Toronto Tourism Visitor Guide 2009 - (Page 12) Neighbourhoods HearT of THe CiTy Bloor West Village & High Park map DD-4; www.bloorwestvillage.ca Little Italy map C-3, 4; www.littleitaly.sites. toronto.com DETAILS La dolce vita thrives year-round in this stylish yet warm neighbourhood, where restaurants and bars serve up well-executed traditional Italian dishes, lattes and espressos complemented by lively banter. Here, the streets are lined with upscale Italian clothing shops, gelaterias and cappuccino houses. Whether daytime or evening, this is the perfect setting for peoplewatching. Nowadays, Little Italy is home to an influx of immigrant families from Asia, Latin America and other Mediterranean countries, but it remains the city’s cultural core for Italians. It is also one of Toronto’s best nightspots. LOCATE College St., from Euclid Ave. to Shaw St. TTC Queen’s Park subway station, then College streetcar westbound; or Bathurst subway station, then Bathurst streetcar southbound. DISCOVER Your inner movie star. Café Diplomatico is a Toronto dining institution, as well as a much-sought-after movie-set location. LOVE The Boot. When the sun sets, street signs illuminate in the shape of Italy. 12 www.SeeTorontoNow.com DETAILS One of the city’s greenest neighbourhoods, Bloor West Village, on the north end of High Park, offers a leisurely adventure in Eastern European pastry, coffee and culture. Delicatessens brim over with sausage, perogie, paska (a traditional Easter bread), borscht and other mouthwatering European goodies. The park terrain is varied — manicured gardens in the western side, an open prairie in the centre, and unkempt forest in the east. In between are sports fields, playgrounds, a swimming pool, a nature school, sculpture and vegetable gardens, a greenhouse, a small zoo and restaurants. LOCATE Bloor St. W., from High Park to Jane St. TTC Subway stations High Park, Runnymede and Jane. DISCOVER Unique gift ideas. Bloor West Village is a popular resource for distinctive gift items and European delicacies. IDEAS According to urban legend, Grenadier Pond is bottomless, that is, its depth cannot be measured due to the amount of mud. LOVE Nature. The park is home to multiple species of birds and marsh wildlife, and fish caught in it are safe to eat. Roncesvalles Village/ Little Poland map DD-5; www.roncesvallesvillage.ca DETAILS A community of Eastern European and Russian immigrants, this area is a mix of residential and small family-owned retail and food shops specializing in sausages, handmade perogies, sauerkraut, cabbage rolls and hearty soups. Photo: Sam Javanrouh http://www.bloorwestvillage.ca http://www.littleitaly.sites.toronto.com http://www.littleitaly.sites.toronto.com http://www.roncesvallesvillage.ca http://www.SeeTorontoNow.com
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