Hats Off

Last week was somber for the Jays fans as Cito Gaston hangs his shirt one more time as the Jays Manager. The pre-game ceremony was emotional, full grown men holding back tears, fans bursting to cheers, claps and giving Cito standing ovation several times. Gaston earned the love and respect not only of his team but the crowd as well.









About 33,000 people were in attendance. A good turn-out considering attendance for the Jays games has been really low. If not for the pending game, Gaston would have wanted to linger and savour more the honour. The team saluted him by sporting fake moustaches and of course winning the game.








Even a non-sports fanatic like me was sad. It was the last game in Toronto for the year, the end of baseball season marks for some people including me the "real" end of summer. For maybe the last time this year, I sat inside the Rogers Centre, the dome open, crisp breeze drafts through as the clear blue sky fades to black. Couple of weeks from now, hockey season starts, screaming the inevitable arrival of winter.

I Ran for the Cure

Today was the big day! I bundled up early in the morning, stretched and headed to U of T campus for the annual Run for the Cure. Man it was cold! But that didn't stop thousands of people from coming out to participate. It was a huge success, my run was a success. I finished the five kilometers in a little under 30 minutes and raised $375. Thank you all for the generous support.



I ran to celebrate two of my breast cancer survivor friends and to be side by side with the others who fervently hope that we soon find the cure. This is one bandwagon I'd like to jump into and I thank you for taking the ride with me through your support. Let's do this again next year!


Here are some photos:


Double D is not for the cup size but for Dory and Doris. Big cheers for winning the fight against the big C.


Part of our team - Me, my sister Kite, friends Tere & Tess with Dory's son, AJ


Inching our way to the starting line.


At the 3Km Marker!


AJ and I at the finish line.

One, Two, Tie Your Shoes...

... and join me and thousand others for a run to fight breast cancer on Sunday Oct. 3, 2010!

Yes, I have made a commitment! Shoe laces are tied, practice run scheduled - I am all set!


This is a new cause I am taking. It's cliche, but sadly true. Most of us if not all know someone whose life has been changed or affected by the Big C. Two of my dearest friends are breast cancer survivors. (Big cheers for them). I am running to celebrate them (and the million others) with hopes that we will find the cure; and have a future without breast cancer.


I invite you to join the fight. Run beside me,
register now! Or you can donate, and sponsor me run!

My heartfelt thanks (friends) to all the support, donation and cheers.

(photos taken with Nikon d300 with 35 mm lens, slow shutter set on the floor)

Polar Bear(s) and a lot more

All of Toronto Zoo's recent ads capitalize on polar bears. See those little black dots on an all white screen? The ads are cute, polar bears are cute! As we come close to Winter, hopefully at your next visit you'll actually see them. But there are more to see than the bears.

The stingray exhibit was great. You can actually touch and feel the stingrays (and if you're lucky a shark too), it would have been a better experience if there is someone interacting with the kids and educating them about their diet, habitat and body structure. It is a good opportunity to teach everyone without being preachy about conservation.





The bird show is another great experience. It was so good, my niece with a camera forgot to take photos. She had a lot of "oh" and "aha" moments. The show was very educational, the variety and types of birds presented made the show a lot of fun. The best part was when birds fly low over the audience's heads.










Ah, the camel ride. For few extra bucks, kids can have a short camel ride. For parents, it's a great photo op. No matter how short it is, kids love it!


I would have not known these interactive exhibits exist if we had not chanced upon them. More than watching the polar bear(s) swim, my niece(and I)had more fun with these exhibits. Had I known about these exhibits, I would have brought my niece sooner and convinced other kids join us.



Side bar, the zoo is a long walk, a season pass will be a good idea. Plan your visit accordingly. Depending on the season (and construction schedule), some animals are off display or spend their time sleeping. In the summer, bring snacks, there are picnic areas.



(Photos taken with d300, kit lens 18 to 70)