Right now I'm in the awesome camp on the ROM renovations, still undecided on the AGO and slightly against OCAD. Any way you slice it though its still better then most of the depressingly boring buildings in toronto.

Even if all it does it too get people talking about architecture in Toronto it's a good time.
I can't wait it's finished and lit from within.

i'm still not sure what to make of the ROM yet. i would think that kind of architecture is more appropriate for a modern art museum or some such thing.

Because there is a modern art gallery of note in Toronto that would have the money to afford such a project...

Sorry but I just think we should take what we can get when it comes to innovative ideas, plus a lot more people go to the ROM then would ever go to a modern art gallery, unless you plan on transplanting the Corcoran here

Theres nothing innovative about the ROM design, nor really with the AGO addition in my book. More of the same old international sh*t. No character.

Compared to the other submissions I saw I was disappointed with both choices. Oh boy, we finally have our own Gehry! And its nothing special! Big whoop!

The AGO is in such dire need of good art inside. Then they go and spend millions on putting some ornamental crap on the front and installing a fancy staircase. I'd rather just look at the nice paintings.

I don't think he was too excited to do this project as it is.

it was a nice day to ride around the city http://www.flickr.com/photos/steeker/323320257/

+2 :P


edit: nice shot steeker

Shiz the problem is that there isn't that much nice art left around to BUY anymore. The really nice stuff is in the big museums or crazy private collections and rarely, if ever, comes up for sale. Johannes Vermeer's work is a perfect example of this. Since those works were painted there has only ever been 1 show that managed to get a sizeable number under one roof and it was only done by cajoling the private holders to allow masterpieces like "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" out of their collections under extreme guard. The institutional collections are rotated so some of the best Haring pieces sit in the back of the MOMA and there are Monet's at the Tate that can't be shown because there condition is just to dire to put them under lights. This has all led to the ridiculously over priced high end art market that we are experiencing and means that a place like the AGO is never going to do better then group of 7 and traveling shows.

Either way I like the crystal and think it adds a really nice touch to that part of the city, just my two cents. I must say that this weather has been just righteous, street luging in December, biking to work with only a wool sweater and arm warmers, man the real winter is going to suck hard.

Offhoff ....where do you luge around here?
Jonesin' to try that ****....

Nope. They work fine. They just don't have the capacity the ipods do.

Burlington/Hamilton Jammer, your welcome to come out but you'd need leathers and a DOT helmet which is always the biggest hurdle. I remember your a fair bit bigger then me so my leathers won't fit you but I can see if someone has a spare pair they'd let you throw on. If you want to try the mini version of it hit my email/PM me and we can take a long longboard out for you to try the whole deal at Russell Hill or Bickford. As you probably know from skateboarding you have to start slow and move up.

Went and picked up the new wheel this afternoon. Nice to be riding fixed again. Big thanks to Milke and gang at Cycle Therapy. Beautiful wheel, handbuilt and rode like a dream on the ride home. Surly 135mm flip-flop hub, 14t durace cog and Alex td17 disc rim. So sexy and smooth. Going to take a pic in the sun tomorrow. Too bad I have to go to the ROM tonight, wanted to go for a long ride. Ironic after all the talk here about it, I've riden by the new addition and never really noticed. I'll take a look tonight and put my .02 in later.

nice image steeker; i remember the adventure of riding those cars with my grandad when i was a kid. brings me back.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/steeker/321858500/

damnit.. I knew I should have bought these as a spare. took a spill tonight and shredded the knees of mine. d'oh! I'm cursed I tells ya! (I'm ok though.. but I scuffed my 105 shifters and brooks too :()


edit:
ps. this is wes @ cavern.. :P

Rofl you nerdd

I said NICE, not expensive. Theres a huge difference in my mind... Lots of the most expensive art I don't care for at all. I'd like to see the AGO pick up more contemporary artists as although it is a general art gallery I've always felt their modern collection (and some of the antiques/artifacts etc) have been their strongest. I don't go to galleries to 'see' such and such's masterpieces. I go to look at art. I don't care who made it or how much it costs.

The AGO has never had enough money to buy old masters and international masterpieces though. They could have got some just recently but they opted for the Gehry instead, because donors would rather have their name on a building than on a little label next to a painting.

Hey Wes, ask keith if he has any cranks in 110. Cheers.

Hit by a car tonight on Young St. Luckily for me, I was barely scratched (somehow). My bike was not so lucky. The wheels are ****ed, and the tape is gone, and my TT lever has seen better days. There is also a cut in the seat. Luckily for me, the guy was nice. He stopped and gave me his info (Plate #, Phone number, Name etc.) so we can settle without getting the police involved. Luckily for him, I work in a bike shop so he won't get robbed when paying for the new parts.

Just goes to show, if you are nice after hitting a cyclist, he/she is far less likely to take you to the poor house over it.

It was his fault, but he was very apologetic, and eager to get me fixed up. Also, I was surprised at how many people went "WhooooH!" when I was hit. And even more people wanting to make sure that I was ok.

After getting the info off the guy, and brushing the dirt off my shoulders I continued, with two screwed up wheels down to Henry's Camera Store to look ad DSLR Cameras. I wanted to buy one so bad, but resisted, knowing that it was probably the adrenaline talking.

Take careful notes about any pain that develops as you get over the adrenaline and watch for shock setting in. If you notice anything out of the ordinary get to a doctor quick in case you hurt yourself without realizing it. Might be worth it to get a check out either way better safe then sorry.

I might have to go anyhow. I woke up this morning, and the upper left part of my jaw was frozen. Turns out it was just extreme congestion of the sinuses cutting off the circulation to my teeth, but that sure ruined my morning.

I was ok after that before getting run over. Sheesh, what a day.

Oh man that made me soooo wanna go do it.
Start small...yes indeed that's how us old school skaters become old, old school skaters no?.
You mean I can't get a new stick for Xmas and be doing pressure flips on my first day?
I've met sooo many kids that have been skating for like four years and have given it up for all the busted bones they received over skating themselves. In 25 years of skating I think I only broke two bones, one toe, and one finger(i ran over it try to grab on the vert, instead of popping to grab)

Can't be many luging days left.......
Have you tried it on ice? I totally want to try that as well.....Calgary apparently you are allowed to give it a good. Tired old sled with rusty rails no doubt. :lol:

For the helmet...if I can find a used motorcycle helmet somewhere, any shapes/styles REALLY not conducive to luging? ie..makes you hold your head/neck in a weird position.

Damn Sir Robin....
Glad to hear you are OK.
Yea the adrenaline can make a world of difference at the scene but once it wears off......
Sooo glad the driver treated it like a real accident and not 'WTF you doing you bikin' SOB....blah blah'

Hope you get back on the well tip soonest.

Wow, you are lucky. Was it dark when it happened? How was it his fault?

It was dark, but I had my trusty BLT Super Doppler on.

It was his fault because the street he was entering in from had a stop sign, and I did not. It wasn't really even an intersection. It was a street entering in on Young. When he entered the street he did not look first to see me coming. When he intersected me with no time to stop, I was forced to go around, and in front of him, at which point he still did not stop. He continued, hitting me, and nearly rolling over my bike.

He drove into moving right-of-way traffic, ie. me (with full lights and bell), thus making it his fault.