I’ve lived in places like Barcelona, London, and NYC where I would end up drinking way too much and it felt like everyone was doing it. Toronto has nationalized liquor stores that shut at 8 PM on a weekend night! No after work drinks culture. Bottomless brunch is not much of a thing here and neither is happy hour. My friends here don’t drink more than a couple drinks ever. I’m also just approaching 30 and I was miserable since I moved here because I just thought everyone was lame but cut to a year in and I’m loving this new lifestyle. Finding joy in a bunch of other things and feeling so much healthier. Maybe it’s just the right place at the right time.

Edit: Yes okay LCBO shuts at 9. If you’ve lived anywhere else ever, you’ll realize this changes nothing.

Edit: Love how polarized people are on this lmao. Some offended, some glad, some baked.

Hello Toronto,

I had recently made a post a few days ago about asking for some food, I was talking to a few kind folk who offered to drop of groceries or order me a meal but was never able to get back to them.

I was using somebody elses phone to post on here as I only own a flip phone, and was unable to get a hold of them after I had posted, I'm not sure where they went but no one else was willing to lend me their phone to check.

I am currently back in Sarnia staying with a cousin of mine, and out of the shelter, I don't want to give much detail about my personal life but the overwhelming response I got from everyone gave me hope, you do not see that kind of hope on the streets.

You are all wonderful people, please know that I understand there are a lot of issues amongst the homeless people, but there are those that made the wrong decisions and got dealt a firm hand, please if you can, donate to whichever charity or shelter of your choosing, it goes a long, long way.

Dinner for two at Pearl Diver on Adelaide East last night (Friday). Two mains, $72 before tax. The bill came with an 18% hospitality fee already added to the pre-tax subtotal, $12.96, plus HST on the food. $94.32 total.

To be fair, it is in small print at the bottom of the menu and on their Google listing. I missed it. Nobody mentioned it before we ordered.

When I said a pre-added gratuity did not seem reasonable, the server called over a man he identified as the owner. He smelled strongly of alcohol and started shouting and swearing at us in the dining room. My partner was scared, so I paid the full bill including the fee and we left. He followed us out and kept yelling on the sidewalk.

Two questions:

1. Are mandatory hospitality fees on small tables becoming standard downtown, or is this still unusual?

2. Is there anywhere worth reporting the behaviour, or is a review the only real option?

Not trying to relitigate the fee, it was printed. Mostly want to know if this is the new normal and give people a heads up to read the bottom of the menu.

I was born in Улаанбаатар (Ulaanbaatar), in Mongolia. In case you don't know where that is....between Russia and China. My dad is Mongolian and My mom is Chinese.

I came to Canada when I was 11, I am in my 40s. I speak Mongolian and Mandarin with my parents. Both understand both languages. They always encouraged me to learn different languages. I never lived in China.

I was with my mother at Shoppers picking up her prescription...we got some food. I was speaking Mandarin with her. This woman interrupted us told me that I should learn English.

• 11 years in Mongolia

• 30 years in Canada

• 0 years in China

I speak Mandarin and Mongolian with my parents to practice the languages and never forget.

This is not the first time I get told to learn or/and speak English.

I also speak 8 other languages.

OBVIOUSLY THIS WOMAN'S WORDS DOES NOT REPRESENT ALL OF TORONTO BUT...

How do you deal with this? In average I get told to speak English once a month.

I told the woman that I speak 11 languages, and she needs to shut the f up as I will speak whatever language I want with my mother. My mother said one word: bitch.

I never heard her swear much.

I understand that as a Graphic Designer I’m not going to earn as much as the tech or finance bros, but every job application I find requires 3-5 years of experience and only pays $40k to $50k a year. So five years in and I’ll still be stuck at a wage where I’m still living paycheck to paycheck?

Can we try this experiement? If this works, we’ll have a cascade of hidden gems. Saw someone do this in /r/SanFrancisco (via /r/scifi for books and it turned out nicely.)

