Help me plan a perfect Birthday celebration for my wife in Toronto!
 

We are a Senior couple taking a road trip starting in NYC to Buffalo, Niagra Falls, Niagra on the Lake and Toronto in August.
I need your help in planning a perfect day of celebration for my wife while in Toronto. She is a vegetarian, photographer ( especially street art), loves live music venues, museums, going on walks, exploring neighborhoods, enjoys a nice glass of wine.

I would like your help me in planning a " perfect" day of celebration for a very special lady!

Thanks!
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We can help if you provide a bit better calendar... which dates, how many days, general schedule driving... what day is birthday?...

Thanks . Only looking for the one day which is August 10 in Toronto.

moved to the Canada forum.

Note: Thread moved back to the US forum at allyboy's request. There is a similar thread on the Canada board

Punch into seetorontonow.com for August 10 events... looks like several events fit your interests...

Thanks garyt22 for your suggestion! I also need some suggestions which areas of Toronto to stay in or avoid. Looking for a 4 day stay.

A long response.

If I were celebrating a loved one's birthday, or any special day here, I'd head for Danforth Avenue, aka The Danforth. It is our Greektown, a welcoming neighbourhood with what is likely the best restaurant row in Canada for price point and sympa vibe. The eateries range from Greek (duh) to Indian to Cuban to Italian to Japanese. Understand, most of those restaurants are not hoity-toity, 'gotta dress-up' joints. Instead, they are friendly, decent value with an easy atmosphere conducive to post-meal meandering and relaxation. Greektown runs along the Danforth from Broadview to Pape along a straight line---there are no residential side streets of particular interest to the visitor.
There are 2 live music venues on the Danforth and they are virtually side-by-side. One is the highly-rated Irish tavern called 'Allens'. Call ahead to reserve a table on their famous backyard patio below a huge tree (and say hi to Geddy Lee & his wife who sometimes dine there). The other is a full-on concert venue next door called The Music Hall (ex The Rex Danforth Music Hall). The Police and the Clash performed there 40 yrs ago and there are still a couple of live gigs there per week.

From one shutterbug to another: your wife will have to head further downtown to photo street art. The alleys with the best graffiti art (we passed one yesterday in the west end) may be mapped on some website. One would have to ask Auntie Google for that, I suppose.


As for museums, others here could describe the usual suspects. I will instead suggest a unique, less-popular museum, one that could afford the visitor extra options (see below). The newish Agha Khan museum is FREE on Wednesdays from 4 til closing at 8pm. It is a beautifully-designed modern structure with a modest historical collection. Think Persian. The museum also relies on regular special exhibits.
The Gift Shop is special, a great place where to buy a classy, exotic gift to take back for loved ones. Pop-up live local musicians perform here and there throughout the facility. The somewhat exotic on-site restaurant is reasonably-priced but has specific hours--check ahead (eg. dinner avail only on Weds). Very good wine offerings. Transit: take the Don Mills #25 bus from Pape subway station, then get off 25 mins later @ Wynford drive. Photographers note that during sunset after a rainstorm, the dark marble basins forming the front courtyard will reflect the broad sky across all surfaces, including the unique glass pyramid of the neighbouring Ismailia religious Centre.


A pair of bonus 2-fers: the famed Tilly travel apparel store is in the same neighbourhood, reached by the very same bus. One could conceivably go there prior to the museum, to purchase one of Tilly's hats, or shirts, or underwear. Top quality clothing for your future travels or as a gift souvenir. Likewise, the Ontario Science Centre, with its interesting Omnimax Cinema, is also on that same bus line.
I am done. The end.

Waitaminute----2018?!

You topped it?

Don't I get like, a sparkly red armband saying, 'MASTERTRAVELLER' or something like that, for all my extra trouble? No?
I am done. The end.

Good Morning Zebec!

Yes, you are a MASTERTRVELLER even if a few months late! I do wish I had your information ( which was wonderful) while we were in Toronto this summer. I will definitely save this post so that the next time we visit there we will enjoy your suggestions, Birthday celebrations or not!!

You could always, ya' know, like, marry someone else. Again.
(sound of slap from Mrs. Allyboy) OWWW!!
I am done. The end.

Stop Press: just learned that the Tilly clothing company has again been sold, for the second time in the past few years. The new ownership consortium is composed of half a dozen Montreal-based investors, one of which already owns the Joe Fresh clothing company. Joe Fresh had direct connections to the sweatshop tower that collapsed a few years ago in Bangladesh. For that reason, we are not sure whether we are comfortable shopping any longer at Tilly. They used to, and may still, produce the best damn travel hats and also underwear, but one can choose another company to buy from.
I am done. The end.