Foodie Favourites No.04: The Butcher's Son

Ingredients: Meat & more. 'nuff said? Attention meat eaters The Butcher's Son wants to feed you tasty meat products and other delicious goodies. I have been trying their sandwiches out lately at lunch and they are positively mouth street! Get it in the pie hole good. My favourite is the spicy chicken but the porchetta is pork-alicious as well. Next up will be the steak sandwich with caramelized onions and mushrooms of course. Take a look...

Django Unchained: The D Is Silent

I got a sneak peek at a movie coming out Christmas day. Jamie Foxx plays the title role of love lorn slave turned, gunslinging bounty hunter in Quentin Tarantino's adaptation of the 1966 Spaghetti Western Django. It's a great homage and Frank Nero even makes a cameo appearance. There's no coffin in this version since the director had already done something similar in Desparado with a guitar case. Here we have Django, a man freed from slavery by a German dentist/bounty hunter in pre-Civil War times. They join forces collecting bountys on wanted men while plotting to rescue Django's wife Broomhilda from the clutches of Candie Land Plantation owner, Calvin Candie played by Leonardo DiCaprio.  A violent, bloody, racially and emotionally charged tale of vengeance. Truly a spectacle of Tarantino proportions with period parley, bloody gunfights, explosions, mandingo fighting and romance! This is his best flick since Jackie Brown. It won't go without it's critics. If Spike Lee had a problem with the amount of N-bombs used in that movie, he's not gonna be happy about this one. Oh ya...at 165 minutes you should probably go with large size snacks.
Check out the art work for the film including artist Olly Moss

Photo Adventure No.05: Bowlerama

Ahh the smell of oiled lanes and old shoes. There's a certain romance I have for bowling. As a youth it was something to do in the winter when I couldn't skateboard and didn't want to hang out at the mall. One of my favourite movies has bowling at it's core. The Big Lebowski is a classic Coen brothers reworking of The Big Sleep, starring Jeff Bridges as The Dude. There's a scene where Walter (John Goodman's Character) pulls a gun on a fellow league member for stepping over the lane line. He threatens Smokey to "mark it zero or enter a world of hurt". In a real life ironic twist someone was shot at the Bowlerama near where I lived. Maybe bowling is more hardcore than I thought. Bowling PIX

1000 Pageviews!

Спасибо другу. Thank you to my Russian viewer who was the 1000th pageview of this blog. It's been a great five months. Your feedback has been inspiring. I hope this is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more!

Photo Adventure No.04: Record Store Day

Happy Record Store Day y'all! It was time to pay a visit to my local vinyl shop Vortex Records (Toronto's finest IMO). I was in search of some unreleased, live Grateful Dead platters. It's a smokin' set of tunes from Winterland Arena, May 30, 1971.May has always been know as a magical month for The Dead and this specimen is further proof. I was also interested in Bob Dylan's single which was also released today in limited pressing Duquesne Whiste/Meet Me In The Morning(Alternate Take). Unfortunately I missed out on that one.
Record Store Day Photos

Photo Adventure No.03: Toronto Zombie Walk 2012

!!!WARNING*GRAPHIC CONTENT*ZOMBIES!!!
This was my third time taking photos at the Toronto Zombie Walk. A surreal transformation of the usual hordes of humanity strolling in the downtown core. This years lurch started in Nathan Phillips Square. West on Queen. North up University. East across Dundas then south down Yonge back to Nathan Phillips Square. Even though it's cute 'n' nice and all that families are getting more involved, it feels like the terror has been toned down from previous walks. I saw some familiar zombies and the usual batch of iconic characters if they had become undead in their other fictional lives. All good fun with Halloween around the corner!

2012
2011
2010 Director`s Cut

Travelogue No.07: Santa Barbara

Just like the soap opera that I never saw, Santa Barbara was here and then gone. My brief stay in town left me with a good yet narrow opinion of this quiet city by the sea. State Street is a one stop shop, drink & eat destination. We hadn't had Thai food since coming to California so it was nice to get a good meal in at Galanga Thai Restaurant. Further was going to be at The Santa Barbara Bowl on Oct. 7 but again my timing was off. Missed them in San Francisco. Missed them in L.A. Three strikes and you're out!

