Today, the walk is through Bâby Point to learn about 10,000 Years of History, but the walk won’t take 10,000 years, rest assured. Explore some of Toronto’s First Nations and French history with this tour of the area named after the estate of James Bâby, an early French settler. Hear about the Seneca village of Teiaiagon, the Carrying Place trail and the first French fort in what is now Toronto. Tours will be offered in English and French. It all begins at 1:30pm today so if you can make it, you won’t regret the last minute plans. The walk will last approximately 2 to 2.5 hours. Meet at the southwest corner of Jane St and Bâby Point Rd/Annette St. You will end your walk near Old Mill Subway Station.

July 26 – 1:00pm – 3pm – you’ll find yourself in the footsteps of black Victorians. In the 19th century, Toronto was a centre of antislavery organizations and Black cultural and political activities. Hear about the men and women of the community as we visit some of the sites known to them. Meet at South St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front St E at Jarvis. End at Mackenzie House, 82 Bond St, S of Dundas St.

August through October

AUGUST
Lambton Mills (Aug 9 2008 – 1:30pm)
African-Canadian Women in Early Toronto (Aug 10 2008 – 1:00pm)
Cabbagetown People: Discoveries of Remarkable Lives (Aug 16 2008 – 1:30pm)
The Royal Alexandra Theatre and Its Neighbourhood (Aug 17 2008 – 11:00am)
Faces on Places: Gargoyles and Other Architectural Ornament (Aug 23 2008 – 1:30pm)
Edwards Gardens and Wilket Creek (Aug 24 2008 – 1:30pm)
Colourful Corktown (Aug 24 2008 – 1:30pm)

SEPTEMBER
Spadina: The Story of an Estate & Its Neighbourhood (Sep 6 2008 – 1:30pm)
The Guild Inn Gardens (Sep 7 2008 – 1:30pm)
Weston Side Story – All Around the Town (Sep 13 2008 – 1:00pm)
Yorkville (Sep 14 2008 – 11:00am)
Imagining Toronto’s Past – CANCELLED (Sep 20 2008 – 1:30pm)
Wellington Place Neighbourhood (Sep 21 2008 – 1:30pm)
Historic Moore Park (Sep 27 2008 – 1:30pm)
Fort York: 200 Years of Lakefront Development (Sep 28 2008 – 1:30pm)

OCTOBER
Exhibition Place: Ghostly Secrets Revealed (Oct 3 2008 – 7:00pm)
Swansea: The Country in the City (Oct 4 2008 – 1:30pm)
Thomson Pioneer Settlement (Oct 5 2008 – 1:30pm)

More information about Heritage Toronto Walks

[via]

These magnificently exposed layers of rock reveal the world’s most complete fossil record of life in the “Coal Age” when lush forests covered Joggins and much of the world’s tropics, 300 million years ago.|

Preserved in situ at Joggins, “Coal Age” trees stand where they grew, the footprints of creatures are frozen where they once walked, the dens of amphibians are preserved with remnants of their last meal, and the earliest reptiles remain entombed within once hollow trees. Nowhere is this record of plant, invertebrate and vertebrate life within now fossilized forests rendered more evocatively.

The fossil record includes species first defined at Joggins, some of which are found nowhere else on earth. It was here that Sir Charles Lyell, with Sir William Dawson, founder of modern geology, discovered tetrapods — amphibians and reptiles — entombed in the upright fossil trees. Later work by Dawson would reveal the first true reptile, Hylonomus lyelli, ancestor of all dinosaurs that would rule the earth 100 million years later. This tiny reptile serves as the reference point where animals finally broke free of the water to live on land. This evolutionary milestone recorded at Joggins remains pivotal to understanding the origins of all vertebrate life on land, including our own species.

With careful observation and interpretation, you may find your own missing piece of time’s puzzle. As you explore the beach at Joggins, remember that every rock holds the possibility of discovery. [source]

I Am Elvis
Gladstone Hotel, Toronto
Thursday, May 1, 2008
7-9:30pm
Melody Bar
Free

“After losing its 32-year status as the tallest freestanding structure on the planet, Toronto’s iconic CN Tower has something new to brag about: the world’s highest glass-floor elevator that offers visitors a thrilling perspective of the city.