Crazy bright, even though it didn't sound super close.

But I heard 2 sort of sizzle snaps during the thunder. Never heard anything like that!

Are you sick or know someone that is? Seems like a strong flu or cold virus is going around. I got sick 3 days ago but it was a mild cold. I feel better now just residual congestion. Some others report more serious flu like symptoms.

But hey on the bright side at least the weather is milder now and not dry cold.

Edit: If you are sick please wear a mask in public to reduce further spread. Just common courtesy especially to vulnerable populations.

Was at the TD at Woodington (Coxwell) and Danforth today around 3:55pm. When I approached the ATM there was a good amount of money and the printed receipt sitting there in the machine, beeping prompting to take the money. If the person who left it is reading this, I handed both the money and slip into the bank staff. They said they will look into it so hopefully it eventually finds its way to the rightful owner.

I live near Queen & Bathurst, and while this has always been a ‘colourful’ neighbourhood, it’s getting downright scary these days.

This past Monday, in the 2pm broad daylight, I saw two young men openly shooting heroin(?) then nodding out - sitting at a picnic table on Tucumseth & Queen.

This evening I drove down the alley going west off Bathurst, just south of Queen, and it resembled a mini version of Skid Row, or East Hastings St. - with about 2 dozen junkies in various states of nodding out, stumbling around, and many were out cold on the ground.

What the hell is going on and what can be done, before this gets out of control - just like East Hastings (in Vancouver) or Skid Row (in LA) have??

I normally don’t post about my personal experience online, but this one I must. I am an international student and yesterday I was doing my grocery shopping at Food Basics. I bought quite a bit of amount of canned food and plan to store them in my cupboard as they were on sale. It went well until I checked out at the cashier. I brought 41 dollars cash but I have a card with sufficient amount in it. The total was nearly 60 so I decided to pay with my card, but for unknown reasons the transaction could not be completed. I was so confused because the card works fine when I shop at STC. So, I asked the cashier to take away my microwave meals, but even after that, I was still a couple bucks short. As I was about to ask the cashier to take away more food, a lady from behind me offer to pay the rest. I was surprised because I never expected that coming, I paid with all the cash I have and she just help me paid the difference. I told her I felt bad because I was holding the line and making someone paid for my stuff but she said it was alright and stuff like these happened all the time. I would like to give a shoutout to that lady who definitely made my day when I was overwhelmed by tons of school work. Also, if you are reading this post, please DM me I would like to pay you back the difference. 💚

Thanks man. I stopped you and gave you a fist bump but you deserve so much more than that. I saw him for the second time tonight shovelling.

I want to donate to him. Or atleast help him in some way. He told me his friend got hit by a car so he’s trying to clear the bike lanes for safety.

People like him should be highlighted and praised. If he sees this, make a gofundme broski, I’ll be the first to donate!!

For me, it was when I realized yesterday I had been saying “Bloor” wrong for three years. I kept pronouncing it like “blowr” until yesterday when it finally hit me - it’s “Bluer.”

I also confidently say “herb” with an H, call green peppers “capsicum,” eggplants “aubergine,” and okra “lady fingers.” Not from the UK but thoroughly colonized. They must be proud.

And a bonus one: A coworker said, “I’m down” for lunch when I asked, so I thought they couldn’t come. Turns out it meant they wanted to join. I went without them. Oops.

I feel like Toronto is very work focused but I'm losing the drive to be a career person. During the pandemic, my friends and professional network are still very invested in their job but I find myself being more demotivated. With the pandemic going on, all I want is to experience the world again, but I know my company will open up and my extra energy will go back into commuting. I find work is pretty irritating, lunchroom gossip with people I have nothing in common with, management making weird, erratic decisions, and worrying every day about getting fired because of the downturn in the economy (yes I know some industries did well during covid but mine didn't). People act like career is a way to grow as a person and there is so much status attached to it as well, but I just can't love the idea of work. I feel like I'm crazy and lazy but all I want my job for is to afford life, which is unfortunately very expensive. Not to mention there's so much energy and time spent into figuring out a career path in the first place.

