Check please

When I booked my trip to Toronto I had three things on my "must do" list. 1) Attend Vince's birthday bash, 2) Attend a taping of the show The Hour with George Stromboulopoulis and 3) Visit the Abercrombie and Fitch store and bring home the delicious scent that convinces me to shell out obscene amounts of money for average quality made in Philippines cotton apparel. I was successful in checking off two out of three.

You already know I made it to Vince's party--that one gets a big BMO building sized check mark. Today was my last chance to take care of the rest of the list. Here's how it went.

The Abercrombie store is in Eaton Centre downtown. Chris and I briefly visited it on Saturday and I thought that I had succeeded in determining which of the five fragrances was the one I wanted to cozy up to on a hot summer night. The problem was, the cash line was crazy long and Chris and I were due to meet up with Vince. So I carried my little sample stick with me and pulled it out once in a while as we made our long and disoriented trek back to the apartment. I knew I would be going back to the mall today and figured I would pick up the scent and then make my way over to the CBC studios for George's show.

The first challenge was getting downtown. I had to make the trip solo today as Vince was A) sleeping late, and B) working on his paper. I looked up the subway online to see if it could give me notes on how to get from here to there. Winnipeg has this great online thing called Navigo--you enter your start address, your destination, and the time you want to be there by or the time you want to leave by, and it will give you the buses and walking routes you need. Toronto apparently has nothing like this. In fact, they have one of the saddest websites I have ever viewed. I went back and re-googled a few times because I just couldn't believe this was the official site of the Toronto Transit Commission. Going from memory and the sketchy systems map, I thought I had figured out where to go and what to do. Thankfully, Vince got up just before I left and he corrected me on a small but important detail.

I found my way to the subway fine and got off fine. It took me a bit to orient myself once I was above ground again but I eventually found myself staring at the doors to Eaton Centre (side note, I think it's interesting that in cosmopolitan Toronto they still call it Eaton Centre while back home Eaton's Place was renamed City Place after Eaton's unfortunate demise. Maybe Winnipeg's the fool here, not sure.).

I went straight to Abercrombie. I realized that I had left the official sniffing stick in the pocket of my other jacket so I would have to re-sample all the scents. I collected new sticks but then stuffed them all in my pocket and headed back into the mall. Trying to discern the correct scent in the store was impossible given that the store already smelled. I knew that I would have to take my nose into a scent neutral zone, sniff again, and make my decision. Once again, I browsed around the mall and stopped once in a while to do a sniff test. Fierce, the latest scent was definitely out. While I knew that it was what they use currently in stores, I wasn't crazy about it and I wanted whatever they used pre-Fierce. I seemed to have it narrowed down to Proof although I couldn't be entirely certain as I didn't get a good spray on the stick because the bottle was pretty much empty. I went back to the store to take another sniff at Proof and make my purchase. On a Monday afternoon at 2:40 pm, the store was suddenly packed with 15 to 18 year olds and once again, the cash desk was lined up into women's t's and tanks. I had to march myself over to the studio and I hadn't even consulted the map yet. So I once again postponed the purchase until after the show.

I booked it over to the CBC--it was I don't remember how many blocks south and west of the mall but I did it in about 15 minutes, no thanks to the doddlers and cyclists on the side walk. THIS IS TORONTO FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Doesn't anyone have anywhere to be in a hurry?

At approximately 3:05 I made it to the studio. I was sweaty, my hair was wind "tousled" and I smelled like cheap store-brand men's cologne but I had made it. I was going to see George!

***

"I'm your boyfriend, George Stromboulopoulis..."--George's opening line to today's show.

Vince and I were seated in the back row of the middle section of the studio. To our left and occupying two front rows was a group of marines from Halifax. That's right girls, I was sitting in the same room as George Stromboulopoulis and a troop of men in uniform. Does it get much better than that?

Before the show and during breaks George happily entertained questions from the audience. After the show the taping crew and the producers left and they turned off the studio lights but George stuck around to talk to anyone who wanted to chat. He was frank, honest and unpretentious. I admire him because I think he's a talented and dedicated professional.

After questions, he posed with anyone who wanted a picture. Vince and I were the last people to get pictures. I was shaking a little but I think that was only because I was cold. They seemed to turn off the heat too when they turned out the lights (or, more likely, the studio lights are the heat source). Vince had never seen the show before but he had a bunch of questions for George. All I could do was stand and nod. This is why I couldn't do journalism. I wasn't star struck, I was just shy and my mind went blank. We got our pictures, shook George's hand, and then it was over. Give me another check mark please.

