What to do with a week in Toronto?

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I may be accompanying my boyfriend to a conference in Toronto in April. I'd be there for a week, and I'd have lots of time to kill on my own, which is fine with me--but I need ideas beyond "there's this great bar..." (though a few ideas in that category would be fine) and more along the lines of what's good to explore during the day.

I've never been there (I spent the first 15 years of my life in Michigan and I've been to border towns like Windsor and Sarnia and I grew up in a family of hockey fans, so I'm not completely ignorant of all things Canadian, just mostly ignorant) so anything you have to offer will be news to me. Thoughts? Suggestions?

― alexandra s, Tuesday, 3 February 2004 20:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Brass Rail

― ModJ (ModJ), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 20:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Sneakooooo's
FAP with ILXors

― Bryan (Bryan), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 20:37 (twenty-one years ago)

yes.
for culture we have the r.o.m., a.g.o. + a shoe museum¡

― dyson (dyson), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 20:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I hear tix to the Mike Bullard show are easy to come by.

― Huckadelia (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 20:48 (twenty-one years ago)

FAP!!!!!!!

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 20:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, who do I know that lives in Toronto. I am going to be there all the time when the new ferry is there.

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 20:49 (twenty-one years ago)

*hides under desk*

― mark p (Mark P), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:06 (twenty-one years ago)

what ferry?

alexandra, it kind of depends what you're interested in doing... do you want to go to museums and galleries and stuff? just hang out? shopping?

definitely walk around chinatown and kensington market on a saturday afternoon if you can. and if the weather's nice, you might want to go out to Ward's Island to look around. there's a neat little community out there...

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:16 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/news/extra/fast_ferry/

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't think Rochester has mentioned this to Toronto yet.

Anyway, that's cool. What's in Rochester?

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Toronto thinks Rochester sucks

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:25 (twenty-one years ago)

that's just jan wong, that's her schtick. I've never heard anyone say anything nasty about rochester.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like Rochester either. There's not much to do, all the places for commerce are mallish with a few exceptions downtown.

It is a city populated by lovers of the Olive Garden and TGI Fridays. There is barely any amazing local music (except for Pengo, etc.).

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:29 (twenty-one years ago)

DON'T go to the wine shop that only sells Canadian wine!

Bolshevieks!

― andy, Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:31 (twenty-one years ago)

My roommate is from Toronto, and I have met many of his amazing Canadian friends. If yr there when either The Amazing Tania Gill Show or St. Dirt Elementary School are playing, you should go see them; both weird avant/goofy jazz things.

oh, and smoke all the dope you want.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:34 (twenty-one years ago)

go and see some films at reg hartt's place. its a fun time and he is a nutcase. you will see flyers around and its called cineforum. definitely a fun time and you can bring beer or whatever to drink as you watch!

― todd swiss (eliti), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 21:54 (twenty-one years ago)

(don't you find cineforum kind of creepy? nb: the only movie i saw there was "triumph of the will" and the audience were a bit too... ummm fascist for my taste in film-going chums.)

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 22:00 (twenty-one years ago)

should prolly recomend picking up an "eye" or "now" magazine once here for a good, general idea of what's going on.

― dyson (dyson), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 22:12 (twenty-one years ago)

well, y'know that mr. hartt is a jewish fella...
i saw the two bunuel/dali films there and it was a great time
he shows a ton of stuff, so you can steer clear of the triumph and pick something that would be milder or would have a better audience.

― todd swiss (eliti), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 22:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Going to bookstores with Sean is fun as he knows where all the crazy people are.

― Bryan (Bryan), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 22:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Queen Street West! That's at least a whole day there.