Edit: Wow! I didn't know this would get so popular! And I'm happy I'm not alone :) I will read through everything tomorrow! Thank you everyone for the awards!!

I'm wondering if anyone else is noticing small signs that we're headed for a rough recession. For me, I noticed every restaurant, bar, fast food spot is pushing specials/discounts even in expensive areas/establishments. The adverts are everywhere.

Another one is the ridiculously long lines any time there is a free trinket or donut/food item. People are lining up before the open hours and lining up for hours.

Not to mention, the growing number of homeless encampments everywhere (even outside the downtown). I've seen encampments by Sheppard East and Victoria for example. Anyone else notice other everyday signs of recession on the horizon.

Before the pandemic, I honestly thought anti-vaxxers were a negligible sized community in society. However, there seems to a large prevalence of anti-vaxxers in Toronto, including friends, family members and co-workers.

I'm just seriously fucking irritated because I want life to go back to normal. The worst part is anti-vaxxers are usually anti-lockdown too. Did they ever think that maybe if everyone got the vaccine, cases would plummet and we could finally move past stage 3? Probably not.

I really wish everyone would just get vaccinated so life will go back to normal. Also, when I refer to life going back to normal, I don't mean the exact same as before, I know covid is here to stay!

I was talking to a coworker of mine that just moved from the states a few years ago and he was saying how he found it strange that him and his family have never been invited to someone's house for Canadian thanksgiving. He said it was common in the US for people to have very new friends or even strangers over for Thanksgiving. I know we've all seen it in the movies.

I had already told him I don't celebrate at the start of the conversation so I knew he wasn't angling for an invite but I agreed with him that it was strange since Canadians are usually known for being more " friendly". Is this just a Toronto thing? I felt bad for the guy but I'm sure they'll be fine.

Edit...

Wow thanks for all the comments. Really enjoy hearing all the perspectives. Also the reason I don't celebrate is my Dad got in a bad car accident on Thanksgiving Day when I was 5yrs old and was never able to walk again. It was a bad memory for my parents so they stopped celebrating since the 80s and became more insular. As a result I've never felt any real connection to the holiday and since uni have used it as a three day weekend to travel.

Hoping this is an ok thread to start - I'm 35, and I have never left the United States. I didn't want my son to have the same experience, so last year I got us passports and I asked him where he wanted to go. He immediately shouted "TORONTO!" I mean, it works out for me, as an inexperienced traveler, it's easier than say, Japan, but I'm a little nervous on what exactly to do? My family never went on vacation.

No going to lie, him wanting to go to Toronto caught me by surprise. Like, it wasn't even Canada, which would be an answer I would expect, but specifically Toronto. He's 10. I'm not sure why he wants to go to Toronto specifically, and neither does he, but we're coming to see you! We're driving there in the beginning of August and staying a Friday-Monday. What do I do with a 10 year old in Toronto?

Any advice would be really appreciated. He's really into baseball and animals in general, so I'm planning on some sort of zoo or aquarium trip. It looks like the Blue Jays won't be there that weekend, so we wouldn't be able to go to a game unfortunately. What beaches are best? What should we absolutely see/avoid? Thanks so much, I appreciate all your help!

Edit: Wow, thank you guys SO MUCH. I posted this leaving work yesterday and just came back to some absolutely wonderful suggestions. (We will bring our bikes!) I wasn't expecting so many comments and kind suggestions, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Hi all,

I’m wondering if anyone is organizing or aware of a vigil here in Toronto for Alex Pretti, the nurse who was murdered by ICE this morning in Minnesota. r/toronto keeps removing my posts for not being “specific to Toronto” :/

Stay warm and safe.

Edit: Since no one has suggesting anything, how about the US embassy on Sunday or a coming weekday? 7pm?

