[murmur]

If you've ever been out exploring and wish that the trees or walls could talk, you're in luck. Thanks to the [murmur] program, many of the most interesting spaces and neighbourhoods around the city are giving up their secrets.

Started in 2003 in Kensington Market, the program collects and records the stories of places and the people who live there, from the people themselves. It's an oral history project that aims to provide a more intimate connection between people and the city. Large green ears mark locations where [murmur] recordings are available, and the sign lists a phone number. Call it and listen to a slice of history. All recordings are also available through the [murmur] website.

If you're visiting other cities, [murmur] has so far spread to Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, San Jose, California, Edinburgh, Dublin and Geelong, Australia.

St. James Cathedral

Every May the City of Toronto hosts a program called Doors Open that encourages buildings to open their doors and welcome us ordinary citizens in to take a look around. For those of us who are interested in architecture, or just pretty things, it can be an exhausting weekend. So much to see, and so many other people out there trying to see it at the same time. So it's a nice treat when buildings of interest, with beautiful interiors, open their doors to the curious year-round.

The building I'm thinking of is St. James Cathedral, at the corner of Church and King. Opened in 1853, this beautiful Gothic Revival structure welcomes visitors during open hours, asking only that you be quiet and respectful of those using the space for worship. They even provide a downloadable self-led tour booklet, which is chock full of terminology and interesting facts. Like for instance, that this church has the tallest church spire in Canada. On their tour page they also indicate that tours can be arranged by contacting the Archives and Museum.

The Archives and Museum is located in the adjacent Parish House and can also be toured by appointment. They periodically mount exhibits in their large gallery space, which are also free to view. Unfortunately, their current exhibit celebrating The Queen's Jubilee recently closed, but it can be hoped that their annual exhibit of nativity scenes from around the world will open shortly.

The church also hosts a number of regular musical events which are open to the public and free to attend. This includes their weekly organ recital series held on Sundays at 4 pm and Tuesdays at 1 pm. In addition to this they also occasionally program special events. On Friday December 14, the St. James Cathedral Choir will be joined by a live orchestra for a performance of Handel's Messiah (part one) and Vivaldi's Gloria. Tickets for this performance are $40.

The three images of St. James are courtesy of Michael Hudson Photography.

Canadian National Exhibition

When you live in Toronto, it's not cooler nights that warn you that summer is coming to an end, it's the start of the CNE. So, it's time to cram in those last few patio drinks and backyard barbecues, because the Ex has opened once again.

The Canadian National Exhibition has been signalling the end of summer for over 130 years now. In addition to the Midway with all its noise and smells and lights that brighten the sky each night, there are shows and concerts, shopping and food, animals and all the unusual add-ons you expect from an exhibition - like the sand sculptures which are part of the International Sand Sculpting Competition.

New this year on the Midway is a zip line, the Nitro, a new roller coaster, and the ride I'm looking forward to - the Sky Ride. A little sedate if you're a thrill seeker perhaps but for those of us who loved and remember the Alpine Way, this will be a must for its aerial views of not only the excitement of the CNE grounds, but the beauty of the Toronto Islands, and the city skyline.

While most of what's offered on the Midway costs extra, there's lots to enjoy that's included in the price of admission. In addition to the line-up of concerts at the bandshell and the bands at the Midway Stage, there are lots of other shows to keep you entertained. There's the always amazing Super Dogs (with 3 shows a day), an illusionist, a hypnotist, ice shows, international performers, and lots more, including a whole raft of culinary celebrities including Anna Olson, David Rocco and Marc Thuet.

Food this year includes all the old favourites (Tiny Tom donuts with icing sugar and cinnamon please!) plus 17 food trucks, some disgusting treats like the Krispy Kreme burger and deep fried butter, and a Wine Bar in the Garden Show featuring Ontario wines, craft beers and local cheeses.

