The Architecture of Windsor's Core

Hello, students of my morning class!

I am VERY excited that Doors Open Windsor has inspired you to want to learn more about the architectural heritage of Windsor, specifically here in the downtown core where there is SO MUCH POTENTIAL for a fun walking tour! This ties in beautifully with our goal of accessing free educational opportunities and achieving more social integration as we learn about Canadian culture.

I hope for us to be able to undertake this walking tour on Thursday.

In the meantime, we will learn the names of ten to twelve architectural styles and the terms needed to understand the main features of each one. I will be referencing this website in class a lot. I have asked the author for permission to use some of her photos in our handouts, but have not yet received a reply. Another good resource is the blog InternationalMetropolis. Andrew Foote has been blogging about Windsor and Detroit's history and architecture for some years now, so his is a rich site.

This "vernacular cottage" is the downtown home that first caused me to stumble upon the Heritage Register. It was built in 1900 and seemingly has no basement or crawlspace. I managed a peek inside when it was for rent two or three years ago.

I can't think of a better way to enjoy a mild September morning in the core than walking around looking at the beautiful Queen Anne, American Foursquare, and Craftsman style houses around us! It's like a treasure trove in our own backyard.

Billy Joel - The Piano Man

After more than a week of telephone practice, we have a request for a song lesson. The song I have chosen for us to listening to and study for a day or two is called The Piano Man by Billy Joel.

Billy Joel was born in New York City in 1949. He began studying piano at the age of four. He recorded the album "Piano Man" in 1973. The song was his first "top 20" single and the LP was his first gold album. He had multiple top singles and award-winning albums in the 70s and 80s.

In 1987, he became the first U.S. pop star to bring a full rock production to the Soviet Union. He performed in Moscow and Leningrad. His concerts still attract sell-out crowds around the world.

Billy Joel is also recognized as a humanitarian and philanthropist.

Cloze of lyrics - can you fill in the verbs? (Asterisks indicate phrasal verbs.)

The Piano Man by Billy Joel

It’s nine o'clock on a Saturday;
The regular crowd _______________ in.
There's an old man _______________ next to me
Makin' love to his tonic and gin.

He _________, "Son, can you ___________ me a memory?
I'm not really sure how it ___________,
But it's sad and it's sweet and I ___________ it complete
When I ___________ a younger man's clothes."

La la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

Refrain:
Sing us a song, you're the piano man.
Sing us a song tonight.
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody,
And you've got us _____________ all right.

Now John at the bar _____ a friend of mine;
He ________ me my drinks for free.
And he's quick with a joke or to _________ _______ your smoke,
But there's someplace that he'd rather be.
He says, "Bill, I ___________ this is __________ me."
As the smile ________ __________ from his face*
"Well I'm sure that I _________ be a movie star
If I could ________ ________ of this place"*

La la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

Now Paul ______ a real estate novelist
Who never ________ time for a wife.
And he's ____________ with Davy, who's still in the Navy
And probably _______ _______ for life.

And the waitress ______ ______________ politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned.
Yes, they're _______________ a drink they call loneliness,
But it's better than _____________ alone.

Sing us a song, you're the piano man.
Sing us a song tonight.
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody,
And you've got us feelin' all right.

It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday,
And the manager __________ me a smile
'Cause he knows that it's me they've been ___________ to see
To _____________ about life for a while.
And the piano, it _____________ like a carnival.
And the microphone ____________ like a beer.
And they _________ at the bar and _________ bread in my jar
And say, "Man, what are you __________ here?"

Oh, la la la, di da da
La la, di da da da dum

Sing us a song, you're the piano man.
Sing us a song tonight.
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody,
And you've got us feelin' all right.

Discussion of the song can be found here.