Off to Toronto

Hey Canadian members, :okbyenow:

I'll be up in your neck of the woods this April for a design & technology festival event at the Westin Harbour Castle (sounds so regal!). I haven't been up to Toronto since I was a kid, so if anyone up there has advice on what to expect, do's and dont's, clubs to check out, places to stay etc -- would be much appreciated!

I'll be there for three days, plenty of time to possibly hookup with some of you and maybe down some brews or split a Scarborough Suitcase ( :wtf: )

:cheers:

I am going to be going to Toranto in August to visit a friend of mine....I hope you have a fun time, Joe.

My sister, her boyfriend, and a few friends of mine live in Windsor. I just emailed them to see if they have any thoughts about Toronto. I'll let you know what I find out.

This is what my friend emailed me:

http://www.toronto.ca/

Unfortunately I’ve never really spent a lot of time in Toronto but I know of a few things to do there:

If they want to go skating there are a few outdoor skating rinks (from a tourism website):
When the weather turns frightful, Canadians sharpen their blades and hit the ice running. Harbourfront Centre’s Natrel Skating Rink (235 Queens Quay W.) boasts a pretty view of the city’s harbour. Nathan Phillips Square’s (100 Queen St. W.) landmark rink livens up downtown’s City Hall. Both spots offer skate rentals for under $10, change rooms and concessions.

Obviously there’s the CN Tower: http://www.toronto.com/attractions/listing/000-100-157 but check out the glass floor you can walk on! my sister said it’s kind of freaky!
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Eaton Center is a MUST for the shop-a-holic!!!!!
Toronto zoo
NBA: Toronto Raptors
NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs

I’m afraid that I’m not going to be much use for places to go and party. I would suggest finding a website which reviews different bars and restaurants and see what they can find.

If they are staying in downtown Toronto they will probably want to just park their car while they’re there and then either walk everywhere or else there are subways or underground walkways (http://www.toronto.ca/path/pdf/path_brochure.pdf ) for getting around.

Isn't there like some huge shoe museum there? I believe I remember a Conan O' brian show where he was in Toronto and him and some old dude went there.

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Originally posted by InTheMoment
Isn't there like some huge shoe museum there? I believe I remember a Conan O' brian show where he was in Toronto and him and some old dude went there.

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Conan's the best, isn't he? I think the museum you are speaking of is the Balta Shoe Museum.

I live an hour away and spend a lot of time in the city.

What to do, what to do....

Hockey Hall of Fame
CN Tower/SkyDome
Eaton Centre

..those are the big tourist areas, pretty boring if you ask me.

The Richmond/Adelaide area has a hoppin' club scene (Tonic is my personal fav).

Check out Queen St. for all sorts of shops and the greatest music t-shirt store in the universe (The Black Market, there's a smallish part upstairs, and an underground warehouse across the street).

MuchMusic w/Speaker's Corner if you have something to say (Queen and John).

Yonge St. has everything.

Looking for food? Front St. is the place to be, Lonestar Texas Grill would be my recommendation (unless you're looking to drop a few hundred, then hit up Adelaide).

Ummm.....that's about all I can think of.....

Oh, music. If you're in the mood for a concert, check out Lee's Palace, The Docks, Kool Haus, The Opera House, Sneaky Dee's, The Mod Club or the Molson Amphitheatre.

Wow, thanks all - this is more than I'd get from any travel agency! :D

I'll look into your suggestions - since I'll primarily be busy during the day I'm mostly looking for more nightlife related activities. I still haven't picked out which sessions I will be attending but they're all pretty much during he day.

Keep the recommendations and advice comin! :thumbup:

Hey Joe,
you might be interested in the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).

Or based on some of your posts you might enjoy some of the peeler bars on Yonge Street :shock:

Bradybaker's right

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Richmond/Adelaide area has a hoppin' club scene[/b]

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those places give me a headache, but I'm an old man.

Toronto is very multicultural, so there's ALL kinds of restaurants, and the Ontario government makes them post signs in their windows showing they've passed health inspections :roll:

By April the weather should be decent, but hey, you're from Cleveland, you probably have more snow than us. :D

I'd be happy to buy you a beer some night if schedules align. eh!

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I'd be happy to buy you a beer some night if schedules align. eh! [/b]

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Hey yeah, sounds like a plan!

Would be cool to catch up with you since our last beer - which was where, Hilo airport last November?

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Originally posted by burns91+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(burns91)</div>

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My sister, her boyfriend, and a few friends of mine live in Windsor. I just emailed them to see if they have any thoughts about Toronto. I'll let you know what I find out.[/b]

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ah yes, windsor. it just so happens windsor is the home of dream views. well not the server, but the admin. so close enough.

<!--QuoteBegin-bradybaker
The Docks

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i haven't had a chance to check out The Docks yet, but hope to.

anyway tornado, if you're looking for a large club to party at, i'd recommend The Government. i spent New Year's there a few years ago. good times.

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Originally posted by icedawg
if you're looking for a large club to party at, i'd recommend The Government. i spent New Year's there a few years ago. good times.

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yeah you would like a club called the government.

pfft, canadians.

:mrgreen:

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Originally posted by adidas
yeah you would like a club called the government.

pfft, canadians.

