Underpass Park

Toronto's Underpass Park is open. An innovative use of dead urban space, the park is
"transforming a derelict space into an neighbourhood amenity." Vast skateboarding grounds, futuristic playground toys and even functional public art!

Simcoe Day

John Graves Simcoe was a British army officer who became the first governor of Canada. And every year Ontario gets a holiday in his name. This Simcoe Day I checked out Fort York, Canada's largest collection of original War of 1812 buildings and 1813 battle site.

In 1813, when the shoreline of Lake Ontario came all the way to where the Gardiner Expressway stands today, Fort York was at an strategic point to defend the British colony and the little town of York, which would one day become Toronto.

American forces attacked and vanquished the fort in 1813, occupying York for a few days, looting and burning the Parliament Building. This was a short but turbulent period in Canadian history, and it wasn’t without its dramatic moments, such as when the retreating British troops exploded 300 barrels of gunpowder they had stored under the fort, hurting hundreds of American soldiers and killing some too. The explosion was heard in Niagara.

Today, Fort York is a relic stuck in the middle of downtown, with an incredible view of the city skyline and an archeological site protected from the construction cranes all around it.

There were also demonstrations of cooking and general life in the Fort.

Ending the day going east like the Loyalists, passing by a very colorful St. Jameson Park.

New favorite picture

By Greg Capullo.

The life and death of books

“The printed book’s main enemy is not the digital book, but the games and social networks that gross billions of dollars today.  (…) We are not watching the end of the book-form, but its continued support in another platform, as notes Umberto Eco, for whom the book is a definitive invention. (…) The conviction remains that the book will not die but will gain new and expanded boundaries.”

Arnaldo Niskier, Brazilian journalist and writer

Pushpin portraits

By Eric Daigh.

Elysium cover

The cover of the new Pet Shop Boys album makes me think of perfume. Are they also releasing a new fragrance?

Speaking of covers, the Boys (fresh from performing at Wimbledon as pre-Olympic match entertainment) are about to release a cover of classic Bee Gees' track "I started a joke" as a B-side to "Winner."

Super manatees

Artwork by J Harris.

Niemeyer in 3D

2D versions of 3D photographs from a special edition book with various Oscar Niemeyer works.

Pet Shop Boys meets Roller Derby

The worst Pet Shop Boys video ever?

Story here.

Dark Knight

Finally Christopher Nolan is done sucking the fun out of Batman and infusing it with grandiose self-importance. A lot didn't make any sense and the editing was choppy, but at least you don't feel the 2 hours and 44 minutes go by.

Hot influence

''I think if you're English, and especially if you're from London, and you're an electronic musician, then [the Pet Shop Boys are] definitely going to have an influence and be an inspiration."

Hot Chip's Felix Martin

New George and Madonna

George Michael, thankfully back in the game (for the moment at least), makes another ultra-stilish video, this time employing his gal-pal druggy Kate Moss, in a long tradition of using supermodels in his videos.

Madonna is also up to her old tricks, recycling a video formula she's done a few too many times: the "drive around town and pick up random people to dance in her car" schtick. Now with Italian backgrounds on the greenscreen. 

Only in Brazil

O Globo published an article about how in the countryside of Rio, there are still 18,000 people who have been living without electricity for over 50 years. Candlelit dinners every night!

Z Boat

By Zaha Hadid for Kenny Schachter.

New favorite image

Winner is a loser

The PSB announced the new single for Elysium, which so far is a snorefest. After beautiful but barely moving Invisible, they came up with a synth ballad for the Olympic Games, which is as cheesy as it sounds.

Only in Brazil

While Pride attracts millions to the streets of Rio and São Paulo and Rio ranks among the most gay-friendly cities in the world, Brazil is a whole still got a long road ahead. Last week, in the state of Bahia, a man was stoned to death by a group of young men after leaving a party hugging another guy (who happened to be his twin brother.) Neither of the men were gay, but they crossed the cultural line of masculine affection in public.) Another young gay men was cruelly killed in the state of Rio and thrown in a river, right on Pride Day. Meanwhile, among the educated echelons of society, the “gay” is moving from joke-butt to must-have.

Omicron

Wroclaw, Poland, by the AntiVJ.

Screencar

Invisible

The Pet Shop Boys announced a new album for September and released the song Invisible with a boring art film. If the song is any indication, Elysium will be quite low key.