January 27, 2025
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Closing Time

I’ve been keeping up this blog for a very long time, even long after the era of the personal blog ended. Really, I just enjoyed having my own little island in the cyber-swamp I could do with as I pleased. In my previous post I announced I planned to stop blogging, at least for now, and today, I’m making my final post here.

Over the years, there have been over 64,000 visits to this place by some 34,000 people and before that, there were perhaps even more from the golden age of the personal blog, when I called my blog Mister Anchovy’s. That name came from my dear friend Anthony Stagg, who many years ago started calling me Mister Anchovies, which he informed me was my hip-hop name.

I’ve been asked not to delete this blog but to maintain the account and the domain and the entire history of the blog for folks to enjoy, should they feel so inclined. I don’t think it will get much play at all, but l’m happy to leave it up for the time being. I’m leaving the comments on, but I’m not promising to reply to comments here.

On the weekend, I will be leaving Facebook and Instagram as well. I’m not going anywhere, though – just concentrating all my social media activity on YouTube, as I’m enjoying making my Rediscovering my Toronto videos tremendously. Most of these videos document my walks around various parts of Toronto, with some other assorted videos along the way.

To all those who have visited this blog regularly over the years, thanks for stopping by. It may have been a small circle of friends but it was my circle of friends! Much appreciated!

The best way to reach me going forward will be by email. myfirstname.mylastname@gmail.com, or leave a comment on any of my videos and I’ll get back to you.

January 24, 2025
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Upcoming Changes

I want to let my friends know that I will be making a number of changes to my social media landscape at the beginning of February.

I deleted Twitter from my life when Mr Musk bought it, even before it became X. I’m no longer comfortable playing in Mr. Zuckerberg’s sandbox either, so I will be deleting Facebook and Instagram at the beginning of the month.

I’ve maintained this personal blog for a very long time, from the early days of blogging. Some of you will remember when it was Mister Anchovy’s before we moved to 27th Street. I miss the old personal blog community, and I’ve made some good friends along the way. These days I think Facebook has sucked the lifeblood from that community and I don’t think we’ll see anything like it again.

I’ve stuck with blogging even as most of my friends packed theirs in years ago, due to my own stubbornness I suppose and because I’ve enjoyed having that independent voice. These days I haven’t been so dedicated to it and have mostly used 27th Street to present videos and podcast episodes. It has never been a very popular place to visit, though I have a small number of loyal visitors (I appreciate you more than you know).

With mixed feelings and some reluctance, I’ve decided to end this blog at the same time I end my participation in Facebook and Instagram.

I plan to continue to make videos, so if you have enjoyed my content, please visit my YouTube channel at Rediscovering my Toronto.

If you need to reach me in the future, you can always leave a comment on any of my YouTube videos or email me. My email address is myfirstname.mylastname@gmail.com.

January 22, 2025
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Minus 14C – Time to make pea soup with smoked ribs

On my way out to the dog park, the fellow on the radio told me it was -14C but assured me with a chuckle it felt like -27. Argggggghhhhh!!

I’m declaring another soup day. Today, we’re making pea soup with smoked ribs.

I’ll be back out making walking videos as soon as the cold snap breaks, in a couple days. Meanwhile, join me in the kitchen.

January 10, 2025
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French Onion Soup Day

The other day, I had an opportunity to get out and take a walk and shoot some video, but I was feeling the cold and decided to stay home and make soup instead. Rediscovering my Toronto was not intended for food videos but really, there are no rules, right? So, should I stick to recording walks or is there room for some variety on the channel. If I keep introducing non-walk videos, should I change the name of the channel? For instance, instead of Rediscovering my Toronto, should I make it something like Eugene in Toronto, making a wider bucket? Alternatively, should I just make another channel and stick all the odds and ends and different types of content there?

I don’t know the answer to these questions quite yet. I’m also thinking about making some fiddle-related videos, perhaps featuring the tunes I’ve made up or perhaps new tunes I’m learning, or maybe even some tune history material. That’s all for some time in the future. For today, I confess I avoided recording a walk because I was feeling the cold more than on some other days, so I thought you might enjoy making some onion soup and jicama salad with me. Please join me. If you’re enjoying these videos, please subscribe to Rediscovering my Toronto.

By the way, somebody asked me, “where did you get the jicama?” I got mine at an Asian market called Grants, at Bloor and Dixie. You can’t miss it. It’s got an honest to God image of General Grant on the sign, beside some Chinese characters. It’s in a little mall called High Point that also has a Banh Mi joint and a Cantonese BBQ place that is very good indeed.

January 5, 2025
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Harbord Street Walk

In this latest episode of my Rediscovering my Toronto series I revisit I neighbourhood I once lived in 30-some years ago. In fact I started the walk at my old apartment building at Palmerston Ave and walked west to the end of Harbord Street at Ossington Ave.

January 2, 2025
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Sweet Daddy Siki RIP

Sweet Daddy Siki, pro wrestler, Country & Western singer, DJ, and Toronto local hero, has passed at 91.

When I was a little snot, my dad used to take me down to the Gardens to see Mr. Siki do his thing. What a time we had.

Here are the Pork Belly Futures with their song, Sweet Daddy…

Filed under: RIP
January 1, 2025
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So then this happened (Happy New Years)

As usual, we spent our New Years Eve doing as little as possible. There were a lot of fireworks going off around us which made our dog Bonnie very anxious. Sheila stayed up with her until the banging stopped. It was a small reminder that I have a strong distaste for fireworks. I don’t much care for guns either.

This morning I awoke a bit early, staggered into the WC, looked in the mirror, thought, “oh crap, this character is looking rough”, and before I could change my mind, I pulled out the clippers and removed my beard – fresh start for 2025 and all that jazz. I may or may not start growing it back immediately.

December 31, 2024
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Last Rediscovering my Toronto video of the year

I wanted to make one more video in this series between Christmas and New Years, but with all the rain we’ve been enjoying, I didn’t know when I’d get the chance. Once the rain stopped yesterday I headed out to Mimico, the eastern-most of the three Lake Shore West (former) Etobicoke communities and enjoyed a walk beginning at the shore of Lake Ontario.

When I started documenting these walks in the spring, I really had no idea how many of them I might end up doing. Despite some nagging Achilles tendonitis, though, I’ve managed to publish over 50 videos to date. I’ve been having loads of fun doing the walks and making the videos.

I’d like to thank my subscribers, and everyone who has watched this video series, and in particular those of you who have taken the trouble to make a comment, leave a suggestion, share an experience or just say hi. It’s good to know there are a few folks out there enjoying this mad project.

I can’t say I know how this video series will unfold in the coming year. I can say I’m having a blast so far. My new orthotics seem to be helping out my tendonitis too. For me it will be very interesting to document the city through the winter. With temperatures as they have been this week, hovering around the freezing mark, shooting video is comfortable. It gets more challenging as it becomes colder. Maybe I ought to consider some indoor spaces.

I’ve settled into a pattern of posting a new video about once per week, though for a while, particularly early on, I was posting every 3 or 4 days. I’m aiming to continue around once per week as long as I’m enjoying the walks and the video-making. If there are places you would like me to visit for this video series, let me know. If you haven’t subscribed to my channel yet, please do.

December 23, 2024
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Winter Walk Downtown

Here is the latest from my Rediscovering my Toronto video series. It was quite a cold walk, which turned surreal when I got to San Kofi Square, where the City has set up a Ferris wheel and a carousel for our winter pleasure. What a strange idea.

This will be the last video before Christmas. If the weather holds, I’ll try to make a video between Christmas and New Years.

If you’re enjoying this video series, please subscribe to my channel. It’s free.