ABELARD FUNDRAISER
It seems like yesterday we were saying goodbye to The Waldorf Academy and middle school. By the end of June, we'll no longer have kids in high school either. It's a bit of a coming of age thing.
The Abelard is a tiny smidgeon of a school located in downtown Toronto. About 60 kids in total. Our oldest, Maximilian went there for two years and our youngest, Solomon will soon be completing his fourth and final year.
The pictures in this story were taken last week during the fundraising event at The Faculty Club at the University of Toronto. For the last four years we've attended this event, bid on stuff and trips that we didn't really need, all for the cause of raising money. The lifeblood of any small, independent school is it's fundraising. So while we may not have really needed some of the things we bid on and occasionally won in the silent auction (a weekend skiing at Blue Mountain... really?), The Abelard was the beneficiary. And a very worthwhile cause.
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But a highlight of the yearly fundraiser is to watch these talented kids perform and entertain. What an amazing group of young people. We listened to Broadway show hits being belted out, piano waltzes and violin solos. An eclectic range of acts, all done with enthusiasm and confidence.
And with this, one of our final school events as the end of high school nears, I cant' help but feel sentimental. There's something that will be missing with the passage of these years. We may look back with a tearful eye. Simple times. Happy days. Next year, I might need to crash a fundraiser just to bid on some things I don't really need.
SOLOMON @ 18
But a highlight of the yearly fundraiser is to watch these talented kids perform and entertain. What an amazing group of young people. We listened to Broadway show hits being belted out, piano waltzes and violin solos. An eclectic range of acts, all done with enthusiasm and confidence.
And with this, one of our final school events as the end of high school nears, I cant' help but feel sentimental. There's something that will be missing with the passage of these years. We may look back with a tearful eye. Simple times. Happy days. Next year, I might need to crash a fundraiser just to bid on some things I don't really need.
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FAREWELL MANDARIN
Last Saturday we enjoyed what would be our final family celebration at the Mandarin Golf & Country Club. After a more then 20 year run, the Mandarin officially closed its doors.
For as long as I can remember, the Mandarin has played host to our family gatherings. From weddings, to funerals, baby celebrations to casual Sunday dim-sum, the Mandarin has been the one constant in our gastronomical life. The food was always very good, in fact many times it was brilliant. The crab done 3-ways was the stuff of legend; spring onion, garlic and curry. The trifecta of crustacean bliss.
It was my father-in-law's club, actually his former club. After many years as a member, the annual fees no longer made sense in this post Tiger Woods era where there are more golf clubs then golfers. The for members only restriction never seemed to apply to the Zee family. Thank God.
With its best before date long past due, the Mandarin was still charming. I was quite sure over the last couple of years that the leaky urinals in the men's bathroom would one day explode and sink the entire club house. They survived intact. The high tech, sensor controlled automatic paper towel dispenser however worked perfectly right to the very last day. Each time dispensing the perfect amount of paper into your wet hands. It almost felt like it was done out of a sense of pride for the glory days when everything was shiny and perfect and new.​​​​​​​
The images below were taken a couple of weeks back. Our last dim-sum at the Mandarin. It was a lovely autumn day. The food was delicious. We knew the clock was ticking for our final dinner, a 50th wedding anniversary celebration for my in-laws, but the menu needed to be settled, the amount agreed to. Three tables of twelve. Somehow we would squeeze everyone in. They would make it work, as they always did.
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11 DAYS IN CHINA
If you're a frequent business traveller to Asia it's likely you know someone who thinks it must be the most exotic and exciting thing there is. But let's be honest here. Business travel is exhausting. Period. Yes there can be nice bits. If you're lucky enough to spend time in a good hotel or eat a fine meal it can definitely have its perks. As a photography enthusiast, finding time to take pictures can help swing a bad day into a good one. But airports, train terminals, traffic and endless delays are not the stuff travel dreams are made of.
This trip was going to be challenging from the onset as we didn't want to be away from work or family any longer then what was absolutely necessary. Four cities in eleven days; two trade shows, three factory visits and a typhoon waiting for us when we finally had a day and a half to rest before the flight home.