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 22:32 (twenty-one years ago)

AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) just had some stolen art work returned, okay so it was onlone from Kenny but what can yea do. Its on Dundas just west of University.
ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) On University/Avenue road north of Queens park (take a guess which Subway stop it is).
I don't know about April but High Park is quite nice as is the Toronto Islands.
Ontario Science Centre is fun if you're a science geek, though some of the exhibits (Space and Food) haven't been updated since the early 80s.
Eaton Centre, shop till yeah drop and then go along the PATH to union station for more.
Once again April may be too early to fully enjoy the boardwalk along The Beaches area but the area is nice anyways.
The Zoo off in the north east corner of the city rocks but once again I don't know what it will be like in that weather.
CN Tower is big and phallic and tourist seem to love it.
Steam Whistle brewery tours is right next to it. Have a beer and marvel at our city's symbol. Complete with single testicle in the shape of a Skydome.
Queen Street West (University right out through to Trinity Bellwoods) is interesting, full of fashion, art galleries, great bars/taverns and records stores. The Horseshoe, The Reverb, The Rivoli and the more trendy Leftbank (if you wanna hang out with would be cool (coughcoughyuppie) folks) or Gladstone Hotel (if you wanna hang out with would be famous artists).
Saint Lawrence Market/Esplanade (Front and Church) is also fun for the flea market, bars and such.
Yorkdale area is former coffee houses turned insanely rich haunts. Kinda fun if you like spotting various rich people/movie actors.

Thats should do for now.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 23:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and Little Italy has the best record store in the city (Soundscapes). The area is College west of Bathurst. Not to be confused with the real little italy which is up at St Clair.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 23:24 (twenty-one years ago)

What about the Hockey Hall of Fame???

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 23:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh yeah, thats underneath the BCE. b

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 3 February 2004 23:29 (twenty-one years ago)

There is also the TSO or whoever is playing at Massey Hall/Roy Thompson. The big musical is currently The Producers. By the way, avoid the CN Tower resturant.
Casa Loma still looks nice and pretty but reports of the interior upkeep vary.
As Fritz said, Chinatown rocks, specially the old one centred around Dundas and Spadina. Hell the whole 510 line from Union to Spadina station is kinda cool. Going along habourfront, up through the fashion district, chinatown and finally the edge of U of T.

DON'T go to the wine shop that only sells Canadian wine!
Nothing wrong with Canadian Wine. The best ice wines in the world and some of the better late harvests. Normal drinking wine can be quite fine but price doesn't always match value with some 9 or 10 dollar bottles being far better then some ranging in the low 20s. Inniskillin, Henry of Pellham and Strewn in the Ontario region all tend to turn out more then drinkable wines. Or at least they are the makers of some of my favorite. The real wine can be found in the LCBO stores anyways, not those super market dinner wine things.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 04:40 (twenty-one years ago)

the aa bronson show at the habourfront would be excellent & i think there is a whistler show @ rom.

― anthony easton (anthony), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 04:52 (twenty-one years ago)

BOVINE SEX CLUB!

it's on queen street! look for the place with the post-industrial-steel-garbage-facade on it.

also, dig all the cool grafitti pieces.

― Kingfish Funyun (Kingfish), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 04:56 (twenty-one years ago)

So you can be served drinks by that Midget who pretends to be a lead singer in the Intergalatic Fucking Rock Stars.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 05:01 (twenty-one years ago)

why avoid the CN tower restaurant? i liked the prix fixe there!

― Dave M. (rotten03), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 05:26 (twenty-one years ago)

omg cineforum

(ps the answer is go to montreal)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 06:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Is the Police Museum still open? That place was awesome.

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

the hell is that¿

― dyson (dyson), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)

thanks! this is all extremely helpful. I'm very interested in the "explore this neighbourhood/street/transit line" sort of thing, a little less in the CN tower (I've been to the top of tall things before, and while they do have a certain awe-inspiring quality, the experience always leaves me feeling manipulated as a tourist) and not much for the zoo or generic shopping that I can find in the states though unusual or particularly cool shops are things I look for. will definitely check out chinatown (so I gather there are two of them, if the old one is centred around Spadina and Dundas?) and queen street west and probably spend an hour or two at ROM and AGO among other things mentioned.

Where can I find "Eye" or "Now"? Are they free weeklies distributed to coffee houses and such or will I need to find a newstand?

If I find myself with an afternoon when the weather's bad and I have exploration fatigue, what are some good coffee shops to sit with a book and relax? Any particular favourites?

― alexandra s, Wednesday, 4 February 2004 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

eye and NOW are available all over the place, in boxes on the street or in cafes and stuff.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 18:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Their is another one up in the Willowdale/Agincourt area of the city. And there is alway Unionville in the suburbs. Neither of them are interesting.

