The Fifth Season

Location: New York, New York, USA
Address:  611 Fifth Avenue
Date: November 2021
Website:  www.saksfifthavenue.com

  We found ourselves in New York City for American Thanksgiving.  This is the offical start of the countdown to Christmas.  We took a little stroll along Fifth Avenue to experience something called The Fifth Season.  Along the way we enjoyed the sights and sounds as only New York can offer.

  We started our outing closer to Sixth Avenue as we visited the Bryant Park Holiday Shops.  We enjoyed a cake in a jar and found a few little gifts for our family.  Afterwards, we headed towards Fifth Avenue.

  Bryant Park is located right behind the New York Public Library's main branch.  As we headed onto Fifth Avenue we noticed that even the lion statues that stand guard at the front entrance of the library were wearing wreaths.

     As we headed north on Fifth Avenue we reached Rockefeller Center.  Angels playing horns lead the way to the giant Christmas Tree.  The tree this year was estimated to be about 80 feet tall and almost 45 feet wide at its widest point.  We guess that is how a lot of people feel after indulging in holiday treats, more than half as wide as they are tall.  We were too early for the tree lighting ceremony, but the tree itself was still impressive.

    Looking back towards Fifth Avenue the angels lead us to the Saks storefront all decorated for Christmas.  We had arrived just in time as the first show of lights was only a few minutes away.  We took a look at the Christmas window displays before finding a good spot to watch the show.

  This year the windows were of children's winter drawings come to life.  In the corner of the window was the child's name, age and their original drawing.  The window was a three dimensional, moving recreation of the original artwork.  A great idea and sure to be a thrill for the chosen artists.

  Some music was heard from across the avenue and the Saks Holiday Light Show was about to start.  The front of the store looked like a magical castle.  A wave of Christmas lights, music and colour swept over us.

    Everyone on the street stopped to admire the show.  Truly a great way to get yourself feeling that Christmas spirit.

  Just north of Saks Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center is St. Patrick's Cathedral.  We went inside to get away from the crowds and see the less flashy side of Christmas.

  The inside of the cathedral is as impressive as any light display that might be happening across the street.

  In the corner of the church was a large manger display.  We took a few moments to pause and then stepped back out into the lights and sights of New York City.

  As we travelled up Fifth Avenue we were treated to light displays set up on the sidewalk.  There was Frosty the snowman making a magic landing in his plane.

  There was an iconic New York yellow cab all lit up for Christmas.

There was a glowing cube that could have been a present or maybe an unsolved Rubik's Cube?

  Other stores besides Saks were also ready for Christmas.  The Cartier store was dressed up in lights to look like a glowing present wrapped in red ribbon.

  One store had a penguin in its window.  A lot of penguins live in cold climates, but live south of the equator.  That is a long way from the North Pole.  There are several species of penguin at the Central Park Zoo, including King penguins, if you keep walking up Fifth Avenue.

  There was a mailbox covered in lights.  You could leave your letters for Santa in this box.  The mailbox was just outside where the famous FAO Schwarz toy store used to be.  The store is now located further back down Fifth Avenue inside Rockefeller Center.

  A polar bear welcomed us as we arrived at the Pulitzer Fountain.  The fountain is located right in front of the Plaza Hotel.

      The whole fountain had been taken over by skating penguins, polar bears and seals as part of The Fifth Season.  We think the fifth season is that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Fifth Avenue is always a sight to see, but during this time it is something extra special.

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Map of Our World
Saks Fifth Avenue
Bryant Park
St. Patrick's Cathedral , Cartier , Pulitzer Fountain

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Post # 306

The News Building

Location: New York, New York, USA
Address:  220 E 42nd St
Date: November 2014
Website:  slgreen.com

  The News Building in New York City is known for both its interesting interior and exterior.  From its art deco entrance to its globe filled lobby, it is in a word... super.

  The front entrance includes a huge, three story tall granite carving.  At the top are the words "The News" and near the bottom, just above a crowd of people it says "He Made So Many Of Them".  This quote is from Abraham Lincoln referring to the common people who would be reading the daily newspaper.

     The lobby contains a giant world globe that is sunken into the floor.  This truly is the world news.

   The News Building has also played an important part in movie history.  In the Superman movies it played the part of The Daily Planet.  In the original Superman, Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) and Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) walk past the giant globe and out the revolving doors onto 42nd Street.  The exterior of the building is also shown in the movie.  The building exterior plays an increasingly smaller part in the sequels Superman II and Superman III.

    On the floor surrounding the globe are distances to world cities.  We recommend that no matter where you are in the world, you try and find your way to The News Building for a visit.

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Map of Our World
The News Building

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Post # 305

Absolute Condos

Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Address:  50 Absolute Avenue
Date:  August 2018
Website:  www.50absoluteworld.ca

  As you drive along Highway 403 in Ontario, you can't miss the Absolute World condos twisting up into the sky.  The curvy design stands out and has earned them the nickname of the Marilyn Monroe towers.  There are five towers in Absolute World, but the two that stand out are 50 and 56 storeys tall.

 

   The towers are located just across the road from the popular Square One mall.  The Mississauga skyline is getting more crowded each year but when the towers were completed in 2012 they really stood out.  At the time of writing this they were still the tallest buildings in the city.

