To say I was pleasantly surprised by Toronto would be an understatement.
I arrived on a murky morning, the sky drowning in this sullen greyness and the air tingling with a winter’s chill. I immediately regretted my decision, and I caught myself thinking that I should have stayed home in New York where spring had sprung practically overnight.
Getting from the airport to my hostel in the city was much easier than it seemed, even though it involved a bus, a train, a streetcar, and a bit of walking. The grand total was $1 U.S., though I am certain that I should have paid more somewhere along the route despite people telling me I had it covered.
I stayed at a hostel called Planet Traveler just around the corner from Chinatown and the Kensington Market area of the city. The hotel is as clean and shiny as a new pair of shoes; it is only four years old and is located in a charming row home whose edifice almost blends into the scene too well for weary travelers arriving ager a “long” journey. (I have been off the road for a while, cut me a break.)
Though the hostel itself was quiet clean and spacious, the rooms were fairly small. In fact, they were far too small, and it was impossible for the five of us sharing the room to be in the room at the same time. But, seeing as I hardly spend any time in the room, I didn’t let it bother me much.
Toronto is an incredibly walkable city, something that is always a plus for this born and bred Brooklyn chick. I like being able to walk. I like not having to rely on public transport. so Toronto and I were off to a good start.
The city wasn’t as exciting as I would have hoped, but I started exploring at about 11 a.m. or so on a cold Sunday morning, but within a few hours the sun was out, and so was every one of these hip urban dwellers seeking some glorious Vitamin C. It was so warm, in fact, that people were out and about in tanks and shorts (though sort of drew the line at leaving my jacket open). Once the sun popped out and stretched its rays across the city, I started to really fall in love. People were out and happy and smiling and appreciative of the respite from a long, cold winter. Toronto was oozing with a really contagious energy.
Queen Street West
I first learned about Queen Street West for a story that I had worked on at work. Last year, Vogue named the top 10 hippest places in the world, and among those places was Toronto’s Queen Street West. I first headed the wrong way along the street and was encountering only endless H&M’s, Zara’s, and wide streets lined with stores that you could really find anywhere. I started to feel disappointed. There is no way Vogue thought this is cool, I said to myself, as I made an about-face and started walking in the other direction.
That’s when I saw it: Colorful murals as fiery, colourful, and vibrant as a beautiful sunset. Toronto has alleyways lined with fantastic street art that spans from the top of a building to the ground and stretches across building after building. Theme vary, from under the sea to plugged-in technology zombies to modern re-creations of Picasso. My spirits instantly perked up.
“Now this, this is friggen cool,” I thought, and I pulled out my camera to start taking pictures. “This is most certainly a hub for the artists in the world.”
But much like parts of Brooklyn, Toronto’s Queen Street West still had traces of its former life sprouting up throughout the streets. There were many addicts lurking around, many alcoholics cracking open beers, people talking about drug deals as you passed them on the street, homeless people begging for some change, and even the occasional crazy person running through the streets and screaming. The seeds of its past were most certainly still planted throughout the area.
Yet still, it is charming and magical, lined with pop-up art galleries, adorable cafes with old-school student desks just outside on the sidewalk for those looking to chat in the fresh air, restaurants offering everything from Iranian to Jamaican cuisine, and locals who looked like you could find them roaming the streets of Williamsburg or Bushwick like its their home away from home.
Among some of my favorite shops to visit are the Drake General Store, Siberia, Gravity Pope, and Drumi & Chocolate Shops. Filled with dazzling fun and funky jewelery, contemporary clothes that have a classical vintage edge to them, and plenty of knick knacks to decorate a flat or home, these stores can definitely do some damage to your wallet.
‘The Gladstone
Toronto is proud of the Gladstone Hotel, an art hotel toward the end of Queen Street West. It is home to three levels of free art exhibits throughout its floors open for viewing by non-guests.
The Drake Hotel
The Drake Hotel is definitely the place to have a Sunday session. One of two well-known art hotels in the Queen West district, the Drake Hotel has an industrial feel to it lined with modernist touches. The main floor is peppered with high, wooden tables and these funky light fixtures dangling from an exposed ceiling of steel tracks crisscrossing their way over the floor.
Toward the front, a mini library with more comfortable, cafe-like seating. There is a second floor, and there were some patrons grabbing a bite or a beer. Though it was a touch too cold for the rooftop (either that or I was there too early in the day), it is the perfect drinking spot in the warmer months.
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art
I’m no art buff, but when something is free, it’s always worth checking it out. Better known as MOCCA, the museum is home to a variety of shows and exhibitions displaying the city’s modern art scene. While I was in Toronto I managed to catch an exhibition by a famous Canadian artist named Douglas Coupland called “everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything.”
Kensington Markets
Don’t let the name fool you; Kensington Market isn’t the market you imagine, but there is so much on display throughout the streets of this multicultural neighborhood. Home to more of Toronto’s famous street art, Kensington Market is packed with people walking through the streets as if there really is some kind of fair going on. You’ll find plenty of eateries offering some fresh empanadas or pies, or small cafes where you can relax with a cup of coffee.
Toronto Island
I had planned to visit Toronto Island for my birthday, but I wound up visiting Niagara Falls. The cost to venture out to Toronto Island is cheap, $7 return ferry ticket, and from what I was told, it offers some great views of the city.
Niagara Falls
If you’re in Toronto, you should pay a visit to the Falls, as it is only about 90 minutes (if that) outside the city, but plan to spend a full day doing it should you go with a tour. There are plenty of tour options available for those looking to make the process and journey simple (or treat themselves on their birthday) that will take you to visit the Falls, drive you through some of the beautiful surrounding suburbs home to sprawling mansions, stop off in what is believe to be a haunted town for lunch, and take you ice wine tasting, all for $55 (lunch is at your own expense).
