What to Do?

This drawing depicts an incident I ran into the other day. We have all seen poppies on the floor because of their inability to properly be secured to our clothes. I'm sure we all have thought of picking them up and wearing them at one point. For me at least, the thought is intriguing, but feels wrong to take advantage of someone else's charitable donation. This drawing captures a young man trying to attain the poppy while realizing it may not the best thing to do.

We All Have Different Priorities

This incident captures the reaction of a woman walking to work as she passes a MasterCard promotion taking place in Maple Leaf Square. MasterCard placed a vault in the square for a week telling people to return on Nov 7th at noon to partake in a chance to open the vault and win the prize. Some people had camped overnight and there was a long lineup hours beforehand. As this busy woman was walking to work, she took one look at these people and began to laugh and shake her head. Her reaction was entertaining, but it was the comparison of two types of people having two very different priorities in their weekday that sparked my interest.

Walking Together Like They Just Met

I am also a fan of discovering couples walking in the streets of Toronto that really stand out. Couples that also really help define the feel of a certain neighborhood. As I was walking by the FlatIron building the other day I encountered an older couple walking hand in hand very much in love. The way they were swinging their arms and looking at each other was quite refreshing. It reminded me very much of that area. It is an older part of Toronto, but whenever I go by it my love and appreciation for the city always feels renewed.

Take Part of the SCOTIABANK AIDS WALK FOR LIFE

Over the summer I had been very lucky to help out with a great cause for our community in my own uniqe way. ACT had requested that I create a PSA to promote the Scotiabank Aids Walk for Life. I think they are a great organization so was very excited to help out. Please watch my PSA and let me know what you think. Also there is still two weeks left to join this awesome cause, so help out your community and do so.

What Was Your Favourite Day of the Summer?

I've always been too afraid to bike around the city, so walking has been my trasnport medium of choice over these plus five years in the city. Once again my two great friends April and Ashley suggested decided to surprise me with "a 101 ease into Toronto biking day". We would go bike on the island where there are virtually no cars. The reward- a picnic on the beach with lots of wine and cheese. Awesome!
Only problem was that I don't own a bike. Well with the BIXI's only costing $5.00 for the day, this was a bargain of a no brainer. So with some cautious biking from the bixi post to the ferry and many head turns from Ashley and April making sure I was still behind them, we set off unto our adventure.
What followed was the result of the best day of the summer for me. Biking on the boardwalk like carefree 5 years old. At $5.oo for the bike I am going to do this more often!! Well I soon found out that you have to report the BIXI every half hour of else you get charged an additional $5.
So yes the bike cost me fifty, and the picnic left us all scratching our legs from bed bugs for days. But it was totally worth it and hands down the best summer day! Thanks guys.

NOTE: As you look at the picture above I suggest you sing the intro to THREE'S COMPANY, because that was what we were all singing.

Self Serve Yogurt at Yogurt Spoon! Great Concept. Just Watch How Much You Pour.

My best friend Jon will never say no to frozen treats, even if you caught him leaving an ice cream parlour an hour earlier. So I decided to show him Yogurt Spoon just north of Yonge and Wellesley. Its self serve yogurt, where you pay by the weight. You must be careful however, because what can result is a 12 dollar fusion of every yogurt and topping that my buddy Jon created.




Well as you can see below he really enjoyed his creation. I myself created something lighter for under 5 dollars. Having gone there before I was already aware of how quickly the weight and price can add up.

I really do like this place and recommend everyone try it out especially with the warm days of summer started to ween out.

If a Friend Calls Before 1pm on a Weekday for a Favor....Don't Pick Up

I hadn't seen my friend April in weeks, so when she called on a thursday at 12:15 in the afternoon I was super excited. I immediately told her I was free when she asked what I was doing in the next hour.
"Well then want to be in a music video?"
That wasn't what I had in mind for "April time", but it was such a random request that I had to oblige.
I wasn't familiar with the band, but they were definitely a friendly bunch. So when they asked me if I wanted to be the guy in the chicken costume, I didn't have the heart to say I really don't want to. Not really what I had in mind when for my music video debut, but at least I can say I was in one.

There Really Is Someone Out There For Everybody!

I was walking home from a haircut one day and before my very eyes I saw such a rare sight that I had to make a mental note of it to later draw. I am a big believer in opposites attract. Why would anyone want to date themselves? Where is the fun in that? So when I saw these two guys walking hand in hand very much in love I was surprised. With the exception of their hair, they were carbon copies of eachother. Their apparel, body type, mannerism was all the same. They both had comic book nerd personas written all over them. My suspicions were made correct when I snuck up closer and listened to their comic book oriented converstation.
These two couldn't have been more perfectly matched for eachother. I guess there really is someone out there for everyone. Just one question though: Who gets first dibs on comic book day?

Who Needs Caffeine When You Can Order a Side of McSass?

