Canadians in/from Toronto, Canada!

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

I was reading the VJ posts here on the Canada forum and couldn't help but notice that there are quite a number of Canadian VJers have travelled through and/or are actually from Toronto, Canada...

So I was thinking: Why don't we start a message thread about this Canadian city?

Who knows, maybe this will help other VJers here too to learn more about Toronto too....

Anyone else from Toronto? Anyone else interested in talking about Toronto?

What do you like about Toronto? What do you hate about Toronto?

What places do you like to visit in Toronto? What places would you like to visit?

Feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, etc. about the big city of T.O. here on this message thread!

Happy Toronto Travels!

Ant (A former Torontonian...)

Edited October 19, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[Smelgafeld 0]

Hi Everyone,

I was reading the VJ posts here on the Canada forum and couldn't help but notice that there are quite a number of Canadian VJers have travelled through and/or are actually from Toronto, Canada...

So I was thinking: Why don't we start a message thread about this Canadian city?

Who knows, maybe this will help other VJers here too to learn more about Toronto too....

Anyone else from Toronto? Anyone else interested in talking about Toronto?

What do you like about Toronto? What do you hate about Toronto?

What places do you like to visit in Toronto? What places would you like to visit?

Feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, suggestions, etc. about the big city of T.O. here on this message thread!

Happy Toronto Travels!

Ant (A former Torontonian...)

Well Im from the States but my GF lives in Toronto.. im gonna be visiting there around the holidays. Does the city do anything special for Christmas?

Should be quite an experience for me, im from a small town and the largest city ive ever been in is Pittsburgh, PA for a day. Although i look foward to the diversity, as around here its all old white people .

[antda 13]

Hi Smelgafeld,

Lol..your situation sounds just like the relationship between my husband and I, back in our old dating days....small town boy meets big city gal..for the holidays in Toronto...lol....

And yes, I can understand that it can be intimidating to go from small town to big city...kind of a shock there really...(as my husband can tell you)

Lol..it can be a shock the other way around too...(as I can tell you...going from big city to small town).

If you're driving to Toronto, be prepared for the traffic jams there in and around the city, and be prepared for costly parking. Allow plenty of time for travel too. The least expensive and somewhat convenient way to get around Toronto (especially the downtown areas) is actually by public transportation (TTC/The Rocket) instead.

In answer to your questions:

Well, Canadian Christmas is pretty much like Amerian Christmas (lol..isn't Christmas celebrated throughout the world, anyways). The only exception: The day after Christmas in Canada, there is a holiday called "Boxing Day" (lol..nothing to do with the sport of boxing), which is the Canadian equivalent of "Black Friday" here in the USA (good for shoppers, I suppose). I think the roots of Boxing Day are based on a British/UK holiday of the same name....

Yes, Toronto is very diverse, with lots of different ethnic groups living in various parts of the city, with millions of people. Most of the diversity is in the downtown areas, but with more people immigrating to Canada, those diverse areas have spread to the suburbs and beyond too. There are lots of celebrations, stores, restarants, etc. that reflect this ethnic diversity too, which you can check out.

For more information about Toronto and the events and places around the city (I'm not sure what you are looking for specifically for your holiday travels, as there is so much to do there, that I can't name it all here), you can check out the following official website, to see what you and your girlfriend are interested in...

Official website of Toronto: www.toronto.ca

Hope this helps. Happy holiday travels in Toronto!

Ant

Well Im from the States but my GF lives in Toronto.. im gonna be visiting there around the holidays. Does the city do anything special for Christmas?

Should be quite an experience for me, im from a small town and the largest city ive ever been in is Pittsburgh, PA for a day. Although i look foward to the diversity, as around here its all old white people .

Edited October 19, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[thetreble 19]

I'm not from TO but pretty close by and I'm always there. I love the city itself, but my favorite thing to do is take my girls shopping with me on Queen St. There is such a mix of stores and just things to see.

I also love catching a Toronto soccer game when I'm down in the summer time, even if they aren't very good. haha The fans are great.

[SapphireDreams 71]

I'm from Mississauga, right on the border of Toronto and worked downtown for many years before moving. I miss the city SO MUCH. I didnt' think that I would, but I do. And that says a lot now considering I live in NYC now. There is just something about Toronto that I love and hope to some day move back.

A few of my favorite things to do:

-Go out to eat at many fabulous restaurants -

-sushi at New Generation Sushi on Bloor

-Burgers at Craft Burger in King. West.

I especially love Summerlicious and Winterlicious where restaurants offer a Prix Fixe menu for $25 or $35. It's a great opportunity to try new places that are normally more expensive.

-Shopping:

-Queen St. West for cool, funky shops (and a mix of the mainstream ones too)

-Yorkville: fun to window shop and the big Winners there is fun to wander

-Eaton Centre: always a good mall experience.

-Square One: in the 'burbs, but my FAVE mall of all time.

