Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time in Toronto. It’s one of those North American cities that I never made a priority to visit, feeling, instead, that something—someday—would bring me there.That something finally arrived when I met Matt during the weeklong AIDS/Lifecycle earlier this summer. Two of thousands of cyclists, Matt and I somehow managed to criss-cross each other’s paths on the first day, and during lunch break we hit it off, finding an instant connection that went deeper than our mutual love for cycling. I won’t share all of the details just yet, but the short story is that after a week of cycling together down California’s central coast, Matt and I formed a bond that has continued to grow in the months since. A native of Toronto, Matt invited me to visit him in his hometown in July, the first of many back-and-forth visits to see each other. I have yet to create a Toronto city guide. For one, I’ve been busier than ever running my agency. I’ve also found the city a little challenging to get to know. As I’ve traversed Toronto, the neighborhoods have reminded me of destinations as disparate as New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Melbourne, while only slowly beginning to show a cohesive portrait of a place with its own identity. And as you can imagine, my priorities for these visits were also much more domestic than usual. Still, Toronto has much to offer in terms of food, drinks, and entertainment—not to mention some national treasures (think: Drake and Keanu Reeves)—and the guide will shape up nicely as I continue to make my way back. I have a feeling there are many more visits to come.
|
