A Tale of Two Hotels

Like most Torontonians, my experience with Queen Street’s hot hotels has been limited to late night buffoonery and early morning brunch. And so, while I consider myself quite familiar with both The Gladstone and The Drake – I’ve never actually climbed the stairs of either of these ever trendy hotels. During last month's Doors Open Toronto (one of my favourite Toronto summer events) I was able to take a peak inside these local landmarks and check out the rooms without checking in. Inspired by the boutique hotels of lower Manhattan, these historic heritage buildings have been beautifully restored in recent years – transformed from seedy rooming houses into hipster hangouts and spurring on the wave of gentrification in the west end.

Built in 1889 the Gladstone hotel, with its iconic red sign and dramatic arched windows, is the city’s oldest continuously operating hotel. Whether you drop by for weekly karaoke in the Melody Bar or sample fresh fare in the café, there is always something going on inside this architecturally stunning space. Rotating and permanent art exhibitions showcase local artists and a beautifully restored Victorian hand-operated elevator transports guests from their artist inspired rooms to the lower level gallery spaces and bustling bars. The hotel holds a special place in my heart as my parents met in a lovely old Victorian on Gladstone Avenue just down the street.

Just a couple blocks east the Drake Hotel, a self-proclaimed “hotbed for culture” draws sleek nightlife lovers and scruffy urban artists alike. Inside the funky hotel a refurbished 1950s art deco grand staircase leads guests up to the nineteen stylish bedrooms. The suites are chic yet artfully retro with a candy heavy snack bar and in-house Starving Artist wine on offer. The rooftop skyard features sun soaked cabanas under colourful muraled walls – the perfect spot for an early morning Caesar or a late night cocktail. The Drake’s corner café boasts the city’s best scones (blueberry...try the blueberry!) and its quirky gift shop lures foot traffic westward with plenty of Canadiana themed trinkets on offer. The hotel continues to expand along the Queen Street strip between Beaconsfield and Lisgar with a new ice cream/t-shirt shop opening this month appropriately named Scoops and Tees. And of course, Katie and I have both forced our boyfriends to jump in the old fashioned photo booth with us.

Both of these unique hotels feature creative touches that give back to the art communities living and working in the neighbourhood. The Gladstone has thirty-seven distinct artist-designed bedrooms while the Drake’s artist in residence program provides short-term living arrangements for budding artists looking for a space to create. Showcasing the best in local culture, art and cuisine these funky west-end accommodations offer so much more than your average downtown hotel. I only wish I could justify a staycation at one of these lovely hotels...but since I'm only a 10 minute walk away I guess I'll just have to settle for the ice cream and cocktails.

p.s. You can also read a (slightly edited) version of this over here.

Liberty Village

I love Liberty Village. One of the best things about it - no one knows how great it is (yet). It's like the Distillery District circa 10 years ago. Arcade like alleyways, factories transformed into lofts, Balzacs coffee, delightful design stores, award winning brunch spots ... need I go on?

I like it so much that I wrote this little piece about it here. Oh yeah, and I'm moving there.

white wedding

To paraphrase Billy Idol, it was a nice day for a fake wedding.

While Katie has been out and about finding hidden treasures around Korea I have been up to something slightly more bizarre. Yesterday I followed my friend Amy around Toronto while she and a cast of characters posed for wedding photos with (sometimes less than) willing members of the public.

Take note: Amy did not actually get married.

All of this buffoonery was in the name of shameless promotion for wedding-themed programming on Slice. You don't watch? You should. I'm not even going to try and pretend that Rich Bride, Poor Bride isn't one of my guilty indulgences every once in a while. So, I invited myself to tag along on this hilarious outing to snap shots for my photography class and more importantly, for my own amusement. There is nothing like crazed people in costume making a scene in Yonge and Dundas square. My favourite part might have been when well intentioned Chinese business men posed for photos with the 'happy couple' and then gifted the entire wedding party with carefully wrapped "presents from China." Did they just have these on hand in case they bumped into a newly married pair on the street?

Amy and her fuchsia clad bridal party will be running around the city handing out bubbles and embarrassing themselves wholeheartedly for the next seven days. Let me know if you spot them!

rumour has it...

Banksy is in town

I have an overwhelming urge to troll around the Lower Donlands in search of some of the Banksy-esq pieces that have been popping up in the past few days. But are these artworks legit? Since the elusive street artist is (apparently) in town to promote his new film they very well could be the real thing.

fiesta

A lot of good things have come out of Mexico. Jose Cuervo, ponchos, quesadillas. In fact, everything about this fiesta country is colourful and delicious. I have never been but would love to go someday. Anyways, a very good friend of mine (who insists she's half Mexican but is one of the palest people you'll ever meet) first introduced me to Cinco de Mayo a few years ago. Essentially, the fifth of May commemorates the Mexican army's victory over the French back in 1862. It is also a fantastic excuse to consume numerous mid-week margaritas on a patio.

