Nuit Blanche

October 4th also happens to be an evening of a big event in Toronto called Nuit Blanche. Literally meaning “white night” in French, it is a difficult to explain but fun to experience “all night contemporary art thing” which goes on from sunset to sunrise on the 4th.

Toronto’s first Nuit Blanche was held in 2006 and was a great success attracting hundreds of thousands of people out and about all night long (including myself and Geoffrey) – roaming some city neighborhoods at 2am never felt more intimate and fun – all kinds of people were out and about taking in the wild array of installations and events.

Nuit Blanch features art installations all over the city focused in certain zones. Some hot spots are the Bloor Yorkville area, West Queen West and the Downtown Core. And these things are happening in all kinds of venues – parks, churches, street corners, museums, plazas, you name it. Nuit Blanche is definitely the most unique way to experience Toronto’s ever growing art’s scene.

This year the program of events has gotten even larger – check out the website to find out more

If you are still up and raring to go after a the wedding celebration, head out on the town and see what the night has left to offer!

Choose Your Own Adventure – Toronto! Post 5: Yorkville and the University of Toronto

Choose Your Own Adventure – Toronto!

The last of an ongoing series of ideas for how to spend your time in the city.

Post 5: Yorkville and the University of Toronto

Part One: Yorkville
Yorkville, a neighborhood that once was the epicenter of the hippie and folk music scene in Toronto in the 60’s and a hang out of Joni Mitchell and Neil Young in their early days, has transformed into one of Toronto’s most upper crust neighbourhoods. Where there were flower children and free love are now fancy boutiques, expensive sandwiches and Toronto’s first five-star hotel.

Staring at Bloor and Yonge, walk west on Bloor towards the grand bright pink flags of Holt Renfrew, Canada’s version of Sack’s Fifth Avenue. Pop in to look at all the pretty clothes and if you do make a purchase you’ll get a super cute pink bag – great for showing off your designer lunch at work the next week!

Keep heading west and cross Bay Street, hanging a right onto Bellair Street. This will take you to Cumberland Street and Yorkville Park one of the best examples of a truly urban park in Toronto. Walk through the park and don’t miss out on climbing the piece of the Canadian Shield that was brought in as part of this installation. If you are hungry try Dimmi’s for great pizza and salad at a good price (just north across from the rock at 140 Cumberland Street) or Montreal Bagel Company (on the other, south side of the rock M-Sun 8-8) in the for a tasty (yet over priced) sandwich and coffee.

Part Two: U of T
Once you’ve had enough people watching, head back down to Bloor Street west towards the new Crystal addition (you won’t be able to miss it – huge, abstract, shinning mass of a thing) at the Royal Ontario Museum. Just west of the Crystal you’ll find a path called Philosopher’s Walk, an off the grid way to meander down into the University.

Philosopher’s walk will place you down on Hoskin Street, next to Trinity College. Hang a right and then a left towards the clock tower and open field at Hart House and walk through toward Kings College Circle. Appreciate a great view of the CN tower from here and classic architecture of the old part of the U of T campus. If you ever wanted to feel like you went to school at Hogwarts, this is the place to do it!

Find you way back north onto St. George Street and continue walking north, passing Sid Smith Hall (home of the Planning and Geography Department) and Robart’s Library –also know as Fort Book. Rest your legs and recharge with a coffee from L’ Espresso on the south east corner of Bloor and St George (at 321 Bloor Street West).

* If you are starting out early in the morning, reverse this adventure and do the U of T walk first and move on to Yorkville later in the day.

* Combine this adventure with Kensington/ Chinatown by continuing south and west to College and Spadina once you have reached Kings College Circle instead of heading back north to Bloor.

Choose Your Own Adventure – Toronto! Post 4:Downtown -- Architecture and Public Spaces

An ongoing series of ideas for how to spend your time in the city.

Post 4: Downtown -- Architecture and Public Spaces

Hop on the Yonge Street Subway line and get off at Dundas station. Head up to street level, just avoid the Eaton Centre entrance – or you’ll end up in the mall! At this intersection you’ll find Toronto’s version of downtown-bright-lights-big-city here at Yonge Dundas Square. Very recently completed, Yonge Dundas Square was developed to revitalize and reenergize downtown. The Square hosts all sorts of events throughout the year, provides respite from the summer heat with its dancing fountains and is a great place to do a nice slow 360 and take in the environment around you.

When you’ve had enough of the glitz, head south on Yonge Street and look for the big Roots store on the west side of the street in the Eaton Centre (the major shopping mall in downtown). Walk through the mall doors there and if you feel like a shop, go for it! Otherwise, cross through the mall to the doors on the opposite side into Trinity Square. The complete antithesis of Yonge Dundas Square, Trinity Square is quiet, special space great for taking a rest.


