Toronto
is made up of a patchwork of distinctive neighbourhoods.
The
entertainment and financial districts reside in the core of the city,
to the east is Old Town Toronto and a little to the west is the art and
design district of West Queen West. This 2 km (1.2 m) stretch of art
galleries, fashion boutiques and independent speciality shops is
transitioning from a low rent area to a hip and artsy community.
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A delicious dish of pan roasted Quebec Rainbow trout with sweet crab, at 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower
Credit: Julie Kalan
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Westward Bound
The
official delineation of West Queen West’s eastern edge begins at the
corner of Bathurst and Queen Street West. Just a couple of doors east
of this intersection is Shanghai Cowgirl, a casual diner with a
memorable and eclectic menu.
My choice for lunch is a spicy
re-invention of the grilled cheese sandwich, with havarti cheese,
jalapeño and avocado on a whole-wheat bun. This tasty option is just
one of the five versions of grilled cheese and at least four different
styles of perogi served here.
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Downtown Toronto viewed from the CN Tower.
Credit: Julie Kalan
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Their most talked about dish is griddled
chicken with wasabi mayonnaise, served on a bun and affectionately
called Trailer Trash Sushi.
Guiding me along the vibrant,
avant-garde West Queen West is art and fashion journalist Betty Ann
Jordan. Betty knows every inch of the area and all the owners and
artists at each gallery, boutique and restaurant. The first stop is the
Analogue Gallery. Beyond the old storefront entrance lies a feast of
rock n’ roll photography. Intimate, funny, dramatic and rarely seen
before shots of music’s greatest legends line the walls. Mainly in
black and white, these limited edition prints feature the famous faces
of Elvis, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, the
Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Frank
Sinatra and over two hundred others. Lucia Graca, owner of the gallery
and a rock and roll photographer herself, is a pleasure to talk to and
her knowledge of the photos and photographers adds an extra depth to
each piece of photographic art.
Dressing for Success
A
little bit further west is GreenShag, a quaint and uncluttered
custom-tailoring menswear boutique, with a gentle nod towards the
old-fashioned ideal of elegant and fashionable dressing.
Alongside a
vintage manual sewing machine and an old, heavy, black rotary phone is
their surprisingly vast selection of funky cufflinks. The GreenShag,
Klaxon Howl, Ben Sherman and about a dozen other such shops, all within
a ten block stretch, make this area the largest concentration of
custom-tailoring menswear shops outside of London`s Saville Row.
KolKid
is a great spot for finding creative toys for kids and the Magic Pony
is a unique store that sells rare designer toys from Asia and books on
pop culture. Up a short flight of stairs in the back of the shop is the
Narwhal Art Projects contemporary art gallery.
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Casa Loma's impressive exterior
Credit: Julie Kalan
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On the East Side of Queen Street West
In
keeping with the day’s theme of Queen Street West, I am dining at the
Ultra Supper Club tonight. Located closer to the downtown core, at the
corner of Soho, this stylish restaurant lies beyond a pair of large red
doors and an outdoor pathway lit by tiny white lights. A fully stocked
bar compliments the cuisine and I highly recommend the roasted sweet
corn soup and the house made sorbet – a marvellous trio of flavours!
Epicurean Heights
Like
the Friendly Giant used to say, “Look up, look way up,” and there you
will find a whole new world of dizzying heights, breathtaking views and
a restaurant that will have you spinning; Toronto’s star attraction:
the CN Tower. Gazing out the window during the one-minute elevator ride
is the best way to appreciate the vertical distance. Look down and you
may find yourself standing on one of the recently added glass windows
in the elevator floor. A large glass floor is on the lowest observation
deck, 112 stories up. They say that the glass floor is strong enough to
hold the weight of 14 large hippos, so you can feel at ease
trying it - even if you have packed on a few extra winter pounds.
The
outdoor observation deck is also located on this floor, 342m (1122ft)
above street level. The Look Out level is one floor above and if that
is not high enough for you, another elevator can bring you up an extra
33 stories, to the Sky Pod level. Toronto has grown and changed so much
over the last few years that the views constantly offer new points of
interest.
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The Oak Room - Casa Loma's formal drawing room
Credit: Julie Kalan
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Brand new for 2011 is the Guinness World Record
holding EdgeWalk - a nerve testing experience that involves walking
around the outside of the tower, on a 1.5m (5ft) wide
ledge 356m (1168ft) above the streets of
Toronto with only a wire keeping gravity at bay. With a mix of
disappointment and great relief, I discover that EdgeWalk only operates
from May to October, so on this visit I will be staying safely inside
the building.
For the most relaxing, enjoyable and delectable way
of taking in the view, dinning at 360 The Restaurant is the way to go.
This is not the place for a quick snack, dining here is an experience.
If possible, get a seat by the window and bask in the full 360° views
as the restaurant makes its 72-minute rotation.
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Chef extraordinaire
Peter George prides himself on using locally grown produce and
market-fresh regional ingredients, all thoughtfully presented. And for
the cherry on top, the world’s highest wine cellar is at an elevation
of 351m (1151ft). Stocked with over 550 different wines from around the
globe, the cellar stores 9000 bottles: red, white, rosé, sparkling and
more.