Admission to the Ex is $16 for adults, $12 for kids and seniors, and kids under 4 are free. Family passes are also available. General admission gets you access to all shows and buildings, but this year there is no entrance to Ontario Place as it is now closed. Midway ride tickets are extra. There are a few options for a cheaper visit if your schedule is flexible however:

• Admission after 5 pm on Monday thru Thursday is only $5.
• On Monday August 20 & 27, kids 13 and under get in for only $2 when accompanied by a paying adult, and there's a related deal on coupons for the Kiddie Midway.
• Thursday August 28, the day 30H!3 is playing the bandshell, those 19 and under get in free until 3 pm, courtesy of Pizza Nova. And there are discounts for Midway tickets that day as well.

If you plan to go, save yourself some money on parking and take public transit. GO has a stop right at Exhibition on the Lakeshore line, and TTC offers 4 routes to the park including the 193 Exhibition Rocket from Dundas West subway station.

Come on everybody, let's go to the Ex!

Toronto Islands

An absolute must for any visitor to Toronto, and a great way for those of us who live here to reconnect with our city, is to see the city from the water. While there are several options for accomplishing this, I highly recommend a visit to the Toronto Islands. While the islands offer many different things, here's my favourite way to experience it. Note that I don't usually have kids in tow when I head over there, so if you're taking your little ones, this may not be the best itinerary.

Start by getting yourself to the Toronto Islands Ferry Docks at the foot of Bay Street. The ferries switched to their summer schedule at the end of May so service is pretty frequent. A round-trip ticket costs $7 for adults, with reduced rates for students, seniors and children. On weekends in the summer the wait time for ferries, especially if there is an event on the island, can be over an hour, so if you can go during the week, you'll find the wait a lot shorter and the island far less busy. Plus evenings are a lovely time to go, so if it's a choice between 6 pm on Thursday and 1 pm on Saturday, go on Thursday. The ferries run quite late so getting back won't be an issue and you'll have the added bonus of seeing the city all lit up. If you really do want to go during the peak weekend time and the lines are crazy, consider taking a water taxi. Toronto Water Taxi operates from York Street Slip, which is just a short walk west from the ferry terminal. They charge $10 per adult each way, $5 per child, but have a $30 minimum per boat per trip (not usually a problem on busy weekends). As you are not required to show a ticket when boarding the ferries on the island, you can save yourself the return taxi fare by hopping on the ferry.

At the terminal, there are 3 different ferries, going to different parts of the island (although off-season they will sometimes combine service to Hanlan's Point and Ward's Island). I recommend taking the Hanlan's Point ferry, then walking the length of the island and taking the Ward's Island ferry home. This provides two main advantages: 1) as Hanlan's Point is the furthest west, it gives you a nice long ride along the harbour providing you with the best views of the city, plus as the dock at Hanlan's Point is very close to the island airport, you get an up-close view of the planes taking-off and landing, and 2) walking the length of the island is a great way to see it. The distance, depending on how much you meander and explore, is just over 5 km.

Each section of the islands has a different personality. I love the tranquility of Hanlan's Point. There are big green spaces for picnics, playing ball or just relaxing, and as most families flock to Centre Island, it's usually pretty quiet. The main path offers lovely views of water and wild, as well as some great glimpses of the city. Many of the trees, including the lilac bushes (my favourite!), are huge and if you're interested in trees, you can pick up a brochure for a self-guided tour to trees across the island, or print out a copy from The Canadian Tree Tours website.

The most lively part of Hanlan's Point are the beaches. There is both a clothing optional and clothing mandatory beach and they are big gorgeous stretches of sand, with the bonus of a view of the city. If you have concerns about the water quality, you should know that Toronto takes part in the international Blue Flag program, which is administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education in Denmark and which sets international standards for clean, safe beaches. The City had to be evaluated against 27 criteria and Hanlan's Point beach, as well as Gibraltar Point, Centre Island and Ward's beaches were all granted Blue Flag status (plus some other city beaches not on the islands). Water samples are taken daily at each beach to ensure continued safety, and results are posted online - so check the site, then go ahead and jump in!

