They come from a town not unlike yours. Predictable and unremarkable. They hit a certain age and moved to the city. Most things fit. Some didn’t. We get that, Tokyo Police Club.

We like listening to this when we hit the Wine Rack in the summer. In the car on the road to somewhere new. But it’s when we go home and see the snow falling that we yearn for this sound. It’s being in those familiar spaces. Feeling that ground under foot. Remembering the girls, happy and married now. The nerve we never had. The friends we’ll never talk to again.

The more uncertain the world you choose, the more clarity you pull from the places you never understood when you were in them. That’s our elephant shell. Learning too well the shortcomings of your own heart. Understanding your romance may never be pearly white. And feeling so grateful for that. Knowing that, some nights, you’ll never be a gentleman.

Tokyo Police Club’s best album has one song over three minutes. How they crystallize their many moving parts in such short bursts is an act of impressive alchemy. They aim for the heart and burrow inside. You go back to them for the science. You stay for the decimals.

This week we snuck in a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Toronto’s High Park. A magical experience! Families huddled together at the High Park amphitheatre for a picnic and performance under the stars.

Director Richard Rose has infused a little modern-day styling into the production. Just a little. Just enough. It works splendidly. I particularly enjoyed the rendition of Helena, played by the talented Sarah Sherman.

This is the 30th anniversary of Shakespeare in High Park presented by Canadian Stage, and performances will run until September 2. Admission is pay-what you-can for adults ($20 suggested minimum donation).

Little India on Gerrard Street East is quickly changing. There are many shuttered stores on the strip, more than you can count on your hands. Why? I don’t know. Maybe the customers have moved further north and east and west, into the burbs, into Brampton and Ajax and Mississauga.

A few gems still remain. Lahore Tikka House seems to be always packed at meal times.
I’m sure it’s all good. But here’s what we had and recommend:

Beef or lamb kebabs.
Garlic butter naan (order 2, but you’ll want more!).
Lamb gosht.
Palak paneer (spinach, cheese).
Brain masala.
Lassi (sweet or salty yogurt drink).

An interesting little initiative, Porch View Dances just wrapped up The Seaton Village Project and are preparing for The Jane/Finch Project on August 25th. Friend and blogger, Samantha Read attended the former this weekend and sent this + photos:

Front porches in Toronto were transformed into stages this past weekend.

The brainchild of Kaeja d’Dance, Porch View Dances called on local residents to work with choreographers and create routines which were performed on their porches and lawns. Most of the performers had little to no dance experience, and the routines drew inspiration from the personality and lives of each family. In between dances, audience members were guided from home to home with tales (some historical, some a bit on the tall side) about the community and its residents. Some of the dances were cheeky while others more solemn and abstract, but all netted the same result: enthusiastic cheers from the sizeable crowd watching. These cheers grew louder for the finale, as audience members joined in on the fun and danced together in a local park.

~Sam Read, @SamanthaCRead

Joshua Moraes and I bump into each other every so often. And when we do we talk about economic bubbles, letterpress printing, rent vs. mortgage payments, and Goa…we’ve never lived there.

One of Joshua’s latest projects has been outreach for the MP and MPP in the Davenport riding on the issue of the new commuter Air Rail Link between Pearson International Airport and Union Station. During our last bump, we discussed it.

What’s the Clean Train Coalition?

It’s about Torontonians uniting against plans to have diesel trains run through 12 neighbourhoods. Everyone agrees we need the ARL (Air Rail Link) but let’s do it right. Let’s electrify the line. It’s environmentally sound and can serve a ton more residents.

Why haven’t the trains been electrified as part of the plan then? Is diesel cheaper? 

The plan to use diesel can be attributed to the initial costs being cheaper, as well as the rush to have this line up and running for the 2015 Pan Am Games.

Although it is initially cheaper to build the line diesel, the operating costs, once the line is built, are far cheaper if electrified. Studies have indicated the costs would be recouped in 10 years. Also, the diesel plan only allows for two stops between Union Station and the airport, less stops because stopping and starting diesel trains is expensive, dirty and loud. However, electrifying the line would allow for more stops and thus be accessible to a ton more residents, bringing in more revenue.

As for the Pan Am Games, well, my response is ‘who cares’? It’s a two-week sporting event. Why should 300,000 residents in 12 neighbourhoods along the line suffer a lifetime of pollution for that?

Having more stops on the line would defeat the purpose of an express train. Would you rather they forget making it express and just have another commuter line? 

