Hello Toronto DUers!

[KurtNYC]

I am coming to Toronto this weekend (1/28 - 1/31). I would welcome any suggestions for Must-sees or great food. I am staying downtown at the Delta Chelsea.

Would also be up for meeting up with anyone (I may not be Will Pitt but I had a drink with Will Pitt so a drink with me is like being one bar stool away from Will Pitt except that I am totally blocking your view of Will and you can't hear him talking either and even if you look around me you won't see him but otherwise pretty much the same).
:toast:

[Lautremont]

1. You must see Honest Ed's at night.

It's at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor. From there, you can stroll east on Bloor and go to any number of interesting bars for a drink, stop in at Book City and pick up something to read.

I'm sure there are many more interesting things to do than this, though; I just can't think of them at the moment. (I myself don't live in Hogtown any more, or I'd take you up on the drink.)

[Telly Savalas]

3. I second that.

Also to the west of that intersection is Little Korea, where there are a number of places to get yummy Korean BBQ.

[Telly Savalas]

2. As a hick from the sticks, I'm probably a bit easier to impress...

than a New Yorker, but I think the best way to get a rich appreciation for the city is just to walk around its many neighbourhoods. To scratch the surface over a weekend, you might try walking out of your hotel down Yonge St. to Queen St. and then hang a right and walk west all the way to Roncesvalles Ave. It's a tad less than a 4 mile stroll, and it'll take you through some pretty varied urban terrain. This approach isn't very touristy, but it'll give you a better feel for the city than visiting the CN Tower would. If you get tired at any time, you can just hop on the streetcar that runs along the street. Similar westward treks along Bloor St. and College St. could prove rewarding also.

As far as other destinations go, you might try:


*Going to St. Lawrence Market and having a back bacon sandwich at Carousel.

*Speaking of uniqely Canadian food, even though it's more a Quebecois thing, if you've never had poutine before, give it a try. There's a New York Fries place in the Eaton Centre that sells poutine. It's not as good as the real deal in Montreal, but it's decent.

*Kensington Market is a funky neighbourhood with lots of vintage clothing shops and a charming atmosphere.

*If you're a fan, the Hockey Hall of Fame is definately a must-see.

*Close to the Hockey Hall of Fame is my favourite place in the city, the atrium of the BCE building near the intersection of King and Yonge:



Nothing exciting happens here. I just love the architecture.

*Walking around Yonge St. after dark can be kind of cool, especially around Yonge and Dundas where the Eaton Centre is. It's like they're trying to build a Times Square North there. If you're used to the real thing, you might find it lame, but from the perspective of someone born and raised in Kansas, it's pretty neat.

Other quick bits of advice:

*Don't read the National Post, even if your hotel gives you a free copy. It's a rightwing fishwrapper and will only confuse whatever understanding you might have of Canadian politics.

*Don't eat the pizza here. There are pizzarias everywhere and most of them suck. (If you have an uncontrollable urge for a slice, Amato isn't bad and there's one located not too far from your hotel.)

*People are really friendly here, so don't be afraid to ask a stranger where to find something.

*If you run into this guy on the subway,

http://mirrorimageorigin.collegepublisher.com:80/media/paper285/stills/dq9rk1kb.jpg

tell him what a great city he has. He's the mayor and he kicks ass. (And yes, our mayor prefers the subway to a limo. That's part of the reason he kicks ass.)

Enjoy!

[Lautremont]

4. Seconding back at you, my bald, lollipop-loving friend

Especially the part about the Kensington Market - it's got a neat little village-in-the-city feel with an intimate scale not to be found in New York.

And the attempt to emulate Times Square at the corner of Young and Dundas - it is to laugh. It's worth walking by just to scoff, while on your way to do one of the walks Mr. Savalas has recommended. Queen Street in particular is good.

Have fun!

[KurtNYC]

5. Many thanks

Loved your suggestion to just take some long walks through the less touristy neighborhoods. I grew up about 50 miles southeast of Toronto (in the USA) but have not been to Toronto in many years. As a child I went to the CNE twice, the science centre about 4 times and Toronto in general about 20 times. I look forward to seeing how the city has changed, seeing a few things I remember and getting a better perspective on how it would be to live in Toronto.

I sell a nutrition-related product in both the US and Canada and am seriously considering moving to Canada. I go to Montreal about twice a year now and several people in Montreal (which I find to be friendly) have told me that they find Montreal significantly less friendly than Toronto. While I love Montreal, the language and other hurdles would be reduced if I moved to Toronto.

Again, thanks for some great suggestions.

[achtung_circus]

6. If you go as far as Roncesvalles

it has some of the best Polish and Ukrainian food you'll ever find. High Park, weather permitting, is a nice walk, seeing people, seeing dogs. Does history interest you? I have a little list.

Also try Shopsey's at Yonge and Front for great sausage products (OK they're hot dogs).

[gorbal]

7. And Will Pitt had dinner with Thom Hartmann once

So you can sort of imagine Thom Hartmann on the phone near the lavatory trying to get a cab:)

[auntAgonist]

8. A favourite restaurant of mine

..The (Old )Spaghetti Factory.

the decor is really awesome and the food is very good !

[Hoping4Change]

9. What is a better commendation than having had a drink with wm pitt?

Mmmmm. Drink you say? Sounds good to me. I just sent you a PM. BTW its Winterlicious time in TO so a host of restaurants have special $10 lunch specials!:beer: :hi:

[KurtNYC]

10. Cool

I just PM'd you back. having a great time so far. Went to the St. Lawrence market for breakfast this morning. Mmmmmmm.

Am now at the nicest public library in North America (at Bloor and Yonge). It is like a HIlton Hotel lobby except with books and a free internet connection. :-)

I plan on some $10 3-course lunches will I'm here too. Hope to meet up.

[GideonStargrave]

11. If your really daring/crazy...

...you could visit the corpse slime drain

though that really is more of a springtime/summer thing...