mo.t.o.

where there's always more.

[mo-t-o]

TacoCity is Live

Ladies and Gentlemen, poutine has gone by the wayside and pizza become a classic, and like Vietnamese Pho to Ottawa, now Tacos are to Toronto. These are the big places to check out, if you are at all interested in this tantalizing treat. In case you don't know what to expect, we're talking about tacos with soft tortillas and fancy sauces. Ol Del Paso hard shells and jarred salsa is for the birds! Actually, I take that back the hard fried shells are delicious as well. So I'm no expert, but these are some of the talk of the town. If you're in for a gastronomical taco experience, get out there and try 'em out!

GRAND ELECTRIC: Queen West, Parkdale.

PLAYA CABANA CANTINA: Dupont and Davenport

LA CARNITA: College and Bathurst

SEVEN LIVES: Kensington

TACOS EL ASADOR: Koreatown (Bloor St.)

LA TORTILLERIA: If you want to take some to go, this place is quick and satisfying. Two locations, one at Dufferin and Bloor and one in Kensington Market. 

[mo-t-o]

How to find an Apartment in Toronto

This is what I get asked the most from friends and friends of friends who are moving to the city and looking for advice on where to live. There are so many obstacles to entry in this complex cosmopolitan place, that it is easy to get overwhelmed and at times jaded. I've been there, I feel ya and I'm even looking now despite my currently wicked East-End setup! Here are some of the tips I tell everyone who is moving to Toronto and looking for a place. I can do neighbourhood chats better one-on-one so feel free to comment if you really can't decide between the Annex, Little Italy, St. Lawrence Market and Cabbagetown! 

Tis' the season for apartment turnover - how do you play the rental game to win? First things first, figure out what you want.

Location: where do you want to live? I always say live close to work/school OR close to where you go out/do things. If those are fairly close to each other, live in between. Find a map of Toronto and draw yourself boxes within where you would be happy to live. Don't compromise too much!

Community: to what degree is community important to you? Some areas have fewer community luxuries than others, but lucky for you, Toronto is really just a combination of a gazillion little micro-towns. Enjoy the diversity :) 

Condo or house? 

Roommates or no? 

Rent cap!: you don't have to compromise too much if you are strapped for cash, but to be able to get the most bang for your buck you better be prepared to get on top of the hunt. 

Amenities: Of a Dishwasher, ensuite laundry, gym and utilities, what can't you live without?

Where to look: Craigslist and Kijiji are good for you. U of T/York University Classifieds if you are looking for student housing.

The deal with agents: Real Estate Agents who deal with rental units get paid 50% of one month's rent by the landlord (not the leasee!) so you can choose to take advantage of this, but know that some may push your upper limit and often those who list on MLS (where units for lease may be put up) are mostly condos. 

Alternative Options: Have you ever considered living in a co-op? There are some nice ones in Toronto and if this sort of living sounds good to you, you must plan ahead to get on the list. Yes the rent is cheaper and the benefits are wonderful, but they are lucrative to say the least. 

If you have questions, don't hesitate to call the Tenants Hotline and know your rights throughout the process! 416-921-9494

Happy hunting!!!

[mo-t-o]

Leslieville Pub Crawl this Saturday

So many people have been asking about where's good to go out in Leslieville. The bar scene in the East is thriving and the people are way more chill than the yuppies you think hang out here, so come join the community for a little Leslieville pub crawl Saturday June 22nd at 10pm at Prohibition and Riverside Public House. We'll move East on Queen from there and eventually end up at Hitch. I don't know you all, you don't know me, but this is how Leslieville welcomes those who are gutsy enough to come this side of the bridge. 

[mo-t-o]

Come check out our neighbours' cool stuff and the East End while you're at it! Drop by on your way to getting your dosa at Udupi Palace before you hit up Woodbine Beach. It's a great time to get stuff to redecorate the house! We'll be the ones jammin' on the ukulele + guitars.

