Toronto tips

Thu Nov 13 15:30:38 UTC 2003

But note that the subway doesn't start until 9 on Sunday mornings, and
the latest trains are around 1:30am.

Kat

On Thursday, November 13, 2003, at 10:23  AM, John C. DeSantis wrote:

> 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
>
>  ***********************************************
>
>
> 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
>
> ********************************************
> John DeSantis
> Bibliographer for Russian and Slavic Studies
> Dartmouth College Library
> HB 6025
> Hanover, NH 03755
> (603) 646-0413
> john.desantis at dartmouth.edu
> **********************************************
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
>  Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
>   options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
>                     http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------