How about racing into 2013 with a 5K run and then celebrating with a post-race party with champagne and fireworks?
Starting at midnight, the run takes place in Toronto’s hip Liberty Village, where there is a combination of mostly roads, paths and laneways, plus the scenic Liberty Market Lane. Some running will be through parking lots, with some gravel sections but trail shoes are not required. The course is extremely well lit from street lights and runners get a great view of the city’s skyline.
The final party venue is still be finalized, but showers and facilities will be available so you can get ready for the party. There is no formal dress code – come smart, sporty, casual or even in a costume.
And if running’s not your thing, you can sign up for the party only.
Run ticket includes winter gloves, post-race food, swag bag, finisher’s medal and free glass of bubbly. Party ticket includes free drink, finger food, party favours and the chance to win some draw prizes. Beer and wine are available for purchase.

www.midniteruntoronto.com/register/

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Looking for a New Year’s Dinner with a twist?
Mysteriously Yours Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre will be serving up a four-course dinner, an interactive murder-mystery, and after-party with dancing and a midnight toast.
This 25th Annual New Year’s Eve Gala will feature The Fine Art of Murder (A Sherlock Holmes Mystery). Dinner starts at 6:30pm, followed by the mystery and dessert, at around 8:00pm until 11:00pm, followed by dancing and champagne at midnight. The cost for a ticket is CDN $169, including tax and gratuity. Drinks are extra.

www.mysteriouslyyours.com/
2026 Yonge Street, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 486 7469
Google map: bit.ly/T9r7Gu

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When it comes to ringing in the New Year in Toronto, dance clubs and restaurants aren’t your only options for getting out on the town.
If nightclubs aren’t your thing, you can take in a classical music performance – like the Bravissimo Opera’s Greatest Hits event at Roy Thomson Hall.
Beginning at 7pm, this concert is a nice way for classical music lovers to wrap up the year. Tickets range from CDN $55 to $145.
The program consists of excerpts from beloved operas throughout history, including pieces from The Magic Flute, Lucia di Lammermoor, Don Giovanni, La Traviata, Barber of Seville, La Boheme and more.
This event showcases the talents of an international selection of musicians:
Graeme Jenkins, conductor (England)
Davinia Rodriguez, soprano (Spain)
Annalisa Stroppa, mezzo soprano (Italy)
Gordon Gietz, tenor (Canada)
Ho-Yoon Chung, tenor (Korea)
Gregory Dahl, baritone (Canada)

tickets.masseyhallroythomsonhall.com/single/SelectSeating.aspx?p=339
60 Simcoe Street, Toronto, ON M5J 2H5, Canada
+1 416 872 4255
Google map: bit.ly/12rhTc9

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One of my favourite places in Toronto to go for afternoon tea is the King Edward Hotel. A tradition since 1903, the afternoon tea menu changes depending on the season, and the Nutcracker Tea, offered until the end of December, is not to be missed.
From 2:30pm to 5:30pm every day (except December 24, 25 and 26), tea is served at Victoria’s Restaurant in the hotel. The Nutcracker Afternoon tea is CDN $39 per person and offers delicate finger sandwiches, some of which are duck confit and smoked turkey, gorgeous pastries, including the mincemeat crumble tart and finally, my favourite, warm scones served with imported Devonshire cream and homemade strawberry preserves. And of course, there’s the tea. Only in December, you can choose the Nutcracker tea, which is infused with hazelnuts and vanilla or the Gingerbread House tea, a black tea with ginger root, nutmeg, vanilla, licorice, cinnamon and allspice.

Le Royal Méridien King Edward Hotel
37 King Street East
Toronto, Canada
+ 1 416 863 4106

Google map: bit.ly/Sob896
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While in Toronto during the winter months, enjoy one of Canada’s oldest and most popular recreational activities: ice skating.
While there are about 51 outdoor skating rinks in Toronto, the Natrel Rink located at the Harbourfront Centre is a really pretty place to skate. The trees surrounding it are lit, and you get a great view of Lake Ontario. Open until March, the rink offers skate rentals and heated indoor changing rooms with lockers and washrooms. The rink-side restaurant, Lakeside EATS offers hot chocolate and other goodies as well. And back by popular demand, DJ Saturday nights begins in December and runs until the end of February: depending on the DJ, you can skate to Top 40 pop tunes, rock, old school hip hop and Latin, among others.

