What makes Toronto so special in my opinion is this collection of ecclectic neighbourhoods, organically grown residential areas that have history, character and vibrant street life. One of these neighbourhoods is the Annex. I started my discoveries of the Annex just south of Casa Loma, headed underneath the railway tracks on Howland Avenue and entered this popular area. One of the first sights that came into view was the Royal St. George’s College, an Anglican private school for boys that is the choir school for the Cathedral Church of St. James. Once arrived on Bloor I made my way to Bathurst Street past another Toronto landmark: Honest Ed’s, the landmark discount store opened by Ed Mirvish all the way back in 1948. Another landmark, the Metro Theatre, is apparently the last porno movie theatre left in Toronto. Further west I moved into the Korean area west of Bathurst. It was time for a late lunch so I decided to sample a vegetarian platter at Lalibela Restaurant, a popular Ethiopian restaurant on Bloor Street West. A huge platter featuring a combination of split peas, lentils, chick peas, cabbage and collard greens combined with the typical Ethiopian bread really hit the spot. After a very filling meal I walked back almost all the way to Spadina Avenue and admired the many boutiques and specialty stores. I discovered “hemp beer”, all sorts of ethnic giftware, vegetable and fruit stores, futon stores, funky restaurants and delicatessens and a whole lot more …
Posts Tagged ‘Discoveries’
Toronto Travel Discoveries – Stores & restaurants in the Annex
Monday, November 28th, 2011Toronto Travel Discoveries – St. Lawrence Hall – Cathedral
Saturday, November 19th, 2011
The St. Lawrence Market area is one of Toronto’s most historic areas. On a Saturday in late October I started my discoveries at the Gooderham Building, also called the “Flatiron Building, one of Toronto’s most well-known landmarks. Similar to it’s New York City namesake it is a triangular building, but it was built in 1892, 10 years before its NYC counterpart. Front Street in Toronto east of Yonge Street is the location of some historic Victorian townhouses that today house a variety of retail stores and cafes. Just east of there at Front and Jarvis is the St. Lawrence Market – one of Toronto’s most popular landmarks. It was first built in 1845 and originally housed Toronto’s first permanent city hall, the former Police Station #1 as well as a jail house. The market was expanded in 1899 and the big market hall on the south side was added. Today dozens of merchants sell anything from baked goods to cheeses, fruits and vegetables to different types of meat and seafood. All sorts of delicatessens are represented and there are even vendors selling giftware, clothing, art and souvenirs. I had a chance to interview some of the vendors on this busy market day. From here I made my way north to St. Lawrence Hall, one of Toronto’s most imposing historic buildings and one of its original meeting places. Just a few steps west at the intersection of King and Church Streets is St. James Cathedral, first opened in 1853, featuring the second highest church spire in Canada.
Toronto Travel Discoveries – Specialty stores – St. Lawrence Market
Wednesday, October 12th, 2011
The St. Lawrence Market area is one of Toronto’s most historic areas. On a Saturday in late October I started my discoveries at the Gooderham Building, also called the “Flatiron Building, one of Toronto’s most well-known landmarks. Similar to it’s New York City namesake it is a triangular building, but it was built in 1892, 10 years before its NYC counterpart. Front Street in Toronto east of Yonge Street is the location of some historic Victorian townhouses that today house a variety of retail stores and cafes. Just east of there at Front and Jarvis is the St. Lawrence Market – one of Toronto’s most popular landmarks. It was first built in 1845 and originally housed Toronto’s first permanent city hall, the former Police Station #1 as well as a jail house. The market was expanded in 1899 and the big market hall on the south side was added. Today dozens of merchants sell anything from baked goods to cheeses, fruits and vegetables to different types of meat and seafood. All sorts of delicatessens are represented and there are even vendors selling giftware, clothing, art and souvenirs. I had a chance to interview some of the vendors on this busy market day. From here I made my way north to St. Lawrence Hall, one of Toronto’s most imposing historic buildings and one of its original meeting places. Just a few steps west at the intersection of King and Church Streets is St. James Cathedral, first opened in 1853, featuring the second highest church spire in Canada.
Toronto Travel Discoveries – Funky stores on Queen Street West
Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
Yesterday I went to do a video/photo tour of Toronto’s historic Gladstone Hotel that included an interview with owner / renovator and artist Christina Zeidler. Always curious I wanted to get a feel for the neighbourhood surrounding the hotel which is wedged in between West Queen West and Parkdale. This area is an interesting study of local history and sociology. A neighbourhood in transition, it has for many years been a lower income area with significant social problems. Today the neighbourhood is revitalizing, and new housing developments and loft conversions are going up all over the place. The grittier past now coexists with the brighter future. Dozens of new cafes, galleries and funky boutiques have sprung up in the neighbourhood and I enjoyed a little walkaround along Queen Street West. I stopped in for lunch at Café Bernaté, a nice little lunch place almost opposite the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health that features 30 sandwiches with wonderful ingredients such a French brie, avocado, artichoke hearts, asparagus – the kind of foods that make my mouth water. On the way home I stopped off on the CNE Grounds and took some shots of the Princes’ Gates and the Automotive Buildings, two outstanding architectural examples of the Roaring Twenties. The Princes’ Gates (often mistakenly called the “Princess Gates”) were officially opened on August 31, 1927 by the two princes Edward, Prince of Wales and Prince George. Edward later became King Edward VIII. The statue at …
Toronto Travel Discoveries – Wedding at St. James Cathedral
Sunday, February 6th, 2011
The St. Lawrence Market area is one of Toronto’s most historic areas. On a Saturday in late October I started my discoveries at the Gooderham Building, also called the “Flatiron Building, one of Toronto’s most well-known landmarks. Similar to it’s New York City namesake it is a triangular building, but it was built in 1892, 10 years before its NYC counterpart. Front Street in Toronto east of Yonge Street is the location of some historic Victorian townhouses that today house a variety of retail stores and cafes. Just east of there at Front and Jarvis is the St. Lawrence Market – one of Toronto’s most popular landmarks. It was first built in 1845 and originally housed Toronto’s first permanent city hall, the former Police Station #1 as well as a jail house. The market was expanded in 1899 and the big market hall on the south side was added. Today dozens of merchants sell anything from baked goods to cheeses, fruits and vegetables to different types of meat and seafood. All sorts of delicatessens are represented and there are even vendors selling giftware, clothing, art and souvenirs. I had a chance to interview some of the vendors on this busy market day. From here I made my way north to St. Lawrence Hall, one of Toronto’s most imposing historic buildings and one of its original meeting places. Just a few steps west at the intersection of King and Church Streets is St. James Cathedral, first opened in 1853, featuring the second highest church spire in Canada.