Mr. Toronto

As we head into the last month of the year, this is the time we get inundated in all media with “Best of…” lists. So why shouldn’t Mr. Toronto be allowed to throw in his two cents?  Although come to think of it, this entire blog is dedicated to the best things to see, do, hear and eat in our City.  That being the case, I’m going to “borrow” a bit for these next couple of blogs, and pull some “Best of” lists from others who also know what they are talking about!

Let’s start with Ontario Tourism and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario.  These two organizations recently gave out awards to recipients around the province, so while these may require day trips from Toronto, they’re worth it!:

• Sustainable Tourism Award: Algonquin Eco-Lodge (www.algonquinecolodge.com) -Located on the southern border of Algonquin Park (3 hours from Toronto), it’s a wilderness enthusiasts’ dream!
• Tourism Innovator of the Year: EdgeWalk at the CN Tower (www.edgewalkcntower.ca) – Toronto’s newest and tallest attraction has adventure lovers taking a walk OUTSIDE – around the circumference of the roof!
• Event of the Year: The Stratford Perth Culinary Festival (www.visitstratford.ca/culinaryfestival)  - Award-winning chefs, amazing toured tastings, cooking shows and entertainment come together for a fantastic September weekend in beautiful Stratford (another reason to visit besides the Stratford Festival and a tour of Justin Beiber’s favourite haunts!)
• Culinary Tourism Experience Award: The Culinary Adventure Company (www.culinaryadventureco.com) – I’ve blogged about these folks before – my new friend Chef Scott leads fabulous food-related tours throughout the City and even over to the Toronto Islands! And that’s a good segue way to mention a few more of Toronto’s top “food tour” companies – check out these websites to see what they offer and when:
  • www.chowbellaconcierge.com
  • www.toursbylocals.com
  • www.torontowalksbikes.com
  • www.tastytourstoronto.com

While I’m on the topic of Toronto’s best, I would be remiss if I ended this blog without a shout-out to the city’s best sports team, since we don’t often (like once every 15 years or so!) get to brag about these things….AAAARRRGGGOOOSSS!!!  For those of you outside of Canada who have NO clue what I am referring to, our Canadian Football League (yes, there is one!) team, the Toronto Argonauts, just won the Grey Cup (the CFL’s version of the Super Bowl).  Even sweeter, the game was played in Toronto this year, at the Rogers Centre.  Sweeter still, it was the 100th Anniversary of the Cup, and all the stops were pulled out – including a halftime show featuring Canada’s top musical talents, past (Gordon Lightfoot) and present (the aforementioned Beibs – hey, I said Top”, not “best”!).  Sweetest of all?  I was there! (photos).
To be continued….

Mr. Toronto

I guess that’s why they call me “Mr. Toronto”….

I had another topic planned for this blog entry, but this past weekend was one of those jam-packed, gee-this-city-is-terrific whirlwinds that just demands sharing…so here goes!

Friday night: Went to one of my favourite live music venues in town, Monarchs Pub (full disclosure – located at the Delta Chelsea Hotel, where I work!).  Live music – featuring the best local and visiting jazz, blues and rock musicians – is featured here four nights a week, and there is never a cover charge!  This particular evening was a benefit concert, which featured at least a dozen incredible performers over five hours!www.monarchspub.ca

Saturday: Took a walk through Yorkville. Usually not my favourite Toronto neighbourhood – a little too chic for my tastes – this time I discovered a couple of totally awesome stores (more suited to ‘hoods I prefer, like Kensington or Queen (way)West).  The first is Rolo Gifticians (www.rolostore.com)  – an incredibly cramped funhouse full of stuff I would love to receive (feel free – Chanukah is around the corner!).  The second is Legends (www.legendsgallery.ca), a photography gallery specializing in “Music, Film, Fashion, History”– with dozens of iconic prints by well-known photographers (photo #1).Side note: Yorkville is also home to the glorious new Four Seasons Hotel, replacing the gloriously faded/outdated Four Seasons Hotel.  Popped in for a quick visit; it really is something else (photo #2 is the reception desk).  And famed chef Daniel Boulud is the star of the show, with both a gorgeous restaurant (Café Boulud) and lobby bar (DB – nothing like self-promotion!).  The exterior, which boasts a magnificent entranceway with courtyard and fountain, will be even more amazing come spring, when an adjacent park they are currently constructing will be complete…

Saturday night: Went to my first “Holiday Season” event – Ice, Wine & Dine, put on by Downtown Yonge as part of their “Winter Magic” programming. This was just a one-night event, which closed down Elm Street so that pedestrians could eat, drink and be merry. But other fun events are scheduled throughout November and December – check out www.wintermagic.ca for the full schedule.

