How to Spend a Day in Parkdale

I love Toronto, and not too long ago, I realized that the basis for that love is rooted in the immense variety of neighbourhoods the city has to offer. I have a restless heart, feet that constantly want to explore, and eyes that want to see something new and different every day (but I'll settle for every week...). 

Well, guess what? Toronto fulfills all those desires. Every neighbourhood adventure feels like a mini trip of its own. Perfect for my wanderlusty ways. 

Where to shop

It's not technically in Parkdale, but a few minutes east of there is BYOB, a Cocktail Emporium. M spotted this cute pink building as we were biking by, and motioned for us to stop in. 

Whether you're a drink connoisseur (like him) or lover of all things cute (like me), this is the perfect place to stock your bar cart. 

There's also a monstrous wall of bitters. If you don't know what bitters are, they're the spice rack of the cocktail world. Made from plant/seed/fruit/flower/etc extracts, a dash of bitters is often added to cocktails for a unique taste. They're a fun and cheap way to liven up your alcohol collection.

Parkdale has the second location of one of my favourite stores, Kid Icarus. The original location in Kensington features a print shop as well, but this location still sells adorable handmade cards, stationery, and goodies. I love to splurge on cards here, so I bought a Mother's Day card for my momma. 

If you're a lover of Canadiana, North Standard Trading Post is definitely somewhere you'll want to peek your head into. Stocked with clothes, candles, backpacks, and wilderness inspired accessories, you'll want to buy everything in sight. 

Need furniture? Art? Home goods? Jewelry? Parkdale is home to many vintage, antique, and design stores. My personal fave was the Toronto Designers Market, where various vendors have bought out booths to showcase their wares. You can find things from succulents to beard combs, and feel good about shopping local and handmade!

This is a pretty famous flower shop. I don't know why, but it's cute and sweet, and if you've got $50, you can buy yourself a plant. Damn their stuff is pretty. If I had money to drop, they would be my first choice for my imaginary wedding bouquet and centrepieces. Check them out. Coriander Girl. 

Where to drink

Located on the corner of Queen and Dunn, Capital Espresso is a chill and creative space to grab a coffee and a quick bite to eat. If caffeine won't do it for you and you're looking for something a bit stronger (ahem, alcohol), I've heard Parts & Labour is the place to be. M and I desperately wanted to check it out, but they don't open for drinks until 11 pm. :(  They're open for dinner at 6 pm, but we had different dinner plans in mind... 

Where to eat

I've had Grand Electric on my "to-eat" list forever. Four years ago, when I lived with a wonderful roommate, she told me to come here and check out their infamous tacos. "But Dufferin is so faaaaaar," I naively said. Good thing I've wisened up since then. 

It's far, but it's worth it. M and I got the nachos and guacamole to start, although if I come back here, I'll splurge for the nachos, guacamole, and salsa combo platter. We got two drinks to enjoy with our meal. I ordered a "G.E. Sour", which is a whiskey sour, but made with vanilla bourboun. So. good. M got the Ginger Mojito.

Collectively, we ordered (2) Baja Fish, (1) Pork Belly, (1) Beef Cheek, (1) Pork Tinga, and (1) Spicy Arbol Chicken. Rumours float around that the best of the tacos is the Baja Fish, but Pork Belly won all my love.

They do not hold back on the cilantro, which is a good thing for me since I'm not part of the population who thinks cilantro tastes like soap. The tacos also have a healthy sampling of onions, or pineapple, or radish. All the flavours work perfectly to create a delicious heavenly sampling in your mouth. 

One of the manager's of Grand Electric has a dog. The husky chills outside waiting for his owner to finish up, and he's quite the star of the neighbourhood. 

After dinner, you're gonna need dessert. Thankfully, Glory Hole Doughnuts is in the hood. As far as doughnuts go, these are fresh, handmade, and have been voted "the best doughnut in Toronto." As if you needed an excuse for something sweet. But in case you did, there you have it. 

Save some room for another sweet dessert - a cupcake at Yummy Stuff. They also make custom cakes and various other desserts, but we settled for two mini cupcakes which were the perfect size.

From Roncesvalles to Dufferin, there's tons of cute stores, delicious treats, and must-try restaurants. One day is a great start, but it's definitely not enough to see all that Parkdale has to offer. 

Islington Village

When I told M we were going to see the murals in Islington Village (since that's the next date idea we pulled out!), he thought there was an actual art show happening. And while there is art, this isn’t a temporary exhibition or photos in a gallery. It’s literally murals, painted onto the walls of businesses along Dundas Street between Kipling and Islington.

Despite M’s initial disappointment, we had a great time strolling down the street, occasionally jaywalking to the other side so that we could see every mural.

Near the beginning of our adventure, close to Kipling and Bloor, we stopped in at AF Home Bakery for breakfast. M and I got the last two bureks, a pastry filled with cheese, and "Cockta", a not-a-knock-off of Coca Cola that actually tastes way better than Coca Cola.

We felt slightly guilty when just moments later, two regulars dropped by and asked for bureks. The bakery had to give them the bad news that they were all out. M and I quickly hid any evidence that we were the guilty eaters of the last bureks by taking larger bites.

