Post some pictures of your city! II

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by The_Architect

There's something weird about Notre Dame that bugs me but I can't place...

Might be the proportions of it.

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I agree. Gorgeous interior, but the exterior leaves me cold.

Originally Posted by Martin Mtl

Reflections by Sergey Mkrtchyan on Flickr

The main thing that bothers me about it is the central section's roofline between the two towers is totally horizontal in the front which doesn't really freel natural and respectful to the principles of Gothic. In fact, it's the only example of Gothic or Gothic Revival I recall seeing where, even when side towers (as opposed to a single central tower) form the structural peak, there isn't some form of lesser peak in the center as well, either in the form of an arch, statue, or a triangular pediment.

[GreaterMontréal]

These characteristics place the building in the exploratory phase of the Gothic revival been born in Great Britain, where from it propagated in America.

[SignalHillHiker]

November 9, 2014

• Video Link

The infill rowhouses at the end of my street are coming along nicely.



My neighbourhood, Rabbittown, is basically at the top of the first hill of St. John's. If you look down the street to the right, you can see the top of one of our tallest downtown buildings as well as one of our tallest cathedrals, which is actually about halfway between us and that building behind it.



We only noticed yesterday that the S in Saigon is an outline map.



Back on my street, one of my neighbours is re-cladding. You know you live in the ghetto when people put new vinyl on instead of clapboard.



One of my two furbabies waiting for me. This one is Conway (Connie for short).



The Rabbittown rowhouses look small, but they're usually surprisingly large as far as lower class shacks from the late 1800s/early 1900s go. Mine, for example, is one room wide but four rooms deep.





Don't laugh at my Kijiji style. I'll replace all this shit eventually.











And the bedrooms. Generally no closets in old St. John's, of course, though some have little nooks/crannies where closets have been added. Here's one of the four bedrooms:





And that's how we live.

[Nouvellecosse]

I would LOVE to have that house! You should be very proud.

[kwoldtimer]

SHH, I'm surprised you haven't boxed up your white sandals and slingbacks until May 24th. (last photo)

[SignalHillHiker]

Those aren't mine. They're Shannon's. She's moved out, though (Ayreonaut's GF) so I've rented it to an old college buddy.

And, aww, thanks Nouvelle. Glad you like it! I'm still very much embarrassed about it around mainlanders. I just assume theirs are bigger and better. Everywhere I've lived on the mainland, from HFX to WPG, certainly was.

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

And, aww, thanks Nouvelle. Glad you like it! I'm still very much embarrassed about it around mainlanders. I just assume theirs are bigger and better. Everywhere I've lived on the mainland, from HFX to WPG, certainly was.

i have seen a great many montreal apartments that make your pad look very "better homes and gardens" by comparison.

i mean, you cannot think that buildings like these invariably hide spacious, architecturally tasteful domiciles behind each lit window.



montreal had the highest infant mortality rate in the western world in 1900, and that's because much of it was a slum. so while the "mainland" might be the home of all things new 'n' shiny to newfoundlanders... it very much has its own gritty hangover.

[Marty_Mcfly]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

And, aww, thanks Nouvelle. Glad you like it! I'm still very much embarrassed about it around mainlanders. I just assume theirs are bigger and better. Everywhere I've lived on the mainland, from HFX to WPG, certainly was.

Your house has a nice old charm to it, it's something that can't be replicated on the mainland, and that probably has a lot to do with the neighbourhood it's in.

[Chadillaccc]

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, Manitoba

















Source: https://www.facebook.com/canadianmus...ights/timeline

[rousseau]

And West East Hope does not. Always knew there was something wrong about West East Hope.

So how do recyclers in West East Hope get their bearings? Are there no directions for the program there? I think West East Hope needs to get back on track and reorient itself for the future. I don't know how West East Hope intends to position itself, but I think it has lost its way.

[SignalHillHiker]

• Video Link

A few of Brian Carey's gorgeous portraits of folks in St. John's.

www.briancareyphotography.com

[SignalHillHiker]

It was a gorgoeus but chilly day in St. John's. The final day of the tax-free sale at all downtown shops - and Armistice Day/Remembrance Day.

• Video Link

The intersection of Garrison Hill, Queen's Road, Bond Street, Cathedral Street, Church Hill, New Gower Street, and Long's Hill.



Bright and red on Duckworth Street.



The intersection of Cathedral and Duckworth streets. The two restaurants at right are both quite popular. India Gate, which is obviously Indian food, and Saltwater, which is Newfoundland-Serbian fusion cuisine.



Outside Rocket Bakery on Water Street. This guy's hat is my favourite Republic of NL one I've seen. I love it!



Rocket was, as usual, packed. I love bakeries where you can sit in the bay windows like this family.



The crowd sitting outside The Rocket enjoying the beautiful weather and taking a break from tax-free shopping.



CELEBRITY SIGHTING! The incomparable Jonathan Munro. His father (from Montreal; mother local; he was born and raised here) started the threatre company that led to CODCO and just about every contemporary Newfoundland celebrity. He's one of the world's leading theatre actors (and a former classical pianist who played everywhere, even Carnegie Hall), currently based in NYC.