[mo-t-o]

'I'm With Grace' and Grace is awesome.

Do you guys like Savin Grace brunch on Dundas at Bellwoods? If so, get excited for 'I'm with Grace' their sister bakery and restaurant that will be opening next month or so at Wilmington and Landsdowne! Can't wait for more of Kim's baked goods!!!

[mo-t-o]

Upcoming Summer Music Shows in Toronto!

Summer in Toronto is the BEST because there is always something happening!

There is a big concert at Fort York Garrison Common on June 8th happening with Arts & Crafts Field Trip, Broken Social Scene, Feist so many more awesome artists. It runs all day starting from 12 noon! Check out the tickets for that here.

Next, many of the current, successful and up and coming artists combine forces at the North by Northeast festival in Toronto. This year, NXNE is happening June 10th and is jam packed with shows every night. You can get a pass for the whole week but be sure to schedule it out because there are tons of great bands! Check out the tickets, schedule of performances etc. here @ http://nxne.com/

I'm especially looking forward to The National performing in Dundas Square on Friday after seeing the documentary about the band called Mistaken for Strangers made by the brother of the lead singer of The National recently at the Toronto Hot Docs festival in April. 

Lastly there is Digital Dreams June 29th weekend (Canada Day long weekend!) so if you are into Electronic Dance Music (EDM) be sure to get on the tickets to attend this huge festival. It's always insane, exhausting and tons of fun, but remember kids, don't smoke crack.  

More fun things this summer to come, but for now, get out there and enjoy the shows!

[mo-t-o]

15 of the coolest things to do for the best summer ever! I can't wait for Summer in Toronto. What are you fave things to do in this city? Shows, patios, bikes, bbqs, the island, the beach...   BTW It's basically summer already, minus the warmth. 

[mo-t-o]

Let's get Rollin'! How to Get Around T.O.

Whether you are new or old to the city, there are innumerable ways to traverse the city of Toronto besides the TTC. I am a cyclist, so I love the idea of bike sharing, but there are also a number of car sharing options with different boundaries and methods of use to consider. Check out some different wonderful ways of exploring this city without breaking the bank with cabs, being stuck underground in the subway, or being limited to the speed of your feet. I'll put this out in a series since there are so many options. Let's get rolling!

1) Bixi - Bike Sharing: When I lived in Montreal we Bixi’d everywhere! This system is best utilized when you get an annual pass because in Toronto it’s good for all 365 days, unlike the winter months of Montreal which leaves your annual pass really only covering you for about 6 months. It's $97+tax. I have my own bike as well, because in Toronto, the Bixi system has boundaries as un-far east as Parliament (with the exception of Distillery) and only as far west at Bathurst or so.

So, when to use a bixi?

need to get a few blocks away within the downtown area

it's decent weather/you don't want to get your butt wet (despite the fenders)

you don't have a metropass (smart!)

it takes about 15 minutes to walk (too long when you need to be there in 10!) 

you want to discover a new part of town e.g. you live in Little Italy but want to go to Distillery

you want to impress someone you are with (I do this all the time.) #justkidding #notreally

Other payment details: You can sign up online at bixi.com and they will send you a "key" if you get a monthly or annual pass. You can do 24hr rentals on a credit card at the machines and it's better than a TTC daypass since it's so fun to get around. The first 45 minutes on the bike are free (but you can plug them back in, wait 5 minutes and take another one out again), and then the rates increase. Make sure the green light comes on after you redeposit your bixi at a bixi station because otherwise the extended use fines can be exorbitantly high if you get beyond a couple hours. Get yourself a helmet and you can even use this on a daily basis as part of your commute!

