Toronto

[kenneth fish]

I spent the past weekend in Toronto with my eldest daughter, Naomi...we had a great time (although I forced her to walk more than she is used to). I went to graduate school here in 1995, and have been back every couple of years since (most of my Canada trips of the past few years have been to Montreal ). I came away with the following impressions:

Tim Horton's has gone to hell. They no longer serve buttter tarts, the coffee is made by programmed machines and is frankly lousy.

Why is it so damn hard to find whole milk in Canadian coffee places?

Fomerly public spaces (for example, the waterfront) have been sold to and developed by private interests, removing them from public access. This sucks, and is an example of money driving public policy.

The middle class and blue collar neighborhoods and establishments I knew are gone, replaced by a yuppified gentry and its haunts. Not a good thing, in my opinion.

Ontario in general seems to have become a well-to-do suburb of Mumbai.

Drivers have become both more aggressive and less skilled.

Toronto is allegedly a world class city. Why do all the damn shops close so damn early?

Why have all the small, one-off, quirky and loveable shops vanished, replaced by American chain stores?

Who makes the damn parking regulations? The guys who sell parking meters?

[Kevin_Wallbridge]

Welcome to how the rest of Canada has always felt about T.O.

[yeniseri]

I love Toronto! Lots of family there (they found the UK too Uk'ish and 'ghettoized as packed sardines in a can!) and it is closer to this hemisphere. Gots some family in one of the Mumbai suburbs.
I haven't there for 10 years and I hear the Lakefront has 'modernized' and a great example of privatization at its best. More place for people to spend money

[David Boxen]

The lakeshore is great if you enjoy staring at condos

It is no surprise what is happening to the makeup of the city considering the residential and commercial real estate prices. The small shops just can't afford the rent anymore. It was a sad day when my local favorite sushi restaurant, run only by a lovely Japanese husband and wife, closed its doors.

One of the worst things for the parking is the fire hydrants that are far up on people's lawns in some areas. These can be hidden behind plants, and are cash cows for the city. I am always suspicious when there is a spot free that seems too good to be true.

[chud]

I'm picturing Dr. Fish yelling at Toronto, "Get off my lawn!"

[KEND]

Moved there from London in 65, it was a very suburban city then. If you were in a bar you sat at a table and drank, carrying a drink around would get you 86ed. Dreary place, I understand it became a bit more hip in the 90's, always found Montreal to be more interesting. Moved on to Detroit, which was a ghetto, even in 66, the other end of the spectrum, got out in 67, just before the riots, moved to NYC,

[kenneth fish]

[kenneth fish]

FWIW I have become more fond of Montreal and Quebec -more so as my French improves, and I am able to appreciate the eccentric nature of the cities.

[KEND]

'Do I feel lucky, Well do you punk 'Clint has a way with words,

[mixjourneyman]

I live one and a half hrs from toronto and like to keep it at a distance.
Took my girlfriend to visit TO during her visit here from Henan - she said Toronto was worse than Shanghai.
I don't know if I would go that far, but anyway....