http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34131 While some of the cheese and deli sold is locally produced, most of the products are imported directly from Italy. The cheese sold here is some of the finest. My mum will only buy her beloved parmigiano reggiano here and I really love the taleggio and gorgonzola, always fresh and tasty.
The deli meats are great too, and you can have a panino, or sandwich, made right before your eyes. The lady behind the counter can fill up a freshly baked bun with whatever your heart desires: prosciutto, mortadella, marinated eggplants, salami, etc.
My mum and I always try to get here before lunch, so we can head to the back of the store where there is a very modest dining area serving some of the best homemade Italian food. The place is usually filled to capacity, so getting here just before noon is a must. Whether it’s a veal sandwich with tomato sauce and roasted red peppers with mozarella, two sausages with rapini or dandelion on the side, lasagna with salad, homemade ravioli, and even Italian wedding soup, there is no skimping here. Portions are generous, the food is superb and the price is great - lunch will cost roughly $10 or so.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34131 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34129 Consiglio, the last name of the owner, can be found working in the store on most days. With three floors of jam-packed goodies - kitchenware, linens, specialty Italian food, and small appliances – this family-run business has been a fixture in the area for over 35 years.
Carrying well-known brand names at reduced rates, I never walk out of this shop empty-handed. Whether it’s a stove-stop espresso machine for less than $20, pasta and chocolates imported from Italy, tableware and embroidered tea towels, or the latest kitchen accessory, I am always thrilled with my finds.
My mum and I visit the U Save Centre at least once a month, and the place is always packed with local Italians looking for a bargain. On many occasions, we’ve seen tour buses unloading Italians from as far away as Buffalo right in front of the store! One of the salespeople tells me they get tour buses from various border cities in the US coming about once a month during the year, and more often in the summer months.
Corso Italia is perhaps one of the city’s most authentic Italian neighbourhoods, with most store owners speaking Italian as their mother tongue and most of the patrons frequenting the shops being Italian. The neighbourhood covers only a few blocks, with Mexican, Caribbean, and African shops nearby, but the area celebrates its Italian heritage with a huge Italian festival in July.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34129 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33109 The entire district is decorated and lit up for the season, including a 45-foot White Spruce tree with 18,000 light ornaments, located in the main square. There are endless things to do for people of all ages. Kids can ride the Ferris wheel, visit the Reindeer Zoo, walk through a fairy tell forest maze, learn about Christmas traditions all over the world, and make ornaments and stocking stuffers. Adults can try a variety of specialty beers, mulled wines and Christmas cocktails, as well as shop for hundreds of unique and local handicraft products, as well as
Christmas merchandise and specialty baked goods. There is also plenty of “street” food to be had: hot chestnuts, grilled sausages, and warm pretzels with artisan mustard. This is the perfect place to get you in the mood for the Christmas holidays.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33109 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32870 According to the Guinness World Records, PATH is the largest underground shopping complex linking 28 km (17 miles) with over 1,000 shops and services. Once a year, the PATH hosts the world’s largest underground sidewalk sale. The underground system also provides a great haven from the elements, with heating in winter and air conditioning in summer.
I love taking the PATH in the cold, winter months, where I can walk without a coat for miles at a time. I must admit, it can be a bit confusing getting around, but that’s all part of the fun.
Wandering around, not really knowing where I’m going on a lazy day, browsing shops, sitting in a café, it’s all great fun when the weather outside is dreadful.
To help you get around easier, each letter in the PATH is a different colour and represents a
direction: P is red and represents south, orange, A, directs pedestrians to the west, blue, T, directs them to the north, and the H is yellow and points to the east.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32870 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32865 It is named after its founder, Ed Mirvish, who opened the store in 1948 and ran operations until his death in 2007. Running the length of an entire block, this building can be seen several metres away: the exterior is covered with thousands of huge red and yellow signs lit up like a theatre marquee, advertising the name of the store. There are also several slogans covering the exterior, with puns such as, “Our prices are for the birds – they’re cheap, cheap.”
