Mr. Toronto

Happy 2012!  I’m sure if you’re like most people, slight depression kicks in this time of the year as vacations end, the thermometer drops, and credit card bills arrive from those Holiday purchases that seemed so necessary at the time…

Well, I can’t do much about the first two issues, but perhaps I can ease the cash-flow pain just a smidge by writing my first blog of the year about “where to find stuff cheap” in Toronto…

Here are just a handful of miscellaneous suggestions on how to enjoy the City without breaking the bank – and there really are many, many more!  :

Steam Whistle Brewery tour – it’s not only educational, but you get a souvenir glass and walk away with a buzz from all the samples, for only 10 bucks! (www.steamwhistle.ca)

Paramount Fine Foods – sounds like a fancy grocery store, actually an awesome Lebanese baker and restaurant that offers filling meals for less than 5 bucks if you order right – and it’s right across from the Eaton Centre (253 Yonge St)

Eaton Centre Food Court – since I just mentioned the EC, should also give a plug to their AMAZING new food court – really have seen nothing like it.  Although it cost them millions of dollars to put together, you can find a tasty and unique meal for way less…

Value Village – an institution among those “in the know” (i.e. high school/college kids) – incredible clothing deals and assorted other items (924 Queen E and 1319 Bloor W)

Snakes and Lattes – great name, great spot – one of T.O.’s trendiest new hangouts allows you to play one of their 1500 (!!) board games while sipping and munching (www.snakesandlattes.com)

Blue Banana Market – a great spot to pick up unique gifts (in case you haven’t bought enough already!) from over 200 artisans – in Kensington Market, which is a whole area of inexpensive food, clothes and – everything (www.bluebananamarket.com)

Honest Ed’s – no article/story/blog on “cheap stuff” would be complete without a mention of this institution of cheap – if you’ve been, you know what I’m talking about; if you haven’t just GO.  And be prepared to spend a couple hours.  And look at it this way; even if you don’t buy anything, you’ve just gone to Toronto’s best FREE attraction! (www.honesteds.sites.toronto.com)

Happy savings,

Mr. Toronto

Fall seems to be the time when Toronto’s arts scene really heats up…live theatre is in full swing (the subject of a future blog, I’m sure) and new museum/gallery exhibits are opening (for example, the fantastic “Chagall and the Russian Avant-Garde” at the AGO). But it’s fall movies and concerts that seem to be drawing on my heartstrings and tugging at my wallet this time of year….

Toronto is known for it’s star-studded TIFF (International Film Festival) in September, but fall is also the season when a whackload of other film festivals take to screens around town, reflecting the City’s amazing ethnic and cultural mix…Google these and check out all they have to offer!

*Toronto After Dark (Oct. 20-27)

*Polish Film Festival (Oct. 21-23)

*Israel Film Festival (Oct. 23-27)

*Brazil Film Fest (Oct. 27-30)

*Diaspora Film Festival (Nov.1-7)

*Regent Park Film Festival (Nov. 1-7)

*Rendezvous with Madness (Nov.4-12)

*Reel Asian (Nov.8-19)

And boy, is there ever music in the air this time of year!  Here’s a sampling of just a handful of the most interesting shows coming to town (according to me, of course):

*Tedeschi Trucks Band at the Danforth Music Hall (October 25)

*Mumford and Sons at the Air Canada Centre (ACC) (same night!)

*DeadMau5 at the Rogers Centre (November 5)

*Trombone Shorty at the Opera House (November 17)

*Jay Z and Kanye West at the ACC (November 23 and 24)

*Feist at Massey Hall (December 1)

*The National with Neko Case at the ACC (December

I’d give you more options, but if you’re like me you’re already hyperventilating!  So just take a deep breath, choose a couple, and c’mon over!

Mr. Toronto

PS.  Although it is totally unrelated to this blog, I would be remiss if I did not mention the tragic – and freaky – passing of Indy Car Driver Dan Wheldan earlier this week.  Especially freaky for me, because I talked about him in a previous blog – and showed a photo of the 2 of us together – just a few months ago, after he won the Indianapolis 500.  He was a wonderful and charming guy who will be sorely missed.

Discovering Graffiti alley south of Queen W

One of Mr. Toronto’s greatest pleasures is discovering something totally new and unique in this wonderful City.  Just when I think I have done and seen it all in my (almost) 25-years living here, occasionally something comes along that makes me go “wow – this place really is amazing!”

Last Sunday I went on a “Toronto Laneway” walking tour.  I can’t actually say this is new; only to me, as the gentleman who has been leading these tours – Graeme Parry – has apparently been doing this for 9 years! Graeme is an incredibly knowledgeable young man who does these tours because he, too, is in love with Toronto and wants to share his knowledge.  As such, he does this as a hobby (I heard someone say his day job was working for the TTC, our transit commission), and they are absolutely FREE!

