New Toronto Gems with the Help of Good Friends

That is how I feel after this weekend:

As the radio sportscaster says about the World Series in A League of Their Own: “Take me home, momma, and put me to bed. I have seen enough to know I have seen too much.” This is not because of the baseball games that happened while we were in Toronto, but the mosaic of excitement, laughter, walking and general merriment we experienced.

What was supposed to be a simple, leisurely weekend away in Toronto turned into a non-stop visit with good friends and new gems. Our extra-long weekend to YYZ was planned long before the Blue Jays were in the World Series. Thankfully we did - the price for hotel rooms quadrupled for one night. That plus over $600 a ticket? Fuggetaboutit. But you don’t need to remortgage your house or withdraw from your retirement savings to visit cities like Toronto. For this weekend, we asked our local friends to help build the itinerary. Each suggested an activity that was unique to their personality and relationship with the city.

Here are six new places we visited during our getaway in Toronto.

First visits were with Chantele and Jonathan. Chantele is the host of the podcast “Reality Realnesss. She connected us with Jonathan when we'd all be commentators and draft-pickers for shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race and Big Brother. When we told Chantele  and Jonathan about our visit and asked to meet up, she demanded to play in an escape room with us. Jonathan so kindly picked a spot that would give us the challenge we needed without me cowering by horror effects.

INBLACK Escape Rooms’ “Wellesley” location is fairly new, with more rooms being constructed. “Digital Rescue” was our game, where the real and digital worlds collided and transported our gamer friend into the computers. The game is an elaborate switchboard of trying to connect the path towards success. We might have stumbled on a few things and had more help from Jack, our game host, than we wanted. But in the end, we escaped. I won’t give away more than that. You should take a trip to one of INBLACK’s four locations. As an added bonus, you may earn some secret rewards at the end.

Adam is a long-time friend and introduced us to a new idea when we said “spa day.” Othership is best described as “otherworldly.” Entering Othership is like entering a holistic space ship. The atmosphere is serene and you feel an immediate easiness. Adam is a volunteer here and signed us up for a guided meditation through the sauna and cold plunge. Newcomers wear a bracelet to show that it was our first visit. The space is shared by men and women, each there to embrace the rituals. 

I went in frazzled and unsure, not knowing what to expect. I knew I wanted to relax and leave with a clear head for the rest of the weekend. Liora, our guide, introduced herself and provided an individual welcome for both Phil and I.

Our group had about 20 people. We started in the shared common space, given an overview of how the session works and invited into the sauna. I sat on the lowest level, but there were three levels and plenty of room for everyone. The meditation was just for listening, with deep breaths in and heavy sighs out. Aromatherapy was used to fill the room with relaxing scents. At one point, with my eyes closed, I was startled by THWOP THWOP THWOP. Towels were being waved around by Liora and her assistant, Frances. The towels sent cool air towards us. I lost myself through these moments, literally feeling each bead of sweat carry a piece of stress away.

After the sauna, half of us were brought to the cold plunge. Deep breath in and out, again, then once more, and you step into the frigid waters. The sensation felt like Gulliver being tied up by the Lilliputians and stabbed by their tiny swords. You have to keep your head clear to follow the instructor's words. I braved the icy water and found my breath, lasting the whole three minutes. Once everyone had completed their visit to the cold plunges, we regrouped in the sauna. There was plenty of space for each of us to lie down and do some reflection.

I left feeling emblazoned yet rested. I was on a whole other planet, which followed throughout the day. That explains why I lost myself in Simons and left with more than necessary.

Saturday kicked off with a 40 minute walk to Little Italy. Sweet and bubbly Liz organized brunch at Old School. This place is not new to many, but we excitedly tried it out. We walked a good 40 minutes to Little Italy to a packed diner with an abundance of energy. Jays fans crowded the tables, celebrating Friday’s win and eagerly anticipating game two. We ordered some eggs benedict and French toast, gossiped with fresh coffees and admired the scientific chalkboard drawings on the wall.