Santa Barbara

Travelogue No.06: Beverly Hills & West Hollywood

Niagara Fall's on Steroids. For those of you in Southern Ontario, you're pickin up what I'm puttin' down. A tourist trap to say the least. I still had to go check out the usual stops so I actually took a Starline Tours "Hop On Hop Off" bus around West Hollywood. My real purpose was to get off at stop 13 on  the Red Line. Sirius/XM Satellite radio host Jason Ellis has a great show that airs 12-4pm PST on Faction 41 and is located near there. He was kind enough to sign my book and even put me on the air for 15 minutes. Pretty cool of him to do that and what a unique experience!

Beverly Hills & West Hollywood (Highlights)
Beverly Hills & West Hollywood (Full Tour)

Travelogue No.05: Huntington Beach

Dude, totally stoked about this surf spot! I could photograph surfers all day long. Huntington Beach's laid back, casual atmosphere and complete imersion in surf & skate culture made this a place I could live. Sancho's Tacos alone would make me move. I was a little turned off and surprised to see all the oil derricks and off shore rigs in plain sight but it doesn't bother the surfers so it shouldn't bother me;)

Huntington Beach (Highlights)
Huntington Beach (Full Tour)

Travelogue No.04: Malibu, Santa Monica & Venice Beach

Neil Young wrote some of his best works in Malibu. It`s easy to see how anyone could lose track of time while being inspired by the scenery. Wind swept beaches and psychedelic sunsets. We had a light dinner at Geoffrey`s. There was a power outage in town but it came on once we arrived so we had the place to ourselves. A privilege not many celebrities might even get;) Santa Monica`s iconic pier was a flashing beacon of light as should be expected. And shopping on the 3rd st. Promenade was only steps away from our crazy, cool suite at The Shangri La . A free upgrade upon check in. I guess I looked famous.
On our way out we stopped by Venice Beach. It's a pretty sketchy strip but I did enjoy the skateboard culture. My car was adorned with a souvenir parking ticket when I got back to the car. I thought the sign meat I could park free for two hours. Free parking...who was I kidding?

Malibu, Santa Monica & Venice Beach (Highlights)
Malibu, Santa Monica & Venice Beach (Full Tour)

Travelogue No.03: Pismo Beach

Maybe it was a Bugs Bunny cartoon where I had heard of Pismo Beach before. I can`t be sure what it was but I am glad I visited the Clam Capitol of the World. I love fried clams and clam chowder and I was as happy as a clam eating there. I also met a great singer & guitar player, Rick Schafer who I am happy to call a friend. It was amazing to meet someone on the road willing to share great personal and fascinating stories.

Pismo Beach

Travelogue No.02: Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur etc.

The West Coast in general has a much more dramatic landscape and in this area of California, Mother Nature`s ferocious beauty can be seen everywhere you look. 17 Mile Drive is a beautiful stretch of road on the Monterey Peninsula starting in Monterey and ending in Carmel. A community of homes, golf courses and rugged landscape. As the driver I had to stop many times to take in my surroundings. There are plenty of vista points to do this safely. Still you must put safety first on this drive. Following Pacific Coast Highway 1 south to Big Sur was a white knuckle ride with dusk becoming night. It is a two lane highway. There is not much of a shoulder with a cliff going up on one side, a cliff going down on the other side and guardrails are scare. Truly an epic, harrowing and exhilarating journey for any driving enthusiast.

Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur etc.(Highlights)
Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur etc.(Full Tour)

Travelogue No.01: San Francisco

"I prefer a wet San Francisco to a dry Manhattan" Larry Geraldi 
Stop one on the California Coastal Cruise, Fog City. Upon arrival I had a fantastic view of Yosemite then fog...fog...fog....RUNWAY! The first 2 days were foggy or cloudy and cold but it didn't keep me from taking a nice, long walk around the waterfront. That is the easiest part of walking in this city. It's flat! As a former skate rat it was cool to see skateboard culture still alive down by the Ferry Building on Embarcadero. The market inside is full of great little bars, sprinkled with local cheese, mushroom, meat, seafood and baked good vendors. I took a Cable Car back to the hotel at Union Square from Fisherman's Wharf. Considering the large, steep roadways between those two places this was a wise choice.
How could I go to San Francisco and not go to 710 Ashbury st. Former home to the Grateful Dead. So I took a trip down to Haight Ashbury where the Dead's spirit can still be seen, heard and smelled. The Giants made the playoffs so I bought myself a Grateful Dead Giants jersey as a souvenir. Go Giants Go!
Golden Gate Park and of course Golden Gate Bridge were must see and do attractions if I was to only visit once. I also had to drive down Lombard St. "The crookedest street in the world".
San Francisco is a beautiful city but California was only going to get more spectacular with the drive south.

San Francisco (Highlights)
San Francisco (Full Tour)

Photo Adventure No.02: Toronto Islands & Harbourfront

When I'm on any one of the Toronto Islands it doesn't feel like it's anywhere near a busy metropolis. I got on the ferry going to Ward's Island. Taking a bike over is very easy and a great way to get around. You can also rent bicycles, quadracycles, tandem bikes, paddle boats, row boats and canoes on Centre Island. I chose the paddle boat. Meh...not as fun as I thought it would be. It was a hot day and shade was scarce on the open water. It was cool to see some of the air show that was going on at the Ex (see previous post).  An hour later I was exhausted. Need....to...refuel. Mmmmm...funnel cake! That'll do:)  Ready for another pedal. Over to Hanlon's Point where I boarded a ferry back to the mainland. The last glimpses of sunlight were breaking up through the condo wall along Queen's Quay near Harbourfront Centre when I started my ride back home. That was a good day!

Photo Adventure No.01: EX-periment

Every year in Toronto (if yer not from these here parts) the Canadian National Exhibition, C.N.E., The Ex etc. is held the last two weeks of August.It's considered the last hoorah until it's Back-to-School time for the kiddies. For me it's something I only like to visit every five years or so. No longer am I interested in going on rides. Of course now that I am wiser(?) I don't really trust carnival rides that are carted around southern Ontario all summer long and then plopped down in the Exhibition Grounds for the final two weeks of summer. My interest is simple, unrefined, fried delicacies and assorted street foods. I also like bright lights!

Foodie Favorites No.03: Market 707

I wanted to check this diverse spot when I first heard about it. Took a nice bike ride down one Sunday only to find that the "Market" is closed on Sundays. Well I finally went back last Friday and am I glad I did! Awesome chicken curry dumplings and a kimchi/pork pancake w/spicy sauce from the Korean Snacks shop. Sticky plantain spring rolls at the Filipino window. By chance there were some food trucks to try as well. Gourmet Gringos had great pollo tacos (I just missed out on the mole short ribs) and cheese empanadas. Check this spot out, just not on Sunday. mmmm Market 707

Photo Exhibit @ Moonbean Coffee ***UPDATE***

The exhibit of my photos has been extended to September 10th. Go ahead and enjoy them some more folks!

Foodie Favourites No.02: Buster's Sea Cove Food Truck

Food trucks are finally finding homes in Toronto. I have been checking the Ontario Food Trucks website for locations and schedules. It just so happens that today Buster's Sea Cove food truck was filming for the third season of Eat st. a Food Network television show. Parked at a conveniently accessible spot on Front just west of Bay made this an easy trip to Union station, take the Front st exit and you can be eating fish tacos before you can say Dios mio!

