2

The lady no. 1

Even more on sidewalk stamps

Dave LeBlanc and Spacing Magazine co-founder Matthew Blackett take a walk in Toronto and name-check my love of sidewalk stamps in the process:

We began, our heads hung low but our spirits high, hoping to accurately date the neighbourhood using urban infrastructure, since it's possible in my 1959 neighbourhood at Midland Avenue and Ellesmere Road, where many of the sidewalk contractor stamps and utility covers (before politically correct times we called these manhole covers) are stamped with that year.

Read the article from Friday's Globe & Mail here.

More on street stamps

Toronto photographer Peter Tuck read my posts on street signs (archived here) and sent me a few of his photos. It's nice to know someone else gets a kick out of sidewalk stamps.

Below is the oldest sidewalk stamp Peter found back in 1969 on St.Nicholas St. (between Yonge & Bay). The second photo, which is striking, is of the street at that time.

And there's more of us. The Torontoist has a nice collection of street stamps and a good suggestion for the kids.

Photos © Peter Tuck.

Street signs - Secret codes

My friend has dyslexia. When he writes the word 'the', the 'e' slips down one line. This sign made me think of him.

But on further reflection, I see this is no mistake. This sign is clearly written in code:

We Sell NicE VasEs

Something is going down on Wednesday evening. I know it.

Street signs - Tree in a chair

I took this photo at the end of the day. I'd been walking a long time and was tired, but I never did get a chance to sit down. This bastard wouldn't budge.

Street signs - The devil lurks

One of my neighbours stenciled this sign on the fence.

I think it says, 'I'm scared of what could happen.'

Street signs - No guard dogs allowed

I like the idea of an urban working dog. I'm getting a bit tired of all these softy retriever types.

Anyway, I guess this person doesn't want guard dogs inside. Fair enough.

Street signs - Sidewalk stamps

Contractors stamp their company name and the date into the wet concrete of a sidewalk.

In Toronto, these stamps are all over. This is, apparently, so the city can quickly identify the company responsible if there is a fault with the concrete.

I hear the stamps are not as common in the U.S. (virtually non-existent in New York?).

According to the UC Berkeley archive of contractor stamps, they are on the wane because of increasing concern about litigation.

I think this says something fairly fundamental about the difference between our two nations.
I'm not sure it's particularly flattering for either.

Street signs - Red ski boots on a light

I read recently that shoes over a power line means a drug dealer is nearby. I've also heard it can mean  someone has lost their virginity, or that kids like to throw shoes.

This is a pair of red cross country ski boots on a traffic light--which obviously means something about an unstable downhill slide and stopping.

I'm still trying to figure the particulars.