After we left the CBC, Vince headed back to the subway so he could return to his work. I wanted to give Abercrombie one last shot.

This time I found a fresh tester bottle of Proof and got a good spray. I also re-tested two of the other scents, just to be sure, and then headed back into the mall for a better sniff.

None of the sticks smelled right. I put them away and figured I just needed to give them time for the alcohol to dry. I tried again a few stores later and still no. I sniffed and sniffed and sniffed until my eyes were watering and I started sneezing but I could not find the one that I wanted. I left the mall in defeat.

One last dig at riding the subway. I figured that to go home I only had to follow the same route I had taken to get there, but in reverse. I had taken a southbound train down, so logically I thought I would take a northbound train home. HAH! Not so! The Younge-University-Spadina line (the "yellow" line) is U shaped. The Bloor line runs east and west across it. To get to the other side of the U, I was supposed to take another southbound train (which goes south to the bottom of the U and then heads north). Luckily, I was able to transfer from the northbound train to the Bloor line and end up at my destination. Confused again? It would be better if I could draw you a picture. I'm still on the fence about taking the train to the airport.

Pictures here
The show here

See you all at home.

I wish I could let my fingers do the walking but instead they'll do the talking

As mentioned in the last entry, my Saturday night ended on Sunday morning when my head finally hit the pillow at 5:30. Being a morning person, I just can't stand sleeping the day away so at 9:30 I was up again. It was a bright and sunny morning--finally--and the city was coming to life. Actually, it never really seems to go to sleep. The traffic noises at midnight are pretty much the same as the ones at 9 am. This would be one of the bigger differences from Winnipeg.

While everyone else caught up on their sleep, I organised my pictures, sent some e-mails and blogged. I realized that every day when Vince goes to bed I am on the computer working away, and then when he gets up he finds me again on the computer, working away. He must be wondering if I sleep at all.

Once the guys were up we headed out for breakfast at Over Easy on Bloor. I don't remember what time it was, one-ish maybe. The service was almost non existent and my four hours of sleep did not reset my level of patience to full supply. Our waitress seemed like a fun character--big blonde hair and addressed everyone with "hunny" but I bristled when she excused something she did by saying "I just got my hair done yesterday, too much peroxide y'know". I have no tolerance for dumb blonde references but I just rolled my eyes and muttered something in response.

After breakfast we hopped the subway and headed to West Bloor where Chris wanted to check out a cycle shop. Chris is big into cycling and participates in triathlons (well, he did until he did something to his leg which now impedes him from running). He didn't have an exact address for the store but knew the name and that it was supposed to be three blocks west of the subway station.

Since our scavenger hunt on Saturday for a BMO bank machine, I had taken up a game of I spy the BMO. I spotted one on the way to breakfast and another one on the way to the bike shop. I saw it again after we turned around and back tracked because we seemed to have missed the shop. We had barely started our day and already my feet were sore. I could also feel blisters bubbling. I wasn't about to complain though, I just followed along behind the guys a few paces and enjoyed the sunshine.

After checking out the bike shop (the name had changed from Cyclepath to Sweet Pete's--I call this change from clever branding to lame anti-marketing) we jumped back onto the subway and headed downtown to catch a ferry to Toronto Island Park. The ferry is only $6.00 to ride round trip and the island is full of things to do and see like beaches (including a clothing optional beach), boating, canoeing, disc golf ( Frolf, as I like to call it) and more. When we arrived we had apparently just missed a ferry going out. This meant standing around waiting for the next one 20 or 30 minutes later. I slipped my feet out of my shoes and hoped that I would soon get to dip them in the lake and walk barefoot along the beach.

The ferry ride was very enjoyable. It maybe lasted 10 minutes but it felt great being out on the water and motoring away from the city.

When we arrived at the island we decided to take the boardwalk around and maybe see if we could rent a canoe. I was very excited about the possible canoe excursion. A) It's canoeing and I love to paddle. B) It would mean sitting and using my arms to propel us in motion, not my poor feet!

The boardwalk was a bit of a disappointment. I had pictured something like we have at our Manitoba beaches--cedar planks of wood that meander alongside the beach. While there was a small beach at the beginning of the walk, most of it just followed along the water with a cement barrier in between. The other side was grey bush--no leaves out yet.

Where the boardwalk ended we spotted a Frolf hole. Vince had a mini (and I mean, mini) Frisbee so he and Chris decided to try it out. I once again took the opportunity to to take my shoes off and let my feet feel the ground--cool and cushy grass this time.

