Bob in the Chamber: A Visit to the Heart of Queen's Park

Bob had always been curious about what went on behind the closed doors of Queen’s Park — and on this day, he finally got a peek behind the heavy wood and ornate ironwork. The Legislative Chamber, it turns out, is not just the place where laws are debated — it’s where tradition, architecture, and a whole lot of history come together in one beautifully carved room.

The visit started at the grand entrance to the chamber. Bob stood before the intricate wood-and-glass doors, impressed by how much craftsmanship had gone into something as simple as an entryway. You don’t get this kind of detail in a condo lobby, that’s for sure.

Once inside, Bob looked out over a sea of leather chairs and microphones — the seats of Ontario’s elected Members of Provincial Parliament. It reminded him a little of musical chairs, only with more arguing. The Speaker’s chair sat at the front like a throne, flanked by green-carpeted stairs and framed by carvings of lions, unicorns, and Ontario’s coat of arms. Bob wondered how many laws had been hammered out in this very spot — and how many politicians had secretly dozed off mid-debate.

He spotted Premier Doug Ford’s seat, empty of course, but no less symbolic. Bob thought about how decisions made here ripple out to all corners of the province, from Toronto’s crowded streetcars to the quiet laneways he loves to photograph.

Bob also noticed the press gallery and public viewing area up above — a reminder that, in theory at least, the people are always watching. He liked that. It gave the room a sense of accountability… or at least a bit of drama.

Before he left, Bob took one last glance at the Clerk’s desk, the ceremonial mace holder, and the lush green carpeting — all part of the choreography of parliamentary tradition. Then he stepped back through the same ornate door, feeling like he’d just walked through a time machine — one that’s still very much in use.

Back out in the hallway, Bob checked his camera and smiled. He didn’t make any laws today, but he captured a few moments of democracy in action. And for a street photographer with a curiosity for civic spaces, that felt just right.

 

Bob Visits the Legislative Chamber: A Close-Up with the Mace, the Speaker’s Chair, and Doug Ford’s Seat

 

Today, Bob stepped into the very heart of Ontario’s democracy—Queen’s Park. But instead of chasing photos of protest signs or press scrums, he aimed his lens at something more ceremonial: the chamber itself.

The tour started off quietly enough, until Bob spotted something that made him stop mid-stride—the ceremonial Mace of Ontario, standing upright in a secure display. Not just a fancy stick, the mace is a symbol of authority, and without it in the chamber, no official business can begin. Bob admired the intricate crown, the gilded stem, and all the echoes of British tradition baked into its golden polish. Then he noticed the old mace from Upper Canada tucked beside it—a bit rougher around the edges, but steeped in history.

Next, Bob walked into the Legislative Chamber, and there it was—the Speaker’s Chair. Massive, carved in dark wood, with emerald green leather and a commanding view of the entire room. Bob imagined what it must be like to preside over debate from that throne, calling on MPPs while keeping the peace (and sometimes the drama) under control.

But what really got Bob’s attention was a particular seat at one of the front desks. This wasn’t just any chair—this was the Premier’s seat. Doug Ford’s seat. Bob didn’t sit in it, but he stood close enough to imagine the Premier’s notes, his coffee mug, and the countless debates launched from that very spot.

As Bob looked around, the weight of all the decisions, debates, and declarations that have taken place within these wooden walls really settled in. Every desk had a mic, every chair faced the Speaker, and every detail seemed built for history in the making.

Today, Bob didn’t just visit Queen’s Park—he walked through power, tradition, and ceremony. And of course, he took the photos to prove it.

Bob Visits Two Queens at Queen’s Park

Today, Bob took a royal stroll through Queen’s Park in Toronto—where he met not just one, but two queens. No tiaras were exchanged, but there was plenty of history, architecture, and bronze to admire.

It all began with a walk down the grand pathway to the Ontario Legislative Building, that big red sandstone beauty that looks like a castle if you squint hard enough. Bob was feeling very civic-minded—or maybe just curious about the banners showing off government pride. Either way, he found himself drawn to the statues on the grounds.

First up: Queen Victoria. Bob admired the intricate details of the seated monarch cast in dark bronze. She looked stern and regal, as if she were judging Bob’s slightly wrinkled cargo shorts. Her pedestal was inscribed with "VR" (Victoria Regina), which Bob now knows is Latin for "Queen Victoria"—but for a moment, he thought it might stand for “Virtual Reality” and wondered if she'd seen the future.

