Historicist: "The city that nobody loves"
Elsewhere in the Ist-a-Verse
Oh Ossington. How you've grown. Remember when we used to sing Vietnamese Karaoke together? Then you started dining out more, going to sexy parties, wearing really tight jeans, and getting into trouble with the law. Now you're Toronto's It Girl, and you don't seem to have time for us any more.
Since she no longer returns our phone calls, Torontoist decided to visit Ossington in person. Our mission: to chronicle what happens when the booze isn't flowing, the restaurant staff have yet to wake, and the denim and flannel are being worn by actual construction workers. Drama! Passion! And the distant sound of an old Portuguese man watering his sidewalk!
Meet the people of Ossington in the middle of the day.
Kelly
After being shooed off by a Hemingway-esque elderly gentleman sitting on a bench just south of Dundas, we ran into Kelly, who seemed all right with us potentially selling his photos to pornography web sites.
Kelly lived on Ossington for seven years as an artist. His favourite part of the street: "the blandness." Kelly was on his way to the hardware store to buy screws.
Heldra
Following a delightfully tangential yet brief conversation with a young man in a black felt suit, wearing fake gold dollar sign necklaces and smoking a dollar-store cigar, we stopped by Hollywood Coin Laundry to talk to Heldra, the owner.
She's been on the street for eighteen years and loves the new restaurants and bars on her street. Her thoughts on the loud party people spilling out of bars at 2 a.m.: "I have no problems. They're happy...they sing and kiss each other."
Paul
Dear Paul from Etobicoke: we love your non-ironic mustache. Paul was out for a walk taking pictures of interesting buildings when we bumped into him.
He used to be in construction and take the Ossington bus to work. Although he did have lunch at the Beaconsfield, which makes him slightly too hip for this article, we decided to feature him anyways. Then he started taking pictures of us, which led to a twenty minute discussion about the history of Kodak digital photography.
The Gaeenis
The Gaeeni family were walking past Rolly's Garage at 124 Ossington Avenue on their way to Trinity Bellwoods Park, and we convinced them to let us take their photo. They've lived in the area for eight years and love it. Their dog's name is Rocco, and the picture hides his intensely bad-ass demeanor.
Maria
Do you like baked stuff? We do. Do you like waking up early to make it? We don't. Maria has been solving this problem for thirty years: She wakes up at 5:30 a.m. every morning to make all the delicious tarts and buns at Venezia Bakery.
While we were there, she revealed an ancient trick for dealing with straggling homeless customers—give them a tasty pastry and tell them to leave.
She's very happy with all the new businesses, with one exception: stop leaving your crap in her flower bins. Seriously.
Tuan
He loves the shirts at Jonathan + Olivia and gave us free Vietnamese coffee. Tuan, the owner of Pho Tien Thanh, has been in business for fourteen years and is probably the happiest guy we met in our journey (with the exception of that felt suit guy).
He's there seven days a week, so next time you're on your way to Sweaty Betty's swing by and say hi.
So there you have it. There's more to Ossington than luxury cuisine, dance parties, making out in alleyways, falling off your fixed gear bike into bushes, and waking up with twigs in your pants. So next time you're stumbling out of that bar at 3 a.m. sending drunk texts to that guy you met at that coffee shop, just remember: Ossington does stuff during the day. And goddammit, she's a street, not a strip.
Photos by Jacklyn Atlas.
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Killer flash setup! Tuan looks great, the portrait of the Gaeeni's is wonderful.
The picture of Paul is priceless. The reflection in his sunglasses gives it an extra quirkyness.
If there is one thing that I believe big box stores can never replace it is freshly baked bread and pastries from an Italian bakery. Bless Maria and her ability to bake at 5:30 AM. I'm sure Ossington really appreciates her baked goods!
Do this more, for other streets and neighbourhoods!
Yes, but nothing east of Spadina, except of course on pride weekend.
hmm... how about nothing west of ossington?
except, of course when parkdale burns to the ground.
Haven't you heard, Leslieville is a trendy, up-and-coming neighbourhood. There's even a condo.
I vote for The Junction; it's a neighbourhood I've only ever driven through...
Nice post. I love that Venezia Bakery. I just moved to the neighbourhood and I've begun to notice that there are almost two communities living right on top of each other: the young professional (read: white) crowd, and the older Portugese community.
Likewise, there are the bakeries/restos/cafes that appeal to one crowd and not the other. It's a bit of a fractious feelign and I can't help but wish the two communities would mingle a little more.
Anyway, yeah, nice post capturing some of the life of the street during the day.
Not to stir up a shitstorm, but are ethnically Portugese people (as distinct from Portugese citizens/residents) not generally white?
Too true. My faux pas.
Interesting. I think it would be also interesting to do this earlier in the day if it is a weekday. You would then capture more people that live in the area but work downtown.
Excellent post Ian.
great, great, great!
well written and cute. i agree with rek, do this for other neighbourhoods!
"They're happy...they sing and kiss each other" is the most adorable thing I've read in a long time.
Surprised that there's no mention Ross, Sandra or the rest of the A.W.O.L. crew ( currently exhibiting Square Foot ) who also own and operate C1 as well as live on Ossington.
http://www.awolgallery.com
You may have missed the point of the article.
Perhaps, but they obviously chose which shops to go in and evangelize as well as whom to talk to and take photos of. The point of the article may be chance encounters, but the reality is hardly objective.
I was in that area two months ago and it was awful. I swear the artsy people gave me cold, appraising looks as I passed, like wow, what an unremarkable, pedestrian life that girl must lead! All the eateries were expensive and it was one intimidating boutique after another. The only exception was that bakery - it was a little corner of warm, non-judgmental heaven. I ate some kind of delicious orange zesty bun and had a styrofoam cup of hot, unpretentious Tetley's brand Earl Grey and eyed the bunt and pound cakes.
Do Jane & Finch!
Is there anything I can write that will convince you to aim for more postings of this caliber? Wow.
Wow, what a coincidence - I am also a real authentic person and can often be found on the street in the daytime.
More please!!
MOAR LIEK TIHS
I am totally going to check out Venezia Bakery now.