(no subject)

Last night we covered 6k of pavement, of this city.

And I really realized how much this is home. Maybe not forever, but damn if I have to pick a place in canada to call forever home, Toronto.

It might have been the moment at Nathan Phillips Square, the sprawling open public space ( of that there are SO many in this city, meant for the purpose of citizens gathering), where Daniel Lanois had filled the square with a sprawling 12 screen, zillion speaker installation that just filled the space with perfect sound, all around us the towers lit. It was pretty fanastic and words don't express being in the space, with his music, quite adequately.

And people who don't live here don't "get" Toronto. I always feel like my fellow compatriots in Vancouver just don't quite "get" how amazing this city is. How alive, how energetic and it might seem like we're go go go all the time but how can you not be here?

And we have the means to do this, in a way Vancouver never really allowed. It's a pretty city, vancouver but it lacks that certain sense of "throw up the barricades and rock the fuck out" that we saw last night, and at Pride and will happen at Halloween. This is a city that says "go big or go home". And while TTC got completely borked with the crowds, it was to be expected, and it is STILL easier to get home than the best of days in Vancouver during Symphony of Fire.

This is a city that GETS it.

Last night was awesome. And I'm seeing more doors open and more opportunity here, it comes at me faster than I can even manage it some days where I was begging for scraps in Vancouver. We may not spend as much on the arts, but it feels like we make up for it in enthusiasm.

I kind of wish we'd realized this sooner. Next year, they do it all again. Nuit Blanche runs 7 pm to 7 am. What city encourages an allnighter? ( well, berlin, paris and a few others do this too.)

And I wish people would VISIT so i could show them this city.

(no subject)

Last night we covered 6k of pavement, of this city.

And I really realized how much this is home. Maybe not forever, but damn if I have to pick a place in canada to call forever home, Toronto.

It might have been the moment at Nathan Phillips Square, the sprawling open public space ( of that there are SO many in this city, meant for the purpose of citizens gathering), where Daniel Lanois had filled the square with a sprawling 12 screen, zillion speaker installation that just filled the space with perfect sound, all around us the towers lit. It was pretty fanastic and words don't express being in the space, with his music, quite adequately.

And people who don't live here don't "get" Toronto. I always feel like my fellow compatriots in Vancouver just don't quite "get" how amazing this city is. How alive, how energetic and it might seem like we're go go go all the time but how can you not be here?

And we have the means to do this, in a way Vancouver never really allowed. It's a pretty city, vancouver but it lacks that certain sense of "throw up the barricades and rock the fuck out" that we saw last night, and at Pride and will happen at Halloween. This is a city that says "go big or go home". And while TTC got completely borked with the crowds, it was to be expected, and it is STILL easier to get home than the best of days in Vancouver during Symphony of Fire.

This is a city that GETS it.

Last night was awesome. And I'm seeing more doors open and more opportunity here, it comes at me faster than I can even manage it some days where I was begging for scraps in Vancouver. We may not spend as much on the arts, but it feels like we make up for it in enthusiasm.

I kind of wish we'd realized this sooner. Next year, they do it all again. Nuit Blanche runs 7 pm to 7 am. What city encourages an allnighter? ( well, berlin, paris and a few others do this too.)

And I wish people would VISIT so i could show them this city.