toronto people

[SField]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Just thought of another question. What are the major food markets downtown? I know there's one at/near Queen's Quay. Anything else? I'm used to the Jean-Talon and Atwater markets in Montreal. Being without that sort of thing would make me sad.

Is it called Kensington market or St. Lawrence market? I just know there's a really superb market much like Jean Talon.

 

[fwiffo]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Just thought of another question. What are the major food markets downtown? I know there's one at/near Queen's Quay. Anything else? I'm used to the Jean-Talon and Atwater markets in Montreal. Being without that sort of thing would make me sad.

Why don't you try the Annex or even Scarborough along the RT if you're trying to look for cheaper? Anywhere with students or newcomers (okay, immigrants) will probably be lower.

Basement apartments are much cheaper but it takes a special breed to be able to live in one. I'd look west-ish around Dundas West or east-ish around Dundas/Broadview. Some of my friends either bought houses and rent one out or live in some (they are renovated, so it's not like you're living in a 19th century furnace).

East of Yonge is cheaper than west. (Same with suburbs) Especially downtown, you'll know when you start hitting up near Regent Park.

 

[AB01]

Mississauga isn't Toronto, and it's true that no ladies nor your buddies will come out to visit you all the way over there. No matter how quick the Go train is, they won't make the longer drive just for one friend out of a whole group of others. Plus, Go train is really just for work and rush-hour. Not nightlife.

I forgot to mention that being on the Bloor line is a good idea. Where are your friends staying? I think you'll want to be close to them or in a direct line to them.

 

[KenN]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Just thought of another question. What are the major food markets downtown? I know there's one at/near Queen's Quay. Anything else? I'm used to the Jean-Talon and Atwater markets in Montreal. Being without that sort of thing would make me sad.

• Queen Street (West of Yonge): Lots of different restaurants here with prices and quality over the entire spectrum.
• St Lawrence Market: Specializes in fresh produce, seafoods and meats. Prices here are generally higher than normal supermarkets, but the ambiance makes up for it.
• China Town (College and Spadina): Dirt cheap student food, make sure you avoid the Dragon Center.
• Little Italy (~College and ~Bathurst): There are lots of food places here, but I can't tell you much about it since I only visit Bitondo's
• Baldwin/McCaul: A relatively unknown Toronto food market, lots of hidden gems. Samuel L Jackson hangs out here. I recommend Margaritas ($$$ Mexican) and The Bodega ($$$ Italian).
• Grange Park (South of Baldwin near the OCAD campus): The arts students gravitate towards the Grange plaza, there is a pretty good Vegan breakfast place ($5) and Pizzaiolo ($6) nearby.
• Danforth: Good place for Greek food, Astoria here is swell. The night life here is decent from what I hear.

I'm sure that I've missed some good places, I will come back to this thread when I am at home.

 

[MilanoStyle]

China town and Kenshinton market has all the groceries that you need for lower price.

 

[freshcutgrass]

LVoer is right. The TTC sucks

If it "sucks", then it sucks less than every other transit system in NA. Depends where you are...if you're in the wilds of Scarb or Etobicoke, then it's gonna suck, because it relies too heavily on bus surface routes. But even the most minor surface routes on the TTC have better service than minor surface routes on other transit systems. But I don't recommend living in the boroughs anyway.

Streetcars are nice and quaint but sadly inefficient in Toronto as a main transportation mode.

They are highly efficient at doing what they are designed to do. They aren't designed to provide "subway" service....they are for short trip lengths with frequent stops...ya hop on and hop off....it's an advantage the subway doesn't have. I live in Parkdale...the streetcar picks me up at my door...and drops me off at my door. It goes basically anywhere I think is worth going....and it comes as frequently as the subway, and runs 24 hrs a day. Ever notice all the best nabes happen to be on streetcar lines?

But, that's not to say living right at a subway station doesn't have its advantages...it does....especially when you have direct indoor subway access. There's so much TOD development in Toronto, that it is actually possible to live/work/play, without ever having to go outside...a "mole" person if you will (not that I'd want to do that...just that it is an interesting circumstance...sort of like that film "Way Downtown" ).

Just thought of another question. What are the major food markets downtown?

Most nabes in the older part of the city have plenty of local green grocers, bakeries, butchers, etc, as well as plenty of 24hr supermarkets (Loblaws, Dominion, Sobeys). There are also plenty of farmers markets, plus the major markets already mentioned...Chinatown, Kensington, St lawrence, Koreatown, etc.

Why don't you try the Annex

That's a pretty good recommendation...I'm guessing you are pretty young, and the Annex for the most part caters to the massive student population. It's also on the subway line, and very walkable to other parts of downtown.

You mentioned you were looking to get an IT job in the medical sector....this could mean you could get a job anywhere in the GTA, but... You might want to consider College Park (Yonge & College). Part of the complex houses older, better than average rental apartments, but aren't too expensive (jr 1 bdrms for around 1k) Subway is direct indoor access, as is the 24 hr Dominion (or Metro or whatever they are calling them these days)...very central for walking most places, and more importantly, is a couple of blocks from University Ave/Mars/UofT, which is ground zero of the Toronto medical sector.

 

[Mildly Consumptive]

Originally Posted by MilanoStyle

China town and Kenshinton market has all the groceries that you need for lower price.


Lower price, but higher rat feces content.




GQgeek: When I moved to Toronto, I knew where I was gonna work and planned accordingly. I chose a neighbourhood on the University-Spadina subway line and take it north to work each morning. It's glorious. The subway is empty and it takes about 14 minutes. Living in a normal residential neighbourhood with grocers, restaurants, shops, and bars is easy to do in Toronto. The advantage to living in a real neighbourhood is that you can walk to most things. Shittissauga and Farborough are not realistic options for urbanites.

I recommend you try something similar if you have any idea of where, geographically, you're going to work. There are a number of hospitalls along University Ave downtown, and the University-Spadina subway and the College, Dundas, Queen, and King street-cars all feed into the area. There are lots of great neighbourhoods along those routes.

University-Spadina Subway by Stop (from north to south)

Elginton West: a normal neighbourhood with lots of shops, a bit sleepy;
St Clair West: another normal neighbourhood with shops, a Loblaws on top of the subway entrance, condos going up;
Dupont, Spadina, St George: all in the Annex, near the U of T, a curious mix of student slum housing, mansions, and Frat Houses in mansions. The north-south and east-west subways intersect here. Lots of inexpensive and good restaurants, hippy shopping. Walking distance to almost everywhere. My favourite residential area in Toronto;
Osgoode (Queen W): touristy shops and Toronto's mose meth-ridden intersection;
St Andrew (King W): walking distance to a swell neighbourhood full of shops and condos, near the MEC.

Someone else can point out all the good neighbourhoods along the street-cars lines. Be warned, I considered the Queen Streetcar a special kind of transit hell.

 

[Bill Smith]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

Just thought of another question. What are the major food markets downtown? I know there's one at/near Queen's Quay. Anything else? I'm used to the Jean-Talon and Atwater markets in Montreal. Being without that sort of thing would make me sad.

St. Lawarence Market is our version of the Atwater Market and there is also Kensington Market as well.