Remembering Super Dave

Location: Markham, Ontario, Canada 
Address: 171 Town Centre Blvd
Date: Jan 2019
Website:  bobeinstein.com

  Super Dave Osborne was the greatest stuntman the world has ever known.  Actually he was far better at making us laugh than he was at successfully completing a stunt.  Super Dave was the creation of Bob Einstein and we have been laughing at the same joke for decades.  What will go wrong with Super Dave's stunt today?  Super Dave always starts out cheery and optimistic and then things go wrong and he ends up injured and censored.  Bob Einstein died January 2nd, 2019 and we thought we would highlight the Toronto connection with his beloved character.

     Super Dave was a regular on John Byner's comedy television program called Bizarre.  It was during Bizarre that Super Dave filmed his memorable CN Tower stunt.  Just one year after stuntman Dar Robertson jumped off the tower as Christopher Plummer's stunt double in the movie Highpoint, Super Dave prepared for his jump.  Super Dave is standing outside at the top of the tower with announcer Mike Walden.  Mike would be Super Dave's announcer throughout the Super One's career.

  The stunt has to be called off due to high winds, but as Mike goes back inside the tower he hits Super Dave with the door.  We see Super Dave flail as he falls from the tower.  He lands in a parking lot that used to be just about where Ripley's Aquarium is today.  To add insult to injury, the ambulance runs Super Dave over and drags him underneath the vehicle.

  Bizarre was filmed at the Glen Warren Studios in Scarborough.  The buildings are still there today as CTV Studios.  The studios are located at number nine Channel Nine Court since 9 is the channel that the station broadcasts on.  One of us has been inside the studios to watch a taping of a television show called Circus which aired in the early 1980s.  In 1987 Super Dave was given his own show and it also filmed at CTV.

  One of us was also lucky enough to see a taping of the Super Dave show when it moved to its new location at the Markham Theatre.  The show was filmed in Markham, Ontario up until it ended in 1991.  Each week there were specials guest performers along with a Super Dave stunt.  Super Dave would attempt his stunt strapped in with genuine Saskatchewan seal skin bindings but things never worked out as he planned.  We always knew something was going to happen when Super Dave attempted a stunt.  We would have a good laugh.

  If you still need a little more of the Super One while you are in Toronto then you need to visit Super Dave! Convenience at the corner of Coxwell and Gerrard.  It has everything you expect from a convenience store.  Lotto tickets, candy bars, milk, magazines and more.  While you are there you can stand out front and give a big thumbs up with the words Super Dave up above your head.  Higher up still, in comedy heaven, you will find the legendary Super Dave.

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Map of Our World
CTV Toronto , Markham Theatre
CN Tower , Super Dave! Convenience

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Post # 238

Runnymede Theatre

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
Address: 2223 Bloor St W
Date: March 2017
Website:  heritagetoronto.org

     It started out as a place to see vaudeville performances.  These days the Runnymede Theatre is a place to collect Optimum points.  The theatre first opened in 1927 and today is one of the nicest looking drug stores in Toronto.

   In the middle of the store is a decorative gold dome.  We can see why the theatre was called "Canada's Theatre Beautiful".

  From the second level we could see the stage behind the cosmetic counter.  The ceiling was painted like the sky.  In the later 1930s the theatre was a movie house only.

A projector from the old movie house days was sitting up on the second floor balcony.  Even the emergency exit reminded us of the building's earlier theatre days.

  In 1972, the building became a bingo hall. In 1980 it played movies again for about two decades and then it became a retail store.  Today it is a Shopper's Drug Mart but well worth a visit to get a glimpse into history.

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This location is near Runnymede subway. Visit other Toronto TTC stations.

Map of Our World
Runnymede Theatre

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Post # 237

CP Holiday Train

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: 750 Runnymede Road
Date: Nov 2018
Website:  www.cpr.ca

  For twenty years the Holiday Train has travelled across Canada.  This year was no exception.  The train goes across the country to collect food and money for local food banks.  This year we went to catch the train to holiday cheer.
 

  In Toronto the train stopped at Lambston Yard.  It blasted its horn as it crossed a bridge and entered the stockyards. 

A large crowd had gathered to welcome its arrival.  The decorated train cars slowed to a stop.

 

  ​There are two trains in Canada.  One train leaves Montreal and travels down into the US and then makes its way back into Canada to stop in Weyburn, Saskatchewan.

The other train leaves Montreal and travels west through Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta before arriving in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia .

  The train we saw in Toronto would finish its journey in BC about 20 days later.  Until then its flashing lights would shine across the country as it travels province to province.

 

  The train cars were all decorated in holiday lights with animated scenes depicting, reindeer, mountains and winter fun.

 

   Ernest "Smoky" Smith was the last living Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross.  The Victoria Cross is given for bravery in battle.  When Ernest died at the age of 91 a train car was named in his honour.  When the Holiday Train came to town his car was flashing green and red light.

  One train car had a large tarp with the Canadian flag on it.  As the crowd took photos of the colourful train, the tarp suddenly rolled up.