Shooting upwards at 22 kilometres per hour, visitors can now watch the ground below them fall away as the elevator soars 346 metres in just 58 seconds.

For those who dare to stand atop one of the elevator’s two narrow glass floor panels – each a little more than five centimetres thick – the trip is perhaps even more harrowing on the way down.

Plunging down the concrete elevator shaft with a view of some of the…”

Full article

“* It’s a chowhound’s paradise, with everything from Nigerian to Laotian, Moroccan to Azerbaijani food

* An architectural renaissance is transforming the skyline with additions by Daniel Libeskind and native son Frank Gehry

* Toronto has become one of the most ethnically diverse cities on the continent, with lively neighborhoods, festivals, and restaurants to match

* The Eaton Centre. It’s a big suburban-style mall with all the wrong kinds of shopping

* When to go to Toronto: May, June, September, October”

More here

Check them out

Canada Blooms
Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC)
South Building
222 Bremner Blvd.
Toronto, Ontario

Pre-order your book now (before the sale disappears)
————
Here are more books about Toronto you might be interested in:

1. Lonely Planet Toronto – This comprehensive guide is your entree to its many facets: the culinary scene is as deliciously diverse as its population, the artistic community breaks conventions on a daily basis and its great outdoors are awash with options – from cycling and skiing to hiking and hockey. Socially enlightened, multicultural and uniquely Canadian.

2. Top 10 Toronto – Whether you’re looking for the finest cuisine or the least expensive places to eat, the most luxurious hotels or the best deals on places to stay, Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides provide useful information by local experts to find the best of everything at each destination.

3. Secret Toronto: The Unique Guidebook to Toronto’s Hidden Sites – For the traveler in search of something completely different when visiting Toronto. This detailed guide leads travelers far from the beaten path to uncover Toronto’s best-kept secrets. From obscure museums and overlooked neighborhood treasures to tucked-away green spaces and exotic ethnic cuisine, these little-known destinations yield big rewards for the more adventurous traveler. The soul of this cosmopolitan city is highlighted by hotspots where visitors can learn Latin dancing at night, disco after hours, and rent a private dungeon at an S&M bed-and breakfast.

4. Toronto for Dummies – This book is so great for people traveling to Toronto for the very first time AND for people who really are newbies to this great Canadian City. It’s a fun, very thorough guide about Toronto and the surrounding areas you might want to visit. From the view atop the CN Tower to its electric nightlife to it’s global cuisine, Toronto offers its visitors an unforgettable travel experience. And with Niagara Falls and Stratford just quick trips away, there’s no shortage of things to see and do. With this friendly guide, you’ll plan a vacation that’s perfect for you.

This is a down-to-earth trip planner comes with very handy Post-it flags for you to mark your favorite pages! Priced at a bargain basement price of $11 (plus some change), you’ll get your money’s worth and more with all of its 336 pages.

The interior of The Power Plant is made up of 3 major gallery spaces. The 2 largest, named the Royal LePage and J. S. McLean Galleries, are designed for maximum flexibility and for the diversity of contemporary art. The ceilings are nine meters high they have an adjustable grid lighting system. The third, named the Canadian Tire Gallery features three-meter high ceilings. In addition to the galleries, which share approximately 650 square meters, the Fleck Clerestory, a central corridor with a glassed roof, lobby and exterior spaces are also designated for exhibition purposes.

The Power Plant is wheelchair accessible. An elevator connects the visitor to both levels.

The Power Plant
231 Queens Quay West
Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5J 2G8
T: 416.973.4949

Regular Hours

Tuesday to Sunday | 12-6 pm
Wednesday | 12-8 pm
Closed Monday
Open Holiday Monday | 12-6 pm

HOLIDAY 2007-08 HOURS

24, 25, 26, 31 December 2007 | Closed
01 January 2008 | Closed

ADMISSION
$5 | Adults
$3 | Seniors & Students

The LUNA Project is an alternative learning center that provides opportunities for people to develop and reflect on their values and to consider how they might take an active role in creating a healthier environment for future generations.

