2010 June 16: Wednesday i went into the city to see a concert at Yonge-Dundas Square, J-Pop Divas, part of the Luminato Arts Festival. It included De De Mouse, The Moist Towelettes (" two Canadian men and two Japanese women whose diverse backgrounds and shared sense of fun combine in their own brand of irresistibly catchy pop"), and lead act Maki Nomiya, formerly of Pizzicato 5.

2010 June 16

2010 June 16: I saw some of De De Mouse - it was kind of odd, with the DJing/house-trancey-style music ('breakcore'?) at 7 o'clock in June, when the sun was still out.

2010 June 16: Chopper overhead (G20 summit?)

2010 June 16: Dude, your dog is starving, that's inhumane.

2010 June 16: It was a bit empty.

2010 June 16: I didn't last long though, since i was feeling kind of crappy from my lack of sleep. I took a break with a movie. Turns out sitting in a theatre was exactly what i needed. When i got out, i'd missed the Moist Towellettes, but the Maki Nomiya (who'd i really come to see) set had just begun.

2010 June 16: She's the former lead singer of Pizzicato Five, and her new music is in much the same vein, maybe a little clubbier - and she played at least 3 Pizzicato Five songs. Turns out she's 50! Yeesh, and good for her, although she's a bit too skinny.

2010 June 16

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2010 June 16: Costume change!

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2010 June 16: Dude really enjoyed dancing.

2010 June 16

2010 June 19: Saturday i went to another Luminato event, 1000 Tastes of Toronto. This year it was held at Queen's Park, which was much easier to navigate, and had shade from trees, although i missed the shore breeze. There were other things going on there as well.

2010 June 19: There were a lot of booths, but i don't think as many as last year.

2010 June 19

2010 June 19: I bought 5 tickets to start - first one went to Susur Lee (that's his serious face).

2010 June 19: Mine was prepared fresh.

2010 June 19: It was a hamburger spring roll, which was very tasty, although awkward to eat - the burger meat was inside the spring roll, and the carrot and greens and spring rolls were only loosely inside the lettuce wrap.

2010 June 19: Le bar laitier was tres busy.

2010 June 19: Next up was a wild boar slider from La Bruschetta. At first i thought it was just sliced boar meat (didn't see the word slider on the hanging plate)....

2010 June 19: Now, this is what a slider should be - not some tough little burger. The patty was very soft. Not sure was the topping was. Anyway, very good.

2010 June 19: Third was from Buca.

2010 June 19: 'Arrosticini' (grilled lamb skewers with lemon, olive oil and cracked pepper) - simple, but very, very good. I came back for a second order later.

2010 June 19: President's Choice had set up plates for you to state what you really liked - i did it digitally, supposedly entered me into a draw.

2010 June 19: PC handed out free Montreal smoked meat mini sandwiches. Really good, but too much pickle for the size.

2010 June 19: President's Choice Cooking School.

2010 June 19: Grilled beef tenderloin with 'heirloon' basil tomato sandwich, drizzled with thyme pistou. I missed the standing tables they had set up last year - amazingly i was able to cut the beef with one hand (so tender).

2010 June 19: My fifth one was from Trattoria Nervosa.

2010 June 19: Crispy risotto 'arancini' (rice balls rolled in bread crumbs, the size of little oranges - hence 'arancini'). It was okay - kind of heavy for a hot summer day.

2010 June 19: Okay, i could still go, so i bought a few more tickets. This is GlobeEarth.

2010 June 19: Pork belly on grilled flat bread, with wild leek yogurt. I thought it sounded better than it ended up looking. The pork belly was less like a slice of pork and more like really fat bacon. I didn't really like this, and it fell apart when i started eating.

2010 June 19: Poutini's.

2010 June 19: I missed photographing the actual poutine, although here it's being prepared. The fries and beef gray were really good. The cheese curds were too colod - they didn't melt, and one actually bounced out of my cup and down my shirt! D'OH! I'll need a new one for the evening.

2010 June 19: Sitting down while eating my poutine.

2010 June 19: The centre of Queen's Park had giant balloons.

2010 June 19

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2010 June 19: Catch the big ball Billy!

2010 June 19: Composite panoramic shot of the food booths long the east side of Queen's Park.

2010 June 19: Ha ha, get your skin assessed inside the Vichy greenhouse.

2010 June 19: I walked up to Bloor, after grabbing more lamb skewers - like i said i had to get another shirt. I caught a police bike gang passing by.

2010 June 19: I'd left the 1000 Tastes around 4, and since the next thing wasn't until past 7, i went down to Scotiabank Theatres to grab a movie. On the way out, i saw the set up for this weekend's Much Music Video Awards.

2010 June 19: Queen, & John were shut down (must be a pain in the butt for streetcars).

2010 June 19: Some band being interviewed, no idea who.

2010 June 19

2010 June 19

2010 June 19: Richmond looking west from John, on my way to the MOCCA opening.

2010 June 19: After attending the opening for MOCCA's Empire Of Dreams, i stopped at La Bréhandaise crêperie for a late supper. I'm sitting on their patio - actually i later move to the far table there, to get more light, as the sun was fading and i had brought a manga to read.

2010 June 19: Some Japanese maples above me (much increased exposure).

2010 June 19: Less interesting with the flash.

2010 June 19: Here i am now, lol.

2010 June 19: There's where i had been sitting.

2010 June 19: This is La Bréhandaise salad, green, tomato, blue cheese and chicken, with a cup of 'Coat Albret Fruité' sparkling cider from Brittany (ooh la la!). I should have been wearing a Breton shirt and a beret, lol. The sald was good, the cider was amazing - reminded me of ice wine!

2010 June 19: I went straight to dessert (i'd eaten enough meat and carb at 1000 Tastes). This is the Lamballe crêpe, salted butter caramel. Also, the crêpes are buckwheat (Bretonne!), so even crispier and sweeter. DRRROOLLLL! So good. Rachel McAdams liked it too, lol.