After the long flight to Hong Kong we were able to rest up for the day before attending the Hong Kong Electronics Show. By "rest up", that means a whirl wind tour of Alice's favourite wonton noodle joint, Mak's Noodle in Central. It was a beautiful, hot and sunny day in Hong Kong. Quite the opposite of what we would get when we ventured north for the rest of our trip. The noodles and wonton's were delicious. Mak's even renovated since we were last there a year ago. They've really jazzed up the old place.
The trip from Hong Kong was eventful simply for the fact that we almost didn't make it. This being the Canton Fair season, all trains were fully booked going to Guangzhou. By the time we arrived at the train station our only option was the bus. By some miracle, we purchased two seats on the last bus leaving Hong Kong that day. And the bus was leaving right now. 3 hours later, we arrived in Guangzhou. By the way, there are two places the bus stops in Guangzhou. We had no idea where either stop was in relation to our hotel. The first taxi driver who approached us wanted 200 renminbi to take us to our destination. We finally found a driver who accepted 120 renminbi after he explained it would take at least 30 minutes in traffic. 10 minutes later we arrived at our hotel. A 60 renminbi ride at the most.
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THREE FRIENDS
Once three friends
Sweet in sadness
Now part of their past
In the end
Full of gladness
This is a picture story of three friends, Solomon, Sebastian and Jake. They met in kindergarten at the Alan Howard Waldorf School, now known simply as the Waldorf Academy.
Friends. There's got to be something special going on when you're hanging out at seventeen with the same guys you were when you were six. This requires some kind of magic. Boys to men, no blinking allowed.
And suddenly (or not) these boys are going to university. I know it's a cliché, but it feels like yesterday we were planning play dates and birthday parties, school plays and camping trips in mosquito infested fields.
They grew up, started shaving, studied like we asked them to. Is high school really almost over? Already? And now here we are, one final lap before we send them off.
University. The word sounds all grown up. They are grown up, well almost. Almost.​​​​​​​
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The University of Waterloo is a short 1-1/4 hour drive from Toronto. The familiar threesome gather in two cars along with myself and a couple of moms. It's time to go for a drive and get a tour. It's time to see what a real school looks like.
Calm and collected. They're playing it cool. But honestly, where is everyone? It feels like a ghost town today. It must be the football game down the road with the Golden Hawks of Wilfred Laurier vs. Waterloo's Warrior's. Or maybe everyone's studying ;)
We talk with our guide about co-op and work load, school food and sports. Even safe spaces and trigger warnings find their way into the conversation. This is 2016 after all.
It's unlikely all three friends will be going to the same university. Does it matter? New friendships will be made and lost. I'd like to think that these three will be hanging out together a very, very long time. What they have runs deep. My favourite writer when I was their age, Robertson Davies comes to mind... what they have is "bred in the bone". These three friendships will endure.
The bell rings
And all things
Are calling
The days past
The play's cast
Remember
September
When we were
Together
Together
Together
Gentle Gian - Schooldays - 1972
MONTREAL IN MAY
Back in March I had thought it would be a good idea to take another workshop with Patrick Laroque whom I've been studying on and off with over the last year. May seemed like a long way off in March. But here it was, May 5th. There was so much going on at work, at one point I was going through my head how could I possibly cancel this thing.
This time though, Alice and I were going with Maximilian and Solomon. Max was just back from his first year at Quest University and while I was going to be tied up in the workshop during the day, it would still allow all of us to be together as a whole family again. Regardless of my uncertainty, this trip was going to happen. So we piled into the Tesla and off we went.
This was also our first road ride in Alice's new Tesla S. It would be fun to experience the Toronto-Montreal journey driving in an electric car. I have to admit some nervousness as we went out. What would happen if we didn't calculate the battery life properly? I didn't want to get stuck in Timbuktu with the Tesla charging for 12 hours using some strangers 110V home outlet. Thankfully that didn't happen. We "filled up" in Kingston, then an extra stop in Cornwall which seemed prudent when the car's display informed us that we needed to drive under 110km/hour to make it to Montreal. Better safe then sorry (our trip back to Toronto we drove the whole way at 110km/hour and only had to stop once in Kingston).