Admission is free. Skate rentals are CDN $8 for adults and CDN $6 for children.

www.harbourfrontcentre.com/thenatrelrink/
235 Queens Quay West Harbourfront Centre Toronto, Canada
+1 416 973 4000
Google map: bit.ly/TS4of6

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Located a few hours’ drive from Toronto, Casino Rama is a large casino with a full-service hotel and entertainment complex that hosts singers, boxing events, and shows, as well as restaurants and bars.
The casino operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With almost 200,000 square foot of entertainment space, this venue has something for everyone: the casino has over 2,500 slot machines and 110 table games, spa and health club facilities, and 10 restaurants ranging from buffet to Italian to noodle house and steak bars. The Life Spa, located in the hotel, features a full complement of offerings: get a therapeutic massage, facial, pedicure or a seasonally themed
organic signature treatment. There is also an indoor pool, steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi.

www.casinorama.com
5899 Rama Road, Rama, Canada
+1 705 329 3325
Google map: bit.ly/UeivtS

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If you’re looking for an original spa experience, try the Himalayan Salt Cave in Oakville, a posh town with superb dining and shopping, located just a 20-minute train ride from downtown Toronto.
Relax in a cave-like setting which has several inches of Himalayan salt crystals covering the floor, ceiling and walls. The salt concentration is similar to the consistency of salty air at the beach. The antibacterial environment is a 100% natural, drug free remedy to relieve respiratory illnesses, improve skin conditions and strengthen immune systems.
A typical Himalayan salt therapy session lasts for 50 minutes and the space comfortably seats eight people. The space was built under guidance and instruction from experts who have helped replicate Himalayan Salt Caves found in Europe, where salt caves are a popular and accepted form of alternative medicine. After your spa experience, take a walk along Lakeshore Road and browse the trendy shops, cafes and restaurants.

www.saltcaveoakville.com
302 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville, Canada
+1 905 338 5555
Google map: bit.ly/11CFvKv

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If you have time for a day trip while in Toronto, I highly recommend the McMichael Gallery for a truly Canadian art experience. Located about a one-hour drive northwest of Toronto, this gallery is devoted exclusively to showcasing Canadian art, including works by First Nations, Inuit and other artists.
This is the perfect place to enjoy Canadian landscape paintings: the rural-style building is built with hand-hewn logs and set on 100 acres of conservation land. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow visitors to enjoy views of the densely wooded Humber River Valley. Through a network of outdoor paths and hiking trails, you can also spend time outside.
A day can easily be spent gazing in any of the thirteen exhibition galleries, the theatre or gift shop. The gallery boasts the largest collection of the Group of Seven landscape painters in Canada, those who painted distinctly Canadian landscapes from 1920 to 1933. The First Nations Art includes traditional, ceremonial and religious art, as well as contemporary pieces.
The Inuit Art collection includes paintings, prints, drawings and sculptures created using many different materials.

www.mcmichael.com
10365 Islington Avenue, Kleinburg, Canada
+1 905 893 1121
Google map: bit.ly/TBJyRc

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The exhibition, Frida & Diego: Passion, Politics and Painting, features over 70 works by these prolific 20th century artists, a couple who shared a passion for each other and for Mexico's revolutionary culture during the 1920s and 1930s.
Running until January 20, 2013, the exhibit features almost one-quarter of Kahlo’s paintings, a selection of Rivera's works, with styles from his early cubist period, to his Mexican murals and his portraits and landscapes. There are also watercolours, prints and over 60 photos of the couple. As the name of the exhibit suggests, the works showcase Rivera and Kahlo’s lives together and apart, their politics and how their passionate views and social activism affected their work.
Kahlo is best known for her surreal self-portraits, while Rivera was famous for his mural frescos, which helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in Mexican art. This exhibition highlights both their developments as artists through the years.

www.ago.net
317 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Canada
Google map: bit.ly/10E074C

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Toronto is the second city in the world to showcase Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style, following its premiere at London’s Barbican Centre this past summer. What claims to be the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever devoted to the famous spy, it features costumes, gadgets, set designs, artwork and other special gadgets.
The exhibit runs until January 20, 2013 and is part of the 50th anniversary of Bond in cinema, and examines how the famous spy has influenced design, culture and technology. Bond items featured in the exhibition include the poker table from Casino Royale and multiple gadgets from Q Branch. Also on view are elegant clothes designed by Giorgio Armani, Donatella Versace, Tom Ford, Hubert de Givenchy and Oscar de la Renta.
Special tours are also available on a first-come, first served basis and run weekly: Thursdays at 6 pm, Saturdays at 11am & 6pm and Sundays at noon. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Prices, not including taxes, are:
Adults: $15
Students & Seniors: $12
Children: $10.50
Don’t forget to stop for martinis and great food at the Luma restaurant, also located in the TIFF Bell Lightbox upstairs, or for something more casual, Canteen restaurant, located on the main floor.

