She also spearheaded the East Side Icon project, a calendar highlighting some of the admirable men of the east side (all fully clothed, perverts) to raise money to rejuvenate an as of yet unspecified piece of the east end. Every dollar sold goes straight to the project and the community gets to decide where those dollars are spent.

I caught up with Rachel, pre service, to talk about community involvement, life behind the bar and, you know, strippers.

How long have you been a bartender?

Bartender: Six years. I've worked in the service industry for 13.

How did you get started?

When I was 14 I started working at a little diner in my hometown, Stratford, Ontario.

And how long have you been here?

I've been here a year and a half. I'm one of the owners.

So what is the secret to the Avro's success?

I just wanted to fill the niche that was missing in this neighbourhood. There's a beautiful cocktail bar, there's a beautiful wine bar, but there was no bar bar. So, I just wanted to make a little community hub.

The key to that is actually having a large bar in a small space. That way you have to sit next to somebody, you can't be off in the distance at your own table, you have to talk to everyone in the bar and you have to meet your neighbors. Also, every night there is an event — except for Friday and Saturday. So Monday is rotating art & culture events, Tuesday is live bands, Wednesday we have a DJ, Damn Aykroyd, who also does mix tape swaps, Super Nintendo tournaments, ninties throw back nights; Thursday is plaid night and Sunday is Bring Your Own Vinyl.

Any events that just didn't work?

Chess club. I was really surprised because I love chess, but we set up the chess boards and nobody played and finally my staff was just like "I'm really bored, and tired of picking up the chess pieces that the drunk people keep knocking over. Can we please stop this?"

How do you stay busy when you're not working?

Cycling the east side like a fiend, back and forth. I volunteer at Bike Sauce, which is a non profit do-it-yourself bike shop--we're renovating right now, it's looking pretty nice. Also, scoping out location number two.

Of the Avro?

Yes, bar number two. And spending way too much time at the Mercury.

Where do you think bar number two will be?

West. Yeah, I've got a couple of spots in mind and I'm putting an offer in somewhere, but we'll see.

And you're an east-ender yourself?

Yes, I live at Dundas and Jones.

What's the best thing about working in bars?

Meeting new people everyday and having awesome interactions with them.

And what's the worst thing?

Drinking too much.

What brought you to Toronto?

I was working as an animator. Yeah, but people are way more fun than computers so I dropped that.

What keeps you in Toronto?

I think it's a very dynamic city with a lot of opportunity--that's a very political answer. But, I mean there's a lot happening here. No matter what your interest is you can jump in on it.

How do you deal with a rowdy drunk?

I kick 'em out and I take a lot of pleasure in it. Basically, the thing is, this room is too small to have a jerk in it. Like, you really stand out. So if someone is just an asshole, or their personality doesn't fit, they get thrown out.

So last night I cut off some people because one of them ordered a beer and said: "What's a beer that is off market and would make me seem more interesting?" and I was just like, forget it. So anyway, they ran out on their bill and I chased them down... it's all good. It's awesome though because regulars support you.

I imagine you probably don't even need to do much of the kicking out yourself.

Oh, no. I take pride in it. I don't let anyone else throw anyone out.

What's your drink?

Shots. Whiskey.

Do you have a favourite whiskey?

Whatever is closest.

What drinks do you hate making?

I don't hate anything, but I love making bourbon sours and caesars.

So tell me what makes a perfect bourbon sour?

It's simple, it's just lemon, bourbon and sugar syrup. But the real stuff, not any of that powdered crap.

Where is your favourite place, besides the Avro?

I'm a sucker for Red Light. Chris over there is this amazing, super friendly guy. I love the atmosphere; I love how dark it is; I love the music.

So you do make your way to the west end sometimes.

I like to hide over there. That way I can talk freely and not embarrass myself in front of people I know.

What's the weirdest thing you've seen here?

The stripper fight. We've only had two fights here and they've both involved strippers. The one started over paying the bill and one stripper actually punched a $20 bill into the other strippers mouth. I'd cut them off and thrown them out, but I was making them pay their bill and she just punched this money into her mouth and then started fighting and then there was a boob out and of course none of the guys here are doing anything about it. So finally we got them outside and locked the door and one started chasing the other one with a cork screw.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Straight Up or On the Rocks? Straight up

Gin or Vodka? Whiskey

Light or Dark? Light

Sweet or Dry? Sweet

Olives or Twist? Olives

Tonic or Soda? Neither

Lemon or Lime? Gross

Labatt or Molson? Labatt 50

Photos by Jesse Milns

And you know, he's pretty good at all that stuff. But he's a really good bartender.

For eight years he's been the friendly, personable guy running the room at the Communist's Daughter, making sure everyone is having a good time. And for the most part, everybody is. Most of that can be chalked up to personality — he's a quick wit and a keen conversationalist — but there's a little ambition hidden in there too. How else does one explain the raucous Saturday afternoons when he invites the Red Rhythm to join him on his shift, allowing him to sing and play trumpet while he tends to his customers. Or a night of BYOV (bring your own vinyl) that turns Mondays into a boisterous listening party where side A is a given, but the room votes if it's worth flipping to side B. Believe me, it can get tense.

It's that kind of care that elevates a night at the pub, into a really special event — even if it is just a Monday night.

How did you get started at the Communist's Daughter?

Well, I was roommates with Trisha Welbourn (part owner), so when she and Paul Emery (the other part) got married, we all lived together for a year and it was that year that the planning happened. I'm not one of the owners, but it kinda feels like my bar. You know, every morning at breakfast we'd be talking about it for like a year. I didn't work there immediately when it opened, but after a few months we decided to do the Saturday afternoon show — the jazz show — and I thought, well why don't I bartend and do the show. And that was sort of how I got started working there.

What's kept you there?