In the winter:

-Skating at Nathan Phillips Square is always fun

In the summer:

-Going down to the Harbourfront to sit by the water

-Take the ferry over to the Toronto Island and rent bikes and ride around (one of my fave things to do)

I'm sure there is more that I'm forgetting... but I truly miss working in the city and living right outside of it.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I'm not from TO, but my mum is and my grandparents lived there so we always visited. They lived at the corner of Bayview and Eglinton (ok, not 'at'...a block up on Mann Ave - near the Dominion grocery store which probably isn't there anymore)

I always thought Toronto was so neat in comparison to Kitchener - it had museums and the EX and buses that went all night practically! We invariably went shopping at the Eaton Centre at least a few times a year and I remember staying at my grandparents during the summer for a week. I was allowed to walk down to the corner with my grandpa and get the paper from the 'box'...anotheh novel thing since our paper was delivered by a paperboy.

But those are the old days....I still like going, love to go see a show or a hockey game and feel like I've been to the 'big city' for the day.

And then I come home, take 3 advil and thank gawd that I don't live in that 'big city'

Edited October 19, 2009 by Udella&Wiz

[warlord 73]

I never lived there, but only an hour away. My grandmother and aunt lived there so spent a lot of time growing up there on the weekends all the time. When I got to my teens my friends and I would take the train or bus there and go wandering around Young St and hit the record stores and stuff.

Later on I'd still go visit when I lived here. I'd fly out and cruise around Queen St W. and everywhere. This summer I actually went back for a entire day by myself and loved it. I saw 2 markets that I hadn't gone to, wandered on Queen St. W., took the subway all the way to the new subway line they have now (I love subways) and the highlight was roaming all around Chinatown. Oh and got a map of the Toronto underground and checked out every thing I could in all the underground. That was cool

Definatly want to go back with a friend and get a hotel and go clubbing there again...

[lgg 2]

Hey all.. I live in TO, downtown, burgeoning on mid-town in Little Italy...

Um. I hate it???

I'm originally from the west coast (vancouver island) and then lived in Montreal for 12 years. Much prefer Montreal - I find toronto rude and cold and waaaaaaaaay too big. Too loud, too smoggy and well, i'm not a fan. I do love the area of High Park thoug -- that's a very nice area and I find a little solace there. I tend to go hiking and go along the Beltline trail and cycling and running around the waterfront are great if there weren't SO many people all the time.

I'm not a shopper so going to malls and the shopping areas is not my idea of a good time but I do like China town for some awesome restaurants and such. I'm actually pining to get the heck out of this giant city -- i'm looking forward to somewhere smaller and quieter and less densely populated...

JMHO!

[Sprailenes 47]

I was born and raised in Toronto and I love it.

I love Kensington Market and Queen W.

I LOVE the indie music scene there. It's absolutely amazing.

The food, the restaurants.

My husband would say the women. He's always said the women in Canada are: "10's". Yes we are!

What don't I like about Toronto?

That city smell that tends to stick to you.

[lgg 2]

Oh yeah, Kensington Market is pretty cool too! I also think the Distillery district is quite nice -- nice little cheese and art shops and stuff there. .

Ahhhhhh... cheese and art! What more could you want?

I was born and raised in Toronto and I love it.

I love Kensington Market and Queen W.

I LOVE the indie music scene there. It's absolutely amazing.

The food, the restaurants.

My husband would say the women. He's always said the women in Canada are: "10's". Yes we are!

What don't I like about Toronto?

That city smell that tends to stick to you.

[Krikit 1,164]

Wait a minute. LGG and Warlord.... you switched ID's, didn't you?

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I'd have to say I'm not a big fan of Toronto at all. I'm from Niagara, so fairly close, but far enough away to be a little detached from it. I just find the city a little suffocating, a little crowded, to busy and things just move to fast. I'm just from a fairly small town and not really into the big city life. Now that I live in Denver its very interesting how a "big city" can feel so different. Things are less condensed, the population is smaller and I feel like I can breathe.

With that said there are some nice things Toronto has to offer. I'm a big sports and its a great place to go for hockey and baseball games. The shopping is great as well, its like you can't walk 10 feet without hitting somewhere to buy things. The system of public transit is pretty nice too... makes it a lot easier to get from A to B. I can understand why someone would really enjoy Toronto life, its just not for me, not at all.

[lgg 2]

I agree with you 100% Buggles...

And Krikit? I was having that EXACT same thought myself "hmmmm, what the hell am I doing with that new screen name?????"

[Krikit 1,164]

I Toronto. As long as I don't have to drive into or out of it. Or take the train. It has the most fabulous restaurants, and I practically lived in the Theatre District. And the O'Keefe Centre Hummingbird Centre Sony Centre. SO much to see and do.

[thetreble 19]

This summer I actually went back for a entire day by myself and loved it.

Shock horror! You...LOVED it?? Nooo..