www.tiff.net
TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 968 3456
Google map: bit.ly/UUYNny

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401 Richmond is a restored, heritage-designated, industrial building in downtown Toronto that houses over 140 artists, including some of the city’s best-run art galleries, a vibrant community of designers, arts organizations, festivals, and shops. A few tenants include the Textile Museum of Canada, Centre for Indigenous Theatre, Faustwork Mask Theatre, Native Women in the Arts Studio and South Asian Visual Arts Centre.
Since 1994, 401 Richmond has undergone a dramatic transformation from rundown factory to a thriving centre for the arts in Toronto. Constructed in 1899, the building originally operated as a tin lithography factory. The original character and architectural features have been preserved, including over 800 double-hung, wood frame windows. In 1994, the building underwent a dramatic transformation by adding more modern and green elements such as the 6,500 square foot roof garden and an interior courtyard.

www.401richmond.net/events/specialEvents.cfm
401 Richmond Street West, Studio 111, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5V 3A8
+1 416 595 5900
Google map: bit.ly/10UfHsb

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If you’re an animal lover, the Toronto Zoo is a great place to visit. Located in the city’s east end, it is the largest zoo in Canada with over 5,000 animals over 10 kilometres of walking trails.
The zoo is divided into seven “zoo-geographic” regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia and the Canadian Domain. Animals can be seen in their natural habitats, with some located indoors in tropical pavilions and others outdoors. There are also zoo keeper talks, scheduled feedings, hands-on discovery areas and special exhibits.

www.torontozoo.com
2000 Meadowvale Road
+1 416 392 5929
Google map: bit.ly/Okwy46

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Casa Loma, or “Hill House”, is a grand Gothic mansion built in the early 1900s. Located in downtown Toronto, “Canada’s Castle” and its gardens are open to visitors year-round. Self-guided audio tours are available where you can visit the property at your leisure. The tour can take up to two hours. There is also a 22 minute documentary on Sir Henry Pellatt and Casa Loma included with admission.
This former estate of Canadian financier Sir Henry Pellatt consists of 98 rooms, including many decorated suites, secret passages (my favourite part!), an 800-foot tunnel, towers, stables, and beautiful gardens.
It took about 300 men nearly three years to complete Casa Loma, and the cost was just over $3 million. Sir Henry enjoyed Casa Loma for just 10 years before financial loss forced him to move out. Today, the property is owned by the City of Toronto.

www.casaloma.org
1 Austin Terrace, Toronto, Canada
+1 416 923 1171
Google map: bit.ly/Okvey1

Go to Spadina subway station and take the Davenport 127 bus to Davenport & Spadina Avenue, climb the stone steps (about 110 of them) until you reach the top of the hill.

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Food trucks have become very popular in Toronto over the last year, with over 12 vehicles
located anywhere in the city at any given time. And while they are all the rage, locations are often announced at the last minute.
The best way to find out where any of the city’s gourmet food trucks are located is to visit
www.torontofoodtrucks.ca, or follow the trucks on Twitter via @ontfoodtrucks.
Items served from these trucks are not strictly hamburgers and hotdogs. Options include fish tacos, Southern barbeque, brisket sandwiches, eggplant manicotti, lobster, and empanadas, just to name a few.
There’s lots of ethnic food to be had, including the Blue Donkey Streatery, specializing in
Greek cuisine, with items like souvlaki, gyros, fried calamari and feta fries, all under CDN $10; Gourmet Gringos offers tacos, arepas and homemade empanadas; and Fidel Gastro sells unique items such as the Sloppy Jose: cola braised brisket with home style baked beans and a roasted corn aioli, Sgt. Slather: BBQ pulled pork, guacamole cream and crushed tortilla chips and Cheekita Cheekita: beef cheek with pineapple salsa.