As we ate, two audacious Dodgers fans walked in. A slight hum buzzed in the dining room, with a “booooo” thrown in for good measure. Canadian hospitality only extends so far, but the Old School team welcomed them in like anyone else.

Old School has cultured a vibrancy that ensures its longevity in the Toronto brunch scene.

Two escape rooms in one weekend? Yes, that has become a norm with Adam - games, games and more games. Adam, along with his partner, drove us into Scarborough for Daydream Adventures’ new location and room. We have now completed all of Daydream’s rooms (well, one was virtual but totally worth it) as we entered “Botanica Greenhouse.”

First things first - Daydream’s rooms are literal works of art. This room’s flowers and decor were all handmade by local artists. The engineering of a Daydream room is unlike any other. Our mission was to find Doctor Brenda Glores in the greenhouse and learn the secrets of Echo. The room is wall-to-wall art. The sequence and puzzles make sense if you do not get caught in a pickle for not observing the signs. That is all the help I will give!

You do get caught in a dance party if you allow yourself to.

They are generous with time but not with clues. I liked how the clues were automated. So if you were stuck and not moving along, the same clue would repeat itself until it clicked in.

We escaped, but I could have stayed there for hours. Looking ahead to more adventures there.

In my first blog of this series, “Craving a Slice of Calm”, I wished for a pub that I could walk to and stop at on a whim. After escape rooms and dinner, Adam suggested C.C.’s Bar & Grill on Danforth. It is a spot we have seen other’s visit, but CC’s Instagram tooted “Hillary’s Drag-Oween Party” on Saturday night. This was prior to the Blue Jays in the World Series. How do you choose which one to stick with?

Just like in Saved by the Bell when Zack and the Malibu Sands Beach Club crew must throw two parties at once, so did C.C.’s. Because why not combine baseball and drag shows?

Outside of the Rockford Peaches, the only way I will watch baseball is if there is a drag queen performing during commercial breaks. Just when you have seen enough, you have not. The show started prior to kickoff or whatever it’s called with Hillary Yaas (@hillaryyaas) commanding the room. We were greeted by the owner and asked “are you here for drag or are you here for baseball?” Why not both?

The mixture of these two events was at a whole new level of entertainment. I think the MLB is missing out on this. Like a professional, Hillary continued her show while Jays fans moved in. In between innings and commercials, costume and dance contests took place (I won the latter). Tall boy after tall boy, we stayed to watch both shows. While Adam’s partner was glued to the game, I was glued to making sure Hillary was kept on her toes. She asked me to write out some song requests then walked away. When I am asked for help, I go above and beyond with my duties. Rather than just three or four, I wrote 30 songs. Sadly, she only performed a select few, including Photograph by Nickleback (sadly).

On our next visit to C.C.’s, and there will be a next time, we will gladly take part in more of their specials and activities. I felt immediate warmth in the pub, not just from Hillary’s breast plate too.

If my sides weren’t sore enough from Saturday’s hillar-ity, Sunday sure added more. Our friend, Tara, hosts a monthly table read. This month’s Halloween special was Community’s “Epideomology.” After a successful table read, we went with Tara to the Comedy Bar. 

The evening’s show was an interview with Emmy-award winning screenwriter, David Shore. After some questions, the group would improvise moments from the chat. I enjoyed the format of the night. I like hearing celebrity stories and behind-the-scenes moments, but also people’s backgrounds. David shared about growing up in London, Ontario, attending summer camps and working on his hits like House, M.D. and The Good Doctor. 

As for the improv, I laughed a lot but towards the end it became chaotic.

Seeing the line-up of past performers, Comedy Bar brings out a great mix of entertainment. We are sure to be back to see more!

Overall, our weekend was a grand slam. After running the bases of our itinerary, we slide into home and are resting up for another season. You can check out all our stops on my Google Map. I use this feature to track our visits and help to curate new ideas. We visit Toronto a lot, so what are some hidden gems you would recommend?