The next morning Patrick arrived at our hotel, Hotel Alt in Griffintown, with his trusty Fuji X100T hanging around his neck and an X Pro2 in his camera bag just in case I could be tempted to give it a try (oh yeah).
First order of the day was an espresso so off we went to find a café and yes, it was already my second one of the day. It was probably 10:30 before we finally hit the road but it felt good to be outside, have my camera in hand and talking life and photography with Patrick.
I explained my recent disinterest in picture taking to Patrick and of course he understood fully. The need to make pictures just seems to come and go in me. I think it's my fear of not having anything unique to say in photography. There's just so many images today, does the world really need another amateur posting their images?​​​​​​​
Perhaps I'll always feel that way, only time will tell. After a couple of days though I did feel re-energized. Being able to see is such a gift and like most gifts it needs to be nurtured. There's nothing automatic about it for me, it's just like working out, the more you do it the better your results. That's my take-a-way. I just need to remember it.
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WHISTER SKIING 2016
Whistler in March. After four years of no fresh snow in January, Alice and I decided to give March a try. Our long weekend in February provided the proverbial mother load of snowfalls, over 60 cm in 48 hours. Hope abounds!
Over the years, Whistler has quite literally become a second home for us. I'm sure that we have not visited anywhere in the world as frequently as we have Whistler. And now that Maximillian is living just "down the street", the visits are piling up.... four times since last September.
Other than wanting to visit our son as frequently as possible, what is the magic that Whistler has over my soul? For years we would take the bus from Vancouver to Whistler; winding its way up the Sky to Sea Highway. It was a yearly ritual that filled my heart with joy. The bus would make its long slow trek north; it became a bookmark for our yearly pilgrimage.
Other than wanting to visit our son as frequently as possible, what is the magic that Whistler has over my soul? For years we would take the bus from Vancouver to Whistler; winding its way up the Sky to Sea Highway. It was a yearly ritual that filled my heart with joy. The bus would make its long slow trek north; it became a bookmark for our yearly pilgrimage.
This is a journey of epic beauty. With my headphones on, listening to something on my iPhone that would take my mind to the place where my skiing dreams reside. I can only describe this journey as my own personal "happy place". The years where snow filled the treetops were the very best; promising days of skiing bliss ahead
In recent visits our journey has now included a Hertz rental car, not a bus ride. If we could only figure out how to get Bluetooth to work in the rental car I'd have the chance to play two of my epic Whistler travelling CD's; Josh Rouse's 1972 and Nashville. I've asked myself "why Josh Rouse?" and frankly, I've no idea. It just came to be. Some things in life you just have to accept.
In recent visits our journey has now included a Hertz rental car, not a bus ride. If we could only figure out how to get Bluetooth to work in the rental car I'd have the chance to play two of my epic Whistler travelling CD's; Josh Rouse's 1972 and Nashville. I've asked myself "why Josh Rouse?" and frankly, I've no idea. It just came to be. Some things in life you just have to accept.
In recent visits our journey has now included a Hertz rental car, not a bus ride. If we could only figure out how to get Bluetooth to work in the rental car I'd have the chance to play two of my epic Whistler travelling CD's; Josh Rouse's 1972 and Nashville. I've asked myself "why Josh Rouse?" and frankly, I've no idea. It just came to be. Some things in life you just have to accept.
The latest chapter in our Whistler tale was one of the very best. Lots and lots of snow, some crazy weather that covered just about everything from fresh snow, hail, rain, clouds, sunshine, Maximillian being with us and of course our wonderful friends from Whistler, Melbourne and Manchester who we get to see far too infrequently.
The skiing season is now officially over for us, all we have left are the memories, some pictures and a fast fading whistler wind burn that will soon disappear. Until next year folks.
