▲▲▲

A1

2011-08-18T20:04:00.000+02:00

I have been busy busy working on a body of work for an exhibition called Open Eyes Toronto. The opening night for the show is TONIGHT!! Excited!!! I am doing this group show with a few friends from school and other artists/photographers in the city exploring different perspectives on Toronto. For my contribution, I did a Public Drawing Survey, involving people to draw their interpretations on the CN as it reflected their idea of the city. Some very interesting results...

The show is running from August 16th to the 22nd at the Gladstone Hotel. We are having a discussion session on Saturday August 20th about issues affecting our city, and teaming up with Bruce Mau's office to do this. Should be great!

For more information, please check out our website: www.openeyestoronto.com.

J2

2011-07-12T06:33:00.000+02:00

New York. Part II.

J1

2011-07-12T06:11:00.000+02:00

New York. Summer 2011. Part I.

A1

2011-04-01T06:33:00.002+02:00

While we were on Moloka'i, the 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan. The island is so remote and local that we didn't have a signal for most of the trip. We had no idea that there was a tsunami coming towards us (thankfully there wasn't). Mark and I were camping near the beach when we were woken up by two police officers with flashlights telling us we had to leave because a tsunami was coming. Insane!! The sirens hadn't gone off yet at this point, so we were both in a sort of daze. The sound of the siren is something I don't think I'll ever forget...I felt like we were going to get bombed, as if we were in the middle of a war. So bizarre. We ended up moving to the middle of a giant field up near Maunaloa, and slept there until the morning. No one really talked about the "aftermath," or what could have been, so it was sort of business as usual on the island. It wasn't until we got back to O'ahu that we realized the damage in Japan was so much worse than we had anticipated. You can really feel that isolated in Hawai'i. Amazing and really unfortunate at the same time. I'm not sure what to make of our fortune. This is the second major natural disaster that I have been affected by where I have managed to come out unscathed. Is this some sort of masochistic trend? Possibly.

Halawa Bay. Unreal!

Part III up next...

M3

2011-03-31T06:00:00.000+02:00

Yikes. Already the end of March and only three posts! This month has been a little hectic I guess. March consisted of: the beginnings of a consistent happy hour (yes!), a trip to sun and back, insane natural disaster #2, an emergency evacuation adventure, fears for grad school, new website biznass, apartment hunting, and being sick. Not too exciting...I'm not sure how all my time passes these days, but somehow it's the end of March and I still haven't finished the small creative projects I set out to do a few months back...

I've set up a tumblr page to help me photodump without committing to making a facebook album or a million blog posts. It's a much better way to organize, share and archive my own image library of things that are of interest to me. You can follow me here: \\/\//

Sooooo I went to Hawai'i again for just over a week to visit Mark. It will probably be my last time on the island for a long time. Maybe until the end of the year, or the next. It was super sad to move all my things out of the apartment, and I don't think it's really sunken in yet that I've sort of closed a door on living there for a while. I finally got to see my friends Chrissy and Mika, who I spent endless hours and days with while I was in Copenhagen. Crazy reunion half way around the world! The week went by really quickly this time. I didn't get to see half the people I wanted to, but we did, as always, pack in a lot of activities for 8 days. Mardi Gras street party, Painted Highways show, Ka'ena Point hike, North Shore surfing, Makua Beach camping....Waiola shave ice!!!

Mark and I decided to take a trip to another island, and chose Moloka'i since neither of us had been previously. We flew on a small Cessna over there (about 40 minutes flight) and had no one else on the plane! It was like we had it specially chartered for the two of us :) It was an awesome way to start our 3 day trip, which was just enough time to see the island end to end. I got my dose of 4x4 action, which was soooo great. I was born to drive a Jeep. Yup. Part I of the trip:

Part II to come!!

M2

2011-03-05T03:52:00.000+01:00

Going back to da aina tomorrow :) Happy Friday!

M1

2011-03-03T06:01:00.000+01:00

I found these precedent scans while going through some old work. How fun Japanese playgrounds are! The alien, yet bizarrely natural landscapes and objects evoke a sense of uncertainty, exploration and independence. I'm reminded of the playground spots I used to habit as a child, but none come even close to the kind of imagination that these images provoke. But I have not left the playground since then. The idea of a "playground" emerges in every day life. Nodal points, landscape elements, fluid organization of people, etc. The cities and landscapes around us form a mega-playground in which we can abstract into a series of systematic points of interest, paths and permanent topographic elements that we conform and move through. We are constantly navigating our surroundings, and adapting to wavering conditions in weather, temperature and light. How we choose to understand our environments depends on our understanding of them, and I think playgrounds like these almost subvert our traditional idea of traversing, and causes one to think completely outside of the box. Children are "geniuses" when it comes to abstraction and divergent thinking, but maybe mostly because they have not yet learned to control their imagination, allowing them to interpret questions with answers that have such a high capacity for creativity. And I believe this kind of creativity is what drives us to be who we are.

My third year in school was probably the best one -- a year of discovery, experimentation and and work. The option studio with Andrew Levitt allowed me to focus on a body of work that centred around this idea of taking a part of the Toronto Islands and transforming it into a place for journey and self-discovery.

An abstract:

There are two types of travellers in this world - the earthly and the spiritual.

As we embark on our separate journeys towards a far-off telos, we find our relations and resemblances to the earth in the least likely place, where experiences like the curvature of a cup, the formation of morning dew, or the stillness in Polaris move us in ways we never realized. In these occurrences we find an intangible sense of place, and it is the distance between departure and arrival that holds key to understanding the how and nature of things to our bodily spirits.

The island embodies our greatest hopes and fears, and mediates between the spiritual realm of our unconsciousness and our conscious minds. This pilgrimage, or odyssey, through the landscape leads us to create a connection between both worlds by provoking individual responses from each traveler to the meeting places of the built and wild. Speculation arises from the subversion of expectations on the symbolic and mythological qualities of space and how one typically would experience it.

