As a member of the “Born, Bred, & Raised in Toronto” club,
and an avid explorer as a dog mom, I’ve got an excellent vantage point over the city. Having been all over downtown on foot, I've walked through most main streets, shortcuts, and alleyways. I know Toronto so intimately because Toronto is all I know. Suffice to say, I’ve reached a point of stagnation with the city. So as a writer & artist with a sense of imagination that greatly amuses myself, I wrote a guide, and hand-drew a map, detailing how to “travel” for free and re-experience with fresh, new eyes, the same old places all over. If you, too, require a fun, refreshed perspective on Toronto, I present to you...
Dumbo, New York City | Humber Bay
These are photos I took in New York City after crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, from Manhattan to Brooklyn, into Dumbo. It’s amazing how after a 30-minute walk over a bridge, you’re rewarded with a brilliant postcard view of the Manhattan skyline. The hustle and bustle of New York seems distant now although, enigmatically, still within reach. You’ve escaped the overstimulation and can now admire the city from afar. It’s almost like an out-of-body experience. After a long day of listening to the roar of car engines, pedestrian chatter, and general city buzz, you wonder if you’ve got the energy to walk the entire length of the Brooklyn Bridge, or if you should just take the MTA. You decide to go through with it, beginning your descent over the East River. At the end of the finish line, you make a stop at the shore where, for a glorious moment, it’s just you, alone with the water.
The closest I’ve found that you can get to emulating this incredible Brooklyn Bridge experience is crossing over the Humber Bay Arch Bridge, from Toronto into Humber Bay. Not the most impressive bridge, but yes - you too can walk over a human-built bridge over an OK body of water and bask in the glow of the city skyline at the end!
Central Park, New York City | High Park
My time in Central Park was nothing short of tranquil, calming, and memorable. Despite being situated in the middle of Manhattan, the city of New York managed to preserve the sensation of wilderness and the valour of Mother Nature. And, like a true tourist, I paid $70 USD to be pulled on a carriage by a horse around Central Park for a true out-of-towner experience.
High Park is a little like when you’re a kid, and you want McDonald’s, but your mom says you’ve got food at home. This is our Central Park at home.
Wicker Park, Chicago | Roncesvalles
I haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting Chicago, so I had to rely on Internet research for this one (my lack of travel experience was largely the motivator for this entire project). Wicker Park is one of Chicago’s trendiest neighbourhoods. Adorned with bookstores, boutiques, record stores, and art galleries, the area is rife with hipster-artist allure; this translates quite nicely into a neighbourhood of our own here in Toronto.
I’m fond of Roncesvalles, mainly because I don’t frequent it often. Plus, its ensemble of small shops and artsy stops gives it a distinct small-town charm, so the goal of pretending you're in another city is easily achieved here.
Camden Market, London | Kensington Market
Located in Camden Town, London (UK), Camden Market sounds like a millennial’s dream. An outdoor market abundant in food stalls, live music, cafés, pubs, jazz, hipster fashion, and small businesses, it’s no wonder the area is very popular amongst tourists and folks who prefer an “alternative” lifestyle.
Or so I’ve read; I’ve never actually been.
Or so I’ve read; I’ve never actually been.
We have our own hub of tourists, countercultural punks, and weird shop owners in Kensington Market. Like Camden Market, Kensington is very much geared towards the pedestrian’s street experience, but with a lesser population density. This appeals to me.
Times Square, New York City | Dundas Square
This comparison requires little creativity. I had never seen so much artificial lighting, commercial entertainment, tourist traps, and real-life POP-UP ADS packed so densely into one place before. I had no idea what we didn’t actually have until I saw Times Square in person.
Just like with Times Square, most city natives do what they can to avoid having to walk through Dundas Square. We don’t have the mental energy for it.
Chicago Loop | Financial District
Designated as the central business district of Chicago, the Chicago Loop is plentiful in high-rises, headquarters, and regional offices. The only way in which I can say I’ve experienced Chicago is through watching those “4K WALK THROUGH CHICAGO” videos on YouTube, so I think that gives me enough authority to claim that the Chicago Loop looks remarkably like our Financial District.