I grew up near Steeles and Victoria Park, the outer edges of Scarborough on the border of Markham. As a teen, heading downtown was rewarding but one hell of a trek. The Sheppard line didn’t exist yet. I would have to take the Steeles 53 bus to Finch station. The 53 did provide one of 4 choices, one of which was the 53E, an express bus that made very few stops on the way to Finch station.

We can do the same here. We can build a line with great flexibility. One that serves multiple commuter needs. While it is possible to electrify the line and still have it be only an express route with two stops, does that make sense? Is that building accessible, multi-use mass transit? Keep in mind that a route like that targets a smaller select group of people able to pay a ticket price upwards of $25.00 to $30.00 to get to the airport. Having more stops opens the line up to more users and brings down the cost per user.

With electric it doesn’t have to be one or the either. 140 trains per day works out to a minimum of 5 trains per hour. How about two express trains and three all-stop trains per hour?  Or maybe three express and three local during peak hours? Electric gives us options, diesel doesn’t.

The people doing the development say that it will take too long for environmental studies, etc, to build an electric train line instead of diesel. They say an electric line won’t be ready for the Pan Am Games. This may be true, but realistically, can this be approved much faster if all levels of government dedicate their attention to getting the approvals pushed fast? Or am I just being overly optimistic that the slow chugging bureaucracy of government can ever speed up?

Greater emphasis should be placed on getting this whole thing done right first and then setting up a deadline. Having 300,00 residents (including day care centres, schools, and a long term respitory care centre within proximity of tracks), and having people across the GTA suffer diesel pollution for years to come because of a two-week sporting event doesn’t make sense.

Red tape is a nuisance for sure but careful assessment is paramount. It’s not just the environment but also making sure that a project like this works to improve the transit needs for the widest number of Torontonians.

(See Clean Train Coalition for more information.)

We were flying over Europe. I was falling asleep. And the man in the seat behind me kept poking my headrest, pounding his touch screen to make his selections. I ignored it at first, but after the eighth ‘selection’ I turned around and said, “Hey, there’s a remote in your armrest! You don’t need to touch the screen, let alone hit it so hard! I’m trying to sleep!” And then I felt a little bad.

The guy beside me chuckled. And we chatted. Abhishek said he was flying to Bombay to see his family. I told him I was on a backpacking trip and filming across India. Our plane was the last one allowed to land in Bombay that morning. The rest were diverted to other airports. It was November 27, 2008, and armed gunmen were wreaking havoc across the city.

Abhishek Mukherjee and I have stayed in touch over the years. He’s an avid bicyclist, part of two groups: The Jacksonville Bicycle Coalition, and Bike Jax. On a recent Skype chat we discussed bicycling in North America.

I actually don’t feel safe riding my bike on most roads in Toronto, not downtown in traffic and especially not on suburban roads. I don’t think I’d feel safe until they build a separate bike lane divided from the main road by a concrete curb or something.

You’ve touched upon a really big issue that seems to be the hardest thing for me to explain to anybody who is planning on bicycling, and that is subjective safety. Like you don’t feel safe. Statistically they can prove that you’re going to be safe but you don’t feel safe riding beside cars going at 45 miles per hour.

Exactly. I don’t feel safe unless there is a raised divide. Or something like the bike path on Roncesvalles Avenue in downtown Toronto where they built the bike lane beside the sidewalk. So it’s raised from the road.

I think Germany does that, where the cars, bicycles and pedestrians are in different lanes at different levels. And that’s one way to tackle it. And The Netherlands has been perfecting their way for a long time, so that’s where I would look to for ideas.

But one of the biggest reasons we don’t see more bicyclists is because of the North American culture. Bicycles are something that people had as kids. They learned how to ride a bike. Some of them started racing on bikes. But the rest just kind of gave it up, until they got their first car and moved on in life. The indication of moving up in life is you dump your bicycle, get a motorcycle, dump your motorcycle, get a car, dump your car, get a bigger car.

So the thing here is that the bicycle is not just a toy you had when you were a kid. It can be a very efficient tool. I mean, a couple miles on a bicycle is really easy to do and it wouldn’t take you any more time than it would in a car through traffic.

And you get a workout.

And you get a workout. But you don’t need to get a workout. Florida can get pretty hot, so I just ride slower some days.

So what would it take to help change the current culture and build the bicycle into a long-term tool?

Personally, I see two approaches. One approach is through infrastructure planning and the government. If they put in infrastructure that tells motorists that bicycles are also welcome on the roads and respected here, not just something on the side but something that will allow a bicyclist to feel safe. That would be the first step. That would lead to a change in culture.

