Can you believe I’ve already been living in Toronto for 6 months?! July 13 marked the six-month time period since I hopped that flight and moved into my place in Toronto. It has been a bit of a whirlwind so far. I’d consider myself still adjusting to living here (yes, for the third time in fact 😆). Regardless, I wanted to mention some highlights from the past 6 months of being back in this city. Let’s dive in!
Despite returning back to BC in February for my book launch, I spent the majority of my first few months solidly in Toronto. I spent a lot of time making my new place a home, focusing on all of the cozy aspects during the winter months. However, I still explored despite the snow! Different areas of the city I checked out included Kensington Market, Chinatown, Roncesville, and the Distillery District. Dinner and brunch with friends has been a highlight, with one of my favourites being Sugo. In March, I really leaned in to spending the whole month in Toronto. Bookstores, visiting the library, and fun events to meet other authors was something I focused on a lot. I also joined a cute journaling club, which has been a great way to connect with like-minded people.
Despite travelling quite a bit in April, I still got to enjoy indie bookstore day in Toronto. I decided to do a mini bookstore crawl throughout the city to celebrate. It was really fun to check out different spots and see what they were up to for the day! A lot of stores had fun bonuses: I got flowers at one and free drinks at another. My bookstore highlights included Type Books, Hopeless Romantic Books, Flying Books at Neverland, and Queen Books. I also highly recommend Acadia Rare Books if you’re looking for a unique used bookstore. They have tons of cool used and rare books, plus the cutest bookstore cat to boot!
I was also still trying to save some money during this time, so checking out free events was essential. Luckily for me, many museums and galleries offer free admission days. I visited the ROM during one of them, and though it was packed, it was still a great way to experience the museum. Similarly, a friend and I scoped out the AGO during one of their free nights, which was a blast. The Bata Shoe Museum is another option, with free admission every Sunday. Fort York is also a cool spot to scope out if you’re a history buff, and they always have free admission. I’m hoping to explore even more galleries and museums this summer.
Finally, May was upon us with nicer weather in tow. The cherry blossoms began to come out in Toronto, signaling spring is well on it’s way! I got out to explore the blooms at Robarts Library at U of T, and at High Park. Trinity Bellwoods is a great spot for cherry blossom viewing too. The Toronto Flower Market also started up their monthly markets in May. It is one of my favourite spots to visit, so I grabbed some flowers before my first Toronto book signing in May! I visited the flower market again this July, and I’m crossing my fingers to make it for their August edition too.
May also marked the two-year anniversary of Blooming, which called for a celebration. I hosted a get together with some friends, and it was the perfect excuse for florals and some treats! I’ve had multiple book signings throughout the city in celebration as well, including Hopeless Romantic Books and multiple Indigo locations. After a quick trip to BC in June, I’m officially in Toronto for the rest of the summer. So far, my summer has included lots of fun events like Pride and Canada Day celebrations. I’ve also been going to spin classes and various yoga spots around the city. Even though I don’t go as often as I’d like, when I do show up, it is very worthwhile.
Nicer weather means I’ve been getting outside in nature even more. I visited Riverdale Park for an afternoon, a great reading spot with an incredible view. Exploring the waterfront has been great too, including the Toronto Music Garden, one of my favourite spots. Recently I visited the beaches for the afternoon, and I’m hoping for another beach day soon. Toronto Islands is also on my list this summer. Another cool experience I’ve enjoyed is the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show, where movies are shown in parks across the city! I’ve been to a couple so far and can’t wait to enjoy more this summer.
With all of that said, I am still adjusting to living in Toronto. I’ve done some cool things but I am still focused on creating my community here. Seemingly simple tasks like making new friends and establishing consistent routines have been really important to me. It’s still a work in progress, but I am excited for the steps I’ve already taken. The first six months have been quite the adventure, and I’m looking forward to more to come! Give me your favourite Toronto spots in the comments 🙂