Oh, it's just the best place to work. I can't imagine having a better job. It's a one man show in there when you're working you know? Only one bartender. And Paul and Trish really let you do with it what you will when it's yours. It's a really friendly bar, people of all different ages, all different jobs. You'll see some 20-year-old student sitting next to a 60-year-old writer you know, trying to figure out life. It's just a great neighbourhood bar.

When not behind the bar, how do you stay busy?

Well I have a three year old daughter and I have three bands. There's the Red Rhythm and we play Saturday afternoons (at the Communist's Daughter). And then I have a band called Rambunctious, which is all original material — it's nine horns and a drummer. We don't know any songs, so you make up a song title and we go from there and I sing and make up the lyrics. It's all sort of dance party music. And then I play with Lemon Bucket Orchestra which is an East European party folk band.

What brought you to Toronto and what keeps you here?

I came to Toronto 21 years ago to be an actor. I came here because my brother Gordie had a band going at the time called Big Sugar and I just thought, you know, Toronto is the place to be if you want to be an actor.

I immediately moved in with a bunch of musicians and you know, got thrown head first into the arts scene and I found Toronto to be really laid back compared to Vancouver, which is sort of the opposite of how most people interpret the two places. I went to UBC in Vancouver and I found it really, really moneyed and uptight in the '80s and the Toronto that I know, downtown Toronto, is full of really warm and welcoming, radical artist types.

Who is your favourite regular?

There's a guy named John Saunders who is a painter. He's an interesting old cat who always has a wonderful perception on things because, you know, he's aging now, but he's still got to work these construction jobs to feed himself because he's lived the life of an artist.

Then there's my friend Isabelle who works with senior citizens across the street at St. Christopher's. She's this amazing public activist and — oh, her daughter. Her daughter had her 13th birthday party at [the Communist Daughter] and she's become a good friend of mine and now, seven years later, she's the drummer in my band — she's 20-years-old now. So you know, it's that kind of place.

What's the worst thing about working in a bar?

It's really, really hard not to drink too much.

What do you do on your days off?

I like to get dressed up and go out on the town with my wife and daughter.

What's your favourite bar/hideout?

My favourite place in the city is La Palette on Queen Street. It's just the greatest food and great atmosphere and, Shamez (the owner) and I over the years have become great great friends. And I mean, it started from me being a regular in there. Now, you know, my band Rambunctious will play in there now and then and we'll go on at midnight, standing on the bar and he'll make sure the band is well lubricated with rounds of shots — he just really knows how to take care of you.

What's your beverage?

If I'm having a beer, I really like the cobblestone stout from Mill Street.

Have you ever had to kick someone out, and if so, how did you go about it?

I've had to ask people to leave many times; I've never been into a kind of dangerous situation. There was one time a guy pushed me over a table, but immediately everybody in the bar just, kind of took care of him and got him out of there.

What's the craziest thing you've seen there?

I love the last call dance parties that happen in there. When someone plays a bunch of disco tracks on the jukebox and the place erupts at 2:30 in the morning. You know, people don't really think of the Communist's Daughter as a dance bar, but late night, when people start dancing, it's just the best.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Straight Up or On the Rocks? A blessing of water

Gin or Vodka? Gin

Light or Dark? Depends on the weather

Sweet or Dry? Dry

With a twist or olives? Twist, done properly

Lemon or Lime? Lime

Tonic or Soda? Soda

Labatt or Molson? No comment

Photos by Jesse Milns

Name

Derek Johnston

How long have you been a barista?

I've been a barista I guess since 2009. I was a barista for about eight months at a coffee shop in Kingston, and then I was off for a year or so doing other things and I've been working pretty steady for about a year and a half now.

Favorite customer and why?

I would have to say a lady that comes in every day here and she orders pretty much the same thing , a latte. She's very personable - I love talking to her. She comes in, she really enjoys our coffee. She comes in with two kids in the morning and she comes in again usually later on in the day and gets the same thing. She's just a great customer.

Do you moonlight as a writer, actor, artist, and/or adult film actor?

No!

What's something that no one else knows about you?

I'm a pretty open book, I would say. I don't think there's anything.

Favorite Toronto hideout?

I would have to say either Lakeview Diner, or I love hanging out at Cherry Bomb on Roncesvalles.

Best album to spin at work?

Bon Iver's self-titled album.

To take the nerves out of customers, how do you properly order an Americano?

Americano, for here.

How do you take your coffee?

Just straight up, black. Or if it's cappuccino just the way it is - I don't add anything to it.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Dogs or cats? Dogs.

Jay-Z or Run-DMC? Run-DMC.

Beards or mustaches? Beards.

Rocket or submarine? Rocket.

Rob Ford or Tim Hortons? Oh man. You're asking me to get political here. Tim Horton's.

Photos by Joel Yum

This week I chatted with underground waterway explorer Jeremy Kai

What sparked your interest in Toronto's underground waterways?

My interest in the city's underground sprung from my ever-growing interest in the built environment and the overlooked and forgotten spaces in the city. We have invented artificial devices to mimic and adapt to environmental processes because we are not able to completely tame natural forces. We paved over rivers and creeks for a variety of reasons (development, pollution, property values, etc.) but realized that we could not simply do away with them, so we buried the water as life continued above in its altered state.

Like any city, Toronto is built in layers and it seems the more modern of a metropolis we become, the more layers we have to build. Subways, sewers, water mains, gas lines, underground walkways, telecommunication conduits, air vents, etc. They all exist beneath the surface and make life in the city possible. In our everyday life, we may not even consider all of the processes that take care of us.

Outside of urban areas when it rains, a portion of the water is soaked into the ground and the remainder finds its way to the nearest creek, river, or lake. Since cities are paved with impermeable surfaces like cement and asphalt, we created sewer drainage networks to mimic the watershed process where rain water and waste water is transported through fabricated tunnels to the nearest trunk sewer or water feature, depending where in the city it is.

Can you tell me about what kind of tunnels you explore and which are some of your favorites?