And I feel the second way of changing culture is through art. There are bicycle film festivals. There are bicycling events. Something fun that gets people thinking, that gets them saying, “Hey, I just had fun on a bike. Maybe I can bike to the grocery store tomorrow.” This is a another way to change culture. And we’re seeing that happen.

Edward Norton searches for signs of intelligence in The Incredible Hulk.

The Incredible Hulk

You have a classic character. An audience suffering superhero fatigue. And the fresh memory of the perceived movie misfire you’re out to avenge. Making a winning Hulk film was no easy proposition in 2008.

“The Incredible Hulk” is not the film to do it. It’s arrival, from the hurried title sequence, feels uninspired. Motivated more by studio interests than storytelling, love for its protagonist or, at times, even entertainment. True, Ang Lee’s 2003 take on Hulk, wasn’t received with much warmth by audiences or critics. I felt it showed thought, care and surprising depth for a previously simple character opposed by single-minded forces. That it was presented with a unique, and fairly innovative, visual flair only heightened my enjoyment. Many others disagreed. Hulk’s franchise prospects seemed dim.

Thus beget “The Incredible Hulk” with Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner. In this telling, Banner has already been exposed to gamma radiation; already lived to see the consequences of what it does to him – and those around him.

Incredibly (ahem), it starts promisingly enough. Banner is in hiding in Brazil. He works at a factory. Keeps himself in shape. Studies relaxation techniques and pursues holistic remedies for his condition. He wears a heart monitor on his wrist. He is careful.

Norton may seem an odd fit as Hulk but he is effective as Banner. Both are intelligent and daring. Norton also shows us a new side of the character – we witness the exhaustion and intense physical suffering Banner endures after reverting out of the Hulk form. It works.

But this is not a film much interested in intelligence or forging new paths, particularly if they detour from the next action sequence. Attribute this to French director Louis Leterrier, he of the Transporter films. He’s all punch-ups and shootouts. And now his fighters aren’t bound by human limitations of strength or endurance.

Leterrier pushes to show us his Hulk as early as possible. One of the criticisms of Lee’s movie was that it kept audiences waiting for the big guy to show up. Here, it’s done fast – and more or less effectively – once General Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) and his hired gun Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) receive intel on Banner’s whereabouts. They find him. Fight him. He gets away. Predictably, this happens several more times in the film.

Blonsky is the consummate soldier. Decorated and endlessly determined. He sees the transformation Banner undergoes and sees new potential in himself. Ross can help make it a reality. Roth and Hurt are solid but have little to work with. Liv Tyler also shows up as Banner’s former colleague and flame, Dr. Betty Ross. But the character’s presence is barely necessary. And Tyler seems lost. Her feeble attempts at light comedy fall flat. Worse, she and Norton share no chemistry. Her most dramatic moments involve whispering “Bruce…” breathily to a nine-foot giant. The character’s a waste.

There are a few neat tricks. The green saturation. Roth sprinting 40 MPH and outrunning his entire squadron. Norton wisely deciding against riding the New York (or is it Toronto?) subway. Tim Blake Nelson turning up as a uniquely mad scientist in the third act.

But mostly it’s a whole lot of smashing stuff. The effective Marvel films imbue their characters with wit and charm. Villains hatching clever plans. Some magic. These are not outrageous expectations. But Leterrier plays “The Incredible Hulk” with one note. It’s safe and repetitive. After an hour of watching CGI street fights, we feel like Banner after a night of Hulking. Given the talents of Norton and Roth, wouldn’t you rather watch them duel with cunning and style than as cartoons (however impressive) that pound each other to dust?

“The Incredible Hulk” hinges on its main character’s ability to transform into something extraordinary when his heart rate accelerates. To make a film that drains the life out of this superhero’s oversized soul is fatal.

**

Edward Norton – Dr. Bruce Banner
William Hurt – Gen. Thaddeus Ross
Tim Roth – Emil Blonsky
Liv Tyler – Dr. Betty Ross
Tim Blake Nelson – Dr. Samuel Sterns

Directed by Louis Leterrier
Written by Zak Penn and Edward Norton (uncredited)
Running Time: 112 Minutes.

Musician, Mentor, Young Man, Living. (Read)

I know Mark Godfrey from way back. We went to the same high school. I once played in a band with his cousin. He’s younger than I am. So I’ve seen him grow up some. Come of age. People you know do this in your midst all the time. It’s a special thing when you finally see it.