Marking this journey are a series of paths, many leading to unexpected destinations, and others leading to places of seemingly little significance. The path symbolizes the evolution of self-knowledge gained through experience, and provides and opportunity for introspection and confrontation. How you navigate your landscape becomes a true meditative task. As the dislocation from the built urban world puts one at a vulnerable state, we must reply on our senses to become our primary navigators of the wilderness. While the forest and darkness threatens our security and evokes our greatest fears, it is here in this journey into the unknown and unfamiliar where we are finally able to find our place.

Each return to the island brings a new perspective, outlook and path, enriching the site with lore, magic and history. The island continues to grow as more people come, and this symbiotic relationship of growth and self-growth evolves to greater levels of depth, forever rooting the island to the history of the people and necessarily back to the city.

The island is home.

I'm not sure I've been able to match the power and intensity I felt through the creation of a place like this. I sometimes think the reason why I am so drawn to Hawai'i is not only for its purity, but for it's sublime nature. I haven't travelled nearly enough to see other equally powerful places, but my affinity for landscapes that drive my own ambition isn't something I'm able to control. Toronto has a charm to it that can't be replicated anywhere else, but now that I've had a taste of more, it's hard to hold back ;)

In Hawai'i on Saturday!!!!!!

F10

2011-02-22T03:54:00.004+01:00

I feel like these images by Nikki Farquharson could be well described by listening to...dubstep. My brain feels like it's having a fluid seizure. Always wanted to know how to dance to dubstep? Check it here. Haha!

F9

2011-02-22T03:42:00.000+01:00

Rockie Fresh "Living," 2011

Really diggin this song right now. Reminds me of high school days all over again!

F8

2011-02-14T01:13:00.002+01:00

Lina Scheynius. One of my favourite photographers.

See her polaroid work here: http://polaroids.linascheynius.com

F7

2011-02-10T01:41:00.000+01:00

A collection of images, text and media that keep me inspired. \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\// \\/\//

F6

2011-02-09T06:13:00.000+01:00

Bandmates. All-Natural. Matching Birch Headbands.

Could you want more? Possibly yes.

CHECK IT. wearedashing.

F5 - Days on a farm

2011-02-09T06:08:00.000+01:00

Our 5 years in Cambridge culminated with an amazing weekend spent at Geoff's farm on Balsam Lake.

We had a rad dance party in the barn (no noise complaints, whoo!), re-assembled an old pavilion from 2B, and ate tons of great food.

It was absolutely perfect. I can't wait until the summer!!!

F4 - Arizona Pt. II

2011-02-08T06:53:00.000+01:00

Desert Lands. Arizona, December 2010.

F3

2011-02-08T06:14:00.003+01:00

F2

2011-02-08T06:13:00.000+01:00

Backtrack to 2010. Oops. Pre-blizzard, Christmas Market, White Squirrel ice cream sandwiches, dessert, gallery hop. Shit, it's winter.

F1

2011-02-08T05:46:00.002+01:00

Coming, soon!!! Time for an upgrade?

PS - Celine just posted her new photography website! Click here to see her beautiful photos :)

J6 - Origami Tessellation +

2011-01-30T23:11:00.001+01:00

I have debated with myself and friends over the legitimacy and practice of parametric design with "good" architecture. The technology and method is still primitive, in my opinion, but some great (looking) work has come out from it. On one side, I see the use of tools as purely experimental and superficial--powerful and visually compelling, but lacking in critical depth and ability to create a real human space. A very "cool, so what?" kind of architecture. (I also hate purely graphic but dysfunctional architecture for the same reason). Will the world really benefit on some crazy looking curvy space made on a massive budget and cut from a CNC machine? Not likely. Do I really want to feel like I'm moving through some sort of ribbed intestine? No thanks. Maybe that's expecting too much, but I am extremely against over-emphasized fluff getting a disproportionate amount of attention for something that could have well been generated overnight. But it's research, right?

On another side, I see current parametric design as the beginning of learning how to design more efficiently, purposefully and with computer-aided geometry that is based on mathematics rather than arbitrary inputs. The single equation that can produce a surface or a space is something that is incredibly amazing, and we have already seen the consequential results in contemporary complex facade design. But this is not a new concept. The only difference is that now with faster computers and new software, we can calculate areas and material components with greater ease and dream up sculptural pieces that perhaps our own minds could not conceive of. Powerful? Yes. Still experimental? Absolutely.

However, what I am more interested in learning about is the possibility of using non-static surfaces to environmental use such as expandable solar shading/panel design or creating wind channels for wind farms. Ron Resch has been experimenting with many different kinds of origami folding techniques and tessellating units together to create overall forms, not too far from the principles of current computer-aided parametric design. His work shows a greater possibility to parametric design to have kinetic structures with dual purposes rather than remain in one fixed configuration. The origami method inherently yields two forms: the unfolded, flat surface and the final folded configuration. With the right structure and mechanisms, we can simulate the contraction and expansion of a triangulated/unit-grid into several configurations and orientations to respond to environmental factors. A simple, small scale example could be retractable canopies, or venetian blinds. Pleating, folding, tessellation...fashion and architecture can really learn something from each other, don't you think? Issey and Hussein, want to help us out? Sounds simple enough, but for whatever reason it hasn't become a mass-producible element in architecture...

Fuck enclosures! I want to have poor seals and triangular windows with large gaskets and silicone strips for the rest of my life!!!! In the name of the future!!!