The tour was fascinating.  We met at the corner of Queen and Bathurst streets, and walked for an hour through “Graffiti alley” south of Queen, leading to hidden

laneway homes on residential alleys that at first glance look like nothing more than long driveways with garages on either side.  The tour ended on Ossington street, which was also great as it is one of the coolest/hippest little streets out there, with vintage stores (I bought a great ‘50s tie!), wonderful restaurants (see one of my previous blogs on Pizzeria Libretto), and funky lounges (Reposado Tequilla Bar is one of my faves).

Unfortunately, this was Graeme’s last walking tour of the season (he does them in summer only), but he also does biking tours, and these don’t end until September 18 (you can bet I’ll be there!).  For more information, visit his website at

http://www.graemeparry.com/Site/Toronto_Laneways.html

And be prepared to be amazed!

Mr. Toronto

No, not quite.  The end of summer is in site, but there’s still plenty of time to visit Toronto with the kids before school starts.  And to help plan, here are a few ideas from The Grid (formerly EYE magazine), which recently came out with a list of “49 Totally Rad (and totally cheap) Things To Do With A Kid In The City”:

1)      Go people watching in (funky) Kensington Market – especially the last Sunday of every month, when it’s pedestrian only.

2)      Explore Lake Ontario in a canoe – rentals available from Canoe Toronto at Harbourfront (283A Queen’s Quay West)

3)      Take advantage of free admission to Ontario Place – in celebration of its 40^th anniversary (though you’ll still have to pay for the great water park)

4)      Have a pajama party at a good old-fashioned drive-in – double features, the latest flicks at Polson Pier (www.polsonpier.com)

5)      Buy cheap seats to a Blue Jays game – lots of fun, starting at only 11 bucks.  And the team is really quite good this year!

6)      Visit Kew Gardens playground (Queen St.E. and Wellesley), complete with turreted castles, a swirly slide and even a beach!

7)      Take a “staycation” at the Delta Chelsea Hotel – full disclosure: I work there!  But it made the list, really! Best hotel in town for kids (just voted “Best Family Hotel” by the readers of City Parent magazine).  Amazing Family Fun Zone with huge pool and waterslide, Kids Centre, Teen Lounge, and daily Camp Chelsea programming. (www.deltachelsea.com)

That’s it for their list…now a couple of things to add which are going on now and you shouldn’t miss.

First is the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE, or “The EX”, if you want to talk like a native), on now until September 5^th. Animal and agricultural exhibits, special shows, shopping pavilions, midway rides, FOOD (new this year – deep fried Jell-O!!!).  A real institution that should be visited at least once in your lifetime!

Secondly, the new Cirque du Soleil show is in town until October 9, at a specially constructed tent near Cherry Beach.  I have seen Cirque many times over the years, and I can honestly say this is the best I have seen.  Incredible staging and truly unbelievable acts.  With or without kids, get there!

And enjoy the rest of your summer!

Mr. Toronto

BARGAIN CULTURE

I’ve always said that to really enjoy New York City you either have to be a millionaire or a poverty-stricken student. I never went the millionaire route (shame), but at least I went to university in NYC (many moons ago) and had the time of my life as a student.  Galleries, museums, plays, concerts were all either free or heavily discounted.  Well, I’m pleased to report that Toronto is very much a bargain centre for the under-30 set as well…this roundup of deals comes courtesy of Nicki Thomas/Toronto Star:

1)      The National Ballet of Canada offers $30 tickets (tax included) for anyone under 30 who signs up for their Dance Break program (www.dancebreak.ca)

2)      The Canadian Opera Company offers $22 performances through its “Opera for a New Age” program (www.coc.ca). There are also free concerts throughout the season in the lobby of the new(ish) Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

3)      The Toronto Symphony Orchestra offers $14 tickets if you are a “Soundcheck” member, up until age 35 (www.tso.ca)

4)      Soulpepper Theatre Company gives access to $12.50 tickets to almost every performance through their C-Stage program if you’re under 29 (www.canadianstage.com or 416-368-3110). There are also pay-what-you-can Monday night performances.

5)      The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts has an under-30 “Rush Club”, which offers $15 tickets for anything they are hosting (from music like Elvis Costello to Bollywood Musicals).  Sign up for the program at www.sonycentre.ca, and you’ll receive an email 3 days beforehand if tickets are available.

6)      Mirvish productions often has student rush seats for many of its performances. Check out www.mirvish.com, or better yet, join their facebook or twitter group!