Sunday: Took a drive out to Kleinburg, a quaint little town about half an hour northwest of the city.  The main attraction there is the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, housed in a spectacular building out in the woods.  Focusing on Canadian painters the Group of Seven (Google them, American/International friends!), it is currently running a couple of other fascinating exhibits as well, including photos of Queen Elizabeth when she was still Princess and raising Charles (isn’t she still doing that?).  The grounds of the museum are also home to a wonderful sculpture garden (photo #3). http://www.mcmichael.com/

I could go on, but I’ve already used up every superlative adjective I know.  Did I mention I love this City?

Mr. Toronto

Most Torontonians brag about the fact that Yonge Street, the main artery that cuts through our City dividing “east” addresses from “west” addresses, is

Yonge Street Downtown Toronto

the longest street in the world: a whopping 1,178 miles (1,896 km) in length — roughly the distance from San Diego, California, to Seattle, Washington. It starts on the Toronto lakeshore and winds its way northwesterly along Highway 11 to Rainy River, Ontario, at the Minnesota border.

Yonge Street has certainly been the most “colourful” thoroughfare in Toronto’s history…mention the name to twenty different people, you’ll get twenty different memories/stories/thoughts:

“It’s where I saw The Band when they were just Ronnie Hawkin’s back-up group”

“It’s where I went to my first strip club”

“My first date was at the Eaton Centre”

“I remember when R.E.M. did a free concert there in the pouring rain”

Yonge has been through more transformations than Madonna…from an entertainment centre, to a shopping mecca, to a pedestrian haven, to a panhandler’s dream…well, now it is once again re-inventing itself with a marvelous month-long “pilot project” spearheaded by the area’s Business Improvement Area group.

“Celebrate Yonge” started August 17 and runs to September 16. The street’s sidewalks have been widened from Queen to Gerrard streets to make way for new outdoor patios, provocative public art (I especially love the half-dozen bicycles that have been “re-designed” by local artists), pedestrian spaces, exciting programming and special deals from local retailers. Family –friendly entertainment and activities are happening up and down the street… a walk along Yonge has changed from car-dodging to the

One of many artistic bicycles on Yonge street

pedestrian experience of the summer! And, the event coincides with other fun Toronto events like the Canadian National Exhibition, Brazil Day, Yonge-Dundas Square’s Indie Fridays, and the Toronto International Film Festival.

For more information on Celebrate Yonge, visit www.celebrateyonge.com and make the most out of the last couple weeks of summer!
Mr. Toronto

Spring is well underway, which means that Toronto’s fair-weather attractions and events are being promoted and/or opening for business.  Which means that Mr. Toronto has been busy enjoying the beautiful weather, and getting out-and-about…

Although I have lived in Toronto for 25 years now (where has the time gone?!), I have never had the opportunity to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens until this month.  The fact that they are located in Burlington is no excuse – it only took 45 minutes to drive there (shorter than most people here’s commute to work!).  It really is a beautiful place.  Not overwhelmingly huge and very well maintained…a great place to spend a sunny afternoon, especially if you stop off in one of the café’s on the premises for a tea or beer… http://www.rbg.ca/

On the other side of the “breathtaking” spectrum, Canada’s Wonderland opened its gates last weekend, with the new Leviathan roller coaster added to the roster.  Fifth largest in the world, and definitely the most incredibly ride I have ever been on.  Still can’t believe I sat in the front car – they say it is like dropping straight down from the top of the Royal York Hotel…as my son would say…SICK!  Just be prepared for long lines, or get there as soon as the gates open and run right over! www.canadaswonderland.com/

And still, another breathtaking activity – and for this one, you don’t even have to leave your seat!  Cavalia has just brought its new show, Odysseo, to a huge tent by the waterfront.  Like Cirque du Soleil (it was actually created by one of their founders) but with horses as the main attraction, this show has to be seen to be believed.  Truly dazzling. http://www.cavalia.net/en/odysseo

As for announcements of things to come, I’ve already mentioned festivals like Luminato and Toronto Jazz in previous blogs…add to this events like the North by Northeast Music Festival (June 11-17), Honda Indy (July 6-8), Caribbean Carnival (formerly known as Caribana) (Aug 4-6), and Tennis Canada’s Rogers Cup (Aug 4-12) and you have a jam- packed spring/summer season.  And if you stay at my lovely Hotel, the Delta Chelsea (sorry, gotta plug it once in a while), you’re right around the corner from Yonge-Dundas Square, which has a series of free concerts every Monday (lunchtime) and Friday (dinnertime), starting May 28 and running all the way thru mid-September.  Check it all out on www.ydsquare.ca

C’mon over and smell the flowers!