Some links:

http://www.origamitessellations.com

http://www.generatorx.no/20070126/pioneer-ron-resch/

http://www.generatorx.no/category/generative-art/

In other news...as shit always seems to happen to me all the time (do I bring this upon myself?), I have a good story to tell. This case makes me really, really love the TTC supervisor at Finch Station. I went to Bikram Yoga yesterday (Nazi yoga as Lily puts it...very true) and being completely out of it afterwards, I forgot that my keys and sunglasses were wrapped in my scarf. So as I proceeded to unwrap my scarf to put it on, the keys and sunglasses got launched sideways, hitting the side of the train and then falling on to the tracks (!!!!). At this point I was really thinking I was completely screwed. House keys, work keys, school keys...fuck.my.life. I was going to either jump on the tracks myself, or beg someone else to do it for me. But thankfully the supervisor at the station was so helpful that he came and made a few calls and went down there to grab them for me. If this was at any other station, I'd say those things were probably going to be long gone. I guess I got lucky this time...So, moral of this story is to never wrap important shit in your scarf because you will inevitably forget that you did that. Learn from my mistakes!

And with that, Happy rest of Sunday everyone.

J5

2011-01-23T23:45:00.000+01:00

Devendra Banhart at the Rainbow House - Director's Cut from Oliver Peoples

Perfection in balance.

J4

2011-01-23T20:20:00.000+01:00

Too idealized for Toronto? A new suburban dream?

"Cohousing differs from some types of intentional communities in that the residents do not have a shared economy or a common set of beliefs or religion, but instead invest in creating a socially rich and interconnected community. A non-hierarchical structure employing a consensus decision-making model is common in managing cohousing. Individuals do take on leadership roles, such as being responsible for coordinating a garden or facilitating a meeting. When more land is available than is needed for the physical structures, the structures are usually clustered closely together, leaving as much of the land as possible "open" for shared use. This aspect of cohousing directly addresses the growing problem of suburban sprawl.

Cohousing differs from standard condominium development and master-planned subdivisions because the development is designed by, or with considerable input from, its future residents. The design process invariably emphasizes consciously fostering social relationships among its residents. Common facilities are based on the actual needs of the residents, rather than on what a developer thinks will help sell units. Turnover in cohousing developments is typically very low, and there is usually a waiting list for units to become available."
--
From Wikipedia.

J3 - Arizona Pt. I

2011-01-14T06:53:00.000+01:00

Desert Lands. Arizona, December 2010.

J2

2011-01-14T04:39:00.001+01:00

A little late for this, but all I want for Christmas is: a pair of Acne Vega Platform Pumps. So...if someone comes across these and finds that they are not $500 and in a size 8, let me know? Is this a crazy demand? No! Girls and shoes are like peanut butter and jelly. They just go together.

J1 - highways.

2011-01-07T08:31:00.001+01:00

Driving and shooting, drive and shoot, drive-by shooting?

Highways. Ever-connected, forever-reaching and full of uncertainty. I like it. I wonder how long I could go Happy New Year! Here's to a fresh start, new adventures and a whole lot more fun. Yeeee!

The 401. Cambridge to Toronto, 2010.

D6

2010-12-20T05:26:00.001+01:00

"A digital library for independent publishers, focusing on art books and fashion magazines."

So very excellent. Via manystuff.

CHECK IT.

D5

2010-12-18T04:57:00.002+01:00

Jordon shared this on facebook and it is just soooo sweet. The fact that it can be done and made to look so easy, and with such grace, is mind-blowing. Leave it to the pros to show how humans can navigate this part of nature. Beautiful.

Wish I was in Hawai'i now to see the waves like this. Cheeee!

Kelly Slater, you god.

Laniakea 12.08.10 from Hawaii DV on Vimeo. Type ks10 to view it.

D4

2010-12-15T04:01:00.000+01:00

It's been freezing the last week, but it hasn't killed the cyclists...yet. Maybe just these guys.

Totally insane and out of this world. Whee!

D3

2010-12-06T04:48:00.000+01:00

Probably the best Mighty Ducks movie in the series. Agreed? Agreed.

Stuff to ponder about. Highly desired outcomes part I, December 2010.

Wool and the Gang / Aesa Jewellery / Baptiste Viry / Claudia for Chanel / Christopher Baker Photography / Dagmar Kestner Jewellery / Day Birger Mikkelsen / Philip Lim / Tenue de Nimes / Uhuru Stitched Table / Underscore Quarterly / Voodoo Donuts, Portland / Solveig Ferlund Niel Logan Loft / Sun Mun Way House / Swedish style / Wood handlebars / We Are Fucking Awesome.

D2

2010-12-06T04:06:00.000+01:00

November generally consisted of: making an upsetting decision to stay in Toronto, apartment hunting, helping design my mom's shop, freelancing at Levitt Goodman Architects for a competition, starting full time work at Giannone Petricone, being in a 1m radius of Bjarke Ingels, tasting Copenhagen again, feeling like a real adult at a gala at the ROM, and...proceeding to buy shoes after my first paycheque. Aha! Being paid for the first time in over a year feels pretty good, I'd say.

I had to make a quick decision to take a job in Toronto after my old office in Honolulu couldn't guarantee me a job for the year. The weekend in Montreal was tough having this on my mind, and I was constantly thinking about the uneasy prospect of being away from Mark (and Hawai'i) for another year. I still don't know if I made the right decision, but hopefully things will turn out for the better.

It's been nice to be able to spend so much time downtown and get to know the city again. I've been sampling the local coffee shops in my area, and I have to tell you that the cappuccino at SENSE APPEAL (Spadina/Adelaide) is definitely the best one I've had in the city thus far. You don't get it until you've been here. THOR (Bathurst/Niagara) and LITTLE NICKY'S (Queen/Peter) come at very close seconds. The ginger cookie at Little Nicky's is absolutely perfect. Thanks AJ! Photos from BlogTO.

The festivities and activities round up for the month --

x Apartment hunting
x Strange (and long) days at work
x Long-haul subway rides
x Morning dew
x Giana Factory @ the Drake
x ROM Gala
x Brunch @ Henhouse
x Cool Copenhagen @ the Drake
x Dufferin matter
x Flower shop biznazz
x More apartments
x Grandpa's birthday dinner
x King Street gallery hop

(First studio apartment I saw. Looks gorgeous in photos, but smelled so rotten in real life.)