Mark plays in Pram Trio, a jazz ensemble as much for classicists as those interested in cutting new paths. He also teaches bass at Upper Canada College and gives private lessons.

We met at a proper Toronto drinking hole. Stayed long enough to see a shift change through. The ceiling featured a huge, painted mural. So did the waitress’ arms. Next, Mark will be playing places like this all spring during Pram Trio’s upcoming tour. They’ll stop at our old high school, too. We talked about that over hawaiian nachos and cheap beer.

The upright bass. Why that instrument?

Because I couldn’t study electric bass in university. It was never something I even thought about. It was always something of a novelty for me. I started playing electric bass in Grade 7 for fun. I did it in jazz band. I did it in church band. I remember asking my Dad to teach me and he said, ‘Yeah, I’ll teach ya.’ Every day one summer, we would get up and he would say, ‘OK, I want you to work on playing these particular things in succession. This is a major chord. This is a minor chord. Learn how to play those.’ I love my Dad but…

(Laughs).

He didn’t really have any knowledge at all. But he’s a great coach. A great teacher. Even if he doesn’t have knowledge on the subject. In Grade 9, I ended up in jazz band. My cousin said that I played bass. And Spiro Grima (ed. note- Mark’s high school music teacher) said, ‘Come try out for jazz band.’ Andrew Schneider was doing it before that. He wasn’t a bass player. He was a guitar player. There’s a blast from the past. Just rattling off names…

They’re all still in there.

In Grade 10 I decided I wanted to pursue music as a career choice. The music teacher said to my Mom, ‘Mark can’t study electric bass at a university. He needs to learn clarinet.’ Which I had been playing. So I started taking a lesson every week. There were some colleges you could study electric bass in. But I really wanted to do the university thing for whatever reason. It’s just always what I’d planned to do. Then I ended up going to a couple of camps. The first one was a leadership camp. The second was music. And, at the end of the summer, I went to a jazz camp. I showed up with my electric thinking I was hot shit. My nose completely out of joint. It was the worst ensemble and I was the only one there with an electric bass. I was in a bad mood. But I decided to look at it as an opportunity. And it really made me realize jazz is so much bigger than you or me. If I wanted to do it I had to learn this other instrument.

So I ended up going to the University of Toronto and heard from the Director of Music that if I wanted to get in I had to play upright bass. So I rented an upright, went back and did my audition, and somehow got in. It was never something that I had anticipated. The audition process was kind of surreal for me. It was really cool playing with musicians who were that good. Guys who were in fourth year at the University. I had never played with musicians who were that into this style of music. The vibe was really cool. I played a tune on upright and they asked me to go back to electric and then play upright again and they were like, ‘No, we like you better on upright.’ Which blew my mind. Because I had only been playing for the instrument for, like, two months. I had been playing electric for six years!

What kinds of fears and insecurities did you have to accept with this instrument?

It’s interesting. There are certain things you never get over. I remember when we did Battle of Bands when I was in Grade 10. Under the name Cesspool. We played a Simple Plan song. We played a Blink song. Do-do-do-do-do…

The stuff you’re nervous about sticks with you. Getting up in front of someone and performing was never something I had much anxiety about. But as soon as there was somebody in the audience that I thought highly of… completely different ballgame. Someone you know knows more about the instrument. Or you think is going to judge you. I would love to say that changes. But, man, I played last night in front of some people I really respect and… it doesn’t. This is the sadistic or negative thing about being a musician. You’re always trying to get to that uncomfortable place performing. But when you get there you see more… Where you want to be is always still ahead.

My teacher put it a really good way. You start playing jazz and you’re 18. ‘I think I’ve got the hang of things.’ Then you say, ‘Oh, that guy’s got his stuff together.’ Then you’re 24. And you’re like, ‘I’ve totally got the hang of this.’ Then you’re like, ‘He’s got way more shit together than I do.’ Then you’re 34. Ten years later. You’re married. You’ve got a kid on the way. You’re like, ‘Man, I am starting to PLAY this shit. I know what’s going on.’ Then it’s: ‘These young guys are the ones that have it going on.’ It’ll happen again when you’re 50. When you’re 65. Then you’re 90. You’re 102, lying in your deathbed – ‘Oh! I’ve finally got it.’ And then you die. I have totally diverged from the question here.

