The Biggest Tourist Attractions Across Canada

The annual Search for Miss Teen Canada World is the only teen beauty pageant in North America to focus any attention on developing the young minds and intellects of the teenage Delegates. The 2013 pageant was no exception.

This year, as they have done every year in the past,  the organization assigns each participant a region specific WordPress blog. The teens must maintain this portal for one year. Each Miss Teen represents her area of Canada, and has a URL that bears the name of the City or region in which she lives. Each girl writes about her life for a year, and leaves a record of herself here as she documents her time as Miss Teen regional titleholder. You can see many of the Miss Teens in this piece about the 2013 Hunt for Prizes in the Distillery District Blog, sponsored by Niagara Falls which outlines the fun they had on July 18th finding vouchers and gift certificates from local businesses.

Blogging is part of each girl’s quest for the crown. Each teen delegate uses her blog platform to record all manner of things relating to her public appearances, and her fundraising for Free the Children, and other travels and charity work.  There are bonus points assigned for personal flare; each girl is expected to bring a little bit of her self to the experience and hopefully make-over her portal with her own colourful personality. Sometimes that includes sports appearances, equestrian competitions, or figure skating. Other common topics include modeling tips, recipes and trips, friends and special occasions.  Each remarkable young author is graded on her ability to communicate in the WordPress blog portal – a valuable life skill that is highly coveted by corporations seeking youthful community managers.

The average blog score this year was 8.8 out of 10, which was higher than ever before simply because the Regional Delegates are getting better – they’re better bloggers this year.  The participants required less training and seemed to take more pride in their work and passion to be the best.  Blogging requires a certain dedication

The Pageant Director conducts provincial matches in a bid to source sixty or seventy Regional Delegates which, as part of their duties, maintain a WordPress blog in the Miss Teen Canada Blog Network. This is an active association of like minded charitable teens who strive to be their own kind of beautiful.

The network administrators set up the three blog assignments and the second one was sponsored by Niagara Falls, Skylon Tower

The first assignment asked the teens to write about the greenest buildings in their hometown.

The second assignment asked teens to year to list premier man-made tourist attractions in their cities, towns or regions; the quest was sponsored by Niagara Falls restaurants, Skylon Tower and the resulting compilation created a database of premier tourist destinations across Canada.

Have a look at all this amazing long list of premier travel ideas,

Miss Teen Southern British Columbia – World informs us that  Rattlesnake Canyon is Canada’s only desert and its found in the Rocky Mountain province of British Columbia.

Miss Teen Northern British Columbia – World writes about how Mount Robson Provincial Park in Northern BC Wonderland for her readers.

Miss Teen Surrey – World asks  Is Cresent Beach the Secret Gem in Surrey BC.

Miss Teen Okanagan – World outlines the finer points of Mission Hill Winery in Okanagan Valley BC.

Miss Teen Prince George – World describes how the small town of Barkerville as a Gold Rush Town in British Columbia. She writes “During the Cariboo Gold Rush thousands of men flocked to the Cariboo region in search of gold. Everyone the world over had caught gold fever! In 1858 rumours caused failed miners in California to pack up and head to the vast lands in Canada. In 1861, Billy Barker struck gold on William’s Creek. The town of Barkerville appeared almost overnight! At the peak of the Gold Rush, Barkerville had over 10,000 people who occupied the small mining town”

Miss Teen Vancouver Island – World details about the Blackberries and Pretty Birds in Butchart Gardens.

Miss Teen Burnaby – World describes the famous Burnaby BC Village Museum Carousel and outlines why its so special.

Miss Teen South Western British Columbia – World lists her favourite Southwestern BC Tourist Attractions .

Miss Teen Southern Alberta – World describes the best Southern Alberta tourist attractions.

Miss Teen LacLabiche – World shares 11lb out doors.

Miss Teen Airdrie – World tells her readers about the top five places in Airdrie Alberta.

Miss Teen Central Alberta – World asks her readers to Come one, come all to the West Edmonton Mall in her blog.

Miss Teen Edmonton – World makes a lovely post showing Memorable Places in Alberta.

Miss Teen Northern Alberta – World explains why Falherab is the Honey Capital of Canada.

Miss Teen West Calgary – World writes about the foremost tourist attraction in her city, the Calgary Stampede.

