Things I will miss about Toronto/Canada part deux

Some of these things are very Toronto specific while some, Canada as a whole. I've been thinking a lot more about all this as the date for leaving gets closer and closer. And on my ever expanding list are not just things I do every day, but things I do enough that I would miss desperately when taken away from them. I guess I wouldn't really be appreciating this much about Toronto if I didn't have one way ticket booked. But that's the beauty of it all I guess. You don't know what you've got until it's gone, as the cliche goes.

1. Yonge street (again).
I know, I know, I've already said this once. But seriously. Where else would you see someone biking down the road with a tabby cat sitting calmly on one shoulder? Or such an odd collection of people who would never be seen walking beside each other suddenly crammed up shoulder to shoulder? I guess I just love it so much because it changes so vastly from block to block. You can be in the (gay) village and then suddenly be at Yorkvilly bloor street only to move to the foody-fitness concious forest-hill and collide into more than your fair share of hipsters along the way. The street is an absolute treasure trove.

2. Toronto's many festivals.
From Caribana, to Octoberfest to TIFF to whatever else you wander into the middle of and exclaim "what the fuck is going on right now?" I love the festivals of this city. Most recently I spent the weekend volunteering at Word on the Street and then randomly walking over to Kensington where some sort of street performing/drumming fest was occurring (I think it was Octoberfest??). This weekend I am sooo excited for Nuit Blanche--twenty four hours of free art while drunkenly wandering the city? priceless.

3. Hamilton. In general, but specifically McMaster.

I had the magnificent opportunity of spending 4 magical (as Ilana would say) years at McMaster University. Unfortunately, the university was located in a sketchy as hell city called Hamilton. Now, however, I have an appreciation for the lovable polluted-crack-den known as Hamilton and I am desperately going to miss my frequent visits. From Locke street, to the Snooty Fox to Gore park, Hamilton is a beautiful little gem of a city. Thanks for all the memories Ham-town!

5. Brunch at Mitzi's sister.

I anticipate this next section being mostly about food. Mitzi's sister brunch is amazing and I love it. I am not a vegetarian, but if I were I bet I would love Mitzi's even more. Although they do have an amazing side of English bangers that I feel obligated to get every time I am there. Bangers! you are the bain of my existence.

6. The smell of Wanda's Waffles.

We've only stopped to get them once (and what an earth shattering occasion it was!) but the smell. The smell of Wanda's Waffles will haunt and tempt me until the day I die. It is this lovely mixture of baking things with vanilla and love and home that greets you every morning on yonge and dundas. My day will not be the same with out you Wanda!

5. Roasted Marshmallow ice cream at Greg's and Lemon ice cream at Choco Cava.

First of all, the roasted marshmallow ice cream is unreal--it is the most delicious and amazing thing you have ever tasted (it is right at Spadina and bloor beside the JCC--GO THERE!). But I just want to take a moment to talk about my new favorite place, and point out that it is probably better for my health that I did not really discover this place until a month ago. The Choco Cava is this little out of the way place in Delisle Court that is the greatest discovery I have ever made in my life. I am obsessed with their lemon ice cream. I am also obsessed with everything they do--their truffles are the most unreal combinations of random things that you wouldn't think work together but go so well. They have little chocolate concoctions that have things like 'salted Earl Grey chips' and candied ginger and everything is just so good.

6. My gym.
I figure with all this discussion of decadent foods I should bring up the fact that I also love my gym. I could live there. I wouldn't say that the exercises is my favorite part, but definitely the amenities--I probably spend more time in the whirlpool, change room, steam room and sauna than I do actually exercising. And it is all worth it...

7. The availability of romance novels.
I will be absolutely honest: I love romance novels. Anyone who knows me is not surprised by this. I am not a publishing snob, though I do appreciate good literary fiction and am obsessed with CanLit, there is something about spending an evening with a cup of tea and a good historical romance novel (inevitably involving a hero who is some sort of dashing duke named 'Rafe' ['F' included so 'Ralph' is not mistakenly pronounced] with a cover depicting some sort of shirtless Fabio-like man clad in only leather pants and possibly a fur vest). That to me is the perfect night in. However, as per my previous experience with overseas travel (I had a frantic backpacking bookstore rampage for any romance novel resembling the ones we get here) they are not as abundantly easy to come by. This thought is severely distressing to me. But, I have a plan--which basically just involves forcing my mother to mail me vast quantities of fabio covered romance novels overseas. She knows how much this means to me.