During isolation, I tried my best to use my time being quarantined wisely by trying to learn as much as I can. One of my frustrations is not learning Photoshop when I was younger and I’ve always been putting it off. So I took some classes at Udemy and got the basics down and decided to create some posters for the Banh Mi shop I work at.
Being a fan of basketball and growing up in the 90s, there’s nothing better than watching Netflix’s The Last Dance, which concluded last Sunday. Inspired by my love for this and graphic design, I decided to create some posters for Banh Mi T.O. which incorporates elements from both. Drop a line and let me know what you think. Also, follow us on Instagram @Banh_Mi_TO
As you all know, Toronto is famously cold 8 months of the year. That’s why Torontonians appreciate summer more. During the summer, you can see everybody soaking up the sun on the patios, drinking, hanging out with friends and enjoying the long summer days.
Summers in Toronto are filled with a ton of events and things to do.
Here are a list of things to do. If you feel I missed out, don’t hesitate to drop a comment below.
Drop by Toronto Island. – The only way to get to the island is by taking a ferry or a water taxi. I recommend the ferry just cause it’s cheaper. The Jack Layton Ferry Terminal is located between Bay Street and Yonge Street on Queens Quay. Ferry tickets can be purchased on the city side at the terminal or bought online. Head to https://www.torontoisland.com/ferry.php for more info.
Catch a free movie in the park. – Summer nights are nice to enjoy at any of our wonderful parks watching a classic movie. Check your local listings for available times and schedules.
See the stars in the TIFF. – The Toronto International Film Festival is one, if not, the most widely recognized film festivals in the world. Here, you will be able to see both high budget films and independently-produced movies. Some of the world’s most famous celebrities come to TIFF too to premiere their movies. Be sure to line up for tickets early because they sell out fast.
Caribana – Caribana is one of Toronto’s premiere events during the summer. People dress up in all kinds of feathers, stones and sequins and join the parade that starts out at the Exhibition Place.
Music Festivals – Veld, OVO Fest and a whole lot more. These ones are the ones I’m most looking forward to.
at the Matty Matheson fest last September
Wu-Tang is for the children
4. CNE – The Canadian National Exhibition, also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, during the final 18 days leading up to and including Canadian Labour Day, the first Monday in September. It is filled with lots of carnival rides, food festivals, air shows and concerts.
5. Food Festivals – Food festivals abound in the city during this time. Every culture’s food has a festival in the city during the summer months. From Taste of Danforth to Taste of Manila, all the cultures are represented here.
Cars that have been repurposed and given a new life are a common sight in Kensington Market. VERY HIPSTER.
Most travel blogs will tell you to explore these two neighborhoods together. And they’re right. But also, how much food can you REALLY eat? But if you only have a limited time to see this part of town, might as well do it all in one day, eh?
Kensington Market is a neighborhood in Toronto that houses an eclectic mix of vintage shops, bakeries, off-beat restaurants, coffee shops, an independent brewery, a few bars and quirky shops. It gets extremely packed during the weekends on those long summer days where you just want to hang out in the patio with a cold pint, dreaming of halcyon days.
The reason why I like this place is because, to me, it’s a microcosm of what the city of Toronto is: a collection of culturally diverse shops, colourful street art, patios and old houses in Victorian style architecture.
As you make your way east, you will reach Chinatown on Spadina Ave. where it is a whole different vibe. Here, you will see a lot of restaurants serving food from China’s 8 great cuisines.
Here are some of my favourites from these two areas:
Dirty Bird
79 Kensington Ave.Tel no. (647) 345-2473
Like I always say, chicken and waffles is the best combo since Snoop and Martha. Their fried chicken is the way chicken should be, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Their waffles are soft and have a certain crunch to them. The interior walls are painted in black, giving it an industrial vibe.
RASTA PASTA
61 Kensington Ave.Tel no.(647) 501-4505
Aside from the clever name, this is an example of what Toronto is: an mix of two totally different unrelated cuisines, beautifully coming together to form a completely new thing. Their specialty is the aptly named Rasta Pasta($15) – gnocchi sauteed in Marinara sauce or alfredo mixed with Jamaica’s national dish, ackee and salt fish.
PANCHO’S BAKERY
214 Augusta Ave.
Pancho’s Bakery has been around for over 10 years and serves delicious churros. Churros are fried dough snacks that are dipped in chocolate or caramel not unlike donuts.
Great with a cup of coffee in the morning or afternoon.
Hey Noodles is one of my go-to places in Toronto. They serve Chongqing-style street noodles. The broth is spicy and numbing (You can choose your level). The Chinese peppercorn gives it the unique flavor associated with that part of China (similar to Sichuanese cuisine). I usually order the pork intestine noodles. They also give free noodle refill for dine-in. Vegan options are also available.