7)      Both the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Royal Ontario Museum offer free admission (for all ages!) on Wednesdays.  AGO free hours are 6-8:30 pm, ROM is 3:30-5:30

And finally – again for all ages – don’t forget about T.O Tix, the discounted ticket booth at Yonge-Dundas Square.  It ain’t no Times Square TKTS – its selection is usually quite limited – but there are no lineups and you’ll find something to see!

Culture – with money left over for a beer afterwards.  What could be better?

Mr. Toronto

Since I’ve been blogging now for well over a year, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to blow my cover (a bit) and divulge that I work at the Delta Chelsea Hotel (just didn’t want you to think these blogs are advertisements of any sort – I do try my best to wear my Mr. Toronto hat and do nothing but offer up unbiased travel tips…).  Anyway, I am only telling you this because rather than my traditional “Toronto Tips” blog, I would like to share with you some culinary tips.  My experience during a recent – and thankfully short-lived – strike we had here at the hotel required me to leave my “normal” job and move down to the pizza counter in our restaurant– hauling crusts (heavy crusts!) and cheese from the fridge, opening up mega-tins of sauce (a miracle that I figured out how to use the can opener without losing a digit), chopping up veggies, meats and seafood, and using the left side of my brain to come up with interesting pizzas-of –the-day.

By my calculation, I created over 300 pizzas during this time period, so I feel somewhat qualified to share with you some observations on the ins and outs of the pizza oven.  In no particular order of importance:

1. Prepping beforehand is critical…make sure you have all the ingredients on hand before getting started
2. Use less sauce than you think you need (or it’ll be too soggy) and more cheese than you think you need (it seems to disappear)
3. Certain toppings cook better on top of the cheese (e.g. pepperoni and most meats), while others seem to do better underneath (e.g. mushrooms and other members of the veggie family)
4. Get to know the heat of your oven, or you’ll end up with burnt or soggy pies. (In our case, it seemed like the top oven baked much more quickly than the bottom one)
5. Speaking of burnt pies, it amazed me how many people liked their slices very well done (especially the pepperoni); I’m an “undercooked man” myself…
6. Having said that, always undercook the pizzas a bit; once they’re out of the oven, undercooked pizzas look a lot more appetizing than overcooked ones.  Plus, they get better done when you reheat them anyway….
7. It’s amazing what you can do with leftovers; if you try hard enough, almost anything can be put on a pizza and taste decent! Don’t be afraid to be creative.
8. Having said that, people in Toronto don’t seem to be ready for tuna on their pizzas (note to Torontonians – spend a couple weeks in Italy!!!)
9. Feta cheese and olives – no neutrality here -people either love ‘em or hate ‘em…..
10. Wait until the pizza cools a bit before cutting, or else you’ll have a cheesy mess on your hands.  On the other hand, if you wait too long, you’ll be fighting with the crust.

Just wanted to get these thoughts down while they were “fresh”.
It’s been a slice!
Mr. Toronto

Since I kept you waiting so long for my last blog entry, thought I’d give you an early Holiday present and follow up with another right away…especially cuz it’s timely info, and I wouldn’t want you missing out on any exciting T.O. entertainment….

Allow me to share with you the Toronto Star newspaper’s guide to the “Stars of the Season” – the best of December’s events (from an article dated Nov.21, 2009):

The Nutcracker – National Ballets’ annual blockbuster.  Gotta see this one once in your life…www.national.ballet.ca

Robin Hood, The Environmental Family Musical – every year, actor Ross Petty and his troupe distorts another well-loved story, to the delight of kids and adults alike…www.rosspetty.com

Puppetmongers – “elegant, detailed, loving and lovely”…www.puppetmongers.com

Canadian Brass – this accomplished quintet is known around the world as one of the best.  Playing with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra…tso.ca

And if you’re into the vocal stuff:

St. Michael’s Choir School – a festive program that reflects their wide range of ethnic backgrounds as well as their main role in the masses conducted every week at St. Michael’s Cathedral…roythomson.com

Nathaniel Dett Chorale – Canada’s only Afrocentric choir perform “An Indigo Christmas” from the Gospel, Caribbean and African traditions…roythomson.com

Hannaford Street Silver Band and Amadeus Choir – “Nothing says Christmas better than this 24-member brass band and 100-voice choir, in what is usually a pretty traditional selection of carols and anthems”…stlc.com

Please note that some of these events have multiple performances all month long, but others have just one or two dates – so check out the websites to avoid disappointment, and get over ASAP to celebrate the Holidays! And a shameless plug for my favourite Toronto hotel – the Delta Chelsea, just minutes from all these venues – that has a super “Shop n’ Stay” room rate from just $99!

If we don’t chat again before the end of ‘09, have a very happy holiday season, and look forward to blogging in the New Year!

Mr. Toronto