If you find yourself strolling through Toronto’s popular PATH keep your eye(s) open for the Metro Hall entrance. That’s the area in which you will find this large mural. What you make of it is up to you. That’s how art works, people.

What is the PATH? It’s 17 miles of underground tunnels filled with shopping, entertainment and things to do — and best of all, heat. Going underground during the winter makes Toronto the groundhog of metropolitan markets, and also pretty smart.

This post is part of the UpTake Public Art Series. If you see an interesting piece of public art, snap a picture and send it in. We’ll feature it on UpTake!

Photo: spDuchamp via Flickr

Hello, Santarazzi! The big man was spotted this holiday season doing a bit of elf-free Christmas shopping. This supports my theory that elf culture is devoid of art and/or trinkets. Lots of toys though.

What do you think about Santa Claus shopping outside of the North Pole? Does he deserve to shop like the rest of us (but not online, apparently), or is he spreading doubt about the quality of his own workshop? Leave you views in the comments below!

This month we are featuring Holiday Window Decorations! Normally on Tuesdays we run the UpTake Tuesday Roadside Attractions Series. If you have a photo of an odd, funny or interesting roadside attraction that you would like to see featured here please submit it via the link in the sidebar with subject line: Roadside.

This public art is located in a city park, but it’s not the only colorful thing being photographed there. The park features a botanical garden and is frequented by celebrities and their families.

Does that make the location too easy?

Here are some hints:

If you are at this park, presumably with your kids (though not required) you can travel a short (relative) distance to the following tasty treats, Il Cono Gelateria and Millions of Milkshakes. That’s what we call a win-win.

If you want something with a bit more garlic try The Stinking Rose — everything is made with garlic, even the ice cream!

There is also plenty of shopping to do on one of the most famous streets in America.

Have you guessed it? If you said the Beverly Gardens Park, home of the bi-annual “Affair in the Garden” art festival, in Beverly Hills, California, then you’ve probably been there before. That’s okay, you still win the prize (there is no prize).

The park features a jogging path, a lot of public art and a pond. Beverly Hills features a lot of stuff that I can’t afford.

This post is part of UpTake’s Public Art Series.

Photo: prayitno via Flickr

Prince Poppycock performs at North Halsted Market Days

You can always find a party on any weekend in Chicago but few come close to the unbridled revelry of Chicago’s annual North Halsted Market Days.  This  festival marks the last few rowdy drops of Summer for many visitors who flock to this two-day street festival in the heart of Chicago’s legendary Boys Town neighborhood.  The event attracts more than 150,000, groomed, stylish and often barely-clothed attendees who cram into four blocks of Halsted between Belmont and Addison. Read More »