Next stop was a pier which was actually surrounded by beach. I was sad to see that the sand was dark and dirty and all the snack shops were still closed for the season. It was a beach, yeah, but it was probably three weeks away from being a fun hot spot.

After the pier we considered our options. We could keep walking around (there was a hedge maze nearby) or we could find the canoes. I of course voted for the canoes. Despite the fact that nothing else in the park was open I still had my hopes up for the canoe rentals. My hopes were crushed when we discovered that the boat house was also still boarded up and deserted. On to the hedge maze it was. The maze was actually neat and the smell of the cedar trees was refreshing.

After the maze as we walked along and again discussed our options, one of the guys asked how my feet were.

"Okay," I replied in a soft whimper. More emphatically I announced, "I just want to go back, find a patio, and drink margaritas." Vince tossed around a few other options for food but I was firm. I wanted a patio and I wanted a cold drink, maybe some nachos. I was tired and I was in pain. This was my idea of comfort food.

Back on the mainland, we walked to Jack Astors. They had a patio and it was even heated so everyone was happy. Drinks were surprisingly cheap, service was mostly good (at least 80% better than breakfast) and the nachos (yes, I had nachos again) were great. I told the guys that I could have sat there all night. I was feeling so much better--happy, and relaxed again. But of course, it could not last forever as we had to get Chris back so he could catch his flight home.

I was worried that I would compare this trip to San Francisco and that it wouldn't measure up. It was completely different, but it was still great. It really has nothing to do with the location, it's the people that make the memories.

More pictures here

Wait, I've done this before, I know what to do!

Last night my purpose for the trip was fulfilled as I joined Vince in his birthday celebration. The evening started out with Vince, Chris and I taking the subway to Eaton Centre for dinner. We were meeting Jon there, a guy Vince worked with at Google last summer. I also remembered him a bit from when I was visiting San Francisco. I decided that he seemed taller than I remembered. Like all those Google boys he's smart, sweet and funny--a great addition to our evening.

Vince had suggested that we eat at Richtree Market (formerly known as Marche). It's a different kind of restaurant, kind of fancy cafeteria style. There are a bunch of different stations--a pizza station, seafood station, grilled meats, sushi--where you place your request and then carry your selection(s) back to your table. Your order is kept track by way of a swipe card you hand to the chef at each station. The place reminded me of Google, except that it wasn't free. It even had colourful flags and with Jon and Vince there it was a weird little sense of deja vu. Actually, the more that I think about the night, the more similarities and parallels I find, but that's not important right now...

After a great meal and fun conversation we walked to the club where Vince's party was at. I took some pictures of the BMO buildings along with the Canada Life building for some good people back home. I remember laughing, but I don't remember why. Ah well, it was just the warm up to a fun night.

Vince was actually only part of the reason for the party. The party was actually a fundraiser for his volleyball team as they're going to a tournament this summer in San Francisco. They rented out a room in a club, hired a DJ and charged a $10 cover. They expected about 300 people.

Vince was a pretty popular guy. It was great seeing him having such a good time. I also had a blast dancing the night away. I felt short in my plain ballet flats but I knew my feet would thank me later for not wearing the heels.

We left around 3:00 a.m. and met up with the rest of Vince's team for some late night Chinese food and then stumbled back into Vince's apartment around 4:00. I wasn't sleepy at all really so I downloaded some pictures and sent some e-mails. I stepped outside just before turning out the light at 5:30 to grab a picture of the city. There was already a glow on the eastern horizon. The cold pavement of the balcony felt so good on my tired feet. I remember doing the same thing two years ago when I was last here. I wore the heels that time. I've learn a lot since then.

Saturday was probably my favourite day so far. The experiences were the perfect mix of the new and the familiar.

More pictures here

Get lost tourists!

Today Chris arrived around 1:30. Vince was out at volleyball and wasn't expected back until 4:00 so we decided to find our way down by the bay (sing it with me now, down by the bay...down by the bay, where the watermelons grow...). I packed my map (thanks Amara), camera, hat and an apple before we headed out to try the subway.

Chris figured out what we had to take and where we had to go. I just went along with it.

"How do you know this is the yellow line?" I asked.

"Because the line on the floor is yellow."

"Oh," I said, but still wondered if it was a design choice and not a helpful clue. (Note, Chris is in fact, full of crap about the yellow line. None of the other subway lines have a matching floor.)

We got off at Union Station where I found a Sweet Factory and posed for a picture. I worked at The Sweet Factory in the mall when I was in high school. Not long after I left, it closed down. I'm telling ya, weird things happen when I leave a company.

