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| Guide To Toronto
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Toronto offers some amazing shopping experiences to the tourists. With over twenty huge shopping malls and more than ten smaller shopping districts within the perimeter of the downtown area that comprises the Chinatown , Kensington, Little India, Greek Town , and other areas of ethnic concentration, this city will leave you bewildered when confronted with the question – where to start from. Besides the top-notch names in the Canadian and international fashion world dominating the malls and upscale shopping districts, virtually every street of this city is dotted with innumerable local crafts, artifacts, fashion and convenience stores. In case you want to explore the world of Canadian fashion, you should begin your journey from the Bay. It is located at the Yonge in close proximity of the Eaton Center . This complex, only 0.1 miles away from Marriott Bloor Yorkville , displays the creations of some of the best Canadian designers. The garments and furnishings are not priced very exorbitantly here. There is a large toy department as well to please the kids at the Bloor street store. You can also buy some world-class cosmetics and fragrances, savor exotic food in the Food Hall, and praise the Canadian art in the Thomson Gallery that is located at a distance of two miles from Crowne Plaza Toronto Center Hotel .
Toronto 's 1,200 shops including classy boutiques and over 6.5 miles of underground pedestrian shopping destinations offer unlimited options for shopping to its locals as well as tourists. One of the finest among the various subterranean shopping destinations of this city is the First Canadian Place that stands at King and Bay Streets corner and houses more than 120 stores. A ‘path' signboard shows the way to the street entrances. Toronto 's most fashionable and international level shopping district, the Bloor/Yorkville is located at Avenue Road and Bloor St. , W., about 1.7 km away from Cambridge Suites Hotel . The whole area exudes sophistication with restored and renovated Victorian style mansions and flower-bedecked courtyards. It is home to several designer labels like Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel and many upscale art galleries. You can also shop for some elegant dresses at Lundstrom Retail that is stocked with the creations of award-winning fashion designer, Linda Lundstrom. Over 700 stores, dining places, art galleries and museums are spread over the 27 blocks that constitute the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area.
Situated in the downtown area in Yonge, between Queen and Dundas Streets, at a distance of one kilometer from Novotel Toronto Centre Hotel is the Eaton Center . This shopping mall, topped with a glass ceiling that bathes the whole complex in natural light during the day, accommodates over 280 shops and dining places. This third largest shopping complex in Canada is an architectural marvel in itself that has inspired the designing of many malls all over the country. It became operational after completion in 1979 and then again in 1999, its exterior was renovated. It is not only a shopping mall, it is one of the most visited attractions of Toronto . Approximately one million shoppers and tourists visit this mall (that remains open on almost all holidays) every week. Exploring through the stores, dining places, movie theatre and other services offered here, don't be surprised if you come across a police station as well within the premises of this mall. After all the hectic shopping, you can relax at Center Court 's fabulous fountain or just admire the sculpture of Canada geese (adequately named the Flight Stop) made by the famous Canadian artist, Michael Snow. If you still have some time in hand before retiring to your hotel room, you can also catch a show at either Canon (earlier known as the Pantages), the Elgin or the Winter Garden theatres that are situated in the mall's neighborhood. As you step outside the mall, have a look at the merchandise sold by the street vendors near the Yonge and Dundas corner and enjoy the music played by the buskers and bands. And, when you are in this area, don't miss one of the largest bookstores in the whole world that has an incredible stock of over 150,000 titles arranged neatly in bookshelves that run into 17 miles. Awesome, isn't it! If all these adventures leave you hungry, just gorge on various kinds of ethnic food sold on the Yonge Street and replenish your energy.
Another area popular with the tourists and local shoppers alike is the Queen Street West that lies sandwiched between Yonge St. and Bathurst Ave. This place is famous for the latest and the trendiest fashion shops, fabulous art galleries, exquisite antique shops and some of the finest dining places and cafes. The Kensington Market, situated at a distance of one mile from Renaissance Toronto Hotel at SkyDome , is a lively ethnic market place where you can hunt for any food item unique to any country in the world, such as Europe , the Caribbean , the Middle East , South America and Asia . This marketplace is one of a kind in Toronto and the locals belonging to different ethnic communities come here to shop for their grocery. There are all varieties of pastries and meats, vegetables. You might not have heard about or seen some of the items sold in this market. What's more, the food doesn't cost a lot and all the items are garden fresh. Along with shopping in the stores brimming with food items like nuts, lentils, mangoes or fish, you can also lay your hands on some precious and chic pieces of vintage and second hand garments in the adjoining clothing shops. This bazaar is a unique melting pot of culture as well as cuisine where you can put your bargaining skills to good use. The locals belonging to prominent Jewish, Portuguese, Asian, Caribbean and Italian communities occupy most of the shops of this market. The Spadina Ave. located in the middle of Dundas and Front St. is one of Toronto 's prominent garment markets, where you can shop for textiles, leathers, fashions and furs.
If you are an ardent antique collector, you should not miss the Harbourfront Antique Market at any cost. It is situated at 390 Queen's Quay West, just a stone's throw distance of 0.3 km from Radisson Plaza Hotel Admiral . There are over 100 vendors selling exquisite antique items. When in this area, you can also visit the four-storied Showcase Antique Mall located at 610 Queen St. W. This place exhibits the antique items of around three hundred dealers. Over one hundred antique dealers from the antique bazaars all over the world pick up all the items displayed in this mall from antique jewelry to period furniture pieces to showpieces. They also detail the history of every item along with an elaborate description of its craftsmanship, the country to which it belongs and its use. About one hundred additional dealers exhibit their artifacts from May through October, so the market extends to the sidewalks to accommodate them. The unique and valuable treasures of this market include the Shelley, Coalport, 1930s Fiesta Ware and Majolica china. They can also arrange to get a particular item fancied by you if you provide them all the details about it. All the visiting celebrities make it a point to visit this market in search of antiques.
For shopping purposes, Honest Ed's at 581 Bloor St. W. , situated at a distance of 1.9 km from Alexandra Apt Hotel has become a legend in Canada . Almost all the locals have explored the floors of this shopping complex at least once and this is a ‘must see' for all the tourists during their stay in Toronto . Illuminated beautifully as the sunsets, it is more like a tourist attraction of Toronto rather than a shopping complex. It has been offering bargain basement merchandise for 52 years in Toronto . This four-storied shopping complex is spread over an incredibly wide area of 160,000 square feet, where you can buy anything from everyday household groceries to hardware. The grocery section of this complex is comparatively bigger than any local grocery shop, although the items are not very different from those found in your friendly neighborhood store. The floors of this shopping complex are overflowing with all kinds of bric-a-brac and kitsch besides some trendy brand names in house wares, toiletries and garments. While shopping here for clothing, you might rub your shoulders with reckonable names in the fashion and entertainment industries. The locals consider it a good place to get some real good bargains in clothing and food. As far as other things are concerned, some of them might burn a hole in your pocket. For instance, I found that the attractive bust of Elvis and the cute Dalmatian that stands three feet tall cost $29.99, while the elegant porcelain woman riding a horse lamp is worth $499.99. Another item that caught my fancy was the Italian ceramic fountain lamp priced at an exorbitant $999.99 that depicted a couple being rowed in a gondola.
But, don't be deterred by the pricey items, your dollar will fetch you much more than what you can get with it in America . Have a nice time shopping in Toronto !
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