The Beach(es)

[TwinHuey]

Interesting. My kid and some extended family members live in The Beach. My roots are there (both parents, grandparents, etc. -- the house my dad was born in was just torn down and modern townhouses thrown up -- but I digress). They commute by bike, TTC and/or GO regularly, just using their one car per family for out-of-town travel. I take the GO when I go there. They love it over the car-centric suburbs. It appears that my Beachy family are outliers.

And we all remember the track...

I took this photo in 1975.

 

[Towered]

The Beaches, for an urban neighbourhood, is quite hard (long) to reach downtown via transit, especially during rush our. It has one of the highest rates of commuting via car in the old city limits.

Car, truck or van as percentage of Total - Main mode of commuting - Census 2021
View attachment 542290
Via Censusmapper.ca

Hard to blame them when the only local transit option to get downtown is a slow-ass streetcar in mixed traffic.

 

[AlbertC]

Photo dump of previously unposted pics:

Glen Stewart Park

Near Queen East & Leuty

On Queen East just west of Bellefair. Based on Google it appears they built a 2 storey type building here after

 

[Richard White]

I wonder.. what if anything has ever happened with the Seventh Wave Bistro?

If I recall it has been sitting untouched for almost 20 years.

 

[Towered]

 

[Northern Light]

View attachment 601945

Ah, the old 'Beach' Cinema..........since made into a mini-mall/office level in the 1970s..............and by the looks of it, not changed since.

What were you doing that far east @Towered; you should have said 'hi'..........I wasn't far away today, because I popped into the east end outpost of Sanagan's at Gerrard/Coxwell.

 

[Towered]

Ah, the old 'Beach' Cinema..........since made into a mini-mall/office level in the 1970s..............and by the looks of it, not changed since.

What were you doing that far east @Towered; you should have said 'hi'..........I wasn't far away today, because I popped into the east end outpost of Sanagan's at Gerrard/Coxwell.

I think I spontaneously hopped over to the area for a little bit to kill some time before picking up my son from school. I need to explore Little India - I rarely go there and it seems like a decent strip. I know there's at least one cozy cafe there...

What did you get at Sanagan's?

 

[Northern Light]

I think I spontaneously hopped over to the area for a little bit to kill some time before picking up my son from school. I need to explore Little India - I rarely go there and it seems like a decent strip. I know there's at least one cozy cafe there...

What did you get at Sanagan's?

A couple of fridge staples (great for flavouring soups and stews) :

Chicken Schmaltz and Pork Lard

As well as a nice cut of Bavette (beef) for a steak dinner w/home made Frites ( Yukon Gold Potato, julienne (shoestring) cut, soaked for 20m in cold water, then dried, then double-deep fried to golden crisp and tossed with a kiss of garlic butter, salt, fresh thyme, a bit of freshly grated parm, and just a few drops of vinegar.

Just in case you're curiuos:

Bavette:

Source: https://assets.farmison.com/images/...891-how-to-cook-bavette-steak-flank-steak.jpg

Also called 'flap steak' or 'bottom sirloin' its situated just above the Flank in the cow.

Its quite flavourful and decent'ish marbling, but must be cooked medium rare to rare so it doesn't dry out, and must be cut against the grain (as all steak should be) to avoid excessive chew. I find it reasonably tender, if you get a good one, and cook it properly.

 

[AlbertC]

The Beaches Athletic Club are renovating the building at 2215 Queen Street Each towards this space:

Beaches Athletic Club — lloydlondon architects

www.lloydlondon.ca

Previously occupied by the Creswell Dance Academy:

 

[Northern Light]

The existing building is nothing to write home about.......

But the changes don't improve its appearance any, so far as I'm concerned. I have no real objection to the change of use, or anything interior to the building, but if we're going to alter the frontage, could be we manage something that fits The Beach a bit better? Two full storeys, with the second floor not setback at all.

Make the overall appearance fit with the nice retail in area, make the second floor look like offices or residential rental even if its really just a sky light.