#50 HOG’S HOLLOW
This Norman Rockwell-like slice of Canadiana has the feel of a country village. The serene natural setting and yesteryear atmosphere attract dog walkers, runners, and those in the mood for a gentle stroll.
DATE: Sunday September 13, 2009.
TIME: 1:08pm – 3:13pm
I guess this is the best pic, Mon?! Didn’t we take atleast 5?
Something like that. The sun was constantly in my eyes thus squinting Monica.
A beautiful September afternoon…. sounds like the perfect time for a "naturish" type walk. After a few urban walks, seems like we’re over due for something like this.
Well I guess we should start by addressing the title of this walk: "Sounds like a Harry Potter Reference". Now I know you may think that clearly this is a "Monica title", but actually, Alma came up with it. But yes, it does sound like a Harry Potter reference. Specifically the 7th and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Some key events in this book take place in Godric’s Hollow- the home town of Harry Potter and the place where Harry’s parents died, Harry didn’t die, and Voldemort lost most of his powers and his body.
… But it does sound like a HP reference! I have nothing else to add to that though…
As for the name of this neighborhood and this walk, if I correctly recall my grade 4 geography/Canadian studies, I believe a "hollow" is basically a valley. Place between 2 mountains… or hills i guess….
We should also mention that the card calls spells Hog with one "g", however, all the street signs in this area spell it with two. What’s up with that? According to wikipedia, Hogg’s Hollow was named after James Hogg, who settled in the area in 1824. He operated a whiskey distillery and a grist mill.
Now as for the "Norman Rockwell" comment, I have no idea who he is. His name sounds familiar though. Alma? Before I look him up, do you have any Rockwell info for us?
I do have a Norman Rockwell reference! Last year I had volunteered with the Cancer Society selling daffodils with a fella named Don. We got talking about art and he had mentioned an American artist, Norman Rockwell. I thought I wasn’t familiar with Rockwell’s work, so after volunteering Don showed me some of Rockwell’s works at a booth in the mall that was selling antique prints. Upon seeing the prints, I automatically recognized the work. I think everyone is somewhat familiar with his work actually… probably have seen it somewhere and just can’t put a name to it.
Well, enough of that background info, let’s get to the walk!
1. YORK MILLS VALLEY PARK
From York Mills Station, we were supposed to take a path southeast into the park. But instead we mistakenly take concrete steps down and realize that they will lead us to the west side of Yonge street (the wrong side). It was a little creepy down there so of course we have to share with pictures.
Okay it was a lot darker and gloomier than these pics show. (We actually had more versions of this pics but I posted this one up cause it was the darkest of the ones we had.)
Imagine going through it at night! Yeah, don’t do that.
See that blob of brown paint, isn’t it like a blood splatter.
We hopped the rail to get to the path and the park, and passed this uprooted tree on the way. Isn’t this weird? It was growing on the concrete?
Well, I don’t know how to climb things, but Mon started laughing when she was climbing over the fence. I don’t know what happened, my back was turned! What was so funny, Mon?!
I slid down the rail… kind of awkward.
Well no wonder it was uprooted!
I like this picture Alma. Ooo, Nature!
Why do you like this picture?
Dunno. The colours I guess.
A tree and all its boils! I don’t know what happened to this tree, but it looks painful!
The card tells us to look out for the statue of the artist C.W. Jeffreys as we walk through the park.
There he is.
A little flagstone pathway to lead us to him…
His eyes are a eerily realistic. It’s like he’s really looking at me.
Had no idea! That’s pretty cool that he’s recognized! Yay for Canadian artists!
This timeline was written on the back of the descriptor stone.
The card also tells us to look out for the "remaining wall of a schoolhouse that once stood on the site".
We find the wall, okay, but the card is a little misleading. It’s not exactly a remaining wall. The wall was constructed using bricks from the demolished school building.
