toronto - what to do.

THANK YOU
P.S. DONT MAKE ME GET MAD ABOUT IT

(What went wrong with Sean... is he dumb?)

for

some

reason.

haha!

I'll be amazed if any legit place has space open that soon.

A Saturday night would be tough - but maybe try the FunHaus, Studio 99 or the Tequila Lounge on Bathurst. Or the upstairs of the Elmocombo if there's enough space.

xpost - please do

I'm there next Wednesday thru Saturday for a baseball gathering. Good gigs kinda sparse, but I'll be pretty busy. About this Gladstone place, what's the deal with an event like thees on the 6th?

http://www.fakeprom.com/

Fake Prom comes highly recommended from some people, I haven't gone myself.

hmmmmmm, hotels on King Street, please tell me it's the King Edward.

My Thursday night looks fairly free, I might try to get in that raved-about "Wild Duck" production that just opened...

Since I'm, ummmm, over 35, maybe I can go to FakeProm as Uptight Math Teacher.

Is that Cineforum guy still at it? I don't see any current info.

Come to think of it..someone I know recommended Urban Thai up on College street near Grace, but never been there, and can't say for sure.

actually, *i* want them.

After the game Friday, this guy's sposed to play at Horseshoe at midnight:

http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/mayer.html

I've never heard him, but the Andre Williams comparison and the 40-year gap in his recording career sound like a sure thing!

My schedule is in flux, but I'm through fairly early with SABR stuff on Thurs & Sat.

Here's my question.

Let's say you had about four hours in Toronto, from about half past eleven to about half past three over a Friday lunchtime. You can't go too far from the place where Queen West becomes Queen East. You don't mind getting taxis or public transport, but don't want to spend too much of the time travelling, because you're about to be sitting on an aeroplane for several hours.

Let's say you'd never been to Toronto before and you know nothing about the place. And that you hope your plan will include lunch, somewhere along the line.

What would you do?

Err, bump for the Torontonian lunchtime.

I should be clearer: the Friday lunchtime in question is next Friday lunchtime, so recommendations will continue to be welcome.

If anyone fancies an pint with a largely-former ILx type on Thursday evening (that is to say Tursday 16th), say so.

i'm game. any other toronto types about? haven't seen you people in ages.

what we need to focus on here is:

ooh, electroclash. sounds like fun. maybe ill go. thanks
-- phil, Friday, January 18, 2002 8:00 PM (5 years ago)

ah, 2002.

:(

I don't think i'd reccomend electroclash for a thursday afternoon.

If you're at queen where west meets east - you're probably not in the nicest spot toronto has to offer. hop on the street car and go west!
there's some good patio space between john and spadina and lots too look at! there's a few landmarks around there - you can get a good view of the cn tower & skydome and recoil in horror at the ocad building.

i don't work too far from there but i go on vacation the next day and may be too swapmed to escape for a proper lunch.
or even a liquid one.

Wow, you are a lucky lot, getting your mitts on Tim H!

Folks, I need your help. I'm trying to organise a ceilidh in Toronto four weeks tonight which is uncomfortably short notice to find a band. The Yellow Pages haven't turned up anything and google searching has given me little to go on, so I'm looking for recommendations. Don't suppose any of you have any contacts in the ceilidh band world?

what is a ceilidh and can i eat it?

You have to unwrap the kilt before you can get at the tasty stuff.

I'm up for next Thursday since I'm on vacation, Kim may even up for introducing ILXOR 2.0 depending on locale and stuff.

You can't have a ceilidh in Canada unless there are Newfies or Capers present. It's in the fine print to the BNA act of 1867.

Don't suppose any of you have any contacts in the ceilidh band world?

We'll how traditional are you looking? Because we are related to a celtic rock band but if you want the set dancing and stuff you really are leaving it to the last second. I think there is actually a club for ceilidh music at U of T you could try getitng them.

Oh and for a Friday lunch, what kind of food are you looking for? Salad King just north of you is freaking amazing but I'm not sure you want to chow down some yummy thai food before getting on a plane.

You're in a terrible spot at Queen and Yonge, but if you're willing to spend $$$, I recommend lunch at the Jamie Kennedy wine bar on Front and Church, or Monsoon at Simcoe and Pearl, both about ten minutes walk away. Pricey but awesome food. There's also a great bookstore at Front and Yonge, called Nicholas Hoare.

You could also take the elevator up to Canoe on Wellington, which is forbiddingly expensive for food, but has a nice affordable bar on the 54th floor with a great view of the city.

Alternatively if you want to go cheap (and especially if it's a sunny day), just take a cab to Queen and Bathurst and walk west to Trinity Bellwoods park (lots of stores, cafes). Or go to Kensington Market and just wander (lots of ethnic food and secondhand clothing, a bit grody but I live there and it's great).

Hello Toronto. If anyone does fancy a pint on Thursday evening, err, well if Rob doesn't swing by to tell you where I'll do so (if I make a bad choice we can move on to somewhere better, but London experience tends to point towards a brutal decision-making process being the only way).

I will be in Toronto this evening, but probably not until late. I'm looking forward to it, though not to the meetings which are the pirce of my stay.

Might be coming up this weekend.

Oh! Tim! Hello! Sundar, yes, go visit Tim! If I were still in Buffalo, I'd be up there in a heartbeat.