Oh, and it snowed today. Whee! Toronto, November 2010.

D1

2010-12-02T04:19:00.003+01:00

So...November sort of just happened. What?!

I have to backtrack to Halloween. So much has happened since then, and I haven't really had a chance to just slow down. The weather has gone from sunny and fall to wet and dreary before I can take it all in, but luckily I got a couple weeks of some great bike rides downtown (first time!). It was a really warm November, so I'm really thankful for that. Now what, Toronto? Rain and flurries? Bring it on. Now on to the updates...

At the end of October Elyse and I paid a sweet little visit to Ebner in Montreal. The weekend was just so nice! It had been so long since the three of us had just talked together, and we celebrated Elyse's birthday in usual tripod grace with tons of food, silly presents and very little sleep. All the Halloween celebrations sort of just passed us by...haha! We missed all the parties and bar hopping due to being so chatty. Typical ;)

Ebbies seemed to have such a crazy time starting Masters at McGill that we thought we would put together a little care package for her. A massive bag of scotch mints, photos, a little notebook and candies to make things a little more like home :)

I also finally got that STM ticket settled...went to court and paid off the original ticket fine. Ridiculous. I had a warrant because of it. I guess Mark and I are destined to be together -- both of us got warrants for not paying tickets for the most trivial infractions. A $100 bike ticket, and a $210 Metro fine. Amazing.

Just a note: the bread pudding at Soupesoup is TO DIE FOR. DO IT.

Up next - architecture, competitions, soirees and COPENHAGEN!

Montreal, October 2010.

N3

2010-11-15T00:32:00.000+01:00

Moments of inspiration, November 2010.

Arthur Casas / Alvaro Leite Siza / Anne Holtrop / Atelier Phileas / Sohlbergplassen / Alvaro Puentes / Liam Crockard / Ruth Asawa

N2

2010-11-07T20:13:00.001+01:00

Also another great song and music video from so long ago. I love the illustration!

Whitest Boy Alive "Golden Cage," 2008.

N1

2010-11-07T20:04:00.001+01:00

Excellent psychedelic music video.

Tame Impala "Half Full Glass of Wine," 2008.

O16

2010-10-29T05:11:00.000+02:00

Downtown From Behind. The perfect way to document the city, the streetscapes, and its riders. The project was started by Bridget Flemming and focuses on "an eclectic cast of individuals ranging from local architects and designers to stylists, decorators, musicians, artists, hoteliers, chefs—anyone who has an impact on their specific downtown neighborhood, be it through their profession or just by living in the area." Who knew New York had dead-end streets? Or lanes, for that matter. This such a good idea for someone who loves the city, taking photos and riding bikes! Why didn't I come up with this?! Too late :) Via GOOD.

O15

2010-10-28T10:05:00.002+02:00

I went for a nice little ride today while the sun was still out. Finally! The bike is totally smooth and co-operative, but the straps will take some getting used to. I'm most likely going to change out the grip tape, and a few tweaks on the brakes. I can't really fuss with it too much now, but maybe in the future. This little guy is still waiting to be taken downtown...next week, I hope. I still need to buy a new lock, and it seems that Kryptonites are going for more than what they were selling for over 2 years ago. For the SAME model! I don't understand it. Plus, with the HST added, I will essentially be paying for another bike off craigslist for the cost of a lock. Ridiculous. I understand the safety that comes with a Kryptonite versus any other generic lock, but I am just shocked by how much they're going for here. Maybe it's an indication of the market here in Toronto. I bought a small Kryptonite lock in New York for $70. And that was already on the more expensive side. And like I said, that was over 2 years ago. So I guess Toronto has a lot of catching up to do...

The bike is most likely made after the 1980s, when all Miyata bikes had their names written in full rather than numerically. The higher the number, the more elite it was. The range began at Ninety. Thus, mine is a low-end touring bike. But I'm very happy with it! My bike in Hawai'i is also a Miyata, but a One Hundred model and bright periwinkle. Beautiful colour. This red one is Miyata No. 3 for me! I think I will name it Charlie. Seems appropriate.

My bike in Honolulu, minus the kickstand:

This frame is actually way too large for me, so the seat has to go all the way down. I'm fit more for a 54cm frame, and I'm quite sure this is a 57cm one. It took a lot of getting used to, and I had to change the location of the brake levers because they were just located in the wrong place...the drop bars are a little too aggressive for my riding habits. As much as I would love to provoke ignorant drivers, keeping a head on my shoulders is more important. There are few extremely useful bike lanes in Honolulu that I'm aware of, and their idea of a bike lane on a busy street is putting up a sign that says "Share the Road." However, these streets are barely flanked with curbs. So where do we go? Cyclists must essentially ride more aggressively to assert their spot on the road. While many might think that Hawai'i must be bike haven, riding on the local streets in town is not that fun when there is a lot of traffic, or buses charging around you. Toronto is not the only city that needs a better policy on bike lanes.

Oh, and did I mention how disappointed I am about Rob Ford winning the election? I hope those that voted for him kick themselves later down the road when they realize their meager savings on the Vehicle Registration Tax actually went to Ford's hilariously unrealistic plan for the TTC aka KFC BUCKET FUND aka NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. I can tell you that I am distracted and angered by the grease on his face, and the fact that I couldn't look into his eyes when he spoke during his election win. How can I respect someone like that? You know, at least Mel Lastman had a more likable personality.

