The Campbell House Museum, located in the oldest remaining house in Toronto, is now a centre where artists meet and discuss and exhibit. The current exhibit is “Colour with a U” – quilts created by diverse Canadian quilters.

I was struck by the introductory exhibit sign:

In Canada we spell colour with a “u”. We also spell labour, favourite, honour and neighbour with a “u”. That “u” could stand for unique, unforgettable, universal, unity, understanding, utopia. It could include the unusual, unexpected, unbound, unabashed, unaccounted, uncanny. We care about the “u”; it makes us unique. We care about the “u”; it brings us together.

The house itself is what you would expect in a grand residence built in 1822. The rooms are large, the floors a nice creaky wood. But the best part is the beautiful curving staircase.

I’m not a quilt connoisseur, but there were certainly some very creative and interesting quilts on display. The exhibit cards emphasized how most of us were immigrants at one point and have come together to create a beautiful multicultural society. Pretty “u“ncorroborated I might suggest, but nice nevertheless.

I headed down to the St. Lawrence Market for a wander and some lunch. The market is not unlike the Granville Island market with food stalls and take-out meals, and one sit down restaurant where I had lunch – Paddington’s Home of the Oink.

The various foods on display are always drool worthy! I could not resist adding 5 photos to this post.

Last stop – the Royal Ontario Museum. It has a stunning exterior judging from the website, but the rain hurried me indoors. Here we have another lovely building, from the lobby …

to unusual angles in hallways …

to the dramatic four storey staircase.

I was particularly drawn to the Canadian Modern Exhibition which displayed furniture, clothing and various useful objects from the mid-20th century. I could picture myself being highly productive in this office setup.

A final exhibit of interest – a Hudson’s Bay day coat together with a snowshoe. The Hudson Bay stripes and colours are so iconically Canadian.

A full day of Canadiana! See you tomorrow.