Foodie Favourites No.01: Southern Accent

Before I went to Southern Accent my favourite fried catfish was had at Mulate's in New Orleans. Well right here in my own yard I can get some seriously good catfish. A really tasty cracker & spice encrusted fillet on a bed of pilaf with beautifully buttery collard greens and a tangy pickled jalepeno tartar sauce. Did I use enough descriptive words? Do you need to wipe the drool from your chin? Seriously Good! I am obviously a big fan of the catfish but I also enjoyed a simple classic "N'awlins" dish, Hush Puppies. Fried dough. How can you go wrong? On a hot, humid July night with a storm cloud threatening, I figured that a bourbon sour would help paint the perfect Yeah You Right scene.

It's Johnny's Birthday

Yup, It's Johnny's Birthday. It's been a great weekend! Dinner with family on Friday. On Saturday I bought a sweet new mountain bike to replace my ride that was stolen Canada Day. The guys at RBinc know their bikes and have some super deals right now. Check 'em out. Saturday evening I saw an awesome Papa Grows Funk concert at the 24th Annual Beaches International Jazz Festival. Today I did a little bit of shopping downtown and later I'll be going for dinner at Southern Accent. Good Times!

A Guy Walks Into a Bar...

A comedy bar. Absolute Comedy hosted an evening of laughs this Wednesday. A Pro-Am night that my friend Wojtek Arciszewski was participating in. It was a very funny night from both the Pros and the Ams. Six amateurs had six minutes of material to unleash on the crowd. There was also a professional emcee and two pro comics that each did fifteen minutes. Not a bad Wednesday evening. It put me in a good mood for the weekend. Get out and see some live comedy too!

Photo Exhibit @ Moonbean Coffee

Good thing I stopped for a cappuccino at Moonbean Coffee last week. They have offered me their wall space for a few weeks. This is a wonderful opportunity to get myself out there and be seen. I'd say this is really my first exhibit ever. It's exciting! Hopefully you will be able to check it out. I'll hang the works tomorrow and they will be up until August 10th. Don't forget to get a delicious coffee to enjoy while viewing.
Exhibit Photos

Cappuccino Capers No.04: Moonbean Coffee

First off, what a great name. I've been to this bean house before while in Kensington Market. For those who know, Kensington is one of the best places to get food from around the world and at great prices. That goes for groceries and food joints. Foodies for foodies, all condensed into one 3-4 street melting pot. You know Anthony Bourdain would be stopping by the Market on a Layover for sure! So the beans at Moonbean are of some of the highest quality and always fresh. Cappuccino Capers No.04: Moonbean

Cappuccino Capers No.03: Bulldog Coffee

Another great spot in the Yonge & Eglinton neighbourhood is Bulldog Coffee. The original Bulldog is at 89 Granby st. just north of Ryerson University. Their bean has a good strong flavour and the baristas make a good creamy steamed milk. It's a pretty big cappo. I'd call it a latte to tell you the truth but as we all know, size is everything when it comes to coffee servings. That's one of the finer points I loved about ordering a cappo in Italy. It was always the same size. Cappuccino Capers No. 03: Bulldog Cafe

Tribute To An Old Friend

The unthinkable happened to me last night. One of my most beloved items was stolen away from me. MY BIKE! as Pee Wee Herman exclaims in his Big Adventure. On Sunday night, I felt exactly like he did in that movie. I would hear a bike, turn around and expect to nab the robber as he rode past. It was a strange night. While on College st. snapping photos of the soccer win fiesta, two fellows were really keen on my wheels. Three hours later at Nathan Phillips Square, a girl asked me if I thought it was safe to lock my bike up downtown. I was like "Sure, I do it all the time". Which is true. 10:00pm I lock the bike up for the last time in the east side of the Square, at the bike rack, under bright lights and near a security camera. What could go wrong? 10:30pm. I walk around the square, circling back to the bike rack. I see my bike in a halo of shinning light. The last time I would see the glint of her broken bell. 11:00pm. Nothing but an empty space at the rack where I left my cycle. I was in shock. Who am I kidding, I still am! Lesson learned. No lock is impenetrable. No bike is untouchable. Hopefully I truly am in good Hands with Allstate. Tribute To An Old Friend