As I developed an understanding of how cities deal and adapt with rain and waterways, I mostly explored storm water drains that empty out into rivers and creeks. These systems often are buried versions of tributaries that drain local neighbourhoods. With the help and combined effort of some of my resourceful colleagues, we have explored and documented the more complex systems of trunk sewers, buried rivers, and overflow networks in the central part of the city. Some of these systems were built in the late 1800's as the city was struggling to find effective methods of waste water treatment.

In two systems in Toronto we've found builder markings written in wet cement. A section of the Garrison Creek sewer, perhaps the city's most mythical lost river, has a marking from the contractor who built the sewer who wrote in the date, 1891. Another system in midtown has a date of completion, "A.D. April 4 1930", written on the wall of the sewer's extremity.

What are some of the challenges you face while taking photos below ground?

When I began taking photos underground in 2007, I was faced with the task of shooting with minimal ambient light. Back then I only carried with me a couple household-grade flashlights, which aren't great tools to illuminate photographs. It took me over two years to get an effective technique together. Now I'm almost more comfortable shooting spaces completely devoid of sunlight. I love the challenge of having complete control of how I light up an environment.

I use a variety of high powered portable lights: LED work lamps and halogen torches, mostly. I owe much of my success to working with other photographers and looking up to prominent artists for composition and techniques. One interesting thing I learned was from a UK photographer and explorer when he was in town. He said that light often looks better when it's coming towards the camera. This is quite true especially when you are shooting surfaces with interesting textures.

I often appear in my own photos, i find that placing a human in the shot is a nice element to have to show scale and provide a subject or point of interest.

Tell me about some of the non-photo gear you use.

In systems where the water table is relatively low, Canadian Tire-grade rubber boots will do to keep your feet dry, but it's a good idea to wear steel toe boots just in case. In combined sewers and systems with higher flow, fishing waders are often necessary to stay dry and clean.

In one particular case we brought an inflatable raft to ferry our gear through a passage where dammed flow was up to our stomachs. We use other equipment to keep ourselves comfortable, but our primary concern is to keep ourselves safe. Combined sewers and storm drains are dangerous and often unpredictable environments. Water levels and intensity of flow can change with little warning and other elements like steep elevations, esoteric flow control systems, gas buildups, or structural defects can make for hazardous navigation.

I know you have a book out this week — can you tell me a little bit about it?

My book, Rivers Forgotten, was released officially last month, published by Koyama Press. So far I've promoted it in Montreal and Brooklyn and finally launched the book here in Toronto. Rivers Forgotten is available at the downtown Chapters (142 John street) and the Beguiling (601 Markham street).

After years in retail, he got into the hospitality industry by way of the dish pit at Cocktail Bar's previous incarnation, the Hoof Cafe. After a few months, Hoof Matriarch Jen Agg must have recognized a glimmer of said demeanor and the transformation began. He started as a server and soon enough, graduated to bar duties. Since then he's been refining that attention to detail while filling out his fledgling resume to boot. When not crafting one of the city's great Manhattans, he can be found moonlighting at Woodlot from time to time. That and, of course, working on his Star Trek DVD collection — go figure.

I caught up with him on a rainy afternoon to talk cocktails, video games and the highs and lows of hospitality.

Name:

Tommie Cheng.

How long have you been bartending?

Not that long, about a year and a half, but I've been in service for about three. Believe it or not, the Hoof was my first job [in the industry] — I started dishwashing here.

What drew you to the industry?

I had been working in retail for basically the majority of my adult life and just got kind of sick of it. This was something I always wanted to do — working service, working for good people — so I literally walked in and they were like: "do you want to wash dishes?" So I did for like six months, Jen Agg saw some potential in me I guess, and I started doing some serving then some bartending. And ever since, I've loved the idea of taking raw products and mixing them, not just harmoniously, but having the end product be greater than the sum of its parts. It's just amazing.

What do you hate about it?

I don't' know if there is anything I necessarily hate. There are definitely times you feel tested or tried by the process, but I think the most challenging thing is to be able not just to serve a fabulous product, but to be able to relate to people at the same time. Obviously they're both really important, but to be able to maintain that high level for eight, nine, 10 hours of service so that the 150th person has the same experience as the first person — that's definitely the most challenging part.

What's your favourite cocktail?

It depends on my mood. I've recently been really into Sazeracs... I find that cognac and absinthe blended together can be so beautiful. I also really like a Boulevardier, which is basically a bourbon Negroni. I love the bitter and sweet of the Negroni itself and then to add that kind of caramel-y, smoky element — it just takes it to a whole other level.

How do you deal with a rowdy drunk?

Luckily, I think the way the area is developing and the type of customers we get — I know it sounds kind of silly, but not serving vodka does kind of help filter people out — I think I've only ever had to cut someone off once. But I deal with it as gently as I can, and with a smile on my face. I very much believe in killing people with kindness, I think it really does work if you do it in a firm, but confident way. People can be very reasonable if you connect with them on a very basic human level. It's just what I've got to do. I mean, I don't think I'd be able to physically throw someone out anyway.

What do you do with your free time?

I'm very much a homebody. I stay at home, read, go to the movies. I'm really into video games [he's very close to finishing Portal 2], I love sci-fi and fantasy, I'm working on my Star Trek DVD collection. I'm a huge nerd. I know it sounds stupid, but these are the things I enjoy outside of bartending. I actually don't go out very much considering how much I'm here, kind of facilitating everybody else's weekend and good time, I end up not really going out a lot myself.

When you do make it out, what's your favourite bar/restaurant?

Magpie is really good, it's just down the street and they have some really amazing live bluegrass nights and really good beers on tap.

Food wise, I really like a good bowl of Pho. Honestly, when you get a good bowl of pho — it's cheap, it's delicious, it's fantastic, and one of my favourite places to go is Pho Linh at College and Dufferin. They make a fantastic bowl of house pho — get the house one with tripe and tendon, beef balls all of it. It's so good.

What drink do you hate making?

