Photos of doors have started to stockpile in my library, so today I’m *spring cleaning* and featuring some doors that haven’t received any of the attention they deserve.
Up first are the front doors to the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre in downtown Toronto.
The doors to this 1913 building aren’t particularly special, but I think the beautiful stained glass windows above the doors make this entrance stunning.
Just a few doors down from the theatre is the impressive former Bank of Toronto building. It is currently closed and supposedly being refurbished.
This 1905 building is one of my favourites along Yonge St with its domed top and massive pillars. Unfortunately I don’t have a better photo than this grainy, washed-out *accident* that was the result of an ongoing conflict between me and my camera. It stubbornly refuses to cooperate with my intentions vs my literal directions.
I’m grateful to the woman crossing the street who did cooperate with my intentions and looks casually, but elegantly, posed for the photo.
The doors on this spectacular building are your standard utilitarian variety … but taped to the door is a sign, and THIS TIME it occurred to me to take a photo of it. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?
The sign speaks to the many homeless people in the city who seek shelter from the elements in doorways of downtown buildings. The pungent smell of urine greeted me as I stepped up to take this photo. I’m thinking that trespassing is the least of the homeless’ concerns.
To change the pace a bit, I discovered this pretty little cottage-like home one day during one of my random walks. I liked everything about this weathered little building; from the tree shadows on the plain stucco to the heavy black hardware, but especially the discreet clover or club design above the lights flanking the doorway.
I found this beautiful old inn, now restored as a restaurant, in the small town of Tottenham while we were walking the Trans-Canada Trail through this area. I did a silent *whoop* to myself when I spied four visible doors in one scene.
Lastly, this one is especially for Manja. This property was also found during our travels north of Toronto on the Trans-Canada Trail. Ignore the locked gate with its No Trespassing, No Parking signs. You are welcome here, my friend!
Thursday Doors is a weekly photo feature hosted by the Door Master Norm Frampton at Norm 2.0.
My Life Lived Full 
Truly enjoyed!
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Thank you 🙂
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If this was your spring cleaning I have to ask what else are you hiding? 🙂 All were great shots and I thought the red door was one that stood out the most. Regarding your professed less than great optimal bank building image, you should explain that this was a purposed shot to display your expertise in depth of field with the primary object being your strategically placed model 😉
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Right! That was it exactly! … I was doing some cutting edge image experimentation.
Modesty prevented me from pointing anything more spectacular than the high-priced model I hired for the photo shoot 😉
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So many doors displayed in diverse and beautiful ways, Joanne! I loved the first one (theatre) with the gorgeous stained glass windows. The tall marble pillars certainly stood out. The doorway with sign posting no sleeping here kind of got me teary eyed. Not sure if I would feel comfortable posting this as it is a three-sided place to prevent wind and cold. If it were my house doorstep, I might. . . So many others I enjoyed here.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Joanne. 🙂
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Thanks Robin. This was the first time I’ve ever seen a sign telling the homeless to stay away. It rather surprised me.
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It is disconcerting, to say the least. We leave out by our dumpster boots and recyclables so homeless small town people can take to local place that buys them. We have a loft in one building and almost all the churches have a warm place to stay and free once a week meals, spread out over the month.
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Joanne I love the variety in the door choices. It tugs on my heart strings to see homeless on our streets. No one starts out as a small child dreaming of being homeless but for large cities such as the ones we live in the challenges are many.
I must say it looks like you hired a model for the other photo. Basically you are just that good!
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I wish I could believe for a minute it was any talent on my part. It was simple serendipity, my friend, just serendipity 🙂
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Well you had to catch the moment. 🙂
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Love those big wooden doors with the stained glass! Lovely burgundy door with the transom above.
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Both of them are so inviting. I wonder if that’s a commentary on wooden doors in general.
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I think so… I love a wooden door… 🙂
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Cherish every one of the entryways however particularly the lady who acted for you like she crossed the road!
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Strangers can be so kind sometimes 😉
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Adore every one of the entryways however particularly the lady who acted for you like she crossed the road!..
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Love all the doors but especially the woman who posed for you as she crossed the street!
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Doesn’t she look like she was purposely planted there? Too bad I didn’t capture a better photo, but at some level, this grainy photo kind of works.
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I think that is the most polite “go away” sign I have ever seen! I’m sure anyone sleeping in the doorway is worried about offending those who work there 😉
I love your random doors today, especially the red one.
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Thanks Janis. That sign kind of made me smile too. It almost had a pleading quality to it 🙂
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Great selection of doors.
Donna
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thanks 🙂
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The stain glass windows are lovely, as is the Inn, with its bricks, you found a red door! All great entries that I’m glad found their way out of hiding. 🙂
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Thanks! Now that you mention it, I don’t normally see very many red doors. Now that I’ve said that, I’ll probably see them everywhere! 😉
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Once again, these are great photos. Love the stained glass. And the women in the ‘bank’ photo really adds to the shot!
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Thank goodness, or I would have scrapped that photo completely 🙂
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I like the uniqueness of the red one for sure. 🙂
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The whole cottage was cute. The door was just icing on the cake 🙂
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I love the little brick restaurant! That would invite me in, believing that the food was as special as the doors. When I was in New Orleans many years ago, it was my first encounter with homeless people sleeping in doorways, not to mention the awful smells. Eye opening and very sad.
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I have a thing for buildings with a veranda. Toss in a 2nd floor veranda, and I practically swoon 🙂
The whole idea of homelessness really bothers me – a lot. I just can’t imagine the feelings of hopelessness. I appreciate that it is a very complex problem, but surely a wealthy, caring society could do better.
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My kinda spring cleaning 😀
It’s a tossup between the stained glass and that old bank for me.
You put together a fun, eclectic mix this week.
