Fungus Sprouts in Dirt

One of the most amazing properties of fungi is that one day they are not there, then suddenly, the next morning, they are fully grown. Lava Video, a sex shop located at 941 Bloor Street West is the most notable addition to Blossington. Fungi need heat plus moisture to magically sprout over night. With today, May 19th, being one of the hottest days of 2010 so far, it only made sense that the nice fellow at the adjacent bulk store was able to confirm that the shop certainly did sprout over night. It wasn't there yesterday.

Since today is the first day the adult store emerged from the dirt in Blossington, we feel compelled to make the connection to a bright yellow fungus, especially Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, a.k.a. Lepiota Lutea, a.k.a. The Yellow House Plant Mushroom. Although the adult store was closed as of 11:30am today, it, as its mushroom counterpart, will likely not waste time sprouting into full effect. 

Be forewarned, the Yellow House Plant Mushroom is inedible, so if you ingest copious amounts of this stuff, you will suffer through a poisoning of sorts. Nestled between Long & McQuade and Comedy Bar, we wonder whether Lava Video will at least help lure people into visiting its dark neighbouring bar, The Piston, which took over the Concord Cafe a few months ago.

For our readers who are interested, Lava Videos promises a free membership and competitive DVD prices. Please don't try to enter if you are under 18, and think twice if you are not immune to various fungi.

(Photos by DmD)

Get with the (Amateur) Game

Last Sunday, our Toronto Maple Leafs (no, not those ones), the intercounty baseball team, had their home opener at Dominico Field in Christie Pits. People of all ages sat hillside for the first time this season to watch a relatively exciting game against the Barrie Baycats. Relatively, of course, because we're talking about baseball. Exciting because the game was filled with highlights, and some shitty-call-drama which resulted in a long break, leading several fans to yell, "Come on! Play ball!"

Although the Baycats won 11-10, scoring the winning point in the final inning of regular play, the experience of watching the ball game in the sun, with friendly neighbourhood strangers, including couples, families, and groups of friends, stirred up a sense of pride over an otherwise unsexy park. The Blossington Post now wishes Christie Pits belonged clearly, and exclusively, to Bloorcourt.

Christie Pits was a designated dumping spot during last summer's garbage strike

As a preventative measure against people who like to enlighten us with journalistic ethics that we are already fully aware of, we would like to clearly acknowledge that Dominico Field is technically just outside of Bloorcourt, and therefore, outside of our normal reporting boundaries. Still, the Blossington Post would like to point out that municipal parks are very much like international waters...okay, well we don't actually have a real defense and cannot be bothered to find a relevant precedence.

We have a corny excuse though, which usually works well when tempering the scorn of senior citizens. Blossington residence should be in the know about free, sun-filled Sunday events in our almost-hood. If the Christie Post has something to say in retaliation to our boundary breach, we would gladly do a ten step pace followed by a turn-and-draw in the park at dusk, dawn, or some other equally dramatic time.

So come on down neighbourhood folks, buy a hot-dog, bring a beer. Just because the Maple Leafs lost the first game of the intercounty baseball season, doesn't mean it was a shameful defeat. Even if they had home field advantage, watching the Leafs' genuine hustle, including ten well earned points, was satisfying in itself.

Typical Baseball game, enjoy a closer view when in the Pits

The next home game is this Sunday, May 9th, when the Maple Leafs will face the Guelph Royals, who lost their first game of the season to the Brantford Red Sox. So head over to Dominico Field for the Maple Leaf's third game, starting at 2:00pm. Keep in mind that the transition time between innings is really long, so if you do make it in time for the top of the first, plan on staying awhile. Cheer especially loud for Toronto Maple Leaf's first baseman, number 11, Dan Gibbons. He was a major factor in turning the tide mid-game when it looked like Barrie's to-be victory would not be threatened.

If you can't make it out this week, check out this season's schedule. Sunday's home games always start at 2:00pm, and weekdays' games conveniently start after most office hours.

"What do you want? Let's play ball."


(All photos from Wikimedia Commons)

Chaos In and Around Ossington Station

 A mob of people wait for transportation

Chaos at the Ossington Subway station spilled over to the South West corner of Blossington this morning. People at the major intersection were apparently waiting for taxis, while the people flooding the station were insisting on getting onto buses. TTC bus drivers were forced to take on the burden as the transportation company tried desperately to compensate for lack of underground service. Expect TTC delays for at least another hour this morning, May 2nd. Expect, also, to be late. Everyone knows TTC buses are never as fast as our underground rockets.

Tight lipped TTC Constable only answers patrons questions regarding service

So what happened?

"It's an emergency in the subway," said the TTC Constable, who refused to give up any further details. But the Blossington Post has eyes all over the west end. Essentially, we got the bloody scoop anyway.   

At approximately 9:30am today, on the southbound platform of Bathurst Station, screams were heard, followed by a young-ish man jumping in front of the train. Blood splat onto the platform. Our witness, who wishes to remain anonymous, was gravely disturbed by the experience.

 Ossington Station at approximately 9:30am

Back at Ossington Station, people are spewing  flurries of questions directed at anyone in uniform. People are insisting for service, ignorant that while they complain about lack of service, somebody is scooping up pieces of a dead man's body off the tracks. Nobody is making clear-cut statements about when the trains will start running again. Buses have been, and continue to be, available.

(All photos by DmD)