Queen Elizabeth II

 Location: London, England
Address:  Kensington Gardens
Date:  August 2015
Website:  www.hrp.org.uk

  Queen Elizabeth II lived to be 96 years old and was Queen for just over 70 years.  She was not only the Queen of England but also other Commonwealth countries such as Canada.  Her reign was the longest of any British monarch.  Most of us have only been alive during her reign.  Sadly, she passed away on Sept 8 2022 and will now be succeeded by her son Charles.  In this post we look at a few of the places we have visited where the Queen was honoured.

 

    This statue of the Queen above can be found outside of the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnpeg, Manitoba, Canada.  We wrote a short blog about it during the Queen's 90th birthday.

 

   In the next province over we found yet another statue of the Queen.  This time she was riding a horse outside the Saskatchewan Legislative Building.  The name of the horse is Burmese.  Burmese was born in Fort Walsh, Saskatchewan.

    Burmese was given to Queen Elizabeth II as a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1969.  The Queen rode Burmese every year in the annual Trooping of Colour ceremony until 1987.  The Trooping of Colour happens each June and is also known as the Queen's Birthday Parade.  It involves over a thousand officers and hundreds of horses on parade during the ceremonies.

 

   In Kingston, Ontario, Canada we once had afternoon tea in a place called the Secret Garden Inn.  After our tea, as we were leaving, we noticed a photograph in the front room.  The photo is of Queen Elizabeth II and was taken right in front of the inn.

      Had the Queen visited the Secret Garden Inn for tea?  Perhaps.  The photo was most likely taken as she visited the Sydenham Street United Church across the street.  This church is more commonly known as The Spire due to its long pointy top that can be seen all across Kingston.

    At the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada there is a special book that can be found in the lobby area along the far wall.  The Queen has stayed at the Royal York many times and stays on her own floor in the Royal Suite.  The photos above are of the Queen and her husband Prince Philip.  Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died one year before the Queen in April 2021.

  In a glass case sitting below the photographs is a book signed by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip when they visited during the Golden Jubilee in October 2002.  They both signed using just their first names.

    The Queen's Plate at Woodbine racetrack in Toronto was started with Queen Victoria's involvement in 1860.  Queen Elizabeth II has attended the event 4 times.  In 1973 she watched the horse races in a bright yellow dress.  The winning horse that year was named Royal Chocolate. 

 

 

     We once thought we spotted the Queen sitting in a car outside a Toronto store.  It turned out it was just a fun window decal.

 

    In Canada we are used to seeing the Queen's face everywhere we go.  She is on our money, our stamps and more.  The stamp pictured above is from a display on Adelaide Street East near Toronto's First Post Office.

    At the Royal Ontario Museum is a giant example of the Queen appearing on Canadian currency.  This million dollar gold coin weighs 100 kg and is made from 99.999% pure gold buillon.  The Royal Canadian Mint only ever made five of these in 2007.  At the time of release it held the Guiness world's record for largest gold coin.  Now that the Queen has passed we wonder what the coin's value is today.  Any new coins produced by the Royal Canadian Mint will now feature King Charles on them.

    Aside from all the currency changes around the world there will also be changes to many structures throughout England and abroad.  This doorway at Windsor Castle has the Queen's Cypher hanging over it.  The letters stand for Elizabeth Regina.

 

 

   Normally the letters in the cypher are shown as E II R for Elizabeth the second.  This wall at the Tower of London is only one of the thousands of places which will now be changed to C III R for Charles the third.

 

  

   All of the guard stations will need to be repainted.  The Royal Guards are known to stand still and hold their post despite distractions or extreme heat.  Perhaps the painters will just set up a ladder and do their work around the stationed guard.

      Post boxes across the country will need to be changed.  Some of these marked for Queen Elizabeth II may have been around for 70 years.  We are not sure how quickly or if these changes will even be made.  King Charles is already 73 years old so he will be very lucky if he can serve as Head of the Commonwealth for even a quarter of the time that his mother served.

 

     Even souvenirs such as this post box shaped candy tin will see changes.  You will be able to tell from the cypher if your souvenir represents the Queen or the new King.  We predict that anything with the Queen's cypher on it will become highly sought after.

 

    We also predict that souvenirs of the Queen will be around for many years to come just because she was so well loved.  Good news if you don't yet have your very own solar-powered, waving Queen figurine.

     A Queen made completely out of Lego was once at Hamley's toy store in London, England.  It's too bad that this was not sold as a kit.  It might take a bit of time to build, but would be well worth it.

 

    In Kensington Palace we saw some more personal items belonging to the Queen.  This flowered dinner gown was worn by the Queen during a visit to Nova Scotia, Canada in 1959.  The mayflower is the provincial flower of Nova Scotia.