HOUSE OF GOURMET
484 Dundas West, (416) 217 0167
Hong Kong style breakfast
From what I understand, House of Gourmet has been opened in Downtown for a long time. They specialize in in congee, noodle soups and barbecue. I usually go to this place for their Hong Kong-style soy sauce western breakfast. Macaroni with some ham in light chicken broth. It’s not really that good but it takes me back to my favourite city in the world – Hong Kong. They also serve HK style milk tea.
Their congee and noodles on the other hand, are good. After a night of heavy drinking, this will sober you right up and remedy your hangover.
SONIC BOOM 215 Spadina Ave. Toronto
Remember the good old days of record shops where you buy your cd’s like Virgin Records and HMV that have gone the way of the dinosaurs? I miss holding a record or a cd and thinking to myself, while looking at the cover, “What is the cover trying to tell me? What can I expect when I open this?” Sonic Boom allows you to play the record before you decide to purchase just like the record stores of the past.
Sonic Boom is an indie record shop that has a wide selection of vinyl, band tees, a mini bar and a small concert stage. They also sell quirky stuff like what you get from typical hipster shops.
I love this kind of shop and am happy to see it still thriving because it gives off a sense of community and I feel that can only be good.
I’ve always listened to rap and hip hop. Always been fascinated by the double entendres, the word play, the showmanship and the braggadocio that is all part of the culture.
Drake aka Champagne Papi aka Wheelchair Jimmy aka Aubrey Graham is the unofficial mascot of Toronto, or as he anointed it, the 6ix. In fact, according to this article on Billboard.com, he was responsible for 5% of Toronto’s tourism economy. I’ve been listening to Drake from time (Toronto slang right there😉). Back then, I don’t really get the Toronto references in his songs, but I was fortunate enough to be able to move to the 6ix. Now, I listened again to his songs and I finally understood the references.
So here are my SIX favorites from the 6 God himself:
“Kennedy Road taught me not to trust people like you.”
Kennedy Road is a notoriously, rough neighborhood in the suburb of Scarborough.
2. “How did I finesse this all from Jane and Weston?”
Jane and Weston is another notoriously bad part of Toronto. In this line, Drake is stating he “started from the bottom”😉 and he avoided the pitfalls of growing up in a rough neighborhood and “made it.”😉
3. “Been flowin’ stupid since Vince Carter was on some through the legs arm in the hoop shit”
In this line, Champagne Papi is referencing the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk competition that Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors, won. Often called the greatest Slam Dunk competition in history. Vince came up with a between-the-legs dunk as well as putting his entire-arm-in-the-hoop dunk. Back then this was such a big deal as these were never seen before. He did it with such flair, style and power. It was nothing short of majestic seeing that.
Back to my original point, Drake is simply stating he has been rapping since 2000.
On a side note, for more about information about Vince Carter’s impact in the city of Toronto, watch The Carter Effect on Netflix.
4. “The city gets stronger when everybody is speakin’ not when everybody out here beefin'”
This is a reference to his publicized quarrel with fellow Toronto-native, The Weeknd. In this line, Aubrey is saying it would benefit everyone in terms of making more collaborative music, exchanging ideas and improving the overall scene in Toronto, if there was no bad blood between them.
5. “Queen Street visions that nobody believed in.”
I’m partial to this line just cause I live in the area. But personally, I think it’s a bad ass line. According to Genius.com Queen Street is “filled with centers for Canadian broadcasting, music, fashion, performance, and the visual arts.” Meaning if you made it in Queen West, you’re deeply part of Toronto culture.
6. “Eating like I’mseated at Swish, Joso’s, and Sotto’s”
Swish was an upscale Korean restaurant serving comfort food and signature drinks in a hip space with exposed brick. Joso’s is an upscale seafood/ Italian restaurant where the cover for Drake’s album Take Care was shot. Sotto’s is Sotto Sotto, another Italian seafood restaurant where celebrity sightings are a regular thing.
Side note: I celebrated my first birthday in Toronto in Joso’s, of course I had to recreate the famous Take Care cover.
I’ve been a sports fan as far back as I can remember, basketball in particular, played it, watched it, studied it and loved it. I guess it’s part of growing up in the Philippines. Basketball is our unofficial religion.
One of the perks of moving to North America was to be able to watch the NBA live. I haven’t been able to yet but getting to witness the Raptors historic run was quite an experience. I was lucky enough to be able to watch a championship parade in my adopted home. In June 13, 2019, the Raptors won their first championship since they first entered the NBA. It was an amazing experience. Being downtown, with the whole city celebrating, it was unforgettable.
Just being able to watch the Raptors go through every obstacle after years of heartbreak from LeBron, winning by a game winner against the 76ers in the second round and overcoming a 0-2 lead by the Milwaukee Bucks was electrifying. I was on the edge of my seat for the most part of my first few months here in Canada.
Here are my top 5 favourite moments in no particular order:
Watching the game at Jurassic Park
Seeing cool murals all over the city.
Horns blaring all over Downtown after completing a comeback against Milwaukee and booking the first trip to the Finals.
Championship parade.
Pandemonium on King Street the night the Raptors won the chip.
YIUTUBE 