Mr. Toronto

Since it’s still just a tad too soon to talk about beers on a sunny outdoor patio (though a couple of days like that have taunted us), I’d like to focus on coffee.Maybe it’s because I just read an interesting article on java…did you know coffee could be considered a fruit? Coffee beans are the pits at the centre of bright red coffee cherries, which grow on trees; the average tree bears enough cherries each season to produce between 1 and 1 ½ pounds of roasted coffee. And coffee is the favourite beverage of adult Canadians (right after tap water), consuming an average of 2.6 cups per day…

I also read a fascinating news article on a popular coffee joint in town, Pinball Café. It seems like this great retro hangout on Queen Street was “busted” for having more than 2 pinball machines, violating a law that was enacted to stop young rowdies from hanging out…(leave it to Canada!). They are currently appealing…

But this led me to investigate other cool spots for coffee, and there are many in the City – here’s just a “taste”:

• Playful Grounds – great name for a java joint where tots can play while parents have a drink. www.playfulgrounds.com

• Lost and Found – coffee shop/designer clothing store combo www.shoplostfound.com

• Te Aro Roasted – A New Zealand – cloned roastery www.te-aro.ca

• Mountain Bean Coffee – cozy log-cabin atmosphere www.montainbean.com

• Snakes and Lattes – always packed, you can enjoy a cuppa while playing one of the hundreds of board games (vintage and new) lining the walls www.snakesandlattes.com

• Covernotes Coffee House – everything artsy with your java, from a used bookstore to a gallery space for local artists to poetry readings… www.covernotes.wordpress.com

• Hot Box Café – OK, so it’s not exactly known for its coffee – but it certainly is one of Toronto’s most famous infamous joint for joints. Yes, people are on the back patio having a cuppa while smoking something which is still not legal in Canada – but for some reason, the police turn a blind eye here…www.hotboxcafe.ca

And what a perfect segway to the photo I took yesterday as I was crossing a downtown street…meet “Mr. Cannabis”, promoting a march taking place over the weekend to support legalization…only in Toronto!
High (I mean Bye!),
Mr. Toronto