Although I love bourbon, it's Bourbon Sours. It's not that I hate making them, but having to shake egg white over and over again can get a little bit tedious after a while. So yes, if I had to have a least favourite drink, that would be it.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Straight Up or On the Rocks? Neat

Gin or Vodka? Gin

Light or Dark? Dark

Sweet or Dry? [long pause] Dry

With a twist or olives? Olives

Lemon or Lime? Lemon

Tonic or Soda? Tonic

Labatt or Molson? Labatt (for nostalgic reasons)

Previously in the series:

• Pam Hong of the Garrison
• Anna May of the Ossington
• Frankie Solarik of BarChef

Photos by Jesse Milns

It's also easy to lose whole afternoons searching through page after page of his photos on Flickr. Immaculately organized and labeled, his images capture both the gradual shifts the streetscape constantly undergoes — the faded signs, the fresh coats of paint — and the more profound changes that happen over decades. If you've ever been curious about what Liberty Village looked like before the condos or what the Distillery District looked like before its rebirth as a tourist site, satisfaction awaits in the perusal of Cummins' work.

Earlier this week I spoke with the photographer about his project, his upcoming book, and the crucial role that Toronto plays in his artistic practice.

At last check, your Flickr photostream has over 23,000 images. When did you start taking photographs and why?

I bought my film camera, a Nikon F2, in 1977. I began to photograph aspects of Toronto's streetscapes when I moved here in the summer of that year to attend the Ontario College of Art. I had discovered the work of Walker Evans and Eugene Atget and I was interested in documenting signage and various building types that I was seeing on the streets of Toronto. It wasn't until 1988, however, that I had my epiphany and my comparative studies project got underway in earnest. I realized at that time that I had reshot some structures at different points documenting very drastic changes in some and rather subtle changes in others and I decided to look at ways in which I could expand upon that documentation in the form of a full-fledged project which I call "Collations."

As for my Flickr photostream, it is just that, a stream, a stream-of-consciousness record of what I've been scanning of my older work mixed up with what I'm currently shooting. It's a grab bag of this is what I've done and this is what I'm doing, what I'm thinking, and what I'm noticing, but the Collections and Sets do break the stream up so that it's a little more understandable as to what I've been doing over the decades even if the Flickr interface itself isn't always the best format for presenting the work.

You're an archivist by trade. Can you tell me how this has informed your photographic practice?

Not to say that there won't always be those interested in studying Toronto's history on a grander scale, but working in archives I find that overall, more often than not, researchers are more interested in the street-level aspects of the city...their house, their street, their neighbourhood...than they are in the grand and/or monumental. I guess working in an archival setting has impressed upon me the ephemeral nature of our built environment, how it is constantly changing, in ways both subtle and drastic at every level, not just on a grand scale. Working in archives caused me to think about photographic documentation in an urban setting in ways beyond a simple documentation of what's there now to a documentation of what's there over time, and to look more at the peripheral and the interstitial when it comes to our built environment.

Do you see your work exclusively in an archival capacity? Or would you say there's a fine art element to what you do as well? Perhaps this is a false dichotomy since the rise of Bernd and Hilla Becher, of whose work I'm reminded when I see your images presented in grid format.

I think the work has always involved elements of documentation filtered through ideas about how photographs can be viewed or read in gallery or published formats. Early on I struggled to situate myself within the context of cultural theories regarding photographic practice. This did lead me to pursue a photographic practice in multiple images, in grids, which is still my preferred method for presenting my work, and the Bechers are a touchstone in that regard, but ultimately I was never able to establish myself in any way where the work would support me, so I pursued other options, obtaining work in the archives field.

Working in archives provided me with a reliable income to pursue my work and another framework within which to think about photography. I made a decision at an early point to just work at creating a body of work and not worry about showing it or trying to fit into any contemporary scene, and I only began to show my work again more recently, with the arrival of CONTACT and Flickr opening up options for sharing one's work outside of the gallery context. That being said, my work has from time to time found itself comfortably ensconced in exhibitions coming from of both art and documentary perspectives, and I do have work in the holdings of the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography in Ottawa, a program of the National Gallery of Canada.

In Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York, authors James and Karla Murray argue that the mom and pop type shops they document "have the city's history etched into their facades." As you said, you tend to shy away from the documentation of Toronto's monumental structures in favour of what might be called the commonplace. Can you tell me about this decision/strategy?

I'm a big fan of their work, with this book and their others. I consider them kindred spirits of a sort. I too am impressed with the layering of histories on the patina-enriched surfaces of Toronto's commonplace streetscapes. In my work I have extended my documentation of these streetscapes beyond the commercial stretches into the residential streets of the downtown core, and I've taken it to a level beyond the here-and-now by doing comparative studies of structures over time, in some ways not unlike the work of Camilo Jose Vergara. As to why I focus on the commonplace vs the monumental, it was a decision made early on based on my affinity for the commonplace and my love of the work of Evans and Atget and others who have followed in their footsteps in celebrating the everyday urban vernacular.

You're at work on a book. Can you tell me a little bit about it?

It's being published by Coach House Books and it'll be launched in May as part of the 2012 Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival, with an exhibition at the Urbanspace Gallery at 401 Richmond Street West. It's called Full Frontal T.O.: Exploring Toronto's Architectural Vernacular, and it contains photographs by myself and words by Shawn Micallef, author of Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto. The book is a celebration of that messy urbanism that makes up a city like Toronto, and how it shifts and changes with the passage of time. It'll contain a series of comparative studies of structures over time in black and white interspersed with full colour sections containing typologies of various elements of the built environment such as variety stores and laneway garages.

Your photos have captured many areas of the city that have undergone profound change over the last 15-20 years. Can you highlight a particular neighbourhood in which this is apparent from your photographs?

The obvious choice here is Queen Street West. It was the central focus of my photographic activities when I started in the late seventies and it continues to play an important role in what I do today. When I started, the street was just beginning to be gentrified in the stretch between University and Spadina. It continued westward to Bathurst in the 1980s and then things quietened down.

