The Old Embassy - A LOVE LETTER TO ALL MY TORONTO FRIENDS! Really!!

[gord]

(ORIGINALLY POSTED IN "WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING TODAY", Just a few minutes ago.)

Okay, this post is not quite about what I'm smoking today, but about a question that was asked of me either in this thread or in the "Other Topics Thread."

I'll repeat this thread there, but to make this post legitimate here, I'm currently puffing on another Kwiki Grape Cigar cuz I just don't type and post while smoking a pipe. Requires too much attention.

Okay, last year I mentioned I spent a lot of time in Toronto, especially at the beginning of my career, at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and a bit later in my career, when I was invited to NYO as Assistant Concertmaster of the newly formed "L'Esprie Canadianne" (or whatever - can't spell French very good, eh) a professional orchestra specializing in Canadian and 20th Century Music, and to coach the students in ensemble, etc etc etc.

Gist of this, is that I mentioned we spent a lot of time at the Embassy, which we called the Bloor Street Office. Someone posted a picture of the Embassy, and I said, "Nope. That ain't the Embassy. It's a TRAVESTY etc etc etc. Well, the old one was of course torn down, and it seemed nobody had a picture of the old one. I said I do and I'll find it.

Well I found it yesterday. It's on a half-frame Olympus Pen F color negative filmstrip I discovered, and I'm now in the process of restoring. Here's a quick look at the old girl, in all her glory. This, remember, is just the beginnings of my restoring and printing the original COLOR negative, which is in miserable but restorable condition. THIS PICTURE DATES FROM 1972. LOOK AT THE REAL, BEAUTIFUL CARS! Not the obscene robotic travesties of today. And they served real beer, too, not this arty-farty custom stuff that costs a month's salary. Ten cents a glass for real draft. Really. And mini-skirts, too!

This is a B&W mockup for density and color balance . . . . It'll take me a week or so to get it all done. Lots of spotting and other stuff to do.

CANADIANS (at least I think they are) FROM TORONTO, feast your eyes on what your city once was!

Love, Gord.

. . . . to be continued. Let's Make Toronto Great Again!!

 

[Sig]

Our family used to go to Toronto quite often. We live about 90 miles South of Buffalo so Toronto isn't too far. Our family was big into amusement parks, national monuments, national parks, historic sights.....and zoos.
But I always hated zoos when I was young, they made me sad.
So instead of forcing me to go, we started going to the African Lion Safari in Hamilton Ontario. We would spend a couple nights it Toronto while up there.
And yes, the African Lion Safari isn't much better than a zoo, but the animals did seem much more happy to 10 year old me. We went there half a dozen times or so over the years.
One of the most vivid memories I have is from Toronto. It was 1984, I was 13 years old. We were staying on one of the top floors of a huge hotel. I seem to recall the 23rd floor...I may be wrong. My parents went out to eat and left us kids in the hotel room. My sister was 15, my brother was 19.
My brother bought a 6 pack of Molsen XXX, we each drank two.
The temperature was in the upper 70s or so, and from our balcony the city looked and sounded amazing.
Then, my brother breaks out his secret joint he smuggled over the border.
I was 13 years old, had 2 strong beers in me, took 2 hits off my first ever joint......the city, the lights......then the most glorious thing happened. I sincerely recall this as one of the best feelings ever...... Phil Collins "In The Air Tonight" came on the radio. I was literally in a trance. My brother watched me closely because we were on the 23rd floor and he saw the state I was in.
Awhile later when we were back in the room, he said, "felt good, didn't it?"