I think the police thing is still going if you mean the one at the big HQ.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 4 February 2004 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm not much of a coffee connoisseur, but there's a shitload of cafes along queen west.
also, we have a castle.
i don't know if they serve coffee.

― dyson (dyson), Thursday, 5 February 2004 02:41 (twenty-one years ago)

You can also check www.eye.net. It has some quality writing. ;-)

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Thursday, 5 February 2004 03:00 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG Chuck do you write for Eye??!?!?

― Dave M. (rotten03), Thursday, 5 February 2004 03:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I got sent to see Barbershop II today. Top hole stuff!

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Thursday, 5 February 2004 03:42 (twenty-one years ago)

P.S. I just gotta job @ B*ok C*ty in Bloor High Pk (yay), so if anyone's in the neighbour'd, come by say hi.

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Thursday, 5 February 2004 03:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Anyone know a good resource for Toronto shows?

Also, I am so going to see Blonde Redhead there!

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Thursday, 5 February 2004 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

if you walk around queen west, don't stop at trinity bellwood park, keep going west & walk through parkdale. from trinity-bellwood to dufferin on queen is the new "gallery district" which is kind of ground zero of the "artists as shock troops of gentrification" thing but it's worth checking out now, before it's alll condos and yoga and six dollar coffees. you'll usually find a decent art show up at one of the little galleries. I like Zsa Zsa & the Bus galleries. Also some good little Vietnamese restaurants. Past Dufferin it gets a little bit scrappier but it's really fine. There's a few blocks of just local food shops and stuff and then a little strip of cool old furniture shops and stuff right before Roncesvalles. From there you could walk back downtown along the lake, which is pretty nice despite the big ugly highway that seperates the lake from the city. Or you could walk north on Roncesvalles, which is the main street of a really nice old Eastern European community so there's tons of good delis and places to get coffee and Polish donuts. There's also good little record store called She Said Boom.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 5 February 2004 20:01 (twenty-one years ago)

www.eye.net and check local listings. They got a chart.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Thursday, 5 February 2004 23:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I haven't checked in a while - is anything good coming up soon?

― Kim (Kim), Thursday, 5 February 2004 23:57 (twenty-one years ago)

BRITISH SEA POWER Horseshoe. $12 at TM, HS, RT, SS. Mar 8.
BLACK HEART PROCESSION w/ Enon. Lee's Palace. $TBA. Mar 23.
THE DISTILLERS w/ Icarus Line. Opera House. $15 at TM, HS, RT, SS. Mar 30.
NICKELBACK w/ Staind, Three Days Grace. Air Canada Centre. $35.50-$42.50 at TM, ACC. (Also at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Mar 5).
ANDREW WK Opera House. $19.50 at RT, ST, TM. Feb 18.
THE GOSSIP w/ The Sick Lipstick, Young People. Lee's Palace. $10 at RT, SS, CD, HS. Feb 23.
OPETH w/ Devil Driver, Moonspell. Opera House. $24.50 at TM, Rockit. Feb 24.
LIARS w/ Young People. Lee's Palace. $12 at RT, SS, CD, HS. Mar 17.
AMON TOBIN w/ Kid Koala, Bonobo, Blockhead, Sixtoo. Kool Haus. $25 at TM, RT, SS. Mar 20.
TED LEO/PHARMACISTS w/ Electrelane. Horseshoe. $10 at RT, SS, CD, HS. Mar 25.
DAVID BOWIE Air Canada Centre. $46-$86 at TM, ACC. Rescheduled from Dec 9; previously purchased tickets will be honoured. Apr 1.
SQUAREPUSHER Phoenix. $18 at RT, SS, CD, TM. Apr 6 (date moved from Apr 5).
STEREOLAB w/ Clearlake. Phoenix. $20 at RT, SS, CD, TM. Apr 10.
KRAFTWERK Ricoh Coliseum, 100 Princes Blvd, CNE. $19.50-$47.50 at TM. Apr 23.

Also, Blonde Redhead date on Pitchfork.

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Friday, 6 February 2004 00:11 (twenty-one years ago)

So nothing big then.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Friday, 6 February 2004 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Just kidding, any show with Kid Koala gotta be fun for at least one set.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Friday, 6 February 2004 00:30 (twenty-one years ago)

b|ast¡ i'm going to be in fucking australia for that + the squrepusher show.

wait,
why am i mad about that.

hmmm, back on time for steriolab tho.