Visiting me will only really happen on Thursday evening I'm afraid (my precious few free hours on Friday may well be eaten by meetings, it seems.

I am flattered and delighted by personal recommendations from MAdchen and Molly: references don't come much higher-grade.

Oh booo! I'll be leaving town friday, sundar :(

update: i'm meeting tim at the cameron house at about 6:30 if anyone is around... he's actually staying at queen/university, which isn't a bad spot - basically just walk west along queen and see... well, lots.

I can see quite a lot where I am right now, which is on the 33rd floor of some great big tower.

See at least one of you later, I hope!

Sundar I don't suppose you're going ther for the TCAF comix festival?

I will be tabling at it w/some other NYC cartoonists (and former NYC cartoonists).

No, actually I don't even know what that is.

Just an "alternative" comic book show this weekend.

I've never been to Toronto. Plenty excited.

my friend is going to that comix show!

Who is yr friend?

I'll be volunteering at TCAF too...

Incidentally, bothTCAF (and Toronto) are awesome, you'll have fun.

I'm at the table with my wife Kar3n Sn3id3r, T0m K, Dami3n Jay, and M3lani3 "Minty" L3wis. In the directory we may be listed as AWP or "Artists With Problems".

I wish I could say I'll have a new comic for the show. But I've never done Canada, so hopefully my stuff will be new to a lot of attendees.

Oh darn, can't make it there any time soon.
Make sure you point out the bathroom where Handsome Ned died.

Hi Toronto! I am in Toronto *right now*. Can anyone recommend somewhere nice my boss and I can go for dinner tonight? Not too pricey and unavailable in Glasgow would be good. Also, can plebs see stuff at the Film Festival, or do you have to be wearing a posh frock to get into cinemas this week? Also, I might be up for a FAP if people are around, but I have to do some more work on the boss. When I told her that since 1999 I've met most of my friends on tinternet she laughed just a bit too hard. She is very nice, though, and likes her beer. Actually, if anyone can recommend somewhere to get an interesting beer tonight I'll be in her good books forever.

plebs can go to film fest but advance tickets are probably pretty much scooped up now for a lot of things. you can get same day tickets for lots of things though - just go to the box office and see what they
have. it's not as intimidating as it seems.

http://www.tiff07.ca/boxofficeinfo/tickets/

Interesting beers galore can be had at La Palette in Kensington market, which is a pretty fun area to take a stroll in after dinner. It's just a nice small French bistro, a bit pricey but not ridiculously so... You could probably find something similar in Glasgow though, but it is great for interesting imported and local beers.

http://www.toronto.com/restaurants/listing/000-124-461

oh madchen i just came back last week! toronto is a food lovers paradise.

i recommend sushi on bloor if you are on a budget (amazingly cheap for sushi) or foxley on Ossington street for something pricier (but still very cheap by uk standards for fine but casual dining) and more special this is in the cooler/ artsier area west of downtown. if you go to foxley i highly recommend a drink in the communist daughter just round the corner for afters.

http://www.sushionbloor.com/main.htm
http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-05-24/goods_foodfeature.php

http://www.torontolife.com/guide/bars-and-clubs/bars/communists-daughter/

Ooh, that looks nice, and the exchange rate makes the prices look pretty good! (x-post)

Aw heck, how do I manage to get work trips to food lover's paradises all the time? I came back from Singapore weighing about 50 pounds more.

also, if you go to foxley (and i think you should) there are no reservations. if there is a wait they will take your number and phone you when your table is free. you can pop round to the communists daughter or the crooked star (across the road) while you wait.

xpost again - hope you enjoy it!

flying in for the film fest... tonight!

If you're into south american food - you can try El Bodegon on College St, in little Italy, west of Bathurst. As far as places with loads o' beers all I can add, off the top of my head, is the Bier Market in the Esplanade.

xpost

You guys, your pedestrian crossings tweet like birdies! I had decent dim sum and pad thai on Queen St West, because it's close to the hotel and we have a 7.30 meeting tomorrow, ugh ugh ugh. And a very nice pint of honey brown too.

M, what hotel are you in?

I'm in London during the film fest - boo.

madchen, how long are you in toronto? we're arriving on saturday for the V fest and will be around till monday.

what should we do that will work alongside the fest?

i don't even know where to start about recommendations... so many good places for you to have good food/beer... how long are you in town?

oh DUH colette just asked you that... hi colette! ;)

i'm in a media lounge in the sutton place hotel.

IM COOL.

two more places I know of with a good beer selection are Caffe Volo on Yonge

http://www.dine.to/caffevolo

or Smokeless Joe's on John St.

http://www.dine.to/smokelessjoe

(I'd totally be up for a FAP but unfortunately 4 week old baby Julia is not likely to stand for it!)

One of the biggest, and definitely CHEAPEST beer selection in Toronto hands-down is the Rhino (http://www.therhino.ca/). Pretty close to other good west-side spots in the Gladstone-Drake strip, but I'm biased being a Parkdaler...

Ah yes, the Rhino!

The Rhino is pretty good + it has a JUKEBOX! but i like the cadillac better for its big patio. out-of-towners should at least poke their heads into The Stones Bar if they're in Parkdale, it's good for a laugh. I also love The Beaver at night, fun DJ's most nights and relaxed atmosphere for the neighbourhood. Hear the service can be frustrating for food in the day time though. Anyone been to The Parkdale Drink yet?

