Ancedotes Galore

#35 UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO (WEST)

Canada's largest academic institution bustles with students and boast beautiful architecture.

DATE: Sunday, April 20, 2014.

TIME: ~3:50pm - ~7:30(?)

And so begins another walking season. Wow Alma. This is our 6th year of doing these. Think we can get them all done this year? (hehe- jokes) (Ha! you say that every year! or is that the libraries?! :P)

And look, we're starting with some nostalgia. UofT is our alma mater and thus our old stomping grounds. And of course, this is where we met and began our epic friendship.

Epic indeed!!
Awww... 
When Mon and I were deciding on walks... I think we both thought it's been awhile since we've been on U of T grounds, so this walk seemed perfect to kick off this season.



We look the same as day one!
Just mon's hair is a little longer :)

Enter the stone gates and follow the Philospher's Walk, which traces a leafy ravine carved out by a river buried during the industrial age.

we've had a brutal winter this year!
finally some consistent warm weather!


Hmm.... I think I was supposed to zoom in and crop this picture so all you faithful readers can read the blurb about the Philosopher's Walk. 
no... look for this sign when you do the walk!
and when you find it....
you'll be standing in the very steps we were standing.
oooo!

Over the years, the Philosopher's walk has had some body work done. Such as the creation of this little amplitheater. This was not here years ago when we came to see a  Shakespeare in the Park production for Alma's birthday. Actually, that was the year of Alma's 2 birthdays.Two days later we went canoeing on the lake!
i didn't have 2 birthdays! cause canoeing was just for fun! 
and who knows which Shakespearean play we watched... in my mind it's 
"much ado about nothing"
but i know it wasn't...
oh!
it was 
"as you like it"
... i think



The play was just up the stairs, behind the the law building and to the right of the music one.
Too echoey of a place to hold such an event, imo.

The music building/library is where I spent a lot of time during my university days. The building itself isn't that interesting, but I used to love sitting outside of rehearsal rooms listening to ppl practice. Also the library's basement kinda had this claustrophobic feeling, but I loved it cause you'd be surrounded by the works of some great composers, which is inspiring. Anyway, I have some fond memories around here --
esp since i met a certain someone here

1. Trinity College (6 Hoskin Ave.)

... where students still wear academic robes to dinner.

Very Harry Potter-esque huh? For the record, this does not need to be my Harry Potter reference. There is one coming up. But while we're on the subject, why do they wear robes in the world of Harry Potter? In the movies they are like academic robes over regular clothing but in the books, that all they basically wear. It's their clothes! Why? Why is that advantageous? You can do magic and its decided that clothing cannot evolve. And how does that make riding brooms any easier???

haha!
See what happens when Mon get's going about Harry Potter?


Massey College. A part of Trinity College. Back in our library mission days we failed to get into the library here. You need special permission to get on the grounds. My sweet talking was no match for that security guard.
and boy can monica talk!
We didn't get in another place after hours, do you remember?!

2. Robarts Library & Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library (130 St. George St.)

"The peacock-shaped building"

Robarts is the third-largest book repository in North America.

FIsher contains treasured works like Shakespeare's First Folio and Newton's Principia Mathematica.

Ahhh Robarts. So iconic.

One of my favorite Robarts acedotes is also a "Friends" ancedote. In the final season of "Friends", there's an episode in which Rachel's father has a heart attack and Ross and Rachel go to the hospital. The editors must have used stock footage for an outside shot of "the hospital" but instead of choosing a more traditional building with a hospital "H", they used a picture of Robarts. No jokes! Look out for it next time you see the ep!



The head, neck.... non tail region of the peacock is actually where you'll find the rare book library. The tail is Robarts proper. And as we discovered in the days of our library mission, there are actually several libraries within Robarts Library. Like the Russian Library - remember that one Alma!? And the Audio Visual Library.... it that was it was called? Media library?? That one was awesome. The library was really great. Found me the video I "wanted" and gave us our own private viewing room.