Olé Canada

Happy Canada Day everyone! Plenty to do in the city as usual to celebrate. This years party was punctuated by the Spanish winning the Euro Cup tournament. Isn't Fiesta Nacional on October 12th? That's what I love about Toronto. I get to enjoy all the cultural celebrations of the world because there's a little bit of the world everywhere you look in Toronto. In this case I rode my bike down to the festivities on College st. About a block from Little Italy. There was a lot of good spirits as Italians and Spanish alike danced, embraced and waved flags. At one point a half naked Luchador gave me a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Later on my ride took me down to Queen st. and over to Nathan Phillips Square for the Tower of Power concert as part of Toronto Jazz Festival. This is one of my favourite events to go to in the summer. It was the third show in five days I took the old bicycle down there. Enjoying the wind in my face. It was to be my last ride for a while...Olé Canada 

No, Seriously...Maple Bacon Fudge!

Yup. If you like bacon. And you like fudge. BOOM! Flavour explosion. I will use the following food equation to demonstrate my analysis of this combination of coronary coagulants. Sweet + Salty = Tasty

Cappuccino Capers No.02: .GELATO

It only made sense to start in my own hood. So I'll talk about my favourite Yonge & Eglinton coffee spots.
Since my cappo addiction began in Italy, .GELATO Simply Italian was the logical choice for me to check out when I got home. I was not disappointed.

In the fall of 2011, after returning from Italy, I was going to this place every day for my fix. Eventually the staff would call out "cappuccino" when I walked through the door. This place was very similar to some of the cafés we visited in Rome, Florence & Milan. Not only is there great coffee but you can find fantastic gelato, crepes, granitas and specialities like spaghettieis. 

We're talkin' coffee here though. The bean these guys use is a brand imported from Italy called Gran Caffé Santos. This is the bean that I buy now for my home brew. To me, it's that good. As the cappo cups at .GELATO say...La differenza! 'Nuff said? Cappuccino Capers No. 02: .GELATO

Cappuccino Capers No.01: My Place

Welcome to the first brew of my ground bean obsession inspired entries. That sentence is a mouthful and so is the beverage I desire. Not simply brewed coffee. Steam pressed, liquid, black, bean gold. Or Espresso in it's native Italian tongue. I still like a little milk in my coffee so it's cappuccinos for me. In this series I will take you on a tour of some of Toronto's tastier grind houses.
Sometimes I think that I've become so much of a coffee snob that I say the only good cappuccinos in the city  are brewed right in my own abode. There's something I really enjoy about the process of making cappos. Grinding the beans. Filling the portafilter. Tamping the grounds. Steaming the grounds. Steaming the milk and finally, combining the two liquids to create a creamy, bitter-sweet elixir. If I don't get to do this once a day it feel's like my day is incomplete. Cappuccino Capers No. 01: MyPlace

Buckwallow Weekend

Cross Country riding in Grravenhurst this weekend. Some great new runs! Hoof Hearted and Still Here. I love Buckwallow!!

A Day In The Life...

I had a few friends tell me about this project called ADAY.org The idea is that anyone with a camera, any where in the world can take a photo on May15, 2012 and submit it to ADAY.org All submissions will be accepted and shown on their website. Some will also be chosen for exhibitions and a select few for a book.
Here are the images I am submitting...A day
Here is some listening material to accompany this blog entry: A Day In The Life by The Beatles

Sale! Sale! Sale!

Today is the day. Photo Frames, Photo Cards and Photo Canvases on sale in The Hub at Canadian Tire's Home Office. Make your way over and check out the gallery. Don't forget that 10% of proceeds go to support the Jumpstart charity, helping kids get involved in sports.

Support Jumpstart

hocusfocuspix and friends will be having a sale to support Canadian Tire's Jumpstart program. It's a great charity that helps kids get involved in sports and nurtures a healthy lifestyle. Good on ya CTC!
10% of proceeds will be donated to the cause.
http://jumpstart.canadiantire.ca/

New Begining

A long awaited destination to share my vision of the world I live in. 

SUPERMOON

Here are some images I created from pix gathered during the Supermoon occurrence tonight.