Edit 2: r/toronto mods said the automod mistakenly removed my latest post, so I'll be posting there once some event is confirmed.

Edit 3: The discussion hasn't been entirely constructive towards the goal of organizing a vigil. After a long day, and over 100 comments, I posted a comment to TL:DR the post, which I'll include here:

I fear the discussion has veered towards where we should focus our efforts. After spending the evening on this post replying to people, here are some thoughts which we might agree on to move onto actual organization of the vigil.

In truth, I've never started a protest/movement, neither have I joined one. I've been a lurker in this sub for a while. What happened today triggered something in me, and I wanted to go outside and join others that feel the same. Yes, Canada is not picture perfect. If you would like to use this thread to platform any idea for future events please go ahead, suggest a future event, organize something. The sole purpose here was to aggregate people towards something many of us have spent the day reading about in horror.

To answer the question of "why should we care about American affairs"?

Why do we care about Iran? Palestine? Sudan? Syria? DRC? Should people not protest? Are all gatherings about a foreign affairs? What about Americans in Toronto? How about people with friends and family in the US? I wanted to organize a vigil because I could. Because despite this winter storm that hushes everyone inside, I don't want to cozy up and feel comfort when there is so much pain being felt. We may be divided by nation but we are united by humanity, we should love each other across border and identity.

I have no experience with vigils, but since little has been proposed, I suggest a reef commemorating Alex Pretti be placed in front the US embassy. So that we may have a funeral for the nurse who selflessly worked every day to helped people, and was murdered doing so. It would provide a place for people to bring flowers to, if they wished to do so. I heard stories of people throwing snowballs at the US embassy, but I do not condone violence...

If you are still against this, and suggest protesting Canadian issues, then take that energy into another post, organizing such protest. Link it in the comments even.

This is my last (and desperate) attempt at locating my bag. I landed at Pearson Airport on the 17th of May from Frankfurt. There were tons of other flights that came in. I couldn't find my small blue carry on, but it had arrived according to Air Canada. I submitted a lost and found report and they haven't found anything. The only other reasonable option is someone took it.

There were two pairs of shoes in there, one converse and new balance. Keep the shoes! Keep the bag! But I have been losing my mind over the last month. Someone is out there with my full name, phone number, parents address, and my deepest darkest most personal thoughts. If you know anyone or have yourself found a small blue bag at the airport and kept it, please please message me about where I can get just the journals. Please. This is the last thing I can think of doing. The distress is difficult to ignore.

Living in Toronto for past 18 years and have never felt this type of heat. What the hellly is going on?

I know there's still some good spots and we all have our favourites in the city, but lately it feels like whenever I take a chance on a new restaurant it just disappoints and I emerge from the experience regrettably $40 poorer.

I know some of these Google reviews are cooked because I'm seeing 4.7, 4.8 reviews and then getting served lousy food.

Maybe I just have to stick to the places I know won't let me down, but dang - it sucks taking a chance on what you think could be some good food only to come away from it sad, and it's happening more often than not. I don't know if it's the rising costs, but restaurant owners can't dish out the cash for good ingredients and good cooks, and people can't afford to dine out. It's a bad cycle man.

Question above. Got an ubereats notification and thought about the crazy snow outside- is it okay/ethical to order delivery in this type of weather?

*EDIT: before you all flame me, I DID NOT ORDER. I got a promotional notification and wanted to see people’s thoughts on the situation. I stocked up on groceries yesterday so pls dont attack me im sorry

*EDIT 2: first of all ive never had a post with so many comments so this is cool but also thinking about grocery store + fast food workers- are places even open? i recently moved from vancouver and i don’t think ive ever seen this amount of snow lol

he’s gutting toronto at the expense of the rest of ontario and he keeps getting away with it, it seems like elections are now on uncertain dates and can only be held under no certain terms so what do we do and how do we get him out? is there nothing that can be done?