best buddies - Canadian Destinations

T
O
R
O
N
T
O
A Canadian Destinations
‘BEST BUDDIES’
Weekend Getaway
in
TORONTO !
Issue 1 - 2007
Photo by Chris Ellison
1
I
It had been twenty years since I saw my friend Steve
when we recently reconnected on Facebook. Steve
and I wanted to get together as well and we needed
to find a place to meet up. The best place for us was
Toronto and we looked forward to our “Best Buddies
Toronto Getaway” The last time I had been in Toronto
was a few years ago and I was unsure of what we could
do while we were there so I went on Tourism Toronto’s
website at www.seetorontonow.com to come up with
some ideas. I was amazed at the diverse options available and could immediately identify some destinations
that would truly offer a unique experience for Steve
and I. Toronto is an amazing place where friends can
meet for a fulfilled, exciting and adventurous weekend
getaway.
We both arrived in Toronto late Friday afternoon and checked into the Renaissance Toronto Hotel
(www.renaissancetoronto.com). It is a beautiful location
and is the world’s only 4 diamond hotel located in a major league sports and entertainment venue, The Rogers
Centre. The hotel is ideally situated in Toronto’s famous
Entertainment District and is minutes from the Financial
District of Canada. Staying
While in Toronto be sure
in a room which has the
to experience their live
Toronto Blue Jay’s field as
theatre, world class
it’s view was memorable.
attractions, many
Steve and I talked
festivals and fine dining.
and caught up on each
Explore some of
other’s current lives before
Toronto’s diverse
going out for supper.
neighbourhoods, each
Considering that the Rewith its own distinct
naissance Toronto Hotel is
personality.
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conveniently adjacent to the CN Tower, we decided the
CN Tour would be a great place to begin our weekend.
Admittedly neither one of us had visited this Canadian
icon in many years. In fact, Steve and I lightheartedly
jested about our age as we recalled watching from our
respective bedroom windows as children, the various
stages of the CN Tower’s construction.
With great enthusiasm and reverie we boarded
the elevator and began the climb up to the CN Tower’s
360 Restaurant (www.cntower.ca/360_restaurant). This
award winning restaurant has become one of Toronto’s
finest and features unforgettable food combined with
a magnificent revolving view of Toronto more than 351
meters below. 360 offers market-fresh cuisine, featuring
regional ingredients to ensure an incomparable culinary experience.
After a sumptuous dinner, followed by a visit to
the CN Tower’s glass floor and observation deck, Steve
and I returned to the ground and decided to take a
different walk, down memory lane. For us this meant a
walk down Yonge Street, where we spent a couple of
fun filled hours pointing out locations we recalled and
experiences we’d had. I was struck by how modern,
clean and eclectic Toronto has become.
The next morning Steve and I enjoyed breakfast at the hotel and headed off for the Hockey Hall of
Fame (www.hhof.com), which has a spectacular reputation. We were also fortunate that the Olympic Medals
Collection was also being featured at the time. The two
of us were enthralled with the museum’s state-of-theart games, interactive exhibits, larger-than-life statues,
replica dressing room and rink zone, theatres and
hockey’s most precious artifacts. Even better, however,
was to actually stand next to and even wrap my arms
around the infamous Stanley Cup! It was clear that this
gleaming silver icon was like a human celebrity.
Enjoy a game from the comfort of your own suite.
When the Roger’s Centre roof is open you can
have a clear view of the CN Tower.
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Photo by Chris Ellison
The hours seemed to melt away during our
visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame and we looked forward
to watching a hockey game that evening after a nice
meal at a Richtree Market Restaurant called Brookfield
Place, a landmark located in the heart of the Financial
District and is attached to Hockey Hall of Fame.
From the downtown streets of Toronto we
made our way to Toronto Helicopter Tours and buckled into the helicopter. (www.thehelicoptercompany.
com) From our unique perspective we were able to see
the CN Tower, Roger’s Centre, Royal Ontario Museum,
Ontario’s Parliament, Air Canada Centre, Toronto’s
picturesque Inner Harbor. Toronto Helicopter Tours
operates all year round and features a number of excellent flight options, including a romantic couple’s flight,
which is something I plan to share with my wife on our
upcoming anniversary. Soaring above Yonge Street
and passing so closely past the tip of the CN Tower was
absolutely a one of a kind opportunity.
The Hockey Hall of Fame is an
outstanding combination of
treasured artifacts, multi-media exhibits,
interactive games, a showcase
for hockey’s Honoured Members and, of
course, home of the Stanley Cup.
