Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Vintage Diner on Roncesvalles

Rick McGinnis recently got a look inside the old Ace Restaurant on Roncesvalles and was able to take some pictures of this well preserved diner. For the whole story and more photos click here.
The Ace has been closed for years but remains intact and unmolested.

Bassel's Menu



More on Bassel's here.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Parkdale Theatre Mash

Old Chinese Restuarants Around Town

My favourite, the Kom Jug Yuen on Spadina near Cecil. We've been going there for BBQ pork on rice since Art College. Nothing fancy here.
The Pagoda in Hamilton.
The Chungking (closed) on Spadina.
The House of Cheung on Bloor near Lansdowne.

More Cool Cars/1965 Ford Ranchero

Based on the popular Ford Fairlane.

Dupont and Madison/Then and Now

The N/E corner of Dupont and Madison sometime in the 1950's.
2011.
The Madison Mash.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Queen and Gladstone/Then and Now

Looking north up Gladstone from just north of Queen in March of 1949.
2010.

The George Brown House/Then and Now

A crowd outside waits for news after the shooting in 1880.

Construction of the Brown’s residence began in 1874, and the family took possession of their new home in 1876. His enjoyment of the new home was short-lived as a disgruntled former employee from The Globe attacked Brown in his office and shot him. The leg wound became infected and brought about Brown’s death. After Brown’s death in 1880, his widow Ann remained in the house until 1886, when she returned to Scotland.

Thereafter, the house was purchased by Duncan Coulson, general manager of the Bank of Toronto in 1891. His family remained there until 1920 when the home was sold to the Pearson Hall for Blind Soldiers. In 1924, Pearson Hall was taken over by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. In 1955, the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto bought the property.


Before the restoration in 1983.
A current view.

Queen and Beverly/Then and Now

Looking north up Beverly Street in 1911. Not a car in sight.2010.
The first yellow brick house on the left was owned by my Uncle Albert Agnelli and my Aunt Margaret for the past 30 years and before that people I know had lived there while attending O.C.A.

KIng Edward Hotel/Then



A room in the 1960's.
A collection of vintage postcards of the King Edward Hotel.

Peel Avenue/Then and Now

Peel Avenue looking west from Gladstone in 1949.
2010.

Queen and Callender/Then and Now

Looking west along Queen towards Roncesvalles from Callender in the fall of 1916.
The empty lot on the left is the future site of the Parkdale Theatre.
A more current view.
The Parkdale.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Monday, May 9, 2011

Lambton House/Lambton Mills/Old Dundas Street

Lambton Mills before the fire.
Before the overpass was built spanning the Humber River, Dundas Street wound down the valley to a small village called Lambton Mills as seen in the map above.

The only building to remain is the Lambton House, built in 1847.
The village was wiped out by a devastating fire in 1915.

The footings of the old bridge destroyed by Hurricane Hazel are still visible at the end of the road.

Art Deco for Sale


This unique Art Deco chair was spotted at the St. Lawrence Antique Market on Sunday.

Prince Edward Farmhouse Survivor

Sunny Bar on Annette




Another vintage diner that probably won't be around too much longer.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

The Incredible Leaning House on Annette

These semis on Annette near Keele have a serious lean. The one on the right was re-faced and "straightened" several years ago but the left hand side shows just how severe the angle is.
Most of the land south of here bordered by Annette to Bloor and Dundas to Keele was a swamp and was eventually drained to build houses. In fact the N/W corner of Keele and Bloor was the City dump up until 1910 or so.