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Business Travel, Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Events, Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk

Things You Should Know About Living in Toronto

April 17, 2015

Toronto is a great city in which to live (welcome!) and according to the Global Liveability Report (2014), Toronto has been recognized as being one of the five most liveable cities in the world. We have a rising economy, a good mix of nature along the edges of our downtown core, a good standard of living, and are one of the most multicultural-friendly cities in the world. However, as with other major urban centres, Toronto has its quirks that you have to navigate as a resident. Talking to our team is a good start to help you learn more about Toronto living. Here’s our guide to what you should know about living in Toronto.

1. Harsh Winters and Hot Summers
What you hear about Toronto’s winters are true: they can be extremely cold. Lately, however, temperatures fluctuate. One day the temperature can be a balmy 10 degrees celsius; another day, they can drop to minus 25 degrees celsius. Dressing in layers is crucial when living in Toronto. Equally, summers can be hot and humid and downtown smog permeates the air in the downtown core. Another reminder to keep your umbrella handy as Toronto’s rainfall has increased in the past few years. Having a humidifier or air purifier will keep the air fresh in your furnished apartment in Toronto.

Living in Toronto

2. Transportation
Other than driving, there are a few ways to get around the city, a very large one at that, and depending on where you go, it’s an average of 30 minutes to get anywhere in the city. The Toronto Transit Commission, also known as the TTC, is one of the most central ways to get around the large metropolis. It extends from Scarborough to Etobicoke (east to west) and Finch/Steeles to Union Station at Front Street (north to south). An average fare on the TTC is $3.00. If you’re looking for a quicker alternative, you can take a taxi in the city, with a starting rate at $4.50. Cabs in Toronto can be notoriously expensive so be careful. An average ride from outside the downtown core can cost $20 to $25. Uber or Uber X is also another alternative. If you are traveling to the suburbs such as Markham, Mississauga, or Brampton, the GO Transit system (via bus or train) will help you get there efficiently if you don’t drive. Prices vary based on your destination; however, an average price to Mississauga one way is $7.

3. Rush Hour
Rush hour in Toronto lasts from 6:30am to 9:30am during morning weekdays and around 4:00pm to 6:30pm during weekday evenings. It is at its peak during 8am and 5 to 6pm, respectively. Traffic congestion is one of the major issues as Toronto has expanded. If you live downtown or near your workplace in one of our central locations, the best alternative is to walk or bike to work to avoid the crowds altogether. On the TTC, do expect to wait one or two trains, especially on the Yonge/University line due to congestion. Union Station is also in a state of significant transformation with new exits so give yourself time to navigate in the morning. Alternatively, you can commute in less peak hours to give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.

4. Construction
Toronto continues to expand significantly as it has done so over the past 10 to 15 years. Over 100,000 condominium units are currently being constructed (source) and according to a report in the Toronto Star, our metropolis is home to more than 44 high rises exceeding 150 metres. As the city gears up for the Pan Am Games, you’ll see a lot of delays on major routes, the main one being the Lakeshore between Yonge and Spadina, which is slowly but surely improving in terms of development. Always map out your route and double check the TTC website before you travel anywhere in the city if you don’t know it well. Downtown, it may be easier to walk certain places than it is to take the TTC.

Living in Toronto

5. A City of Neighbourhoods
Toronto is known as a city of neighbourhoods (complete with our own toques!) and the best part of this city is feeling like you’re constantly a tourist, whether it’s trying a new, ethnic restaurant or going to a cultural event. If you like to be near the water, The Beaches, Scarborough Bluffs, or Lakeshore West might be good options for you. Downtown, you are close to the funkiest areas complete with shopping, restaurants and nightlife downtown or by Queen, King, or Kensington Market. Yorkville and Rosedale/Summerhill are a bit more lush. North York is right by the subway line with plenty of parks and dining options. For those wanting more family-friendly neighbourhoods, Roncesvalles, High Park, The Danforth, and Leslieville are great options.

6. It Can Be Difficult to Meet People
Living in a big and constantly changing urban centre like Toronto can make it difficult to meet people. The best solution to this urban issue is to join a club. There are plenty of interesting clubs out there depending on your interest. The Toronto Sport and Social Club is a great addition to your workout routine, or you could join a quirky club like an axe throwing league (yes, that exists!). Volunteering is another way to meet new friends while giving back to the community. Sites like Charity Village can help you find what interests you. Likely, there is a club for whatever your interest happens to be.

