Toronto tips

Thu Nov 13 15:23:52 UTC 2003

I sent this message out back in June before ALA, and someone suggested I post it here again (slightly revised).  Keep in mind that these comments represent my own perspective, and that I don't claim to speak for all Canadians.
 John DeSantis

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For those of you planning to go to AAASS:
Some travel tips for Toronto from one who used to live there....

1.  Transport

The public transport system is very good.  The subways run every five minutes all day long.  You can buy tokens in quantities of 5 or 10 to save a little money, and they can also be used on the buses and streetcars.  (The streetcars-- not trolleys or trams-- run up and down Spadina Ave. and on most East-West streets in the downtown area, as well as on St. Clair Ave. uptown.  Ride one just for the experience).  You can also buy tickets (at convenience stories) which function as tokens, but are not as convenient if you're using the subway.  Cabs can be hailed fairly easily on any downtown street.  There is even a TTC bus that runs from the airport to the Kipling subway station, so if you're not in a rush, you can get all the way downtown for the cost of a subway token.

2.  Language

If you need to spell a word, remember that the letter 'Z' is pronounced 'zed' in Canada.  When nature calls, don't ask someone for a restroom, ladies' room or men's room.  They won't know what you're talking about.  The only acceptable term in Canada is 'washroom.'  This applies both to public facilities and to what we know as bathrooms in people's homes.
   A napkin is usually called a 'serviette,' in case you need to request one in an eating establishment.

3.  Currency

The smallest banknote in circulation is the 5-dollar bill.  Anything smaller is in coins, so it's common for Canadians to walk around with $20 in change in their pockets.  The one-dollar coin is called a "loony" (because of the image of a loon on the back of it), and by extension, the two-dollar coin is called a "two-ny".   Keep in mind that you will get the best exchange rate through ATM withdrawals and credit card transactions.  My bank charges a $5 fee for using an international ATM, so if this is the case for you also, you may want to limit the number of such transactions.  You can also get a decent exchange rate in banks, which are everywhere in Toronto.  The major banks in recent years have renamed themselves with acronyms:  Toronto Dominion merged with Canada Trust and is called TD Canada Trust; Bank of Montreal is BMO; Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is CIBC; Bank of Nova Scotia is Scotiabank, and I can't remember what Royal Bank has done with their name. Despite the abundance of banks, there always seems to be a lot of people in them, so be prepared to wait (in a "queue", not a line).  There is a 7% GST tax on everything (in addition to regular sales tax)-- and I mean everthing.  When you buy a 65 cent stamp in the post office, you will be charged 70 cents.   Save those hotel receipts-- you can get a refund on the GST paid, as well as on the GST for every purchase totalling $50 (assuming you are taking the goods out of the country).

4.  Food

For interesting dining experiences off the beaten path-- check out Baldwin St. (between McCaul and Huron).  Lots of open air cafes and restaurants, health food stores, and the incredible Yung Sing Bakery.  Yung Sing is take-out only, but they have a picnic table in front.  It's a family owned business and everything is home-made, delicious and very cheap.  On a recent visit there for lunch, I had a tofu bun, a fried rice bun, a spring roll and a lotus bean cake all for around $4.50 CDN.  Open only during the day.
   I'd also recommend Harbord St.-- between Spadina and Bathurst.  It's on the west end of the U of Toronto campus.  Check out the Kensington Kitchen, Boulevard Cafe, or the amazing Harbord St. Bakery.
Just a bit north of there on Bloor, between Spadina and Bathurst, there used to be a large concentration of East European restaurants, but much to my chagrin, most of them are gone, although I think there is still one or two left.  There are some wonderful East European restaurants on Bloor St. West near Jane and Runnymede (I highly recommend Lviv), as well as along Roncesvalles Ave.  (Dundas West subway stop).
   Starbucks is everywhere, of course, but you'll also see Timothy's Coffee and The Second Cup all around downtown.  The Second Cup is a large Canadian chain, and I recommend it.  The big donut chain is Tim Horton's-- try their sour cream donuts, and their coffee is not bad either.  The best croissants and danishes in the city can be had at a small bakery in Yorkville called Cake Master (on Cumberland St.).  Get there in the morning, because they sell out of the croissants and danishes by the afternoon.  For the ultimate falafel, try Aida's-- they're all over the city, but the closest downtown location is on Bloor West.
    If you're staying at the Royal York-- there are two Movenpick Marche restaurants in walking distance-- one on Front St. near the CN Tower, the other on the west side of Yonge between Front and King.  Always a treat!

5.  Attractions

If you've never been to Toronto, an elevator ride to the top of the CN Tower is a must.  You can get a good view of all the Toronto Islands from there, and it's worth taking a ferry out to the islands if you have the time and want to get away from all the noise and concrete for a while.  I imagine the ferry boats are still running, although it would be a chilly ride at this time of year.
    The University of Toronto is right downtown and has several buildings worth visiting.  The heart of the campus is King's College Circle and Hart House.  Hart House has some beautiful rooms inside.  The main street which cuts through campus is St. George St.  Robarts Library (the main library on campus) currently has an exhibit of interest to us which Mary Stevens informed us about earlier.  It also houses the Petro Jacyk Central & East European Resource Centre, which is well worth a visit.  My old longtime stomping grounds, the Department of Slavic Languages & Literatures, has moved out of Sussex Court (again much to my sadness) across from Robarts Library, and is now on the other end of campus close to the east end of Queen's Park.  Speaking of Queen's Park, it's also worth visiting.  It's traversed all day long by U of T students and faculty and populated by friendly black squirrels.

6.  Bookstores

Indigo Books and Chapters are the big chains (similar to Borders and Barnes & Noble in the U.S.), and they are all over the city.  The largest branches are in the Bloor-Yonge area.  For Slavic & East European bookstores, check out the listings in the wonderful guide compiled by Mary Stevens and Wasyl Sidorenko of U of T Library, which is available online at:
    http://www.library.utoronto.ca/pjrc/publications/bs-2002-b.pdf

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John DeSantis
Bibliographer for Russian and Slavic Studies
Dartmouth College Library
HB 6025
Hanover, NH 03755
(603) 646-0413
john.desantis at dartmouth.edu
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