The nerves of performing in front of people I idolize or admire is always a tricky thing. They’re looking at you for who you are and what you do. If you want to be depressed about being a musician, compare yourself to other people. Because everyone’s different. Everyone’s working on things at different times. But that’s something that I’ve never really gotten past. I can stand up in front of anyone and be OK. But you perform the best when you’re not really worried about what other people are thinking. And you can apply that to any part of life. But it’s something that you constantly struggle with. Or at least I constantly struggle with it. You just try not to get caught up in it. Focus on what you’re doing. And be OK with where you are because of the reasons that’ve gotten you to that point.

Well said. Take a drink.

I thought when I was younger that when you have it, you have it. But now I find that you have to work to get back to it. The more you know, the less you know, right? The more I learn about my instrument or this industry, or this style of music, the more I realize I don’t know. What’s that, two?

Who’s counting. It’s interesting hearing you talk about everything that’s gotten you here to this point. Where you dream of one day being?

I’ll let you know when I find out. Ideally, doing what I’m doing. But more of what I want to be doing. You never really stop identifying things you need to work on. I really like that about this career that. This was the big reason that I didn’t go the teacher’s college route. I was really passionate about doing that for a big part of my life. That’s really what I saw as the end goal: Get a job as a teacher at a high school and inspire kids who were like me when I was in school. But in university I looked back and realized I have a much stronger passion for performing then I thought I initially did. It could even be a self-fulfilling situation. And I do really enjoy the teaching part of it. So the ideal gig would be doing all of this for X number of years and really experiencing it. Experiencing the touring, experiencing being the side man, experiencing being the leader. And teaching. Having a role like my teacher had with me – at a university or a community college. Not to the point that you’re teaching all the time. But you have balance. Consistency. Teaching one day a week. Teaching people who want to learn. I think everyone who teaches wants that. You want to be teaching people who want to figure out what you’re into. What you’re trying to get at. And the notion of teaching yourself out of a job is really cool for me. My teacher said this to me: His job is to teach me so I don’t have to go to him for questions. To get me to ask questions of myself so that I can figure it out. Because I have a passion for teaching that’s something I think I’ll always be into. But the performing aspect… there’s really nothing else like it. Especially in this genre. Because it is self-fulfilling. And once you get past that, it really is amazing to interact with other musicians. Regardless of age. Regardless of instruments. And to be able to keep doing it.

Right now… I’m 24. The way I learn, the way I interact with people is completely different than the way it was four years ago. You can’t imagine what it’s going to be like when you’re 60. The guys’ records who I buy are guys who are 60 right now. They’re making this creative music even though it isn’t necessarily popular music anymore. There’s some serious stuff in there.

Between Toronto, West Elgin and New York, we know a lot of the same streets. When you walk them, what kind of thoughts do you have?

It’s interesting to think about the things that would be different had you made certain decisions. Because those places – Toronto, New York and West Elgin – I don’t think there’s a lot that could’ve happened in my life that would’ve changed the fact that I actually walk those streets. So I always find if there’s no agenda – which rarely ever happens – it’s thinking about what had to happen for me to be here. Or what ways I could have gotten to this physical point. If I had gone to study kinesiology at Western or Laurier, walking around Wallacetown would’ve been feasible. But my mentality would be completely different. And it’s the same thing here in the city. I wouldn’t have been here had it not been for my music teacher telling me that trying to study kinesiology and music at Laurier would’ve been the worst decision of my life.

(Laughs).

Right? Would I have this strong desire to experience something else in New York had I not taken this Grade 12 music trip there?

Thoughts aren’t always this deep. Sometimes I’m thinking, ‘Man, that burrito I just had was good.’ The other thing is what relationships still exist in that area. While I’m walking through West Elgin, even though there aren’t a lot of people who I’m really close with, there are a handful of them. Some people are still around. So it’s kind of similar. What would’ve had to happen differently for those relationships to happen? Or other ones to not? It’s interesting because each one of these places have kind of integrated now. It’s all one big place. A lot of my friends from Toronto have experienced life where I grew up; been to my high school and done a clinic, hung out at The Goal Post.

New York is this place where all of my friends from high school have been with me. And I have friends from New York who’ve come up to Toronto and hung out. I know my girlfriend through a connection to a workshop I did at Banff. There are all of these connections. I think that you can be in the same place and get there in a different way. It’s surreal. When I do have time to think it’s about things like that. It’s about how different it would’ve been if Mom and Dad had encouraged me to do something else.  Had my siblings and I had a different relationship. Had I made the volleyball team in Grade 9. Because I didn’t. Because of that I was able to play jazz in the jazz band.

How do you compare loving a discipline, and what that takes, compared to other kinds of love?

