I DID IT!

I finally worked up the courage to get on the streetcar and head downtown. This past weekend was Doors Open Toronto, 175 venues opened their doors to the public...for free. I decided now was the time to be brave, and take part. I managed to take in Lambton House, which used to be a "mid-point stagecoach stop on the Dundas Highway" built by Father of Confederation Sir William P. Howland  in 1848 (I got all my info from the Toronto website); and Montgomery's Inn, which is considered to be "one of the finest examples of Loyalist or late Georgian architecture in Ontario", on Saturday by car. Sunday I had lofty goals to visit quite a few places in the downtown area, but I only managed Allan Gardens, "the most intact, longest operating grouping of historic buildings and grounds in Canada devoted to the cultivation and display of palms and tropicals". For this journey, I took the street car to Younge intending to walk up to the Canon Theatre (which was another stop on my list), but they were already closed as they had performances later that day. So I hopped on the Subway up to College st., got a little turned around coming out of the station decided to sit and eat my apple, a couple of poor homeless men thought I might be of assistance and took up residence beside me (I left shortly after, after exchanging a few pleasantries). I walked a little piece up college/Carleton, hopped on another streetcar to Jarvis (which I later realized I could have walked, but I chatted with a couple of nice ladies waiting for the car, so I was glad I didn't) and I was there. It was awesome! Unfortunately, being the way I am, I was already warm from the walking I had already done (for those that know me, you know my little furnace within), so going into a greenhouse on a warm day didn't help matters. I did manage to get quite a few pictures though. It was a fantastic day, even though I didn't take in as much as I would have liked, it was enough. Here are some of the pictures I took (I took 211 pics over 2 days) Blogger isn't cooperating very well. I'm having a hard time uploading the pictures I want, but here are some.

These first few are at Montgomery's Inn

behind the bar

the bar

the kitchen (cooking with coles from an open fire)

These next ones are from Lambton house

behind this pane of plexiglass, shows the layers of the wall. The 19th century lathing, the original grey coat plaster (including the horse hair binder), the skim coat of 19th century gypsum board and the progressive layers of paint.

this is a photo of a photo of the Lambton House back in the day

upstairs hallway

I may try to upload some more later. I haven't even gotten to the Allan Garden photos. 

Well, I'm off to get ready for a workshop at the Apple store at Sherway gardens. Have a great day.