Next stop on this adventure are the Old and New City Hall buildings. Walk south to Queen street from Trinity Square and you’ll see Old City Hall (big, red, stone, clock tower) and New City Hall ( big, white, space ship looking). Designed by Edward James Lennox, Old City Hall is done in the Romanesque Revival style and stands in stark contrast to its New City Hall neighbor.

Designed by Viljo Revell in 1965, new City Hall was considered to be a breakthrough in Toronto architecture at the time, signaling that old stuffy and straight-laced Toronto had entered into a new, modern era. Feel free to walk up onto the catwalk that forms the perimeter of Nathan Phillips Square for a good view.

For a new take on what Modernism means to Toronto, keep walking west on
Queen and head north on McCaul Street. Hard to miss, you’ll see one of the City’s newest architectural attractions, Will Alsop’s Flying Tabletop, a bright and unexpected extension onto the Ontario College of Art Building. While you’re here, check out the nearly-completed addition to the Art Gallery of Ontario (just one building north of the Tabletop) by Frank Gehry.


Wrap up this adventure with a walk through Grange Park, backing onto the AGO and OCAD, and pop into Pages Book Store at 256 Queen Street ( M-F 9:30-10, Sat 10-10, Sun 11-8) and browse some of the best books, cards and magazines that this little independent book store has to offer (including a number of art, architecture and urban planning books!)

Choose Your Own Adventure —Toronto! Post 3: New and Olde -- The Financial District and St Lawrence Market

An ongoing series of ideas for how to spend your time in the city.

Post 3: New and Olde -- The Financial District and St Lawrence Market

The financial capital of Canada, Toronto is home to a nice set of tall bank towers in its downtown core. While bustling from Monday to Friday, a weekend stroll through this area of town can be a uniquely quiet experience in an otherwise busy locale.

Start at St Andrew Station and walk east along King Street into the great canyons of the towers! The TD Centre, A great example of Mies van de Rohe's classic modern office buildings can be found near the King and Bay intersection. But don’t stick to the sidewalk! Wander though the plaza and check out the bovine grazers that call this little patch of green their home.

A neat place to visit in this area is the Design Exchange ( 234 Bay Street, M-F 10 to 5, Sat to Sun 12-5pm, Admission $5 adults, $4 seniors/students, kids under 12 free). Located in the former Toronto Stock exchange, the Design Exchange mission is to promote the value of Canadian design, through engaging and enriching programs. They feature exhibits of all sorts of design, including Architecture, Fashion Design, Urban Design, graphic design and more.

Continuing on the design theme, head south on Bay and on the east side of the street just south of Wellington, head into the BCE Place building. A soaring and majestic atrium, this little short cut will take you out to Front and Yonge Street and the famous Hockey Hall of Fame (M-F 10-5, Sat 9.30-6, Sun, 10.30-6, Admission Adults $13, Kids $9, Seniors $9, Kids under 3 & under free).

Keep heading east on Front Street into Old Town Toronto, the historic centre of the old Town of York. Front Street actually used to be the shore line of Lake Ontario back in the 18th century. Located at front and Jarvis Streets, the best part of this neighborhood is the St Lawrence Market. Dived into two markets North and South, the market is a great place to spend some time browsing, people watching and of course, eating!

The north market is open on Saturdays as a farmers market from 5am into the afternoon. Best selection can be found early! On Sunday’s the north market turns into an antique market also running from early early morning to around 5pm.

The South market boasts a collection of permanent stalls and vendors. Make sure to check it out on Saturday it is closed on Sundays. Check out our two favorites while you are there: Kozlik's, the mustard man on the east side of the market for tasty and unique mustard and Carousel Bakery on the west side of the market where you can get a classic (and essential part of a Toronto visit) peameal bacon sandwich. Taste what real Canadian bacon is like! You don’t know what you are missing!


* Swap the order of this adventure if you are an early bird to get the best the market has to offer!

Choose Your Own Adventure – Toronto! Post 2: Chinatown and Kensington Market

An ongoing series of ideas for how to spend your time in the city.

Post 2: Chinatown and Kensington Market

Start at Spadina station and hop on the streetcar ( also imagine me taking this route every morning on my way to work in the winter!)

You’ll start underground then pop up on the westerly border of the University of Toronto and be quickly whisked downtown towards Chinatown.

Get off the car at Dundas street and prepare for a little bit of Toronto’s great international and eclectic vibe. Walk north along Spadina (the way you just came down on the streetcar) and poke into any number of souvenir and knock off shops or one of the big Chinese grocers to check out all their neat produce.

If you are hungry, try Pho Hung (350 Spadina Ave, M-Sun 9.30am-11pm) at Spadina and St Andrew for a quick, easy and cheap fill up on Vietnamese noodle soup, Pho. Perfect for a cool day. Another great and McGrath family approved place for Chinatown eats is Lee Garden (331 Spadina Ave, F-Sat 4pm-1am, Sun - T 4pm-12pm) get there for an early dinner to avoid the lines and try the avocado cashew and beef dish-- to die for!