And, chatted with him - didn't get into politics too much but asked what he loves most about NYC. Then asked if there are any similarities. And he said yes, and that's why he chose NYC over Toronto. He said the people are just as friendly, they're Atlantic, and there's the same "enriching quality of life". So, music to my ears, as you can imagine.



Water Street at the intersection with George Street and Beck's Cove.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

CELEBRITY SIGHTING! The incomparable Jonathan Munro. His father (from Montreal; mother local; he was born and raised here) started the threatre company that led to CODCO and just about every contemporary Newfoundland celebrity. He's one of the world's leading theatre actors (and a former classical pianist who played everywhere, even Carnegie Hall), currently based in NYC.

And, chatted with him - didn't get into politics too much but asked what he loves most about NYC. Then asked if there are any similarities. And he said yes, and that's why he chose NYC over Toronto. He said the people are just as friendly, they're Atlantic, and there's the same "enriching quality of life". So, music to my ears, as you can imagine.

This is awesome. You've got the total SignalHllHiker package here.

Unknown St. John's person who turns out to be a world famous leader in something? Check.
Claim that St. John's shares fundamental traits in common with a major city, this time New York? Check.
Preening put-down of Toronto, this time for not offering an "enriching quality of life"? Check.

Does the Toronto angst have legs, I wonder? Because it seems like your years-long rumination on each and every exquisite detail of how dreadful Winnipeg was for you is now finally over. Perhaps even you found it to be over the top after a while?

I can only imagine a conversation with you:

Hi! A visitor to St. John's! So, do you like it here? Yeah? Oh, what's that you say? You like it better than Toronto?

Ho ho ho, hee hee hee...you don't say! What's that, you think people here are friendlier than people in Toronto? Ha ha...tell me more! This is going to make a terrific SSP post!

Oops, did I just say that out loud? Never mind, it was nothing. Anyway, aren't we all just so quaint and charming here? What's that you say? More so than in Toronto?

Hah hah...you make me so happy!

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by rousseau

This is awesome. You've got the total SignalHllHiker package here.

Unknown St. John's person who turns out to be a world famous leader in something? Check.
Claim that St. John's shares fundamental traits in common with a major city, this time New York? Check.
Preening put-down of Toronto, this time for not offering an "enriching quality of life"? Check.

Does the Toronto angst have legs, I wonder? Because it seems like your years-long rumination on each and every exquisite detail of how dreadful Winnipeg was for you is now finally over. Perhaps even you found it to be over the top after a while?

I can only imagine a conversation with you:

Hi! A visitor to St. John's! So, do you like it here? Yeah? Oh, what's that you say? You like it better than Toronto?

Ho ho ho, hee hee hee...you don't say! What's that, you think people here are friendlier than people in Toronto? Ha ha...tell me more! This is going to make a terrific SSP post!

Oops, did I just say that out loud? Never mind, it was nothing. Anyway, aren't we all just so quaint and charming here? What's that you say? More so than in Toronto?

Hah hah...you make me so happy!

Fair enough, but...

You see, this is exactly the sort of the thing that I'd never expect from NYC.

He is very well-known - perhaps not outside the theatre community, but he gets top billing everywhere he goes on the mainland as well, from Stratford to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. And he just got back from a tour of Italy, Austria, Germany, and France.

Of course it makes me happy. Given my views, it's always wonderfully encouraging when someone with no particular interest in doing so believes we have more in common with New England and surrounding states than Central Canada. Especially when the alternative is... this.

It's the same when Giles Coren came and said our accents were Irish and we were so close to Ireland in every way we're practically joined. That's much more flattering than how we're typically viewed and described by Canadians. So it makes me happy. It's validating. And, yes, the fact he was horrified by Toronto's fashion sense and thought it the worst-dressed place he's ever been does make the compliment a little sweeter.

In a city this small, one doesn't often compete directly with the big boys in anything - it's just a given. So when people from the big boys, or who've made it big and live abroad, find things they love more about here, it's lovely. Especially when that's not the norm.

Take this headline from the Huffington Post yesterday. Great way to frame what is actually a story about economic power in Canada shifting to the West. The headline is intended to be shocking or possibly shameful to Torontonians, but get a nod and a wink from us (and, to a lesser extent, the rest of the federation). It's just the way things work.



That's not the way the conversation went, by the way, as you've described - I'm not a caricature. It was just one small part of a long conversation - and I even stood up for Toronto and said it's not really my cup of tea either but it's big and varied enough that I'm sure everyone can find a niche and have a great life. But it's the part that I loved most.

But I do always ask visitors I meet what they think of it here, which restaurants they've been to, and if they've been out clubbing. They never mind, and I know the place well enough to provide any recommendations they may request.

And, as for Winnipeg... it's clear to me now I was genuinely depressed living there, clinically. I really should've sought help. It took months to heal, and once I started feeling emotions again, they were limited to anger and hatefulness. I even had a couple of hissy fits about hating it here, I was still that far gone from myself. Dropped my keys once walking Fort Amherst with jeddy1989 and was ready to pack up and move to Toronto. I spent those months on SSP. I don't have that baggage anymore now so it just doesn't come up. And it's been long enough now that it's easier to just remember the things I liked.

