Nathan Phillips Square Design Competition

February 26, 2007 - Today I had the chance to check out the Nathan Phillips Square Revitalization Design Competition exhibit at City Hall. As I didn't attend the actual presentations, my review here is purely based on the few panels and models that were on display. For such a high profile $40 million international competition though, I have to say that I wasn't entirely impressed by what I saw. All four proposals seem quite a bit dull and restrained - as in I feel like something bigger, grander could have been done with the square. Here are some of my thoughts on the four designs (in order of preference):

1) Rogers Marvel Architects

The biggest feature of this proposal is a raised woodland/meadow planted with native trees that would stretch from Queen Street to the north of square. Underneath this raised hill is a curved glass-enclosed public space for winter - complete with a restaurant, skate rental counter, shops, and even a fire pit. I also like the reflecting pool on the podium around the top of council chamber. The whole concept is actually really pretty and it brings nature back into the square's barren landscape.

2) Plant Architect

Fairly simple design I have to say, compared to the other proposals. This design features a green perimeter of trees along the square. It also features a theatre stage for public performances (think New Year's Eve) and the opening up of the podium for public access. I have mixed emotions about the green perimeter - it sorta shelters the square even more rather than opening it up to the street. And the walkways really need to go...

3) Baird Sampson Neuert Architects

Definitely environmentally conscious. I like how this proposal has a strong focus on urban ecology, including rainwater collection, wind power generation, and solar power generation. The removable planters idea is cool, but other than that, the proposal really isn't that spectacular. The biggest problem I have with it is how it further isolates the square from Queen Street.

4) Zeidler Partnership Architects

The raised garden on the west side of the square looks kinda weird. I like the idea of lighting projections throughout the square though. I also like the concept of changing the look and feel of the square with the season.

Having said that, all four proposals are miles ahead of what we have now and regardless of who wins, we'll still end up with a better Nathan Phillip Square. Still, you can't help but feel that this is a missed opportunity and we could have done a lot better.

For more information about the Nathan Phillip Square information, click here. All pictures are from the City of Toronto website.

Back to Work Rant - Part 1

February 21, 2007 - They say time goes by quickly when you're having fun, but time truly goes by quickly when you're on vacation. I seriously cannot believe my 6-days vacation (including the weekend) is over, just like that. And it's back to work tomorrow. Sigh. Double sigh. At least it's only going to be a 2 day work-week.

But it has been quite an "interesting" week I have to say. Sure, I didn't get to do most of the things that I had planned on doing, but I did get to do what I wanted to do most, which was: 1) to spend more time with B; and 2) to sleep in! So despite everything, it was still nice to get away from the office for a bit =S

Too bad my next vacation won't be for awhile (end of June I think?) - and I know March will be a painful month to get through (triple sigh). Well at least the weather is getting nicer...

Music and Lyrics

February 16, 2007 - B and I went to see the new movie "Music and Lyrics" today. The movie was kinda cute - though it certainly isn't Hugh Grant or Drew Barrymore's best work. What I liked though was the sappy song that the two composed in the movie - it's actually really catchy (I found myself humming the song the whole day). I also liked the analogy they used to compare music and lyrics it to a person: beautiful music, like physical attributes, may draw you in - but lyrics, like personality/intelligence/etc, are what makes a song complete.

And that "Pop" video that Hugh Grant made is bound to become a classic, it's definitely right up there with the Robin Sparkles video from How I Met Your Mother!

Check out the video for "Way Back Into Love":




And Hugh Grant's "Pop" video:

My thoughts on Valentine's Day

February 13, 2007 - So I've blogged about birthdays and Christmas - it's only fair that the next big holiday that I tackle is Valentine's Day, or specifically why I think it's the worst "holiday" of them all.

First of all, Valentine's Day is NOT a holiday - at least not in its present form. It's entirely a marketing scheme designed to make people (men in particular) spend $ following the January slump. If you're single, the stores make you feel pathetic and sorry for yourself for not having someone. If you're coupled, the stores almost make you feel guilty if you decide to pass over the "holiday".

In my humble opinion, Valentine's Day should not be the only day when you "express your love" for each other - what's more important should be the other 364 days of the year. How you treat, love and respect one another on an everyday basis is what matters more. Sure you can get a diamond ring for V-day, but if he goes back to neglecting you the next day, then what good will a diamond ring do?

So I guess what I'm saying is if you're happy with your relationship, then everyday should be like Valentine's Day - sure it takes effort (which may even involve walking across Queen's Park in freezing cold weather!), but the end result is so worth it :)

Ripped from the Headlines 2

February 12, 2007 - More headlines from news websites (this time though, they aren't really planning-related):

Woman Lost for 25 Years after Catching Wrong Bus
Talk about a bad detour - and I thought our transit system can be pretty difficult to navigate!