Mr. Toronto

…Is not a museum, amusement park or aquarium (though Ripley’s has finally broken ground on that, near the CN Tower).  No, the biggest new draw our city has is…a GROCERY STORE!

Now, folks reading this in Upstate NY won’t find this so strange, as Wegman’s is famous throughout the land (any Canadian folks reading this who haven’t been to a Wegman’s – you haven’t lived…).  But this is new territory for us Torontonians, who treat our grocery stores like…well, like a place to buy groceries!  But the new Loblaw’s on Carlton Street, just east of Yonge, has changed all that.  Why, you may ask?  Well, this new superstore has taken over the Taj Mahal of Canada, the Wailing Wall of Toronto – the old Maple Leaf Gardens, the venerable home of our sanctified hockey team.

Maple Leaf welcomes visitors at new Toronto Loblaw's

From the moment you walk through the door – facing a huge blue maple leaf created from the original arena chairs (see photo) – until you roll your cart over the big dot painted on the floor indicating where “centre ice” once stood – the aura of this famous arena permeates.

And if that doesn’t get to you, the sights and smells certainly will.  From the acclaimed 20-foot “Wall of Cheese”to the amazing display of cupcakes, this store has everything – freshly made sushi, a bakery, pizza and panini station…and anything can be taken upstairs (after paying for it, of course) and eaten on the spot (on tables depicting all the great events that took place in the Gardens, including concerts by Elvis and the Beatles, and boxing matches with Mohammed Ali…).  In the same area upstairs is a cooking school, where visitors can stop by for demonstrations and samples all day long, as well an an LCBO (liquor store) and “Joe Fresh, the new Loblaw’s-owned clothing store that has taken North America by storm.

Since I feel foolish writing an entire blog gushing about a grocery store, let me switch gears before I close and give a little plug to the Toronto Jazz Festival, which announced it’s 26^th season this week.  Running from June 22-July 1, this amazing event takes over the City, with 1500 artists performing at over 40 locations (and lots for free!).  Visit www.torontojazz.com for the full rundown.

So soak up some Gardens’ history, grab some Loblaw’s take-out and head over to hear some great JazzFest tunes this summer!

Mr. Toronto

Every time I think I’m going to write a bout a specific “topic” for this blog, it gets bumped by the here and now, by cool stuff I just have to tell you about…

This week is “Canadian Music Week” in Toronto, and for a live music junkie like me, it’s like being a kid in a candy store…days and nights full of movies, concerts, parties and celebrity interviews.  Since I DO have a day job that I am trying to keep, doing it all ain’t possible – but I am trying to get a little taste of everything:

Movie: Saw a great documentary – Sound it Out – about a tiny independent record store in a depressed Northern English town, at the beautiful Bell Litebox.  This space is the new home for the Toronto International Film Festival, but is a dynamite spot to see cool movies year’ round – state of the art theatres, comfy seating – and bottled water is only $2.50!)

Concert: Went to see a fantastic Canadian “supergroup” – Blackie and the Rodeo Kings (featuring 3 icons of the music scene here – Colin Linden, Stephen Fearing and Tom Wilson). And saw it at my favourite venue in the City – if not the world! – Massey Hall (thus the clever title of my blog – your eyes will never get sore squinting, cuz every seat in the place is great!). Afterwards, got to go behind the scenes, and it was pretty cool seeing what the artists see

when they’re on stage.  If you’ve never seen a show at Massey – go; it doesn’t matter who it is – you’ll be hooked!

Party: Going over the weekend to the “Indie Awards”, honouring the best independent bands (including the Sheepdogs, who recently won the contest to be on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine).  After this, have been invited to an “East Coast Music” party at the very hip Rivoli on Queen Street…which ends at 4am….

Interview: Just got back from a lunchtime conversation with Slash.  Up close and personal with a recent inductee to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.  He may be a head-banging guitar player, but he is a very intelligent and soft-spoken gentleman! 

Before I close out – while I’m talking about our arts scene – should also mention that I attended the announcement for this year’s

Luminato Festival (# 6 already – time flies!). Running June 8-17, this is really the kick-off to “Festival Season” in Toronto.  A lot of cool stuff happening: http://www.luminato.com/

The guy in the photo is the new Artistic Director, Jorn Weisbrodt , who also happens to be the new husband of Rufus Wainwright, if that means anything to you (if not, this whole blog probably means nothing to you!)