Photo by Chris Ellison
Photo by Steve Thomas
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Still adrenaline pumped by the aerial helicopter
extravaganza Steve and I them headed for the Steam
Whistle Brewery for our brewery tour. We learned
that the Steam Whistle story began in the spring of
1998 when three friends were on a canoe trip in the
Ontario heartland. As they sat around the campfire,
they agreed they wanted to make a Pilsner that would
compete with the best in the world. They wrote a plan
and quickly attracted investors with their vision and
passion. Steam Whistle Brewery, which has also been
named one of “Canada’s Best Places to Work,” has
become known for it’s many green programs, like their
recycling program, all natural ingredients, ‘bullfrog’
power reliance and a number of energy friendly initiatives. Learn more about Steamwhistle Brewery at www.
steamwhistle.ca.
We also had a nice dinner at Grace O’Malley’s
Irish Pub & Restaurant (www.gracies.ca), which is
located in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district,
and is considered Toronto’s ‘Maritime headquarters.
“Gracie’s”, as it is affectionately called, features the best
in East Coast and local Live Music in all of the GTA. The
fantastic pub menu, including traditional Irish favorites
all of which are made in-house with their own recipes,
is a great source of pride. Some of their tasteful treats
include the Guinness Steak & Mushroom Pie or their
Famous Beer Battered Fish N Chips.
After dinner Steve and I headed toward an
event we had been planning and looking forward to
for the last two weeks, a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey
game. This, we thought, was a must do for a best buddies Toronto getaway experience. The game was great
Flying out of downtown
Toronto, you will observe the
CN Tower, Roger’s Centre,
Royal Ontario Museum,
Ontario’s Parliament, Air
Canada Centre, Toronto’s
picturesque Inner Harbour
and so much more.
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Photo by Chris Ellison
6
and the seats were primly located. Neither of us had
been in the new Air Canada Centre and we marveled
at it’s grand structure. It is a great venue that seems to
offer prime seating from any location. Steve and I could
not help but reminisce throughout the game at our
own numerous childhood experiences watching the
Photo by Steve Thomas
Leafs play at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens. I recommend a visit to the official Toronto Maple Leafs website
and taking in a game. http://mapleleafs.nhl.com
We began our next day at the Ontario Science Centre’s BODY WORLDS & The Story of the Heart
exhibit (www.ontariosciencecentre.ca). With hundreds
There’s a range
of entertainment
options for all ages,
in one central
location. If you’re
thinking of catching a concert,
attending a theatre
production, viewing
a movie you’ll find it
on Yonge Street.
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Photo by Steve Thomas
of engaging interactive exhibits and daily science
demonstrations, the Ontario Science Centre was
delightful and informative. There were over 200
authentic human specimens including whole-body
Plastinates, organs and translucent body slices. I
knew the exhibit was popular, but I was amazed that
over 28 million people have experienced this critically acclaimed exhibition in over 50 cities across
the world. Experiencing this display personally was
incredibly fascinating and it was great that we could
take our time.
Before lunch Steve and I made our way to
the Distillery Historic District (www.thedistillerydistrict.com), Toronto’s newest centre for arts, culture,
food and entertainment. It is a national historic
site, including 44 heritage buildings and numerous
brick line courtyards. The tour offers the complete
visitor experience and includes a great orientation,
informative historical and current-day information,
fantastic photo ops, superb shopping & dining and
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an opportunity to ride on a Segway.. We
especially enjoyed The Sport Gallery (www.
thesportgallery.com), North America’s
only gallery devoted entirely to sports and
the exclusive representative of one of the
world’s largest and most significant collections of 20th century sports photography.
The Sport Gallery
The
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is proud
offer a is
North America’s
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collection only
of
galleryLimited
devotedEdition
entirely
unique,
to sure
sports
one of
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to and
enchant
the
world’s
sports
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and
collections
of 20th
collectors
of sports
century sports
photography
and
photography.
memorabilia.
Our weekend ended with lunch at the ‘il
Fornello’ restaurant (www.ilfornello.com), which
is located in the Entertainment District and is
steps away from Royal Thomson Hall, the Royal
Alexandra and Princess of Wales Theatres. The
Zagat guide included ‘il Fornello’ in it’s “Top Ten in
Toronto” restaurants list. The meal was truly spectacular and my fettuccini Alfredo was probably the
best I have ever had!
I cannot deny that Steve and I were tired, but
exhilarated from our amazing weekend in Toronto.
There were many sights still to be seen, guaranteeing our return in the future. Toronto is certainly a
great place to visit as a meeting point for friends
and family from across the country because it offers
so many options and experiences for everyone. In
this case, Steve and I enjoyed a “Best Buddy Toronto
Getaway” and it truly was an escape into a fantastic
urban playground that was flowing over with excitement. It will not take me too long before Steve and
I will get together again. I can also guarantee, that
based on the fun we had over the weekend, our destination will be Toronto!
Body Worlds features over 200
authentic human specimens including
whole-body Plastinates, organs
and translucent body slices.
Issue 1 - 2007
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