Oh - and one Toronto culinary delight you may not be able to enjoy in Glasgow is the Roti (more or less a West Indian burrito-style wrap filled with curry). I like Island Food at King + Dufferin best, but Gandhi at Queen + Bathurst is also great (though some might argue it's not "authentic" as it's more East Indian than West Indian).

It's still awesome - I'm going there tomorrow!

addictive! they opened a sister restaurant (Mother India) a block from my house and I am putting their kids through college one 12 dollar roti at a time

We totally have roti in Glasgow! But just the bread sort that you get on the side of your curry, not the filled sort, which I'll definitely look out for because I likes my food.

I'm in the Marriott Eaton Centre, the ground floor of which is a fecking building site. My flight is at 10.30pm on Sunday and I'm free for most of the weekend except for the ceilidh I've organised for Saturday evening and I'll have a bit to do that afternoon I guess (but after it finishes at 11pm, I'll be demob happy).

Wahey, everyone is in Toronto!

you MUST have roti. fritz you must live pretty close to me since i'm a block from mother india (mmmm) too!

yeah, cadillac has a far superior patio. but big proper grolsch bottles for $3.85 at the rhino wins out every time ;)

that new 'parkdale drink' is, as my rhino server described it, "a terrible gino bar". i.e. a small version of what you'd get in clubland. i walked by it once, looked in, and kept walking. did they even VISIT the neighbourhood before they opened it? i see that dragonfly (the place just past the stones bar), has already closed, so clearly parkdale hasn't embraced the velvet-rope-and-house-music-for905ers scene just yet

yeah, figures as much. that Chino place looks lame too. That stretch could use a couple more homey-type neighbourhood bars (like a Commie's Daughter or The Gem). Seems like a no-brainer if you know the neighbourhood, but all the new places seem like they've been opened by Drake wannabes without the deep pockets that actually made that place work as what it is: a "boho chic" amusement park for slumming graphic designer types to have an omg we did so much blow nite on the town

haha.. fritz you've summed it up perfectly. there are a couple spots further west like 'not my dog' but you're right that there's lots of boarded up stores crying out for something cool but not "wow look at how hard we're trying to be chic". i wonder what's going into the old "OVs" spot - that's a pretty big space.

sorry to de-rail thread into local parkdale talk! we can bugger off to torontoist or blogto or whatever ;)

i resent that comment about graphic designers.

for the mostpart we're just potheads, dammit!

ha! some of my best friends are graphic designers, but when they move in next door... there goes the neighbourhood

haha ha!

Relatively close to Marriott is the Beer Bistro or the afforementioned Caffe Vollo. The Salad King is a must.

I've never quite been down with the student sushi specials, but Bikkuri at Yonge and King was really good when Fune @ Simcoe and Adelaide cancelled their lunch specials.

BEER: When in Toronto, try to find Creemore (pale ale), Steamwhistle (pilsner) or Mill Street Tankhouse (I guess it's a pale ale) on tap.

Based on everyone's schedules with TIFF, V and such I'm almost thinking a FAB (fancy a brunch) at The Hot House (Front and Church) or Vollo (Yonge just south of Bloor) would work best.

Oh man, how am I going to get through this list by Sunday?

Rah rah I have been let off a potentially highly dull dinner with the widow of an alumnus tonight, so may join the "high energy in-crowd" at Salad King instead.

Bugger this laptop and its mind of its own, I swear I didn't press Submit. What I meant to add is that if any of you high energy kids were free and wanted to join me this evening (short notice I know) the email below works and I'll be here for the next hour. Or if you can't make it I have a copy of OK and will read about Katie and Suri and Owen and Wiliam and Kate and Britney instead, though the in-crowd might look at me funny.

DO NOT DRINK STEAMWHISTLE!

The Steamwhistle with Salad King's Thai Basil Noodle (3 or 5 green chilis) is teh good.

"high energy in-crowd" is that what they are calling Ryerson students these days?

Damm, I wish I saw this before I got the groceries.

I walked all up and down Yonge Street (is that pronounced like Young, by the way?) and couldn't find it, and then I got back and checked the website and realised it's not actually on Yonge Street. Note to self: read properly before leaving hotel next time. So we're trying again tonight.

What is this Steamwhistle of which you speak?

It's a truely awful beer brewed right here in toronto.
seriously - have a creemore or a mill st!

yes, avoid drinking steamwhistle. oddly, i'm DJing at the brewery itself tonight. yee-ha.

and it is indeed pronounced "young".

if there are any FAB/etc plans, i'm game depending when you guys want to do something...

But it's supposed to taste vaguely like paint thinner.

if a man were to extract juice from an acorn - I would imagine it to taste as Steamwhistle does.

mmm acorn juice

My life is complete now I have seen Hilary Duff's camel toe. Thank you MOD and your miming stars on John Street!

congratulations?

Thanks!

=)

–)

that's disgusting

mmm roti.

Is it too late to follow up the brunch idea?

i don't know... we just got up! i'm sure we're going to be looking for brunch though, in fact i'm about to google toronto+brunch. probably this is rather late for everyone else though.

http://www.toronto.com/restaurants/article/000-374-902

Boom - best place in the city right there.