Okay, all stupid comments aside, how can I possibly respect someone who clearly doesn't ride a bike in Toronto to work but can decisively comment that bike lanes are superfluous; and is also the same person who holds the idea of owning your vehicle more precious that preserving the environment? His "stop the gravy train" mantra really is not about Toronto's future, or even about how to use money more wisely. The counter-intuitive idea that spending money can lead to better results doesn't always resonate with tax payers, and I am well aware that David Miller did not necessarily try his best to prevent taxes from rising. But...then what? What vision does he have for a new way of living? Expanding the TTC is not a realistic solution, and getting rid of streetcars will kill a part of Toronto's identity. Does he really think he knows Toronto that well? How many times has he even been to Chinatown, or Kensington, or any of the lower income housing projects? Or even Finch Station? The other North Korea? Does he even know that exists? Does he even know what it's like to take the TTC, every single day? Does he know that it is possible to commute by bicycle 12 months of the year if you wanted to? Probably not. And even if he did, he doesn't seem to have cared to do the research as to how existing infrastructure can be re-purposed and integrated into corridors of higher efficiency that can accommodate all commuters. Is owning your vehicle a human right? Ford seems to think so. There is room for a solution, there always is. I will write a post soon on bicycle commuting and why Ford should suck it. Honolulu should really look at him as a prime example of ignorance and refusal to foresee imminent lifestyle changes to protect the health of our city. We will be watching you, Ford. Every stupid, ignorant, racist thing you say will be broadcast for everyone to hear. Game over.

Now I feel like I just ruined this post.

Leaves are just so nice in the fall. These were taken just around my block. Toronto, October 2010.

O14

2010-10-27T20:18:00.002+02:00

Sometimes the best places in the city are the ones that were never planned to occur.

If you haven't been here, or seen how crazy it gets when Back to the Banks is on, then you never knew what New York skate culture was all about. This is probably one of the most badass places to skate, ride and eat it. It has the perfect curves, vistas and avenues for skateboarding, but notably, this place has also been a bmx, fixie and scooter (yes, scooter) hub too. Steep curves? Lots of open space? Damn. This underground-but-not-so-underground place is located under the Brooklyn Bridge next to the police station, Manhattan side. The Banks are unlike any other urban space, and without much warning, it's become a prized and cherished place to do pull off mean tricks. All you have to do is pick your poison. It's amazing when its filled full with riders, and more amazing that skateboarders will find places like these to get what they can out of New York's concrete jungle.

On the Back to the Banks Days, this is what it's like. I was here, 2008.

The area lies in the interstitial space between the the on and off ramps along the bridge, where the cars set a backdrop to all the insane action happening below. It's a place to socialize, to gather, and to practice. The Banks come with their own raised seating too -- the concrete dividers. On the big days you sit there with cars zipping by you, and you're at the very back because thousands of people are crowded in front, watching the same guys do the same tricks. Or you're down in front, watching people bomb the steep curves. Or you're on the upper level, watching guys below ride the rails. So many options, don't you think? The collective spirit here is incredible, I can tell you that.

Unfortunately it's been under construction since earlier this year, and while the Department of Transportation (DOT) cites that the Brooklyn Bridge is in need of "urgent rehabilitation," I can only worry about what this space is going to look like after their done. They will be painting. All of it. What about the long lived graffiti? All the small additions to this place over the years will be wiped out, and that beloved gritty feel won't exist anymore.

The grey areas indicate where the "staging" will occur. A red portion has been highlighted by Steve at 5Boro, where he hopes the DOT will allow that area to remain open and unchanged while construction occurs in the residing parts. Construction will go until 2014. Full article here.

I'm sure it won't be long until the Banks get back to their old shape after construction is done, but there is something about being able to feel and see the layers of history in this one place that cannot be replicated or renewed in any other way. People may hate graffiti and scoff at it as "street art" but its these uncomplicated, earnest pieces of expression that give voice to a whole other face of the city. Through these tags, however amazing or ugly they are, one can begin to understand a voice of a generation that cannot be represented in any other way. It's raw, and it's real.

When this place is empty during the winter, you can still feel that energy that rises during the peak times in the summer. The residual matter of stickers, rails, pipes, ramps and broken boards are visual indicators of a culture that exists throughout New York City, and the Banks set an example where raw, unplanned urban spaces can be re-purposed into magical keys to understand how an urban city on this scale has accommodated street riders alike. Architects can't plan for all the possibilities of how a space will be used, and we certainly can't predict how an uprising in street culture will affect public spaces. How does that make our job as architects any easier? It doesn't, but it sure makes it exciting. We can't account for every single possible perspective when you plan a community (although we can try), and we can't foresee how all the interstitial spaces will be used either. I think this breathing room gives us an opportunity as a city to grow...to self-experiment, rather than live in a highly designed place. Le Corbusier's La Ville Radieuse, for example, is so highly designed it begs for mono-culture. Sterile, clean, efficient. Our cities certainly aren't perfect, and I think that's where the beauty lies. New York, although multifarious in buildings and culture, has very little open space to experiment with, and I think that's why the Banks are so special and successful as a space.

At the bottom line I believe that it's successful places like this that almost defy logic or reason, that make cities so vibrant and alive. Don't you remember as a kid, how you would just find ways to do what you wanted? Where you would build your own ramps because there wasn't a skate park near your house, or make riding a bike as dangerous (and exhilarating) as possible by putting plywood over rollers, etc etc. Maybe some of you didn't do this. Maybe you did, but to greater extremes. Either way, all these things we did as kids, we can still do as adults. We will find those spaces the suit our needs, and we will learn how to fill our lives with those necessities. It's in our inherent nature to adapt and survive, and at the Brooklyn Banks, it's never been better. Here, there are no rules. It just is.

Images via web. Brooklyn Banks, New York City.

O13

2010-10-25T22:30:00.001+02:00

If you don't know...now you know. Leslie and The Lys. Click on Videos!!!

O12

2010-10-25T03:33:00.002+02:00

Small snapshots of another half. Home life in Honolulu. O'ahu, September 2010.

