The CN tower is a sight not to be missed, go check out the view of the city, have a great time!
As an engineering wonder it is not cheap to visit. Please listen closely;
Do **NOT **even think of buying a pricey ticket to wait in line for the elevator, so you can see a partial view, only to stand in line again, to go a few stories higher (And see through a glass floor not 8’ X 8’ !), only to stand in line again to go down once, stand in line again just to get down. When I took friends there they had it packed with people milling around and we stood in line for on average 45mins each time.
If I had it to do again I’d skip the tickets and line and go directly to the on demand restaurant elevator. I’d sit in that restaurant and order terribly overpriced tea and sweets and let it revolve and enjoy the entire 360 view. And when I was done I’d pay those hugely inflated prices with a smile on my face as I trotted off to the on demand down elevator and get on with my city tour.
(I had taken friends from Norway and by the end of the very tiring and long, long day I was embarrassed and went to lodge a complaint. When I asked what they were thinking, told him how long we had stood in line and how many times, and pointed out they knew how many people they were sending up there. The junior management type said quite arrogantly, “Well, it’s a wonder of the world!” I said, “Well I’ve visited other wonders of the world and they don’t run in such a shameless fashion.”, to which he replied; “What wonders of the world have you seen?”. So I told him I’d been to the Taj Mahal and Macchu Picu and they were both managed better than this and they were in third world countries!)
I dearly wish someone had shared this advice with me before I took people there!
As HazelNutCoffee is staying near my office as well, there are some suggestions in this thread that might be relevant for dinner. If we want to minimize our monopolization of her time, we should confine ourselves to Lissla Lissar’s recommendation for time & place. I know I’d choose LL over us, so there’s no sense in giving her an option.
Hah! I bet we could lure a lot of Dopers to Toronto if we agreed to do a show.
*How many times * must I emphasize that I will have nothing but time during my week in Toronto? :dubious: I kid, I kid. I know you guys actually have jobs and lives and stuff. Wednesday sounds awesome, if everyone else is game.
Hm, maybe I misworded that. Let me put it this way. I will do pretty much anything for samgyupsal. I am a samgyupsal whore. A harlot. A Jezebel. Seriously. I love the stuff.
I clearly have much to learn about Korean cuisine. Come to think of it, I know nothing at all about Korean cuisine except for those awesome mushy dough things with the shredded pork inside, and the plum wine that’s even better warm than at room temperature. Samgyeopsal sounds awesome.
Um, did I mention that I make a samgyeopsal to die for?
Did that sound convincing? Astro? No? Ah, you’re just jealous.
I’m sure I’ve mentioned somewhere that Korean Grill (on the north side of Queen Street just east of the [former] CityTV building, for the Toronto-ites) is one of my favourite places to eat. It’s not up to the standards of many yakiniku places I haunt in Tokyo, but it’s a great deal for the price (<$20 for all you can eat).
Just a bump to let y’all know about my plans. I’ll be flying in Monday evening (the 6th) and out Saturday afternoon.
So, while I’m in the city I plan to just walk around, explore the various neighborhoods, and take it easy. There are a few things I really want to see: the CN Tower, the Lillian H Smith library, the churches along Church street, the shoe museum, Kensington Market and St Lawrence Market, and the Spadina Historic House. I really want to go to Stratford and see a play, but I’ll have to see how my budget works out. I might just see a performace in the city instead. I’m debating whether I want to see Niagara or not - I saw it when I was a kid a bunch of times, but I only have the vaguest memories of it. The Toronto Islands sound like a nice place place to spend a day, if the weather’s nice.
So, anything I’m missing? Anything I’m wanting to see that totally sucks?
And are we on for Wednesday night or what? :: looks expectant ::
PS - if any of the Toronto Dopers would be willing and able to do me a huge favor that involves making a trip to the ScotiaBank sometime this week and meeting me the Monday night I fly in (around 9, I’m thinking) so I can buy you dinner/a drink/give you my firstborn to show my gratitude, please PM or email me.
If you visit the Islands, be aware that Centre Island, the destination of the largest and most popular ferry, is built around a childrens’ amisement park.
But you can walk from there to Wards and Algonquin islands, which are car-free residential areas. Long story behind them but basically they are the remnants of the town that covered much of the islands. Metro Parks began expropriatng back in the fifties (?) to build a park, the islanders objected strenuously, and the demolition process was stopped halfway through. Legally the islanders were in limbo for years, and as a result no new development went on. Now leases for the charming cottages have a years-long waiting list if you can get one at all.
And you have to take a boat to go shopping. I’s a fascinating slice of rural cottage country with a splendid city view.
Ooof. I’ll be working. You’re still invited to my place before the pubbing to meet the cats and stuff on Wednesday. About when do we want to do dinner, everybody? Six or six-thirty? Seven? When’s good?
Seven sounds like a good time. I’m used to a late dinner anyway.
Silly question, but would it be weird for me to hang out in bars by myself? I’m sure I can find people in my hostel to hang out with, but just in case I don’t. I’d imagine it’d be the same as around here - it would be a bit strange and I’d probably attract some guys wanting to chat me up, but overall it wouldn’t be a big deal. Am I right?
I kid, I kid. I know you guys actually have jobs and lives and stuff. Wednesday sounds awesome, if everyone else is game.