[Gerrard]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Fair enough, but...

You see, this is exactly the sort of the thing that I'd never expect from NYC.

Except he's not from Toronto. Albeit as a Torontonian it was one of the most well thought out putdowns I've seen on this forum.

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Of course it makes me happy. Given my views, it's always wonderfully encouraging when someone with no particular interest in doing so believes we have more in common with New England and surrounding states than Central Canada. Especially when the alternative is... this.

What alternative? You're the one constantly throwing shade at Toronto when it truly doesn't even care about you. Your ever increasing need to sling barbs at a city that really doesn't give two craps about you seems like one huge exercise in insecurity and near obsession.

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

It's the same when Giles Coren came and said our accents were Irish and we were so close to Ireland in every way we're practically joined. That's much more flattering than how we're typically viewed and described by Canadians. So it makes me happy. It's validating. And, yes, the fact he was horrified by Toronto's fashion sense and thought it the worst-dressed place he's ever been does make the compliment a little sweeter.

Why does it make it sweeter? What do accents have to do with people wearing shorts in the city in summer. And I venture to guess he hadn't made it across Canada or to St. John's yet if he thought Torontonians were the worst dressed people in the world. I happen to disagree with him about being badly dressed but do agree with him that shorts aren't for the city.

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

In a city this small, one doesn't often compete directly with the big boys in anything - it's just a given. So when people from the big boys, or who've made it big and live abroad, find things they love more about here, it's lovely. Especially when that's not the norm.

Take this headline from the Huffington Post yesterday. Great way to frame what is actually a story about economic power in Canada shifting to the West. The headline is intended to be shocking or possibly shameful to Torontonians, but get a nod and a wink from us (and, to a lesser extent, the rest of the federation). It's just the way things work.

I'm not so sure schadenfreude is an endearing Irish-lite quality outsiders naturally gravitate to.


I think Rousseau's point and really I'd rather not speak for him, he's much better at that than I am, is that you've become another SSP caricature. It's a bit tiresome and even though you'd probably not like to hear it -thoroughly Canadian.

And really for all your claims of distinctiveness culturally, you spend an awful lot of time comparing yourself to Ireland and New England (in New England's case, rather erroneously but whatever), which is something I never see Quebeckers do...

[rousseau]

A few things...

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

And, yes, the fact he was horrified by Toronto's fashion sense and thought it the worst-dressed place he's ever been...

There you go again. What on earth are you talking about? Who is this? How is this even possibly plausible? I don't care about fashion, but while it's obvious that neither Toronto nor any North American city outside of Montreal is going to measure up to European cities in this area, it's also obvious that Toronto is more or less the same as New York when it comes to what people look like on the streets. Or maybe even better. Did no one see that 10-hour walking in NYC video?

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

That's not the way the conversation went, by the way, as you've described - I'm not a caricature.

You are on this forum.

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

And, as for Winnipeg... it's clear to me now I was genuinely depressed living there, clinically...I spent those months on SSP.

Fuck off already about Winnipeg. Why do we need to be your gestalt therapy circle? Who do you think you are that you have to post every last thing that crosses your mind each and every day?

You've turned SSP into your personal journal.

[softee]

Originally Posted by rousseau

There you go again. What on earth are you talking about? Who is this? How is this even possibly plausible? I don't care about fashion, but while it's obvious that neither Toronto nor any North American city outside of Montreal is going to measure up to European cities in this area, it's also obvious that Toronto is more or less the same as New York when it comes to what people look like on the streets. Or maybe even better. Did no one see that 10-hour walking in NYC video?

Yep. From what I've seen on my visits to NYC, people there are by and large no better dressed than people in Toronto. If I had to rank one over the other I'd give Toronto the edge.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

And he said yes, and that's why he chose NYC over Toronto. He said the people are just as friendly, they're Atlantic, and there's the same "enriching quality of life".

Wait, that dude said he finds the people in NYC particularly friendly?!?

[niwell]

Originally Posted by lio45

Wait, that dude said he finds the people in NYC particularly friendly?!?

I also found that amusing personally. NYC residents are certainly more outgoing than they are in Toronto, and more likely to engage you. But friendly? That's debatable. And if it's debatable compared to Toronto, I imagine it's no contest with St. John's!

One interesting thing about Toronto I've found is that residents are ultra-keen on helping out tourists / visitors from the suburbs with directions. I mean, it's probably a thing everywhere, but it's very noticeable downtown here. I'm guilty of it. The more obscure address the better.


I also don't really remember the shorts thing, but that video seems a bit ridiculous and hopefully tongue in cheek. Shorts can be horrific as a fashion, but they can also be pretty good (context specific). I haven't seen any more of the bad style shorts out here as I have in NYC, San Francisco or Chicago. And probably an equal number of the fashionable ones. It's easy to be from the UK and rant about shorts when you don't get 40 degree days with humidity. FYI I only wear them out during the day in the summer.

[Ashok]

Nice photos, excuse my lack of pop culture knowledge, but are these songs by NFLD artists?