History Hype Girl

History Hype Girl History Tours with a Twist!
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06/16/2026

This home tour was very dear to my heart because the owners, John and Mickey, were our childhood next-door neighbours. I wasn’t the most responsible youth, and often came by to borrow their spare key when I got locked out. They never judged, and warmly welcomed me into their home as though I were their granddaughter.

I have many fond memories of Mickey caring for her garden and striking up small-talk with the neighbours; and of John working away in the garage, within earshot.

They were always together, and I was told that when Mickey passed, John couldn’t bear living in their home without her.

You wouldn’t have to know them personally to see how much love and care they poured into this home, and I hope the new owners appreciate and preserve its character in some way.

The Leaside home was built in 1949 and has been lovingly maintained by John and Mickey since 1967.

06/03/2026

✨This Toronto school, built in 1969, is sooooo Wes Anderson / Mondrian-coded ✨

Step into the pool area and you’re transported to the late 60s. Colour-blocked windows scatter sunlight into a kaleidoscope, while original signs and tiles anchor the space in its era.

In a city with a number of drab, dutiful public buildings, this one bursts with life.

The magic comes from Manchester-born architect Peter Pennington, a name I mention often and one long overdue for wider recognition. As a staff designer for the Toronto Board of Education, he infused a distinctly British, delightfully whimsical modernism into a handful of Toronto schools.

Pennington once said, “A school gives the designer an excuse to let his hair down… to laugh at convention.” And you feel that everywhere in his work: the bold colours and the unconventional forms that stir the imagination rather than recede into the background.

But the joy carries a pang. Pennington’s defining work, Davisville Junior Public School, was demolished in 2018 despite strong community pushback. Today, budget pressures threaten several remaining school pools: even here at Carleton Village, swim access is halved, and at the City Adult Learning Centre, the pool has been filled in, leaving only traces of its former magic.

This school is usually closed to the public (understandably), but a handful of adult swim programs still run through outside providers. If you get the chance to step inside, run—don’t walk (unless you’re on the deck). It’s one of the most joyful, quietly radical lessons in mid-century design left in the city.

05/28/2026

Revenge is a dish best served *stone* cold 🗿

While the legend is apocryphal, I love how U of T has embraced the lore going so far as to name two campus coffee spots after the dueling masons.

📍University College, King’s College Circle, University of Toronto

IMAGE CREDITS:

Image from The Shining: (🎥: Warner Brothers, 1980). I do not own the rights to this image. No copyright infringement intended.

Reznikoff & Diabolos Illustrations from Henderson Brewery’s Toronto in 100 Beers. Authors: Tony Halmos (illustrator), Steve Himel, Adin L. Wender, John Semley.

Painting: John Edwin Usher, Untitled (known as Burning College), 1890, oil on canvas, 76.2 x 101.6 cm. University College Collection. Courtesy Art Museum at the University of Toronto.

Black and White Images of University College: Courtesy of Toronto Public Library

05/26/2026

Emmanuel College will forever be immortalized as the backdrop of one of the greatest music videos of all time 🤌

05/24/2026

Admission to the iconic Bata Shoe Museum is FREE today, May 24 - 12 to 5pm - for Doors Open Toronto.

Last fall, I had the honour of capturing the story behind its design and enduring footprint.

It all started with one collector: Sonja Bata, a philanthropist and shoe industry visionary whose fascination with design and history sparked a lifelong passion for footwear.

That passion grew into a collection of more than 15,000 artifacts spanning 4,500 years of human history. As her collection outgrew its space, Sonja partnered with celebrated Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama to create a museum that would inspire as many conversations as the shoes it would hold.

After a 15-year search for the perfect site, they found their glass slipper — a former gas station tucked between Toronto’s cultural landmarks and the University of Toronto. The location was ideal, giving both the public and researchers access to explore the art and anthropology of shoes.

The resulting building both symbolically and literally serves as a container for its contents — a playful and purposeful design that continues to turn heads three decades later.

Since opening in 1995, the Bata Shoe Museum has become a one-of-a-kind space where fashion, design, and culture converge. Inside, you’ll find treasures like Elvis Presley’s patent loafers, Queen Victoria’s slippers, a chestnut-crushing clog from France, and even socks made from human hair — all under one roof… or should I say, one shoebox lid.

05/24/2026

This Toronto “time capsule” felt like stepping straight into the unapologetic glamour of 70s design.

Indoor sunken whirlpool bath ✔️
Mirrored walls ✔️
A wood-panelled rumpus room complete with a Brunswick celebrity pool table and Italian ‘Cubic’ chandelier ✔️
A NuTone radio-intercom system ✔️
Basement bar ✔️
Indoor sauna ✔️
No notes.

But what stood out most was how intentionally these homes were designed for connection: spaces built to bring people together face to face, whether over drinks, games, conversation, or a late-night hang in the basement bar. Long before screens and smart tech took over, conversation was the entertainment.

It captured everything that made the era so distinct and feels almost impossible to recreate today.

70s design: yay or nay?

05/22/2026

Doors Open Toronto kicks off tomorrow - i.e. the best weekend of the year to wander around the city being delightfully nosy, with absolutely no fear of judgement.

There are 160+ sites open to explore, and honestly, you really can’t go wrong.

One year we ended up at a former garbage incinerator- turned-brewery (Junction Craft); another, we rode a hand-operated elevator that apparently travels entirely at its own discretion because… ghosts! (Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre)

But one space I have to highlight is the Toronto-Dominion (TD) Centre from Mies van der Rohe because It's my favorite interior in the city (tied with the Reference Library).

It’s usually closed off to the public, and the lineup is no joke — but the building, in all its 60s glory, is well worth the wait. It’s one of those spaces that genuinely stops you in your tracks and stays with you long after you’ve left.

I’m curious: What’s on your Doors Open list this weekend?

05/21/2026

The iconic 1977 Toronto Reference Library from Raymond Moriyama should be on every bibliophile (and archi-lover’s) bucket list 📚

05/19/2026

Toronto doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to preserving its mid-century gems — so you can imagine how excited I was to stumble upon Beach Mall, a quiet plaza on Queen Street East with one of the warmest, most nostalgic interiors I’ve seen in the city.

So, what’s the story?

Originally the Allen Beach Theatre, the building was converted into a mall after the cinema closed in 1969. Not much has changed since… and honestly, that’s the magic.

There aren’t many stores left — but the walk down memory lane alone makes it worth the visit.

05/19/2026

It’s International Museum Day!

One of my favourite things about Toronto is our incredible collection of museums and galleries. I spent over three years working at the ROM — a great privilege and one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I also have a particular soft spot for the AGO: not only does it house world-class art, it is a work of art, designed by late Canadian architect Frank Gehry.

As the video suggests, romance can exist within museum walls — and even be built into the architecture itself. Gehry famously designed the AGO staircase to encourage connection, conversation, and chance encounters. But museums are just as perfect for a solo afternoon or a day spent wandering with friends.

Beyond inspiration, museums also play an important role in our well-being. Research has shown that engaging with arts and culture can reduce social isolation, ease anxiety, strengthen self-esteem, and foster a greater sense of community and belonging.

If you’re looking for something to do this Victoria Day, consider spending part of it at one of our great museums. In a world that increasingly keeps us disconnected, they remain some of the few public spaces designed to help us feel curious, grounded, inspired — and connected to something larger than ourselves.

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