I saw something about an art gallery in Ottawa the other day and it looked terrific. I've also heard good things about Ontario.
I caught something on the telly about Canadian painters recently. I've heard that painting has been described as THE Canadian artform, the national artform as it were. Cool.
I can't remember the names but I was impressed by what I saw. I've read some Canadian short stories and aim to get round to reading some Canadian novels.
I'm sure there's a lot of good material there to explore.
GG - I wonder whether what you saw was in someway related to Painting Canada, an exhibition of The Group of Seven that was initially curated by the Dulwich Picture Gallery in 2011, drawing from both galleries and private collections, and which visited Bergen, Groeningen, and back to The McMichael Gallery in Kleinburg (just north of Toronto). It was a wonderful exhibition, stunning and authoritative. It was so good that I saw it twice, once at Dulwich, once at McMichael.
And, yes, I would say that painting is our national art form.
Having lived the first half of my life in the northeastern U.S., Canada was practically in my backyard. It was a favorite vacation spot. In recent years I have visited the Stratford Festival west of Toronto annually. (Look out, Canadians, I arrive this Monday!) I've seen Shakespeare plays in a lot of places around the U.S. and England, but the Stratford, Ontario ones are my favorites. They also perform other classic plays, new plays (often concerning Canadian history or issues), and the most amazing musicals. And it's an absolutely beautiful town (I've even found a lovely church there). If it weren't for that thing they call "winter" I would have packed my bags and moved there two years ago.
I grew up 28Km west of Stratford and the area keeps hauling me back in like some insane vortex. Currently in residence at my parents' townhome administering their estate after they passed last year. That "winter" in Stratford is in the lee of lake effect snow coming off Lake Huron and they get hammered every year like the Klondike.
I was trying to convince my Beloved to park there for the next year while Revenue Canada sorts though everything, but the snow factor in that particular town was a deal breaker.
I would say let's get together and have tea - but I am about to move out since the closing on the sale of the property is week after next and I am up the wazoo with to-dos.
GG - I wonder whether what you saw was in someway related to Painting Canada, an exhibition of The Group of Seven that was initially curated by the Dulwich Picture Gallery in 2011, drawing from both galleries and private collections, and which visited Bergen, Groeningen, and back to The McMichael Gallery in Kleinburg (just north of Toronto). It was a wonderful exhibition, stunning and authoritative. It was so good that I saw it twice, once at Dulwich, once at McMichael.
And, yes, I would say that painting is our national art form.
Not sure it was connected with that but I'm sorry to have missed it.
I mentioned it to my brother, who is an artist (although not full time) and he waxed lyrical about Canadian painting. I'll ask him. He'll be able to name names. The paintings were haunting landscapes. Very stylised but very evocative. It certainly whetted my appetite to look out for more.
I have just noticed the thread, so I haven't read anything except the first two pages and this last one.
There are so many things I like about the United States, but the absolute best by far are the individuals I have met and stayed with while there.
I usually find it pretty hard to get into a fight with an American about sport because I don't know much about baseball, and I tend to avoid the comparative sport discussion, because even I find it a bit silly. Anyway, I like Gridiron and Baseball. Back in 1983 when Australia won the Americas Cup I was very much up for an argument about sport, but do you think I could get one from the Californians I was talking to? Not on your nelly. As soon as I mentioned the topic they were slapping my back and saying how fantastic it was. I was quite put out.
Fast forward to 2016, and my wife is buying a pair of shoes over the counter in New Orleans. The guy serving us picks that we are Australian and immediately launches into a dissection of Australia's performances against New Zealand in the Rugby. He alleges that we are crap at Rugby and the the All Blacks are unbeatable. I try to change the subject to the Olympics because he is clearly correct about the Rugby and he starts to go on about how many gold the Americans had won and how great they were. I put some feeble arguments with conviction and this seems to please him, and we stoush some more until I notice a wide-eyed couple behind us waiting to complete their purchases. Whereupon I shake his hand, tell him how much I enjoyed meeting him, and my wife and I go on our way.
Fair dinkum, it was a brilliant bit of customer service.
The Newfoundland town of Gander played host to thousands of airline passengers stranded there after the September 11 attacks.
I’ve been told that there is a musical written about that.
Indeed there is -- "Come From Away." Currently on Broadway and touring soon. See it if you get the chance. We really enjoyed it, although being from Newfoundland and remembering those events vividly I will admit to being biased.
I think Canada is creeping up onto domination of the US thread. That's not necessarily a hostly comment, just an observation.
