| 72-Hour Getaway Toronto By Margaret Swaine Toronto the Good is shedding its goodie two-shoes persona. Yes the streets are still safe to walk at all hours and are generally clean enough to sleep on. The five million inhabitants are unfailingly polite, saying "I'm sorry" when they've done nothing more than crossed your path. Yet of late Canada's largest city has taken on a style and an edge. There are spots and times where it has donned its killer heels. Tarted up industrial wastelands and cool new cultural venues such as The Four Seasons opera house and Daniel Liebeskind's Crystal addition to the Royal Ontario Museum have added a vibrancy to the city. Major changes are taking place at the Art Gallery of Ontario with its redesign by Frank Gehry. The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art has a complete new look as has the National Ballet School of Canada and the Royal Conservatory of Music. Three new five star hotels are due to open in the downtown hotel scene by 2009 - Trump International, Ritz-Carlton and a second Four Seasons Yorkville. Opening in summer of 2007 is The Hazelton Hotel, an ultra deluxe Yabu Pushelberg designed hotel that includes the restaurant One by renowned local chef Mark McEwan. This fifth largest city on the continent is also one of the planets most multicultural. With 79 ethnic publications, 34 faith groups and over 100 languages and dialects spoken, the diversity is inspiring and extensive. Neighborhoods such as Corso Italia, Greektown, Little Poland, Via Azores and Gerrard India Bazaar reflect the origin of the locals with their bilingual signs, ethnic restaurants and imported foods from the home countries. Where you stay depends on your tastes. Like to be in the heart of the action in a hip boutique hotel? Hotel Le Germain and Soho Metropolitan Hotel both in the Entertainment District offer stylish luxury right at the throbbing center of club land. The Westin Harbour Castle on Lake Ontario is five minutes from the action, peacefully situated on Toronto's waterfront. Hilton Toronto has the advantage of being right across from the new opera house and just steps from the Financial and Entertainment Districts. The tony Four Seasons Hotel and The Park Hyatt are centered in fashionable Yorkville near the Mink Mile of shopping. Historic elegance and comfort can be found in The Financial District's Royal York Hotel and King Edward Hotel. If you are part of the artsy crowd you'll love the urbane Gladstone with its 37 unique artist designed rooms in the funky Queen West area - though be prepared for noise from trams, trains and the bar. DAY 1 If you are a good walker keep trekking until you hit Spadina Road then head north through Chinatown stopping for a quick lunch at one of the many Asian restaurants. Happy Seven and Swatow at Dundas and Lee Garden at Baldwin are popular with locals. However if you really love dim sum and want to experience what's likely the best in North America, take a two minute taxi to the Metropolitan Hotel on Chestnut Street in "old chinatown". There on the second floor you'll find the elegant and exquisite Lai Wah Heen. If you have stayed around Spadina, meander a block west into Kensington Market to view storefronts of all ethnic persuasions, vintage clothing shops such as Courage My Love and hear the calls of a lively marketplace. Either way you are nearby The Art Gallery of Ontario on Dundas Street. It's undergoing a major $254 million redesign and expansion under the guidance of renowned architect Frank Gehry (expected to be completed in 2008). The Henry Moore Sculptural Centre has the largest collection of Moore's sculptures in the world and there are many great works by Canadian and international artists in the Gallery's extensive collection. However about 80 per cent of the gallery is space is closed during construction so give it a pass until the reopening. For further culture head a little north to Yorkville. On the west side of Avenue at Bloor, The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is undergoing construction of modern architect Daniel Libeskind's crystal design for six new galleries. Special tours of the Lee-Chin Crystals exterior and neighboring sites take place at 1:00 pm on Saturdays and 6:00 pm on Fridays during the months of June, July and August 2007. You can also enjoy tours of the Lee-Chin Crystal's interior with the ROM's Museum Guides. Throughout construction the Museum is continuing its tradition of rotating special exhibitions so check to see what's on in the various galleries. (Six million artifacts from around the world and regular special exhibits along popular themes.) Toronto's a great shopping city and this area's home to high end retail with bargain hunters' seasonal sales. Begin here at the posh Hazelton Lanes where you can explore two levels of shopping filled with top brands such as Manolo Blahnik, Valentino and Ferragamo. Marc Laurent's a personal shopping favourite stocked with exquisite Kiton, Etro and all the best brands. Intrepid shoppers keep going to Holt Renfrew, the department store for Toronto's upper crust with