Look at the school crest. Doesn’t it look quite "Hogwartian"? Although only 3 houses…
This is the end of our walk in York Mills Valley Park. The park portion of this walk is a lot shorter than the map on the card would have you think. Next we are supposed to exit the park and walk down Domino Drive, however, it takes us awhile to figure out which way we we go. Four streets intersect at the same corner and from where we were standing, we couldn’t see the Domino Drive sign.
Yeah, we had to think about it for quite some time… We started walking west for a bit and then realized it’d bring us back to Yonge. So we went with our gut to go down a road with no sidewalks and just risk it… It’s good to trust the gut sometimes… or look at the signs more clearly… whatever.
Actually, there should be a fifth sign here because Campbell Circle also intersects here…. (Okay, that doesn’t make sense. Campbell circle? According the map it is clearly not a circle. It’s an "L".)
Oh yeah, Campbell Circle… Yeah, the map is awfully confusing…
I kept saying that this little building looked like a fancy outhouse. Did we ever find out what it is?
It does look like a fancy outhouse! It’s "The Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority 1960". I don’t know why I didn’t post a pic of the whole shack … but I thought the roof was cute and good enough to post.
Our shadows! It took a long time for Mon to figure out what I was doing.
Alma didn’t tell me she was taking a pic of our shadows. She just kept telling me to stick my head over the rail. So I was confused why she wasn’t pointing the camera at me.
According to the card, after exiting the park we are to turn right on Donino Ave. Turn left onto Donwoods Dr., then left onto St. Margarets Dr., noting the wooded setting and beautiful homes. It definately is a beautiful neighborhood. Many of the houses are like old stone cottages which of course reminds me of the aforementioned Godric’s Hollow. (Will the Harry Potter references ever end?!) But quite a few of the older properties have been torn down and newer, more modern houses erected in their place. One of my favourite things about this neighborhood is how different all the houses are from each other… unlike subdivisions you see today. Being a very affluent and upscale neighborhood, Alma and I feel out of place. There are very few pics of the homes since it’s probably not the best etitque to take a picture of someone else’s private home without permission. (Check your Emily Post Alma to confirm!)
Umm… you really think that she’d have that? What category would that be under?
Mon makes a comment on how she likes roads where trees kinda arch over the road…I can’t imagine how dark it gets here at night
An example of a house in this neighbourhood.
This house is currently under construction, so we thought that there wouldn’t be any issues taking a quick snapshot of this massive house.
I’ve never seen copper roofing before!
It really bugs me that my blue shirt is all awkward and off to one side. Was it like this all afternoon Alma?
Why would it bug you? Shirts move all the time… it’s also on the side where you carry your bag, so it’s kinda asking to be tugged on.
First sign of autumn… sweater season!
2. The Millstone
….is the last remaining vestige of the grist- and sawmills that characterized the area along the riverbank.
I didn’t know what a gristmill was so I had to look that up. For all the other ignorant folk out there, a gristmill is where grain is ground into flour.
The millstone was in a tiny little park – for lack of a better word. Very cute. It screamed small-town-community.
For example this information board had info about the nieghborhood book club. I wanna join- not that I would ever abandon my own book club. Apparently the Hogg’s Hollow bookclub is reading My Sister’s Keeper which I have read (with MY book club). The book is a real tear jerker. I’m hoping this movie is too cause it has become one of my many quests in life to find a movie to make Alma cry. She’s made of stone that one…
I’ve cried before… just not infront of you. I don’t cry during movies (except My Girl) or books and such… just about boys! jk!
Speaking of stones, here’s the Millstone.
Does that look impressive to you? I don’t like the brick they used to hold up the "Millstone". I think they could’ve displayed it alittle better, no?!
Another example of small-town-community-charm in this "park": a time capsule!
The graduation class at my highschool made a time capsule. Actually, it was my idea (I was on the planning committee for the grad retreat and it had to do with our theme). I wonder where it is now… the teacher holding on to it is no longer at the school, and the school is no longer at the same building. I can’t remember what I put in… I know I definately put in a spider made of pipecleaners that used to be decoration for the haunted house themed roller coaster my group designed for the Physics competition at Wonderland. Friend Jackie made the spider, and I thought it was hideous – it was like a third the height of the roller coaster. So I kept hiding it from her. It became a daily thing we’d (yes, I’d get pretty much the whole class involved in this) do in OAC Physics. Whoa… what a digression.