The 160,000 square foot place sells all sorts of kitsch, as well as low-priced goods ranging from clothing, kitchenware, hardware, toys, furniture and appliances, grocery and pharmaceutical items.
The walls of the very modest interior are crammed with autographed photos of personalities such as Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Lauren Bacall, and many others. There are also posters and photos from old film and stage productions from theatres that Mirvish owned in Toronto and London.
Once you’re done looking and buying, the surrounding neighbourhood, called Mirvish Village, has unique boutiques, book stores, antique shops, cafes, and restaurants.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32865 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31878 September 5th at the Exhibition grounds. This is a bittersweet time of year for most Torontonians, who are sad the summer is drawing to a close but excited to attend this annual tradition which wraps up on Labour Day weekend.
The grounds are on a 192-acre site, and with such a variety of entertainment and events to
choose from, there really is something for everyone. Besides the large carnival midway with rides, games and food, there is also a smaller children’s midway. Some of this year’s events include aerial acrobatics and ice skating, a human cannonball, a sand sculpting competition, daily Mardi-Gras parades, hypnotists, music concerts and garden shows. The international air show takes place on the last three days of the fair.
Animal lovers can watch horse shows and competitions, as well as dog and cat shows. There is also a working farm, which gives city kids an idea of what it’s like to live on a farm. Animals range from the common cow to the exotic alpaca.
The casino has 84 gaming tables including Blackjack and Texas Hold’em Poker area with 24 tables.
The Ex is a shopper’s mecca, with over five shopping pavilions to choose from featuring
Canadian arts and crafts, clothing, jewelry and leather goods, furniture, appliances and home décor, international handicrafts, a warehouse outlet with specially discounted products from major Canadian retailers, and an outdoor market.
And it wouldn’t be a carnival without fast food. Besides the usual carnival fare of candy apples, cotton candy and pizza, the Food Building includes artery-clogging food like deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, deep fried coca cola, deep fried butter, and for the first time this year, the donut cheeseburger: a ground beef patty with cheese sandwiched between two glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

Getting here: There are several ways to get to the CNE via public transportation: from Union subway station, take the 509 Streetcar westbound; from Bathurst subway station, take the 511 streetcar; and from Dufferin subway station, take the 29 Dufferin bus southbound.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31878 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31876 handmade jewelry, paintings, photography, one-of-a-kind clothing and even baked goods.
Over 20 exhibitors are set up in this collective space, which is a great venue for emerging artists to sell their work and for others to purchase unique items.
Toronto’s only year-round artisan market is located in Leslieville, one of the city’s hippest places to eat, drink, and shop.
It is located on Queen Street East and Caroline Avenue, just a 10-minute ride from the Queen Street subway station. Take the streetcar east to Caroline Avenue.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31876 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31629 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31629 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31628 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31628 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31627 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31627 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31626 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31626 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31625 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31625 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31624 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31624 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31266 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31266 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31141 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31141 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31140
Try one of my favourites: the Mayan hot chocolate, which is so thick, you can eat it with a spoon; I love the blend of rich, dark chocolate with just the right amount of spiciness. The stilton walnut gelato is also excellent, as well as the Australian ginger covered in dark chocolate. Oh, and the “affogato”, a lovely shot of espresso poured over one scoop of Madagascar vanilla gelato, heavenly. A word of warning, though: set yourself a budget before you walk through the door.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31140 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19129
Far from just housing run-of-the-mill stores, the city had some great and unusual wares on sale. Honest Ed’s is the city’s first budget department store and there are some real fashion bargains to be had in here!

My only advice – make sure you have enough room in your backpack to get all those purchases home!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19129 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15650 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15650 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9269 You don't have to spend money, you can window shop and look at the canada geese scuptures 'flying' down the mall.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9269 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8426 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8426