More recently, however, there has been a boom in activity west of Trinity Bellwoods, as the gentrification process continues its relentless march ever further westward, causing the streetscape to undergo big changes. The other big change that's occurred has been the complete erasure and/or re-writing of the city's 19th century industrial landscape, with the shift from loft living as we knew it in the 1980s to the condominium explosion of today. Liberty Village in the west and the Distillery District and the West Don Lands in the east are two areas that I documented in the 1980s that have undergone vast transformations.

Film or digital? Or, if formerly film, when did you make the switch to digital and why?

I'm shooting less and less film and more and more digital. Although I continue to shoot most of my re-shoots of structures for my Collations project on film, and I will continue to do so for as long as I can, I have a lot of other, colour projects on the go, and for these, I shoot digital. For more than a year, I was without my film camera as it was in the shop being repaired and re-calibrated. The point-and-shoot film camera with which I had begun my colour side projects had died. So I bought a point-and-shoot digital, and followed that up rather quickly with a Nikon D40 SLR, and I've continued on from there.

Shooting digital is, of course, very different than shooting film. Not so much because you can see what you did or didn't get right away, but more because it's so inexpensive and you can shoot so many more images at a time than you could with film. Much of the pre- and during-shooting editing involved with shooting film is gone, replaced with huge editing efforts coming after the fact. And by editing, I'm not talking so much about editing the individual images as I am about editing images into meaningful groupings or contexts.

In the end, I'd say I'm a firm believer that interesting work can be produced using pretty much any combination of equipment and techniques, with the content of photographs and how they are contextualized also being of utmost importance.

Do you think you'd be as motivated to continue your photographic work if you were forced to change cities for some reason? In other words, is there something about Toronto or your relationship with the city that sustains your desire to keep shooting?

Toronto is definitely my subject matter and will remain so as long as I can document it. The city and my documentation of it are inextricably intertwined at this point. However, I think if I was forced to move to another city, the drive to document would prevail in that new setting. I would pretty much photograph the same subject matter. I would immediately try to capitalize on that stranger in a strange land advantage one has to seeing another city for the first time by identifying elements that stood out to me, and then begin to pursue a documentation of them in such a way that I could build up a body of comparative studies over time like I have with Toronto.

140 Boulton Street

515 Queen Street West

The photographer at work
All photos by Patrick Cummins, more of whose work can be seen here.

Name

Aerin Fogel.

How long have you been a barista?

About 10 years now. But working in third wave shops for five of those years. In the very beginning I worked in this little café in The Beaches called Shenanigans, which is the worst name ever for a café. But I was 14, so who cares? Probably my first coffee job that I really enjoyed was working at Manic five years ago. I've been here at Mercury for about two and a half years. So yeah, stuck here.

Favourite customer and why?

I really appreciate people who make eye contact when you're talking with them. Also someone who answers candidly to a question. You can tell when someone is really present and engaging with you or just kinda firing off an answer they would give to anyone. So it's nice when someone is actually engaged in a conversation. It's an added bonus for me and more exciting when someone takes an interest in the coffee they're drinking. But they don't have to. Just someone that is curious about what they're paying for and putting into their bodies.

What's your secret for pulling the perfect shot?

I don't think there is a perfect shot. Your taste buds are going to change depending on what you have just eaten. Or what kind of mood you're in. But, I think the secret for pulling consistently good shots is at least having as much control over different aspects of the shot as you can. We weigh the dose that we put into the portafilter, then we time the shots, and then a lot of the time, especially for smaller drinks, we weigh liquid mass to control the output. I mean, there are so many variables that if you insert control into as many aspects as possible, you're much more likely to come out with something consistently good.

Do you moonlight as a writer, actor, artist and/or adult film director?

Two of those things. I'm a writer and a musician. I write fiction. And I also play drums, bass, saxophone and I sing. I was playing in a band for a few years called The Bitters. It was kind of like a co-produced thing with a friend of mine that plays in Fucked Up [Ben Cook]. So his time is much more taken up by that. That was probably the most involved project that I've done. I'm kinda in between things right now.

For writing, I've started publishing short stories... this while I'm distracting myself from a novel I'm stuck with. I've been working on that for over two years now. It's quite a beast.

What's something that no one else knows about you?

I'm a unicorn.

I don't really know if there's an answer to that. I'm not necessarily that extroverted, but I'm really honest with people that I care about. Keeping secrets makes people feel guilty about things, so I don't really believe in keeping secrets from people. It's not that everyone knows everything, because I'm definitely not like that. But between my close friends, I wouldn't say that there's still something they don't know about me. The full disclosure honesty policy.

Favourite Toronto hideout?

Well I grew up in the Beaches, so going back to the boardwalk, hanging out by the lake is a really nice feeling of coming home. It's comforting. At certain times of the day and certain times of the year especially, it's really quiet there, so it's a great place to hang out. I have an "East End" tattoo. It's on my foot. Want me to take off my sock? That might get weird.

Best album to spin at work?

[Explosions in the Sky is playing in the background.] I've been listening to the new Mastodon record a lot. Also, I've been listening to a lot of Cult of Luna. They're great.

To take the nerves out of customers, how do you properly order an Americano?

Do so not on your cell phone. We have a no-cell-phones-at-the-counter policy if you look at our cash register. It's nice to have the safety net of a sign on the cash register so I can just point to it. Or usually I'll just side step them and go to the next person and wait for them to finish. I'm not trying to be rude; it's just easier to communicate with them.

There is no secret to order an Americano. I'm not trying to be a brat... however you want to order it is fine.

How do you take your coffee?

Usually I'll either drink straight espresso shots or I've also really been getting into manual brew methods. Like Chemex and AeroPress. So moving away from espresso drinks into manual coffee. It's fun.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS:

Dogs or cats? Cats for sure.

Biggie or Tupac? Biggie. Good question.

Paris or London? I guess Paris. I'm not interested to go to either though.

