I walked to Parkdale Saturday afternoon. The Parkdale Art Crawl was in full swing. Art lovers were taking in displays and vendors were selling the wares. I spend most of the morning sleeping and being lazy so I didn't venture out till around 3pm. It was perfect timing though, the sun had come out and it was warming up nicely. I was going to meet Tanja who was showcasing her photography. I got a chance to browse through her books and she really does take great pictures. I kinda realized that with the Variety shots we did, but this solidified it. Her booth mate, who is just as amazing, was Sean M.L. Galbraith. I really loved his urban exploration themed photos and this one of the Brick Works particularly. I chatted for a bit with Tanja and Sean then headed on my way.

I decided to walk back to my place. I had to get another nap before heading out to meet friends that night. I'm just about to come up on Dufferin street when the smell of Nag Champa and the glimpse of hardwood stops me in my tracks. Koma Designs, why does that name sound so familiar, hmm. Oh yes, I'm suppose to visit this store. So this is where this place is, what luck. I'm initially struck by all the fantastic light fixtures in the store. The merchandise is a mixture of the old and new. Vintage and retro styles are everywhere. I take a seat in the sensory depriving ball chair. I want to sit in the vintage school desks also, but I figured I wasn't that small anymore. There were a few Gladiator helmets on bookcases and desks that I totally fell in love with. There's that military fetish again. The owner, Jamie Cheveldeyoff, let me know that downstairs is where the local designers are showcased. I really liked Jamie's own contribution, the Urban Bohemain Floorgy Paradise. It was the perfect lounge area with a canopy, I could totally see myself owning this. If you are thinking of visiting, Koma Designs is having an End of the World sale till the end of September. You can save up to 40% on selected merchandise.

After staring at great furniture for awhile, I started home again. This time Warhol sidetracks me. I noticed these boxes in the window with Warhol written on them. I decided to take a quick peak. I also happened to noticed a espresso machine and I really wanted a coffee. Edaas is the name of this minimalist store. It's part gallery, retail and coffee shop. The Warhol boxes were some of the acrylic dishware and accessories collection. I struck up a conversation with the owner Thomas Quan about the cycling team he was part of. When I walked in Thomas and and his friend was watching the cycling portion of a triathlon, this is how the cycling team came up. I admired the beautiful espresso machine and ordered a mocha latte with no sugar. Thomas placed the cup down on the counter once he was finished. I said it looked really good and I was told that "Oh yes, it's a damn good tasting coffee". He was right, it was heavenly. The chocolate sweetness was perfect and any additional sugar would have just ruined the experience. It was really creamy too and the perfect amount of foam. I will be making this a regular coffee stop, I need to try a latte.

Koma Designs
1239 Queen Street West
416-532-5662

edaas
1168 Queen Street West
416-538-0506