Two wintry days in Toronto - what should we not miss?
December 1, 2016 11:48 AM Subscribe
Arriving Sunday morning - have Sunday and Monday essentially to run around, eat and drink and have a good time. Staying near Union Station and relying on public transport...been to Niagara, so no need for a detour outside of the city. Suggestions? St. Lawrence market appears to be closed both days, which makes me very sad. Snowflakes inside.
Participant one: west coaster who's been to Toronto for work a few times but never had time to explore the wonderful city. Interests: chocolate, markets, photography, handmade things. Difficulty level: celiac and vegetarian.
Participant two: from Newfoundland, who goes to Toronto for work frequently but tends to circulate to the same few places (Eaton Centre among them). Interests: music (blues, guitar player), sci fi, books. Difficulty level: virtually none! Doesn't like chicken feet or fiddlehead ferns.
Participant one: west coaster who's been to Toronto for work a few times but never had time to explore the wonderful city. Interests: chocolate, markets, photography, handmade things. Difficulty level: celiac and vegetarian.
Participant two: from Newfoundland, who goes to Toronto for work frequently but tends to circulate to the same few places (Eaton Centre among them). Interests: music (blues, guitar player), sci fi, books. Difficulty level: virtually none! Doesn't like chicken feet or fiddlehead ferns.
You can take a walk along Queen Street. There's a used book store, Acadia Books, that could be fun to look around. St. Lawrence Market was nice but it was also very crowded and hectic; I'm sure you can have a great time even without stopping there!
posted by gemutlichkeit at 11:55 AM on December 1, 2016
posted by gemutlichkeit at 11:55 AM on December 1, 2016
Re: food, for celiac/vegetarian, there's Kupfert and Kim on Richmond and Spadina. I've never been but heard good things from friends.
posted by Paper rabies at 11:58 AM on December 1, 2016
posted by Paper rabies at 11:58 AM on December 1, 2016
strong second on Soma's chocolate
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 12:15 PM on December 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 12:15 PM on December 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
The Toronto Christmas Market is in the Distillery district and I've heard good things.
For sci-fi books hit up Bakka-Phoenix on Harbord near UOfT.
posted by GuyZero at 12:15 PM on December 1, 2016 [4 favorites]
For sci-fi books hit up Bakka-Phoenix on Harbord near UOfT.
posted by GuyZero at 12:15 PM on December 1, 2016 [4 favorites]
The Art Gallery of Ontario displays photographs, as do some of the private art galleries, like Only One Gallery.
posted by grouse at 12:31 PM on December 1, 2016
posted by grouse at 12:31 PM on December 1, 2016
Also in Kensington Market you can find:
Sweet Olenka's for chocolate (including some vegan treats)
Hibiscus Cafe for gluten free eats
posted by Kabanos at 12:32 PM on December 1, 2016
Sweet Olenka's for chocolate (including some vegan treats)
Hibiscus Cafe for gluten free eats
posted by Kabanos at 12:32 PM on December 1, 2016
There's a couple of street vendors of jewellery and handmade goods on the north side of Queen at Peter.
Steve's has music, as in instruments and sheet music, on the south side of Queen just east of Spadina.
I can vouch for Kupfert and Kim. Had a super tasty veggie burger there a couple of weeks ago. Am veg but not celiac.
Bunners, is a vegan gluten-free bakery in Kensington Market. Love them! Then wonder around the market; so many cool shops.
The Rex has music too (as in jazz and blues).
posted by foxjacket at 12:49 PM on December 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Steve's has music, as in instruments and sheet music, on the south side of Queen just east of Spadina.
I can vouch for Kupfert and Kim. Had a super tasty veggie burger there a couple of weeks ago. Am veg but not celiac.
Bunners, is a vegan gluten-free bakery in Kensington Market. Love them! Then wonder around the market; so many cool shops.
The Rex has music too (as in jazz and blues).
posted by foxjacket at 12:49 PM on December 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Here comes a recommendation with a million caveats:
If you have ever been to a Korean Sauna, don't bother going to the one in Toronto, since apparently there are much better ones in Korea, Japan, Los Angeles, etc.
However if, like me, you have never been to a Korean Sauna, the one in Toronto is super fun. The wet area is a hot tub, cold tub, steam room, showers, and optional massage / scrub treatments. The dry area is comprised of a large fully-clothed hangout room with snacks, and a lovely dry sauna area with heated floors and different mineral crystal rooms to try out. It's about $30 and you can stay for up to 24 hours, play board games, nap, snack, etc.
Caveats:
It's very gendered- your party will be separated by sex for the watery half of the experience (but you can skip the watery part and head straight to the dry saunas, which are all-gender).
You are expected to get nude if you want to use the hot tub or cold tub (you can try wearing a swimsuit- I have before- but on one occasion I was asked by an older employee via a translating child to either remove mine or get out of the tub).
You might get eyeballs if you have major tattoos or body mods.
It's not outright racist but not super-friendly to non-Asian PoC. Fine for Asians and white people. As a PoC I am aware of and annoyed by this dynamic.... but like the experience so much that I go anyway.
For the dry part of the sauna experience, you are given a set of loose cotton clothing to wear, so if your body size is much bigger than 2XL, that's probably not gonna be comfortable...
It's a bit annoying to access by public transit, but doable, and again, I like it so much that at least once a year I grit my teeth and ride that bus.
