Toronto and I have both changed considerably in the last 50 years. The difference is Toronto appears to have found an excellent plastic surgeon. The Train to Toronto I sat in the VIA Rail station in Kingston thinking about all the previous times in my life I'd taken the train between Kingston and Toronto. My parents separated at the end of Grade 6, and after that, my two younger brothers and I regularly caught the train from Kingston to Guildwood in Toronto to visit my father on his weekends. Train travel was busy in those days. I remember a couple of times when we didn't even …
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The Secret Chords of Toronto
The Big Slice. Eggs Benedict for breakfast every January 1st. A soft leather mini skirt. Caesar salad at Mr. Greenjeans. A short silk housecoat with a dragon on the back. Dancing down the street while “Let’s Go Crazy” blared through my Walkman. All these memories came flooding back yesterday as I walked along Yonge Street in Toronto. In the ’70s and ’80s, Yonge Street held an attraction for me. Not because of the shops, but because of the juxtaposition of wealth and seediness in those days. Drugged-out people could be found hanging around in the doorways of businesses …
A Finger Lakes Road Trip Through Charming Towns and Local Wineries
Explore the Towns, Wineries & Scenic Drives on a Finger Lakes Road Trip Looking for charming towns, wineries, cideries and scenic drives? This guide covers the communities and local stops that made our Finger Lakes road trip memorable. Included in this guide: RV living is fun because everything you need travels with you. In a small RV like my truck camper, however, I’m constantly juggling items, unpacking and repacking. Cooking and cleaning can be challenging with so little counter space, which is also why everything must have a home—and return to it after use. So when I get …
Things to Do in the Finger Lakes: Natural Wonders
Before arriving, I thought the Finger Lakes were all about... well... the lakes. I expected scenic drives, waterfront parks, and if we were lucky, charming towns. Those things certainly exist, but what surprised me most was how much of the region's beauty lies away from the shoreline. Some of our favourite things to do in the Finger Lakes turned out to be exploring towering waterfalls, deep gorges, quiet forests, wildlife refuges and hidden overlooks. Ironically, my first glimpse of the Finger Lakes didn't come from the shore at all. It came from the top of a fire tower. Sugar Hill …
Finger Lakes Itinerary: A Scenic Road Trip Through New York’s Lake Country
Growing up in Ontario, we often heard about all the interesting places to visit in New York State. Along with the Poconos, Jay Peak, and shopping trips to Watertown, I frequently heard people mention "the Finger Lakes." I assumed it referred to four or five long, narrow lakes that looked like fingers and never gave the region much thought after that. It wasn't until I began planning this summer's road trip that I pulled up a map and realized how wrong I had been. There aren't four or five Finger Lakes—there are eleven, stretching across central New York. Suddenly, what had always been just …
