Toronto 2019
Part 6
Monday, April 15 was our last full day in Toronto. This would primarily be a transit day, as we took the TTC to most of our destinations.
Our first stop was Chronic Ink, a tattoo place located on the same block as our hotel. We weren’t getting any tattoos or anything, but a friend of Elyse’s had alerted her to a vintage elevator there, and so, with its being that close to us, it only made sense to give it a look.
Elevator panel at Chronic Ink.
I posed for a photo in the window of the elevator door.
Euro-style exit sign, the standard for new installations in Ontario since 2014.
We then headed out to College station, where we bought our all-day passes, and then caught a Yonge-University train going towards Finch. We rode that until Bloor-Yonge, where we transferred to a Bloor-Danforth Line train heading towards Kennedy. At Kennedy, we transferred to a Scarborough RT train and rode the full line out to McCowan. We then doubled back to Scarborough Centre and exited there.
Waiting for the train at College.
Next train sign, showing that the train is going to Finch. This same sort of sign appeared on Today’s Special at Rosedale station, which I would visit later on in the day.
Interior of car 5086 on the Bloor-Danforth Line.
Selfie on board 5086.
A Scarborough RT train arrives at Kennedy station.
Interior of car 3005 on the Scarborough Line.
We then rode the 993B bus from Scarborough Centre to Finch. That was an express route, and we saw parts of the city that we had not seen before.
That’s one thing about Elyse. She is extremely proficient with getting around in other cities’ transit networks. I tend to shy away from buses when I’m in other cities, but I’ll readily do the rail systems. I didn’t even ride Metrobus much on my DC trips from 2004 to 2007, and only became a regular Metrobus rider when I moved to the area in 2007. Elyse has no such inhibitions. She knows how to get around.
At Finch, I waited while Elyse checked out a few nearby elevators. This is the area around the buses, where I waited.
We then rode the Yonge-University Line back downtown, exiting at Queen. Elyse wanted to visit an elevator company that was located downtown, and so I helped her find it.
Fittingly, we exited the subway through a direct entrance into the store. This sign was located over the entrance where we came in from the subway. I assume that this is connected to the store’s fire alarm system, and lights up whenever the alarm system is activated.
Mannequins on the second floor at the store. I commented on Instagram, “These mannequins look bored out of their minds. I guess if you’re fashionable, you’re bored?”
Elyse puts her hand on a light wall in the store.
Parting company with Elyse at the elevator place, I walked around to photograph other things. Not surprisingly, I found myself back at the store. Now that I had daylight and good weather, I photographed the outside of the store. I then went over to the Sheraton Centre and Nathan Phillips Square, and photographed those again, as the gray day that I had gotten on Thursday did neither of them justice. I also photographed various other buildings in the vicinity, as well as “Flight Stop” inside the Eaton Centre.
The first thing that I did upon parting company with Elyse was to go back down to the store. Now that I had good weather, I got photos of the building in daylight.
This photo of the store’s Queen Street facade, showing a streetcar passing by, was inspired by the establishing shot at the beginning of “Our Story Part 1“.
The plaque, located at the subway entrance. Note the reference to a fire with the 1894 structure, whch Jodie briefly references in “Our Story Part 1”, explaining that the records for the age of the store were destroyed in a fire.
The entrance to the store on the Richmond Street side, where Muffy first enters the store in “Our Story Part 1”, and where Sam and Jodie exit the store in “Christmas Part 1“.
Corner of Richmond Street and Bay Street.
Nathan Phillips Square, where Muffy rode her scooter on the way to the store.
Toronto City Hall, with the big “TORONTO” sign in front.
The Sheraton Centre.
The Simpson Tower at the northwest corner of the store, still undergoing recladding.
The Queen Street facade of the store, across the street from the revolving door entrance.
Flight Stop in the Toronto Eaton Centre.
Elyse and I reconvened near the Eaton Centre, and made a quick walk through part of the store, and then we got back on the subway and headed north. Our next stop was Rosedale station. Rosedale appeared in “Trains“, where Sam and Jodie showed us what happened when they rode the subway. I had fun there, since I knew the segment well. We went outside of the station, I got similar photos as from the episode, and was able to narrate it. We went over the ramp to the northbound track, and then boarded our train towards Finch – just like Sam and Jodie did.
First, though, I got some shots unrelated to Today’s Special, showing the entrance to the station, some buses, and the skyline. You know, transit fan stuff.
And now, welcome to Rosedale, starting with the establishing shot. This shot started at the big TTC sign on top, panned past the sign over the door, and then down to Sam and Jodie.
The transfer machines. These are different machines than what was on Today’s Special, but they’re in the same location as before. While getting a transfer, I said, in my best Sam Crenshaw voice, “And with one of these, you can get off the subway and get on a streetcar or a bus!”
“Now we go over a ramp – like a little bridge.”
“Look, Jodie! There are the tracks! That’s where the subway trains run all day and all night.”
“And that’s the map. It shows you all the stations.” I should note, however, that the line has been extended some distance on the western side since the episode was made back in 1981. The line ended at Wilson back then, it was extended to Sheppard West in 1996, and now it goes all the way out to Vaughan following another extension in 2017.
View from the Finch-bound platform at Rosedale. The clock and destination signs have been replaced with digital displays. Since “Trains” was made, the station has seen very few changes.
A train departs Rosedale station.
Our train arrives. Unlike what Sam and Jodie rode back in 1981, this is a modern Toronto Rocket train. In any case, as Sam would say, “Three cheers for the subway!”
Inside our Toronto Rocket train. I really enjoyed watching these open gangway trains in action.
A train departs Sheppard-Yonge station.
Interlocking signal at Sheppard-Yonge, showing a proceed aspect.
Our ride on the subway eventually took us up to North York Centre.
At North York Centre, Elyse showed me the area where she and her family stayed in their 2017 trip to Toronto. We saw the Novotel where she stayed, and also the shopping mall and nearby Loblaws.
The Loblaws caught my attention because it was the entire bottom level of the facility. Rather than just having open space at the bottom of this large atrium, it was a full Loblaws store, open to the levels above.
We had dinner in this area, going to Kinton Ramen. This was a new experience, as I had never been to a ramen place before. I suppose that I hadn’t been to a ramen place prior to this because I had always associated ramen with the cheap packets of ramen noodles from college. This was not that. This place served thick noodles with real meat, and it was bursting with flavor. Elyse ate with chopsticks. I used a fork. I have tried time and time again to eat with chopsticks, and I have never been able to get the technique down, so I don’t even bother anymore. I enjoyed my time with the ramen, even if I did get a bit of broth on my shirt. My only complaint about the place was that, with it being such a humid environment, you left the restaurant smelling like ramen, and that smell lingered. There are worse scents to have stuck to you, though, so I didn’t mind too much.
Finishing up with dinner, we headed back towards the subway, rode down to College, and walked the block to the Chelsea. We took a final dip in the pool, and then went to bed.