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Wednesday 20 September 2023

Love Park

Love Park Toronto Ontario.

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address:  96 Queens Quay W
Date:  July 2023
Website:  www.waterfrontoronto.ca

  Love Park in Toronto opened in June 2023.  The park is focused around a large tree in a heart shaped pond.  It is tucked into the corner of business towers and condos at Queens Quay West and York Street.

LOVE Park As Former Gardiner Expressway Off Ramp Toronto.

    The park was built in an area that used to be an off ramp for the Gardiner Expressway.  For years the concrete pillars were all that remained of this ramp.
 
Love Park Pond Toronto Ontario

    The pond in the middle of the park is shaped like a heart except it has no pointy edges.  The heart in the park is best appreciated from above.  We hope one day to find ourselves high enough up in one of the buildings that surround the park in order to look down at the heart.

Love Park Toronto's Red Mosaic Seating.

     The red glass mosaic that curves around the edge of the pond is being called a "love seat" by the city.  It will give 165 meters of seating for people to enjoy the park.  The water in the pond is meant to be natural and uses no chlorine of other chemicals to filter the water.  When the pond first opened, people were concerned about the bright green water. 

Love Park Animal Sculptures.

     One feature of the park that may go unnoticed by some, is that there are nine bronze cast animal sculptures hidden around the grounds.  Don't worry, we won't spoil your fun and tell you exactly where each creature is hiding.  We have included photos of the animals below so you know what you are looking for.
 
Love Park Toronto Beaver Sculpture.
  
  A sculpture of a beaver sits on its own private island.
 
Love Park Toronto Fox Sculpture.

  A fox sculpture can be found next to one of the benches.

Love Park Toronto Rabbit Sculpture.

   A rabbit sculpture also likes to hang out near the benches.  It had better watch out for Mr. Fox.

Love Park Polar Bear Sculpture.

    A polar bear sculpture is supposedly based on Juno the polar bear from the Toronto Zoo.

Love Park Chipmunk Sculpture.

      A chipmunk sculpture is busy filling its cheeks with golden hearts.

Love Park Toronto Raccoon Sculpture.

    A raccoon sculpture wanders the park.

Toronto Love Park Raccoon Sculpture.

    Most Toronto residents should be familiar with the photo above.  A raccoon prowling around looking for trouble in the middle of the night. 

 Love Park Toronto Blue Jay Sculpture.

    A blue jay sculpture sits up in a trellis.  There are quite a few Blue Jay fans in Toronto.

Love Park Toronto Owl Sculpture.

    Another bird sculpture of an owl sits perched looking over the square.

Toronto Love Park Woodpecker Sculpture.

    The final sculpture is a woodpecker hunting for a meal in the concrete jungle.

Love Park Toronto Tree In The Sun.

      The sun shines through the buildings and falls on the big tree in the middle of the pond.  We suggest you also spend a little time enjoying what Love Park has to offer.  Love Toronto.  Love animals.  Love Park.


Map of Our World
Love Park

Post # 327

Sunday 20 August 2023

Lahaina Hawaii

Lahaina's Famous Banyan Tree.

Location: Lahaina, Hawaii, USA
Date: Feb 2017
Website:  lahainatown.com

  On August 8th 2023 there was a wildfire on the Hawaiian island of Maui.  The fire burned through the historic town of Lahaina. Lahaina was the capital city of Hawaii back in 1820 when King Kamehameha II ruled. We always visited the town during our trips to Maui. This blog looks at some of the structures that have been lost or damaged in the fires. If you click the link to the website above, you can donate and help the people who call Lahaina home.

Lahaina Cannery Mall

  Built in 1987, the Lahaina Cannery Mall offered free shows on its stage.  There were hula shows offered weekly.  Our favourite was the weekend keiki dance. Keiki means child in Hawaiian.

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse Lahaina

  The Kobe Japanese Steakhouse in Lahaina had already shut down before the fire.  At the hibachi table your chef would prepare food with great skill.  The photo above shows an onion volcano erupting.

Wo Hing Museum Lahaina

  The Wo Hing Society Building on Front Street was built around 1912 as a social hall.  An increasing number of Chinese immigrants were arriving in Maui to work in the sugarcane industry and could meet here.  Wo Hing means "Peace, Harmony & Prosperity".

Pioneer Mill Co. Smokestack

    The Pioneer Mill Company was the first plantation to grow sugar comercially in Lahaina in 1860.  This 225 foot tall smokestack is built of brick and concrete.  After operations ceased in 1999, the smokestack was restored so it would remain standing as a symbol of Lahaina's past.

Sugarcane Train Myrtle Kaanapali to Lahaina

    The Sugarcane Train ran from Kaanapali's plantations to the mill in Lahaina. The steam engine trains continued to operate as tourist trains once they were no longer in commercial use. The train above is train No. 3 and is called Myrtle.  It had just turned around in Kaanapali and released some steam.

Sugarcane Train Lahaina Turntable.

    At the station in Lahaina the engine would be turned around on a giant wooden turntable.

Baldwin Home Museum Lahaina

    The Baldwin Home was the oldest house on Maui.  It was built on Front Street in 1834. In 1836 Reverend Baldwin and his famiy started living in the home.  The Baldwin home was always open to help those in the community or visiting travellers. Reverend Baldwin helped vaccinate local residents during the smallpox epidemic of the 1950s.