Tap Phong (360 Spadina Avenue M-Sun 10:30 am – 8 pm), on the west side of Spadina north of Pho Hung, is a huge Chinatown version of a house wares store. Great for browsing. Just north beyond Tap Phong is another favorite shop, BJ Trading Co. More stuff, all kinds of stuff, stuffed with stuff.

To get into Kensington Market head west on Baldwin, St Andrew or Nassau Streets. What I think is the most unique neighbourhood in Toronto, Kensington is full of pedestrians, little market shops, tons of second hand clothing (head to Kensington Avenue north of Dundas for all of these gems) and people from all walks of life. Bohemian and eclectic, Kensington is a definite must see.

While you are there, don’t miss the Blue Banana (250 August Ave, M-T: 11-6.30, F and Sat: 11-7, Sun 11-6.30), a new edition to the market that sells all sorts of neat gifts and crafts. Check out Urban Herbivore for tasty vegan sandwiches or if you prefer meat, go across the street to Big Fat Burrito (M-W:11 am- 10.30 p.m. T-Sat: 11am-10pm, Sun 11am–9pm.


And of course, what would a walking tour be without great coffee. Try the Americano at Ideal (84 Nassau St M-F 8-7, Sat 9- 7, Sun 10-6) or Moonbean (30 St Andrew St M-Sun 7-9) for a cup of coffee and a tasty treat.

Choose Your Own Adventure – Toronto! Post 1: Toronto Tips

The posts in this series will present a number of ideas for how to spend your time in Toronto. They are geographically grouped by neighbourhood ( would you expect anything less from me?) and include all sorts of great info on what to see, where to stroll and where to eat!

Some basic Toronto Tips that apply to all of these adventures:


1. Take Transit!
The TTC, the Toronto Transit Commission, is the best way to easily get around downtown. The subway line is relatively minor compared to other big cities, but the compliment of streetcars which are so much more fun) and buses make taking transit easy and convenient.

To board, you’ll need cash ($2.75 exact fare), token, ticket or a pass. To get set up, go to your closest subway station where you can buy what you need. I’d recommend the Day Pass –it’s a great value for all day riding. On the weekends, this 9 dollar pass is good for 2 adults or 2 adults and up to 4 children under 19 or 1 adult and 5 children. It’s good all day long until 5.30am the next morning. Just show it to the guy in the ticket booth, streetcar or bus driver as you go to board and you are good to go!

2. Cardinal Directions

You may notice if you ask any Torontonian where something is, they are bound to give you precise cardinal directions… for example, “The closest subway station? St. George is two blocks west just north of Bloor on the west side of the street.”

Seems confusing, but as you’ll quickly find, downtown Toronto is on a very straightforward grid. See the lake or the CN Tower? You’re looking south.

Don’t worry you’ll catch on quickly.

3. Coffee

Canadian’s love coffee. If I dare say, I think they love coffee than even Americans do. The true Canadian coffee (and donut) experience can be had at one place and one place only. That’d be Tim Horton’s. Now, I’m not saying this is the best coffee in the world, it isn’t, but if you need a break from all your sightseeing, don’t be afraid to head in to Tim’s get a Tim Bit and a double double ( two milk, two sugar) and relax a while.






4. Neighbourhoods!
Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods -- and we encourage you to explore them. The following adventure posts that you'll see here reflect some of the big ticket items to see while in town, but don't discount a good walk through the neighbourhood for a relaxing way to spend the morning.

Many many people live and make their homes downtown, a fact that makes Toronto so liveable and walkable. Check out the side streets and homes around Little Italy ( College Street between Euclid and Ossington), Trinity Bellwods Park ( sandwiched Queen West to the south and Dundas West to the north from at Bellwoods to Shaw Streets) the Annex (north of Bloor Street from Avenue Road all the way over to Bathurst) or the super cute Cabbage Town (east of Parliament between Wellesley East and Gerrard Street Wast) -- they also have a farm in Cabbage Town (a kid favourite), complete with pigs, chickens and cows, see this link for Riverdale Farm for more. Take some time and have a look at some of the neighbourhoods that people call home.

Registration Information Station

As much as I love my dishes from 1st year University, Geoffrey and I have registered for some household items and the like at two stores here in Toronto.

For those of you in out-of-Toronto locations, both stores offer on-line shopping.

However, unfortunately, online shopping just ain’t the same in Canada as it is in the States, so please don’t hold it against us if the websites leave something to be desired.

You can follow these links to our find our registries

The Bay

William Ashley


We hope you all are enjoying your summer!

more soon!
leigh

"my name is Geoffrey McGrath and I approved this message"