O11

2010-10-24T08:18:00.005+02:00

The last several days has been eventful, from getting a new bike to finally graduating from architecture school (yes!). My mom's flower store is still underway, and I have been helping her for the last two weeks managing tradespeople, giving her time to be a florist for and not worry about everything at once. That's taken up quite a bit of my time in Toronto since I got back from Hawai'i, and it's been busy to juggle that, my own personal work, and also attend to my grandparents. But I have made time to see old friends, and that has definitely been a good change from moving around city to city and missing everyone in between.

I'm slowly integrating myself into a groove of managing my own design work, and I am very excited to see the final results. My, er, "website" has been less of a site, and more of a download page since I bought the domain four years ago. This is something I am very determined to change, immediately. My graphic sense has changed and grown considerably since 2006, and I am extremely eager to finish my site for good. Or, at least let it remain unchanged for more than four months ;) A sneak peek for the opening page:

Aside from design work and mild project management, I have also been meeting up with friends a lot. I'm making the rounds slowly...sorry if I'm not moving fast enough! One thing that has been doubly nice about this is also getting to go to new restaurants and bars that I hadn't been to before. It's been a really long time since I felt like I lived in Toronto, and I'm just so, so happy to be able to re-discover the city again. There is a part of me that is ignited when I see how many people are biking now, and how many new and hip joints are popping up. Toronto is expanding its markets and filling those fine niches, that's for sure. A good thing, all round. There is potential here to grow as a designer (in all trades), and as we are a relatively young city, we possess a diversity and opportunity for change that is unmatched in other global city such as New York or London. You could say that Toronto is large enough to keep the masses content with the number of different venues, but it's also small enough that it's maybe at most 3 degrees of separation in the art/design/architecture circle. And yes, it's a circle. Possibly an incestuous one. Joking. Hmm, no, not really.

Went to Guu for the first time. Sake + Asahi followed by 8 shots of soju at another bar (pictured...this was night #2). I kept losing at the drinking games. Never again!

A night out with the architecture kids. Kensington Kensington Kensington.

Toronto is also gifted with a plethora of textures. Urban textures. Leafy textures. I like it.

I also met Celine for lunch at Swan the other day, and had an excellent curry squash soup. We both agreed that Swan had the BEST french toast. Ever. So, if you're wondering where you should go for brunch next, Swan would be a perfect choice! Celine has been up to no good by being an amazing photographer in her spare time (among other amazing, amazing things) and she will be shooting her own weddings next year! Check out her blog. It's always a great place to go if you're looking for some inspiration :)

Exciting, also! I also graduated today, which means I can officially close that undergraduate chapter of my life. It's been a long time coming, so I'm very happy it came and went without too much fuss. Although it seemed to rain the entire day...pathetic fallacy? Perhaps. I didn't trip, shook my hands correctly, and got the diploma in good speed. Too many flashes went off today, but it was worth it.

Just a few of my favourite people :)

Other equally exciting news! I also just bought a bike off craigslist. It's a bright red Miyata to add to my collection. Rides super smooth, and is dying to get a test through downtown Toronto. SOON! Photos to come. More Toronto tidbits too. Yum. Until then, I'll be thinking of a good Halloween costume...

Thinking of new ideas. Painting the town, Honolulu. O'ahu, October 2010.

O10

2010-10-21T23:29:00.000+02:00

Old skool hip hop is the only way to go. Remember this? Pre-Whatta Man days.

Fun, provocative, stylin'. Salt N Pepa, Let's Talk About Sex.

O9

2010-10-19T06:45:00.010+02:00

All the moving around and constant state of "busy-ness" has really made it difficult for me to just sit down and slowly cross off the things on my list that started five years ago. Screenprinting? More sketching? Learning to build a proper website? Timelapse videos? Research and documentation? Jewellery? Knitting? Sewing? Now that undergrad has finished, wouldn't it be prudent of me to do them? Duh. Helllll yes.

Ironically, I made that mental progress today while stuck in traffic on the 401, accompanied by crappy radio tunes and a Coke (excellent combination). After all, highways are the roads to freedom, right? Uh, yeah. It's time to crack down and get to the real stuff. Whatever it is. Hopefully it involves less time with the computer. I have a love/hate relationship with it. Mostly love, I'll admit.

But friends, there are many reasons to leave your computer. Vacation, for one, is an excellent reason! Mark and I travelled to Firenze, Cinque Terre and Venezia this past winter for our holiday. Little did I know I was being robbed clean while I was having so much fun. But, I still have these amazing experiences, so it's a bittersweet ending to my semester in Italy. Read on for a more detailed account of my trip!

For those of you who haven't been to Cinque Terre, it's a must! We got lucky with the warmer weather during the day, and we were able to do much of the hiking between towns without much worry. Manarola has the largest Nativity scene in Europe (or the world) and our apartment was located directly across the valley from it. The terraces were actual vineyards, backing on to a cemetery. We dined at this super cute place in the heart of town, where the waitress told us she was from "Dracula land"...we got it ;) At this point my Italian had gotten good enough to be able to order meals and drink with no problem, inquire about different kinds of dishes, and be served without haughty looks (thankfully). I was very happy that the locals didn't try to speak English to me instead. It made learning Italian that much harder, but I learned much faster than I would have just taking Italian class! Mark and I spent Christmas here, but not without the power going off in our apartment early in the night, so we spent most of our time trying to keep ourselves warm (hahahaha)...joking...

But in all seriousness, Cinque Terre is something out of the ordinary. All the towns are built surrounding the port, both culture and architecture wholly integrated with each other. The entire chain of towns are connected through a lower trail hugging the coast, and an upper trail that gives great vistas of the towns below. In some of the photos you will be able to see the amount of white wash from the deflection of the waves against the rocks. The swell that had hit the coast while we were there was absolutely sublime! We probably stood at the lookout for at least 1/2 hour watching the waves hit the break wall time after time after time. You could really feel the power of nature at full force. I wish we could have spent more time there, but one day I know we'll be back...