Lahaina Jodo Mission.

  On the north end of Lahaina sits the Jodo Mission.  This historic Buddhist temple has been here since 1932. 

Jodo Mission Buddha.

  Sitting near the temple is this 12 foot tall Buddha.

Bubba Gump Lahaina Monkeypod Tree.

  This building on Front Street was built around a monkeypod tree.  It used to be a Bubba Gump's restaurant.  A monkeypod tree is also called a rain tree.

Fleetwood's On Front Street Lahaina.

  A little further along Front Street you will find Fleetwood's restaurant and bar.  It is owned by Maui resident Mick Fleetwood.  He is known for being a member of the popular rock group, Fleetwood Mac.

Lahaina Front Street Businesses.

  Another Maui resident is Clint Eastwood. This stretch of Front Street has faced a natural disaster before, but only in the movies.  Clint's movie Hereafter brought a computer generated tsunami wave through this part of town.

Lahaina's Historic Front Street.

  Front Street in Lahaina has many historic building dating back to the very early 1900's or earlier.

Old Fort Lahaina.

  One of the oldest structures in town is Old Fort Lahaina.  It was built in 1831 and demolished in 1854.  A small portion of the fort can be seen in what is now Courthouse Square.

Lahaina Heritage Museum Old Courthouse.

  Once the fort was demolished, a courthouse was built on the square.  It later became the Lahaina Heritage Museum and home to the Lahaina Restoration Foundation.  The Lahaina Restoration Foundation worked hard to preserve the historic buildings around town.

Lahaina Pioneer Inn

    The Pioneer Inn was built in 1901 and was the oldest continuously operating hotel in Hawaii.  It sits on the edge of Courthouse Square.

One-Legged Sailor Pioneer Inn Lahaina.

  A one-legged sailor carved out of wood stood outside the hotel.  Lahaina was filled with talented artists and their work can be seen throughout the town.

Oldest Pacific Lighthouse Lahaina.

  Also standing outside of the Pioneer Inn is the oldest lighthouse on the Pacific.  The Lahaina Lighthouse is a beacon for boats entering the Lahaina harbour.

Pioneer Inn Harbour Side Entrance.

  In the movie The Devil At 4 O'Clock, Frank Sinatra is a prisoner.  He is escorted from the docks and then passes the Lahaina lighthouse and the entrance to the Pioneer Inn.

Lahaina Harbour

  We also walked from the docks past the lighthouse and the Pioneer Inn when we did whale watching tours with the Pacific Whale Foundation.  We enjoyed Sunset, Dinner and Whale Watching cruises. 

Humpback Whale Tail Maui Hawaii.

 The waters off of Maui are full of humpback whales between November and March when the whales come to mate and give birth.

Zebra Dove Lahaina Hawaii.

  The wildfires have taken a great toll on the people of Lahaina, but will also have a huge affect on the smaller creatures that called the town home.  This zebra dove (above) is just one of many species that will have to adapt.  Here is an older blog post about the birds of Maui.

Ghost Crab Lahaina.

  This little ghost crab was running along the beach during one of our visits.  His fate is uncertain as the land and the sea work together.

 Dan's Greenhouse Parrot.

   Here is another blog post about Dan's Greenhouse.  It also shows more of Lahaina's Front street.

    We always enjoyed our visits to Maui and Lahaina, not because of the structures we mention in this post, but because of the people.  They have always been welcoming and courteous.  Our thoughts are with the residents of Lahaina who have lost so much  We know that just like their mighty Banyan Tree they will support each other and they will endure.


Map of Our World
Lahaina

Post # 326

Thursday 20 July 2023

World's Largest Nipper Statue

World's Largest Nipper Statue In Albany New York

Location:
Albany, New York, USA
Address:  991 Broadway
Date: June 2023
Website:  www.rca.com

  In 1898, Francis Barraud painted a picture of his dog Nipper curiously listening to a phonograph.  It has since become a famous logo for corporations such as RCA and HMV.  RCA stands for Radio Corporation of America and HMV stands for His Master's Voice.  His Master's Voice was the name of the painting.

His Master's Voice Oxford Street London England

  The front entrance of the HMV store on Oxford Street in London, England has Nipper pictured with a gramophone. When Barraud tried to sell his painting, the Gramophone Company was interested but only if the phonograph was changed to a gramophone.  Barraud painted another painting and this is the logo that you see today. HMV started using this logo in 1909.

World's Largest RCA Dog Statue Albany New York

      The world's largest Nipper has been sitting on top of a warehouse in Albany, New York since 1958.  He is made of fibreglass and steel and weighs about 4000 kg and stands almost 28 feet tall.  He has no gramophone, so he listens to the sounds of the city.

Giant Nipper On Albany New York Rooftop

   Nipper sits alone in an industrial part of town so he would be happy for you to come and pay him a visit. He is an interesting part of history and an interesting logo. What is Nipper listening to we wonder?

RCA Logos On A Compact Disc.

    You may already have something with Nipper on it in your CD and record collection. We took a look around and quickly found the old electric RCA logo as well as Nipper on this CD from Pop Will Eat Itself that was released in 1990. Nipper may already be in your home too. If not a trip to Albany, New York will get you the most Nipper that can be found in one place.


Map of Our World
World's Largest Nipper , His Master's Voice
Post # 325