Of course, do check out any events happening where you can meet other residents in your DelSuites condo.

A big city like Toronto can take a bit of getting used to but once you settle into the city (and your short term rental in Toronto, which will make life a bit easier for you), you’ll find yourself calling it home sooner than later. Just make sure you pronounce it “Toronna” and not “Tore-on-tow.”

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Food & Recipes

Top 5 Favourite Bars for Craft Beer in Toronto

April 7, 2015

Craft beer is big business in Toronto. According to the Ontario Craft Brewers Association, “there are currently over 100 craft breweries in Ontario employing over 1,000 people in direct brewery jobs across the province. This represents over 30 per cent of the direct brewery jobs in Ontario.” Now that grocery stores will now have the opportunity to sell beer and wine, this will not replace your visit to your local bar to taste test brews. If you don’t want to stay in your furnished suite or apartment to drink, here are our favourite places in Toronto for this niche experience.

1. Bellwoods Brewery. The popular indie brewery on Ossington Ave–with its white picket fence and prime people-watching patio– is listed as one of the 100 best breweries in the world by Rate Beer. Sip and savour on IPAs, stouts, single hop series, Belgian saisons, and a variety of ales. There’s a good selection of charcuterie to nibble alongside your pints. The brewery is dealing with its line-ups with a next door bottle shop (you’ll also want to save those beautiful labels for your home collection) and are opening a new location at Dupont and Dovercourt. Currently, you can quench your thirst by participating in a spring guided tasting.

2. Bar Volo. Bar Volo is the craft beer bar that was ahead of the trend and now 25 years old. It’s a great central location if you are living in our downtown toronto apartments or North Toronto. The dim-lit, intimate, wooden space gets crowded early. It’s a casual process: look at the list on the walls for over 30 rotating regional beers on tap, casks, more than 75 international types of bottles, and a hectolitre nano brewery. You then find your own table, and order/pay at the bar. Though known for beer, there are two VQA wines served on tap, and over 60 bottles of bourbon and rye for non-hopheads. In the summer, there are DJ nights and during those times, cans of Howe Sound Lager is available for $5 (as previously stated on their site, last year).

3. Bar Hop. Located a short walk away from our 300 Front, Icon, and Element locations, Bar Hop is the ideal unpretentious after-work spot on King West. The bar has over 36 rotating taps plus tap takeovers, gluten-free beers and ciders, and two casks. Special deals like Sunday Sessions ($5 for select craft beers); Mussel Mondays (2 pounds of mussels and fries for $9.95); and Buck-a-Shuck Tuesdays ($1 Oysters) make this a bustling place. Fret-not, a second location is in the works around Richmond and Peter.

4. Indie Ale House. If there is one reason to head over to the Junction, it’s for its noteworthy brewery. There’s a variety of beers here, including their speciality of bold ales. Peruse their menu for collaborations and their original brews with fun flavours and names like the Broken Hipster, Zombie Apocalypse, and the Breakfast Porter. Add a flavourful, varied menu of healthy options and bar staples with a twist; tours, and tastings, and you’ll never want to leave (unless you go here first and then dance the night away at 3030 down the street).

5. Amsterdam Brewery. Though it now feels like a tourist attraction due to its Harbourfront location, Amsterdam Brewery has been in Toronto since 1986 and come a long way from its first location on John St. Now the brewery is a short walk away from our downtown toronto apartments. Amsterdam Brewery is known for its Boneshaker unfiltered IPA and has other original brews like the Sweetwater Squeeze Radler, the 416, and the all natural Blonde. Sip lakeside on a muskoka chair with an unparalleled view of Lake Ontario and the Toronto Islands. A bonus if you can’t grab a seat on the patio is that you can grab your favourite beer from their bottle shop, which is open 7 days a week until 11pm.

Honorable mentions go to some of Toronto’s newer breweries like the soon-to-open Left Field Brewery (which is hosting tastings and pop-ups to buy select bottles from time to time); East York’s new Muddy York brewery; and the established Granite Brewery at Eglinton and Mount Pleasant.

What is your favourite bar for craft beer in Toronto?

