A look at the innards of the Toronto subway system.
The weather had hit a lovely high of about 65 degrees in New York. On any normal spring day this would’ve been wonderful. One thing was terribly wrong though – it was Christmas week and in the middle of winter. Global warming was seriously starting to take effect. So, as soon as the semester ended I packed my bags and headed up north to Toronto, Ontario in search of some snow.
And snow it did! When I landed at YYZ I was greeted with light flurries. I have been to Toronto in previous years, before it was deemed the “6” by Drake, to visit relatives. However, I had never taken the time to really explore the city fully. So, after settling in I went straight into downtown Toronto to get my first dose of the streets.
TO skyline featuring the CN Tower.
In transit to the city, I was pleased to find that the public transportation system is extremely easy to navigate. There are only two major subway lines that operate underground and they run north, south, east and west. Despite how limiting these travel options may sound, these lines actually run all over downtown and uptown Toronto. Also, the subways are crazy clean in comparison to New York’s! Don’t get me wrong, I have respect and admiration for Pizza Rat too, but it was refreshing not to feel like I immediately needed to whip out my bottle of hand sanitizer after departing the car.
A squeaky clean subway car that had just pulled into the Union Station stop.
Of course, my first priority was food, and after a stroll down Yonge Street I happened upon Uncle Tetsu’s Cheesecake shop. Yeah, I started with dessert, judge me. Toronto’s foodie scene is full of diversity, covering cuisines from around the globe. This Japanese cheesecake shop is a famous staple in downtown, and the line that flowed out its doors proved it. The shop makes the cakes daily, but because of their high demand they only allow one cake per customer. I was about to get in line when I noticed a small green extension to the building with a sign reading “Uncle Tetsu’s Matcha Cafe”. I stopped in my tracks; this was the answer to my matcha cravings over break since my beloved regular venue was all the way in New York. Why there wasn’t nearly as long of a wait for the matcha cafe in comparison to the original cheesecake shop is beyond me! Inside I found all of the asian style matcha infused goodies I could possibly imagine. I ordered a small matcha cheesecake and several red bean filled matcha “madeleines” (not the typical french pastry in this context, but actually more like muffins).
A portion of the menu at Uncle Tetsu's Matcha Cafe.
With my hunger curbed and my sweet tooth satisfied I found my way to the Royal Ontario Museum, ROM for short. Here I immersed myself in the natural history exhibits on display. This is a museum you can get lost in for hours. Glass panes gave way to set ups of French Renaissance bedrooms and Native American weapons. I spent a good amount of time in The Kirwin Collection located on level two. This compilation of over 21,000 geodes had me reminiscing to my elementary school rock collection. One stunner was a giant Canadian coin made entirely out of Canadian gold, but the many dazzling jewelry pieces on display also drew my gaze. There are also levels of the museum that are far more interactive than the geology exhibits. Signs that promised live snakes and beetles had me changing my direction as a stampede of small children literally ran towards their curiosity.
The gigantic solid gold Canadian coin at the ROM.
I had started my day early, so after I spent the morning in the ROM, I wrapped up my day by going to the popular Ripley’s Aquarium. It only took about 45 minutes to walk through, but the calm lapping of the waves that echoed through the massive tanks, coupled with classical music flowing through speakers put me in a lovely mood. This is also a great place to explore with family, especially small children, since it isn’t that large of an attraction.
A peaceful view into one of the tanks at Ripley’s Aquarium.
The next day I got out of bed early, grabbed some Tim Horton’s (the Canadian Maple Donut is prime) and set off towards the CN tower. This was a somewhat sentimental visit for me, since my parents got engaged in the 360 degree revolving restaurant 22 years ago. I opted for a prix fixe lunch in the same restaurant to get the full experience. Although I got a few puzzled looks as to why a teenage girl was lunching alone in a luxury dining venue, it was definitely worth it. Overlooking the entire city, I watched planes jet to and from the nearby Toronto Islands, while I munched on spinach and orange infused tortellini with a chocolate lava cake for dessert.
A different perspective of the city via my glass of water at the 360 Restaurant.
The delicious chocolate lava cake that concluded my meal at the 360 restaurant.
After lunch I headed downstairs to the observatory deck. A spherical outdoor area separated me and the 553 meter drop to the ground by a thin caged window that spans the entire platform. The winds were emphasized by the high altitude, and since the day I decided to make this trip had temperatures that dipped below freezing, I didn’t stay outside too long. Inside there is a small section with a glass-bottom floor where you can test your boundaries, or turn your attention to the walls which are dotted with facts about the CN Tower. I made my rounds, then waited for the partially glass elevator to bring me back to ground level.
The caged outdoor viewpoint at the CN Tower.
