No photography is allowed in The Nature of Diamonds exhibit (which is running until through March 2009), but I can tell you that you will find a huge amount of history and scientific information alongside the decadence. I found it particularly interesting to read about what’s being done to prevent "blood diamonds" with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which I will admit is one thing that has given this avid diamond lover much pause.

Beautiful examples of how diamonds have become symbols of wealth and importance, as well as the history behind De Beer’s famous A Diamond Is Forever slogan (which is still very much in part of their brand to this day) are fabulous reminders that history is cyclical, people will always love luxury and things will most certainly bounce back.

Image: Ian Irving on Flickr

Post from: The Toronto Traveler

One of the things I haven’t talked that much about on The Toronto Traveler is the outdoors in Toronto.  Most of the things I mention are either places you can visit or things you can do inside one of the many buildings located in the city, but I have yet to discuss something that you can do outside if you’re just looking for some time to kill or want to get some fresh air.  Well, there are many great places that you can walk in Toronto, but one that should definitely get first mention because of its close proximity to many of the main tourism areas in the city is Philosopher’s Walk.

Beautifully crafted thoroughfares like the one shown to the left are commomplace in Philosopher’s Walk, which is a walkway that starts on Bloor Street West between the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Royal Ontario Museum and continues southward to Hoskin Avenue.  The walk itself is only a few minutes long, but it gives you a chance to bask in a beautiful walkway and take the pulse of the city in a very real way.  It also gives you the chance to encounter a number of people.  University students, music performers, city residents that live nearby and tourists walk back and forth through Philosopher’s Walk all day and with the benches that are available for your use you can just sit there and watch them come and go.  It is a great place to reflect and a great place to relax.

One final point that is worth mentioning about Philosopher’s Walk is the fact that it allows you to branch off and visit many of the other nearby areas.  In addition to being able to visit the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Royal Ontario Museum, you can also go take a look at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Arena and field as well as tourisn some of the nearby campus buildings, most notably the very beautifully constructed Trinity College.

Philosopher’s Walk is also located walking distance from St. George, Bay and Museum Subway Stations; if you check out the subway line map and take a look at many of my past posts, you will notice that these three subway stations form part of the downtown core where most of the action takes place vis-a-vis tourist attractions in Toronto.  That is the main reason why Philosopher’s Walk is shorter than normal, but there are other places in Toronto where you can take a really long walk without stopping that I will talk about in later posts.

Photo Credits: Flickr, Flickr, Flickr

Post from: The Toronto Traveler

Toronto is a city with lots of fantastic artwork attached to it.  Sometimes, as in the case of the above photo, the artwork manifests itself on one of the walls of the city or some other such public place.  However, in most cases, to see great Canadian art you have to head to one of the many artistic venues in the city such as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, which from now on will also occupy a place on The Toronto Traveler’s blogroll.

The MOCCA as it’s known for short is exactly what the name implies and between May 2, 2008 and June 1, 2008, they are going to be having an exhibition of art entitled Between Memory and History: From the Epic to the Everday.  Here is a partial list of people that will have works on display at the event:

Raymonde April

Raymonde April is indicative of the large pool of French Canadian artistic talent that Canada is privileged to have.  She’s one of the contemporary photographic artists that Canada has built a reputation for turning out and ever since she got her start in 1979, her photographs have been in high demand for display around the country.

Robert Burley

Robert Burley, like Raymonde April, is a design photographer and one that has been working for over two decades.  According to his website, the work he does explores the relationship between nature, architectures and the overall urban landscape.  He has many excellent pictures that deal with the meat of this conceptual area, including very awe-inspiring pictures of large pockets of nature next to significantly smaller urban areas.

Martin Parr

Martin Parr is a man that refers to himself as the “chronicler of our age.”  He is a man that has been highly critical of mainstream media photography and serves to counter that photography with what he refers to as “criticism, seduction and humour.”  This gives us a chance to take a look at his interpretation of many famous media shots over time and that in itself is a very interesting thing to do.

MOCCA’s Location

MOCCA is located at 952 Queen Street West, which puts it at a major intersection nearest to Queen Street West and Ossington Avenue.  This is actually somewhat far away from the Subway, although there are busses that run along Ossington Avenue from Ossington Subway Station on the Bloor-Danforth line as well as streetcars that run along Queen Street that intersect both the Yonge and University Subway Lines, so the TTC coverage to this particular location is still extensive.

Summary

Event: Between Memory and History: From the Epic to the Everday
Location: Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA), 952 Queen Street West
Dates: May 2, 2008 to June 1, 2008
Museum Hours: 11 AM to 6 PM Thursday-Sunday, closed Monday
Admission: Free to the gallery
More Information: 416-395-7490 or mocca@toronto.ca

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Post from: The Toronto Traveler

Photo Credit: Henna painting by greatwhiteyakon Flickr

Henna decoration is big in Toronto, perhaps due to the large number of naturalized South Asian citizens that we have living here.  Henna decoration is a big part of the culture in countries like India and it’s ended up making its way into the Toronto culture as well, with Henna tattoos and paintings featuring largely in a number of different places as you walk around the city.  With more interest in this style of artistic expression, the Textile Museum of Canada has decided to help those interested learn how to get in the know regarding Henna painting.

Details

Event: Hands-on Henna workshop
Date: March 8, 2008
Time: 1 PM to 5 PM
Cost: $50 for members, $65 for non-members, $40 for students and $20 for materials
Location: Textile Museum of Canada, 55 Centre Avenue (MAP)
Closest Subway Station: St. Patrick Subway Station on the University Subway Line
More Info: 416-599-5321, advance registration is required at extension 2221

Venue

The Textile Museum of Canada has a history extending back more than 30 years to 1975 when it was originally incorporated as the Canadian Museum of Carpets and Textiles.  During the years of its existence, it has moved from humble beginnings in a small room in Mirvish Village all the way to being a full fledged museum with its own facilities located at 55 Centre Avenue.

Throughout its growth, the TMC has maintained a high level of quality when it comes to their presented collection and with a combination of good marketing skills and excellent events revolving around their many collected items, the Textile Museum of Canada has earned the right to be named amongst Toronto’s many and varied artistic venues.  Anyone that is interested in textile work should have the TMC on their visiting agenda as a must because it is truly a fantastic place to visit.

Their current collection is in excess of 12,000 items that come from over 200 regions of the world and represents one of only eight museums in the world solely dedicated to the collection and display of textiles and textile materials.

Event

At the Hands-on Henna workshop you will learn how to paint Henna designs on your body and you’ll learn all of the required preparation for doing such things.  In addition to that, some of the history regarding Henna painting internationally will be discussed.  According to the TMC, this event should be good for both adults and children over the age of 12, meaning that for some it can be an afternoon of family fun in addition to adding a new skill to your collection.

Post from: The Toronto Traveler