Miss Teen Frasier Valley – World creates content describing Cultus Lake, A Land Of Adventure For All in her river region of the Province.

Miss Teen Vancouver – World horses around in Southlands Equestrian Centre, a Vancouver Tourist Attraction for horse lovers.

 

Miss Teen Richmond – World describes how Stevenson is a Historic Fishing Village in British Columbia.

Miss Teen Port Coquitlam – World creates content on the many Port Coquitlam BC tourist attractions.

 

Miss Teen New Brunswick – World writes about her favourite Historic Getaway in an Acadian Village.

Miss Teen Nova Scotia – World writes about Great Melmerby Beach in Nova Scotia.

Miss Teen South Central Ontario – World describes how Bala Muskoka is a True Canadian Tourist Attraction.

Miss Teen South Western Ontario – World chose to tell her readers about The Annual Mt Forest Fireworks Festival.

Miss Teen Southern Ontario – World blogs about the many waterfalls in Hamilton Ontario

Miss Teen Ontario – World chronicles how Canada’s Wonderland is a Sight To Experience.

Miss Teen Bruce County – World briefs us on Sauble Beach in Bruce County Ontario.

Miss Teen Toronto – World tells us about The CN Tower in Toronto.

Miss Teen Hearst – World hunkers down a describes Tourism in Hearst Ontario on her blog.

Miss Teen Sudbury – World elucidates all Sudbury Tourist Attractions.

Miss Teen Wellington – World made a great piece about The McCrae House in Guelph Ontario.

Miss Teen York Region – World serenades us about Stargazing at the David Dunlop Observatory in York Region on her blog.

Miss Teen Simcoe County – World writes on how Wasaga Beach is the premier tourist attraction in Simcoe Ontario

Miss Teen Lanark County – World talks about friendly Tourism in Lanark County Ontario.

Miss Teen Timmins – World tells us about the annual Summer Concert Series in Timmins Ontario

Miss Teen Essex County – World pontificates about Point Pelee National Park in Leamington Ontario in her blog.

Miss Teen Thunder Bay – World illustrates Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay Ontario with wonderful original images in her blog.

Miss Teen Hamilton – World heralds how her hometown of Hamilton is the City of Waterfalls.

Miss Teen Espanola – World shows how Espanola is the Gateway Town to Manitoulin Island Ontario

Miss Teen Chatham Kent – World writes about the Greenview Aviaries Park Zoo in her region of Ontario.

Miss Teen Algoma District – World writes about her favourite Hometown Tourist Attractions.

Miss Teen Eastern Ontario – World writes about how the Wilderness Tours are a Big Splash in Ottawa Valley.

Miss Teen Ottawa – World lists the Most Colourful Tourist Attractions in Ottawa Ontario

Miss Teen Vaughan – World writes about Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan Ontario.

Miss Teen Grey County – World generates goodness in a great story about Taking A Walk Around A Prime Minister’s Old House.

Miss Teen Niagara Region – World actually narrated a piece on Skylon Tower in Niagara Falls, Canada which was the project sponsor; very smart move Mackenzie and a great post!

Miss Teen Central Manitoba – World handcrafts a nice piece of journalism describing the Threshermans Reunion in Austin Museum in her hometown.

Miss Teen Winnipeg – World, the Delegate who wears the sash and crown of this Prairie city writes about the Fesitival Du Voyageur on her blog portal.

Miss Teen Brandon – World briefs readers on the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Brandon Manitoba.

Miss Teen Eastern Manitoba – World graces readers with content about Grand Beach in Eastern Manitoba.

Miss Teen Manitoba – World tiptoes around The Forks on her blog.

Miss Teen Regina – World writes about the Mosiac Stadium in Regina Saskatchewan, a premier tourist attraction in the biggest city in this prairie province.

Miss Teen South Central Saskatchewan – World describes the Dream a Little Dream Spa in South Saskatchewan.

Miss Teen Saskatchewan – World wrote about Saskatchewan Hotspots and Saskatoon Festivals in her blog.

Miss Teen Regina – World Regina Tourist Attractions

Miss Teen Western Saskatchewan – World World Championship Bunnock Tournament in her content portal.

Miss Teen Weyburn – World Biggest Tour Attraction in Weyburn Saskatchewan

Miss Teen Eastern Saskatchewan – World details the Best Tourist Attractions in Eastern Saskatchewan and its great stuff.

