Toronto, Canada

If you live in Canada, you know that Toronto gets a bad rep outside of the GTA.  Half the time, it gets a bad rep inside the GTA, so the city in general has it rough.  Matters didn't get much better with the election of Rob Ford as mayor, but Toronto got plenty of flack well before Ford came to City Hall.

That said, Toronto is one of the best places in the world.  I rarely post about Canada, and never talk about how great my own country is--tonight's post is for the T. (Pronunciation-- "The Tee Dot").

 If you are visiting Canada, Toronto is a likely stop on your list.  While I maintain Atlantic Canada is the best part of the country and should be on everyone's bucket list, Toronto is one of Canada's only metropolitan destinations.

Things to do in Toronto are endless--one of the foremost reasons I love it here.  My short list of favourite things includes:

1. Canada's Wonderland: I didn't go to amusement parks as a child-not because they aren't fun, but because they didn't exist where I grew up.  Once a year, for one week, Campbell's Amusements would come to town with overpriced games and 6-8 rides and we would call it a fair.  I first got to visit Canada's Wonderland when it was owned by Paramount.  I was 8 or 9, and there were a lot of Klingons and Ferengi on display.  Since then, Canada's Wonderland has grown into a premiere destination for thrill-seekers.

2. Festivals: Toronto is the greatest city in the world to live in during the summer.  There isn't a weekend where you can't find an incredible festival or event to attend.  Some of my favourites include
Caribana - (July 28-August 1, 2011) Caribana, in its 44th year in 2011, is the largest Caribbean festival in North America.  The festival is best known for its massive parade, where thousands of brilliantly costumed masqueraders and dozens of trucks carryling live soca, calypso, steel pan, reggae and salsa artists jam the 1.5km parade route all day.
Taste of Little Italy - (June 17-June 19, 2011) This festival is arguably the most delicious of all events in Toronto (Summerlicious July 8-24, 2011 and Taste of the Danforth August 5-7, 2011 are close contenders).  Little Italy (College West) is blocked off to cars and the already vibrant neighbourhood becomes a massive 3 day street party with incredible food and drink.
Luminato - (June 10-19, 2011) I remember the first Luminato in 2007, when Chantal Kreviazuk did a free concert in front of BCE place on Front St.  Since then, the festival of arts and culture has only grown.  For 10 days in June, Toronto's stages, streets, and public spaces are illuminated with arts and creativity.  Similarly, Nuit Blanche is also amazing, which sees the city turn into a 24hr art festival.  Billed as a sunset to sunrise celebration of contemporary art, the festival generally brings out over a million people to Toronto's streets and makes art accessible to everyone.
Toronto International Film Festival - (September 8-18, 2011) TIFF is one of the most famous film festivals in the world--perhaps not quite as glamarous as Cannes, but definitely known as a good predictor for the Academy Award nominations.  This event is the official end of summer in Toronto, in my books anyway, and is one of the most exciting.  It's common to see a star or two walking around Yorkville--but for TIFF, they invade the streets and give Sharpie a 50% boost in sales.  Aside from the star-hunting, the film screenings are amazing.

3. Royal Ontario Museum - Toronto has amazing museums.  The Art Gallery of Ontario is another gem, but my favourite is the ROM.  This particular photo was taken at the opening of the new wing, the Crystal, back in 2006 or 2007.  While residents are split on the attractiveness of this addition, the amazing pieces contained in this museum are beyond question.


4. Honest Ed's - Ed Mirvish is a Toronto legend. Honest Ed's is a massive discount store on Bloor St. W., started by Mirvish, which is now a little sketchy and a lot dingy, but which somehow reminds me of home.  My mother and grandmother get most excited to visit Honest Ed's when they come to Toronto, and would much rather visit this legend than the Eaton Centre.  Ed Mirvish also owned a very successful live theatre operation, running the Royal Alexandra and Princess of Wales theatres.  I think Mirvish is one of the reasons Toronto is known for its dynamic theatre scene, though there are now more companies running the shows (Dancap).  Since moving back to Toronto in July 2010, I have seen Billy Elliot at the Canon Theatre, Legally Blonde at the Princess of Wales, The Secret Garden at the Royal Alexandra and Miss Saigon and South Pacific at the COC Theatre.  The Lion King is on now, and the city has a long list of incredible shows to come!


5. The Skydome (Rogers Centre) -  I will always know this building as the Skydome, which it was for my entire childhood. I remember watching the Jays win the World Series in 1992 and 1993 (though, it's been pretty sad to be a Jays fan since then...much like the Leafs.)  At Jays games now, it is frequent that most seats are empty, but I still believe Toronto supports its team.  Another bonus?  You can usually get the cheap seats for $12 and giant beers for the game.  I only go once per season, but I make it count.  See David Beckham-- definitely worth going out for.

6. Dundas Square - Not quite Times Square, but steps from my house and containing great restaurants, live weekend events, an AMC theatre, and the Eaton Centre.


 7. The CN Tower - Tourists love this--before I lived here, I went up a few times.  It'd fun the one time, like  the Empire State Building for Rockefeller Centre is.  If you want to do it, pay the little extra to go to the higher observatory--the view is worth it!

 8. Christmas in Toronto - Though it's cold and dreary in the winter, Christmas in Toronto is highlighted by a wonderful European Christmas Market and the Swarovski Christmas Tree in the Eaton Centre.  Always beautiful, Christmas in Toronto melts even the coldest of hearts--I should know, since I have one.