― dyson (dyson), Friday, 6 February 2004 04:52 (twenty-one years ago)

erm, stereolab, that is to say.,\

― dyson (dyson), Friday, 6 February 2004 05:22 (twenty-one years ago)

smooth

― Kim (Kim), Friday, 6 February 2004 05:25 (twenty-one years ago)

two years pass...

So, I may have a day or two in Toronto in May. Where should a food-aphile plan to eat?

― Jaq (Jaq), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 16:31 (nineteen years ago)

Montreal

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

Probably not an option.

― Jaq (Jaq), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

Is Rain (the restaurant from the Food Network Canada show "Made To Order") still open? Might be fun to have dinner prepared by Nosferatu.

― Bryan (Bryan), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

depending on where you're from, there may be an opportunity to sample some "world" cuisines not available in your city...

Rain closed down (if you're talking about the one on Roncesvalles)

― scout (scout), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

susur

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 18:42 (nineteen years ago)

The Rubino's Rain is at 19 Mercer St. Sean C. took me to some good places when I was there, but he doesn't look at ILX anymore, the jerk.

― Bryan (Bryan), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

Where I currently live, we have good thai food and .... uh .... one good barbecue place and ..... hrm .... that's about it. I am missing good indian food and middle-eastern fare, so any recommendations on those lines most welcome.

I may actually end up about midway between Toronto and Montreal (Chalk River area), so Montreal may be more possible than I originally thought.

― Jaq (Jaq), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

Depends on what kind of food-aphile you are.
Towards the sillier end of the price scale:
RoseWater" is supposedly really good.
Canoe and Jump are overpriced but favoured by those with expense accounts due to location location location & hookers.
Habour Sixty Steakhouse is favoured by Russell Crowe who likes his stake dipped in sea salt for some bizarre reason.
The Senator I've always wanted to try but always forget about
Sassafraz - Shania Twain eats there if you believe Kenny of Kenny Vs Spenny "fame." Surely that makes it an expensive place. That and the fact it's in Yorkville.

Running through the range of expensive to silly expensive is:
The Distillery District of which a coworker whose love of food is second to none really enjoyed Perigee. You can also look around those buildings knowing that at one time or another such films as Short Circuit 2, The Big Hit and Adventures in Babysitting made use of those exact buildings.

Of the places where I can afford to eat:

The Salad King!!!! (Or upstairs at Linda's if you like to be able to hear yourself think). Cheap Thai food thats quite good.
Sneaky Dee's - not so much for the Mexican food but its a required stop for anyone on ILX in Toronto. I highly recomend the Huevos Rancheros.
Burrito Boyz a favorite for some on Peter Street. Guess what they make.

Don't bother with the Indian Rice Factory, it's overpriced. Matagali on Elm just west of Bay is better.

― Rufus 3000 (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:33 (nineteen years ago)

six years pass...

does anyone in TO know any all-ages/underground venues that they can share?

― Grimy Little Pimp (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Friday, 6 July 2012 06:52 (thirteen years ago)

kick

― Grimy Little Pimp (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Saturday, 7 July 2012 00:07 (thirteen years ago)

What for?

― is capybara gay? (Ówen P.), Saturday, 7 July 2012 01:53 (thirteen years ago)

touring band from usa. In NYC there's a dense and rich tapestry of underground/barely legal venues to play in and the band has no contacts in TO

― Grimy Little Pimp (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Saturday, 7 July 2012 02:54 (thirteen years ago)

DM me

― is capybara gay? (Ówen P.), Saturday, 7 July 2012 02:55 (thirteen years ago)

There are a rich and dense tapestry of AA venues in Toronto (per capita)
Sadly there's no high-functioning forum anymore
Wish there was

― is capybara gay? (Ówen P.), Saturday, 7 July 2012 03:20 (thirteen years ago)

*is

― is capybara gay? (Ówen P.), Saturday, 7 July 2012 03:20 (thirteen years ago)

Done

― Grimy Little Pimp (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Saturday, 7 July 2012 03:48 (thirteen years ago)

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