I just ate breakie with the girl, myself. but you guys really need to eat at this place - awesome smoothies and the potatoes have crack in them or something, they're sofucvkinggood!

mmm... so many good places for brunch in toronto. i just ate at a new-ish place called "B" near me. yum.

toby/colette - if you're at v-fest later ring my mobile, eh? i'll be getting there about 4-ish. i would like to try and see clientele. aside from them, the two main acts i want to see today: explosions in the sky and M.A.N.D.Y. woo!

will do rob. we're coming over for M.A.N.D.Y., so i guess we should try to meet up there?

I'd already checked out by the time you guys got up! I guess I brought typical Glasgow organisation with me. Now in the Apple store, but leaving for home in about an hour and a half. I like it here a lot, though, and am determined to come back so maybe next time!

I'm going to this city. What to do?

This will be my first time in Canada that is not an airport (Calgary).

I hear that Canada could take over the world if it wanted to, but it's just too polite to do so. That can't be right!

see what's playing at the Cinematheque?

OK!

Lots to do here... When are you visiting? There's a lot of city-wide music/art-type festivals happening throughout the summer, and this thread is still a pretty good guide, depending on where you're staying in the city, and what kind of stuff you're into...

I am staying with someone on this thread!

does anyone have any inexpensive hotel recommendations that are close to the action? i am in town for a friday and saturday night, 19/20 june. anything in particular one that time of year?

also, i assume i am right in leaving kingston and getting down to toronto asap after my conference, or is kingston secretly incredible?

I wouldn't get your hopes up. . .

for a cheap hotel in toronto or something other than boredom in kingston outside of university term?

Regarding Kingston being secretly incredible (although I could very easily be one of those being left out from massive secrets. Outside of Queens (which i guess you're going to) the only thing I can think of is the prison there (although I haven't gone to either of those, I should add).

Hotels, I really couldn't say.

caek there's a website that lets you do random four star hotels for $70 in the downtown core, but they won't tell you exactly where until you book it.

there's a hostel near King & Spadina, boyfriend stayed there once, says it's OK

all my friends who went to Queens (incl said boyfriend) rave about the greatness of Kingston but it's probably more nostalgia than nightlife.. you know they're a few hours apart, right?

I found a really nice hotel called.. GlenGrove Suites which is more midtown than anything but had a little ensuite kitchen and living room along with its bedroom for $70 or so

hey caek i will be unemployed in late june and quite possibly @ my parents in toronto so let me know if u want 2 hang

Kingston's OK in June...the students are mostly gone by then! It's not necessarily an exciting town, though.

oh hey guys, sorry I forgot this thread. glengrove looks like it might fit the bill, thanks finemusic. pretty sure I'm going to get out of kingston asap. lamp, i will drop you a line once plans have firmed up and we can get together and discuss cricket.

glad to help caek! It's got a nice 40s-50s vibe you just don’t get from Quality Inn, hope it suits ya

there's a few decent hostels right downtown - if that's a thing you're willing to do. (i know i i live downtown but i've stayed at them before - don't ask)

revive this guy before you get here - perhaps fapage is in order (it's been a while)!

xpost

yeah my boyfriend reps for the hostel at King and Spadina too

good times

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f325/caek/toronto.jpg

yeah!! i work right by that hostel.
(with the fags and draft dodgers)
(i'm the degenerate)

awww I used to work not far from you, at the 401 Richmond building. now I work on Steeles :(

my condolences!
is that the one (401) where they let anyone eat lunch on their roof?

awww I used to work not far from you, at the 401 Richmond building. now I work on Steeles :(

http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:1RTxns1wq65DVM:http://www.thescore.ca/blogs/footy/muntz.gif

* posting this from a block north of steeles :( *

Where is that image upthread from anyways?

I haha back at you mehlt! At least I only pay one fare on the TTC ;) The building I worked in was one and the same - used to go for smoke breaks and eat my lunch on that roof, it was very peaceful. However I make more money on soul-crushing Steeles (near the 400, as if being north wasn't bad enough, I'm also relegated to the west..)

I meant to say south, whoops, and mine is at Dufferin too, so not much better (but not a full time job so. . .)

Hi dere. I will be in Toronto this weekend to watch soccer. What else should I do? I'll be downtown near King/Spadina.

Thinking mostly bars/clubs, restaurants, etc. I'll be around Friday and Saturday.

toronto in summer -
OTM!

i think i was sitting exactly here.awesome.

http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/sharpcentre/OCAD-from%20Grange%20Park.jpg

"Grange Park is my favourite of all. Walking through here on an early summer morning is one of the most meditative moments I've experienced in the city"

yes.

ah yes. especially nice since a bunch of the other good parks are now filled with garbage.

in toronto iirc

whats good to eat around here these days

what do u feel like bro?

i think most of the places that getting rec'd are still doing upscale comfort food stuff - canoe i think has a really good seasonal menu ate there this summer when my stepdad bought me lunch and it was good. u should probably try black hoof on dundas west of bathurst its a charcuterie supposedly the best in the city. i had the sampler w/some friend wasnt really into it personally but i think thats your thing?

theres a whole bunch of places along harbord now - loire was p good - still really like matignon on st. charles for midly fussy but always amazing french - nothing particularly new there but its one of my fave spots in the city. theres a place on augusta that does some more adventurous stuff - just found it: la palette. eaten here a coupla times the owners are friends w/my parents. for dinner had a little bit of everything p drunk so i just remember it being delicious. had the duck confit one other time a+

also queen of paties on bloor @ lansdowne has some good jamaican food

i heard some stuff about black hoof, should try it sometime

went to a charcuterie-ish place that seemed to be getting raves not too long ago on queen w - cowbell - that ws super disappointing

i didnt know u lived in TO lamps!

can anyone recommend a westend walk-in clinic?

