Artistic Renditions of the “Toronto Ikea Monkey”

So, earlier this week there was an adorable little monkey wearing a coat running around an Ikea in Toronto. Unfortunately, since its kind is illegal in Toronto, he is now sitting in an animal sanctuary, away from his mommy.

 

This widdle monkey has sparked a lot of artistic renditions all over the internet this week:

(source)

One girl on tumblr has an tattoo of the monkey.

This tumblr user painted the poor monkey in a painting titled, “Why me?”.

Here is my contribution to the Ikea Monkey art:

//edit, December 15//

Here is another one

The sad little Willow Oaks Shopping Center (Hampton, VA)

A few months ago, I went to the Fox Hill area of Hampton (where I grew up) to visit an old friend. I went by the Willow Oaks shopping center where mom and I used to do all our shopping back in the 90s.

It’s pretty sad now.  It’s only real strength now is the Farm Fresh which replaced the old Super Fresh/Farmer Jack that was torn down in the Summer of 2000, I believe, it was right before my folks and I left Hampton.

(I screencapped this from google maps a few years ago)

Nothing has changed about this Rite aid since the 90s. Everything has remained the same, it was almost scary, I felt like I was in 8th grade again and I was begging mom for nail polish or sneaking lipstick in her cart.

Oh. Derp. Another selling point of this shopping center is the library. I don’t think I’ve been in here since 2001 when I was a senior in high school.

Growing up, I seem to remember none of the stores in the breezeway staying open for long. I remember a dollar store there the summer of 1994, and my mom buying a ton of useless junk from there.

This was a One Price $7 store where all the clothes were $7 each, back in 1992-1994. My mom bought all my clothes from there during my late elementary school years. I’m pretty sure it has stayed abandoned since 1994.

In the back of the shopping center, there was office buildings. My tutor and my dentist were in these offices. I suspect I know why my tutor went out of business, and I guess my dentist retired.

I remember the leaves always piled up here. My knockoff Blythe doll was enjoying the leaves. Last year, I got tired of just taking pictures of … buildings. So now I bring one of my dolls to pose at the abandoned buildings. Don’t judge.

So, the abandoned Roses/West Telemarketing building.

Here is my other knockoff Blythe doll, Eyebrows in front of the abandoned building.

The directory is almost correct. It’s a few years off. The Farm Fresh (building a1) isn’t on here, and its been open since 2000, 2001?