Toronto Area XJW-Meet Up (page 2)

Valis

Be brave JH...and yes a disguise may be in order...perhaps you could just wear the cat?..

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

calamityjane

DJ glad you have a sense of humour. I was hoping you wouldn't get offended by my sarcasm. Never mind 7 provinces to memorize what about your over 50 states to memorize for us Canucks up here.

You will get a taste of Italy, I'm sure in Toronto. Here in Thunder Bay we have a little Italy. There is an annual Italian fest here in the City where you can go from food booth to food booth to tickle your taste buds with the Italian food culture, not to mention the Italian corner stores with their fresh olives out of the olive bins. Yum Yum.

Love cj.

herk

Part of Toronto's Little Italy, not far from the xJW meeting place

herk

cj,

Thanks for the reminder about Thunder Bay. A few years ago some friends and I had a meal at Armondo's on Cumberland Street. Next time I'm in Thunder Bay, I'll have to check out the rest of your Little Italy.

DJ,

Toronto ranks with Sao Paolo, New York, Chicago and Buenos Aires as one of the largest Italian settlements outside Italy. According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, "In 1996, 62% of Italian Canadians lived in Ontario, 20% in Quebec and 10% in BC. ... The most significant concentrations are in Toronto, where in 1996 Italian Canadians numbered 414,310, and in Montreal, where they numbered 220,935. Other cities in which Italian Canadians numbered 10,000 or more were (in descending order) Vancouver, Hamilton, St. Catharines-Niagara, Ottawa-Hull, Windsor, Calgary, Edmonton, London, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Sudbury and Oshawa. ... In cities where Italians have settled in sufficient numbers, they have tended to create ethnic neighbourhoods. These 'Little Italys,' with their distinctive shops, restaurants, clubs and churches, are easily recognizable, but they have rarely been ghettos segregated from the rest of society."

We have Italian TV, radio stations, theatres and newspapers in Toronto and Hamilton, plus some of the best pasta and pizza you ever ate in your life. The city has the nickname "Toronto the Good," and Italians and others are always trying to make it "Toronto the Better." If you come to Toronto and see the right places, you might never want to leave, even in the winter when you can spend time strolling and shopping in its "underground city." I came here 20 years ago and haven't ever wanted to leave.

Jonadab

Do you have any Poutines in Toronto?

I would recommend http://www.lickshomeburgers.com/

How about Labatt Blue beer?

Plenty

Do I have to wear a mask when I enter Ontario?

Depends on your attractiveness, or lack thereof.

Will my Quebec plates get me into trouble?

That depends on your driving skills.

herk

Toronto's Leaning Tower of Pasta,
also known as the CN (Cosa Nostra) Tower

Aztec

LOL Valis! I have heard of Greyhound but I have to work Saturday so it doesn't matter. I'm going to Toronto sometime soon but it's gonna take a lot more planning on my part. I'd love to meet Rayzor and Walter. Rayzor's a sweetie and I promised him I'd make it up there ASAP. I responded to this to bump it back up to the top. Here it goes again...LOL!

~Aztec

RAYZORBLADE

I go away for more than 24 hours: surprise!

I figured this thread would disappear into oblivion.

HERK: That photo you posted, that's at the corner of Grace & College Streets. That is a very old 'Little Italy'. There are several, with the largest one being in the St. Clair & Bathurst Street area, running west for a couple of miles/kilometres.

Most of the old Italian families have moved to suburbs like: Woodbridge, Richmond Hill, Markham and so forth.

The Greyhound station (brand new and very lovely) is right in the centre of the city. Buses from Detroit roll in there on the hour, same goes for our folks from Buffalo, NY., and points beyond.

JH: poutine ? you know we Torontonians are not ones to be left out of any culinary delight (cringe) with regards to poutine. Quebec plates won't get you into any trouble, flirting with the Tae-Kwon-Do women here might. Jonadab, phrased it perfectly!!

Eventually, it'd be neat to have a Toronto apostafest. Thanks, and a Big-Up to Valis for his suggestion.

I'd be thrilled to meet other XJWs, from all over. Aztec, Valis and so many more, if you were to come on up, there's always room for one more on my very comfortable couch and fold-out chair. I'm sure Baby the parakeet would love to meet you.

Lots of good food, coffee and beer. Oh...btw...Tim Horton's opened up around the corner near the subway station. Woohoo! I now live in a civilized neighbourhood.

See some of you on Saturday. iiz2cool, see ya on the weekend.

DJ

Thanks herk. You did a great job as Toronto's tour guide! I really appreciate that. I hope to come there one day soon. love, dj

RAYZORBLADE

Just in case, someone missed it who lives in the Toronto-area.

2 more days to the next meet-up here in Toronto.

Hope to see some new names/faces. It's very welcoming, comfortable, and not a book study (don't worry). Very laid back, non-threatening.

Best wishes to any newcomers/lurkers considering this Saturdays meet-up.

Toronto Area XJW-Meet Up

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