Unfortunately, we don’t have water running through our Financial District that we could pretend is the Chicago River. But we do have tall buildings and commercial real estate!
Northern Quarter, Manchester | Distillery District
Apparently, there is a neighbourhood of Victorian markets in Manchester where all the creative minds go for good food, good music, and good beer. The Northern Quarter’s collection of textile warehouses often serve as a stand-in for films situated in New York City. Toronto is also used as a cheap stand-in backdrop for New York City. Does logic follow that that means the Northern Quarter is Toronto? This guide says yes.
One of the best neighbourhoods to go off in la-la land in is the Distillery District. Picturesque 19th-century buildings line up on cobblestone streets - a rare sight in Toronto. We love exposed brick and cobblestone streets.
SoHo, New York City | Yorkville
SoHo is where you shop for luxury. This is the hub of high fashion, designer boutiques, art galleries, and chic dinners. It’s not all elitist though - street vendors set up booths during the day to sell jewellery, prints, or artwork, so there’s something for everybody. And best of all, there is no pressure to conform to “high society” or “look the part”. It’s New York. You do you. Nobody cares.
Despite being 2.7x smaller and far lesser known, Toronto’s counterpart comes with a noticeably snobbier attitude. Yorkville is home to contemporary and upscale art galleries like SoHo, but its approach to artistry is a lot less laissez-faire, and a lot more elitist. But I digress. Yorkville’s architectural design and array of designer stores set a splendid picture for taking an imaginary vacation. The romantic, ornamental buildings and scenic cobblestone streets are beautiful. Again, we Torontonians love cobblestone streets.
GREEKTOWN, DETROIT | GREEKTOWN
During my weekend love affair with the city of Detroit, I made sure to visit Greektown to check out the casino and try some authentic desserts from Astoria Pastry Shop (delicious). Greektown is an entertainment district stretching along the small but profoundly lively street of Monroe Avenue. It’s one of the facets of Detroit that prove the spirit of the city is unbreakable. Greektown rises back up.
It is with a heavy heart that I announce that almost every picture on the Internet of Greektown, Toronto is underwhelming. Anyway, you can find local neighbourhood charm in our Greektown too, despite the fact that we also have very few surviving Greek businesses in the new age of gentrification. Just like Detroit!
Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles | THE BEACHES
This iconic pier is essentially a celebrity in its own right with the amount of appearances it makes in movies, video games, and TV shows. I cannot wait to visit in person to shop at the beachside vendors, try the seaside eats, play the carnival games, give mild attentiveness to street performers, and smell the salty ocean breeze -
courtesy of the real Pacific Ocean.
courtesy of the real Pacific Ocean.
So we don’t have palm trees, consistent weather, or a theme park... but we do have BEACH, and that leaves plenty of room for the imagination. Head over to Woodbine in the summer and pay close attention to the sound of waves gently washing up onto the shore, the cry of seagulls as they circle the vast blue sky, and the crunch of warm sand in between your toes. Ahh... "Santa Monica Beach".
BELLE ISLE, DETROIT | CENTRE ISLAND
Sandwiched in between Canada and USA, Belle Isle sits quaintly in the blues of the Detroit River. I've heard it’s one of those “must-sees” for its historical, cultural, and environmental “whoa”s.
It’s okay that I didn’t get to visit because I can just pretend I did, right here in my hometown. Islands appeal to
us city-dwelling North Americans because it’s a piece of floating green space detached from the mainland, so that’s cool. One of my favourite summer activities is going to Harbourfront and taking a 5-minute water taxi
to the islands of “Detroit”.
us city-dwelling North Americans because it’s a piece of floating green space detached from the mainland, so that’s cool. One of my favourite summer activities is going to Harbourfront and taking a 5-minute water taxi
to the islands of “Detroit”.
Mediterranean Sea | Lake Ontario
The Mediterranean Sea is one that I can only dream of seeing in person some day. Well, I can also dream from the shores of Lake Ontario.
If there is a will, there is a way to ignore Lake Ontario’s pollution. I’ve done it, after walking for a while along the coastline and finally locating a piece of beach that’s isolated and feels like it’s all yours. That moment of joy acts as jet fuel for the imagination. I’ve made it. The Great Mediterranean Sea!
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