Iceholes of Toronto – Part One

So, we’ve finally hit the sweet spot of Toronto’s winter…cold enough for the ice to be amazing along the lake, but warm enough I can actually work the camera button without suffering frost bite.

Here and in my next post are a few images I took down at the Beaches boardwalk in east end Toronto.

See also Part Two.

Autograph-quality photos

As some of you know, I am a hockey fan and season ticket holder for the AHL Toronto Marlies, farm team for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Every once in a while, I decide to completely ignore the hockey game by bringing my camera with me, searching for those great shots that I can ask the players to autograph.

Now, this would be a hell of a lot easier if I had more skill with my camera (need to take that class) or perhaps the right lens. But until the time that either or both of those happen, I present you with some of the closer ones from last night’s game against the Grand Rapids Griffins (farm team of the Detroit Red Wings).

PS We won 4-2!

PPS You can find more photos at my Facebook page.

http://video.mapleleafs.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=689269&catid=802

Autumn colours

Another wander along the boardwalk brings colour and a bit of a sprinkle.

Invading Americans take opening battle

Brought my camera to the hockey game last weekend as the Toronto Marlies hosted the Rochester Americans at the Ricoh Coliseum.

Early in the new American Hockey League season, the hometown boys have not been playing terribly well and that bit them in the butt against the Americans, who pounded the Marlies 4-1.

Game highlights video: Amerks over Marlies 4-1

Farmer’s Market & The Grove – Los Angeles

While visiting Los Angeles, I stayed on the west side of town not too far from Beverly Hills, near The Farmer’s Market and The Grove shopping complexes…right next to each other and yet world’s apart in so many ways.

See also: Graffiti and Signs and Tar Pits

Tar Pits – Los Angeles

And when I wasn’t looking at signs, one of the few touristy things I did in Los Angeles was visit the La Brea Tar Pits and the George C. Page Museum.

See also: Graffiti and Signs – Los Angeles

Graffiti and Signs – Los Angeles

As I mentioned in my recent posts, I visited Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago (my first time there), and took my life into my own hands by braving the city streets on foot (less worried about muggers than drivers).

While I found much of the city surreal (vs Toronto), I was enthralled by the various graffiti and signage that lined places like Melrose Avenue. Here is some of what I saw.

Showing concern

One of the myriad gulls sharing the local boardwalk

One of the myriad gulls sharing the local boardwalk

There are truly good people yet in the world.

As some of you know, I am going through a bit of a problem with one of my shoulders (a condition with the stupid name frozen shoulder).

While wandering the boardwalk near my apartment earlier today, I absent-mindedly tossed an acorn at a bench (not a euphemism, folks) and immediately doubled up in searing pain, grabbing my arm and shoulder, and plopped on the bench to wait for the pain to subside. It did…it always does.

Ill-named condition involving loss of range of motion

Ill-named condition involving loss of range of motion

But as I was getting up to finish the trip home, two cyclists stopped to make sure I was okay. They had seen me grab my arm and drop to the bench. It probably looked like a heart attack or seizure.

I explained the affliction and that the pain was mostly due to my unthinking idiocy, which seemed to allay their concerns. I thanked them, however, for checking on me and making sure I wasn’t in more serious trouble.

Nice to know that I’m never alone…I only hope I show the same concern should I be presented with something similar.

Loved the mood captured by the street lamp

Loved the mood captured by the street lamp