I made a quick stop at the Eaton Center for some retail therapy. This mall is located in the middle of downtown Toronto and houses 5 floors of mostly designer retail space, and receives about a million guests per week. I tried to browse through as many Canadian exclusive stores as possible. A few of my favorites included the Drake General Store (not associated with THE Drake), where I found prints of Canadian mounties on onesies among other knick knacks, and the Hudson Bay store. The Hudson Bay, or “The Bay” as locals refer to it, is basically the Canadian version of Macy’s. The factor that makes this different from other department stores is that it has a signature pattern: red, green, navy, white, and yellow stripes overlaying either a navy or white background. This pattern is produced on every article of clothing and winter accessory you can think of, along with a slew of home goods, and propped up in its own section of the store with sky-high prices to highlight its uniqueness. Not going to lie though, it’s cute and I caved and bought a pair of socks with the preppy print.
The beautiful chaos that is the Eaton Center at full capacity in the midst of winter.
I decided that I needed a break from the typical tourist route, so I hopped on a streetcar and went to Kensington Market. My cousin had told me that this wasn’t the safest place to go by myself, but me being me I decided to check it out anyways! This “market” is comprised of a street decked out with colorful old style buildings that are home to eclectic vintage shops, ethnic hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and stores specializing in gemstones and other spiritual objects. A faint smell of weed hung in the air as I browsed through the outdoor offerings of thrift stores, but besides the lack of people in the area it didn’t seem that sketchy to me. It was a weekday and a bitterly cold one at that, so the emptiness made sense.
Vintage shopping for new baby blues at Kensington Market.
To save myself from frostbite I stepped into a Fika cafe that is situated in a teal color building. I was pleasantly surprised by the warm atmosphere I came across, unlike the sleek modern decor of Fika cafes I have visited in other places. In this location, wooden accents of white and baby blues complemented the comfortable upholstered seating, the type of chairs you could curl up in in front of a fireplace. Mellow rap music flowed through the cafe, occasionally interrupted by the call of a crafted beverage waiting to be picked up by its owner. I collected my earl grey tea latte and sat down at a booth to do some personal writing. In my peripheral vision I noticed the wall of the back room had an usual texture to it, so I got up and went to investigate. I was ecstatic to find that the wall was entirely covered in books! Some, their pages sprawled open and left for rogue drafts to thumb through, others were plastered open along the bindings against the wall. The paragraphs were highlighted by sunlight streaming through a nearby window and shadowed by the leaves of the hanging potted plants that blocked the full rays. It was a little slice of paradise that was made even more welcome by the strong aroma of roasting coffee.
The Fika cafe I visited while at Kensington Market.
A literal book nook inside the Fika Cafe at Kensington Market.
I visited a more traditional market shortly after. St. Lawrence Market has been a mainstay in downtown Toronto for decades. This indoor farmers market has fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, in-house butchers and tons of goods that are locally sourced and also a few tropical rarities. I took my time walking through the rows of fruit and nuts, and sampling some of the pastries. I gathered some fresh mangoes for my relatives before leaving the market, happy to be carrying a taste of the sun through the snowy streets.
The exterior of the market, still decked out in holiday lights.
Fresh cheese at St. Lawrence Market.
Warm cookies at St. Lawrence Market.
While we’re on the topic of food, I have to mention my favorite restaurant, “the good fork”! You can find it tucked away on Bloor west village not too far from the Jane subway station. The area is west of Brampton and east of Toronto if you’re looking at a map. The cozy all-day brunch spot is only about a year old, but it is becoming a popular spot already. It prides itself on serving seasonal, local ingredients in all of its homemade dishes. The service is friendly and the sophisticated, rustic decor creates the perfect atmosphere for easy conversation. Oh, the dishes are delicious too, try the huevos rancheros.
My meal at “the good fork”, shared with family (peep the huevos rancheros).
I spent my last day in Canada at Niagara Falls. I’ve read about the geographical wonder and heard about it on television, but nothing beats hearing the roar of the falls in person. As you approach the edge of the viewing deck, be careful not to mistake the mist produced by the roughly 567,811 liters of water per second rushing over the rocks for rain. I decided to take a closer look by going on the “Journey Behind the Falls” which grants you access to a series of underground tunnels that lead you right up to the side of Niagara. Through cutouts in a steel viewing structure I watched seagulls swoop and glide low over the water before diving gracefully into the turquoise currents. I had to take a step back after leaning out over the side of the observatory deck; the powerful slap of the water hitting the rocks was vibrating through my bones. Yet, even though I could see the clear danger from the falls I had the strongest urge to join the seagulls and swim in the frigid waters below. I resisted only out of fear of hypothermia and certain criminal charges.
The power of the falls literally blowing me away.
A moment from the "Behind the Falls" self-guided tour captured by my cousin Shabana Yusuf.
Niagara in all its splendor.
A good portion of my time in Toronto was passed rekindling with family members I had lost touch with, but I really feel like I was finally able to get to know the city my dad spent what he calls his best years in. I will be back soon to explore more of Canada, probably when there’s less chance of frostbite!
A few street scenes I took while strolling around downtown.
P.S. I did not see a single moose on this trip.