After the Union Station we found our way to the CN Tower. We went beyond bending over backwards to get a picture.

Next we headed for the water. It was a cool day but I expected to see more people out and about. I guess it's not tourist season but, really, where was everyone on a Saturday afternoon? We took some more pictures. Chris has done some modeling and I am just a clown, so the afternoon became more about finding photo opportunities than actual sight-seeing.

We didn't really set out with anything to see or do for the afternoon. Chris said he wanted to find a Bank of Montreal and I said I'd like to get to Eaton Centre and find the Abercrombie store. After consulting a map, we found that we generally had to head east of the tower so after a pit-stop at Starbucks for a Grande Cinnamon Dulce, extra hot (it was cold enough that I could see my breath) we wandered further and stumbled upon the financial district. I don't know why, but I get excited about Bay Street. I would put it in the same category as Rodeo Drive and Route 66. Just standing there I felt like I was in the middle of something very big and powerful. We kept walking as we still had not found the bank. We saw every other major bank, but no BMO. I pointed and laughed when I spotted the BMO logo on a four storey building.

"No wonder we couldn't find it, your bank is the smallest building on the block," I said. Then Chris directed my gaze upwards to the top of a very tall sky scraper where the BMO logo also appeared.

"Oh." (Note, Vince informed us later that the BMO building is the tallest one in the city. My response was another big "Oh.")

We captured a few more photos and eventually found Eaton Centre. I popped into Abercrombie and took a cologne sample that smelled just like the store.

At 4:00 we decided to make our way back to Vince's place. We took a bit of a different route home and once again, I trusted Chris when he explained where we would get off. I'm not incapable of riding a subway system, it just takes me a bit to feel comfortable with one. I did a decent job on my own in San Francisco with Vince's instructions. Anyway, Chris said we could save a transfer if we rode to the Spadina stop instead. It sounded right. When we got up to the street level though things looked not so good. I checked the number of the house beside me. It was 66 Spadina. Vince is at 666.

"Well, good thing it isn't raining," I said to Chris as we started to walk up the street. When we arrived at Casa Loma I started to suspect something was not right. I took a picture and then took out Amara's map.

"Maybe Spadina is a road and an avenue," Chris mused.

"It is!" I groaned. "Look, Spadina Avenue ends, and then it turns to Spadina Road. Vince is on Spadina Avenue." The road and the avenue are the same strip of road, but we had walked north in the direction of the ascending numbers of Spadina Road; Spadina Avenue was numbered in the opposite direction. Confused? Well then surely you can appreciate how we got turned around.

On the way back more hilarity ensued with photo ops. Getting lost was the most fun thing we could have done.

More pictures here

It's actually 5am as I write this. We got home from clubbing around 4. More on that tomorrow.

Day 2 of AWOL in T.O.

Okay, so while it seemed like a cool idea at the time to do the photo journal thing, it turned out to be way more work than just blogging. So here's today's journal entry:

Friday, April 27-07 Happy Birthday Vince!

8:25 am--Brain is running at full speed, can't sleep any more. Let's go take a peak outside. Boo. It's wet and grey. So far the plan today is Vince and I are supposed to go for lunch at 11 and then meet up with some of his friends for sushi at 5:30. I'd like to explore Bloor a little more today. Tomorrow I'll have Chris with me to walk around. Sunday, well, we'll see how lively we feel on Sunday. Monday I want to explore around the harbour. At the very least I'll hit the Abercrombie before the show. I think today and tomorrow will be "shop for everyone else" time. Oh, I just heard the people across the hall head out with their dog. I miss Schmo.


10:41 am-- Oh crap! I've been looking at the laptop clock all this time and it's still on Winnipeg time. I'm supposed to be doing lunch @ 11 and I'm still in my glasses and PJs. Noticed this morning as I was looking at my journal pics that I wrote I was drinking "Strombo". Clearly I have George on the brain (wait till Monday, Jill) because it was actually Strongbow. Anyway, better go get ready.


5:05 pm--walked up and down Bloor today in search of stuff to bring home for the people who requested it. Didn't find anything for myself but I wasn't really in the mood. Did stop in a shoe store. Everything was 80% off. Tried on a beautiful pair of boots for $89 but they didn't quite fit right (good thing anyway). It was drizzling mostly and I didn't have an umbrella (forgot to pack it). Got an e-mail from dad telling me he missed my happy face this morning. Aw, Dad. He must have been being sarcastic though. My face isn't that happy at 5:45am.