I never had any trouble with the one just slightly east (south side) of Lakeshore & 7th/Islington. It's maybe two blocks east.

haha does anyone want to co-dj an alt-90s nostalgia nite w/ me (provisionally) on tuesdays???? i am getting p desperate hereee

no, but I am tempted to go sometime! except I'm a homebody, so I won't actually.
noticing you mentioned black hof upthread - I've never been - but I offer our St Clair alternative: Stockyards. Soooo yummy!

black hof. heh.

yeah stockyards is p good ive only been there once. feel like there are a lot of great restos in t.o. rn

what's a good place to eat lunch in/near/around entertainment district

also, what's a good dinner spot (could be around there, or not)

depends what you're looking for. i used to work in the area and there is no shortage of food options.
for lunch there's Banh Mi Boys, Smokes Poutine, Burrito Bandidos, Khao San Road, Burgers Priest, Little India, or Ginger – off the top of my head (none of these options are really healthy tho) (yes, I eat terribly). and there's the usual food options everywhere there too, sandwich shops, Timmies, pizza joints, pubs – under the CBC building is a giant food court too. you won't have a hard time finding something.

that helps, thanks thermo

colette on wellington east of bathurst is fantastic for either lunch or dinner cant recommend it highly enough

maybe miss things for dinner? cld probably give a decent rec if you want more

yeah, please! like, a sit down place that works for... 8 people or so would be ideal. more casual than fancy prob.

also where can/should i get a haircut down there

diner is tough because there are so many options. i'll try to limit my suggestions to things that are not too fancy and not far from the entertainment district...
for Italian/pizza, there's Terroni; the Adelade East location is in an old bank – the Queen one is closer to more bars/shops/things etc. for Chinese I'd head up to New Sky, in the middle of Chinatown. French, there's La Pelette on Queen or in Kensington. Hungarian/Thai – the Hungary Thai in Kensington has always been a personal favourite (I like their goulash a lot). If you want a pub, there's the Town Crier in the entertainment district, good food and great selection of beer. For dirty, dirty Mexican, there's Sneaky Dee's – there's usually bands playing upstairs, and this place is probably best if you're going to do some drinking or already drunk. or hungover.

i'm going to hit submit, knowing there's a buttload of places i enjoy that i'm forgetting.

i always get my hair cut by a korean dude in kensington market cuz he charges me $6 which is like US$0.50 so i have no barber advice. hes on augusta just north of dundas so about ~25 minute walk from where you are.

miss things is really cool and 'casual' in the sense that you dont need a jacket or w/e but its also kind of tense in the way that new trendy restaurants are. dai lo on college is really great sort of - western cantonese? - food. good for a large group and probably not crazy tonight, slightly expensive but not like expense account pricey. saki sushi on bloor near chrisite station is actually kind of amazing partic for groups. its a korean tapas place. they have a 'combo' menu where you can get beers or saki with some dishes thats priced so you get the food for free (this is to skirt the laws around drink price minimums). fun place imo.

colette isnt a large group place unfortunately. bent on dundas west or woodlot on college are a little pricey but a good bet for a party that size. woodlot in particular would be a nice place for a leisurely group meal with a v good wine list. depends on yr willingness to spend but the US$ makes things somewhat affordable

terroni is a reasonable rec but for a party that size the queen w location is a much better bet. honestly its worth leaving king st. for dinner for many, many reasons but primary one is that not much good in that area is built to accommodate larger parties that arent buy-outs

La Palette is really nice for dinner. Friendly French bistro, probably enough space for 8 people...they no longer have a Kensington location, though. Canteen, at the TIFF building is quite good, too.

maybe a little too fancy for J0rdan's requirements but just an fyi to fellow Torontonians: I went to Richmond Station last weekend and it is very very delicious. That Susur Lee dim sum place (Lucky?) is not too far from the entertainment district, if he's looking for a non fast food type option

going to be in toronto this weekend for the first time since i was 17
i want to try the new susur dim sum + maybe a momofuku branch?

daisho has been excellent each time ive eaten there but its... idk. its a lovely space but kind of lame in a pervasive way. you should try dai lo imo.

i have so many opinions about restaurants

on my list. what do you mean by western cantonese?
i'll be staying in yorkville at four seasons but i'm not really sure what that means as far as access to var places.
best ramen in toronto? is raijin really good?
row of thrift stores and antique stores to look for cameras in?

thrift stores and antique stores? Maybe in the Junction, up on Dundas at Keele? Or at the very west end of Queen West, just east of Roncesvalles?

I have one morning free, will be staying at yonge and wellington, no car, what should I do? Go to St. Lawrence Market and eat things? Wander over to Art Gallery of Ontario? I haven't been in Toronto in 10 years and have no sense of whether I'm in an interesting part of town.