Beards or mustaches? Definitely neither.

Bikes or streetcars? Bikes.

Rob Ford or Tim Hortons? Tim Hortons.

PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES:

• Ami Spears, Jet Fuel
• Michael Cubero, Manic Coffee
• Damien Zielinski, Capital Espresso
• Lachlan Kinnaird, Jimmy's Coffee
• Matthew Sonberg, R Squared

Photography by Joel Yum.

Name:

Anna May

How long have you been a bartender?

I've been in service for over 10 years. Maybe I started getting bartending experience five or six years ago at the now defunct The Green Room. I try not to keep track. [Ed.'s note: the Green Room is back, but under new ownership)

Name three reasons why you live in Toronto.

1. I'm from here
2. I think a sense of place and feeling of community are most important to me. There's no place like home.
3. High Park

Favorite customer and why?
A fella who lives across (Ossington) street who comes by for cokes and smokes. He talks all kinds of poetry, greets us with smiles and makes us laugh. He's was on this street long before any of these bars were, so you have to respect that. He also calls me Bella, so points for that.

How do you deal with a rowdy drunk?

You catch flies better with honey than vinegar. A smile and a suggestive pint of water when they ask for another can go a long way. If that doesn't work, then call security.

What's your favorite cocktail?

Gin Martinis. Wet and dirty.

Whats your favorite bar or hideout (other than where you work)?

If I tell you, everyone is gonna go! Black Dice on Dundas. They had me at their 25 cent jukebox that plays 45s! I will also check out Life of Craphead when they're performing.

What cocktail do you hate making the most?

More or less on principle I refuse to make anything called a Pornstar, Juicy Pussy, etc. Second to that are Long Island Ice Teas — you know where someone's headed if they order that drink.

What's the worst thing you've seen in a bar?

This past Halloween someone came to the bar dressed in blackface with a bucket of fried chicken and was immediately shot down, disarmed, washed his makeup off and left. It was intense! Generally though, I've seen people getting hit by beer bottles way more frequently than you'd think.

On your days off, we can find you (doing/at) _____.

Going for walks through Parkdale, Little Portugal, High Park and beside Lake Ontario at Sunnyside Beach — even in the winter.

What's your favorite word for drunk? (Sauced, Pissed, Loaded, etc)

"Juiced" or "all juiced up." It's from one of my favorite songs, Crystal Clear (Beer) by Beck.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Straight Up or On the Rocks? Straight up

Gin or Vodka? Gin

Light or Dark? Dark

Sweet or Dry? Dry

With a twist or olives? Olives

Lemon or Lime? Lemon

Tonic or Soda? Soda

Labatt or Molson? Labatt

Photos by Christian Bobak

Name:

Liam Bradford.

How long have you been a barista?

About six months.

Favorite customer and why?

I enjoy the customers that like to joke around, that don't take things too seriously. There are a few that come in here where it doesn't matter if they're on their way to work or whatever - they usually take the time to joke around a bit.

What's your secret for pulling the perfect shot?

It's hard to say - there are so many variables involved on pulling a nice espresso shot. A lot of it has to do with really being in touch with the machine, I know it sounds a little bit cheesy, but having a good feel for how the espresso's pulling that day and being able to adjust on the fly and make sure it's right.

Do you moonlight as a writer, actor, artist, and/or adult film actor?

No comment on the last one. No, actually, I don't. Quite a few of my colleagues do, but I'm a political science graduate, actually.

What's something that no one else knows about you?

I was the head of the A/V crew in high school doing the lights and stuff for assemblies. Pretty geeky club to be a part of, but I mostly just did it so my friends and I could hang out in the lighting booth and play video games. When I tell people that today they seem surprised. I guess you could say I really embraced my nerdy side back then.

Favorite Toronto hideout?

The third floor of the Toronto Reference Library. At the back, though - not at the main tables.

Best album to spin at work?

Hands down, Music from Big Pink by The Band.

To take the nerves out of customers, how do you properly order an Americano?

A lot of places i know, all you have to say is 'An Americano,' and they only do one size. Here at Cream we do two sizes, so big Americano or small Americano - that's it. No judgment.

How do you take your coffee?

I just take a drip coffee with a splash of cream. No sugar.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS:

Dogs or cats? Dogs, for sure.

Beatles or Rolling Stones? That's a tough one. Probably say Beatles.

Beards or moustaches? Beards.

Bikes or streetcars? Bikes.

Rob Ford or Tim Hortons? Tim Hortons.

PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES

• Ami Spears, Jet Fuel Coffee
• Michael Cubero, Manic Coffee
• Damien Zielinski, Capital Espresso
• Lachlan Kinnaird, Jimmy's Coffee
• Matthew Sonberg, R Squared

Photography by Joel Yum.

Name

Pam Hong or DJ PAMMM

How long have you been bartending?

A year and change. I started at Unlovable and moved to The Garrison a couple months ago.

Name three reasons why you live in Toronto.

Born. Raised. Family.

Trick for the perfect pint.

Every tap is different. The gas is measured differently and some beer is more foamy than others. You have to feel the tap out.

Favorite customer and why?

Respectful ones because they aren't too fussy.

How do you deal with a rowdy drunk?

Look them straight in the eyes, speak firmly but remain calm.

What's your favorite drink? (to make? to drink?)

A Caesar or Jameson on rocks.

What's your favorite bar or hideout (other than where you work)?

Unlovable or Camp 4. The staff are awesome and I usually run into someone I know there.

What cocktail do you hate making the most?

Polar Bears. Just annoying.

Worst thing you've either seen or heard in a bar?

Once I was backstage dropping off bottled water for the band and one of the guys told me he had just done laundered his underwear and asked me if I wanted to smell it. I awkwardly declined and ran away. I wish I had punched him but was caught off guard.

On your days off, we can find you (doing/at)?

Beer orders. But no, really, unpacking at my new apartment. Eating, drinking er "socializing".

