Bustin' makes me feel swe-e-e-t!

Some music for your reading pleasure:


When I did the LGRAB Summer Games, I had planned to go to Sugar Beach on a Bixi bike but due to time constraints, I turned that into a visit to Harbourfront instead. I also meant to use it as a location for one of my Me-Made-May photos, but didn't. It's taken me two years, but I have finally managed to hang out at Sugar Beach. How?

Every year, the Toronto Port Authority hosts Sail-In Cinema. They anchor a huge inflatable double-sided movie screen into the harbour just off Sugar Beach and invite boaters to drop anchor and watch a movie or three. Landlubbers can bring chairs and watch from the shore. The DC and I went Thursday night, when they were showing Ghostbusters. Because I am currently a lady of leisure, I packed up my festival chairs and set off early (although later than I planned because my Sew Weekly Reunion Swap package arrived, but more on that in a future post) to enjoy the beachiness before meeting up with him after work.

By the way, remind me never to go along Adelaide during rush hour again. Although it was easier going on the bike than in a car. Can we please get that dedicated cross-town bike lane some time soon? Ugh. End rant.

Sugar Beach is at the foot of Jarvis Street, right across from the Redpath Sugar Factory. Hence the name. And also the sweet smell in the air. It's not a cloying smell because of proximity to the lake, and it's certainly much better than other smells it could have in that area.^* The area has Algonquin Muskoka chairs and pink fiberglass umbrellas and sand. It's quite a lovely spot to hang out.

Especially if you're in a lobster suit.

I sat and read for an hour or so, exfoliating my feet in the sand and occasionally watching them unload sugar and the sailboats.




Then the DC arrived and we headed around the corner to stake out some seats for the movie. We still had a few hours before the sun set, but it's a good idea to get there early.

This was taken about an hour after we go there, but I wanted to point out a) how full it was getting and b) the bum boxes: basically pizza boxes with back support. Not my idea of comfortable. So glad we had the chairs.


During the wait we were entertained first by the band from HMCS York...


...and later by the Singing Ambassadors, who walk about the harbourfront, helping people out and singing in harmony. This is a very cute idea and I hope they do it every summer.


The movie was supposed to start at 8:45 or thereabouts, and it was certainly dark enough by then, but it didn't actually start until quite a bit later. I felt a bit bad for the enormous number of people who were making do with the bum boxes.


It was a fun evening, and the DC was very tolerant of my quoting the movie the whole time. He's one of the good ones.


And in case you were wondering where the sail-in part comes in, there were quite a few boats anchored on the other side of the screen. Next time, I want to do it that way. Who do I know that has a boat? I can crew! Sort of.



^*Somehow, Abattoir Beach doesn't have quite the same ring.