AGO's current big exhibit is on american outsider photography. Haven't been to see it yet, but the regular exhibits there are also good, especially on Canadian artists. They don't open until 10:30. St Lawrence Market is close to where you're at, and good for eating things. Kensington Market can also be good for food and wandering.
The area you're in is basically the financial district. Not that interesting, to me, anyway. Hockey Hall of Fame is sort of nearby, as is the Aquarium (for more standard touristy things)

I didn't really do anything touristy, I ate a hearty breakfast in St. Lawrence market with a couple of Toronto friends I never see, it was actually p great

hello, i will be in toronto this weekend (friday-monday). anything i should see or do? or places to eat that are really good. i'm already going to crj at the tso on saturday and the jays game sunday, and i'm staying near roy thomson hall.

Been before?

Perfect timing, I'll actually be in Toronto next Wednesday through Friday. We're going out for izakaya (Imanishi), renting bikes and heading to Ward's Island, trying to eat at The Black Hoof. Maybe Bang Bang Ice Cream & Bakery, and a wander around Chinatown/Kensington Market/Queen West. And then the usual tourist stuff.

chuck: only once, in 1999 (!)

Josh - I think Ward's might have a flooding problem at the moment? Not sure.

I haven't lived in Toronto for 7-8 years so I'm not up-to-date on venues (heard good things about Black Hoof though). Toronto Life website is probably the best guide for restaurants (not a great mag though).

Usually for tourists I recommend getting on a bike, drinking beer on patios, and exploring the neighbourhoods without any particular destination in mind: Kensington and Chinatown especially, then the Islands (if they're not flooded), the Don Valley for a good sweaty hike, the Beaches, Trinity Bellwoods park, and Queen from Bathurst through Roncesvalles. There's some more recently developed neighbourhoods in the north (Bloorcourt, Junction) but I wouldn't make the trek if you're only there for the weekend and based near Roy Thomson. My fave spots for people watching are Casa Acorena cafe, Ronnie's and Amadeus' in Kensington, all of which are super-divey but sentimental choices as I lived right by them.

What neighbourhoods are you guys staying in? Also, Bang Bang is worth it but the lineups can be insane - most people don't know they have a second location (Bakerbots) not that far away if you're in that area.

If the weather is nice, a good stroll or bike ride down Queen and/or Dundas St W and Ossington are worth doing.

Yeah, a loop from Kensington Market, then across Dundas to Dufferin or Roncesvalles, then back east on Queen is a pretty good route, mix of shops, bars, parks and cute residential streets.

I think we are staying at the Drake, just for a couple of nights. Unfortunately, none of the food places I wanted to hit take reservations, so if I want to get them lines are a possibility. Thank you for the advice and recommendations though.

kind of tired with media proclamations that he wasn't under investigation before but he is now. It was inevitable that he would be under investigation at some point. If his campaign and several associates are under investigation, it will reach the top. Unless the prosecutor just decided, hey, why bother, I'll just stop now.

haha, clearly that was meant for a different threat.

thread. I'm falling apart here! I blame the phone.

Cool, that's a good place to stay! If you're OK with going early (or late) -before 7 or after 10 - the Black Hoof is a good bet if you're interested in charcuterie. They have a pleasant back patio and the same owners have a cocktail bar across the street (called, just Cocktail Bar) which is, imo, one of the best in the city.

Both of you may be interested in this site, which usefully brings together its (very, very many) lists of different "Best 'x' in Toronto"
http://www.blogto.com/toronto/

It may be worth perusing if there are specific things you're interested in eating/seeing/drinking/etc.

My wife and I are following it with two nights in Montreal, and we have a lot more specifically planned or reserved for that city than Toronto.

Can confirm wards island is underwater. I used to play the disc golf course every 2-3 weeks, but last I checked it's under a good foot of water.
There were carp spawning by it last month.

Also, Chuck has given some solid advice. I'd recommend checking out the AGO and/or the ROM. Both have been renovated a few years ago. AGO, especially is worth checking out, then walking south to admire how amazing/hideous the OCAD building is. We also have a castle (Casa Loma).
Kensington is great. Trinity bellwoods is good for watching hipsters drink in a park. Or there's high park, if you want more park and less hipsters.

Trinity Bellwoods park

A great brewpub, also named Bellwoods, is nearby on Ossington. Went there last summer and it was the best beer I had in the city, very good food too.

Thanks for the heads up re: Wards Island!

You *can* rent a kayak and head out that way if you really want, tho.

Hung in West Queen West area yesterday, lots to see. Had Japanese for dinner and ice cream at Bang Bang, which was great and not too long of a wait. Busier at Bellwoods Brewery across the street, but they had bottles to go, so all good on that front. Thanks for the suggestions!

Now on the train from Toronto to Montreal. Toronto was great, hit the ROM, Casa Loma, ate at Fresh, Black Hoof, Cocktail Bar, all solid. Am I missing the dark underbelly, or does Toronto have it pretty much all figured out?

our dark underbelly died of cancer not long ago.

recs for really good sushi? am in liberty village & today is gross so ideally wouldnt be too far afield~

Really good or just good good?

Near Liberty Village there is literally I have no idea because I don't spend time in Liberty Village. If you head north to Queen there is Guu izakaya which is fine. If you want a good traditional Japanese restaurant then I'd recommend Ema-Tei which is Queen W and St. Patrick. My favourite sushi, like, "anniversary celebration sushi" is Sushi Hiro but it's not open on Mondays.

thanks :)

oh shit Hiro is right near where I work. do they do takeout lunch, would that be heretical to ask for? will I bring shame to my family?