three floors of luxury labels. At Holt's Café you can get an open face sandwich and a jolt of revitalizing java. For a more relaxed lunch if you haven't opted for Chinese stop in at the Studio Café in the Four Seasons. Food is always excellence as is celebrity and fashionista spotting. Yorkville's full of good restaurants, cafés and bars with outdoor patios so at dinner time in warm weather you might just want to grab a seat outdoors and people watch. For indoor dining Pangaea offers refined fresh market cuisine, Joso's is famous for its fresh grilled whole fish and Sotto Sotto is a celeb hang-out. However is you really want to rest your feet and pamper yourself take a five minute taxi ride to Splendido one of the city's best restaurants. Service here is ultra smooth, the food which features many seasonal Canadian specialties is refined and the wine list is long and deep. Be prepared to shell out but it's worth it. Day 2 Around noon head to Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar on Church Street just south of Front. One of Toronto's top chefs, the handsome Jamie serves up seasonal tapas style dishes based on local ingredients. If you sit at the long counter overlooking the open kitchen you can chat with your neighbors as you watch the snack size roast monk fish, crisp skinned pork belly or whatever's on the daily changing menu being prepared. Have a wine to match by the glass and soak in the ultra-hip hopping scene. If you're a seafood lover the best fresh oysters and fish can be found a few blocks away at Starfish. After lunch head to the Distillery District. If you like modern design you might want to walk the first stretch long King Street East from Jarvis to Parliament Street which is the city's prime area for modern design showrooms. You'll pass furniture shops by innovative Canadian and international designers such as Abitare, Ziggurat and Klaus (Nienkämper). A little further east and several blocks south is the Distillery Historic District at Parliament and Mill Streets. Sitting on 13 acres, it's one of the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial architecture in North America. The 44 historic buildings are linked by brick-paved streets running off a central courtyard. Over 800 films were shot at this atmospheric 1832 locale. Take an hour or more to visit the galleries, art studios, retail shops and micro-brewery. Don't miss the Sandra Ainsley Gallery home to gorgeous glass sculpture displayed in dramatic lighting against the distressed brick walls. For the hungry there are outdoor patios in the summer, various bars and restaurants including gourmet tasting menus at Perigee in the evening. I suggest you re-energize with a freshly roasted coffee or an exotic Chai tea at Balzac's Coffee House. Or if you like spas, the newly opened Oasis Wellness Centre and Spa with 78 treatment areas in its 23,000 square feet is the city's largest. At cocktail hour head back downtown to the 54th floor of the TD Bank Tower to Canoe restaurant and bar. This is your CN Tower substitute. Take in a bird's eye view of the city with an excellent martini in hand. And mingle with the high powered suits of Bay Street instead of tourists. If it's a weekday you can stay for dinner here - food and view are good with a strong focus on Canadian ingredients and dishes. Or you can check out the scene at Ki, a happening Asian style bar and restaurant or ByMark another local watering hole and dining favorite among the financial crowd. If you are travelling with kids or are a kid at heart, then you really have to do the CN Tower. Canada's National Tower which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2006, defines the Toronto skyline and at 553.33m (1,815 ft., 5 in.) is the world's tallest building. Views are literally breathtaking from three observation levels including the Glass Floor Look Out and Sky Pod. If you dine here you by pass the long line-ups to a separate elevator where you can enjoy wine from Guinness World Record's "World's Highest Wine Cellar" and tasty Canadian seafood platters. Day 3 Now you've seen the heart of the city, explore the ethnic areas or a few special attractions further afield. You'll want to pick and choose from the following options. Italians have played an important role in Canadian history ever since Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) explored and claimed Newfoundland for England in 1497. Between 1885 and 1924, then after World War II, waves of Italians arrived, settling around College St. - our first "Little Italy." This area today is packed with trattorias, funky shops, hip restaurants, a lively bar scene and several poolhalls. Sidewalks are jammed on weekends - especially in the summer, with locals and visitors alike sipping espressos on outdoor patios as at Café Diplomatico (often used as a set by filmmakers). Boom Breakfast & Co is perfect for a breakfast of omelettes, stacks of pancakes or crêpes. Greektown on the Danforth also intermingles creative spaces, clubs and cafés with stereotypical ethnic cuisine and shops. Walking down Danforth Avenue you see street