We had taken the train from Cinque Terre to La Spezia to Venezia. The Christmas weather turned the almost always reliable Italian train system into a completely helter-skelter mess to navigate through. But we made it into Venezia in good timing! I had only taken the vaporetto once prior to this visit, so it was super exciting to try it again. We snaked down the Rialto to our Hotel, which was located on the southern part of the city. The hotel turned out to be the place with the interior courtyard that I had eyed the last time I was there. Who knew! Liassidi Palace. Definitely lived up to its name. Our room had amazingly tall ceilings with beautiful windows to suit. Did I mention they brought us champagne too? No, no...we're not on our honeymoon...but grazie! The unit was what you would call...contemporary...modern? Klimt + lightbox + chandelier + mirror wall + massive bed + jacuzzi = ??

Venice. I find that the most amazing details exist in this one place alone. There are not enough words to describe what this place is.

I actually posted these photos out of order...we started with Firenze, then to Cinque Terre, then to Venezia, and then back a Roma. I suppose I ordered these unconsciously from my favourite place down. Florence, known to all for its Renaissance art and architecture, is definitely a gem full of surprises. Surprise No. 1: There were bicycles! Lots of them! The city is considerably smaller (and much cleaner) than Rome, and far less chaotic, which, to my surprise (No. 2), I had actually missed. I had spent a whole semester dodging mopeds and cars while travelling by bicycle that I forgot that it was possible for all three to co-exist normally. Parma too, stood out very clearly to me because of it's evident consideration for bicycles.

Jojo had lived in Firenze for a year or so not too long ago, and suggested us to go to "Acqua al'Due" for dinner. Amazing place! Excellent wine and food. The Saturday leather market, unfortunately, did not live up to its review. I found bags either too generic, poorly stamped, or too expensive. That was not a good morning (No.3). We later stumbled upon an excellent soup bar, and washed away the morning's disappointment with hearty, local stew complete with a breadbowl. Surprise No.4: We paid a visit to David, and I found that he was considerably larger in person than I had envisioned in my mind. A very good thing, of course. The gallery also featured a Robert Mapplethorpe exhibition, which I thought was extremely fortuitous!! (No.5) I had been dying to see more of his work in real life since my time at the Whitney, and once again, he blew me away. The perfect shot, is the perfect shot. Excellent day.

Firenze, I will probably see you again too.

The end of our trip lead us back to Rome, where we had to deal with the break-in, Carabinieri, a new lock, and the prospect of parting for another four more months. Thankfully our passports were left behind, so we didn't have to deal with our respective embassies before departing Rome. The final few days were hectic, stressful, but still, perfect. We cycled through the city one last time, but not without going along the Tiber. Thanks to Dan, Val, Ryszard and the Sliwka Family for a warm final week. I learned a lot of lessons during this time, and one thing is for sure: I should always trust my instincts, because they've never failed to reveal the truth.

A tiny perspective into my life abroad. Italy, December 2010.

O8

2010-10-19T01:16:00.001+02:00

Okay okay. Pause on the re-caps. Karinne just posted this on Facebook, and daaayum. Willow Smith is seriously kickin it. Forget about how obnoxious this song can get, forget about the fact that she is the daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and forget about how Willow will probably never have to worry about her wardrobe. Ever. All you need to know is that she's only 10, dressing like she owns it, and not afraid to show you. She is going to blow up--I'm calling it now.

Willow Smith "Whip My Hair," 2010.

O7

2010-10-18T02:26:00.022+02:00

SLUDGE TUNNEL HIKE. BE WARNED. Unlike many other trails on the island, this one is virtually unmarked. It snakes through the jungle, and leads to a waterfall...but not before going through a pitch black tunnel...

On bad days, this tunnel is up to your ankles deep in water, hence the name "sludge tunnel." (It's Mark's name for the hike, pee ess). We got lucky the day we went. It was amazing! Something definitely out of LOST.

Sludge Tunnel Hike, along the Pali. O'ahu, September 2010.

O6

2010-10-18T02:15:00.010+02:00

Sometimes, the best things in life are the hardest things you've ever had to do.

Double rainbows and full moons reign supreme, Honolulu. O'ahu, September 2010.

O5

2010-10-18T01:45:00.014+02:00

Toronto has been busy, crazy, cold and amazing all at the same time. My week and a half here has passed quickly, and I've been able to see a lot of friends and family in such a short period of time. Luckily, my crappy cellphone accomplishes what it needs to do, and magical things happen. Like...seeing Geoff Christou. What an honour. Jokes!

Since my last post I've been keeping busy being sick (yes!), drinking lemon tea (along with some alcohol) and trying to figure out how to deal with my new post-grad life. Taking a year or two "break" is not really taking a mental break from life at all. Physically, maybe. No more Cambridge for a while. But I am finding myself in constant need to know what I'm going to do now, later, and how. And right now I don't have those answers. I think about my time in Hawai'i this past September and how that just seems so far away. I've returned to Toronto only to begin to re-integrate myself into the voter mindset, re-acquainting myself with Toronto's current urban issues (still the same as two years ago --at least) and finding my place in this city all over again. I'm not sure what I want, or where I want to be anymore. This unstructured time has given me possibly too great of an ability to really think about what I'm doing and the image I see of me is not one I like. Maybe I'm just being lazy to this struggle. I don't know. A part of me thinks so, and life being hard just doesn't really seem like an option anymore. All the things I enjoy doing don't amount to something that makes sense to me right now, but maybe in a week it will. Who knows.

In the meantime, I'll be posting photos I should have posted a million years ago. It'll take me a while, so have some patience...I'm going to do it this time!

A taste of Honolulu. Concrete, foliage, men in thongs, ACAI at Bogarts! Oah'u, September 2010.

O4

2010-10-11T05:32:00.003+02:00

Carolyn Massey SS11 film from Chris Brooks on Vimeo.

O3

2010-10-11T01:19:00.013+02:00

Just up! Mark's band Painted Highways has just released a couple rough recordings off their upcoming EP. They're working hard to get things going in the right direction, and hopefully they'll be done soon! Makes me miss Hawai'i a lot...