I don't think they do lunch, I think it's a three-days-a-week kind of joint that does dinner only. But look it up? The best is to do omakase at the sushi bar and watch Hiro get progressively more and more drunk and get more and more generous with the wasabi. He's pretty generous with his jokes and booze, it's a fun night.

Heads up, if any TO ILXors need supplies and don't want to / can't leave the house, I'm happy to make deliveries and leave 'em outside.

Ah that's so kind of you Simon! I've been doing the same for a few friends who flew in from scarier places recently and are super locked-down.

honestly it's win-win, I'm WFH for weeks and will likely be bored out of my skull very soon lol

So weird for me to be out of the city during all of this. In some ways I feel better/safer where I am, but it still would be nice--if only symbolically--to be close to friends and family. I still get e-mails about things like Hot Docs being cancelled.

Nice volunteer idea, I'll look into that tomorrow here.

I've now done a hair under 50 deliveries. I am clearly immortal.

unrelatedly, and the real reason for this revive, is that I'm looking to move within the city this fall or a little later; I really need a place big enough for a dog. my main problem is I really want to line up a place 4 or more months in advance because though landlords are scum, *my* landlords are nice and reasonable people with a newborn and I'd like to give them plenty of notice, as well as allowing time to make sure my job really is solid. but as we all know it's rare to find listings that are even two full months out. what's the best approach here - approach building managements directly? get a (gulp) agent? enh?

Message me, I can help

finally fgti reveals his true identity: Brad lamb 😂

and here I thought having a 9-5 (well, 10-6 but who's counting) job that required me to go to the office made me immortal

Simon, where are you rn? I got my current place through a broker and it worked out well

murgatroid I did get yr email but I was in a less than optimal place for a meetup and now meetups are over lol, sorry about that

I have never used a broker. fgti I will ilxmail youse!

Lmao needless to say

Good to know that function works tho - that was honestly the first time I’ve used it on the years I’ve been on here and it was out of boredom/trying it out more than anything

Volunteering update: 50+ deliveries later, I've been getting frustrated with Good Neighbours due to the high number of more affluent people using the service. I wouldn't care except that not all requests are being met. The worst case is today; I'm delivering to a somewhat famous person who surely doesn't need *our* help. (Before anyone asks: not an ilxor, lol) Looking to switch over the People's Pantry, which will mean donating food etc but seems likelier by design to more urgently address needs.

Margaret Atwood has fallen on hard times of late

those Handmaid's Tale royalty checks don't cover house #4

The boarding-up going on in advance of tomorrow's march in Toronto--are all these warnings legitimate or more deliberately planted confusion? What went on today looked peaceful.

There's one in London tomorrow. I seriously considered going--bought my first masks this morning--but I've just got too much COVID anxiety. They're expecting about 1,000 people. The health person there said anyone who goes should quarantine for 14 days after. I haven't had to do anything remotely like that yet, and I'm not sure if mentally I could; walking around town has kept me sane. But if I went and didn't, I'd be coming back to St. Marys, a town with two active cases, and would be a possible hazard for the next two weeks. Not an easy call, but I'm going to pass.

Toronto is just such a huge city that *any* large event will have a number of shitheels in attendance.
I just really hope they stay in line tomorrow.

I have no good reason not to attend

after a couple months or so of pondering, then action, I have decided to take an apartment with a friend of mine, very central, quite cheap (by toronto standards) and most importantly the landlord appears to be a mensch which is a huge deal

relatedly: if you live in a major canadian city, are a renter, and are even pondering moving right now? you should do it or at least look into it seriously. this is the closest thing to a renter's market we might ever get in places like TO.

Montreal's gotten considerably worse over the past few years but it's still a renter's paradise compared to Toronto and Vancouver. It's only a matter of time before they all even out, I suppose.

vancouver market still looks pretty shitty based on a quick look at craiglist. my wife and I are lucky in that we have a nice and cheap-for-vancouver (but very small) place in a mixed-income housing part of a condo building and we will be paying the same rent for the rest of our lives if we like

One of my best friends has lived at the same TO apartment for about a decade, and it was a steal even at the time, so she's understandably held onto it for dear life. Then she got a wonderful dog, but it got upset when she would leave for work, and the neighbors complained relentlessly about it. So ultimately she decided the best option was to give the dog to her brother; she didn't feel she could risk losing out on the pad. Fucking heartbreaking shit.

Related: I've been sending pieces to a friend in Toronto who's been dragging his heels on moving out of the city (like me, a retired teacher), all of them about the supposed post-pandemic exodus out of big cities. I'm trying to get him to leave before housing outside of the city gets expensive. To your situation, if people are leaving cities--and I'm sure for every article I find there's another that says the opposite--that would surely keep rents down, no?

People are def fleeing the cities....personally I prefer to be where I can watch things collapse in real time. The big city is where the action is baby!!

I think the main thing helping rental markets now must be airbnbs becoming untenable and suites returning to the long-term rental market.

moving out of the city in BC isn't that attractive because everywhere is expensive

I'm always flabbergasted when Toronto friends talk about their rent.

for the record, and because I am a big fan of sharing this sort of data, it's a large 3br I will be sharing with two other ppl and the total rent is 2400

(I would start a "wage transparency" thread but I think it might kill ILX)

my rent is $1400 for a 500 sq feet one bedroom apartment and that's "cheap"

that's very close in terms of size and rent to my previous TO apartment (in the basement of a house)

That’s... inhumane.

