Low-Key Day

Yesterday (Sat.) was pretty overstuffed.  I did an almost full set over at the gym (and I did swim 12 laps Friday night), so I am getting pretty close to being back to full health.  Yea!  I then managed to get to the TMU Image Centre just after noon.  It was the last day for two exhibits.  One about water processing infrastructure, mostly featuring the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant, which I saw at Doors Open several years ago and is certainly worth the visit.  So I bought the little book associated with that show.  

Katrin Faridani, Island Water Treatment Plant, 2022

The big show featured Jin-me Yoon.  I wasn't blown away by her photos but am still glad I dropped in.  She has a website covering pretty much all her work, including the new post-COVID pieces that were on display at TMU.

Jin-me Yoon, Oasis 1 (Time New Again), 2010

Then I rode over to the Distillery to check out Gilgamesh at Soulpepper.  It was interesting -- a weird hybrid of the story of Gilgamesh, combined with some details (perhaps a bit embellished) from the two lead actors' lives, as the setting kept switching back and forth between the legend and the two main characters in present day Toronto.  But in many ways this was just a vehicle designed to feature the real band, Moneka Arabic Jazz, that Ahmed Moneka leads.  While the other lead, Jesse Lavercombe, plays a mean jazz piano, I don't believe he is actually part of the band, and it isn't clear how often he sits in.  Anyway, it was entertaining and the backing music was excellent, even if the Gilgamesh story was maybe a bit thin compared to all the other elements.  There is a matinee today at 1:30, and then that's it.

I also stopped in briefly at the art galleries in the Distillery.  I saw this piece by Riopelle at the Corkin Gallery.  They didn't list any prices; they were available "Upon Request", which probably means it was close to six months' salary and not worth my time to inquire.  But it's nice to come across these pieces unexpectedly.

Jean-Paul Riopelle, Arche, 1958

I then ran back over to work for a few hours, then came home.  I was a bit weary, but went over to Dusk Dances at Withrow Park.  It's fun being part of such a communal event, even though I didn't do any of the group dancing at the beginning.  I guess more than anything it's events like this (or Shakespeare in the parks) that makes urban life worth the hassle and expense.  

Today, I could have gone to High Park for the Shakespeare event that Canadian Stage is putting on, but I'd like to take it a bit easy for once and will look into going next week once the weather forecast is more settled.  So far I have done the grocery run.  I probably should weed, but it's already feeling kind of warm, so maybe I'll do that this evening.  I think I'll read outside for a bit.  Then I'll probably run into work to deal with something that I can't do from here.  That's probably about it.  For some reason the Textile Museum seems to be closed, so I might go do that next weekend.  I also need to install this Canoo app on my phone and then probably do some weeding.

Tomorrow it's going to rain, so I'll probably mostly stay home and read (I have the day off!).  But then I found out about an intriguing play about autonomous trucks putting truckers out of business over at Summerworks (simply called Truck).  This runs Monday evening, and I guess I may run over and see that after all, though I think I'll try to take Line 2 all the way across rather than dealing with the streetcar.  (I already mentioned that I am going to hold off on another play, to catch it when it shows up at Buddies...)  Anyway, I will decide if I am definitely going to see Truck a bit later on.*  

So it isn't a completely relaxing weekend, but it's a bit less chaotic than most...

* By the time I made up my mind, Truck was sold out.  This is still a play in development, and maybe it will come back around in a more complete form in a year or two.  Here's hoping anyway.