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Thanks Norm. I wonder what that old bank will be resurrected as? I hope I get a chance to find out.
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Joanne, I love photographing interesting doors (and windows). We have a few posts on doors and in one of them I say that the door is the lipstick on the facade of the building – and I truly believe that. An interesting door can add so much interest to an otherwise unexceptional building. ~James
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I couldn’t agree with you more, James!
… and it’s almost like an instinct now to be on the lookout for an interesting entrance way.
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You sure do encounter some beautiful architecture, Joanne! Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks 🙂
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I love the brick outline of the windows, including the arched tops. The inn in Tottenham is also very nice. I’m a sucker for impressive glass transom windows. I also like the iron gates.
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It seems that we are attracted to the same architectural features 🙂
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I’m going with that great minds thing 🙂
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Love both red doors! But also the pillars of the huge renaissance building – gorgeous!
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Isn’t it just an exquisite building? Especially sandwiched in between the glass and concrete buildings typical of today.
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I used to step over a sleeping man to get into work. He would wake up and pee on the door and it was a glass door – ugh!
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Not cool. Ugh!
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All impressive doors in their own ways, Joanne. The theater is impressive indeed and that bank is amazing among all the modern buildings. I have to say that my favorite is the red cottage door. I love that simplicity. I’m so amazed by what you find on your walks. 🙂
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Thanks 🙂 I admit I too am pretty amazed at some of the stuff I find on my walks … but then, I carefully pick my target areas 😉
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Very nice collection for a ‘spring clean’ and I love the stained glass over the theater doors, Joanne. They look like shamrocks above the lights 😉
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hehehe! You’re right, they do look like shamrocks! 🙂
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Very eclectic group of doors here. Nicely done. Love the polite sign on the one door.
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Thanks for commenting on that sign. I thought it was rather polite too, although for all we know, it was written in an exasperated mental tone as *PUH-LEEZ* 😉
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Gorgeous photos, Joanne. I must have walked by Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre a hundred times without noticing those beautiful details on its doors. I must go back and take a closer look 🙂
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So your spring cleaning is Dan’s leftovers, eh? 🙂 I really liked all of these and I completely get your silent “whoop” upon finding four doors in one place, all of them able to be photographed. Life is good.
janet
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Life is indeed good, Janet 🙂
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Nice eclectic grouping, Joanne ~ the theatre doors are tres inviting!
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The entire entrance to the theatre is wonderful, but those windows capture my eye every time I go by.
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You have a great eye for architecture and photography!
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You always say the nicest things 🙂
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Only to you… (Ha, ha)
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🙂
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Wow, that was quite a tour 🙂
I looooove the restaurant. How charming!
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I want to go back and eat there one day. Too bad it’s over an hour’s drive from home. Might have to make it a late lunch 🙂
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Very nice – especially like the stained glass.
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The stained glass appears to be this week’s winner 🙂
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The theater doors are beautiful, I like the stained glass above the doors. Very different.
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The entire entrance looks very striking. I’m glad you liked those windows too 🙂
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Lovely Collection of doors. My favorite is the cottage with the red door and clovers. The photo with the woman crossing the street looks like a shoot from a fashion magazine. Well done. I hope you’re having a wonderful day.
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Thanks Lori, you too. So far, the day looks very promising 🙂
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Joanne, you have become a master of ‘elegant people in my photos.’ That woman does look very elegant. I love that little cottage–I could live there!
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I’m grateful to that unknown woman because otherwise I would have trashed this photo. Someday I’ll go back and take a better one 🙂
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Terrific selection of modest to the most-est.
Speaking of most-est and gated: we used to travel regularly through the Caledon Hills. Near Bellfountain, there is a quarry we liked to visit and it’s near “The Grange Sideroad.” Almost every entrance to the homes is gated like your summer camp. I so wanted to see what resided down the paved drives and beyond the hills. I had to satisfy my curiosity by Google Satellite view – now THAT was an eye-opener. Some of these estates are more like compounds – main buildings take up acres of land. Who are the folk that live in these monster homes?
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I too have noticed the many gated properties through this area and obvious affluence.
I believe that many of these properties are horse farms. Besides the huge homes on the property, they have main barns, covered arenas for winter riding, and of course large garages for equipment.
Lots, and lots of money.
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Ohh, my, you shouldn’t have, build all this just for Slovenians. 😉 That would be the most Slovenian reaction. I used to work for a magazine for Slovenians living abroad, the name of the place might ring a bell. Which is the closest town, or what is the region called? Was it a surprise for you too? Or do you know so many Slovenian descendants that you were sure they need a camp! 😉
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The camp is on Mount Wolfe Road in Caledon near Tottenham. The Trans-Canada Trail runs alongside the park which can be seen over the fence. When we eventually reached the road and I saw the signs at the gate, I immediately thought of you 🙂
Yes, it was a complete surprise to me. I thought you might be interested in taking a look at their website.
http://www.sloveniansummercamp.com/index.php/about-us
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Thank you for the detailed info, Joanne! Oh, no dogs allowed… I’ve heard of Tottenham but don’t recall any person from there or contact. I’m glad that it made you think of me, even though all those notices and warnings make me cringe a little. But the gate is beautiful. As are all your other doors. Thank you! ❤
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Sorry that Bestia wouldn’t be as welcomed as you
Many of the country places we’ve passed have signs like this, especially where there are trails nearby. I think people tend to be rude and don’t respect private property, thinking nothing of walking through backyards and using their facilities.
I heard a story about one landowner who removed the right-of-way of the local trail through his property when he came home one day and found a family who had setup a picnic in his backyard patio.
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What a lovely selection of doors, Joanne 🙂
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Thanks. Glad you enjoyed a little bit of randomness 🙂
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