The Newfoundland town of Gander played host to thousands of airline passengers stranded there after the September 11 attacks.
I’ve been told that there is a musical written about that.
Indeed there is -- "Come From Away." Currently on Broadway and touring soon. See it if you get the chance. We really enjoyed it, although being from Newfoundland and remembering those events vividly I will admit to being biased.
I'm sure it is, it just struck me as an odd choice. At least at first.
I think Canada is creeping up onto domination of the US thread. That's not necessarily a hostly comment, just an observation.
Perhaps it should be retitled All things good about America! No, America, not America. Well, yes, perhaps that should include Mexico. And, I suppose Central and South America as well. But then that should really be All things good about the Americas and perhaps their Territories...
or we could drop the tangents, but that seems too mad a suggestion.
The Newfoundland town of Gander played host to thousands of airline passengers stranded there after the September 11 attacks.
I’ve been told that there is a musical written about that.
Indeed there is -- "Come From Away." Currently on Broadway and touring soon. See it if you get the chance. We really enjoyed it, although being from Newfoundland and remembering those events vividly I will admit to being biased.
I'm sure it is, it just struck me as an odd choice. At least at first.
Oh, I agree -- "Feel-good musical about 9/11 with Celtic music" sounds like the oddest possible promo, but it really is better than you would expect.
In other news, with this post I have fallen into a well of nested quotes and can't get out.
Perhaps I mischievously started the Canadian tangent to deflect attention from the USA ... mwa ha ha ha ...
But seriously, I was expecting someone to start a new thread about Canada so this one could continue about that place south of the 49th Parallel and north of the Rio Grande.
Then Mexico will want to get in on the fun. It is part if North America, after all.
Sadly I am willing to guess the vast majority of us here have far, far less experience with Mexico (or the other states in North America) than with Canada or the US.
Mexico - my parents lived there for almost 30 years after they retired. Like everywhere else I've gone, the people are lovely. If you go to touristical areas in any country, you never get the sense of the people. The over-wintering areas for monarch butterflies who've migrated are a wonder in the central highlands of Mx where they lived. In the USA, I've found people in campgrounds, stores, diners, even the customs officers to be friendly. The customs officers were probably scoping me out for threat, but they just find weird.
Re Canada, the general thing seems to be to focus on Ontario and Québec, the Maritimes (PEI, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick), Newfoundland, or the Rocky Mountains. But it's the north which makes it. Even flat-in-the-south Saskatchewan is full of forest, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, rocks and elevation in northern half which eventually tapers to the scrubby Taiga before the Tundra. Full of animals, not full of people. Where we still drink water directly from lakes and fishing for supper can take all of 20 minutes. As my German cousins say "kein na da" (no one there).
I like the US Military and Intelligence community. Their military is far and away the most powerful in the world, and I feel safe and comfortable protected by it. I get very jittery when people in the USA start to talk in isolationist ways because I am an Australian China-phobe.
The US Intelligence community is maybe the second or third best in the world, with China in the number 1 spot. They are a vital cog in the wheel that tries to protect the US from covert activity and provide its leaders with important intelligence. Yeah, yeah, Iraq...
Please note that this is what I, me, first person singular like about America from my perspective. If I was born and raised somewhere else on the planet, no doubt I would have a different view and be a different person too. I also don't care much about American cultural achievements or landscape or social achievements. I like almost all Americans I have met and I like the fact that their military allows my country to prosper by covering us with one of their wings. I think that protection is of immense value to my country.
I DO NOT like the kid who sat at the back of my school bus for the 1983/4 school year and played the Twisted Sister song 'Come on feel the Noise' over and over and over again.
There are three things I like about Canada - the bloke next door who grew up there; catching a ferry to Victoria Island, BC.; and climbing to the top of a personmade hill is Weyburn, Sask. and tobogganing down it at high speed aged 14 at Christmas. Both the ride down and the view from the top of the hill are fantastic experiences that linger in my memory. Ice fishing was pretty good too.
I DO NOT like the kid who sat at the back of my school bus for the 1983/4 school year and played the Twisted Sister song 'Come on feel the Noise' over and over and over again.
Too many repetitions of any music will produce a reaction. I once played for my folks Solti's recording of 'Bolero'.
For my dad, it prompted memories of his Marine Corps service (WWII) when for a brief period the jarhead in the rack below his had a harmonica. The only tune he knew, which he played over and over again, was 'Bolero'.