 

    These two other dresses are a formal gown with beaded embroidery worn for the opening of the New Zealand parliament in 1963 and a yellow evening gown worn at the 1961 premiere of The Guns of Nazarene at the Odeon Leicester Square.

 

       These are just a few of the things and places that remind us of the Queen.  Memorials like this one at a British Grocery store in Oakville, Ontario will be showing up everywhere.  She will long be remembered by many people around the world.

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Post # 315

Moose In The City

   In the year 2000, Toronto mayor Mel Lastman and the founder of McDonald's Canada decided to unleash about 300 moose into the city.  Originally, businesses purchased a fibreglass moose and it was uniquely painted by an artist. Now over 22 years later these moose can still be found popping up in unexpected places.   This is a list of the moose we have managed to track down, in no particular order.  All but one of them can be found in Ontario, Canada. Visit them while you can as you never know when they may be off to a new home.

1 ) World Famous Moose  (1 McDonald's Place, North York)

    This moose stands outside McDonald's Canada Headquarters.  Its plaque says it is "World Famous Moose".  We think it should be called Ronald McMoose after the character it resembles.

   As an added bonus, this moose is located right next to a giant McCafe coffee cup.

2)  Lucky Moose  (393 Dundas Street West, Toronto)

    Lucky Moose stands on top of the Lucky Moose Food Mart.  The market might even have been named after the moose.  The logo on the sign however, has the horns of a cow.

3)  ATS Moose  (100 Vaughan Valley Blvd, Woodbridge)

 

    This all red moose stands in front of ATS Healthcare which provides temperature controlled transportation for medical purposes.

4)  Bay Street Moose  (4241 Dundas St W, Etobicoke)

    This moose is wearing his best suit and is ready for some wheeling and dealing on Bay Street.  When the day is done he is up on the roof of Gibson's Cleaners to get his suit dry cleaned.

5)  Yellow Moose  (1900 Steeles Ave W, Concord)

An all yellow moose with a few blue highlights stands out front of Alpa Lumber Group.

6)  Impact Tools Moose  (1170 The Queensway, Etobicoke) 

 

 

    Another all yellow moose is up on the roof of Impact Tools.  This one is wearing some sort of protective vest.

7)  Santa Moose  (50 Bonnie Dr, Simcoe, ON)

 

   Out in Simcoe, Ontario they do a special Christmas Panorama each winter.  Santa Moose who originally stood outside Sick Children's Hospital in Toronto makes a special appearance every year.

8)  Bluewinkle Moose  (8200 Warden Ave., Unionville)

     This moose is rumoured to be in the lobby area of the IBM Canada Software Lab.  This is a private company building so we are not sure if we will ever manage a visit before this moose moves on.

  9)  Centreville Moose  (Centreville Amusement Park, Toronto Islands)

   This moose we know is no longer where we spotted it many years ago.  We were busy taking pictures of the touring cars we enjoyed riding in as children when this moose snuck into the shot.

  10) Cherry Shirt Moose  (1405 Denison St, Markham)

 

    This moose is wearing a cherry shirt, jean shorts and little red shoes. Also maybe too much blush?

10 ) CuJo Moose  (1037 Little Britain Rd, Little Britain)

      This moose out in the town of Little Britain is named after legendary Toronto Maple Leaf goalie Curtis Joseph.  While you are there you can get some sweet treats at the Buttertarts 'N More store.

11 ) Florence Moosingale  (396 Moore Ave, Toronto)

 

    This moose is located outside of Integracare. Integracare provides health care services.  The moose was named after Florence Nightingale who was the founder of modern nursing.  Florence Moosingale could be the founder of modern moosing.

12 ) St. Clement's Moose  (21 St Clements Ave, Toronto)

    St. Clement's is a private school for girls and at least one moose.  This moose is all dressed up in the school uniform.

 

13 ) Global Moose  (222 Bremner Blvd, Toronto)

 

    This moose was found inside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.  He is wearing a nice suit with flags from around the world.

 

14 ) Mountie Moose  (430 Pine St, Waubaushene)

     This moose used to be seen hanging around the CN Tower but has since changed locations.  He was all dressed up like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  When a beloved moose mascot named Wauby was damaged at a truck stop in Waubaushene it is rumoured that the Mountie was sent in to save the day. 

15 ) Angus Moose  (231 Mill St, Angus)

     Formerly known as Marty, this moose is now called Angus after the town where it resides.  At some point it is rumoured to be placed near the drive-thru of the local McDonald's.  It was repainted by local students when it moved from its original home at the Universal Studios offices in North York.

16 ) Northwest Moose  (20 Wynford Drive, Toronto)

      This moose is blue and white and stands outside a medical centre just across the steet from the Aga Khan Museum.  