3. Hurricane Hazel Plaque
The1954 hurricane decimated the area and killed 81 Torontonians, making it the worst natural disaster in Canadian history.
Alma looking chipper on the bridge that was destroyed by Hurricane Hazel in its previous life.
Oh… I’m not happy about the bridge being destroyed… but I was happy that I saw 2 bluejays! I’ve never seen one before… always just cardinals around my area. So it was a good day!
The plaque.
Is it just me, or is this a pretty lame attraction on the walk. Seriously?
After crossing the bridge, the card leads us to other streets in the neighborhood and orders us to admire the charming properties, including the next attraction:
4. #83 Plymbridge Rd.
A relocated antique log cabin.
We actually forgot to look out for this property. We walked past it without noticing it. However, Since much of this walk involves retracing routes, we passed it again and got with much difficulty got a few horrible pictures.
My first failed attmept. I know you can’t see any of the house. Alma insisted we include this shot.
My fourth and most respectful attempt. In case it’s not clear, the pics suck cause we didn’t want to be seen taking pics of someone’s home. Though probably wasn’t much danger of that. For a Sunday afternoon, there were soooo few people around. In my neighborhood, there are kids playing everywhere, people walking around…
I wonder if the owners know their house is on these cards. I want to mail them a letter and ask them.
As we passed this house, I was a little concerned that the house next door was numbered #79 – not #81 as it should be. There is only one explanation for this. Wizards must live at #81 Plymbridge Rd. They’ve made their house invisible with the Fidelius Charm. The only reason why I can’t see it is because I haven’t been told the address by the Secret Keeper.
As we wandered the neighborhoods, we saw a sign advertizing an open house. Actually, right after we left York Mills Valley Park, Alma expressed interest in seeing an open house in the neighborhood. But we both chickened out. Not dressed for the occasion. At least not in this neighborhood. But here’s the house:
Guess how much the asking price is??? $3 395 000!!!!! Alma keeps telling me to buy a place in this neighborhood. I’m going to pretend the only reason why I’m not is because I’m not really looking for a house…. yeaaahhh, that’s the ONLY reason why I won’t buy this house. The following is the MLS listing for the house http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?&propertyId=8690680 The house has a salt-water pool. I couldn’t have that. I need heavily chlorinated, fresh water. So I guess there are 2 reasons… Just in case you’re wondering, house prices in the neighborhood are around $1.2 – 7 million.
Yeah, I’m all talk! I was talking to my dad afterwards and he said we should’ve checked out the place. From what we saw through the front door, the foyer alone looked absolutely gorgeous… man… doing this walk makes me feel like we’re in the law library all over again!
OMG, OMG, OMG!!!!! The highlight of the walk. This moment left us speechless. As our walk is winding down and we make our way through the neighborhood towards our final attraction we pass these 2 guys. I call them our soulmates. Why you ask???
As we were walking toward them, we noticed something in the blueish-shirted-one’s hands. Even before I got a clear look at it, I knew what it was. I kept whispering it under my breath. They had a card!!!! They were doing a walk too!!!! What are the odds!!!! We totally should have talked to them. We were both soooo stunned. Perhaps we’ll see them at the final stop- the tavern???
I couldn’t stop laughing after this… Those guys were completely into their conversation though, Mon… it might’ve been rude to just start talking to them. But when will we ever see ppl doing a walk at the same time?! It’s nuts! Missed opportunity! Maybe we should write a msg to them on the "missed connections" section in the newspaper… have u ever read those? I wonder if that’s ever worked…
I’ve never heard of that before. Think I could find a certain someone who gave me a scrap of paper in there?