Our dessert was also absolutely delicious – M had a custard pie (krempita), and I had a strudel. With full bellies, we set off to see the rest of the murals.

John Kuna is the artist responsible for most of the murals, although a few other artists have pitched in as well. They largely depict historical life in the village of Islington, and if you read the plaques, you'll encounter many interesting stories and learn fun tidbits about the village.

For example, the mural above is a painting of a heritage building that stood in that exact spot. Despite large community support to prevent it from being torn down, it was replaced by strip malls and the industrialization of the area. 

Another thing that's changed because of industrialization? Mimico Creek. Above is a representation of what the creek used to look like. Now it's little more than a sad bubbling stream.

The building above is an artifact of the area that hasn't changed or been replaced - the Montgomery Inn. Built in 1832, the inn now operates as a museum and holds a farmer's market on Wednesday nights. 

At first glance, Islington Village is strip malls and wide roads and suburbs. But hidden behind (almost) every wall you'll find some beautiful art, and tucked between nail parlours and vacuum repair stores you'll be surprised by home cooked treats and desserts. 

A 30 minute subway ride here really isn't that long, especially when you're rewarded with gems like these. 

Le Gourmand

Last Sunday, M and I went on another one of our 1/52 dates. This time, he pulled out the popsicle stick that said "Le Gourmand - Chocolate Chip Cookies." Since we were also pretty hungry for more than cookies, we grabbed brunch there as well.

I have no idea where I first learned of the hypetrain surrounding Le Gourmand cookies. But the hypetrain is real. I did not make it up, I promise. People rave about these cookies, even going so far as to claim they're the best cookie in Toronto.

Well, we just had to see for ourselves if that was true.

How cute is this place, though, seriously? Chalk art is my weakness.

M got a pancetta and arugula and tomato sandwich, and I got a tomato and avocado sandwich. We also got one chocolate chip cookie each, which we would learn was going to be a big mistake. The size of the cookie above is sufficient foreshadowing.

Wait! We can't eat them before taking a selfie with them!

And? What's the final verdict? Are they really the best cookie in Toronto?

I haven't had every single cookie in the city, so I can't say with certainty, but Le Gourmand makes some mean sandwiches and some delicious cookies. 

Warning: The cookies are very heavy and delectable. Order water or a drink to wash it down properly. And if you're not as much of a fan of super heavy and sweet desserts, split a cookie with a friend. I'm not going to lie, I had trouble eating all of mine! It was incredibly yummy, but also just a little bit too decadent for me. Sorry, Le Gourmand! I'm still a fan, I just can't handle the immense size of your cookies.

Crunchy and crispy on the outside, soft and chewy and fully loaded with rich chocolate, I do believe that everyone should experience this bite of heaven at least once. At which point you'll probably want to come back multiple times. Don't blame me. Blame the cookies!

Lady Marmalade // Leslieville

On a mild and foggy day a few weekends back, M and I biked our way over to spend a day in Leslieville. In the past decade or so, it's gone from an "up-and-coming" neighbourhood to a gentrified oasis for creatives and the middle class.

Our first task of the day was breakfast. We got up earlier than usual to join the line outside of Lady Marmalade, the most popular breakfast place in the area -- if not the city. The line sometimes stretches across a few buildings, but we were pretty lucky to only have a 20 minute wait. Most weekends it can be up to an hour.

Two important things to note if you're planning on enjoying your next meal at Lady Marmalade:

1. Bring cash. They don't accept other forms of payment.
2. Your whole group must be in line if they're going to seat you. If 4 of you want a table, then all 4 of you have to be in line. No saving spots.

Bright green walls and a menu full of deliciousness. It was hard to choose.

I started off with a hot apple cider. I've been obsessed with apple cider these past few months, and this handmade one came with foam on the top and all. Yum.

M ordered the special "Lady Marmalade Benny" of the day, whereas I went with the Mexican Meatball Baguette. M absolutely loved loved loved his meal and wouldn't stop talking about how perfectly all the flavours worked together. My sandwich wasn't bad, but after having a bite of his eggs benedict, I understood what he was raving about.

After food, our next stop was more food. Brick Street Bakery has a small location in Leslieville, and we picked up some baguettes to enjoy during the week. 

Leslieville has so many cute furniture and vintage stores. M and I popped into two of them, both located at 1114 Queen Street East. The shop on the upper level is called "Arts Market". I could have spent hours in there browsing all the hidden gems. 

 Typewriter? Globe? Teacup? Check on all three.

The lower level is taken up by Pied-a-Terre, voted best vintage furniture store by NOW magazine for 2015. I couldn't afford any of the furniture, but M and I got served free hot apple cider and were convinced to buy the spice mix for it. 

We found an assortment of live Christmas Wreaths just down the street.

Our last stop of the day was te aro, a cafe that exclusively serves Pilot Coffee. They're dedicated to providing the finest coffee while still being Direct and Fair trade.

Their chocolate chip and sea salt cookies are super yummy too.

Leslieville is a bit of a hop skip and a jump. There's no subway stop in the vicinity, so you'll have to take a ride on the Queen streetcar or take a bus down from Bloor. But once you finally make, it's a neighbourhood full of surprises, delicious food, and unique stores.