17 ) Incredible Moose  (30 St. Regis Crescent N, North York)

     This colourful moose is standing outside of Incredible Printing.  It has different type faces on it.

 

18 ) Zeus Moose  (169 South Rd, Devonshire, Bermuda)

     This is the only moose on our list that is not in Ontario, Canada.  He can be found wearing his Bermuda shorts in the land that invented them.   He moved from Canada to the Bermuda Botanical Gardens, in Bermuda of course.

19 ) Computer Common's Moose  (2000 Simcoe St N, Oshawa)

     This moose may not have been part of Moose In The City, but it sure looks the part.  This silver moose can be found in the Gordon Willey Building of Durham College.

  

20 ) Canadian Crane Moose Trio  (60 Saunders Rd, Barrie)

 

     These three moose can be seen on the roof of the Canadian Crane building as you head northbound into Barrie on the 400 Highway.  We haven't had a chance to get a good photo yet.  We are either speeding past headed north or distracted as we slowly stop and start headed southbound with the cottage country traffic.  Perhaps the Good Life Fitness parking lot on the west side of Highway 400 would give us a good view to finally get a picture. 

21 ) Green & Ross Moose  (3899 Highway 7, Woodbridge)

     This green moose is outside of an Active Green + Ross Tire And Automotive Centre.  

22 ) Stanley Moose  (St Leonards Ave and Mount Pleasant Rd, Toronto)

     This moose can be spotted looking off of the roof of a private residence along Mount Pleasant Road.  

23 ) Police Moose  (40 College St, Toronto)

     Police Moose is ready to serve and protect at the Toronto Police Headquarters.  He even has a moose calf with him helping to keep watch over the Police Museum.   

241 ) Kennedy Road Moose  (2 Antrim Crescent, Scarborough)

 

     The Kennedy Road Business Association sponsors this moose.  The moose thanks you for supporting the many businesses located between Lawrence Avenue and the 401.

 

  

25 ) Excalibur Moose  (100 Princes' Blvd , Toronto)

 

     This moose was found hiding down the hallway on the far east end of the Enercare Centre (Formerly Direct Energy Centre).  He has scenes from years of the Canadian National Exhibition painted on his body.  He also has golden antlers and wears a crown.

 

Well, there are about 25 moose we have found for you.  Only a couple of hundred more to go.  If anyone has recently found a missing moose let us know in the comments.  We will update this list if we locate any more on our travels.

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Map of Our World

Moose In The City Toronto Map , Moose In The City World Map

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Post # 311

Little India

 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: 1432 Gerrard Street East
Date: Feb 2022

    Little India is the name given to a stretch of Gerrard Street East between Greenwood and Coxwell avenues.  It is named after the many Indian restaurants and businesses in the area.  We took some time to take a walk through this part of Toronto.

   We started our journey just south of Gerrard Street East on Greenwood Ave.  The people on the back of this building were also headed north.

      The next building paid homage to the clay brickyards that used to reside in the area.  The mural shows children playing in the streets and the signs above list some of the brickyards.  Some of the brickyards are John Price, Taylor, Wagstaff, Russell and more.  The building also used to hold the Brickyard Bistro.

   The brickyards used to operate further north on Greenwood Avenue.  Once all the clay in the area was used, the yards became a city dump and finally became the property of the Toronto Transit Commision for adding trains to the Bloor Danforth subway line.

    We visited the Greenwood Rail Yard during one of Toronto's Doors Open days.  As part of the event we were given a free subway ride around the yard.

    We headed along Gerrard Street and finally encountered our first bit of India.  At Glenside Avenue we were greeted by a giant peacock painted on the wall.

   As with most of Toronto, no area is all just one culture or style.  Right across from the peacock is a little bit of Greece at the Athens Villa apartments.

  One thing that we noticed a lot during our walk was elephants.  There were elephants up on the rooftops.

   If you knew where to look.

    There were elephants on the fence outside of the local library branch.

  There were also dancers, tigers and the Taj Mahal.

   Here are a few more works of art we noticed on our walk on Rhodes Avenue.  There was a group of cats waiting to pounce on a bird.  There was also a spray painted koala and Uncle Pennybags, better known to some as Mr. Monopoly.  Lastly, as we made it to Coxwell Avenue we came across Super Dave Convenience which always reminds us of the late, great Super Dave Osbourne. 

  These are only a few of the treasures hidden in Little India, we will have to return again when we can explore further.

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Map of Our World
Brickyards Mural , Peacock Mural, Little India Elephants, Toronto Public Library - Gerrard/Ashdale Branch, 1465 Koala, Swizzle Cats, Utility Box (Uncle Pennybags), Flower In A Jar
Athens Villa, Super Dave Convenience
TTC Greenwood Yard

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Post # 309