And they call it, puppy love (Image: Emily Jane Morgan)
Dogs, everywhere! Some in tutus, some dressed as Lady Gaga, some carrying status bags. No, this is not the sign of the a-paw-calypse (ha?), but it does mean that anyone with a severe pet allergy will want to stay far away from Front Street’s Berczy Park from June 11 to 12, when the annual Woofstock puppy parade comes to town. We wish we were joking, but this year there will be a puppy fashion show akin to Canada’s Next Top Model, and there will be dog model scouts roaming the grounds looking for the next Alpo dog, Lassie or Beethoven. The event’s promoters suggest bringing a brief pitch to describe the qualities that make a dog worthy of the title, but we’re mostly excited for the cute dog watching, and maybe a Toddlers and Tiaras stage mom or two.
The Mount Pleasant strip isn’t exactly the next hot ’hood or the new Queen West or the developer district du jour. No, Mount Pleasant is as it’s always been: a charming stretch between Eglinton and Davisville that’s lined with European bakeries, amazing Gallic restaurants (where the servers still speak French), whimsical shops and one-screen movie houses that take us back to the Toronto of yore. Unlike other shopping and dining districts, customers aren’t paying for the view, the rent or the trend—they’re paying for a slice of authenticity in an ever-gentrifying city. Here, we visit our 26 favourite spots along Mount Pleasant, finding quirky antiques, fanciful items for kids, refined meals and stunning baguettes.
This east-end neighbourhood is constantly being labelled “the next big thing.” Yet it’s been seven years since Edward Levesque opened his eponymous restaurant at Queen and Alton, and nearly a decade since the first old industrial building was transformed into condos. Leslieville has not only arrived: its evolution is unique in the city. The tight-knit community of business owners—most live within blocks of their workplace—has allowed “Toronto’s Brooklyn” to avoid the fate of unruly and super-hyped Queen West and Ossington. Mainly untouched by big box retailers and uncharted by tour buses, this is one of the city’s most relaxing spots to spend a day. Here is our guide to the top cafés, shops, restaurants and dairy parlours for caffeine fanatics, curious day trippers and anyone who appreciates a scoop of really good ice cream.