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Rock n’ roll photography lines the walls
at the Analogue Gallery
Credit: Julie Kalan
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My meal consists of a grilled calamari appetizer,
pan-roasted Quebec rainbow trout entrée and a delicious dark chocolate
tower with raspberry and vanilla crème for dessert - all while enjoying
the ever-changing skyline.
A Royal Treatment
Coming back down
to earth can be a letdown, but the best way to keep that “on cloud
nine” feeling is with a Ritz-Carlton Spa treatment. The spa offers
separate male and female relaxation lounges for pre- or post-treatment
use, and a co-ed sunroom with floor to ceiling windows. There is
a salt-water pool, sauna and aroma infused steam rooms.
Through to at
least April, the newly opened Ritz-Carlton Toronto is offering a
special Retail Therapy package that includes a pre-visit consultation
with the aid of a personal shopper (need to find something special for
your better half?), a deluxe room, and access to the snack filled Club
Lounge, plus a leg message and paraffin treatment.
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Welcome to the vibrant and avant-garde West Queen West
Credit: Julie Kalan
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I am lucky enough to
“test” the spa portion of this package and can personally testify to
the benefits of this royal treatment. A foot soak, a lower leg message
and the paraffin treatment’s blissful booties warming my tired toes and
soles – magnificent!
Castle on the Hill
After being treated like
a princess or prince, why not check out Toronto’s castle, Casa Loma.
Located in midtown, on the edge of a hill, Casa Loma boasts 98 rooms,
secret passages, towers and gardens. The residence was built in 1911 by
Canadian financier Sir Henry Pellatt, at a cost $3.5 million. Sir
Henry’s fortune grew quickly during the first decade of the 20th
century. He founded the Toronto Electric Light Company, invested in the
Canadian Pacific Railroad and was chairman of no fewer than 21
companies. However, when World War I broke out his luck changed. Less
than ten years after moving into Casa Loma Sir Henry and Lady Pellat
were forced to abandon their dream home. The castle, though not
comparable to the medieval castles of Europe, is still an interesting
sight.
There are 18m (60ft) ceilings in the Great Hall, Italian marble
floors in the conservatory, a wine cellar reached by a secret door in
Sir Henry’s study, a 244m (800ft) underground tunnel connecting the
stables to the castle, and even Spanish tiled floors in the stable!
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The CN Tower standing out against the night sky,
viewed from the Thompson Hotel Rooftop Lounge
Credit: Julie Kalan
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The
original plans had also called for a bowling alley and swimming pool in
the basement, but due to a shortage of funds, these luxuries were never
completed.
Broadway North
Since 1986, Mirvish Productions has
been bringing thunderous applause to the entertainment district’s
theatres. Their long list of acclaimed live theatre productions
continues with the Tony Award winning War Horse, playing at the
Princess of Wales Theatre from February 10th through to the end of
June. Joey, the horse, is brought to life by an amazing full-size
puppet that is so expressive audiences in London and New York have
often been reduced to tears by the flick of his ears and swoosh of his
tail. War Horse is a touching story of friendship and courage during
the dark days of World War I that was so compelling to Steven Spielberg
that he re-created it in the film of the same name.
Late Night
The
place to go for a late after-theatre dinner is the Thompson Diner on
Wellington Street West. This modern version of a diner is open 24 hours
a day, serving Mac and cheese, quesadillas, burgers, breakfasts and
cocktails. The diner is on the ground floor of the boutique Thompson
Hotel. One of my favourite spots to view the city skyline is from the
Thompson’s Rooftop Lounge. From here, the CN Tower’s light show (amid
the lights from the office buildings and streets) is stunning. However,
there is one catch – gaining entrance into the Rooftop Lounge requires
some extra effort. The place is very popular, so dress to the nines and
expect to wait in line behind a velvet rope outside the hotel.
Renaissance Man
Artist,
engineer, inventor - any of these words can be used to describe
Leonardo da Vinci and at the Ontario Science Centre, until March 18th,
we can take a closer look at his genius. Leonardo da Vinci’s Workshop
exhibit displays a party platter of his creations, from drawings to
scale models of his inventions and touch screens that let visitors
peruse the pages of his notebooks. Several sketches illustrate the
complexities of perspective, studying how converging lines create the
sense of depth used in renaissance art. It would be easy to simply
glance down at these glass-topped tables and then move quickly past
them, but these pages reveal the methodology behind the masterpieces.
There are even one or two beautiful pages devoted to the intricate play
of light and shadow on drapery.
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War Horse, London cast 2011
Credit: by Brinkhoff / Mögenburg
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The most revealing and insightful
element of the exhibit, for me, is an interactive presentation on da
Vinci’s Last Supper.
By clicking on the screen, you can select
different aspects of the work to explore, such as how the colours would
have originally appeared and why a section of the painting was removed
in the 17th century. Apparently, in 1652 the monks at Santa Maria delle
Grazie, in Milan, decided that they needed another door in the
refectory.
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War Horse, London cast 2011
Credit: by Brinkhoff / Mögenburg
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Shockingly, they opted to put the door in the middle of the
mural-lined wall, cutting off the section with Jesus’ feet.
Always Something New To See
Over
the years, like many of us, I have visited Toronto several times and
much to my amazement, I have always found new places to explore.
Whether touring the city’s many neighbourhoods, exploring the museums
or watching the curtain rise on a great play, Toronto continually
offers its visitors plenty of reasons to keep coming back.
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