Toronto building pallet

The Canadian colour pallet for buildings is a real delight. Compared to the dark and drab UK, subtle colours are used throughout the city. Most choices seem to be a milky take (or soya if ya vegan) on what could potentially be a 'face punch' of a colour. Im taking the browns, mustard's, and grays home with me with the intent of making them part of my nest at some point. What the Pantone numbers are for them who knows.

We heart prison tattoos

Take your heavily tattooed best buddy. Add a crew of their best friends. Go to your local well equip tattooist Dan Innes. Pick out their worst tattoo to date that they got when they were super young (a tribal turtle). Pick a sweet spot on your body and all 6+ of you go and get a replica of it tattooed on you. Just for fun. Toronto friendships, fun culture is tighter than you can imagine. luck does not come into it

stuff stuff stuff

Some more cool merchandising in store. All about Canadian wildlife paraphernalia right now. No shit sherlock! 

ZINE DISCO PARTY GO -WE NEED MORE!

Zines/fanzines - a small circulation, non-commercial publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier on a variety of colored paper stock.

Why the F don't more people do these? I first became aware of this cut n paste method of self expression when i discovered Punk Rock. Punk zines emerged as part of the punk movement in the late 1970s. These started in the UK and the U.S.A. and by March 1977 had spread to other countries. Cheap photocopying had made it easier than ever for anyone who could make a band flyer to make a zine. Tonight i had a sweet breeze over some local peoples zines with the help of Marika and look to hit up a sweet zine spot tomo in down town Toronto. 

I cant champion the concept of making these more! I'm moving on to Montreal next week to stay at the HQ of Society Suckers Zine. Be a buddy and check it out, its subcultures documented for people in the know. Power to the zine geek.

Home is where the heart is.

This is one of many cute and fab places i have been lucky enough to rest my head over the past few weeks. Patrolled by two lioness kitties the warehouse you see above is home to a pair of incredible ladies. Vanessa Heins,and Marika Thoms are two well grounded aspirational Toronto females. There hospitality is astounding and something i truly look forward to reciprocating back in smokey London. I mean who gets off a plane to have macaroni Monday with a bunch of friends? Pretty amazing hu? These gals define the term 'house proud' and have me itching to get back to LND to settle again. This is just the first of many amazing apartments i will be posting shortly.   

Sweet shop, sweet stuff, toronto is pretty

Every store on every bloc in this city takes full blown pride in its interior, people deck out their stores to the nines. Every tiny details is covered, owning and running a store here is more than just the takings at the end of the day. Its a little piece of you (the store owner) on every wall, its the things that make them tick on a plate, and for their honesty I'm grateful. 

The photo above was a store that has colour co-ordinated accessories running along the floor of the colour co-ordinated rails. People need to take note and take more pride in their work, like T.O vintage boutiques.

Nirvana - this made me chuckle

Check out the commentary some left on this poster covered window on college street Toronto. Pretty funny

Odd fellows

So here are the opening photos to my trip. Meet Mattie. Mattie is the ever entertaining head chef at New restaurant Odd Fellows. Here we are in value village picking up a sweet `hand me down' pressure cooker and a muscle suit. As a founding member of the B.S.O.D (be sweet of die) crew, You need this guy in your world, but thats only if your lucky. Make sure you check out the reviews and you go dine at their sweetly designed place. Photos of the interior to follow!

CHECK THIS LINK TO FOR MORE PHOTOS OF ODDFELLOWS

Welcome to Canada

So, looks like we finally cleared a bit of a back log there. This is officially the first Canadian post. So welcome to the a city that until recent election results takes care of the arts (cancer bats got a nice little grant in the post this morning, well done boys), where small incredible crafty businesses are raising from the ground, eg Double Naut, Vanessa Heins, Jess Baumung all pioneers of their own success. Toronto is an incubator of dreamers, a place were young crafters appear to have no reservations in cultivating their own projects as a way of living. crush crush crush

bitch you breakfast

Check out this amazing animation... sent via a friend these guys animate dream like vocal patterns. As all i seem to do is eat breakfast these past few months you should dig this!.

London nights, turn of the season.

This was shot a few nights before i left for Toronto in the early hours. Its wet and your feeling your first winter chill touch your bones. A sensation you will battle for the next six months despite the myth of an indian summer. This women is our lead character in our film noir night life.

lets talk tradition

I crossed this car on a walk through Shoreditch, London last month. Its a traditional Indian wedding car. I dig it, its makes me think about British tradition, religion aside, there does not seem to be much left? apart from a bunch a hearty appetisers like a bloody pork pie or bangers and mash lazy living has got the better of us. We don't dress up for much, we don't open doors for people, and manners are long gone. It might just be time to review those rules of good will decorum. 

final destination , la la land

London Calling

There is a world of dead space in the city of London. Check out this use of space in this dead pub building, what a great way to make a feature of something so lifeless. Lights are the new wall paper.

M.F.A.F- more medium format - various locations

So here are some more general photos of contact sheets i quickly took a digi's of in order to upload before i left for Canada.

Santa Monica/ Venice beach - just a clown hanging on VB, he looks a bit bummed with no buddies to hang out with. Im thinking he needs to fix up his shit scary face first?

Hackney London - American Apparel made Butt cheeks acceptable -  i don't buy it.

Barcelona- where beers are brought on the street, and you get mashed by midday. for the ultimate street beer experience.

Deano -  pioneer of Real Gold promotions / every warehouse/arty party you pretty much went to in East London last summer.

Darryl Palumbo - Front man of Glassjaw / Head Automatica - This is a shitty photo but i kinda like the innocence of it. Darryl fell asleep on the couch after im guessing a hard time on tour.. please! 

la la land... California..nuff said

M.F.A.F - NYC - Coney island

Coney Island -  A place or turbulent existence. Formerly an Island in the most south part of Brooklyn. A thriving amusement park saw the Island bustling with hot 50's pin up wanna be's and dapper tailored males. After years of neglect after the war and housing Hollywood flicks such as "the Warriors" Coney has gained a significant stigma for dilapidated signature photography. If your into the whole 50's Americana colours and back drops its so worth a visit. I try and shoot it every time we are in NY. These photos are from the last time i went over when Coney was under threat from various aggressive housing associations. Word on the street is that Coney got saved, so il be there in two weeks to find out. for now here is Coney as they began to dismantle it...