Visit to the T-Dot!
Right now I am at Marc's family's house in Thornhill, Ontario. I met them all for the first time when Marc and I arrived in Toronto on Friday, June 2nd. We've been here for 9 days so far and we've got 5 more to go. So far I have actually had quite a good time. The family is great, although a little more kosher than what I am used to, I'm adapting well. I have never been to Toronto before, so Marc has been giving me the official tour. Here's what we've done so far:
Friday: Arrived and had Shabbat dinner with the family.
Saturday: Drove with parents and grandparents to a stupid local mall, then went downtown and walked through the St. Lawrence Market. Pouring rain outside. Had lunch at a pub. Went home for a few hours and took a nap. Later, Marc took me out for dinner at Jack Astor's and then we went downtown to meet up with his old Ryerson friend Simon and hung out with him and his friends at his house.
Sunday: Marc and I drove back to Toronto to meet my uncle and aunt for brunch. First time I have ever gone to visit them. I have only ever seen them in person when they came to visit Vancouver so many times. I also finally got to meet the Shihtzu Felix. He may be deaf and almost blind, with huge blue cataracts, but he seemed to like me. Marc and I went home again, I took a nap, and I don't remember what we did for the rest of that day.
Monday: Walked ALL over downtown Toronto in freakin' flip flops. Back and forth. Took the subway for the first time, walked through Eaton's Centre, took a peek at MuchMusic, walked through Ryerson and met up with Simon and friends again. Walked to a few stores for food and alcohol and barbecued at Simon's house. Drank a bit and walked to Simon's friend's house. Watched a hockey game, drank a little more, blazed a little, and passed out on the couch. I wasn't being a very good guest, so Marc and I decided to leave. That involved more walking to get to the subway.
Tuesday: With my feet still sore from Monday, Marc, his mom Glenda, and I drove to the MacMichael Art Gallery in Vaughn to see Canadian works such as Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven. It was a really cool place. We stayed there for lunch and Glenda decided to take us to the new Vaughn Mills mall. On our way home we stopped to see a family friend, Hilton. Marc wanted to stay and talk longer with him and his dad Philip, so Glenda and I went home. But on the way home (actually out of the way) Glenda and I stopped at a grocery store with a large kosher section and did some shopping. After dinner, a few of us went to Costco.
Wednesday: Marc and I took the subway downtown and toured the CN Tower. I'm scared of heights but it wasn't so bad. Although it was pretty hot that day which didn't help. We walked on the glass floor, had lunch, took some cool pictures, etc. Went home and took a nap. My feet were still sore from Monday, so I wanted to rest for the rest of the day.
Thursday: Marc went to Canada's Wonderland with his brother Adam while I went with Glenda and Marc's sister Meagan to the Bata Museum and walked through a bit of U of T. Meagan stayed afterwards for a class and Glenda and I took the subway home. Oh, can't forget stopping at a grocery store! Went home, ate dinner, then Marc and I drove downtown again to meet up with Simon and his girlfriend again at a pub, Filthy McNasty's.
Friday: Slept in and had a family dinner with some cousins.
Saturday: Went to Niagara Falls. So much happened that day that I'll make another entry about it later.
Today: Slept in, played some pool, gonna see a movie tonight.
We've completed almost everything on our to-do list so far, but here's what's left:
Go to the Royal Ontario Museum
Visit MuchMusic for longer and possibly stay for MuchOnDemand
See Ryerson or U of T Fine Arts Department
More later!
Friday: Arrived and had Shabbat dinner with the family.
Saturday: Drove with parents and grandparents to a stupid local mall, then went downtown and walked through the St. Lawrence Market. Pouring rain outside. Had lunch at a pub. Went home for a few hours and took a nap. Later, Marc took me out for dinner at Jack Astor's and then we went downtown to meet up with his old Ryerson friend Simon and hung out with him and his friends at his house.
Sunday: Marc and I drove back to Toronto to meet my uncle and aunt for brunch. First time I have ever gone to visit them. I have only ever seen them in person when they came to visit Vancouver so many times. I also finally got to meet the Shihtzu Felix. He may be deaf and almost blind, with huge blue cataracts, but he seemed to like me. Marc and I went home again, I took a nap, and I don't remember what we did for the rest of that day.
Monday: Walked ALL over downtown Toronto in freakin' flip flops. Back and forth. Took the subway for the first time, walked through Eaton's Centre, took a peek at MuchMusic, walked through Ryerson and met up with Simon and friends again. Walked to a few stores for food and alcohol and barbecued at Simon's house. Drank a bit and walked to Simon's friend's house. Watched a hockey game, drank a little more, blazed a little, and passed out on the couch. I wasn't being a very good guest, so Marc and I decided to leave. That involved more walking to get to the subway.
Tuesday: With my feet still sore from Monday, Marc, his mom Glenda, and I drove to the MacMichael Art Gallery in Vaughn to see Canadian works such as Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven. It was a really cool place. We stayed there for lunch and Glenda decided to take us to the new Vaughn Mills mall. On our way home we stopped to see a family friend, Hilton. Marc wanted to stay and talk longer with him and his dad Philip, so Glenda and I went home. But on the way home (actually out of the way) Glenda and I stopped at a grocery store with a large kosher section and did some shopping. After dinner, a few of us went to Costco.
Wednesday: Marc and I took the subway downtown and toured the CN Tower. I'm scared of heights but it wasn't so bad. Although it was pretty hot that day which didn't help. We walked on the glass floor, had lunch, took some cool pictures, etc. Went home and took a nap. My feet were still sore from Monday, so I wanted to rest for the rest of the day.
Thursday: Marc went to Canada's Wonderland with his brother Adam while I went with Glenda and Marc's sister Meagan to the Bata Museum and walked through a bit of U of T. Meagan stayed afterwards for a class and Glenda and I took the subway home. Oh, can't forget stopping at a grocery store! Went home, ate dinner, then Marc and I drove downtown again to meet up with Simon and his girlfriend again at a pub, Filthy McNasty's.
Friday: Slept in and had a family dinner with some cousins.
Saturday: Went to Niagara Falls. So much happened that day that I'll make another entry about it later.
Today: Slept in, played some pool, gonna see a movie tonight.
We've completed almost everything on our to-do list so far, but here's what's left:
Go to the Royal Ontario Museum
Visit MuchMusic for longer and possibly stay for MuchOnDemand
See Ryerson or U of T Fine Arts Department
More later!