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BANG POWERLIFTING
This was my first ever power lifting meet. It wasn't really on my radar to attend but I bumped into Meg at Hooked yesterday in Kensington Market and her and Barbara my sister-in-law were chatting about it. Meg was in the meet and what the heck, it seemed like a good way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday morning.
I arrived around 10:30 and the event was well under way. An energetic crowd was gathered around one of the big contraptions used for dead lifting. Early morning power squats were on the menu. Not for the first time was I grateful that I was a spectator on this day and not competing. Those were some crazy heavy weights
The meet included folks from Bang Fitness's power lifting team - a group I know little about other then their names are written on the blackboard with their weekly best lifts and a I believe at least one and maybe more gyms from the Toronto area. I noticed some of the participants had the same t. shirt "uniform". They get extra point for that.
As usual I felt a little self conscious walking around with a camera, but after a while I realized the focus is on the participants and I felt comfortable going where I wanted and taking whatever pictures I wanted. This was really a fantastic opportunity and I wanted to make the best of it. I did want to take some pictures with a telephoto angle but I realized as soon as I left the house this morning that the zoom lens in my bag was actually my 14mm wide angle lens. Oops. Lesson learned. I did take a bunch of images the last 1/2 hour with it and I actually really like the perspective the wide angle gave.
All in all it was a terrific couple of hours. I hadn't really thought anything about the power lifting club at Bang before but I can see it can be an addictive sport. It's like a whole sub culture behind the scenes. The nice thing is everyone is rooting for each other, there's a great amount of camaraderie and I think it must be a great way to measure your progress. And no one was happier after a good lift, or consoling or offering a bit of advise after a failed lift then Paul Hynes the power lifting coach. Good one Paul.
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COLDEST DAY OF THE YEAR
Saturday, February 13, 2016 was indeed a very cold day. The car's digital temperature readout said -25ºC but it felt more like -35ºC. Not that I know what -35ºC feels like but really, after a certain point it hardly matters. It was cold. Very very cold.
The day before I had a training session with Patrick Laroque, one of the most talented photographers in Canada, perhaps the world. He's also one of a small group of people who are official Fuji X-Photographers; ambassadors for the Fuji X series of cameras. Patrick is helping me to become a better photographer, to "see" better and to try to make something of my limited skills.
I've recently started getting assignments from Patrick. This week, lucky me, was the theme of Winter. Patrick asked me to find the art in winter. I knew where the temperature was going and figured this was the needed jolt to get me out of my comfort zone and out with my camera on a day where it would normally be safely tucked away in the warmth of my house.
So here's the thing I learned, the Fuji cameras are made mostly out of magnesium dies cast bodies. This is a wonderful, light metal that is very strong. It also gets unbelievably cold in these conditions. After 10 minutes it's like carrying a solid piece of ice.
So my early morning walk didn't last too long. About 15 minutes tops. But it was a beautiful start to the day. Later we would all venture to Kensington market for our weekly shopping. Everyone was seriously bundled up for the task. We Canadians are a hearty bunch. No need to let a little arctic chill ruin our day.
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BERLIN + HAMBURG
We visited Berlin & Hamburg in December/January 2015/2016. It's now August 2017 as I'm writing this. The memories from this trip are still vivid. This is the great gift of photography, in an instant you can be taken back to another time and place.
As I'm rummaging through these I know I would process them differently today; quite a bit differently. But I'm reluctant to make any changes. It's like time stamping, once it's done it's done. 2-1/2 years later I'm very happy with the images in this post.
Berlin is a great, fun city to hang out in, notwithstanding the sobering visit to Sachsenhausen, the infamous concentration camp outside of Berlin. I think I would have preferred a warmer time of year but in some ways it was perfect. Our trip to Hamburg was capped with a visit with my old friend Shane who I hadn't seen in many years. We're both quite a bit greyer then the last time we met, but time has stood still in many ways and the sign of a true long lasting relationship is one where the conversation flows as easily as the day we met.
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