While anyone who knows me (especially the slightly inebriated version of me) knows my affinity for a late night burrito, one of my favourite spots for Mexican delights in Toronto has to be Margarita's on Baldwin. There are delightfully tacky chili pepper lights strung up on the walls and the zesty margs are served in goblet sized glasses rimmed with salt. Yum. There is also a large enough enchilada/fajita/quesadilla/taco/burrito selection to keep you satiated til next year's celebrations.

So whether you're Mexican for real or just Mexican at heart I hope you find some time today to indulge in a little after work bebido to celebrate our neighbours south of the border(s).

team macho

Team Macho is a (super-rad) Toronto-based collaborative illustration and fine art effort. You can check out their playful pieces on their site's gallery and at Magic Pony. My boyfriend (who notified me of their collective awesomeness) wants their book - along with one of those 'staches.

Neighbourhood

Writer, urban activist and Annex resident Jane Jacobs

I love to travel, it's right up there at the number one spot on my list of life passions (followed closely by brunch and discovering new nail polish colours). That being said, after spending the past two months plane-hopping it has been pretty nice to return home and fall back in love with the city I left behind. Toronto is sometimes a hard beast to love. At the worst of times it's cold and dirty and you're waiting for 45 minutes for a streetcar in the middle of a garbage strike. But when I'm gone for a long period of time I always miss it. After all these years of traveling I know for sure that there is absolutely no substitute for a pemeal bacon breakfast sandwich at St. Lawrence market.

Anyways, with 20-ish degree weather on the horizon this weekend it seems like now is the perfect time rediscover all of the best things TO has to offer. So if you city dwellers aren't doing anything on Saturday or Sunday (and even if you are) I would suggest that you take some time to reacquaint yourself with your neighbourhood and tag along on a Jane's Walk tour. Inspired by the work of Toronto community activist Jane Jacobs, these free walking tours are led by local neighbourhood know-it-alls who uncover fascinating stories from Toronto's past while traversing through the city streets. With 120 tours to choose from in and around the downtown it's a great opportunity to meet your neighbours, discover hidden treasures and learn about the history of your 'hood. I'll be strolling the Sorauren and Wabash railway corridor on Sunday - fueling up before hand at Mitzi's no doubt.

Click here for a list of all of the tours happening in the city this weekend. And if you happen to be a neighbourhood nerd like myself then I would definitely suggest reading Jane Jacobs' The Death and Life of Great American Cities.

boutique in bloom

I just finished reading about a lovely little flower shop in H&H and thought I should share my floral findings with all of you. Coriander Girl, an adorable botanical boutique in the heart of Parkdale, offers up whimsical bouquets in vintage vases alongside sweet smelling soaps, lotions and candles. Alison Westlake, the coriander girl herself, opened the shabby-chic flower and gift shop last September after forgoing her acting career in favour of her green thumb. The charming little shop is right at home amongst the increasing number of antique shops, cute cafes and vintage clothiers that seem to be popping up along the Queen (seriously) West strip. Westlake (who blogs about her fleurs here) promises that she'll create fresh and unique floral arrangements to suit any budget. So even us penny-pinching flower fanatics can walk away with a petite bouquet of artfully arranged foliage.

Visit Coriander Girl at 1537 Queen St. W. Afterward, stop by the nearby and newly opened Belljar cafe in Roncesvalles.

la vie boheme

I saw RENT last night. It was my fourth time. If you've never seen this heartbreakingly wonderful musical about bohemian life (and death) in Alphabet City then I suggest you considering catching a show while it's in Toronto for an ever so brief engagement this month. The two leads are played by the original Broadway cast and, astoundingly enough, they seem to perform with the same level of intense energy as the day it opened back in 1996.

swirl

If someone crept into my fantasies about opening my own restaurant and stole all of my ideas and then made them come to life the result would be Swirl.

The definition of a hidden gem this cozy spot is tucked away on the second floor of a pet supply shop in Leslieville (of course). The 600sq-ft space has been converted from a one bedroom apartment into a pint-sized wine bar complete with funky patterned wallpaper and reclaimed furniture (think: vintage sewing machine tables and church pews found on Craigslist). Due to the limited space inside this charming little spot the kitchen had to be removed, but the fact that the restaurant is missing an oven doesn't seemed to be an issue.

Fresh baked bread is paired with cheese (from the nearby Leslieville Cheese Market) and charcuterie, while edible spreadables like rhubarb chutney and savoury pates are stored and served in little mason jars. The vino (there's lots to choose from and it's affordable) is also poured into a petite pot in lieu of a boring old wine glass.