signs in English and Greek, blue and white Greek flags line the avenue, fruit and vegetable stands, butcher shops, Greek bakeries and pastry shops. The scent of traditional Greek food fills the air especially in the warmer months, when the glass walls of the restaurants are opened up, the shouts of "Opa!" reverberate. Join in the fun and lunch at one of the many Greek spots such as Avli, Mezes or Maria's Garden where Maria Kontopidis serves up traditional homemade dishes. A short scenic ferry ride commencing near the Westin Harbour Castle takes you to Toronto Islands, originally settled in the 1830s and now home to Centreville amusement park, Hanlan's Point (nude) Beach and lots of paths where you can take in Toronto from a different perspective. Ontario Place is also on the lake and features amusement parks, water sports and the triodetic-dome that houses the cinesphere, the world's first permanent IMAX theatre. Harbourfront itself, once a desolate chuck of industrial land has been transformed into a hive of cultural activity where over 4,000 theatrical and musical events are held every year. If you're travelling with kids they'll love the Ontario Science Centre or Black Creek Pioneer Village. The Science Centre pioneered the concept of interactive exhibitions and continues to provoke and stimulate with its exhibitions, IMAX theatre films and new spaces such as KidSpark for those eight and under. At Black Creek step into Canada's past and explore an authentically re-created 1860's Ontario country village. Enjoy more than 40 restored homes, tradeshops, public and farm buildings, interpreters and artisans in period dress, country dining, unique shopping and village made crafts. More into studs and leather? The Gay Village centered around the intersection of Church and Wellesley is packed with gay-oriented shops like This Ain't the Rosedale Library, cafés and bars such as Woody's and Sailors. Showtime's series Queer as Folk is filmed in the Village and it's host to Canada's largest annual gay and lesbian Pride celebrations (third largest pride parade in the world). Rub the shiny spot on the controversial bronze monument to Alexander Wood, believed to be North America's only traditional bronze gay historical monument. Save some energy for the evening. Toronto's the third largest theatre centre in the English-speaking world after New York and London. Every night dozens of acts from big time musicals to small experimental plays are on stage. Mirvish productions puts on the city's biggest long running shows - the several theatres they use are all in the downtown core. The new Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts by Diamond and Schmitt Architects is Canada's first purpose-built opera house. Elementally Canadian and austere from the outside, inside the airy foyer is dominated by the blond beech and maple woods. Huge all glass walls from the lobbies and reception rooms look onto the city. The horseshow auditorium provides acoustics that are alive at intimate moments while allowing huge waves of sound to soar to magnificent heights. If an opera's on don't miss attending. If you want to dine in the action packed Entertainment District, The Fifth is a unique, popular spot. Off a back alley, through the throngs of a throbbing nightclub, up a freight elevator and you're in a peaceful oasis where steaks have a French twist and even the veggies are haute. On King Street West are Susur, the adjacent more casual Lee (Susur's baby) and Thuet all equally tasty nearby alternatives. If your taste is a tad kinky, you'll enjoy Wicked, a hedonistic club for swingers and like minded people. As can be imagined the club looks like a boudoir with bed style seating, silk ceiling drapes and lots of red accents. There are VIP booths, bed booths and an exhibition cage. Fridays are couples and girl/boy toys night and Saturdays are couples and single female nights. For your nightcap, hit one of the sizzling jazz clubs perhaps Top O' The Senator, Montreal Bistro or The Rex Hotel. Every night there are live performances in Toronto from jazz greats, up-and-comers and wannabes. Time for bed. You've sampled Toronto the Good and Bad. Sweet dreams.
Four Seasons Hotel The Fairmount Royal York Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel Westin Harbour Castle Hilton Toronto The Park Hyatt Boutique Hotels Hotel Le Germain The Drake Hotel The Gladstone Hotel Where to Eat St. Lawrence Market Boom Breakfast & Co. Lunch Starfish Four Seasons Studio Café Lai Wah Heen Dinner Susur Thuet Splendido Canoe 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower What to do/Attractions Museums/Galleries Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art Royal Ontario Museum Public Attractions Black Creek Pioneer Village Harbourfront Centre Ontario Place Centre Island Toronto Island Ferry Ontario Science Centre Shopping Areas Hazelton Lanes shopping mall Holt Renfrew Markets St. Lawrence Market Performance/Theatre Centres West Queen West Art & Design District Queen West Galleries Theatre Theatre and concert tickets Mirvish Productions Clubs Jazz Spas |