Mr. Toronto

The weather has been gorgeous these past few days in Toronto, and whoever hasn’t been glued to the hockey playoffs (this IS Canada, after all) has been hanging out at one of the City’s fantastic outdoor patios. Nothing like sitting in the sun (or shade – I’m an equal opportunity patio lounger) and quaffing one of our fine Canadian brews while watching the world go by.

Some of the best places to do that include:

• The Black Bull at 298 Queen Street (a hangout for everyone from bikers to punkers to jocks)
• The Madison at 14 Madison (with FIVE levels of patios!)
• The Wheat Sheaf Tavern at 667 King W (Toronto’s oldest, open since 1849)
• Polson Pier at 11 Polson (formerly known as “The Docks”, it is probably the largest patio in the City, with definitely the most awesome view)
• Café Diplomatico at 594 College (a Little Italy institution)
• Sweaty Betty’s at 13 Ossington (had to throw that is because I LOVE the name, and no list would be complete without mention of the hip Ossington strip)
• Hemingway’s at 142 Cumberland (in the heart of Yorkville – quite a different crowd than the Black Bull)

And my two very favourite out-of-the-way hideaways (worth the schlep):

• The Gem Bar & Grill at 1159 Davenport, a very hip neighbourhood hangout that usually has great free live music to boot
• The Rectory Café on Ward’s Island – this one you have to take a ferry to- catch it from the foot of Yonge St. next to the Westin Hotel; you’ll feel like you’re on an island retreat (wait a minute – you ARE!)

Wanted to tell you about these early in the season, so you’ll have time to try them ALL! And feel free to let me know about your favourites, too.

Cheers!

Mr. Toronto

Yes, it’s true – Toronto has just gone through a month long City Worker’s strike. City run day camps and swimming pools were closed, the Island Ferry wasn’t running, and garbage wasn’t being picked up. But the media played it up much worse than it actually was (surprise, surprise…) – tourists hardly noticed a thing. There were alternate ways to get to the Island (water taxis), and independent trash collectors made sure the streets were clean. But if you WERE waiting for the strike to be over before visiting, it just ended – so come on down! Personally, I am pretty grateful, cuz I had some pretty old garbage stored in my garage…gotta air that puppy out real good…

If you’re coming to visit with the kiddies, I thought I would pass along five kid-friendly eateries to satisfy grumbling tummies, as noted in the most recent issue of WHERE magazine (very handy to pick up when you hit town, FYI). They are:

1. The Pickle Barrel, casual with a huge menu (a few locations, but easiest is at Atrium on Bay, between the Eaton Centre and delta Chelsea Hotel)
2. The Rainforest Café (you know this, right? Jungle animals, thunder/lightening – kinda tacky but the kids go wild) at Yorkdale Mall (great mall, by the way. Car is easiest, but also serviced by the subway
3. The Old Spaghetti Factory – Fun, Cheap and Casual – on the Esplanade way downtown
4. Alice Fazoolis – Like above, only a little more classy – and a great patio!
5. Richtree Market Restaurant - individual cooking stations, self serve – lotsa fun and interesting to watch…on Yonge, right downtown

And just for the adults, thought I’d throw in a little tip for when the kiddies are tucked in bed – there’s a gem of a local pub I just went to over the weekend, called – The Gem.

One of those rare neighbourhood hangouts that’s tucked away, cozy , warm and friendly – with great food and a great patio (and live music some nights). Davenport St. near Christie.

Cheers!

Mr. Toronto

Just had our first GORGEOUS weekend here in T.O., so my mind has turned to summer activities…this City really is at it’s finest when the sun comes out…a couple of my favourite things to do here in nice weather:

1) Take the ferry over to Toronto Islands – better yet, taking my bike over on the ferry (you can also rent over there) and walking/cycling around all the islands…Centre Island is the most well known – complete with petting zoo and Centreville amusement park – but I love Ward’s Island, where people actually live…and there is a beautiful little restaurant there, the Rectory Café…

2) Hang out in one of our great parks – you can get lost in High Park for hours, but my favourite is Allen Gardens, on Lawrence Ave. – beautiful foliage, nature walks…and close to the Bridal Path, Toronto’s ritziest neighbourhood (incredible homes – Prince had one until his recent divorce from a Toronto girl…)

3) Choose a patio, order a bevvie, and watch the world go by…this city has a crazy number of fantastic patios – streetside, rooftop, courtyard – rather than try and list them, I’d rather refer you to EYE Magazine’s Bar and Patio Guide 2009, which just came out last week (EYE and NOW are the two weekly magazines that tell you everything you need to know about what’s happening in the city):

Finally, let me point you to a really cool article about Toronto that just appeared in the New York Times – full of interesting tips, from a visitor’s perspective: 36 Hours in Toronto.

Later,

Mr. Toronto