Then came Queen Elizabeth II, looking equally majestic on her throne. Bob noticed how the newer monument gleamed in the sun and stood in contrast to Queen Victoria’s weathered figure. Her base bore the familiar “E II R” crest. Bob gave a respectful nod and thought, two queens in one afternoon—pretty good for a guy with no palace connections.

He didn’t see any corgis or palace guards, but he did spot a squirrel doing acrobatics near the flower beds, which felt fittingly Commonwealth.

As he left the grounds, Bob wondered aloud: Do you curtsy to a statue? Then he shrugged, waved at both Queens, and went off to find lunch.

 

Bob’s Blog: A Print in Time – Scarcity, Stories, and the Moments That Mattered

There’s something that happens when you print a photo. It becomes finite. This created what we might call a “scarcity mindset” that shaped how people approached documentation. Instead of capturing every moment, photographers had to choose which moments were worth preserving. You only had 24 or 36 shots on a roll, and each frame cost you time and money. Printing brings some of that feeling back.

The first print was of two bundled-up friends sitting on a winter bench glowing with holiday decorations. Cameras hanging from their necks, smiles warm despite the frost. That one, I framed. Because it’s not just a holiday shot—it’s a memory of shared creative energy. A moment worth preserving.

The second print? A couple running through the snow in their wedding outfits. Him in a tux, her in a white suit and sunglasses, bouquet in hand. It was too joyful, too brave, too Toronto not to print. That one is going on my fridge. I never met them, but that’s the kind of bold love story that deserves to live on paper.

And the third print shows my photo walk group—wandering through a blooming street, looking in every direction but the camera. Everyone in their element, camera straps swinging. It’s a slice of what we do: chase beauty, connection, and small stories hiding in ordinary corners.

I didn’t print everything. Just those three. But that’s the point. Printing reminded me that not every photo needs to be kept. Some are just sketches. But a few—just a few—deserve the dignity of paper and light.

Bob

 

Bob’s Saturday Photo Walk: A Stop at Wallace Market

This past Saturday, Bob went out for one of his usual weekend photo walks—camera charged, lenses cleaned, and curiosity dialed to full. Wandering through the Junction Triangle, Bob found himself standing in front of a red-brick relic from another time: Wallace Market.

The market’s weathered Coca-Cola signs—big red circles shouting “Drink Coca-Cola”—caught his eye right away. The paint on the Wallace Market sign had faded to a soft patina, but the character of the place hadn’t faded one bit. Bob had walked past this corner store before, but today, he felt drawn to step inside and take a closer look.

Inside the store, the air was cool and smelled like candy wrappers, bread, and a little nostalgia. The aisles were tight, packed with every snack, spice, and soda you could want. There was a shelf devoted entirely to sweet childhood favourites—Nerds, Laffy Taffy, and that one candy Bob always forgets the name of but recognizes instantly. There were fridge doors lined with every kind of pop imaginable, and above it all, Huggies boxes and cereal stacked like bricks in a fort.

Bob didn’t go in to buy anything. He went in to remember. Places like Wallace Market remind him why he loves street photography—not for the big landmarks, but for the little moments and the small businesses that still feel like the past never quite left. He snapped a few quiet shots, nodded thanks to the person behind the counter, and headed back out into the sunshine.

Before the day was done, Bob had a memory card full of Saturday street life and a smile from seeing a corner store that still looked like the ones from when he was a kid. Wallace Market wasn’t just a stop on the walk—it became the highlight.

 

Bob and Friends Hit the Streets – A Dundas West Photo Walk

Bob laced up his walking shoes, slung his camera strap across his shoulder, and pulled on his signature red bucket hat — the unofficial uniform for his midweek photo adventures. This time, he wasn’t walking solo. It was a proper photographer’s outing with friends around Dundas West, a Toronto neighbourhood where old storefronts, graffiti alleys, and unexpected characters are always waiting to be captured.

The crew gathered at a corner near Ossington, where Bob gave a friendly nod to passersby and exchanged camera banter with his fellow shutterbugs. One friend, armed with a camera vest and a smartphone clamped in hand, looked like a seasoned field reporter ready to file a visual scoop. Another, with a calm presence and a subtle smile, carried a sleek film camera — the kind of person who quietly finds magic in small moments and gentle light.

Their walk wasn’t rushed. That’s the beauty of a photo walk — it’s part stroll, part treasure hunt. Bob stopped frequently, fascinated by shadows stretching over brick walls or the way sunlight bounced off a garbage bin in just the right way (yes, even the bins in Toronto can become art in the right frame).

