The Sharp Centre for Design, Ontario College of Art and Design, Alsop Architects, 2004
Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Gehry Partners, 2008
University of Toronto Graduate Housing, Morphosis Architects, 2000
BCE Place Allen Lambert Galleria, Santiago Calatrava, 1992
Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Studio Daniel Libeskind, 2007
Toronto Dominion Centre (TD Centre), Mies Van Der Rohe, 1967

Wednesday we left Toronto and made a stop to visit our friend Doug who recently moved to Niagara Falls and visit the Falls (my first time). Needless to say the Falls are breathtaking and a very unique natural wonder that can not be fully captured with photographs, so I also shoot some HD video to get a better representation of the sites and sounds of the Falls. As a five day trip we covered many miles and saw many interesting things, enjoyed great food, friendly people, and became acquainted with a new city. We haven’t determined our destination for next year but I’m certain Toronto will remain on our top 5 city list for a long time to come. I hope you enjoy the photographs which can be seen as a full screen slide show and please leave your comments!

I sense 2009 to be a big year for innovation and contribution from the design community and look forward to being a part of it.

thanks, rui

(Recap from last night): Tonight’s game 7 will decide the ALCS Champions for the 2008 baseball season and provide the Red Sox with the opportunity to win a third World Series title in five years. The game is scheduled to start at 8:07 eastern time (let’s hope TBS doesn’t have difficulties again tonight).

The Sox lineup for tonight’s game:
Crisp, CF(8)
Pedroia, 2B(4)
Ortiz, DH
Youkilis, 3B(5)
Drew, RF(9)
Bay, LF(7)
Kotsay, 1B(3)
Varitek, C(2)
Cora, SS(6)
(Lester): Starting Pitcher(1)

GAME 7 | play by play

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9     R  H  E
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0     1  3  0  (Boston)
0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 X     3  6  1

1st inning: (8:09pm)
-Crisp, attempted bunt, 1 out
Pedroia, HR to RF (1-0)
Ortiz, walk
-Youkilis, fly out to RF, 2 outs
-Drew, strike out, 2>3
(Lester): (8:22pm) ground out 3>2, fly out RF, strike out 
2nd inning: (8:33pm)
-Bay, strike out, 1 out
-Kotsay, ground out 6>3, 2 outs
-Varitek, strike out
(Lester): (8:45pm)  ground out 6>3, strike out, ground out 5>3 
3rd inning: (8:52pm)
-Cora, fly out to LF, 1 out
-Crisp, strike out, 2 out
Pedroia, walk (hit by the pitch)
-Ortiz, (Pedroiasteals second), strike out
(Lester): (9:06pm) strike out, strike out, fly out to second
4th inning: (9:14pm)
-Youkilis, ground out 5>3, 1 out
-Drew, fly out to first, 2 outs
-Bay, strike out
(Lester): (9:23pm) base hit LF, strike out, ground out 4>5, RBI double to RF (1-1), strike out
5th inning: (9:39pm)
-Kotsay, fly out to second, 1 out
-Varitek, ground out to first, 2 outs
-Cora, strike out
(Lester): (9:45pm) double to LF, base hit (1st and 2nd), base hit RBI LF (2-1) (1st and 2nd), strike out, ground out 1>3 (2nd and 3rd), line out to SS 
6th inning: (10:02pm)
-Crisp, ground out 1>3, 1 out
Pedroia, walk (11 pitches)
- -Ortiz, strike out, 2 outs, 2>6 Pedroiacaught stealing second
(Lester): (10:20pm) fly out to third, fly out to LF, fly out CF, ->> (5 inning pitches)
7th inning: (10:25pm)
-Youkilis, fly out to second, 1 out
Drew, walk
Bay, base hit to LF, runners at 1st and 2nd
-Kotsay, fly out to RF, runners at the corners
-Varitek, strike out 2>3
(Lester): (10:39pm) HR to LF (3-1), fly out R-CF, strike out 2>3, fly out CF
8th inning: (10:50pm)
Cora, base hit (E6), (pitching change)
Crisp, base hit, runners at 1st and 2nd
-Pedroia, fly out to LF, 1 out, (pitching change)
-Ortiz, ground out 4>6, runners at the corners, 2 outs (pitching change)
Youkilis, walk, bases loaded (pitching change)
-Drew, strike out
*** Sweet Caroline ***
(Okajima): (11:23pm) ground out 4>3, fly out CF, strike out
9th inning: (11:30pm) (pitching change)
Bay, walk
-Kotsay, strike out, 1 out
-Varitek, strike out, 2 outs
Cora, Lowrie(pitch hitting), groundball to second, final out

