Or maybe this is just unique to me being in Toronto. I am here for the summer doing an internship (the usual 9-5 deal), for which I am very grateful, because I have yet to make many friends in this city. I would probably spend a lot of my days at a cafe reading and brooding about life (classic portrait of a Lonely Loser).
I think that Toronto is the kind of city that only truly comes alive when you have friends. Sure, you can say the same for any place in the world, but there are some cities that are so interesting on their own- in terms of local culture, architecture, shopping, and so on- that I could feasibly spend a good period of time by myself and not feel restless or bored. Some examples of cities like this are Paris, London, Marseilles, Lyon, and pretty much all the big cities in Europe I wish I had the moolah to visit.
I am the type of tourist that sets out in the morning with a map, a backpack, a camera and a vague itinerary. I love meandering aimlessly in large cities and stumbling onto places that guidebooks would say are "off the beaten path" - except I stumble on them without the help of a guidebook. It's just more fun that way.
So coming back to Toronto: I live very close to the famous Kensington Market and Chinatown, which places me at the hub of downtown. Well, I suppose when you're talking about such a huge city like Toronto there are many "hubs," but where I live is definitely one of them. I only discovered Little Italy on College Street two weeks ago, and had a wonderful time wandering down by myself and discovering all the charming little shops, restaurants, video stores and bookstores. I even saw a place called "Eat My Martini"-- $6 martinis! Now if only I can find some friends to sip them with, hah.
I do live with a roommate, but he's been vacationing it up in California (I want to go to San Francisco!), so it's just been ronery times for me here. Toronto people- if you have recommendations for cool places, neighbourhoods you like (bonus points for cool places in cool neighbourhoods) whether its for people flying solo or in groups, let me know. I am especially keen on live-performance music/jazz lounges. No hardcore punk or stand up comedy, though...although I don't mind comedy clubs with experienced funny men/women. Seriously, one of the most painful things one can go through is bad stand up comedy. I remember reading a NOW article by a guy who went to stand up comedy every night for a week, and some of the stuff he had to endure just sounded brutal. Did somebody say, "retard" joke? Seriously, jokes about mental handicaps are funny maybe 0.2% of the time, when used extrememly sparingly and by the right comic.
Anyways, I digress.
I checked out the Luminato festivities at Yonge and Dundas Square a few days ago.
The theme for this year (which also happens to be the first) is "Water." I am guessing that these are water molecules?
In the evening they had a performance of disco dance and music. Now, the guy on the sax: Sideshow Bob. Don't tell me you don't see it.
And to finish: my favourite Chinese restaurant name, ever. My roommate and I just crack up every time we pass it, badly imitating mandolins and taking turns saying the name in exaggerated Chinese accents. “In the Eeeat-ting Gaar-den, the Emmp-eror of Chiiiina sits with his thouuuusand concubines.”
You kind of have to be there to appreciate the humor.So anyways…..don’t you want to visit me in Toronto now, and be my friend?
Mmm, smell that desperation.
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