Business Travel, Community Events, Downtown Toronto, Entertainment

Upcoming Events in Toronto for Corporate Travelers

April 2, 2015

Lately, Toronto has lived up to its reputation as fourth best liveable city in the world and in 2015, Toronto has been at its most inviting. Construction is still inevitable as the demand for Toronto living is at its peak. We’ve got some of the most central and best locations across the Greater Toronto Area for your needs with furnished suites for a short-term or long-term rental. If you’re staying with us, please check out these upcoming events in Toronto.

1. Blue Jays Home Opener
The Jays take on the Tampa Bay Rays for their first game of the season. There’s nothing like the open roof of the dome and watching our home team win to bond with your clients and colleagues. (April 13)

2. Hot Docs
Discuss your favourite documentaries this year at Toronto’s other film festival, including some interesting selections, including the much-buzzed film, Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck; and the ode to Canadiana, Being Canadian.(April 23-May 3, 2015)

3. Titanic The Musical and Mamma Mia! The Musical
If you’ve missed the movie that was made 18 years ago (or you have already seen the musical Once, then now is your chance to bond with your clients over its return to the stage and possibly break out into a rendition of Celine Dion’s “My Heart WIll Go On.” Or if you just want to sing along to a whole show, we recommend the popular show, Mamma Mia! who is making its return to the Princess of Wales Theatre for 5 days only. ( Mamma Mia!: May 5-10, 2015; Titanic: May 19-June 21, 2015)

4. Canadian Music Week
This upcoming events in Toronto celebrate Canadian Music which is now in its 32nd year and consists of a comedy festival, film festival, and its infamous music festival, Canadian Music Fest. If your clients are musical, this is a great way to see the city with over 1,000 artists at over 60 venues in a span of five nights. (May 1-10,2015)

5. Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival
Not only is this festival located all over the city–in cafes, art galleries, and shops– it is also free! The best parties are always during the first weekend this monthly event occurs. (May 1-31, 2015)

6. Doors Open
Learn the secrets and history of some of Toronto’s most exclusive buildings. If your clients love architecture and photography, this is an ideal way to learn more about the city and your clients or colleagues as well. (May 23-24, 2015)

What are your favourite events in the Spring and early Summer in Toronto? Luckily, many of these events are close by your furnished rental in downtown Toronto. Enjoy the city!

Community Events, Downtown Toronto, Entertainment

Film Events in Toronto

March 31, 2015

With the advent of video streaming services like Netflix and now Shomi and Crave, you may think that the era of going out to see a movie is dying (we don’t blame you for wanting to stay in your furnished apartment after a long week). That said, Torontonians are fierce fans of movies and are keeping the film industry alive with these events, services and stores, year-round, long after TIFF is over. If you are in town for TIFF or related film events in Toronto or you are filming here with your production studio, DelSuites can assist you with your accommodation needs.

1. TIFF Bell LightBox
Now headquarters for all things for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Bell Lightbox is also home to daily screenings, film exhibitions, a gift shop, and two great restaurants, Luma and Canteen. It is a must-see on the Toronto tour, especially if you’re a fan of film. Luckily, it’s just around the corner from our suites at 300 Front, The Element, and The Icon. This year, Andy Warhol’s exhibition, Stars of the Silver Screen debuts on October 30, 2015. Save the date! Film Events in Toronto

2. Hot Docs
From April 23 to May 3, 2015 enjoy Toronto’s other film festival, this time of international documentaries, which you usually won’t see anywhere else, invoking in-depth conversation. Doc Soup is Hot Docs’ monthly screening series from October through April at the Bloor Cinema. Guest directors are available at selected screenings to introduce their work and answer questions from the audience. Early bird packages and passes are now available on sale online.

3. Repertory Cinemas.
Rep cinemas bring back the by-gone era of going out to the movie theatre. The difference at a rep cinema is that you can see older films, usually a one-off or as part of a theme. The Bloor Cinema is festival headquarters for Hot Docs but others we know and love are The Royal on College Street and The Fox in the Beaches (worth the trek to the end of the streetcar line on Queen Street East).

4. The National Film Board.
Located in the heart of downtown across from the Scotiabank movie theatre at Queen and John, is the National Film Board (affectionately known as the NFB). The NFB is Canada’s National film producer and distributor. This is your place to watch free films and documentaries, and animations, available in both English and French. Here’s a guide of films for your first visit.

