Toronto Star

I've been meditating on the verandah. Now, don't get me wrong, I haven't been assuming the lotus position on my front porch. It's just that with the warm weather coming on, I've found myself thinking lately about the history and quality of the verandahs that wrap some of Toronto's older buildings. One thing I've worked out is that a verandah is better than a porch. Where verandahs are wide and luxurious, even the best porches can feel small and cramped. The word porch itself comes from the porticos that graced the front of ancient Greek and Roman temples. They were often beautiful, and they could shelter you from a stiff rain, but there was always something functional about them, something direct and pragmatic.