Twice the Charm: Toronto & Montreal

Views from the 6Due to a popular hashtag entitled #tbt, I decided to share my trip last year.

Last year , I set off for Toronto and Montreal for my birthday having not been to either city and yearning for a semi-quick getaway .  I stayed at *The Thompson Hotel for my stay in Toronto, an elegant modern space that offers great amenities and a stunning view of the Toronto skyline.  It was important for me to not just see the city but to experience the city and I manage to catch a show at The Drake Hotel while also sipping on bourbon in a low-key bar in near Kensington Market, taking in a local band do awesome covers of some of my 90’s favorites!

I found myself avoiding taxi’s or public transportation and exploring the city by foot, from East to West, walking to the Distillery District as well as Little Italy where I had one of the best meals at Bar Isabel .  Toronto is definitely a city I would love to adopt as my own; it’s youthful and has the coolness that I love in a city.

Of Montreal After my two days in Toronto, I hopped on a quick one hour flight to Montreal, secretly wishing I had stayed an extra day in Toronto because I was attracted to the vibe of the city plus I failed to brush up on my French skills even though speaking my native tongue didn’t pose as a problem during my stay.  I was fascinated by the old worldly charm of Montreal; the streets of Old Montreal made me feel as if I had caught a flight to Europe as opposed to Canada.  From the beautiful homes of Plateau Mont Royal to the street art that lived on pratically every corner of Boulevard Saint Laurent to the stunning Notre Dame Basilica.  Montreal definitely offers up charm, arts, amazing poutine as well as awesome sandwiches from Schwartz’s Deli.  Montreal definitely has a casual way of life, where pace is the trick.