They shared tips, borrowed lenses, and even posed for each other when a scene needed a human touch. At one point, Bob caught his reflection in his friend’s glasses and laughed, “That’s me — the ghost in everyone’s street shots.”

Dundas West served up a feast of visual oddities and beauty: crumbling architecture, a mural half-hidden behind a parked SUV, a tree pushing through a crack in the sidewalk. The city was alive and layered, and Bob and his friends were there to frame it one click at a time.

They wrapped up with cold drinks at a local café, comparing shots and laughing over misfires. Bob’s final image of the day? A candid portrait of his friend squinting into the sun, camera at the ready, completely lost in the moment.

It wasn’t just a photo walk. It was a reminder that good photography isn’t about chasing perfection — it’s about slowing down, looking closely, and enjoying the walk with people who see the world the way you do.

More walks to come. More stories in every shutter click.

Bob's Weekday Walk Through the Eaton Centre

Bob doesn’t usually head downtown during the week. Too many people in suits, too many schedules, and not enough good coffee unless you know where to look. But today, Bob found himself inside the Eaton Centre on a weekday afternoon, camera in hand and a curious mind at play.

The mall had that midweek calm — not empty, but not buzzing either. The kind of lull where you hear footsteps echo off tile and escalators hum like background music. Bob strolled through the gleaming corridors, noticing how the place was both a shopping centre and a city in itself — a glass-roofed tunnel with its own seasons, sounds, and daily rhythm.

First up: the view from the upper level. Bob looked down to see Hugo Boss, Mackage, and a few scattered shoppers below. The American Girl store stood out like a red velvet cake among muted storefronts, and a huge banner draped across the atrium carried the colours of the Progress Pride flag, reminding Bob that even glass and steel could speak volumes about the world outside.

A little farther along, he stopped at the rainbow staircase near Guest Services — probably one of the most photographed corners of the mall. Bob didn’t climb it; he stood at the bottom and admired how the colours marched up like a parade frozen in time. “They should pipe music through these stairs,” he muttered. “Maybe ABBA.”

And then there was the Apple Store.

Bob always treated Apple stores like modern art galleries — clean, minimal, and full of people poking glass screens like they were decoding ancient runes. He peeked inside. Staff in green shirts offered help, devices lined up like little soldiers, and a few folks were deep in tech meditation. Bob took a photo through the glass. It looked like a still from a sci-fi film, where humanity lives inside a perfectly organized rectangle.

What struck Bob most was how peaceful it all felt. No big sales, no crowd surges, just everyday Toronto life — in sneakers and soft conversations, walking under glass and light. Maybe it’s not a bad idea to walk the Eaton Centre midweek, he thought.

He might even come back next Wednesday. Just not during lunch rush.

 

Bob Walks Past the EB Games Lineup on Yonge Street

Bob was out for a stroll on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, camera in hand, looking for interesting scenes to photograph when something caught his eye — a line of people wrapped around the front of the EB Games store. He had to stop.

"Wait, people are still lining up for video games?" Bob said to no one in particular. “I thought kids just downloaded stuff now.”

He stood for a moment, baffled. This wasn’t 2007 — it was 2025, and yet here was a classic game-store scene from the past: a queue of excited fans, phones in hand, chatting, checking the time, and shifting foot to foot with anticipation. Some had Nintendo shirts on, and one guy had a plush Mario dangling from his backpack like it was a badge of honor.

Bob took a few photos. He hadn’t seen a lineup like this since the midnight release of Halo 3. Back then, Bob had no idea what the fuss was about, but he loved the energy. This had the same feel — not just a transaction, but a ritual.

He noticed the EB Games sign now had a little maple leaf on it. A touch of Canada clinging to the franchise as it faded from most streets. He remembered when there were EB Games in every mall. Now, this one on Yonge stood as a kind of nostalgic holdout — a beacon for people who still loved the physical copy, the midnight launch, the bonus poster, or maybe just the shared excitement.

On his walk back, Bob passed the Popeyes next door, also with a line — but that made more sense. At least with chicken you couldn’t download it.

Back at home, he posted the photos with the caption:

"Bob thought people downloaded their games now. Apparently, some things are still worth lining up for."

Sometimes the street surprises you — even with pixels and cartridges.

Bob at the Abandoned Bay Store Below Toronto’s Streets

Bob had wandered many places with his camera, but nothing prepared him for the quiet eeriness of the Bay store on the PATH under Toronto. On May 31st, it looked like someone had just closed the cash register and walked away forever.