www.torontofoodtrucks.ca

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Toronto’s annual free fall series of guided walks in and around the city runs from September 15 until October 28, 2012.
Now in its tenth year, the festival encourages locals and tourists alike to walk and/or hike through the city’s trails.
Participation is free – all you need to do is register online at www.torontotrailsfestival.ca for the walks you want to explore. Online registration closes at 4:30 pm on the Friday before each walk.
Depending on your experience, you can choose from three different walking levels: Level 1: 7 to 8 kilometres; Level 2: 8 to 15 kilometres, or Level 3: 15+ kilometres. Depending on which one you choose, the walks take you through ravines, beaches, and valleys.
Walks last for two to three hours and meeting points vary, with most starting and ending locations being near public transportation.

www.torontotrailsfestival.ca

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Known to locals as “TIFF”, one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals begins in Toronto on September 6 and runs until September 16, 2012. Many Hollywood studios have premiered their films here, later going on to win Oscars, the most recent one being “The King’s Speech”.

I try to catch five or six films each year, always those that I don’t think will ever appear in mainstream cinema, or those by first-time or unknown directors.

Single tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the box office or online until September 16, 2012. Regular adult tickets cost $19.69 CDN and those for Red Carpet Premieres are $38.27 CDN. Because there is no assigned seating for any of the screenings, people may choose to line up early to get good seats.

www.tiff.net
TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West, Toronto, Canada
Google map: bit.ly/Q4sjXx

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The Danforth, a popular neighbourhood in the city’s east end, is named after the east-west arterial road that crosses through the city.
On the western end of Danforth Road, between Broadview and Chester, the area consists of health stores, juice bars, yoga studios and many shops devoted to naturopathic medicine and holistic healing. Known as The Carrot Common, www.carrotcommon.com, this shopping area consists of an organic grocer, vegetarian food emporium, juice bar, wholistic dispensary and other shops selling non-GMO and environmentally safe products. Also in the vicinity, there are some great restaurants, pubs and clothing stores.
Going further east, the area between Chester and Pape is referred to as Toronto’s “Greektown” with plenty of fruit markets, loads of authentic Greek restaurants to suit any budget or taste, specializing in either grilled fish or meat, several bakeries showcasing baklava and spanakopita in their windows, as well as lounges and bars that are open very late.
And finally, between Pape and Woodbine, you will find a mix of Italian bakeries, Asian grocers, some more pubs, and a large assortment of great North African restaurants, all run by local families. My favourite Ethiopian restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner, is Lalibela, www.lalibelaethiopianrestaurant.com. I highly recommend the coffee ceremony after any meal. For Moroccan, I prefer Walima Cafe, www.walimacafe.com, which offers great tagine dishes and incredible appetizers.

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From September 14 until September 22, 2012, over 40 participating pubs and some 20 brewhouses will celebrate Toronto Beer Week, dedicated to the celebration of beer.
There are various events taking place throughout the city, with experiences ranging from a five course meal paired with a variety of beers, a pub crawl, special beer tastings and food pairings, as well as walking beer tours and music events.
Check out the website for the list of venues and events taking place all day, every day during this nine-day event.

www.torontobeerweek.com


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If you want to buy gifts that are very “Canadian” as well as fashionable, Roots Canada will have
something for everyone on your list.
This clothing retailer was founded in 1973, and since then, has grown from selling shoes to items such as clothing for adults, children and babies, bags, watches, luggage, athletic and yoga wear, accessories and home furnishings. Roots is very well known for its excellent quality
leather, with bags coming in various sizes and colours. I own a few that I’ve had for over a decade. As a bonus, there is always a Sales Items rack somewhere in the store.
There are several locations throughout the city, including fashionable Queen Street West, the
Eaton Centre shopping mall, and on Bloor Street, Toronto’s location for high fashion.

canada.roots.com/

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Whether I’m browsing, looking for the latest deal, or wanting to find a favourite novel without
paying the full price, I always head to BMV Books, which offers an enormous selection of mostly used books in near perfect condition. With three locations in Toronto, my favourite and
biggest is in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood – this one has three jam packed floors of books,
magazines, and videos.
I love supporting independent bookstores and this one is my favourite because of the fantastic
prices and great finds, including a very intelligent selection of books. I’ve located copies of classics and novels by foreign authors for less than $10 CDN. Several years ago, at the uptown
location, I bought treasures such as Elie Wiesel’s “The Jews of Silence”, signed by the author, as well as a very old leatherbound “Alice in Wonderland” with beautiful water colours.

www.bookstoronto.ca/bmv-books-annex
471 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Canada, M5S 1X9
+1 416 967 5757
Google map: bit.ly/RQP5Yh

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