Then again, spending almost two years in the UK has lowered my rent expectations to a depressing extent.

Where are you, Simon?

I moved here in Feb and I pay 1780 for a "junior one bedroom" (basically a studio) in Corktown, a bougie condo so I'm part of the problem I know

I'm currently in Corso Italia but I'm moving right to the heart of the beast, on Bloor near Bathurst.

and yes that sounds on the good end of average for that sort of condo in this town. But yknow as I think I mentioned a friend of mine in a similar place was nearing the end of her lease and threatened to bounce, and she was able to get a rent decrease out of it...something to consider down the line

I hate moving (and I'm honestly fine with my space, I don't own a lot of shit, or at least I didn't bring a lot of my shit with me here from Calgary) but my job also pays shit so hmm, I would like to pay less for rent but also I am mostly conflict-avoidant so I don't know how to negotiate a rent decrease

Bloor and Bathurst! I used to live on Albany. Broke my lease when the landlords junkie brother in law moved in downstairs.

yikes

At least you're not moving at the height of the pandemic (or so I hope) like I did

I can only surmise (I have a lot of friends in TO) that people who are nice/interesting/creatives (the people I know there) are paying 60% of their income on rent? Is that correct? The people I'm referring to aren't people in the arts industry but people who happen to be in the arts and also happen to be tending bars or serving tables. And that was pre-covid.

Sorry to ask from an outsiders pov, but it seems pretty crazy.

lol 60% I wish

only way I could afford this is that I saved up a shit ton before the move and also I'm incredibly stingy

wow, that's mad.

I'm stingy too.

I don't call it that tho :)

60%? But why?

That 3br sounds great Simon!!
We had a ten year steal apartment - $1100/month 2br in st Clair west. Landlord eventually sold the building and offered us $7K to leave. We left. The new owners fixed it up and put it on the market for $2500. Now they’ve put the triplex up for sale again. We bought a tiny East York bungalow and will be paying that off til retirement. But it’s detached and we have a good sized yard for our many (2) poorly behaved dogs at least.

I'm near St Clair West now and I really like the area. But my roomie and I also figured, if you're gonna live downtown, go all the way lol

honestly the rent is low enough I'm trying to convince her to let us make the third room a guest room. I'm afraid of getting a stranger or anyone just a little bit annoying in there and then having to quarantine with them lol

I’d be tempted too, at that price!

not to give away our exact location but we're above non-food shops (with another floor of apts between us as a buffer) which is a first for me - of course, who knows if any of those businesses will be around by the end of the year. thankfully my roomie and I both sleep like rocks.

the other option was the top two floors of a townhouse near christie and dupont which was, I think, 2550 or so plus utilities. it was nice but I didn't like the idea of negotiating noise and temperature with the people below.

We lived in Toronto for most of the 2000s before moving back to the UK. We had an amazing (if venerable and mouse-infested) split level 2.5 bedroom house on Kensington Ave for something ridiculous like $1400 a month. Plus a lovely landlord who lived on the ground floor.

If civilisation doesn't collapse entirely, we're thinking about moving back in 6-7 years time before our kid hits high school age. Hopefully TO will still seem cheap compared to London.

living right in the Market must have been insane! that's an awesome deal, though. another friend of mine lives in a strange shared apartment there for a couple hundred a month and she'll probably stay until the building inevitably gets sold and/or demolished.

basically a certain segment of TO residents, me included, are trying to recreate Montreal living conditions lol

i pay 725 with 3 roommates in a 3br in east van, were trying to take advantage of renters market and find a bigger/nicer place to all move into but so far no luck

Finefinemusic – I'm in East York too! in a semi i bought about 6 years ago.

to the convo about what % of our income goes to housing, before i lost my job it was taking up roughly 30% of our HH income. now - who knows?!

So the crane that fell yesterday was like 5 minutes from my place and is on the route I take to the streetcar every day so 2020 is def trying to kill me

oh jeez! I saw that. terrifying.

what are ilxors' fav stores in toronto? i've been to quite a few so far (another story, she said boom, a good read, seekers, balfour, BMV) and other than BMV (which is comprehensive but not well-curated) i've not been impressed. i would've thought that canada's anglophone metropolis and literary hub would have a huge second-hand market and lots of demand for cool new stuff, but so far nothing's on the same level as the word or s&w welch in montreal or macleod's or pulp fiction or massy in vancouver. hoping there's some obvious great ones i've missed, pls fill me in!

*BOOK stores

I've been out of the city for two-plus years, so I haven't kept up, but things were deteriorating well before COVID. You might be a few decades late. There were book and record stores everywhere in the '80s.

Since a lot of the stores you mention are on Roncesvalles, it shouldn't be too far to get to Dundas St. West of Keele. There used to be a bunch of bookstores there but I haven't been there in a while; also, I would guess they have about the same selection as the Toronto places you mention. I'm not an expert though and am not familiar with the Montreal and Vancouver stores.
There are huge amounts of used books in Value Village-type outlets around town, but certainly not well-curated!

Dundas St. West of Keele

thanks, just took a look on google maps and added a couple promising-looking places to my list