Out & About #956 | Stackt Holiday Hills, The Well + Arcadia Earth

The holidays are often the busiest time of the year, unsurprisingly so. 
Once again, I've found my upcoming schedule inexplicably hectic all of a sudden. I'd argue it's less "overcommitment" and rather "forgetfulness towards prior commitments", though it would equate it the same turnout when viewed plainly on one's calendar.

Over the past few years, friendships have been tested for resilience. Contrasting (and potentially conflicting) perspectives, pandemic-related struggles, and staggered journeys of self-growth were contributing elements of distance - be in the physical or metaphorical sense. A handful of previously-established bonds were broken, some merely maintained by sporadic surface-level interactions, and a couple fortified by similar standpoints, withstanding the challenges of time and change.

Amongst my roster of virtual interactions, a particular user reached out to extend an invitation to a media launch event coinciding with one of my in-office days. Nearly five years have passed since our last in-person meeting, with the last excursion taking place on the border of Markham and Scarborough.

For the event was scheduled to take place until 5:30 PM, I took to a solo sojourn before her arrival downtown.

stackt's Holiday Hills Market hadn't conjured much tremendous interest (nor positive feedback, for that matter) from my surrounding circle. Though I figured the destination was close enough for a brief detour; I'd be waiting aimlessly anyway.

​stackt's Holiday Hills Market hadn't conjured much tremendous interest (nor positive feedback, for that matter) from my surrounding circle. Though I figured the destination was close enough for a brief detour; I'd be waiting aimlessly anyway.

After transferring between the 503 and 504 streetcars along King, I eventually arrived at the entrance near sundown. It was mostly empty at this time, for the City was transitioning between rush hour commutes and post-work activities.

The corridors featured holiday-themed installations, ranging from a sleigh with wooden reindeer silhouettes, string lights and garlands, and a Christmas tree at the centre of the market.

​Featured across countless social media accounts was the Tunnel of Lights, an arc fitted with flickering red, yellow, blue, and purple bulbs. The palette was complemented by the similarly cool-toned gradient of the evening sky, but was likely to be even more brilliant against a backdrop of sheer dimness. The CN Tower being visible from the west end of the tunnel was another noteworthy aspect, particularly visitors with for photo-taking aspirations.

Nearing Belgian Moon Brewery were more installations, a series of bonfires, two food trucks, and the outdoor market's signature curling lanes. At the north end was the Fizz & Fire patio and a sliver of a dog park.

The container configuration hadn't appeared any different since my last visit, nor was the Holiday Hills event distinctly grander than I recalled. While the concept of rotating vendors instilled a factor of newness, the on-site retail selection was limited and failed to align with my interests. It was an interesting facility to browse and relax within, though not particularly intriguing.

stackt on its own wouldn't have justified the standalone trip.

Departing the area rapidly to prevent smelling like burning lumber, I commenced my from Bathurst to Spadina along Front. Extremely spacious and not congested, the strip made for a peaceful, pedestrian-friendly trek with a striking view of the CN Tower.​

​In under nine minutes, I arrived at The Well.

The mixed-use building had opened to the public despite being still being under construction. More vacant than it was filled with vendors, the three-storey fixture was a new spot that had steadily gained popularity for its architectural layout and Aurora Borealis-themed light show.

At its Front Street entrance was a small, rectangular rink, likely a recent addition for Holiday at The Well. The compact space appeared crude compared to the comprehensive interlock tiling, bordered by a thin frame of 2 by 4s which doubly served as railing. While walking by, I observed staff laying down foamy inserts for navigation on bladed footwear. The temporary rink was very much a work in progress.

Descending down the concrete stairs, I found more vendors and even a series of pop-up stalls positioned along the basement-level corridor. The design of the structure was interesting, since it was covered but not totally enclosed from external elements - similar to the corridors between East Liberty Street and Hanna Avenue in Liberty Village.

At The Well's Spadina entrance was a sizable Adidas store, a De Mello outpost, and escalators that would connect to the third floor. It was, in essence, the only connection from ground level, for the elevators at the south limit were still under construction.

On the second floor was the Stardust Bridge and Gay Lea pop-up - the latter identical to Square One's last winter.

When the one who extended the invitation eventually pulled up to the parking garage at Portland and Front, we slowly began to make our way to Arcadia Earth. (Let it be known that, depending on the time of day, The Well's private garage may be more affordable than Green P garage 096.)