On the days when Im in a rush and don't have the luxury of going to my favourite espresso bar (Ocho: a place so awesome it deserves its own post) for an Americano, I must drive up to the reliable Mcdonald's drivethru. Normally I pull up slighlty groggy and very much in need of my medium black coffee. Well on one particular day I pulled up and as I was digging my pockets for my $1.56, the drivethru attendant began shouting to her coworker
"You best settle down, before I come over and choke you by that tie of yours!"
I was in shuch shock and even a little scared that I no longer had the need for my caffeine jolt. I was awake and alert and ready to tackle my day. Who would have thought that the most interesting character I encountered that day would be at my Mcdonald's drivethru window?

What Do These People With the White Binders Want? And Am I Horrible For Finding them Super Annoying When All They Want is to Help Charity?

Anyone who walks around downtown Toronto has had the experience of walking by these binder holding charity workers. What do they want? In all my years living in Toronto I never actually bothered to stop and find out. I am either in such a rush to not be late to wherever I am heading or I want to make sure whatever money I am holding in my pockets goes to the coffee I am craving so badly.
So why write a post about them if I never cared enough to find out what they want? Because they multiplied drastically over the years. I cannot walk down any of this city's major streets without feeling like a horrible person for not caring. A lot of the actions I partake in during the day should have made me accustomed to feeling like that, but I do not need to be continuously reminded when five of them are trying to stop me in the span of one block. I am getting sick of not being able to walk in my own city without having to apologize to at least a dozen of these people.
I must give credit to some of them though. A handful of them are very attractive and are quite aware that this is all they need to stop their charitable listeners. It is the super charming bunch, however, that will always get a proper smile and apology from me. The ones who are super quick to pick something unique in their attempt to stop you. "If I guess what's in your bag you have to stop and talk to me!" or "You are too worldy looking to not stop and hear what I have to say."
We musn't forget the shy bunch of binder holders. The ones who are hoping you will approach them. They are my favourite group because all they need is to read my facial language and they immediately clear way.
I am by no means stating that Torontonians shouldn't help these awesome charities and organizations. I think what they are doing is great. I just miss the old days in Toronto when the only people I had to feel bad about walking past were the gentleman handing out Black History booklets.

When it Comes to the Lesbian Culture in Toronto... Supposedly I have a lot to Learn.

One of my favourite couples invited me out to the Open Roof Festival to view a movie at the Amsterdam Brewery. The movie was kind of horrible and the film wasn't even played on a roof despite the title. But at the end of the night, the events took a turn for the amusing and eye opening .

My good friend was walking beside me when all of a sudden, someone who I assumed to be a young frat boy, had their bike crash on my friend. After a quick apology this young frat boy came chasing after my friend asking for her number to be certain she got home okay. My friend laughed, but didn't oblige. So this frat boy then offered their number to have her call them instead. I was shocked and impressed by this frat boy's persistance. I decided to join my friend's girlfriend and we laughed at her partner being picked up. Before we could look back, this supposed frat boy whisked by on his bike gleefully shouting "She said I'm cute MotherFuckers!!"

I stated how impressed I was by this guy's tactics to my friends. They were both very quick to correct me.

"That was not a boy, Omid. It was a girl in her late thirties."

I was shocked and surprised. How could I miss that? Well the key I was told is to always looks at the cleavage when uncertain. I was then extended an invitation to further explore the Lesbian culture in Toronto with them by one day checking out the bar scene. Totally impressed by this woman's confident approach, I am curious to see how a larger group would interact in a more social setting. So I accept your invitation.

Craving Gelato! But too Hot to Venture Out. What to do?

Whevnever I am craving Gelato, there is only one place that is worth the venture out and that is Dolce on College St, in the heart of Little Italy. Cold delicious treats were invented for hot summer days such as today. Sometimes, it is just too hot to make the trip. As awesome as Little Italy can be, my air conditioned apartment feels a lot more happening at the moment.

So I figured it was about time I pulled out my fancy pants Vitamix Blender that my brother was kind enough to buy me.


I looked in my fridge and all I had was half a dozen limes that didn't make it to the Canada Day Tequilla shots lineup and a handful of strawberries. Lime Strawberry Gelato? Sounds good to me!



I placed the two items in. Added some sugar and topped it off with 4 cups of ice.

With everything ready to go and with the assistance from Chef, I put the Vitamix on high for 60 seconds and watched it all mould into gelato!

Scoop it out and add some sort of attempt of garnish so the viewers can better appreciate the final product. Once this is done only one thing left to do....

Sit back and enjoy! Who needs Little Italy when you have a Vitamix? Only 80 more impromptu gelato cravings and this beautiful machine will be worth the investment!

Let's Share Music Together!

My best buddy gets really excited when he discovers new music. No matter where we are he insists on playing it for me, while giving me one earbud and keeping one for himself. I'm sure he knows that I absolutely hate it when he does this. I am not a fan of sharing: not earbuds, not an umbrella in the rain, and most definitely not the food on my plate.