I had to bust out the book :)
next time we meet...
let's go through it. 
and no...i didnt do my homework! :P






Unfortunately it is closed today. But if you ever in the area, step in for a visit. I think they'll let you in to the main floor (they did let us last October when I came here with a bunch of students). It's breath taking. Back in the days of our library missions, Alma and I made a real visit to the library. Floor to ceiling books. Like Beauty and the Beast! And these are massive ceilings. Did I "look up" and actual book Alma? Did they bring it to me and I pretended to get info from it?

except from Dictionary of Canadian Biography Vol. XIV
1911-120: "Baxter, Agnes Sime (Hill), Matematician... 18 March 1870 in Halifax..."

Below is a borrowed pic of the interior of the library.
I promise, it's even better in person.



Isn't it gorgeous?!


 Robarts has had some touch-ups in the last few years. Unfamiliar and familar all at the same time.

I didn't usually study at Robarts. Did once in awhile, usually with my friend Vikki. I did always want one of those personal, private study rooms that came with a locked door. A little office. But super claustrophobic.

Once I was photocopying pages from books for a paper I had to write. And I accidently left my binder with all my photocopies by the photocopier. Didn't realize it till later that night at home in Etobicoke. So I called my friend Vikki, who lived close by. She went to the library to find it and pick it up. No one wanted to steal it. I drove down and made it from Rexdale to Vikki's in 20 minutes flat. That's a quite the record.



There was a time when I was getting out from St. George station and some guy was asking the ttc teller how to get to Con Hall. I told him I would take him, since I was going in that direction (was heading to MP for physics lab). We walked and talked - I thought he said his name was Coral - it turned out to be Colin - he was meeting his girlfriend at Con Hall. We passed by Roberts and told him about the peacock and upon approaching Con Hall, this guy ends up giving me his number ... bizarre. we part and I go on doing the laser lab for physics.

I think the most fun at Roberts was with Mon and our library missions. 
It's definitely something I'd recommend to do. Just take the elevator and explore!



So across the street is the Ramsay Wright Zoology Building.
Not an official site on the walk but worth mentioning for all the memories. This is where Alma and I first met! First year, BIO 150 labs. (mon was just a few seats down from me!)
Also, the Zoology lounge is where we used to hang out inbetween classes and have lunch.
awww... those were good times! Did we ever throw a birthday party for anyone?!

3. Graduate House

...designed by Pritzker Prize-winner Thom Mayne



I'm pretty sure we've discussed this building before. (We passed by during our Annex By The Books walk). It's not to everyones taste.  My OISE friend Emilie lived here. She had an interesting dorm. Main floor was living space then you walk downstairs to the bedrooms.

Cora's! $3 GIANT slices. They were a quarter of a large pizza. Great value. Great taste. Good times.
Papa Ceo's! Also has giant slices, great value, taste and times!
I remember one weekend before school started, I took my cousin Mike around U of T campus and showed him where his classes would be. We took Spadina from Richmond Hill all the way here (with a few detours, of course). Anyway, he took me here afterwards. 

4. 1 Spadina Circle

...where Amelia Earhart worked as a nurse's aide

Too bad this building is under renovations. Always wanted to go in. And I believe there used to be a library on our list in here.


This is courtesy of blog.TO.  Much prettier.


And on the wall of the 7 eleven, some graffiti with a nice depiction of the building. 


O'Grady's.
Yes, did visit this establishment a few times in my UofT days. Also, paid a visit last October. I was on a trip with a few grade 12 students to see a couple of lectures at Hart House. After the lectures we did a quick tour of the grounds and then went out to lunch. And unfortunately the only places with ample room for us all were what some might call pubs..... For the record, it was a Friday afternoon, and of course they did not order alcohol. We all pretty much ordered burgers. It's a RESTAURANT. There's nothing wrong with that.

King's College Road....

Walking up to the heart of the campus.

Pratt!

This is where I used to meet Alex after class.

....King's College Circle and the Harry Potter-esque buildings comprising the heart of the campus.

Alma!!!! The cards made a Harry Potter reference!!!! A really bad Harry Potter reference. (Ha!) In fact, whoever wrote this line either knows nothing about Harry Potter or never actually visited Kings College Circle.

There's UC (University College) which is coming up on the walk.
This is where you'd usually see a bunch of tour buses lined up.
it doesn't look too great right now...
but this is where every graduate would cross to make their way to convocation.


 A look back to King's College Road.

Convocation Hall, the university's largest lecture hall



Many a class here.
And in the movie "Mean Girls" the Mathletes competition was filmed here.

