I was watching painter and stylist, Kate Schelter earlier today, and she said something that reminded me how important it is to get a glimpse of your city from a far sometimes. “In New York I always feel like you have no perspective, you literally have no view of anything, you can’t see very far. You need to go and get a view of something –– I think it’s very inspiring to have a view.” My neighbour Gina likes to go to the island in the summer for the feeling of vacation that the outing gives her. “I actually feel like we’ve gone somewhere.” I often walk up the steps to Casa Loma and catch my breath up there. That’s a view I like. I also like the familiarity of the fences and roofs and lawns outside my window. And the view of our late summer garden from the kitchen table. But Schelter’s right –– sometimes a wider, less familiar view is inspiring, and necessary, too.