I had a tooth out last week and its still hurting, so I was eating some soft penis butter sandwiches and watching You-tube. I realised that I was telling a huge great whopping lie when I said words to the effect of I was a bit meh about American culture. I am a HUGE fan of some types of American comedy. This was revealed to me when I reflexively watched Colbert monologues for like the 'that's always what I watch on you-tube' time. But it was also revealed when I watched an interview with Chris O'Dowd and he mentioned Ray Romano. Ray Romano is a TALENT. Hugely funny. Then, at the end of the clip it showed an ad for an interview with I'm going to say Russell Kroll, and I remembered how funny and weird and really screwed up the Kroll Show was. I plan to be freaked out by that show again soon.
There are very few comedians I don't like. Tim Allen was one. I say was because in my universe his career finished with Galaxy Quest, a really good film in which he did a great job. But now he's retired from the industry and is a private investor with no further interest in getting in front of the camera. He doesn't even do selfies.
Galaxy Quest reminds me of the Blues Brothers, a film I celebrate for introducing me to the marvels of soul music, but also denigrate for being responsible for my late-onset appreciation of Country and Western music. You need teeth to eat a corn cob, they say. It was in part O Brother Where Art Thou that made me recognise that I was wrong about Country Music. An Australian film, Doing Time With Patsy Cline, might have helped too, because it made me want to know about her. Anyway...
Do people remember the days when we used to go out to see movies, before the internet and Netflix?
In other American loves, I echo GG and BroJames -- jazz. Ella was my introduction: couldn't've asked for better.
Cajun cooking.
Its space programme. Getting to the bloody moon for goodness' sake! The awe and wonder it inspired in me. I know there were factors at play, but you darn well did it.
Having lived the first half of my life in the northeastern U.S., Canada was practically in my backyard. It was a favorite vacation spot. In recent years I have visited the Stratford Festival west of Toronto annually. (Look out, Canadians, I arrive this Monday!) I've seen Shakespeare plays in a lot of places around the U.S. and England, but the Stratford, Ontario ones are my favorites. They also perform other classic plays, new plays (often concerning Canadian history or issues), and the most amazing musicals. And it's an absolutely beautiful town (I've even found a lovely church there). If it weren't for that thing they call "winter" I would have packed my bags and moved there two years ago.
I grew up 28Km west of Stratford and the area keeps hauling me back in like some insane vortex. Currently in residence at my parents' townhome administering their estate after they passed last year. That "winter" in Stratford is in the lee of lake effect snow coming off Lake Huron and they get hammered every year like the Klondike.
I was trying to convince my Beloved to park there for the next year while Revenue Canada sorts though everything, but the snow factor in that particular town was a deal breaker.
I would say let's get together and have tea - but I am about to move out since the closing on the sale of the property is week after next and I am up the wazoo with to-dos.
What are you going to see?
AFF
AFF, I just sent you a PM -- my first on the new Ship, so I hope it worked!
Comments
I caught something on the telly about Canadian painters recently. I've heard that painting has been described as THE Canadian artform, the national artform as it were. Cool.
I can't remember the names but I was impressed by what I saw. I've read some Canadian short stories and aim to get round to reading some Canadian novels.
I'm sure there's a lot of good material there to explore.
And, yes, I would say that painting is our national art form.
Me too!
Wouldn't it be fun if her middle name were "Sue."
I grew up 28Km west of Stratford and the area keeps hauling me back in like some insane vortex. Currently in residence at my parents' townhome administering their estate after they passed last year. That "winter" in Stratford is in the lee of lake effect snow coming off Lake Huron and they get hammered every year like the Klondike.
I was trying to convince my Beloved to park there for the next year while Revenue Canada sorts though everything, but the snow factor in that particular town was a deal breaker.
I would say let's get together and have tea - but I am about to move out since the closing on the sale of the property is week after next and I am up the wazoo with to-dos.
What are you going to see?
AFF
Not sure it was connected with that but I'm sorry to have missed it.
I mentioned it to my brother, who is an artist (although not full time) and he waxed lyrical about Canadian painting. I'll ask him. He'll be able to name names. The paintings were haunting landscapes. Very stylised but very evocative. It certainly whetted my appetite to look out for more.
Algonquin Park. Though I was forced by a friend to canoe for 3 days, the camping and swimming were superb.
Québec City. Its history, outlook over the Saint Lawrence River, food, style, tone... My favourite north American city (so far...)
The welcoming of immigrants from Greeks in Toronto to Ukrainians in northern Alberta, seeing cultures within the Canadian culture was a joy.
The sheer friendliness and self-effacing nature of many Canadians I met.
Ha ha.
There are so many things I like about the United States, but the absolute best by far are the individuals I have met and stayed with while there.