The Sexiest Jobs of 2007
Sure, firemen are hot - but I would say architects are definitely sexier :) - and no, planners did not make the list, but we did make it for another list (see next article).

And oh, you can vote for the sexiest job here. I know you're all dying to do it. :)

America's 10 hottest jobs for 2007
I read about this from my friend Matt's website - go planners! It's about time!

College: Wikipedia not source for papers
Well back in my TA days, I used to dock my students marks for using Wikipedia as their source. Funny how these days, Wikipedia has become a great source for my own work-related research - though of course I take everything that I read in there lightly (seriously!).

Why Sesame Street rocks!

February 10, 2007 - Leave it to Sesame Street to introduce social and urban issues to the younger generation. Check out this video on the New York City subway from the 70s (first posted on Spacing Wire - you can also watch other Sesame Street public transit related clips on the site). For many kids, this was probably the closest they could get to riding the subway. The video is also brutally honest (and would probably be banned today) and extremely funny (check out Bert telling the old lady off for bumping into him!). I have to admit I was singing along after watching it a few times.

In case you missed what some of the muppets were singing:

Ahhh my stop just went by!
Ahhh you bumped right into my eye(?)!
Ahhh so hot I could die!!!

You could lose your purse or you might lose something worse!
On the SUB-WAY! SUB-WAY!

Oops not again

February 9, 2007 - So I'm not exactly the best driver in the world but my driving record isn't that shabby either! So when I say I'm bad, I'm still considerably better than many people.

Having said that, apparently I banged up the car badly last weekend. It happened innocently enough - I was backing out from a parking spot (at a Chinese mall! I hate Chinese malls!) and I accidentally backed into a snow pile. I have to say that 1) I didn't even see the snow/ice pile when I pulled into the parking spot and 2) the snow ice/pile did not look that big anyway. Well I still scratched the bottom of my bumper pretty badly and the whole thing will probably need to be replaced now. Boo.

Well hopefully that can wait till spring - cos I'm pretty broke these days. My final down-payment installment is due this weekend - and then after that, I'm home free. Will blog about my condo over the next couple of days.

Live at UofT: An Inconvenient Truth

February 8, 2007 - For those who haven't watched "An Inconvenient Truth", I suggest you run to your local video/dvd store and rent it now! It's already becoming one of those "must-see" movies and with the environment being the #1 issue among Canadians, it's now more important than ever to understand the truth being one of our world's biggest problems: global warming. Click here for my thoughts on the movie.

The man behind the movie, ex-VP Al Gore, is coming to U of T to discuss "An Inconvenient Truth" in a couple of weeks. My friend Mike and I tried hard to get tickets, but they were sold out way before we could even log into their ticket system. I'm a little bummed out about it, but oh well, I guess I will have to read about it in the paper the next day.

I'm a Pure Nerd

February 7, 2007 - Seems like these "nerd tests" are becoming increasingly popular (I guess it's good to get confirmation that you are indeed a nerd?)! Just this past week alone, I got asked by different people to try out different nerd tests. So I gave them a shot - surprisingly though, I'm not as nerdy as I thought I am (though the 47% dork part is somewhat disturbing...). Anyway here are the results to both tests:

Test 1: http://www.nerdtests.com/ft_nq.php?im

My score summary:

Overall I scored as follows: 60% scored higher (more nerdy) and 40% scored lower (less nerdy). What does this mean? I'm somewhat nerdy (as quoted "I mean face it, you're nerdier than half the test-takers"). Well thanks.

Test 2: http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=9935030990046738815

Pure Nerd
56 % Nerd, 26% Geek, 47% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd, earning you the title of: Pure Nerd.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.

Now that doesn't sound so bad, does it?

Kennedy to Museum?

February 1, 2007 - No, that's not a fantasy TTC subway map, it's the actual way the subway will run for six consecutive weekends in February and March. As a result of construction work at Bay Station, the Bloor-Danforth trains will be diverted south onto University through the infamous abandoned Lower Bay Station (for the first time in almost 40 years!), turn around at Museum, and continue onwards east or west. Click here to read all about it.

This will be a great opportunity to check out the Lower Bay Station, which is normally closed to the public (though it's a really popular filming location). It would also be cool to see how Museum Station will handle 3 different lines (Y/U/D, Bloor, Danforth) on 1 platform. I bet there will be massive confusion - and hopefully the TTC will be smart enough to have people walking around the station, directing passengers to the right train.

Of course, this is not the first time that the TTC had interlined train. In the 60s, when the Bloor/Danforth line first opened, trains from the east used to run through Lower Bay, down to Museum through downtown and then back up to Eglinton. This was done so passengers wouldn't have to transfer.

Being the nerd that I am, I'm thinking I might just ride the subway on one of those weekends, just to see what the Lower Bay Station is all about! I wonder if we can take pictures...