As you get closer to the middle of the island, it starts to get more built up. You'll pass the Gibraltar Point lighthouse, the oldest surviving lighthouse on the Great Lakes, as well as the Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts, the water filtration plant, and the island school. On your right, sticking out on the lake side, is the Pier, which I just love. If you have the time and the energy, you can detour inland and cross over to Centre Island. Centreville, the amusement park, is the big draw here, especially if you have kids. Even if you don't, I highly recommend taking the Sky Ride. It gives you a bird's-eye view of a small sliver of the park and it's relaxing and fun. Right next door to Centreville is Far Enough Farm, one of my favourite places on the island. There is a limited number of animals here but it's a great space. Like Riverdale Farm and High Park Zoo, it was facing closure due to budget cuts, but acceptance of a recent donation by the operator of Centreville will keep it open awhile longer. There has also been an offer to match funds from private donations, so if you'd like to make a tax-deductible donation, visit the Parks and Recreation website. If you happened to bring a picnic along, Centre Island has some of the best spots for picnicking with a view of the city. 

If you want to continue your trek to Ward's Island, you'll have to retrace your steps back to the lake side of the island, as there is no connection between Centre Island and Ward's Island (or, if you're tired, you can always head for the Centre Island ferry dock and return to the city). If you continue your walk, you will soon have a choice to take the main paved path to Ward's Island, or veer off to the boardwalk. While both have their appeal, I generally prefer the boardwalk, especially on hot days - there's lots of shade and usually a wonderful breeze off the water. You'll know you're getting close to the end of your walk when you begin to see houses - Ward's Island has a small but vibrant residential community.

If you have some time to kill before the ferry, consider stopping in to the Island Cafe, just steps from the dock. They now have a liquor license so you can celebrate your visit to the island with a nice cold drink.

Nathan Phillips Square

At the corner of Bay and Queen, Nathan Phillips Square is in the heart of the city, and it's a great place to chill out and watch the city go by. While the revitalization work currently underway may cause the relocation of some events and familiar landmarks, there's still a lot to see and do.

While people-watching in the square is probably my favourite activity, sometimes it's nice to just chill out, especially after a long day of walking around. The garden on the podium roof is a great place to do it. Because it completely encircles City Hall, there's always some shade to be found, although seating is pretty limited. I also like standing at the rail and watching the activity below - it's a neat feeling to be somewhere quiet and slightly removed and still be able to take in all the hustle and bustle around you. I just wish they'd put leaning rails or tall benches along the railings. To access the garden, you can walk up the ramp on the east side of the square, or there are stairs on the east and north sides.

Among the other points of interest, apart from the awesome City Hall building itself, are the sculpture by Henry Moore, commonly referred to as The Archer - very controversial when first installed - and the reflecting pond/ice rink. I was surprised to learn that the arches over the pond have a name - they're called Freedom Arches, and were given that name in 1989 when a piece of the Berlin Wall was incorporated into the base of the southern end of the central arch. To learn more, check out the plaque next time you're in the Square. Or better yet, take a tour of the Square and City Hall. Group tours are conducted for school groups and ESL classes, but you may be able to arrange a tour for your group if you call in advance (visit their website for more details). If that's not possible, the City has created a self-guided tour and the tour brochures can be downloaded from their website.

For those of us who work nearby, there are also some regular weekday events. On Wednesdays there's a Farmers' Market from 10 am to 2 pm, and starting July 13 the market will include concerts to entertain you while you shop or eat. And speaking of eating, starting July 14, we get Tasty Thursdays which feature freshly grilled foods prepared by various Toronto restaurants, with all food under $7. Plus more concerts. And of course, during the winter months skating is always an option, with skate sharpening and rentals available on-site.