Navigating towards the third floor was more complicated than I had imagined, for, while signage was in place, not all elevators were not functional. The same commentary could be extended towards the washroom facilities, wherein industrial-looking soap bottles were positioned adjacent to the faucet in the absence of dispensers and stall doors did not lock seamlessly.

​Arcadia Earth was set to officially open to the public on December 1st. In the days leading up to the Friday were a series of media events and launch parties.

We arrived at a scene I had once been acquainted with: a check-in process at the door denoting invite exclusivity, bustling crowds comprised of high-nosed "influencers", and poor efforts at mingling amidst deafening music. These marketing events were a thing of my past, and not constituting experiences I was tremendously proud of attending. In exchange for complimentary admission and sustenance was the unavoidable homework assignment of posting content for the masses. And, given the incredibly limited attention span of today's society, turnover rate can be high. Same-day, short-format snippets are almost always preferred over contemplative, insightful productions for the purpose of advertising, sacrificing much of the quality in the name of speed and delivery.

Alas, my role was merely to serve as accompaniment - in other words, photo support and facilitator, where the need arose.

​After dropping off winter jackets at the coat check, we began to peruse the grounds. I first observed the various shelves of merchandise, all themed about sustainable living and/or incorporating eco-friendly initiatives. Before them were a number of vendor tables, likely on site strictly for the launch event. To the left of the entryway was a bar and seating area; nearby was more merchandise on the wall. At the very centre of it all was a DJ on scene, bobbing to the boisterous tracks as attendees excitedly mingled.

Shortly after our arrival, the founder of the space held a speech: He first began by describing the initial excitement he felt when admiring the exhibit in New York, then tearfully dabbed at his eyes while declaring profound joy at seeing the exhibit of his dreams finally emerge in a fixed location. Soon, he was joined by the president and CEO of World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the renowned organization with whom Arcadia Earth had partnered for one of the installations. The panda had become a familiar sight to me following the CN Tower Climb, despite not one generating particular affection.

​In contrast to my inviter - who appeared visibly frazzled, hurrying from point to point - I was more invested in the overall atmosphere of the event, as well as the platters making their around the dimly-lit venue. Catering was provided by Oliver & Bonacini in the form of mini crab cakes, sushi bites, gnocchi, beef tartare, and even oysters. The opulent-looking hors d'oevres gradually neared us, prompting eager acquisition.

While the crab cakes were too garlicy for my preference and the sushi bites excessively vinegary and topped with chili slices, the Beef Tartare chips was quite delectable. Having not consumed anything past 4 PM, I was famished. Little did I know that my exploration partner hadn't intended on eating supper together after the event.

​Hovering between the bar and the DJ booth, I could be spotted indulging in as many Beef Tartare chips as one could without losing grace - and before being summoned for photo-taking. Naturally, an open bar could hardly be resisted. Beyond still water - in glass bottles no less! - sparkling water was also offered iced for those yearning for non-alcoholic, bubbly hydration. Mill Street's Lager and Pilsner were spotted in the modern 355 ml cans, while O&B branded white and red wines stood tall adjacent. As I would later learn, the white ran out sooner, indicating popularity.

Guests were forbidden from entering the exhibit with food and beverage in hand, reasonably so. As such, cocktails and further ingestion of fare were deferred until after exploration.

At the entrance were a series of a large touchscreen panels offering tutorials to maximize one's experience within. Besides the obvious physical attributes, the exhibit incorporated technology by making use of augmented reality. Using the facility's password-secured Wi-Fi network, the dedicated app could be downloaded and used to scan circles positioned on the floor and along the walls for more information. Available for guest use were tablets by the exhibit entrance, allowing even those without smartphones to enjoy the experience.

​One could argue that the concept was akin to the KAWS exhibit at the AGO (a beta version anyway), however the Companion-centric corridor had failed to boast the same degree of accuracy and interaction as Arcadia Earth.

The thin circles were quickly recognized, causing virtual elements to surface immediately action after scanning. Various species would pop out on the screen, followed by prompts to click around it for fun facts and trivia. 

The first room took the form of an underwater corridor with floor-to-ceiling images of sea creatures and protruding, two-dimensional coral fixtures.

​It transitioned into an unfinished tunnel with an enclosed transition corridor into the next room. Given that the exhibit had opened prior to the room's completion, we were informed that any patrons who had purchased tickets before its intactness would be emailed a complimentary ticket for a follow-up visit to supplement the experience.

