One quarter of Canada's population lives within a 160 kilometre radius of the city of Toronto, whose population is one of the most ethnically diverse in the world. Thus, it would be a shame if you found yourself bored one day with nothing to do for you are bound to find some exciting places to explore whether that be dining on fine Italian cuisine in Little Italy or shopping for Greek candy in the Danforth area. In other words, the essence of Toronto is in its distinct communities, which gives the city its unique and flavourful character; thus, it is for this reason that a couple of friends and I decided to take full advantage of what this city can offer us. Here's an account of one of our adventures.

GreekTown on Danforth
On a mildly-cold winter Sunday, my friends and I decided to pay a visit to GreekTown on Danforth Ave, located east of Bloor St. and home to North America's largest Greek community. Upon getting off the subway, we were quickly engulfed by the smell of roasting food emanating from the kitchens of our Greek vendors. My sister insisted that we immediate try and find a great place to eat. However, anyone who has been to Danforth knows that there is a great selection of great restaurants to choose from.

After all the disorder, we finally settled on a small and comfortable mom and pop shop. At first we only wanted to be served lunch counter style, but the gracious host quickly persuaded us to sit down and enjoy the atmosphere. Sure enough, we were attended with great service along with hearty "gyros" (pronounced "jee-roh") and "souvlaki". And what do we make of the food price? All our items were under five dollars. Furthermore, if you have a sweet tooth, there are a number of Greek bakeries and restaurants that serve the wickedly delicious "bakclava", a syrupy and flaky pastry dessert.

In sunny August, Danforth hosts the annual "Krinos Taste of the Danforth", a hugely successful event that has become one of Toronto's signature events. Marketed as a celebration of Hellenistic food and culture, but hosting a number of other authentic ethic foods, restaurateurs set up small booths outside their establishments to sell a variety of samples with prices ranging from one to five dollars. With over a million people coming down to Danforth, you should come to this event to enjoy the music, the atmosphere, and especially the food!

The Beaches
The Beaches is a quaint, lakeside neighbourhood which roughly engulfs the whole area south of Queen St. East from Coxwell Ave. to Fallingbrook Rd. This well-established community has much to see from fun, interesting shops, comfortable restaurants, and of course, the sandy beaches. The next time you are at The Beaches, be sure to have a picnic at Ashbridge’s Bay Park, or dap your feet at Woodbine Beach, Kew Beach, or Beaches Park. You can even walk along the lakeshore on the Boardwalk, which runs for 3 km alongside the water.

  

In the summer, The Beaches is home to "The Beaches International Jazz Festival" billed as one of Toronto’s signature events. During "Streetfest", enjoy the sounds, do some salsa dancing, and watch some street performances as over 40 bands play great live music along Queen's street. Get something delicious to eat as the restaurants do their best to take part in festivities. Best of all, admission to "Streetfest" is free! Enjoy one of Toronto's finest parties! If you are living in Toronto, you should definitely take part in all the festivities that happen in this city. This time, only two major events were discussed, but Toronto has many more major parties and countless smaller ones.