Lunatic Adventures Inc.
250 The East Mall
Suite #1691
Toronto, Ontario
M9B 6L3 Canada

It was voted among The Top 10 Bars List in the World ’07 by Conde Nast. This is what they had to say about Melody Bar:

With walls paneled in rich wood, alabaster lamps hanging from the 10-foot ceilings, fat Romanesque pillars, and an original 1930s wooden bar, the Melody Bar isn’t so much nouveau retro as a rollicking saloon. Weekend karaoke nights have become the stuff of legend, with the host brandishing a giant APPLAUSE sign to stoke the crowd—an interesting hodgepodge of expertly coiffed hipsters, ad execs, pixie punk girls, and dust-caked construction workers.

Could it be their fabulous burgers? Maybe their rockin’ karaoke (Thursday through Saturday)? Or their famous Hump Day Bump Wednesday night party? Go there and tell me about it!

Open 11am – 2am Daily. No Cover.

To Note: Holiday Hours
Dec 24 Cafe open until 4pm – Brunch Menu | Melody Bar closed
Dec 25 Cafe + Melody Bar Closed
Dec 26 Cafe open at 8am – Brunch Menu | Melody Bar open at 5pm
Dec 31 Serving bubbly till 3am
Jan 1 Cafe open at 8am – Brunch Menu | Melody Bar normal hours

Melody Bar
Gladstone Hotel
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto ON M6J 1J6
416 531 4635

The museum features at least 10,000 pairs of shoes. I know that description alone is enough to make you want to go.

The Bata Shoe Museum
27 Bloor St. West, Toronto
(south–west corner of Bloor St. W. and St. George)
St. George Subway Station.
Telephone: (416) 979-7799

A Tip: Go on a Thursday between 5pm and 8pm to get in for free! Otherwise, you’ll be paying a whopping $12 entrance fee. That’s still a fraction of the cost of your latest Manolo purchase but hey, it’s good to take a discount when available.

Secret Toronto: The Unique Guidebook to Toronto’s Hidden Sites

The Toronto Zoo is a zoo located in the north eastern part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened in 1974 as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo and is owned by the City of Toronto; the word ‘Metropolitan’ was dropped from its name when the cities of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto were merged to form the present-day City of Toronto. The zoo is located near the Rouge River. It is one of the day use areas of Rouge Park, one of Canada’s largest urban natural environment parks, and is open every day except Christmas day.

On August 21, 2007, the Tundra Exhibit was closed for expansion and renovations.

[photo and info from wikipedia]

Sorry to remind you of sad remembrances of things past but how about getting your loved one a trip to Toronto? Give them a travel book and they’ll then wonder why you’ve given that to them for Christmas. Then the lightbulb moment will turn on (hopefully) and you then have to plan your wonderful trip to the largest city in Canada. Here are some suggestions:

1. Lonely Planet Toronto – This comprehensive guide is your entree to its many facets: the culinary scene is as deliciously diverse as its population, the artistic community breaks conventions on a daily basis and its great outdoors are awash with options – from cycling and skiing to hiking and hockey. Socially enlightened, multicultural and uniquely Canadian.

2. Fodor’s Toronto – Skyrocket to the top of the CN Tower, hit the patois for great eats and people-watching, sail on Lake Ontario, wander through the Hockey Hall of Fame, or browse the art at a downtown gallery – Fodor’s Toronto offers all these experiences and more.

3. Top 10 Toronto – Whether you’re looking for the finest cuisine or the least expensive places to eat, the most luxurious hotels or the best deals on places to stay, Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides provide useful information by local experts to find the best of everything at each destination.

The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto went hunting for a dinosaur skeleton only to discover that it already had the massive creature buried in its own collection for over 45 years. The Barosaurus skeleton, affectionately nicknamed Gordo after Dr. Edmund, will be the largest dinosaur skeleton on display in Canada, as well as the only Barosaurus skeleton on display in the world made mostly of real fossil bone. It lacks the original skull.