2) Car-2-Go: A-to-B Car sharing. The Car2Go system is really nice as a pseudo self-taxi when you are in a sober state. The benefits are that the cars are really almost everywhere and the spread of the car2go service is quite broad across the city. You can pick up a car at nearly any GreenP parking lot and drop it off at any other GreenP parking lot (there are also some Target park lots included). It's a pay-by-the minute system at $0.38 per minute, and there are hourly and daily maximums at $13.99 and $72.99 respectively. There is also no annual registration fee to maintain a membership beyond the initial registration cost (if you walk into their office, they may have a code that may allow you to get this for free. I may or may not have this code...), and as with the other car sharing programs, gas and insurance are included. The downsides are that car2go only has Smart cars in their fleet, a 2-person car with very little trunk space, so you can't take many people. Another downside is that the app is not the best. It keeps getting better though, so this is a time-limited hinderance. They are in a number of other cities as well (since it is a smart car promotional endaevour by Mercedes), so some of these cities are in Germany. Hopefully they keep spreading. I could use my Toronto car2go membership in Miami and it was just as easy and convenient. Sign up at car2go.com. 

Enjoy the city this Spring!

Next up:

- A-to-A short-term car rental program. AutoShare vs. ZipCar - how to find Free/Reasonable Parking in Toronto and avoid the yellow tickets

[mo-t-o]

Check out this huge plate for a sushi pizza at Japango. AMAZING restaurant at Dundas and Bay Area, but be sure to make an reservation a few days in advanced since it is so popular and the place is so small! The service is fantastic and they are very charming. Enjoy!

[mo-t-o]

Squash fritters at Khao San Road washed down with a refreshing Thai iced tea. This is my friend Sharon.   ———-

So you like Thai food. Maybe you’re like me and couldn’t find anything quite palatable enough since you lived in Southeast Asia. Or maybe you just long for the peanut-lime-sprout flavor combo in your mouth. Either way, here are my Toronto Thai joint comparisons.

#1 - Khao San Road - This joint is best for high-end Thai experience. A quality date joint and welcoming community of food lovers, KSR boasts an excellent array of authentically tasty choices. My go-to picks are the squash fritters to start, Khao Soi coconut curry noodle soup and the Pad Thai with shrimp (#worththeupgrade). Don’t get me wrong, the green curry and basically everything on the menu is also delicious. Wash it down with an over-sweetened Thai iced tea and BOOM you just teleported to the streets of Bangkok, minus the risk of malaria. Congratulations for beating the system. Remember to go early or leave your name maybe an hour before you expect you eat unless you go right before 10 which is what Sharon and I did last time (when I took this photo). They don’t take resos or seat incomplete parties #bigsurprise.

#2 - Sukhothai - Ok this tiny spot in Parliament is really great but people always talk about how great it is despite it’s low attention to customer service. However, the food is worth every ignored wave-down. It has become my favourite little take-out spot but if you are a frequent goer of this establishment, be forewarned to their slight price increases. Not totally offended by them yet, since their Sukhothai Pad Thai is perfect with the juice of three extra limes, and their spring rolls are fresh-to-death-delicious. Call ahead and get yours 'to go' if you can. They are pretty good at picking up the phone. There is another location on Wellington now - let me know how it is since I haven't made it out there yet. 

#3 - Salad King - I started coming to this joint back in 2002 before it got burnt down on Gould and rebuilt. What a gem this was. It is a bit crowded (all the time) but if you want decent Thai and nearly any hour of day, this is a good central choice. There is huge selection on the menu so again, biased towards the taste if coconut, I say my favourites are Khao Soi noodles and Pad Thai and their red curry. I’ve had some not-as-good things in the last while though, like their Siam noodles: it's One Hundo P peanut butter fried on noodles. Just kidding... kind of. I like the spring rolls here and the mango sticky rice, because I'm way too lazy to make that dessert at home but I used to eat it by the pot-full, no joke.

Gosh, I’m salivating. Gotta go. Let me know if you have other Thai faves in Toronto. Next comparison? Poutine joints. I know, I’m super stoked!

p.s. If you want to make Pad Thai at home, want to know the secret to perfect noodles? Soak them in water before you fry them up with your goodies instead of boiling them so they don't get SOGS.