We’re almost at the end of the walk and we pass a lemonade stand. So of course we have to stop by and get some. If you know Monica, you know that I love lemonade. I’m always craving it. It was a mother- daughter team selling the goods. They were raising money for an orphange in the Carribean (i think) that had burned down. The little girl was so cute. She went to Bishop Strachan Academy, which I’m pretty sure is on one of the walks.
For some reason, I thought it was somewhere in South Africa… and I thought it was a school house! Boy… I sure wasn’t listening. The little girl’s cash register is really cute though. Curious if her mom bought that specifically for this ‘fundraiser’ or she just had it around the house.
The lemonade was refreshing! It had maple syrup instead of sugar. The mom was super nice and asked to refill our glasses before we left… I questioned whether or not we should’ve gave back those glasses… the damage is already done… with our donation… we could’ve bought 8 glasses!
It was only 10 cents!
5. Miller Tavern (2885 Yonge St.)
Founded in 1860 as a stagecoach inn, and serving as a drinking and gambling spot buring Prohibition, the room is now a popular pub with a large patio. 
Back of the building – also the entrance.
We’re not that hungry – it’s only like 3pm, so we decide to just pop in for a drink and maybe share an appetizer…..
As we walk around to the entrance, in the distance we can see our soulmates. (We double checked with our pics to see if their clothing matched and it did!) We are very upset about this. How could they have completed the walk so quickly? Obviously they are not taking this seriously. They probably checked out the log cabin and then decided they didn’t need to follow the winding path through the neighborhoods and turned around. On top of that, they didn’t even come to the tavern or walk by it. They walked through the park. Geeze! And their quick timing suggested they didn’t stop to buy lemonade! That’s crazy! Cute little girl! Burnt down orphange!! 10 cents!!! LEMONADE!!!! I take it back- they are NOT our soul mates.
So weird that they didn’t check out the tavern… it’s on the card. perhaps they had checked it before they did the rest of the neighbourhood.
Aiye… well, back to the tavern. We didn’t think this place would be sooo fancy. But it is. Kind of expensive. And not really the type of place you go to just have a drink or an appetizer – unless you sit at the bar and we probably don’t come across as sitting-at-the-bar type of gals. Anyhoo, nice place….
Alma… reacting to the prices? We both ended up ordering cheese burgers. We ate the burgers and took the sides home. The burger was really good. I liked the cheese to meat ratio. And the mashed potato side I ordered was different but good. However, I ended up just chucking it in the end.
I liked my burger as well, it was really moist for a vegetarian burger. the downfall of it not being real meat is that it’s loaded with spices that distract from the cheese. so i didn’t get to appreciate the cheese as much as mon did with her burger.
looks yummy…
The soft drinks and juices were so expensive here- it was the same as an alcoholic beverage. $3.50 for soft drinks, $3.75 for juices. Clearly the alcoholic beverages were a better buy for your buck. So I ended up getting a belini which was $4.75. Also their Coronas were pretty cheap for a bar.
pretty!
This display was in the foyer of the tavern. I wanted to take better pictures so I could read what it said later, but there was a couple standing there waiting to read making me embaressed.
Well, that’s our walk. 6 down, 44 to go!MONICA RATING: Definately different from the other ones we’ve done. I enjoyed it. Liked the neighborhood and their beautiful homes, like the idea of a relocated antique cabin, and history behind the tavern. Obviously finding the gentlemen formerly known as our soulmates was significant, as was lemonade and all the opportunities for Harry Potter references. I give it a 3.5 out of 5.
(The "men" represent the "gentlemen formerly known as our soulmates")Alma rating: I give it a 3.5/5. It was a gorgeous day for a stroll! I’m glad we got to explore this area, really opened up my eyes on how ppl live and where Mon will be living in the next year (that’s right, she bought the house on sale! jk). Major highlights were definitely bumping into fellow walkers, lemonade and getting really heavy duty paper towel from the bathroom of that tavern! That’s right, getting paper towel was a highlight… if only you knew how durable it is.