Leslieville Art Scene Accepts Davide Luciano Photography at Pentimento Art Gallery

Davide Luciano stands in background at Pentimento Art Gallery in Leslieville, beside his portrait in Sheep Nation, photography exhibit.

Sometimes the area around Queen and Leslie and all the way north past Danforth is referred to as Leslieville.  Leslie Street is one of seven large arterial thoroughfares in Toronto. The city is organized in a grid pattern dating back to the plan laid out by Augustus Jones between 1793 and 1797 and streets do not follow a typical north south arrangement due to some extreme landscape in this part of southern Ontario. Toronto has deep ravines and two major rivers, Don and Humber, which have their own unique topographic features.  In summary the heart of the city today is the Yonge St corridor, and that’s along way from Leslieville, but connected by the relatively straight streetcar line along Queen St.

So it happens that Leslieville is on the rise. New condominiums have been built along Carlaw at Dundas St East and these have helped populate the area with a younger and more financially capable breed of urban professionals.  These people are streetcar shoppers, and prefer good local grocery stores and quaint shops over long car trips.  They also seek relaxing experiences and look for friendly pubs, cafes and art galleries.  The street scene here is not crushing like The Beaches or Queen St W and my friends sometimes remark how refreshingly easy it is to find parking.

On Thursday May 3rd evening, I attended a unique exhibit of photography by a young artist named Davide Luciano.

Here are some shots of the Sheep Nation exhibit at Pentimento Gallery.  The accompanying literature reads, “Sheep Nation explores a society that is desperate for uniqueness and originality but ultimately succumbs to following the herd.”  In this presentation, the artist made human subjects into a race of sheep-like people complete with odd looking hoof-like hands and feet, and animal faces, and in some cases, horns.  Its also significant that the females are all wearing matching designer dresses.

Here is picture of Smojoe giving his business card to a tourist from Niagara Falls Ontario that he met while mingling around the beverage table.  Davide also has a six page spread in ZOOM Europe’s preeminent Fine Arts Photography magazine. The show has been blogged about already from as far away as Australia and Italy.

Pentimento Fine Art Gallery is located at 1164 Queen Street East Toronto, and open from Weds to Sunday each week.  John Rait opened the venue in July 2006  to offer local artists more multimedia promotion including, but not limited to, representation on the Pentimento blog.  Rait offers commissions, installations, consultations, and private viewings.  The gallery shows contemporary Canadian artists at all stages of their careers.

The word ‘pentimento’ refers to any alterations in a painting. Upon completing some research into the etymology of the word, I rediscovered that it means “an alteration in a painting, evidenced by traces of previous work, showing that the artist has changed his or her mind as to the composition during the process of painting.” And there are many famous examples and perhaps most representative is The Lute Player by Caravaggio which has inspired a great deal of discussion about that Master’s creative process and vision.

The true etymology of the word Pentimento is Italian for repentance, from the verb pentirsi means ‘to repent’.  Art historians are always looking for pentimenti as glimpses into the artist’s process and they are considered especially important when investigating whether a particular painting is the prime version by the original artist, or a second version by the artist himself, or his workshop, or a later copyist.

The word ‘pentimento’ has also been adopted by a subculture that studies the decaying hand-painted signs on old buildings – fading sign murals and product art. esp when two representations of the same advertisement are present on the same section of bricks. In the photo left you can see a bad example because you can barely see the ad below on the fading white paint exterior of a Vancouver gold buyer brick building in historic neighbourhood of the old city. The capitol of British Columbia is Victoria and that island town has a lot of old buildings and its possible to see the ghosts of some of British Columbia’s biggest selling brands painted on their sides.

John Rait himself told me that he named the gallery after the second volume of Lillian Hellman’s autobiography Pentimento.  She once wrote, “Old paint on a canvas, as it ages, sometimes becomes transparent. When that happens it is possible, in some pictures, to see the original lines: a tree will show through a woman’s dress, a child makes way for a dog, a large boat is no longer on an open sea. That is called pentimento because the painter “repented,” changed his mind. Perhaps it would be as well to say that the old conception, replaced by a later choice, is a way of seeing and then seeing again. That is all I mean about the people in this book. The paint has aged and I wanted to see what was there for me once, what is there for me now.” – Lillian Hellman

MONTE CLARK GALLERY was visited by Monte Clark