Tampa Bay Rays win Game 7, headed to the World Series to face the Philadelphia Phillies

At the top of the 4th, home plate empire Derryl Cousins, is taken out due to a chest injury and causes both dugouts to wait 15 minutes, possibly affecting the pitchers and the calls at the plate for the next 6 innings. I’m having thoughts of a long game like game 3 of the ALDS at Fenway, I was there.

The Sox hold the record as 1-3 come back “kings” winning 4 straight in both the 2004 and 2007 ALCS games and will be looking forward to adding another title to Red Sox legacy tomorrow night during game 7. Hats off to Papelbon for throwing 8 pitches  (7 strikes) in the bottom of the 9th to secure tonight’s win! GO SOX!

GAME 6 | play by play

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9     R  H  E
0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0     4  10 0  (Boston)
1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0     2  4  1

1st inning:
Crisp, bunt single
-Crisp, picked off at first, 1 out
-Pedroia, pop fly to third, 2 outs
-Ortiz, strikes out to end the inning
(Beckett): strike out, HR (1-0), walk, 6>4>3 dbl play
2nd inning: 
Youkilis, HR to LF (1-1)
Drew, base hit to RF
-Bay, 5>4>3, (Drew out at second), 1 out
Kotsay, base hit to RF
-Lowrie, fly out to center, 2 outs
-Varitek, fly out to left
(Beckett): 4>3 out, strike out, fly out to right
3rd inning:
-Crisp, fly out to center, 1 out
Pedroia, walk
Ortiz, DBL to right, man on second and third
-Youkilis, 6>3 RBI (2-1), man on third, 2 outs
Drew, walk, runners at the corners
Bay, walk, bases loaded
-Kotsay, fly out to center
(Beckett): strike out, walk (hit the batter), fly out, 1>3 out
4th inning: home plate umpire comes out of the game injured, delay
-Lowrie, fly out to center, 1 out
-Varitek, 3>1 ground out, 2 outs
Crisp, base hit to right
-Pedroia, strikes out
(Beckett): fly out, fly out, base hit to shallow left, stolen base, 3>1 ground out
5th inning:
-Ortiz, fly out to right, 1 out
-Youkilis, lines out to third, 2 outs
Drew, line drive to right field wall, DBL
-Bay, fly out to right
(Beckett): base hit, fly out, 1>2>4 runner caught stealing, HR (2-2), 5>3 out
6th inning:
-Kotsay, high line drive to second, 1 out
-Lowrie, strikes out, 2 outs
Varitek, HR to right (3-2)
Crisp, base hit (pitching change)
Pedroia, base hit (E6), runners at the corners
Ortiz, base hit to center field, RBI, runners first and second (4-2)
-Youkilis, strikes out
(Okajima): line out, strike out, walk, 6>4 ground out
7th inning:
-Drew, fly out to center, 1 out
Bay, hit by pitch
-Katsay, 1>3 ground out, Bay goes to second (pitching change), 2 outs
Lowrie, walk
-Varitek, (passed ball runners advance), fly out to right
(Okajima): foul fly out, foul fly out, fly out
8th inning:
Crisp, walk
-Pedroia, (pitching change) 1>3, runner advances, 1 out
Ortiz, intentional walk, runners on first and second
–Youkilis, 5>4>3 DBL play ending the inning
*** Sweet Caroline***
(Masterson): Walk (hit batter), meeting at the mound, strike out, fly out, fly out
9th inning:
-Drew, fly out to left, 1 out
-Bay, 6>3 ground out, 2 outs
-Kotsay, (pitching change), fly out to third base
(Pabelbon): ground out, strike out, fly out – RED SOX WIN GAME 6 (4-2)