First year Bio 150 was here (with almost 2000 classmates!) (yup! I was there) at 10am on Mondays and Wednesday's right after Physics at the McClenan building. Once Jeanne and I got off early from Physics and so got to Con Hall early. We took advantage and decided to take a little cat nap before class started. We ended up sleeping through the WHOLE lecture. Didn't end up waking up till the end, when everyone started clapping cause it was the last lecture of that particular instructor. Ooops. 

In second year, second semester, Vikki and I had BIO 250 then an hour (or was it 2?) break before Human Bio - all in Con Hall. We'd usually go to Second Cup inbetween because back then they had a Tuesday $2 latte deal (and so many more delicious lattes than they do now). Anyhoo, on my birthday when we returned to Con Hall, and our section, all of my friends (none of which had that class with us) were there waiting for us. Super cute. They brought presents and embarressed me by singing "Happy Birthday" in front of a nearly full Con Hall. But super sweet. Hope I thanked them enough for the sentiment.... was I supposed to skip class and then go and hang out with them? Eek... Oops.


Rest assured there are no shortages of crazies at UofT.
2nd year Biochem. I got to class early and took my seat in my regular section waiting for my friends to arrive. And this really cute guy comes and sits close by. And eventually changes seats so he's only 1 away from me. My friend Maria arrives and sits on the other side and we begin chatting about the biochem assignment. So I'm turned to her with my back to him. And after awhile she stops chatting and directs me to turn around. The guy was creeping right up behind me. I say hi, and he the then shows me his jacket zipper and points out the leters "XYZ" on them.
!?!? The best looking ones are always insane....
the dude left and I later saw him creeping out my 1st year Physics lab partner (Darcy) on the other side of Con Hall.

A few memories stick out around here - 

I think every will always remember where they were when 9/11 happened. I remember seeing everything happen on tv and then having to go to school to meet Stef at the steps of Con Hall. We talked about it for a bit and then just sat in silence. 

Physio320.... hated that class. enough said.

Graduation! 

The acoustics in this place aren't that great. So if it's a full class... which it always is... I usually have to sit near the front to actually pay attention. This place is so massive, that it's really hard to stay focus. Well for me anyway. 

5. Knox College

Its neo-Gothic buildings and stained-glass windows stood in for Harvard in Good Will Hunting (They also used Con Hall and MP!)



(hehe I think that's my head- bottom right)

(disgusted!)


Another shot of Con Hall as we make our way around the circle


Gersteins!
Liked studying there. With groups in the group study room, the newly renovated areas, but also the really old areas that smell like old books and wood.
me too!
there's a room that was painted in a really bright yellow and had a florescent green trim around the perimeter of the ceiling that I used to study in.

According to Alex, this is where we first met. I don't remember this cause apparently it was brief, but maybe that's why he seemed so familiar/easy to talk to the "second time" we met at the music library, where we exchanged emails (I would never give out my phone number!) and I guess, the start of long emails and msn msgs, remember msn?! (oh man... and to think we've now regressed back to: hangout msgs and video chat :S)
Anyway, we used to hang out in the stacks, where Alex would try to read russian books in his best russian accent.


Intruder!
Alberto went to York. I made sure to buy him UofT /anti-York paraphanilia for his birthday. Wasted money really, what was we going to do with a "York Sucks T-shirt"?

6. University College

...where elaborate stonework epitomizes the college's High Victorian Style.

A lot of that movie "Skulls" with Joshua Jackson was filmed here. Also the site of a few Classics classes (with Lefty!), Physics tutorials... oh, yeah, and Mr. Calculus Man's office. (Sorry for all the inside jokes).

UC was my first choice when picking colleges, but I didn't get in. So they stuck me in New College. Alex is a UC alumnus, but I feel like these colleges don't mean much, unless you live on campus tho.

Sigh.... one of those windows looks in on Mr. Calculus Man's office.
Or old office. Wonder if he's been given an upgrade. Lets go check....


The traditional "Almica" selfie.

Door is locked. Cant' walk by MCM's office.
tear...


Even Alma's visibly upset by this.
that's my natural face.



Alma's one and only time catching a glimpse of Lefty came within those walls.
haha!
if you think you can visualize monica's type... 
you'd not picture Lefty!
hehe


This is NOT the way to Diablo's (the UC coffe louge).

