TLTV Ep 60 - Marie Curtis Park (Part 1)

Marie Curtis is a gem of a park, located near the Toronto-Mississauga border, by the shores of lake Ontario. It includes a beautiful river that flows down to the lake, and is spanned by a bicycle bridge that doubles as a spot for fishermen to try their luck. There are a huge amount of ducks and geese at this park too. In this first of two parts, we'll check out the river and bridge, and we'll follow some of the birds as they enjoy the park.

TLTV Ep 59 - Riverwood (Mississauga)

Located in central Mississauga and nestled predominantly along the east bank of the historic Credit River, the 150 acre Riverwood property is a special place. A unique all-season destination, visitors enjoy walking paths comprised of 200 to 350 year old trees and mixed old growth forests. Riverwood also offers a bird terrace, an art studio/visual arts centre, a wetland area and a variety of other historic buildings. Visual Arts Mississauga offers art classes, educational programs, as well as many other learning opportunities. With woodland trails, splendid wildlife and glorious views, Riverwood is an ideal site to observe and enjoy the best of what Mother Nature has to offer. In this video we'll get a look at the paths through the property and visit the MacEwan House Art Studio and the Visual Art Centre. We'll meet some friendly creatures and one rather large predator along the way. We'll see some nice boardwalks and bridges before climbing the stone stairs to Chappell House (the home of The Riverwood Conservancy) which is surrounded by colourful gardens.

An Inspiring Person Comes Knocking

One of my favourite portrait photographers is Zack Arias (www.zarias.com). In the past few days his blog has been host to a large public conversation on "jumping off the dock". That is, making that scary leap in life. The message is not to be afraid of your past or of the future, but to go after what you want in life. It was amazing to see the outpouring of responses from people who are standing on that dock, afraid to jump off. They are afraid, or simply don't know how to go about it. They wonder if they can make it. They hate their desk job that seems to suck the life out of them. They fear rejection. (You can check out the blog post and all the amazing responses here: http://www.zarias.com/?p=388 ).

The next day a door-to-door soap salesman knocked on Zack's door, or as Zack puts it "Our dog started barking and our door bell rang and God showed up on our front door in the form of a soap salesman. I opened the door and was bombarded by a well crafted 100 MPH sales pitch and I knew immediately that he was the response to many of the thoughts and questions on the blog."

Zack sat down with this man, Derrick. This guy is a convicted felon working door-to-door in the Georgia summer heat, peddling a product that is a tough sell. Rough job, huh? Well, watch the video below for some inspiration. Seriously, watch it.

TLTV Ep 58 - Etobicoke Creek Trail (Part 2)

Finishing up our brief look at the beautiful Etobicoke Creek Trail, we'll pass a few more bridges, spot some colourful graffiti, and spy some thsitles wafting in the late afternoon breeze of a summer day.

TLTV Ep 57 - Etobicoke Creek Trail (Part 1)

The Etobicoke Creek Trail runs alongside the Etobicoke Creek, which is located in the west end of the city of Toronto, near the border with the city of Mississauga. Even though the trail is close to businesses and Pearson International Airport, you hardly notice it from walking through this picturesque valley. Plenty of wildlife can be found along the meandering banks of the Etobicoke River. Other sites include lush fields, cliffs along the riverbank, and a few pedestrian bridges. This place is an absolute great place for a leisurely stroll.

TLTV Ep 56 - R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant (Toronto)

The R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant is both a crucial piece of infrastructure and an architecturally acclaimed historic building. It is located in the east end of Toronto in the Beaches neighborhood, along the shores of Lake Ontario. The plant was built by 1941 and unlike most modern engineering structures, was also created to make an architectural statement. Fashioned in the Art Deco style, the cathedral-like structure remains one of Toronto's most admired buildings. It is, however, little known to outsiders. The plant has thus earned the nickname The Palace of Purification. Despite its age, the plant is still fully functional, providing approximately 45% of the water supply for Toronto and the Region of York. In 1992, the plant was named a national historic civil engineering site by the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. The facility's beautiful grounds remain open to the to the public.

TLTV Ep 55 - Bloor Street Bridge (Toronto)

There is a bridge near The Old Mill that carries automobile and subway traffic on Bloor Street over the Humber River valley. If you venture below you will discover quite an interesting place. The bridge itself is covered with unique graffiti, but you will also see tranquil bike paths, families canoeing underneath the bridge, and a few people fishing in the Humber River. Check it out...

TLTV Ep 54 - The Old Mill (Part 2 - Interior)

We're back at the historic Old Mill in Toronto. In this episode we'll venture inside and see some of the incredible sites that lay within. We'll venture down some of the beautiful hallways and staircases, see the chapel getting ready to host another wedding, watch one of the dining rooms being set up for a wedding and see a dining room that is all ready to host it's celebration. We'll also see a presentation being made to hundreds of guests in the extensive conference halls, and we'll finish off by passing by the little gift shop near the Old Mill's amazing restaurant.

TLTV Ep 53 - The Old Mill (Part 1 - Exterior)

In 1793 the Kings Mill - the forerunner to todays Old Mill - was built in order to process lumber for the first homes in Toronto. Today, the Old Mill Inn & Spa is located in the heart of the hiking and biking trails of the scenic Humber River valley, close to wildflower-filled woodlands and manicured gardens. It is now a Toronto landmark, a picturesque English-style inn complete with beamed ceilings, glowing fireplaces and original flagstone flooring. As an addition to its extensive meeting and conference facilities, the Old Mill offers hotel rooms and suites, an incredible restaurant and a tea garden. It also hosts numerous weddings much of the year. In fact, a common site at the Old Mill is to see brides and grooms getting married in the Old Mill's chapel and celebrating in one of the Old Mill's many incredible dining rooms. In this episode we are going to take a look at the exterior of the Old Mill. You will see it's charming facade, as well as the tea garden, patios, and some to the roadways leading to the entrance.

TLTV Ep 52 - Terra Cotta Conservation Area (Part 2)

We're back at the Terra Cotta Conservation Area. In this episode we'll check out more tree-lined paths and sit by a small lake. We'll also visit a secluded little spot where water from the lake pours out into a small stream. Finally, we'll look in on some friendly frogs near a nice picnic area. Enjoy!