What's your favorite word for drunk? (Sauced, Pissed, Loaded, etc)

Drunx, as in he is way too drunx.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS:

Straight Up or On the Rocks? Rocks

Gin or vodka? Vodka

Light or Dark? Light

Sweet or Dry? Sweet

With a twist or olives? Olives

Lemon or Lime? Lime

Tonic or Soda? Soda

Labatt or Molson? Molson

Pam also mentioned that The Garrison will be starting a weekly night in January, "Surrender to the Bartender." Every Tuesday a different bartender from around town will DJ the front room. Not while bartending, of course. Check out The Garrison's website for more details.

Photos by Peter Henderson

Name

Ami Spears.

How long have you been a barista?

I've lost count. Probably about 12 years. I actually started out at Starbucks in the States, in Austin. I was there for three years and then I moved to Toronto. There was a little break from coffee, but you never really lose it. So I've been here at Jet Fuel for about four and a half years.

Do you have a favourite customer and why?

Nice. Low maintenance. A lot of people ask for certain things and it depends on who you get here. Like some people will do somethings and some people won't. I'll do pretty much anything. We have a lot of regulars and it's about repetition. You get to know who wants what and know a little about them. I'm not a small talker. Like I don't small talk, I just make your coffee and hopefully you like it. Not a big small talker. I guess people might think I'm kinda dry or might think I'm a jerk. But I'm just kinda closed off at work.

What's your secret for pulling the perfect shot?

It's just kinda automatic now. We have the pump grinder here so it grinds all-day. It doesn't grind each time you pull. You just pump it three times and it's the right amount. You just need to know how much pressure to give it. It's pretty automatic, I think.

Do you moonlight as a writer, actor, artist or adult film director?

I'm a musician. I also do a vintage collective. We just do vintage pop-up shops. Mostly clothing. On the musician side I play drums and bass and sing in my band. We're called Ostrich Tuning. It's a reference to a particular tuning in the '60s. It's like psychedelic, melodic; it's noisy at times. It's all jamming in the way of psychedelic.

What's something that no one else knows about you?

I have no idea. I'm not a very mysterious person. As for the customers, I still don't think anyone knows I'm married. I've been married for probably a year and a half now. Probably before that, people probably didn't know I had a boyfriend or fiance because we already lived west. He doesn't drink coffee so he doesn't get out this way very much. And again, I don't give out a lot of information. But if someone asks me, I'll tell. I have conversations with my customers all the time, but I'm not the one to be like, "Oh, by the way..." Probably most of my customers don't know that I'm married.

What's your favourite Toronto hideout?

I like Tequila Bookworm a lot. I don't go there a lot, but anytime I do I really enjoy it. And their coffee has progressed over the years. I know a couple years ago I had a coffee and it wasn't that good, but it's really good now. I don't go out a ton, but when I do go out I like seeing shows, or playing a show. That in itself keeps me busy when I do go out. Favourite venue? I really like The Piston. It's on Bloor, it's also a lovely bar and in the back room there's a venue. It's kinda small but it's always really fun.

What's your favourite album to spin at work?

My go-to is "Unknown Pleasures" by Joy Division and then "Loveless" by Bloody Valentine, which I don't play a lot, because I think I've listened to it so much over the years. Every now and then I'll play it and it's just so good. And then a lot of Velvet Underground.

To take the nerves out of customers, what's the proper way to order an Americano?

People will come in and ask for a black coffee, and everyone here deals with it differently. I try to keep it simple. Like less words is less confusing. So I'm like, "Our regular coffee or black coffee is an Americano. It's water with espresso." I just break it down like that. Most people go for it. And our coffee does tend to be quite strong. Even I get cracked out on it - I can't drink more than one over six hours.

How do you take your coffee?

I do an Americano, sometimes really short with a bit of sugar and a little bit of cream and then some foamy milk. It's a little bit of everything. Or a Macchiato.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS:

Dogs or cats? That's a tough one. I'd have to say cats, but it's very close.

Biggie or Tupac? Biggie.

London or Paris? I'd love to go to Paris. I think I'd prefer France.

Bikes or streetcars? Bikes for sure.

Beards or mustaches? Beards.

Rob Ford or Tim Hortons? Yuck. Both are yuck. I like Tim Hortons' muffins.

PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES

• Michael Cubero, Manic Coffee
• Damien Zielinski, Capital Espresso
• Lachlan Kinnaird, Jimmy's Coffee
• Matthew Sonberg, R Squared

Photography by Joel Yum.

Name

Michael Cubero.

How long have you been a barista?

I've been a barista for almost three years. But my experience with coffee has been a lot longer than that. I was born in Costa Rica. So I've been surrounded by coffee ever since I was a kid. I started drinking coffee at five. It was just a little bit with a lot of condensed milk to make it sweet. Coffee has been more of a cultural thing than anything else for me.

I grew up in an area where coffee is big. I got to see where it comes from. Going with my grandfather to the refinery - that was basically my childhood.

Favourite customer and why?

The one that is interested in what goes in a drink. What makes it taste really good. Not only that, but are also interested in what we do and who we are as people. A lot of my customers know me by name and I know them by name. There's that mutual relationship. Those are my favourite types of customers. They're caring.

What's your secret for pulling the perfect shot?

As corny as it sounds, it's actually love. I'm just making sure it's a good shot. There are many different attributes. Like keeping the door open can change the shot completely. You're never going to pull the perfect shot. But you're always making sure that shot is going to taste good. I want to make something that I would drink. I want to make sure the customer enjoys that drink as much as I would.

Do you moonlight as a writer, actor, artist and/or adult film director?

I'm an animator. I do mostly freelance illustration work. Right now I have a personal project on the go. It's a stop-motion project so I thought it was going to take me a couple years, but it's going to take me a lot longer than I thought. That's what stop-motion is. Otherwise, a lot of graphics for web sites and little posters. It's very competitive, but it's what I love. And even though I don't make much doing it, I enjoy it.

