Feeling the cool factor in Toronto
Toronto, Canada. The land of the maple leaf, ice hockey, moose, and Mounties. Once you’ve ticked off the obligatory faves (check, check, and check), leave yourself time to unpack some Torontonian inside secrets.
The city opens right up to reveal a world of surprises you’d never spot on your hop-on hop-off tour. They’ll have you exploding the cool-o-meter in no time.
First stop: food. Street food is making a comeback, but it can be hit and miss. Let’s be honest – it can be the biggest risk, but sometimes you hit the jackpot. Luckily Toronto gives us a big win. With a local lass leading the way to her fave on the corner of Front and John streets, it also happens to be the best hot dog I’ve eaten. Sorry, America.
Continuing the calorie count (this is a holiday after all), you won’t be short of excuses for lashings of maple syrup. Add it to your pancakes or your waffles, on your BeaverTail (settle – they’re completely vegetarian. BeaverTails are only the most delicious pastry treat), or flavour up the most delish milkshake.
History lesson – remember Miss Muffet? Well, she was pretty cool until she ran away leaving half of her curds and whey. But the resourceful Canadians seemed to have picked it up and invented the infamous poutine. Poutine is best described as tasty potato wedges smothered in sauce and cheese curd. If you’re not sold on the idea, there’s always options like double-smoked bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and dill pickle. Serving suggestion: poutine is best served mid/post a big night on the town!
This leads us to the next question, “Where does one find the best nightlife?” Why, of course a city like Toronto has your crowd pleasers, but for something you won’t find at home head to The Maddy. Convert a typical Canadian house into four levels of intertwining rooms and bars, and you end up with the perfect house party venue, aka The Maddy. Our visit on St Patrick’s Day had a definite emerald tint, but this pub offers a great vibe all year round, even minus the green wigs and beads.
By this stage you should be feeling around a 6 on the cool scale. Let’s take it up a notch with some second-hand treasures. Step aside Macklemore – thrift shops are Toronto’s thang. Go standard and you’ll find super-size stores with everything and anything that one could ever want to own. Alternatively, top up your wallet and head to Kensington Market. Sports jackets, denim wares, anything that’s covered in sequins or glitter – it’s a sensory overload.
Kensington Market definitely brings the swag downtown. Where’s Wally mimes spruik Italian restaurants. Eerily normal houses become home to eclectic boutiques and thrift shops. Rusty cars sprawl over front yards. Hipsters abound in every direction.
If you’ve made it to Kensington Market you’ve made it to the uber-cool 10 ranking, but now what? Here’s one for the true explorers! Affectionately called Graffiti Alley, this is literally a backstreet and might not be the place to venture alone or after dark. It’s hidden just a couple of streets behind Queens St West (one of Toronto’s main shopping streets), but if you find it prepare your eyes for a psychedelic world of patterns, character, and colours. Covering almost three blocks, Graffiti Alley is ever-changing, with new art added on a weekly (and sometimes daily!) basis.
It’s hard work being awesome, and we were so busy we almost forgot there were actual tourist sights worth mentioning. Yes, there is that ridiculous-looking spike that pierces some sort of UFO (otherwise referred to as the CN Tower). Yes, it’s in all the guide books, and it’s kind of a biggie. Toronto insider tip: hang round the pier at dusk for your token postcard shot. Skip the daytime queues and opt for a night trip to the top for a spectacular twilight view of the metropolis.
In winter sub-zero temps and snow can make some Toronto experiences near impossible, but during the warmer months there’s a whole world busting for summer. Toronto is on Lake Ontario, one of the biggest lakes you’ve ever seen. Insiders talk of an oasis called the Toronto Islands, which are filled with sunbakers and beach volleyball.
So when you hit Toronto, see the ice hockey and stock up on maple syrup, but also make time for its hidden gems. Toronto’s the cool city that knows it – and doesn’t need to shout it from the rooftops.
There are no comments
Add yours