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screw you.





hippy. :P

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Originally posted by icedawg


screw you.





hippy. :P

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i bet you like the police* too.

*mounties

:mrgreen:

There's a bar in Windsor called The Honest Lawyer that's pretty cool. Kinda goes along with The Government theme. I had my bachlorette party club-hopping in Windsor.... good times. I've got a picture of me drunk hugging two Windsor policemen (they were good sports)! :D

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Originally posted by adidas+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(adidas)</div>

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i bet you like the police* too.

*mounties[/b]

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har?

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Originally posted by burns91@
There's a bar in Windsor called The Honest Lawyer that's pretty cool. Kinda goes along with The Government theme.

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any chance you're confusing one or the other with some other place? cuz honest lawyer and the government really aren't anything alike; for starters, honest lawyer isn't really a club.

<!--QuoteBegin-burns91
I had my bachlorette party club-hopping in Windsor.... good times. I've got a picture of me drunk hugging two Windsor policemen (they were good sports)

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we call them mounties. (just go with it; adidas thinks it's true) *snort*

Are you guys talking about the Guvernment? As in the one attached to the Kool Haus?

[quote]

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burns91 wrote: *
I had my bachlorette party club-hopping in Windsor.... good times. I've got a picture of me drunk hugging two Windsor policemen (they were good sports)

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we call them mounties. (just go with it; adidas thinks it's true) *snort*

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Well, they were riding bicycles if that makes any difference.

Ok well, the trip is this weekend!

I'll be flyin in Thursday night (20th) and leaving Sunday evening (23rd). I'll of course be at the converence during the day at Westin Harbour - but will be free to roam around the city after dark.

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Originally posted by Asclepius+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Asclepius)</div>

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Or based on some of your posts you might enjoy some of the peeler bars on Yonge Street[/b]

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Heh, funny - I'll be staying at a hotel right by University of Toront which is near Yonge n Bloor.
<!--QuoteBegin-Asclepius
I'd be happy to buy you a beer some night if schedules align. eh!

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Cool, I'll PM you my cell (assuming It will work there). Or PM me a number I can contact you at once I'm there.

Anyone else who's interested in hangin out don't hesitate! :D

Have fun eh!

Pssst... you know, they don't call them Mounties because they ride horses :)

Hey Joe, how was Toronto?

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Hey Joe, how was Toronto?[/b]

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Ah, it was ok - thanks for askin.

Overall I like the city, lots of places to go and things to do. Relied mostly on the subway there (got day passes) so that was fun. Pretty much how I remembered it from when I had gone there as a kid - lots of tall buildings and glass. But, my hotel was just down the street from the museum (ROM) but I never got the chance to go. A shame too, they got some fine ladies wanderin the streets there :( One thing I found quite strange... I did not see one cop the whole time I was there - NOT ONE! Do they even have cops in Toronto? Is it really that safe of a city?

There were parties each night after the seminars - I only managed to make it to one :( On Friday there was a party at the Drake Hotel. I didn't get there untill 11pm (long walk from Osgoode station to there!) and there was a long ass line to get in at that point, even with my free pass. So after about 25 minutes in line, I felt it was time to explore a little and get my drunk on. Ended up hittin a bar on the way back (some hole in the wall) and then hopped around some places near hotel. Pretty much a dissapointment, though.

Saturday I found out that the party was open bar which explained why it was so freakin crowded. That night I checked out the short film and animation show they had and headed to the party at 424 Weillington (they provided a shuttle so this time I made it :roll: Had a pretty good night, mingled with the folks who attended and presented at the convention. Of course, this time it WASN'T open bar! Had my eye on this one chick the whole weekend, and wouldn't you know she was the one that didn't show up.... ahh... I sure now how to pick em.

Anyway, Sunday I had to leave the convention early to get to airport and get back. The weather had already turned shitty by then anyways (that really annoying mist rain, the shit that gets all up in your nose and in your ears!) I definitely would like to come back on a weekend were I don't have to attend any meetings.

and Joe, tried calling you Saturday late afternoon but kept gettin busy signal. Wasn't sure if maybe I copied number wrong or just wasn't dialing correctly out from hotel. Oh well, I'll be up again sometime.

i haven't any figures to substantiate this, but i would imagine Toronto has the most crime of all our cities. trust me, there were some police around someplace (maybe hiding). :wink:

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Originally posted by Tornado Joe

I did not see one cop the whole time I was there - NOT ONE! Do they even have cops in Toronto? Is it really that safe of a city?

Saturday I found out that the party was open bar which explained why it was so freakin crowded.

Had my eye on this one chick the whole weekend, and wouldn't you know she was the one that didn't show up.... ahh... I sure now how to pick em.

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Hey Joe, too bad about the weather :| , too bad about the chick :( , and too bad about missing the open bar :cry: :cry: :cry:

Well I owe you a beer sometime. Maybe in Hawaii again!

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With 114 homicides in 2005, Cleveland had the United States' 11th-highest homicide rate among cities with more than 250,000 residents. Cleveland averaged 24.9 homicides per 100,000 people.[/b]

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in 2005 Toronto's rate per 100,000 was 3.1 (worst city in Canada is Regina with 5.0).

Not all cops here look like this http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thum...an_Mountie.jpg