Category — Temporary Torontoist

My stream-of-consciousness on a Wednesday night train ride home, 4:45-5:45 en route to Union Station

• What’s it like to live with your backyard on a train route? I would’ve loved that as a kid.
• What’s it like to live right by river’s edge, like all those houses?
• I wonder when rowing season starts up in the GTA? There’s no rest for the weary in Vancouver but here the river’s frozen. Hmmm…
• I see a sign for “Harold Shunn & Son Butchers.” I wonder how it felt for Harold to add “& son” to his sign.
• I wonder if there’s a sign anywhere that says “& daughters”
• A train just passed up is on the left, even though we’re going really fast.
• I feel like I’ve had this journal forever.
• I see a pale yellow trailer that says “Hawks on the Move.” Random.
• What’s that smell? Burning? Brakes, maybe.
• I wonder if Clarkson Station is named after Adrienne Clarkson?
• I’m excited for mine and Meg’s trip to New York at the end of this month. Must start planning.
• The snow makes everything look different and lovely. Even old abandoned houses look beautiful with their snow-dusted roofs and icicle edging.
• I’ve never liked football.
• Moving away for three and a half months couldn’t have come at a better time.
• I love trains.
• I wish rail travel were more affordable.
• I should get tickets to see George soon.
• Mimico is a weird name.
• I want to eat Mexican tonight.
• Graffiti is beautiful.
• There’s Christie’s! That’s where they must make the cookies!
• From faraway downtown Toronto and the lake look beautiful.
• I should really go for a walk by the lake soon.
• It’s really a shame that TO’s waterfront isn’t more developed.
• There’s a Medieval Times!!!
• I’m sleepy.
• I wonder how much the train announcer girl makes.

Why do some parts of the country (the world?) have milk in bags, and others in cartons? Ontario is a bag province and it seems me the refillable milk pitchers are an environmental choice. They’re even used here in Toronto’s Starbucks. 

I just found this image — Is Canada the only country in the world with milk in bags?

Answers anyone?

It often takes friends to invite us out of our dark, foul moods and into lovely, magical moments (even if they are still in the cold.) This past weekend Annie & Paul Brandner did this both literally and figuratively. What wonderful friends.

Annie and I first encountered each other at a ‘chance’ (‘cept we don’t believe in chance) meeting in Ottawa three and a half years ago. We have often remarked how sweet it would be to share a season in the same city, and now here we are in Toronto. God is good, and so is Toronto, I am learning.

Hope you enjoy the pics:

Friday: arrive at home base: Annie’s childhood home, meet Toby the heavy-breathing puppy (she’s over 15 yrs old) and gorge ourselves on good sushi (got to trust the locals to find decent raw fish in the GTA.) Hooray!

Saturday: Visit the McMichael Gallery to see the Group of Seven among others. I fell in love with the work of Michael Adamson.

Me in the gallery and the ‘child’s play’ area. Sadly no photos were allowed in the galleries.

Us indulging our low-brow selves at a pub after our high-brow afternoon. We completed the day by watching The Kite Runner. It was fantastic.

Sunday: woke up late and brunched on homemade huevos rancheros — fresh salsa and all! An incredible Brandner specialty.

And finally we indulged in a rousing game of Settlers before heading home…

With more weekends like these Toronto’ll be growing on me in no time.

The view from our 32nd floor condo 

I have been (lovingly) harassed to post an update from Coldsville, Ontario.

To begin I have only seven words: I. Am. Not. A. Creature. Of. Cold.

It’s official. I prefer rain over snow. Walkable seawalls over highrises. Outdoor boutiques over underground labyrinths. But here we are. In Toronto.

It’s been two weeks since I arrived and it’s taken that long to adjust, more or less, to my new surroundings. Luckily it snowed over the weekend so it was warm enough to go outside. Read that sentence again. It is wrong. But as Michael reminds me, every other part of the country other than Vancouver is ‘truly Canadian.’ Hogwash I say. Vancouver is truly Canadian and every Canuck in their right mind should move there. Immediately.

But here I am. In Toronto. The bad Good. (I am learning.)  

Michael is really enjoying his work which is making it worth it. Also, Matthew Cowper came to visit this weekend which was solid. He was staying with a religious order downtown. We ate at the New Yorker Deli (the only down-to-earth and affordable digs I’ve located so far) and he pointed us at Paper Things, a lovely stationary shop in Yorkville.

We eat out a lot. I can’t stand cooking on a hot plate. Don’t ask me why. I’m eating a lot of white cheddar, gala apples and Raincoast Crisps. And I watch a lot of CBC Newsworld, What Not to Wear and Jon & Kate Plus 8. A LOT.

I’m going to go google: “cool, free, warm things to do in the centre of the world.” If you know some, I welcome your suggestions.

Chilly in Central Canada, 

Christina