I usually find it pretty hard to get into a fight with an American about sport because I don't know much about baseball, and I tend to avoid the comparative sport discussion, because even I find it a bit silly. Anyway, I like Gridiron and Baseball. Back in 1983 when Australia won the Americas Cup I was very much up for an argument about sport, but do you think I could get one from the Californians I was talking to? Not on your nelly. As soon as I mentioned the topic they were slapping my back and saying how fantastic it was. I was quite put out.
Fast forward to 2016, and my wife is buying a pair of shoes over the counter in New Orleans. The guy serving us picks that we are Australian and immediately launches into a dissection of Australia's performances against New Zealand in the Rugby. He alleges that we are crap at Rugby and the the All Blacks are unbeatable. I try to change the subject to the Olympics because he is clearly correct about the Rugby and he starts to go on about how many gold the Americans had won and how great they were. I put some feeble arguments with conviction and this seems to please him, and we stoush some more until I notice a wide-eyed couple behind us waiting to complete their purchases. Whereupon I shake his hand, tell him how much I enjoyed meeting him, and my wife and I go on our way.
Fair dinkum, it was a brilliant bit of customer service.
Indeed there is -- "Come From Away." Currently on Broadway and touring soon. See it if you get the chance. We really enjoyed it, although being from Newfoundland and remembering those events vividly I will admit to being biased.
I think Canada is creeping up onto domination of the US thread. That's not necessarily a hostly comment, just an observation.
or we could drop the tangents, but that seems too mad a suggestion.
But seriously, I was expecting someone to start a new thread about Canada so this one could continue about that place south of the 49th Parallel and north of the Rio Grande.
One thing that always strikes me is the children - they are so polite!
Re Canada, the general thing seems to be to focus on Ontario and Québec, the Maritimes (PEI, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick), Newfoundland, or the Rocky Mountains. But it's the north which makes it. Even flat-in-the-south Saskatchewan is full of forest, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, rocks and elevation in northern half which eventually tapers to the scrubby Taiga before the Tundra. Full of animals, not full of people. Where we still drink water directly from lakes and fishing for supper can take all of 20 minutes. As my German cousins say "kein na da" (no one there).
Well, fourteen year olds... sigh
The US Intelligence community is maybe the second or third best in the world, with China in the number 1 spot. They are a vital cog in the wheel that tries to protect the US from covert activity and provide its leaders with important intelligence. Yeah, yeah, Iraq...
Please note that this is what I, me, first person singular like about America from my perspective. If I was born and raised somewhere else on the planet, no doubt I would have a different view and be a different person too. I also don't care much about American cultural achievements or landscape or social achievements. I like almost all Americans I have met and I like the fact that their military allows my country to prosper by covering us with one of their wings. I think that protection is of immense value to my country.
I DO NOT like the kid who sat at the back of my school bus for the 1983/4 school year and played the Twisted Sister song 'Come on feel the Noise' over and over and over again.
There are three things I like about Canada - the bloke next door who grew up there; catching a ferry to Victoria Island, BC.; and climbing to the top of a personmade hill is Weyburn, Sask. and tobogganing down it at high speed aged 14 at Christmas. Both the ride down and the view from the top of the hill are fantastic experiences that linger in my memory. Ice fishing was pretty good too.
For my dad, it prompted memories of his Marine Corps service (WWII) when for a brief period the jarhead in the rack below his had a harmonica. The only tune he knew, which he played over and over again, was 'Bolero'.
There are very few comedians I don't like. Tim Allen was one. I say was because in my universe his career finished with Galaxy Quest, a really good film in which he did a great job. But now he's retired from the industry and is a private investor with no further interest in getting in front of the camera. He doesn't even do selfies.
Galaxy Quest reminds me of the Blues Brothers, a film I celebrate for introducing me to the marvels of soul music, but also denigrate for being responsible for my late-onset appreciation of Country and Western music. You need teeth to eat a corn cob, they say. It was in part O Brother Where Art Thou that made me recognise that I was wrong about Country Music. An Australian film, Doing Time With Patsy Cline, might have helped too, because it made me want to know about her. Anyway...
Do people remember the days when we used to go out to see movies, before the internet and Netflix?
Cajun cooking.
Its space programme. Getting to the bloody moon for goodness' sake! The awe and wonder it inspired in me. I know there were factors at play, but you darn well did it.
Five hours in the US feels easy, no problem.
Here in the U.K. - arrrrggggghhhh!
AFF, I just sent you a PM -- my first on the new Ship, so I hope it worked!
Nor the extra virgin olive oil?