A Hard Week in the City....

So I have really been meaning to blog more regularly, and I have no good excuses why I haven't.

But I feel the need to write something now. This has been a strange and pretty sad week in Toronto. The devastating fire on Queen Street West and Bathurst was nothing short of tragic.




The fire took away some very special places to me. I worked in that neighbourhood for about five years and it became a pretty significant part of my life. I don't think a week has gone by that haven't walked down that part of the street in about seven years.

The first office for HIGHRISE Magazine, my first magazine job, was above Suspect Video. It's gone now, the whole building is gone, and I am sad about it. I walked by on Wednesday at around 2 p.m. and they were still hosing down the buildings that went ablaze after five in the morning.

When I was on my way home around 6:30 p.m. they were still hosing the buildings down. I couldn't really process what was happening so I didn't linger.

On Thursday evening I went to Radiant Dark, a design event put on by the lovely people from MADE on Dundas Street West. The event was supposed to take place on Wednesday evening, but the severity of the fire prevented it from happening, it took place at the Burroughes Building, which happened to be at the corner of Queen and Bathurst.

Fortunately, this building was not affected by the fire. But I did have walk by what was left of Suspect and Duke's, and all the other places I had grown to love over the years.

It was horrible, the shops were gutted and the apartments upstairs were just gone. I didn't linger this time either.

Radiant Dark was a really good distraction. It was nice to see so much creativity and beauty in a beautiful space. The event showcased up and coming Canadian furniture and industrial designers.

After the event I walked home, and I couldn't help staring at the icicles that filled the burned out shops, it was like nothing I had ever seen.

Today was the first time I stopped and actually took in the full magnitude of the blaze's destruction. I stood in front of the Shopper's Drugmart and just starred at what was left. A few days ago I saw the shops gutted, today I saw the remnants of what used to be the buildings.

I almost cried, and I don't cry very easily. But I really just couldn't believe it. Suspect is gone. Literally gone, like it was never there, and so is Duke's, and everything else.

I still remember sitting in the sweat den that was the HIGHRISE office just looking out the window. I really can't believe the window is gone.

Those buildings and the occupants were historic, not just to me but to the city. I can't believe I am not going to walk into Suspect Video and see Daniel sitting at counter, have a few laughs and walk out with something he recommends. I can't believe I am not going to walk into Duke's and get some gear for my bike. It's surreal.

And my heart goes out to everyone who lost their homes, I can't even imagine what they must be going through.....

I just hope the City doesn't use this fire as an excuse to let the big developers come in and throw up more cookie cutter condos and big box stores. This neighbourhood has an endearing character, and although it will never be the same, I only hope whatever does fill that gapping hole works with the neighbourhood.

I have heard that Duke's is planning to rebuild, I hope they do.

But on a happier note, after I took in the ramifications of the fire I walked over to the Gladstone Hotel for the Come Up to My Room event, which is an annual design event that also showcases the work of some of Toronto's most talented artists and designers. I needed to see some pretty things, badly.

It was fantastic! Pamela and Christina curated another brilliant show. And once again I was slapped in the face with amazing design and creativity. While I admit I liked it all, my favourite rooms were Dennis Lin' s and db johnson's.

Lin's room was filled with amazing wooden sculptures and cement cast numbers on the walls, where visitors were invited to take one. Underneath each number was a little saying Lin wrote on the wall. I took a number 2 and underneath it said "Air Raid Freshman!!"

Which, in case you don't know, is the a classic line that Parker Posey drunkenly orders a freshman girl in the movie "Dazed and Confused." Brilliant. Just brilliant.

And P.S., I LOVE Parker Posey, so it was perfect. Oh, and one of the sayings on the wall said "I Lover Parker Posey!" Lin loves her too.

db johnson's room was like a scene from the enchanted forest. The room was centered around a giant human sized bird's nest and full of feather's and the like. I only wish I had my camera so I could share what I saw.