Someone needs to take me (and The Selby) here immediately.

the life aquatic

Lovers of marine life (the living variety - not the sashimi roll kind) will be pleased to learn that there are plans in works for a brand new 14,000-square-metre aquarium in Toronto. The proposed three-storey complex owned by Ripley Entertainment (believe it or not!) is slated to be developed in the heart of downtown under the C. (N. tower) - get it? .... All puns aside, I'm pretty excited about it. I have always loved aquariums, ever since my mother took my brother and I for an impromptu midweek field trip to the London Aquarium when I was ten years old. While the opportunity to skip out on school was cause for excitement in itself, it was the wondrous collection of sea creatures that I've always remembered. Well that, and my mother's refusal to allow me to adopt a penguin (an incident that has perhaps fostered itself in my bizarre adult obsession with these lovable creatures). Anyways, ever since then I've always found aquariums to have a rather ethereal quality - there is something so extraordinary about peering into a tank and losing yourself in another word. If you need any convincing of the romantic qualities of aquariums then you might want to revisit this movie.

say cheese

Its that time of year again when all I seem to want to do is curl up in front of the fire (newly adorned with designer stockings - thanks Mom!) and watch Christmas movies while snacking - continuously alternating between my two favourite food groups: chocolate and cheese. While i've never really thought of myself as a cheese connoisseur (just because you really like something doesn't make you an expert) you could say I'm a pretty dedicated appreciator. A recent work assignment took me to the east end neighbourhood of Leslieville (one of my favourite not-quite gentrified 'hoods with the perfect mix of upscale independent coffee shops, rough around the edges locals, and vintage antique stores) for an evening Wine and Cheese class at the Leslieville Cheese Market. While I was strictly there on business I was invited to indulge in a smorgasbord of gourmet cheeses and wines that I usually can't even contemplate purchasing as they are outside of my $7.50-$13.00 price range. The cheese night school classes, taught by resident fromage fanatic Julia Rogers, include tasty tutorials on the finer points of pairing. I would invite any foodies (or cheese loving individuals like myself) to spend an evening at the popular cheese emporium (there is also a second market in the west-end, confusingly called the Leslieville Cheese Market aswell) to partake in one of these delectable classes.

this week in i'm a huge nerd

Whoever said science and magic don't mix clearly never anticipated Harry Potter: The Exhibition. The Ontario Science Centre will be the only Canadian destination for this touring exhibition of all things magical and muggle from the incredible wizarding world of Mr. Potter. Expect replicated rooms from Hogwarts and interactive displays featuring props and creatures from the movies. I'm going to use the fact that I'm British (and my inexplicable crush on Ron Weasley) to justify my intense excitement for this exhibit arriving in Toronto in April 2010.

T.O. topshop

Growing up in England I can vividly remember saving up my pocket money for weeks at a time only to blow it in a matter of minutes on super trendy pieces from my favourite multi-floored fashion mecca on Oxford St. So, needless to say, I've been experiencing some serious heart palpitations ever since I discovered (thanks @FashionCanada) that topshop might finally be coming to Canada next spring. Although, lets not get too excited, these are only whispers at this point and unfortunately the Brit mega-brand won't be opening up a full sized store (there goes my vision for the soon to be vacated Urban Planet space on Queen St. W.) but rather, a pop-up boutique at The Bay's new high fashion environ - The Room.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see whether this fashion fantasy becomes a reality, but the anticipation of Christopher Kane five minutes from my office has put me in a Friday frenzy.

tight and bright sale

FYI: In case you need to stock up on liquid leggings and neon unitards this weekend.

Like an egyptian

Having never been the type to get too excited over ancient artifacts (I generally prefer paintings to pots and porcelain) I'm not really that jazzed about the upcoming King Tut exhibit at the AGO. And I am certainly not as eager as the entertainment editors over at the Toronto Star who have been painfully stretching their week-long Tut coverage to include recipes for Egyptian cuisine and today's feature on Sodom nightclub's (yes that's right) upcoming dance party featuring a nearly nude male model in pharo-like body paint. But I can't help but think that the photo above is kind of cool. The larger-than-life and then some Pharo statue (or wait..is it a rabbit?) is currently looming large over Dundas St. in order to promote the much-hyped exhibit that will be opening in the city in just a few days. And since I'm kind of important now (ahem...okay not at all) I will be tagging along to the media preview event at the gallery tomorrow morning. I assume I'll get a glimpse of some of Tut's treasures, including what I'm sure will be some pretty sweet gladiator sandals, and hopefully some complimentary finger foods. I guess it's time to make like The Bangles and Walk Like an Egyptian.

Side note: I just noticed that the 'hot topics' toolbar on the Toronto Star's website includes breaking news categories like H1N1, Maple Leafs and Vampires?! I'm so glad I subscribe to a newspaper with my kind of priorities.

F.Y.I.

I'm torn between sharing this information and keeping it secret. Just promise me you wont buy this jacket, in black, in my size. Happy shopping!