All this to say that my assessment of "fun" is relative if those things don't sound good to you.
But if you're comfortable within those parameters, it's super fun! And a nice way to hang out and not be cold.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:51 PM on December 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
If you have ever been to a Korean Sauna, don't bother going to the one in Toronto, since apparently there are much better ones in Korea, Japan, Los Angeles, etc.
However if, like me, you have never been to a Korean Sauna, the one in Toronto is super fun. The wet area is a hot tub, cold tub, steam room, showers, and optional massage / scrub treatments. The dry area is comprised of a large fully-clothed hangout room with snacks, and a lovely dry sauna area with heated floors and different mineral crystal rooms to try out. It's about $30 and you can stay for up to 24 hours, play board games, nap, snack, etc.
Caveats:
It's very gendered- your party will be separated by sex for the watery half of the experience (but you can skip the watery part and head straight to the dry saunas, which are all-gender).
You are expected to get nude if you want to use the hot tub or cold tub (you can try wearing a swimsuit- I have before- but on one occasion I was asked by an older employee via a translating child to either remove mine or get out of the tub).
You might get eyeballs if you have major tattoos or body mods.
It's not outright racist but not super-friendly to non-Asian PoC. Fine for Asians and white people. As a PoC I am aware of and annoyed by this dynamic.... but like the experience so much that I go anyway.
For the dry part of the sauna experience, you are given a set of loose cotton clothing to wear, so if your body size is much bigger than 2XL, that's probably not gonna be comfortable...
It's a bit annoying to access by public transit, but doable, and again, I like it so much that at least once a year I grit my teeth and ride that bus.
All this to say that my assessment of "fun" is relative if those things don't sound good to you.
But if you're comfortable within those parameters, it's super fun! And a nice way to hang out and not be cold.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:51 PM on December 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
The best photo gallery is Stephen Bulger. I would recommend the food, and culture (bookstores, galleries, a great pub, a gluten free bakery, design stores) of the junction triangle.
posted by PinkMoose at 1:03 PM on December 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by PinkMoose at 1:03 PM on December 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
The South Indian Dosa Mahal is one of my favourites Toronto restos, it's vegetarian and dosas should be gluten-free (maybe call ahead?). It's in the Junction.
I also like The Monkey Paw bookshop, a curio type of place. Same 'hood.
posted by TheGoodBlood at 1:36 PM on December 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
I also like The Monkey Paw bookshop, a curio type of place. Same 'hood.
posted by TheGoodBlood at 1:36 PM on December 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Oh hey, we literally just did this! We spent a day at the Royal Ontario Museum (the fossil/bones collection in particular was huge and very cool), the Bata Shoe Museum (quirky, only takes a few hours, historical shoes), and did the Christmas Market. We actually walked from the Union Station area to the market - it's about 30 mins and a nice city walk.
posted by nakedmolerats at 3:12 PM on December 1, 2016
posted by nakedmolerats at 3:12 PM on December 1, 2016
Distillery district on Sundays is fantastic - and we've been having very walkable weather lately.
posted by A hidden well at 7:10 PM on December 1, 2016
posted by A hidden well at 7:10 PM on December 1, 2016
You could take a little tour of Cabbagetown. Take the subway from Union to College. Then walk east. You will know you're going east if the street name changes to Carlton instead of College.
On your left will be the old Maple leaf Gardens - now a Loblaws with a pretty extensive dessert and chocolate and Nutella area.
Keep going east and you will see Allen Gardens on your right. The park is semi-sketchy but the massive greenhouse is worth a visit and is a great way to warm up. I think it closes at 5:00 pm each day.
Keep going east and you will start to notice more interesting architecture. On your right is a shop called Labour of Love and it has a ton of cute handmade items including great jewelry.
Then you will arrive at Parliament Street. The main set of shops runs North-South. There is another cute shop of handmade items called Spruce.
There are lots of restaurants on Parliament -- a pub called House on Parliament is a good bet. Or a little cafe called MerryBerry. I'm afraid I have no advice on celiac options.
All the streets East of Parliament are full of old heritage houses. Wander, wander. There is also a mini farm called Riverdale Farm that's open during the day. It's cute but if your feet are tired, just turn back around again and head back to College station.
posted by cranberrymonger at 8:43 PM on December 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
On your left will be the old Maple leaf Gardens - now a Loblaws with a pretty extensive dessert and chocolate and Nutella area.
Keep going east and you will see Allen Gardens on your right. The park is semi-sketchy but the massive greenhouse is worth a visit and is a great way to warm up. I think it closes at 5:00 pm each day.
Keep going east and you will start to notice more interesting architecture. On your right is a shop called Labour of Love and it has a ton of cute handmade items including great jewelry.
Then you will arrive at Parliament Street. The main set of shops runs North-South. There is another cute shop of handmade items called Spruce.
There are lots of restaurants on Parliament -- a pub called House on Parliament is a good bet. Or a little cafe called MerryBerry. I'm afraid I have no advice on celiac options.
All the streets East of Parliament are full of old heritage houses. Wander, wander. There is also a mini farm called Riverdale Farm that's open during the day. It's cute but if your feet are tired, just turn back around again and head back to College station.
posted by cranberrymonger at 8:43 PM on December 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
For chocolate: Soma on King.
For used books and music: She Said Boom, just north of Kensington Market.
posted by Paper rabies at 11:53 AM on December 1, 2016 [4 favorites]