The next neighborhood that we'll explore is the Yonge & Dundas/Eaton Centre area.
We've realized that we haven't fully explained this whole "Choose Your Own Adventure" concept. Basically, Toronto is considered a city of neighborhoods, and is an extremely diverse city, so by spending some free time going off exploring you can see all of the different architecture, cultures, cuisine, and landmarks.
Well, this area is not exactly a prime example of Toronto's "neighborhoods" but we've been stuck in a bit of a hipster rut so we figured that it would be refreshing to add in a more conventional area. We mentioned the Yonge-Dundas Square in our previous post. This is a public square that was developed, in part, as an attempt to have Toronto's own version of Times Square or Piccadilly Circus. While the scale of Times Square has not been achieved (thank goodness, since this area is far more palatable!), this is where you'll find neon and billboards, as evidenced in the previous entry's photo. There are also cool fountains in the square (the water is drinkable - don't be shy) and plenty of music/festivals/events that take place during the summer. The Canon Theatre is located just east of Yonge-Dundas Square, and features performances from national tours... this year's lineup includes Rent, Mama Mia, and Fiddler on the Roof. And, if you're in town before August 8, you can check out Legally Blonde the musical - quite apropos since it will be running during the time Jon writes the Bar Exam.
On the west side of Yonge Street is the Eaton Centre. This is a giant mall, full of a wide variety of retailers and restaurants. And on the southern extent of it (Queen Street) stands the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatres, two other major live theatre houses. If you prefer to listen to jazz or live music, you can check out Massey Hall, located on Victoria Street.
There's quite a lot of street traffic in this area, so you can enjoy the downtown bustle on the sidewalks - and a sweet pedestrian scramble at the intersection of Yonge Street & Dundas Street. Check out some live entertainment, shop til you drop, and check out the plethora of restaurants (note: if you're looking for national chains, you'll find all of them here). Just take the Yonge Street line to either Dundas Street or Queen Street and you're right in the center of all the action!
Bar: Jack Astors (10 Dundas Street East). This is a chain of bars/restaurants. They have plenty of beers and mixed drinks, and some decent food (Jon has a soft spot for their calzones). Plus they give you crayons to draw on the tables with!
Restaurant (Casual): Eggspectation (Eaton Center, 220 Yonge Street). This casual diner-type restaurant offers a wide variety of breakfast and lunch items.
Restaurant (Fancy): Osteria Ciceri e Tria (106 Victoria Street). If you're heading to the theatre or on a date night, check out this dressy Italian restaurant. Instead of one large dish, you order several small ones (including their five daily antipasti), and pasta is handmade.
Shopping: Eaton Centre (220 Yonge Street). Huge shopping mall - you'll find pretty much every retailer that you can think of here. Check out the windows at the Hudson's Bay Company.
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