The next room was quite remarkable: An exorbitantly cool space with a sci-fi meets escape room aura centred about the concept of e-waste. Along the perimeter of the room were old smartphones, wired mice, keyboards, office phones (some of which still in use in my own municipal office building), and, the most impressive of all, a short staircase leading up to a dramatic throne backlit with menacing green lighting. An enormous thunder bolt could also be observed mounted on the wall across from the throne, flickering in tandem with an staticy audio sequence playing overhead.

​In sharp contrast to its former exhibit, Fishtainable mostly utilized a palette of red and black. Twisted nets suspended from the ceiling and rotating hanging chairs were the primary consituents of the exhibit. Positioned throughout the floor were the aforementioned AR circles. Some triggered images of dolphin escaping a net, while others close-up views of sharks and a walk-able tour of a typical fishing boat. Though not immediately obvious, the installation was intended to promote sustainable fishing - in other words, finding harmony by balancing the needs of the industry while preserving biodiversity in the fish ecosystem.

View the full album HERE !

Shifting colour schemes yet again, the subsequent room adopted a beige-tan-yellow theme. It featured a suede-like carpet with a hexagonal pattern, beehives and floral embellishments constructed of paper, and noses crafted of wood. On the other side of the nose structures were incense sticks, originally sheathed within glass containers, though later left open for fragrance permeation of the space.

This room was intriguing, yet also not for the faint of heart for the smell-sensitive.

​Up next were two rooms with featuring light projections the wall. The first was nearly identical to the one experienced at THEMUSEUM (880) in Kitchener, with the exception of movement tracking swapped for microplastics graphics and audio recordings. The second, which was curated in conjunction with WWF, possessed a heavier focus on nature scenes.

​Minimal images were captured in these rooms, for my photo support services were sought for most of our stay.

​The last art-based room advocated against single-use plastics, prompting visitors to track their landfill generation with a Carbon Footprint calculator. Admittedly, this was the least novel installation of the event, for none of the information presented was new to me.

That said, the room layout oddly evoked recollections of the National Geographic display on the top floor of the ROM some eight years back, for it presented similar educational content in a dimly lit room.

A bonus VR attraction could be found between the exit corridor and the Turn Off The Plastic Tap centrepiece, though we refrained from engaging in the activity on the basis of lack of interest. Visitors merely sat at a table while donning the headset, eliminating the dynamic element witnessed at typical VR game institutions.

​There was some degree of difficulty locating the washroom, thus assistance was requested from a member of staff. The design of the indoor plumbing facilities was odd in that we'd retrace our path through several rooms before discovering the pristine, low ceiling stalls. Unsurprisingly, the bathrooms of Arcadia Earth were much nicer than those of The Well, a clearly unfinished building.

Before departing, I took to a few more bites of Beef Tartare chips and a fruity cocktail of Aperol and Bourbon, though the latter was hardly discernible.

Generally speaking, the event was a venture more enjoyable than I had envisioned, despite my partner-in-crime's consistently turbulent manner throughout. Arcadia Earth was a multi-sensory, interactive experience that bridged the realms of art and education. The rooms had been constructed to appeal to a wide array of visitors of varying different ages and technological familiarity: physical, textured elements for tactile stimulation, incense jars for olfactory incitment, audio recordings and Augmented Reality for additional tidbits of trivia, along with a plethora of mediums, colours, and light sequences to maximize both amusement and academic factors.
Furthermore, the exhibits had succeeded in being obvious enough to be comprehensible to the general public while retaining a sense of complexity for those more attuned/appreciative of their underlying intentions.

​Descending back to ground level, I urged for a detour towards Prince Street Pizza for proper sustenance. Despite the late hour of 8:30 PM, a lengthy lineup persisted outside the space, leading to immediate dismal of the idea.

En route to follow-up holiday festivities in the St. Lawrence area, my partner-in-crime dropped me off at Union Station before bidding farewell.

The transit hub was shockingly busy for 9 PM on a Thursday evening. By this point, nearly all food court vendors had ceased operations for the evening, or sold out entirely of savoury food items.

Trying my luck at Tim Hortons first, I rapidly learned that the stall had ran out of all savoury sustenance except Veggie Bowls. Kibo Market had, similarly, been depleted of hot food and only offered dessert, such as ice cream or dango. All vendors within Union Market had closed, gates pulled. A homeless guy wandered along the corridor, hunched over and leaning over standing rest area.

McDonald's assumed my last resort. An overpriced Grilled Chicken McWrap rang in at just under $10 after tax - an appalling result of inflation, since combo-less wraps used to be $6.99.

Moral of the story: Eat first.