The once-busy department store now sat hollow and silent, its fluorescent lights still buzzing above rows of empty display shelves. The drawers were left open, cash trays sitting on counters like they had been hastily checked one last time before the lights went off. A tangled mess of wires and an unplugged monitor stood at a customer service desk, abandoned like it was waiting for one last barcode to scan.

It was a strange sight — a place once filled with weekend shoppers and perfume spritzers now looked more like a museum exhibit on retail life from a bygone era. Faded sale signs still clung to the fixtures, but there was nothing left to sell.

Bob followed the temporary fencing through narrow paths lined with empty racks and dust-covered countertops. The blue gates guided him through a ghost town, and even though there were no employees or shoppers, the place still held the echo of its past life — faint footsteps, PA announcements, and elevator dings seemed to linger in the air if you listened long enough.

He paused for a moment at the entrance, looked back at the shell of a store that had once been a staple of downtown life, and snapped a few final photos.

Bob never worked retail, but he could feel what this place meant to the people who did. It was a goodbye to more than just a store — it was the end of an era.

Then Bob went upstairs to grab a coffee. Even photographers need a break after exploring retail ruins.

My Flickr Album

 

There’s something special about a campfire

There’s something special about a campfire—the crackle of the wood, the soft glow of the embers, the smell of smoke in your hoodie for days afterward. But this night, Bob’s usual fireside ritual had an unexpected guest: Thing. Yes, that Thing—from the Addams Family. A severed hand with surprising agility and a knack for stealing the poker stick.

Bob had just got the fire going at the campsite, poking at it with a trusty branch like a pioneer reenactment. Flames licked the split logs and coals glowed a fierce red under the grate. That’s when he heard a light tap tap tap behind him. Turning around, there it was—Thing, calmly crawling over from the edge of the fire pit like it was the most natural thing in the world.

No explanation. No fanfare. Just a hand, here to hang out.

Bob didn’t even flinch. He simply scooted over on the log bench and nodded toward the fire. Thing, apparently fluent in body language, settled beside him. The two sat in silence for a while, watching the fire shift from dancing flames to those glowing red coals that hypnotize you late at night. The occasional blue flicker of flame cast an eerie but oddly comforting glow.

Every now and then, Thing would poke at the fire with a stick, showing a surprising talent for tending the coals. Bob swore it even arranged a triangle of wood perfectly to keep the airflow just right. Honestly, better technique than most of the campers he’s met.

Moral of the story: never question who shows up to your campfire. 

 

 

A Doggone Good Time at the Hounds of Erie Winery

 

A Doggone Good Time at the Hounds of Erie Winery

This past weekend, I took a drive out to Norfolk County to visit the Hounds of Erie Winery—a charming little winery with a personality as bold as its wines and ciders. Nestled among the quiet countryside, this spot is a gem for anyone who enjoys local beverages, a laid-back atmosphere, and a bit of canine charm.

The vineyard might’ve still been shaking off the last of winter’s chill, but the warm welcome at the tasting bar more than made up for the moody skies.

The winery is best known for two things: their dog-themed branding and their surprisingly tasty lineup of wines and ciders. As someone who’s usually more into photography than pinot, I found myself genuinely impressed by both the variety and quality of what they offered.

I went for a flight that included:

FHR (possibly short for “Fetch Hard Rosé”? Whatever it was, it was smooth and dry)

PP – maybe “Paw Print Pinot”? Fruity and refreshing.

Sassy – a sparkling rosé cider with bite and personality.

TD – crisp, clean, and tart. Definitely a fan favorite.

Each pour came with its own little character, and the playful dog-bone labels made the experience feel fun rather than fussy. The winery isn’t trying to be pretentious—it’s just good, local drink made with care and creativity. Behind the bar, shelves were stocked with cute bottles featuring bulldogs and bees, and the names alone—Double Trouble, Bulldog & Bee—made me want to collect them all like trading cards.

One bottle especially caught my eye—a wine featuring a French Bulldog on the label. The resemblance to my own dog Dylan was uncanny. Naturally, I had to bring a bottle home for my daughter. It wasn’t just a souvenir—it felt like Dylan had his own signature wine.

What stood out most was how relaxed the whole place felt. No pressure, no pretense—just a few tables, a few pours, and a reminder of how much joy can be packed into a modest glass.

So if you’re looking for a chill road trip stop with local charm, photogenic scenery, and a tasting menu that leans a little quirky (in the best way), Hounds of Erie Winery is worth the detour.

Bob’s Tip: Try the sparkling cider. It’s sassy in name and spirit.