5. Quirky Video Stores.
Yes, video stores still exist and some of them offer some unique services. We love the Film Buff for its selection of under-represented independent, foreign, documentary and classic films in addition to its tasty ice cream (Roncesvalles location only) and Queen Video for its art film selections. Super-8 Filmmaker John Porter continues to add to his useful creation of a handmade map and directory for visiting filmmakers and artists in the city, including those video stores. This is a great link for those wanting a more comprehensive directory for their film needs.

Do you know any hidden gems on where to see a movie or get your film fix in Toronto? What are your favourite movies?

Downtown Toronto, Food & Recipes

Top Food Trucks in Toronto

March 24, 2015

There is such a demand for food trucks in Toronto but unfortunately, you don’t see many of them around due to the city of Toronto’s strict laws. In April, 2014 city council launched the sale of 125 street permits for $5,000 apiece. Yet the allowance came with more rules: trucks can be parked for only three hours, they cannot be within 50 metres of a restaurant and only two are allowed per block.

Food trucks are trying to get around these rules and many cater, as a result. In the summer of 2014, food truck business owners came together to test launch a Food Truck Alley at Queen and Jarvis to bypass these fees, as per a report in the Toronto Star. But regular pitstops or a section of the city for food trucks in Toronto are still an uphill battle. Our favourite top food trucks in Toronto are listed here and many of them have been pioneers in the industry.

Most of these businesses have a truck as a compliment to their catering companies or restaurants. Many of our picks have also stood the test of time. Let’s hope we’ll see them back on our streets more regularly. All trucks are active on social media and it’s best to check updates there, as noted. That said, other cities like Hamilton and Niagara don’t have these restrictions and have thriving food truck businesses. Check out the Ontario Street Food website for more information.

1. The Food Dudes. You’re likely to hear the blaring hits you’d hear at a wedding, thanks to this successful catering company that is now also an empire complete with a truck and other restaurants (Formerly Bloke & Forth, Rasa, and the soon-to-open, Junk). The menu is a cornucopia of favourites including Mac N Cheese, Captain Crunch Fish Tacos, and those delectable and gooey nutella bombs. Worth the wait.
2. Stoke Stack Barbeque. One of Toronto’s top food truck newcomers in 2014, the truck serves up Texas BBQ beside Zero Gravity Circus on Gerrard Street East and Greenwood Ave. in between its catering gigs. Aside from the BBQ, look out for the loaded poutine, veggie tacos, and Schwartz’s-inspired deli sandwiches. Up-to-date listings can be found on their twitter page. They are also available for weddings and events.
3. Caplansky’s. Thunderin Thelma, Caplansky’s Deli Food Truck, serves up on wheels what Caplansky is known for: deli classics. Based on its twitter feed, the truck roams all over the GTA to dish up its famous smoked meat sandwich, BBQ brisket sandwich, and pulled pork tacos. If you’re hungry at lunch, this one is a must.
4. Buster’s Sea Cove. If you can’t make it down to one of Buster Sea Cove’s three locations (in the St. Lawrence Market, across the street from the market at Market Street Catch, and its newest shop on Bremner Ave), its food truck is on the road at various events. Though its a pared down menu of Ensenada-style fish tacos, shrimp tacos, and lobster rolls, the offerings are some of the best on the market. Check up-to-date listings on their twitter handle and for information to book the truck for your next event.
5. El Gastrónomo Vagabundo. El Gastro, as it is affectionately called, is one of the most popular food trucks in Ontario. Though it’s not based in Toronto but in Niagara-on-the-Lake a(one of our favourite weekend escapes), the truck makes visits in the city for major food events and festivals. In Niagara, they are set up in the beer shed at the popular Niagara Oast House Brewers for the cooler months. The truck is known for its gourmet offerings including gourmet tacos, tapas, southeast Asian dishes, and garden fresh salads. El Gastro is very active on social media and will keep you updated on new events and dishes on their twitter and facebook pages.

The food truck industry in Toronto is in constant evolution. Though these are our top picks right now, we cannot guarantee that they will be around forever. In most cases, food trucks also operate seasonally. So get to your favourite craving, whether it’s on the streets of TO or at a summer event, as soon as you can! We suggest keeping up to date on which food trucks are on the streets on the official foodtrucks website.

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