Hey Alma, shouldn't there be a pic of the graffi outside Diablo's? Which was written high up? Yes there should be... 

This however was like finding the door to Narnia.

So while the walk is officially up, we decide to stroll around a bit longer and visit some of the other places of note that aren't on the cards.

Sid Smith!

St. George Street is usually bustling with students and cars and bikes on school days. (Easter weekend)

Ahh.. now this would be the strech of hallway in Sid Smith I was sitting down on when I had my first encounter with Lefty. He sat beside me...

  
Left: Doors to our first class together. Lets just say his nickname is Lefty because I used to always sit beside him on the seat to his right, thus he was on my left. Sigh.... Talked to him like once the entire semester. When he asked to borrow a pen.
Right: The doors to our second class together. And the class in which we became "friends" and never stopped talking..... Sigh.... Only good memories here. (Not so much from the UC classes but I digress.) :(

which door will monica take?!

ES!!
Where Monica and I really bonded + Jean Marc's class
Too many fond memories here, mon can surely list them all, even ones where she wasn't even present ;)
As much as we studied for fungi, we always nearly failed the tests! I still remember us sharing one of our last tests and mon beating me by one! ;)  Labs saved us!

I guess we should write a list for when we get old:
trip to Algonquin, sharing a cabin (mon and asal took me in!), umbrella/tennis racket guy, werewolf - flashlight, canoeing, Geoff, anti-lab room, Paul!, hickey, alcohol fires, missing microscope, studying with mark and sergio - throwing paper messages in library, scarf, lobster mushroom 
  

That's the McLenan Building Back there. Physics! And there is always a first year project to calculate the height of the tower.

My college is just on the north west corner of this intersection. I guess I should've taken a picture of it. During first year, Stef and I would "play 1,2,3 he's yours" while we ate lunch just outside the library. 
I didn't spend too much time at my college since there are so many other nicer, bigger libraries around campus, but the time that I did, I was studying for my MAT135 test. and that's where I met Benny. Some short asian guy with glasses that you'd never assume had a really deep voice. Anyway. We became friends that day and he was there when I got hit by a bike just before our calculus exam. 

So we decide to end our day with a snack at a Monica-Alma favorite, crepes from "Crepes a Go-Go". This was a little crepe restaurat located across from Varsity Stadium in our days. Since then, they've been displaced by the booming Toronto Condo Market to a location across from the Reference Library, and this location in the Annex (Bloor - just west of Spadina)



We loved, and still do, this place. Always a good place to refuel after a library mission. We came often enough that the owner, the sweetest lady in the world (who's name I don't know) would recognize us and greet us warmly. And they were always busy - not like we were her only customers. She's such a people person. And for that, she has loyal regular customers. Anyway, it made our day when we stepped in to the shoppe and she recognized us immediately. How cute! How sweet! 

Delicious!!!!
They've expanded their Limonana into the states! 


YUMMMM!!!!

We're enjoying the "Mademoiselle". Goat cheese, smoked salmon, maple syrup, slivers of red onions. YUMMERS!!!!

The usual desert crepe. Chocolate and strawberries. YUMMM!!!!

     

MONICA RATING: 4 out of 5 Happy Graduates. Is that too high? I think a visit to Toronto should definately include a visit to UofT. Perhaps get a free tour guide from the visitor's center so you don't miss the good stuff and their ancedotes. Make sure to stray off the designate paths. I thoroughly enjoyed this walk - not sure if its just nostalgia, and beer googles, and literally "coming home". Not sure everyone would be as interested. 

Alma's Rating: 4 out of 5... I was thinking of giving it a 4.5 but then again as Monica had mentioned, we're being a bit biased. U of T is home... and to attend it and visit it are two different things. I guess the cards are lacking places to eat (college students don't just eat caf food!) and also the more modern buildings on the east side of U of T. Bahen for one is a nice building - beside it, it has a water feature where ppl are known to wade their feet on them hot summer days. I would also recommend exploring the Terrance Donnelly building, if you can get in. It's a beautiful glass building that has trees growing inside! Oh ! and one must include the Koffler Student Center... cause where else are you gonna get U of T t-shirt and mousepad?!