It's so damn brash and bizarre!!! (Yes, it's that weird and fun it merits three exclamation marks - this is Toronto after all - a city not known for architecture.) Seems like an ideal setting for a remake of Towering Inferno, however.

This parkette's trees and grass provide the setting for outdoor (& free) sculpture installations which are generally cool. A waterfall provides a nice soundscape. Eat and contemplate art. Aggressive squirrels are the only downside.

Toronto's bagels have a tendency to be more of a bun than a bagel. I'm no lover of Montreal, but there they get bagels. This is the closest in TO to Montreal, and proper style, bagels. Texture is dense but not a teeth puller and right amount of saltiness! Dee-lish!

BIg and fast is definitely a plus. But they are made to order and the ingredients are tasty (eg. choice of salsa and beans).

The lobby is suitably grand (same as its downstairs sister the Elgin) but it's the theatre itself that is so cool. A garden motif, hence the name, is beautifully carried out by hanging leafs and pastoral murals. Also, has a neat collection of vaudeville backdrops on display. Close to the subway is a plus.

This park is infamous for the huge chunk of Canadian Shield (dubbed "The Rock") that was cut and transported to Yorkville at great cost. Though others disagree, I think the cost was worth it. The park reflects the various topographies of Ontario, with distinct areas for marsh, forest, waterfall and, naturally, the Shield had to be present. Great park for sitting (on The Rock, of course) with a coffee and people watching the trendy Yorkville crowd in their all-black uniforms.

Tomato sauce, fried onions & peppers and breaded eggplant on focacica. Tastes great (though only get it from noon to 1pm, afterwards they let it get cold). It's inexpensive and so huge you have to dislocate your jaw to get it down.

The L Tower is part of ambitious plans to revitalize the Hummingbird Centre. The project includes a new Arts & Heritage Awareness Centre (AHA) on the first few floors followed by condos. While I love anything encouraging the Arts, the real interest in this is the building by Daniel Libeskind. The building looks like a giant hooker boot stomping on Yonge Street. How can I not love a giant hooker boot on our main drag?!

Toronto's downtown waterfront desperately needs more parks. This park, while fairly small, is well located and well, rather cute. I love the sand beach with the permanent sun umbrellas. The grassy knolls with the trees are a nice backdrop and block out the hustle and bustle of the city behind.

This natural food store and takeout counter offers a handful of different hot lunches and salads every day. Each workday there's different choices (but the same items from week to week). Everything here is tasty, tasty, and generally healthy. This place does things to TVP that I never thought possible!

This free gallery is great as: 1) it's free! 2) it's downtown so ideal for an easy visit 3) has one of the best collections of Inuit art I have ever seen (I think it is better than the AGO's). Combine a visit to this gallery with viewing (and sitting on, of course) of TD Centre's famous cow sculptures.

Step back into the 70s here with funky orange tiles, rounded corners and huge, serpentine flower mosaics. The attached entrance parkettes with the flowing orange tile benches are the closest Toronto has to Gaudi. Plus this has a personal connection as this is where I first met my wife.

I don't like to spend a lot on lunches hence my affinity for food courts. I also don't like to eat the same fast-food crap every day. The food court of Village By The Grange offers a great selection of multi-ethnic and non-chain foods at reasonable prices. Perfect location for visitors to the AGO or OCAD. It is a bit run down and I did once help stop a fire there when a cheap electrical sign burst into flames and I was the only one who noticed. Don't let that deter you though.

Emerald City by John Bentley Mays is an excellent collection of essays about the urban space of Toronto and a personal relationship to these spaces & buildings.

Great selection, awesome building. LCBO did the City a favour in saving and restoring this. (Decades of pigeon crap in the clock tower had to be sandblasted out.)

The ferry ride (let's hope there's never a bridge) transport you distinctly away from the city (and has a great view of it). The amusement park, farm and splash area are great for kids. The lighthouse is beautiful and one of the oldest Toronto structures (also site of a grisly ghost stories). Find a secluded spot on the beech away from the City with trees behind you and the vastness of Lake Ontario in front of you - makes you feel like you are in a completely different, tranquil place.

Just great Indian food and perfectly seasoned.

Impressive selection of toys that you won't find elsewhere - all with an educational value. Free gift wrapping and fairly close to Lawrence subway station.

Okay, it's not an inspired choice, but I truly have not found a better veggie burger. First of all no crappy chunks of carrot, peas & legumes, grilled to perfection and then choice of toppings.

Greasy is the goal with fish and chips, but it's a delicate balance. With most places, the grease overwhelms, here the fish and frites are crisp, salty and fresh! Yumlicious.