I know this is different for me than a lot of other people. I’ve had discussions about it. I find it very hard to imagine a world where I’m not characterized by the instrument that I play. Where a lot of the friendships and relationships that I have are a result of the instrument that I play. I remember a discussion with my high school music teacher when I really vocalized that I wanted to get into music. He said to me, “There will be times when you want to drop out.” Because a lot of people experience that. You’re taking a passion and you’re trying to make it a career. A discipline. That never happened to me. There wasn’t that, ‘Man, I’m going to quit.’ I have the utmost respect for people who are able to look at this art form and say, ‘Making this a career is not what I am into.’ Not because they’re not good at it. Not because they don’t like it. Because they want to do something more. But, for me, music for me has been such a big part of my evolution as a human being. That’s a cheesy sentence. But when I was in Grade 7 I started playing this instrument and I really made it a part of what I do. That is me.

And people here are in the same situation. My buddy Taylor plays sax. My buddy Jack plays stand-up. Matt plays drums. Everyone has an association wit an instrument. My girlfriend has talked about this. My Mom talks about this. ‘Oh, Matt. He’s the drummer. Oh, Rich – he plays in your trio.’ Sometimes it can be a little frustrating. There’s a refreshing nature in hanging out with someone who doesn’t know you as that instrument. But I find it very odd. Maybe I’m just being a romantic about the whole thing. But I don’t really see it not working out. I don’t see me existing without this part of my life. In 2010, I hurt my left arm. Those points are the hardest points for me to identify with myself. Because I couldn’t play. Every time that creeps back it’s a bit unnerving. Because it’s scary to identify yourself with something that’s limited by physical ability. It’s a dangerous thing to do. But I don’t think there’ll ever be a time when I don’t identify myself like that. I can’t imagine moving to a different part of the world and starting again at something completely different. I can’t imagine not owning my instrument.

Not because I can’t imagine selling them. But because I can’t imagine what I’d be doing. I indulge in those instruments so much. And I feel it’s something that’s special about me. That other people don’t have the same passion for that instrument. It’s a very strange thing to make a passion. It’s difficult. I’ve never really been able to fathom what it would be like without it. It’s always been there. Here’s Mark. There’s his music.

It’s funny. When you come to a place like Toronto, there are tons of people like that. People get that you’ll play a place, pass around the hat, maybe make a decent amount of money, maybe not. There’s something you can share with this small community of people in Toronto. People get that you decide that you can’t go out on a Saturday night because you can’t play a major triad.

You share the trials and the triumphs.

Everyone knows what it’s like. No one who’s in this line of work has had anything handed to them. Even if it appears that way. Everyone works really hard to become a professional in their own way.

There’s no faking it.

You just have to keep at it. I’m a firm believer that if you just keep at it long enough… I have a lot of friends who aren’t doing the music thing anymore. And big props to them. They made a decision. And it’s not like they’ve thrown away music. So the power to them. But I don’t know if I would be OK with not at least taking the chance. When you have a family and you need to make money, it’s a different scene. But, right now, it’s working.

If you haven’t already, visit High Park this week for the Japanese tradition of Sakura Hanami: “cherry blossom flower viewing.” Over 2000 trees were presented to the citizens of Toronto by the citizens of Tokyo, in 1959. They are currently in full bloom. Do not miss it.

I stumbled upon a starred email sitting in my inbox, sent from a colleague last summer.

Plans to visit kept shifting, until Tuesday night when 8 of us finally sat down for some Roman pizza.

A few things Italian I learned that night:

• The SPQR initials, within the laurel wreath in their logo, allude to the ancient Roman senate. SPQR in Latin is Senātus Populusque Rōmānus, the Senate and People of Rome. Today, the symbol is the official emblem of the city of Rome. At Falasca SPQR, the initials have been modified to stand for Specialità Pizza Quadrata Rotonda, referring to the shop’s square and round pizzas.
• The pasta dishes take about 15-20mins to be served, because the pasta is handmade once ordered.
• Take-out pizzas are measured by weight.
• The Supli al Telefono (Tomato, Rice Ball with Mozzarella) was a staple for Craig when he spent 4 months in Rome. We ordered some. They was good.
• Fior di Latte refers to mozzarella made from fresh cows milk.
• Scarmoza, similar to mozzarella, is a matured cheese.
• Pinterest isn’t for everybody.

Recommended: every pizza.

Capricciosa: Tomato, Fior di Latte, Mushrooms, Italian Prosciutto, Olives, Artichoke, Hard Boiled Egg