What's something that no one else knows about you?

Ah. Good question. I don't know how many people know this, but surfing. Surfing is one of my passions. Coming from Costa Rica, even though I haven't been in a while, when I visit I hardly see my family because I'm at the ocean.

Favourite Toronto hideout?

I would say Trinity Bellwoods. Mostly for a walk. Even walking down my street, Delaware Ave., in the middle of the night when I'm trying to process ideas. Looking at old houses and trying to make up stories of people who might live there. It gives me ideas to create characters and atmospheres for projects. There's a charm, a different kind of charm, on Delaware south of Bloor and north of Bloor. It's more grungy on the north and the south is more clean - I like a little of both.

Best album to spin at work?

I spin a lot of Motown. A lot of Marvin Gaye, Jackson 5, early Michael Jackson, too. The list goes on.

To take the nerves out of customers, how do you properly order an Americano?

Everyone has their own way of doing things, obviously. When it comes to a customer for the first time, we're not rude about it; we just let them know how we do it. We ask them if it's okay with them. If they don't enjoy it, it's not a big deal for us to remake it. We just want to make sure the customer will be satisfied. Basically 95% of the time the customer is satisfied.

How do you take your coffee?

Black. Just a regular coffee, it would be black.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS:

Dogs or cats? Dogs.

Biggie or Tupac? Biggie.

Beards or mustaches? Beards.

Paris or London? I haven't been to either. But Paris.

Bikes or streetcars? I'm a walker.

Rob Ford or Tim Hortons? Tim Hortons. That's not a hard question.

PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES

• Damien Zielinski, Capital Espresso
• Lachlan Kinnaird, Jimmy's Coffee
• Matthew Sonberg, R Squared

Photography by Joel Yum

Name

Matthew Sonberg.

How long have you been a barista?

For only about a year.

Favorite customer and why?

My favourite customers are the ones I've had since Sense Appeal, because they've followed from each cafe that I've worked at since and they've been loyal to me and I've always tried to treat them well.

What's your secret for pulling the perfect shot?

It's just time. There's no shortcut to experience, and the more time that you spend with the shot you get to figure out how it acts, reacts, and how it ages.

Do you moonlight as a writer, actor, artist, and/or adult film actor?

Tempted, but never actually gone anywhere with it.

What's something that no one else knows about you?

I unicycle, and I'm pretty intense about it. I go hard into it.

Favorite Toronto hideout?

I'd say Rodney's by Bay.

Best album to spin at work?

Girl Talk. All day.

To take the nerves out of customers, how do you properly order an Americano

Personally, when someone asks me when they want an American I try to ask them what flavours they're going for, so that way I can change either my grind setting or the beans I'm using, so that I can give them a product that they'll enjoy.

How do you take your coffee?

I do a quad shot of espresso, two ounces of hot water, and another four ounces of steamed milk.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Dogs or cats? Dogs.

Jay-Z or Run-DMC? Jay-Z.

Beards or mustaches? Beard.

Rocket or submarine? I'd say submarine.

Rob Ford or Tim Hortons? Tim Horton's.

Photos by Joel Yum

Name

Lachlan Kinnaird.

How long have you been a barista?

About eight years now since I've been making this stuff. I did it back home. Home is Australia, Melbourne. My mom, she's a chef and they had cafes when I was growing up, so on the school holidays that's usually what I was doing. The shop was a lot like this, just on a busier street. Little shops, that's what they're all like back home.

Favourite customer and why?

Someone who comes in and knows their coffee; knows what they like. But who is not picky about it. They trust me to make it the way that I make it. But they come in for the chat more than the coffee. I mean, it is about the coffee, but it's also about the interaction between two people.

What's your secret for pulling the perfect shot?

It is just attentiveness. You always have to be watching it. Always got to be tasting. Always got to be feeling. Yeah, as long as you're paying attention to what's happening, then you should be fine. I mean, practice makes perfect. Coffee is the biggest example of that. I made coffee for four years without doing any better at it. All it takes is one thing and you get a lot better at it.

Do you moonlight as a writer, actor, artist and/or adult film director?

No. This is what I've been doing. This is always what I've done and this is probably what I'll keep doing. I do this because I like it. It's fun. For me, like I said, it's about the interaction. I don't come to work every day to pull espresso, necessarily, I come to work every day to enjoy the interactions. It just so happens over espresso.

What's something that no one else knows about you?

Shit, there's a lot, man. As a barista, you're secretive. God, I don't even know. That's a tough question. Well, I'm drunk half the time I'm doing this. Every Friday. After lunchtime.

Favourite Toronto hideout?

I like the upstairs at the Rivoli. Playing some pool, drinking some beers. One of the things about this neighbourhood is that everyone recognizes you. It's like being a bartender being a barista, everyone sees you. I hang out at the Rivoli and very rarely see people I know.

Best album to spin at work?

I like a bit of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blood Sex Sugar Magik. Just classic. Every song is a hit. If not that, lately I've been pulling some Black Keys.

To take the nerves out of customers, how do you properly order an Americano?

Usually what we do here is just ask, "What do you usually have?" And if someone says to me, "I usually have a double-double," and I'm like, "Well, let me make you a double Americano and put as much cream and sugar and see if you like that."

What I stand by in coffee is how you drink it. Not how I drink it. If you want a triple Americano with caramel and some steamed almond milk, what do I give a fuck? That's how you like it. As a bartender, and still am, if you want a martini a certain way--if you want me to drown the shit out of it with vermouth, I'll do that. Because you're paying the money to have that. So you should have it however you like it. Coffee is no different.

How do you take your coffee?

Single Americano. A bit of sugar.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Dogs or cats? Dogs.

Beards or mustaches? Beards.

Bikes or streetcars? Bikes.

Rob Ford or Tim Hortons? Tim Hortons! [Laughs his ass off]

PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SERIES

Damien Zielinski, Capital Espresso

Photos by Joel Yum