[mo-t-o]

Home openers last weekend are the true mark of the beginning of spring. Toronto FC is a football club with a booming and exciting fan culture, bringing all the best parts of football fandom to this North American city. The Toronto Blue Jays came out with a ton of support as they always do, and this year I even saw Mayor Rob Ford at the concessions, which marked the start of a long chain of debauchery for the not-so family friendly evening. Although being a sports fan and athlete in Toronto is at times tough, supporting teams in the city is really great fun! I also like playing sports but we can talk about leagues later. Some of my favourite teams to watch (mostly because they are affordable) in addition to the Jays and Toronto Football club are: 1) Toronto Rock (lacrosse) - absolutely the MOST Fun ever if you get a blow horn thing too 2) Toronto Raptors (basketball) - you just never know who might be coming to town ;) 3) Toronto Marlies (hockey) 4) Toronto Argonaughts - if you like CFL football, Argos games are a must. Sidebar: Leafs games are great but expect to pay out the wazoo for these tickets. But when you get invited by your awesome friend, GO! :) Summer is around the corner! See you at the game! :)

[mo-t-o]

If you like poutine, you need to try kimchi fries at Bahn Mi Boys (BMB). BMB offers their fry-friendly population a pulled pork-enhanced kimchi fries dish which basically blows your mind from the inside out with the generous addition of mayo, as well as a vegetarian version called the tofu fries. Both excellent. Try this treat at Queen and Spadina. Worth every cent!!!!!

[mo-t-o]

Desi burger house. Two shami burgers with a Pakola cream soda. Burgers are ridiculously cheap at $3.50, so why NOT get two. If you think you know late-night food and haven't tried a shami burger, you better get your butt here. Right across from the infamous Lahore Tikka House of little India in Toronto's east end sits this little 4am-closing time gem. Be sure to try their shami burger with or without egg, or pain puri and finish it off with a Kulfi ice cream Popsicle. We'll have more of other places in Toronto that aren't just east end. But they've been talked about so who gives a crap anyway.

[mo-t-o]

The Avro's spread. How I'll miss thee.

[mo-t-o]

Our Leslieville local, and likely the best bar in the East, is sadly closing permanently on April 26th due to huge rent increases from the landlord and growing commercial popularity of the neighbourhood. This really hurts guys. We all want more people to come to sweet spots in the East, but the stagnant mentality of bottom line-focused commercial property owners, shows us they don't care about the people! (Cue Common's "The People") This is a call for ANYBODY BAR OUT THERE IN THE EAST who is now going to step it up and have a BRING YOUR OWN VINYL night on Sundays AND a Plaid Night on Thursdays! I dare you to recreate the Avro Legacy. 

I'll be there pretty much every day*, drinking my tears, until Friday, April 26th when there will be one last hurrah. It'll be like a funeral party, only with more fun and less death. 

Oh yeah, remember when they tweeted a picture of their board with East Side Till we Die? Best moment of my life. Go Follow them immediately on Twitter. @TheAvro  *This is a joke, Mom. 

[mo-t-o]

Did you know about this cool way to crack open coconuts? Just secure the board and hit the coconut right in the center of it on it's side and it cracks open like this! Awesome! Just don't forget to drain the coconut water first and drink it for it's high mineral content! Yum.

[mo-t-o]

Michelle, Freddie and I come here every week for brunch. Don’t even think about telling me some other place is better than Saving Grace. LPD? I'm over the waffles & small portions. Lady marmalade? Way closer to my house yet I’d rather run across the city - for good reason! Everything else pales in comparison to the smiles at SG. Their Espressado is fresh to death, their chutneys spice up my life and if I’m feeling extra hungry I can always bank on a half order of banana French toast. Don’t come here though, because I don’t like waiting to eat and the spot's already packed. Better yet only come on Tuesdays when they’re closed. Just ignore this entire post. Thanks.