7th inning, Papelbon comes in early to pitch
Lowrie, standing double off the right field wall
-Varitek, fly ball to center, 1 out
-Kotsay, fly ball to left center, 2 out
Crisp, line drive single to left, man on first and third
Pedroia, full count RBI to right (1-7 score), man on first and third
***Fenway goes nuts***  starts shouting “Papi Papi”
Ortiz, drives to deep right field, 3 run homer (4-7 score)
***Fenway goes nuts*** rally caps everywhere
-Youkilis, 3-2 count flys to right to end the inning
8th inning, Papelbon pitching
Bay, walks to first
Drew, 0-1 count, 2 run homer to right (6-7 score)
***Fenway goes nuts***
-Lowrie, flys to right, 1 out
-Casey pitch hitting, strikes out, 2 out
Kotsay, doubles deep to left center
***Fenway is standing room only***
Crisp fights off 10 pitches, RBI base hit to right (7-7 score), Kotsay scores before Crisp is thrown out at second for the third out
***Fenway is jumping up and down***
9th inning, Masterson pitching
-Pedroia, grounds out to third, 1 out
***Fenway crowd on their feet***
-Ortiz, tries to bunt to an open left infield then strikes out, 2 out
Youkilis, ground ball to third, bad throw (E5) to first goes into the seats, Youk goes to second
Bay, intensionally walked, man on first and second
Drew, 3-1 count, line drive right field, 1 bounce over the wall (Sox WIN 7-8, final)

The game was amazing to watch and also recall some of the earlier events in Red Sox history. Winning this game was the complete opposite of losing Game 2 in the 11th inning last week. Winning the World Series in 2004 marked the end of the Curse of the Bambino. For me, the 8th inning, E5 throw to first on the Youkilis drive to third base made amends for the 1986 Game 6, Bill Buckner play that cost the Sox a World Series. Early this year Buckner threw out the first pitch at Fenway to start the home season and I think it’s time we instead recall he was a rital player on that 1986 team. The game also beat a 1950′s come-from-behind postseason record and was only one run shy of the all-time 1920′s, 8 runs back record.

Now I’m looking forward to more baseball this weekend as the Red Sox go into game 6 and 7. It’s not the first time they trail a series, we all know what they did in 2004. GO SOX !

The Red Sox battled last night, and this morning, for the ALDS title but came up short after 12 innings. Beckett started the game and quickly allowed the Angels on base leading to a run in the first inning. The bottom of the first saw a 3 RBI single by Ellsberry that cleared the bases after a pop fly landed in shallow right. Both sides tied the score at 4-4 in the 5th inning and went scoreless until the top of the 12th when the Angels took the lead to win.

This was my second post season game (0-2) since 1996. I had my camera ready (and a radio to listen to Jerry Remy’s play by play) and awaited to celebrate the division victory at Fenway Park. Fenway is a special place not only in terms of sports but architecturally it defines an emotional connection to a building that is timeless. Although the Sox didn’t sweep the the series in 3, it was an amazing game as the fans stuck it out for 12 innings on a colder New England fall night. I’m looking forward to Game 4 tonight on the TV!

more images available | www.ruiduarte.com

The Sox were showing off their championship status last night as they won the first game of the ALDS against the Angels, thanks to Lester’s ace appearance on the mound. Offensively, a 2 run homer by Jason Bay in the 6th and insurance from Ellsbury and Ortiz in the 9th put the Sox at 4-1. Defensively, the 8th inning spotlighted a great catch by Ellsbury in the outfield and also a golden-glove-over-the-head-NO-catch by Youkilis in right field that resulted in a throw to 3rd base to make the out. Go Sox!

This was the first TBS Sox broadcast I’ve heard all year and really miss hearing Jerry Remy on game night. It seems that the role of a commentator should be to bring the game to the fans so that enthusiasm and excitement is generated. The TBS crew really embarks on making too many judgemental calls like comparing Red Sox center fielders and stating which one they think is “best”. And also calling David Ortiz, Big Papi every time he’s at the plate should be reserved for fans only. Come on TBS guys, keep your personal comments to yourself and focus more on the game.