 

   When you get right up close to the condos you can really admire the curves.

  By the time you reach the 56th floor, the twist has rotated about 198 degrees.

  Outside the front entrance are a group of horses made of curved metal.  The sculptures are called Buen Amigo which means good friend.

  Hazel Mcallion who turned 100 years old in 2021 was mayor of Mississauga from 1978 to 2014.  She has said she was glad that the artwork in front of the condos included horses as she used to be able to see cows and horses grazing from city hall many years ago.

  On the opposite side of Mississauga City Hall sits a large metal sculpture.  This 3,500 pound sculpture is called Contemplating Child and looks like a stick figure child holding its head in its hands.

  Could the child be trying to figure out how the designers and engineers built the Absolute Towers?  In the photo above, the towers can be seen through the sculpture and in the distance.

 

 

  As the sun starts to set we head on our way.  The Absolute Condos give us something to enjoy and think about as building designs become more and more complex.  Will we be back again to check out the towers and more artwork around Mississauga? Absolutely!

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Map of Our World
Absolute Condos
Contemplating Child , Buen Amigo

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Post # 301

Sydney Opera House

 

Location: Sydney, Australia
Address:  Bennelong Point
Date:  May 2012
Website:  www.sydneyoperahouse.com

  As our plane made its approach into Sydney airport we caught a glimpse of one of the world's most recognizable buildings.  Sticking out into the harbour is the famous Sydney Opera House.  The opera house has been completed since 1973 and was deemed a UNESCO heritage site in 2007.  While we never did make it inside the building, we had a chance to admire its exterior up close.

  The opera house is designed to look like a group of shells or sails.  It was designed by Jorn Utzon who was the winner of a design competition.  

 

    When we walked up close to the  Opera House we could really appreciate the design and work that was involved in its construction.

 

    You would expect it to be something exceptional since it was only anticipated to take 4 years and 7 million dollars to build but ended up taking 14 years and costing 102 million dollars.

    The building looks different from every angle. 

    From across the harbour it appears almost as if the groups of sails can fold down onto each other .

    In the evening, the Opera House is lit to highlight the curves of the sails against the dark Australian night.  We can only imagine what the building looks like inside, but it is definitely worth a visit just to admire its exterior. 

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Map of Our World
Sydney Opera House

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Post # 300

Across Canada At The Exhibition Grounds

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: 210 Princes' Blvd.
Date: September 2019
Website:  theex.com

    The Canadian National Exhibition takes place at the end of August each year and closes on Labour Day in September. When the Exhibition is not running, the grounds known as Exhibition Place are still open to vehicles and the public. If you are visiting Toronto from across Canada you can feel like you are back home thanks to the many streets that crisscross the grounds.

 We will start our journey from east to west.  All but one of Canada's provinces and territories are represented in the names of the streets.  The streets do not quite unfold as a map of Canada would, but we will show you one possible path you can take in order to visit them all.  We enter the Exhibition grounds from Fleet Street and find ourselves on Canada Boulevard.

 Canada Boulevard connects with Princes' Boulevard which is the main street that runs from the Princes' Gates (photo at top of blog) and through the grounds.

  The first provincial street we came across was Newfoundland Drive which also happens to be the easternmost of the provinces.  

Newfoundland Drive runs south from the Enercare Centre between the Automotive Building and Hotel X.

  The next road we pass is Nunavut Road.  This part of the road was formerly part of New Brunswick Way.  Much like the road, Nunavut the territory was formerly part of the Northwest Territories.  Sadly, Northwest Territories is the only unrepresented portion of Canada on these streets.  Hopefully at some point it will finally get included.

  Just a bit further along Prince's Boulevard, a road heads south.  This is the bottom portion of New Brunswick Way.  If you want to find a road sign for this street you will have to follow it through a parking lot and down to Lakeshore Blvd.  There you will find a traditional blue Toronto road sign instead of one of the fancier Exhibition Place signs.

If you head back up New Brunswick Way and take Nunavut Road north, you will end up on Nova Scotia Avenue.  As we mentioned before all the provinces are represented but they are all over the place as far as being presented in any sort of order.

We will take a left hand turn on Manitoba Drive and eventually we will end up at Princes' Boulevard again.

  Before we get to Princes' Boulevard we will pass Quebec Street.

   If we turn left at Princes' Boulevard we will pass the Princess Margaret Fountain.  

 Turn left again and you are on Prince Edward Island Crescent.  Despite being the smallest province in both size and population, it is almost as long as Ontario Drive.  

  After leaving Prince Edward Island Crescent turn left again and now you are on the road named after Canada's most populous province.  Take an Ontario drive along Ontario Drive as it curves back into Princes' Boulevard again.

   Heading past the Princess Margaret Fountain once more, now the road becomes Saskatchewan.

  While you can drive from Saskatchewan to British Columbia you can't do it without passing through Alberta first.  At the Exhibition grounds you can drive Saskatchewan Road and turn directly onto British Columbia Road.

  Don't worry, the next street is Alberta Circle.  Alberta was not left out.

  The last street we visit in order to complete our cross country journey is Yukon Place.  It wraps around the Liberty Grand (pictured below).  

There you have it.  Ten provinces and two territories later and we have visited most of Canada in one short trip.

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Map of Our World
Exhibition Place

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Post # 293