I am sure this uneasiness to share will help explain a lot about my social life... That being said, I am most definitely not one to pass the opportunity to enjoy the bond sharing can create in others. As I was doing a summer walk in the city, I stumbled upon a young couple sharing some music together. They weren't talking to eachother nor were they looking at eachother. But you knew that they were connected by the music they were sharing. Another cool random run-in that summer in Toronto offered.

416 Snack Bar: Great Place! Great Concept! Just Bring a Magnifying Glass if You're Hungry!

I was lucky enough to get invited to the Open Roof Film Festival by my friend April(there was no roof by the way, haha). While were trying to kill time before the movie I suggested we stop by at the 416 Snack Bar. Its located just north on Queen and Bathurst where the old Johnny Banana Burrito Bar used to be(RIP).
As soon as we ordered the drinks, we got a chance to look at the cheaply priced food items. With items ranging from $3-$5, my stomach and wallet were ready to do a competing dance of joy. I ordered the $3 corn dog and April the $4 Bone Marrow on toast. The Bone Marrow came and April immediately looked at the menu for other options at a better value. My corn dog was delicious, but only a tad larger than my thumb. The food was delicious, but at these prices should I have expected larger portions in downtown Toronto? Truthfully, probably not. And to be completely fair, the place is called Snack Bar, not Meal Bar
Would I go back? Most definitely. Friendly staff, and a great concept. Just don't go hungry.

The Coolest Couple of the Week

I was walking home a couple nights ago after my buddy Alex's Birthday. As I was passing the new Maple Leaf Square on Bremner blvd, (a fairly new outdoor atrium of flashing lights) I spotted a young couple sharing a skateboard ride. He was holding her tightly by the waist and they zoomed by as her hair was flowing with carelessness. I had no idea where they were coming from or headed towards. I immediately began trying to create an elaborate story about their budding new romance. Maybe I needed a distraction from the glaring million dollars worth of lights and sounds my street had to offer. Or maybe I was fascinated because I too wanted someone to share a skateboard ride with someone. But to do that, I need to learn how to skateboard first.

How to Entertain a 6 year old on a Budget In Toronto

I was super excited when I heard my cousin's two kids were coming to visit me for a few days. The youngest one, being a spunky six year old girl, had no shortage of energy. She wanted to see everything this big city had to offer and more. But everywhere I took her required admission fees, or hidden gift shops with bountiful amounts of toys that she would love for exactly five minutes after it has been purchased. What is a recent graduate of the arts' world to do on a limited budget?

Thankfully I live next to the Harbourfront. There are a lot of boats to see and who doesn't enjoy walking along the boardwalk? Even better, however, is the bridge that was built a few years ago. The Simcoe Wave Deck was created by Du Toit Architects in 2009 as part of the revitalization of the Waterfront.

This Wave Deck offered almost a full hour of free sliding and running up and down, before she felt the need to move on to something else So thank you Toronto!

The Most Interesting Sight of the Week

It is Pride week in Toronto. I am thankful to be in a city that accepts and celebrates diversity. Regardless of your own personal opinions, you must admit that the city becomes a lot more colourful this week. There is not shortage of characters to enjoy and maybe even draw.

One of the most interesting things I saw all week is illustrated above. Definitely a capture of the diversity in Toronto as well as an indication that people's fascination with Drag Queens is apparent at any age.

Time to wear my Canada Day finest!

Being from Ottawa, Canada Day is a huge annual event. This year, for the first time, I decided to have all my close friends join me and my brother to celebrate this Great Nation's Birthday. So many highlights to the day, but the one that stood at the most took place at the waterfront at Queen's Quay.

An older gentleman, in his seventies was walking by himself with his turquoise suit, which was clearly from the 1970s. Add a sailor hat and a jumbo multicolored tie and each and everyone of the 16 of us took a moment to stop and perform a double take of this happy man. This multicolored tie that could only be worn succesfully with a confident strut, made me want to go home grab my ugliest tie and do the same. lol!

The Woman Who Started it All

I saw her first at the financial district. A woman in her late sixties, walking tall and proud. Her clothing was eccentric, but well put together. The most intriguing part of her ensemble, was this scooter like contraption that she was walking with, but not riding. I wanted to speak to her so badly and find out what her story was. But unfourtunately, I was too shy. It wasn't until later that week on Queen and Spadina I saw her again. This time she was wearing a cadet's uniform, but still had that scooter contraption. She still wasn't riding it either, just pushing it along, treating it no differently than any other accessory like a purse.

Still being too shy to approach her, it was at that moment I knew I had to draw her. But she isn't the first great character I have encountered in this city. So why stop with her? This city has so much character in a variety of forms. This City is filled with a colorful collection of people, places and things. So please continue to check up on this blog as I document how I see this city.