Check them out: Painted Highways

Mark and I took this one while we were out on the sandbar island. Took a couple tries...

In other news, yesterday I went to see Miike Snow at Kool Haus, danced it up at the Drake, and proceeded to get attacked by the cat Tudor was cat-sitting. Cat's must have some sort of 6th sense that knows when people are allergic to them. Jerk. But did I mention that the pulled pork poutine at Poutini's (not OM NOM NOM as I hoped it would be. aw.) is amazing? Get it with the herbed and spicy mayo. That's the only way to do it. Demolished in...3 blocks.

I went to Evergreen at the old Toronto Brick Works today with John and it is looking NICE! All the renovation has really improved the area so much. The old quarry is now a great winding network of paths over mini ponds and wild grasses. Great vistas and just the right amount of play and exploration. Photos to come.

Happy 10-10-10 and Thanksgiving :)

O2

2010-10-03T03:36:00.013+02:00

I have somehow run into the problem where I can't extract the photos off my SD card through a camera cable...and the card doesn't read properly in my card reader...so I am sort of stumped as to how I'm going to get those photos from my summer off my camera. In any case, I thought about how I should go about updating parts my life from the last year, and I thought that chronological order would probably be less exciting than absolutely random, since so many of you already know what I have been up to / have been there / I would never be able to catch up with myself...therefore, random is better.

My time in Hawai'i has been really nice with all the free time. It's strange to not have structure to my life for the first time that I can remember, so all the freedom is a little amazing/depressing at the same time. I'm so used to accomplishing so much each day that coming here and doing one or two things a day is not really enough. I guess I could say that I've slowly adjusted into a "vacation" mindset now, but I wouldn't say it was easy. I started by visiting a bunch of places I never went to while I was here last year -- total stay-cation.

Photos are from a short visit to Hanauma Bay. Oah'u, September 15 2010.

O1

2010-10-01T02:35:00.009+02:00

So...it's been a while. Time to recap the last year:

Rome (Sept-Dec 2009) - I was here for an academic semester from September to the end of December. Mark came to visit for Christmas, and we spent it traveling to Cinque Terre, Firenze and Venezia.

Copenhagen (Jan-Apr 2010) - Another co-op semester rolled around, and since I was in Europe for school already, I figured I would just stay there for a little longer and work in a city with some kick-ass architecture. Copenhagen was on the top of my list for places to work and live in, so off I went! Good thing it was the coldest, worst winter they've had in the last 15 years...I met some great friends in Copenhagen through a friend in Hawai'i (Jason).

Sweden (Feb 2010) - I spent a long weekend with 6 other (fabulously gay) men in a cabin in the middle of southern Sweden. Lots of snow, snow, and more snow! No showers, just cold water and snow. I finally got the real sauna experience...um...

Rome (March 2010) - Went back to Rome to see Lily! It was a lot of fun to see the city in a completely different perspective. I had spent most of my time exploring the city with people in my class, and through class lectures. This was the first time I was going around with people who had been living there for quite some time. Missed Yeasayer. Oops.

Berlin (April 2010) - Spent the long, long Easter weekend with Tiff in Berlin! That was crazy. My legs have never ached so badly after walking around for hours and hours. We had a lot of late nights at cafes and spent the days walking around tons to nice shops and eating the German staples. We also went to a club...needless to say, we left at 7:30am.

Copenhagen (April 16 2010) - My flight was set to depart Copenhagen to go to Honolulu on April 16th in the morning. Iceland's volcano erupted April 15th. Perfect timing. I was "stuck" in Copenhagen for an extra 8 days constantly scrambling to rebook my flight with Continental. Thanks to Sofie, Chris, Mika and Chrissy, I managed to have lots of nice hang out days while I waited for the airline, airport and airspace to open at the same time. It was such a disaster!

New York (May 1 2010) - To get out of Copenhagen, I had to take an overnight bus to Oslo. The Copenhagen airport looked like it was going to be the most conservative of all airports in the area, and on top of that, there was only one flight leaving Copenhagen with Continental per day. By this point, I would have had to compete with 8 days worth of passengers, plus the ones who were already booked. I decided to travel to another city to get out of Europe. People were offering rides to Barcelona, Madrid for insane prices. Going to Oslo was my only chance to get to Hawai'i before school started. But the flight they booked me on was to have a 50 minute layover in Newark, so they extended by layover to be the next day instead. I got out of Jersey and went to meet up with Ed in New York City. That was fun! Went to a party at 3rd Ward, ate pizza and beer at Alligator Lounge, and proceeded to sleep for the first time in 40 hours.

Honolulu (May 2010) - Finally made it after a grueling week in limbo and too much traveling. So happy to see Mark and everyone else!!! I surfed a ton while I was here, and soaked up as much sun as I could before I got back to school. Fun fun fun!

Cambridge (May-Aug 2010) - Pretty much got home Wednesday night, packed, and then drove to Cambridge Thursday morning for studio. I was wasted. Tired wasted. What a way to start the beginning of my final school semester! The whole summer went pretty nicely...a lot of work at times. Not as fun as I thought it would be, but we had some fun times in Toronto and a weekend camping at Cyprus Lake. Sooooo nice!

Hawai'i (Sept-Oct 2010) - Now we're caught up to where I am. Surfing and roasting all over again!!!! Whooooo!

Photos and more detailed posts to come soon :)

J1

2010-01-17T19:30:00.011+01:00

I started a blog.

After all the mess of the break-in and trying to recover my personal work, archives and references, I've come to realize that the only method of recording all of my important documents is online. And I don't mean highly personal information, but a record of my own development as a student, a designer and a friend. I thought about journals, and having something tangible, but now that I've lost so many precious and sentimental things, I have come to realize how disposable those things are, and how easily they can get stolen or lost.

So this is the beginning of what I hope will last forever.