  Inside was Canadian country music star Terri Clark ready to entertain the crowd with her songs as well as some Christmas classics.  Terri is from Medicine Hat., Alberta and a member of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.  She would be performing at stops all across the country.

  Even the police cars that were there for crowd control were lighting up the night. Their very bright red and blue lights flashed from the roof of their vehicles.

  The Holiday Train was a nice start to the Holiday Season.  As we write this blog, it is still on track collecting food donations and spreading holiday cheer across the nation.

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Map of Our World
CP Holiday Train

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Post # 235

Robo Sushi

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address:  865 York Mills Rd #9
Date: September 2018
Website:  www.robosushi.ca

  A new sushi place has arrived in Toronto and offers something a little different.  Robots are nothing new, but we are not yet used to them serving us our food.  Robo Sushi still has human workers, but we went there to see the robotic staff and of course to eat all that we could eat.

  As we entered the restaurant we were greeted by a talking mannequin.

  There was another mannequin standing behind us, but despite being plugged in she didn't have anything to say.  We headed through the next set of doors and into the restaurant.

  Three robots waited for us.  Two of them had cute, smiling bellhop heads and one had a head full of trays.  They stood at attention waiting to serve us.

  The human being at the counter greeted us and typed something into the tablet on the top of the purple robot's head.  The little guy rolled away and we followed closely behind.  On a screen on top of his head was a video of a person following a robot.  We felt we were doing quite well.

   Our host turned a corner and then stopped at a booth.  He said something but we couldn't hear him over the restaurant noise.  We sat down and then our host turned and rolled off again.

  We have visited Robo Sushi twice since it opened.  The first time the robots seemed less sensitive to something in their way.  We witnessed a host and trayhead collision and a few near misses between robot and human staff.  One trayhead robot even went straight into a customer's chair.

  On our second visit we noticed that the human staff often had to push a host or trayhead robot until it felt nothing was blocking its path.  Once the robot was satisfied it would roll away again.  Eventually the programming will be just right.

  When a trayhead robot arrived with your food it would turn and face the table with its blinking eyes.  You could start to offload the food yourself, but usually a human staff member would come to assist.

  When you wanted the trayhead robot to leave again you were supposed to tap it on the head.  This worked sometimes because we were probably doing it incorrectly.  We think you have to just place your hand on top of a little hand symbol on the robot's head.

 To order your food you use a tablet placed at your table and submit your request from there.  Soon it won't be long until a trayhead arrives loaded with your carefully selected items.

  We tend to order quite a lot on our first round so when our robot arrived it was fully loaded.  Soon afterwards our table was filled with tiny trays and dishes.

  You could also place a small order and a trayhead would come to drop that off as well.  When it comes to All You Can Eat you need to pace yourself.  At least the robots never gave us a disapproving look based on our food choices or quantities.  They just give the same look all the time.

  We enjoyed our food at Robo Sushi and the robots made our meal even more fun.  As we rolled ourselves out of the restaurant we waved good-bye to our robot hosts.  They smiled back at us.

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Map of Our World
Robo Sushi

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Post # 233

Nuit Blanche 2008 Revisited

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: Liberty Village
Date: Oct 2008
Website: nbto.com

  Nuit Blanche took over the streets of Toronto again this weekend.  During the event it is hard to tell what is art and what is not.  The "Open For Business" sign above could be art or just a clever sign that was discarded in the street.  We thought we would go back and revisit some of the exhibits from ten years ago when the all night arts festival was still in its infancy.  Here are a few highlights of what we experienced between dusk and dawn.

Euphemisms For The Intimate Enemy

This exhibit is made up of 55-gallon drums with letters painted on their bottoms.  It was making some commentary on language that may become clear when the piece of art is explored more closely.

Future Perfect

In a haze of fog some storage containers sit in the dark.  People gather around to see what is going on.

Then suddenly a glow of light emits from one of the containers and more smoke machine fog is released.

Imagine Peace

Yoko Ono started the Imagine Peace project based on her husband John Lennon's Imagine song.

The exhibit includes a tree where guests can tie one of their wishes.  After the event the wishes were all said to be taken to the Imagine Peace tower in Iceland.  Who knows how many will come true?

SMASH! Dropping Stuff

The next project was called SMASH!  The whole purpose was to get some stuff and then drop that stuff and watch it smash.  The pile of smashed stuff was growing as the night crept on.  3...2...1...Drop!

Smash!

Original Soundtrack

This project consisted of TVs all playing the menu screen of a different DVD.  The sound was all mixed together and would evolve and change as the menus loop through the night.  This exibit reminded us of a busy electronics department on a Saturday afternoon.

When we turned away from the television screens we liked the way the light was coming in through this window.  We left the wall of sound behind and ventured outside to see what was causing this glow.

Over Flow

The glow appeared to be coming from this building which for tonight only included a waterfall coming out of an upper floor window.  This seemed like something we wouldn't mind seeing permanently.

Untitled

This next piece was untitled and like most of the things listed here is open to interpretation.  On any given day you may be surprised but what you see walking around the city.  When Nuit Blanche is in town, surprise is always expected.

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Map of Our World
Nuit Blanche Liberty Village
Nuit Blanche Liberty Village

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Post # 228