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There’s a dinner theater and it features revues, comedy sketches and late-night improv sets. Dinner and show packages are available, and Leoni’s Italian Kitchen serves up heaping portions of southern Italian fare, from pastas to fish, steaks and pizzas.

Second City
51 Mercer Street
Toronto, ON M5V 9G9
Canada
Telephone: 416-343-0011
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 8pm – Friday and Saturday 8pm, 10:30pm

Here, I’m going to link you to the “special events” page, where you’ll find gobs of things to do during your stay in this great city.

Toronto Special Events is a full-service Section of the City of Toronto’s Economic Development, Culture & Tourism division.

With a mandate to develop and promote dynamic, innovative and accessible events and festivals, the Toronto Special Events office celebrates the richness and diversity of this great city, enriching the quality of life for residents and attracting world-wide tourist audiences.

Toronto Special Events produces more than 30 festivals and events and consults with hundreds more every year. This web page provides you with detailed information on all events produced by Toronto Special Events.

Link: City of Toronto

2. Beaches – When thinking about Toronto, “beach” probably doesn’t come to mind but yes! There’s an area that can fill all your beach dreams albeit lake beach dreams.

3. Chinatown – How can you not visit the Chinatown? Grab a taste of lacquered duck or take in all the aromas of a place far, far away, but with the convenience of being right here in one of Canada’s most visited cities.

4. Don Valley – Nature lovers and active travelers will get a kick out of the bike paths, hiking trails and climbing areas of Don Valley.

5. Harbourfront Centre – Especially lively during the summer, the waterfront area if filled with live music and entertainment, festivals, kids camps and other activities that will keep you and your family busy and smiling.

6. Kensington Market – You’ll find this colorful of corner fruit stands, thrift stores and pubs, a fascinating meeting place for some of Toronto’s most interesting people. Every month the neighborhood blocks off the narrow streets for a Sunday afternoon festival celebrating the beauty of diversity with live music, dancing and food!

7. Riverdale Farm – Smack dab in the middle of Toronto’s Cabbagetown in the downtown area, is a 7.5 acre farm with wooded paths, flowered vegetable gardens and a variety of animals, including turkeys, ducks, geese, cows, horses, donkey, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and rabbits. This is a great free opportunity to show your kids that chickens aren’t shaped like nuggets.

8. St. Lawrence Market and Market Gallery – Wander and visit, or just sit and people watch. The gallery space hosts changing art installations and exhibits of paintings, artifacts and furnishings that visually describe the history and culture of the area. Admission to the market and the gallery are free.

9. Toronto Islands – Check out the trails, picnic areas and beaches of the Toronto Islands. Explore the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, or bask in the sun on the clothing-optional beach on the west side of Hanlan’s Point. For the sportif, baseball diamonds, volleyball courts and wading pools welcome you with open arms (if they had any).

10. Wednesdays at the Art Gallery of Ontario - 36,000 works of art in its collection, the AGO is gallery worth visiting. Wednesday evenings are free of charge between six and nine o’clock pm.

The “Dark Chocolate Tower” dessert is to die for and you can find it at the CN Tower’s revolving restaurant appropriately named, “360.” Don’t worry if you’re prone to motion sickness. The rotation speed isn’t like your salad spinner. It’s so slow you might not ever notice that your absolutely spectacular view is changing as you devour your meal. It takes 72 minutes for the whole restaurant to make a complete rotation, just in case you were wondering. Also if you were wondering, the restaurant sits more than 1,150 feet above Toronto.

Reservations are recommended and can be made online or by calling 416-362-5411

360 Restaurant at CN Tower
301 Front Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5V 2T6
Canada

In the heart of Downtown Toronto, right in between the Rogers Centre and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Front Street, just north of Bremner Blvd.

Order now and if the Amazon.com price decreases between your order time and the end of the day of the release date, you’ll receive the lowest price.

That is a deal, isn’t it?

Order Frommer’s Toronto 2009 now