Mr. Toronto

As Valentine’s Day passes by and winter continues to drag on (not that I’m complaining quite as much as usual – it’s been a very mild Toronto winter!), a not-so-young man’s mind turns to…alcohol!  Nothing like cozying up in a friendly bar with a good glass of scotch or a Hot Toddy to warm the heart’s cockles (what IS a “cockle”, anyway?!)

So here, courtesy of this month’s Toronto Life magazine, is a sampling of some of the best places to hang out this season with your favourite beverage, and a suggestion for what that beverage should be!

Canadians love their Caesars (for my American readers, that’s a Bloody Mary with Clamato instead of tomato juice), and The Gabardine (372 Bay St.) makes a good strong one spiked with horseradish.  And the plush leather booths and interesting bar snacks encourage lingering….

I’ve already mentioned Reposado (136 Ossington) in a previous blog.  An incredibly cool tequila bar, in a very hip part of town.  And their Hot Ruby, with habanero and strawberry infused tequilas and grapefruit soda, is the ideal winter warmer.

Rum and Bourbon are two great winter drinks (on their own, or as mixers) and The Country General (936 Queen St. W.) has 33 kinds of the former, and 25 of the latter.

I’ve already confessed my love of scotch, and The Emmett Ray (924 College) has dozens of them from around the world.  When you have a bar named after a hard-drinking jazz guitar player (Sean Penn played him in Sweet and Lowdown), you know it’s gotta be good!

The Cocktail Bar (923 Dundas W.) has a smoldering fireplace and soundtrack to match – a wonderful place to linger with their signature Manhattan.

Finally, I’ll mention The Thompson Rooftop Lounge (550 Wellington W.) at the hotel of the same name; not so much for the drinks (with names like The Millionaire #3 you get the idea), but for the spectacular view – especially on those crisp, clear winter nights.

Cheers!

Mr. Toronto

Sigh…every time I make (myself, not sure if you care!) a promise to blog more often, life gets in the way…. since New Year’s is coming up, I will once again make a resolution to write more frequently…which may mean shorter insights into the best of the City, but as enthralling as ever, to be sure! Just wanted to share with you info on two wonderful “new” spaces in town. I put the word new in quotation marks, because the first one has been around since June (I just didn’t know about it – shame on me!), and the second is really a very old space, with a new life…

I was invited last week to an event at Screen, an ultra-cool new lounge/restaurant that is ironically right around the corner from where I work. I’m always searching for cool new spots for a business lunch or after-work drink, and had no idea what a gem this place is. To be fair (to me), it is very tucked away, and they have done virtually no advertising since opening half a year ago. But apparently business has been booming, just via word of mouth. The space is gorgeous, and includes an incredible rooftop patio, which will soon be winterized with the addition of a small retractable dome (think mini Rogers Centre…). The menu is an interesting and eclectic mix of unusual sushi and funky burgers (as in unique, not rotten). Screen Lounge is located at 20 College Street, just off Yonge. http://www.screenlounge.ca/

The second space, as I mentioned, is not new at all, but has actually been around since 1920. Those of you who are old visitors to Toronto (and I say that in the nicest sense!) will remember it as the Pantages Theatre, home for years to Phantom of the Opera. Those of you who have only been here over the last handful of years will know it as The Canon Theatre (home to shows like We Will Rock You). Well, as of this week, we will now all know it as Ed Mirvish Theatre. Mirvish Productions, as you all probably know, is THE theatre company in town, responsible for bringing almost all of the hit shows to Toronto. They also own four of the theatres they bring shows to…Ed was the man who started it all, after making his fortune with “Honest Ed’s’ a store which is really a landmark and which you must visit at some point in your life! (Hard to miss – its lights at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor can be seen from about a mile away!). I was also privileged to meet him many times, and I can honestly say he was one of the sweetest, kindest and gentlest men who ever walked the planet …
At any rate, I went to the very moving (and star-studded) unveiling/announcement event, where Ed’s son (who is an equally wonderful business- and gentle-man) David first introduced a short video on his father’s amazing life, then brought on stage myriad performers who paid tribute to Ed. Finally, our new Mayor, Rob Ford, came out to read a proclamation, and the new marquee dropped down from the stage. (see photo) A very fitting tribute…and a very shrewd business move as well, staking a final and permanent claim to a theatre that used to owned by the Mirvish’s arch rival, Garth Drabinsky, who is currently serving time in a Toronto jail for fraud committed during his time heading up Livent. Hmm, speaking of theatre, there’s the making right there of a new hit show…
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 8)

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.

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