Executive Portrait

Executive

     John Ellis' job as Starter at Remington Parkview Golf can sometimes be very demanding and stressful! It calls for a cool head, years of experience in customer relations and customer service and an affable personality, all of which John has, in spades!

    The starter's job at a golf course, is tantamount to an airline's check-in agent at the airport, without which, total confusion and chaos would ensue!

With two of the most popular golf courses in the area to supervise simultaneously, John has more than his work cut-out, yet, he meets every single customer with a warm smile and caring greeting.

What's really cool though, is that John still makes time for a couple rounds of golf a week!    







Family Day_ A Family Portrait

A Family Portrait

     "A family that plays together, stays together"! Therefore, a family that a demanding and exacting game such as golf, well, those family bonds have got to be exceptional!

Those bonds were proving true on Wednesday, one of the few decent days for golfing this week, by the Hill family! 

Jamie and a few Hill family members from Ireland were out for a round of golf, a few laughs and the ritualistic "couple O pints"!   Cheers!!!  

   

"Up close and personal with Ryan McKinnon"

"Up close and personal with Ryan McKinnon"

    Ryan McKinnon met me at Wilson subway station and drove me over to his Gym (Lanna MMA), that's Ryan's place of work and also his sanctuary!

       Ryan, along with his brother Tyler and head coach Jordan "run things" at Lanna MMA! On the drive over to Lanna, Ryan was briefing me on a couple of the day's 'main events', an all-female sparring session and a live podcast with invited guests.

     Ryan McKinnon is an avid and accomplished Mixed Martial Arts fighter (also brother Tyler) with a York University education and impressive knowledge of The Sixties and Seventies Motown era music and Blues.

Ryan's work/jobs at Lanna MMA is borne out of a personal passion and dedication for the development and growth of Muay Thai in Canada.
From administrative duties to nurturing and coaching, his duties also include writing educational and promotional blogs, hosting podcasts and officiating sanctioned Muay Thai events. One gets out-of-breath trying to wrap one's head around all that Ryan McKinnon squeezes out of a day.

Mr McKinnon is in his early thirties, with the energy level of a teenager and the curiosity and enthusiasm of a four-year-old.
Armed with that inquisitive mind, a background in law, Ryan burrows deep into anything that interests him and that he's pursuing, so Ryan comes out the other end with a pretty thorough knowledge and essence of "the thing"!

Something of a purist, yet, with an open mind. Understanding that cross-pollinating cultures require adaptation, Ryan travelled to and lived in Thailand (the birthplace of Muay Thai) for a while, so as to learn and inhale the art and culture of Muay Thai!
Now his mission, his job, and his life are to teach and help cultivate the rapidly growing interest in Maui Thai in Canada!  
   

This Is Ryan McKinnon  

"Toronto's Allan Gardens"

"Toronto's Allan Gardens"

      Back in the day, Toronto was referred to as, "A City In A Park"! Sad to say, we're losing most of the park these days but they're still a few nuggets to be found if you know where to look!  



   Allan Gardens Conservatory is one such nugget! Situated in the heart of the city (Carlton St. and Sherbourne St.), it's easily accessed by public transit, taxi or walking.

  

  This botanical garden is chock-full of exotic Tropical plants in a temperature controlled environment, which makes it a very nice place to visit any time of year. I have had the pleasure of meeting visitors from various parts of the world;  photographers, writers, visual artist, including Matt and Kelly, who are local Toronto graphic and animation artists respectively!

Matt and Kelly



    Allan Gardens is a place for everyone. It's free, accessible and very interesting.

Following is a collection of my favourites, many of which I am very familiar with. I hope this serves to inspire you to visit Allan Gardens sometime soon!

                                                 

 Bougainvillea





 Cycad plant



 A beautiful "Bird's Nest Fern"

with pink and blue Hydrangea.

 Paw-Paw tree

Bronze Statue

One of many species of Cactus

And these little guys!