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The Bartender in Toronto
I'm pretty
sure these people are not with the Canadian Mounted Police.
I'm under the influence of Toronto.
From its formidable nightlife to its European feel to its wonderfully
friendly people to its seemingly endless seaside running trail, Toronto
fills my fantasies with such hospitable flair it's hard not to be captivated
I loved this place right from the start. In the city on business some
years back, I found myself in what at the time was the happening after-work
spot. Within half an hour, virtually the entire bar had introduced themselves
to me, then carted me off around the corner to the follow-up establishment,
then eventually into the late-night bar. In just one night, I was completely
in Toronto's grasp.
The next day, I spent two hours roaming through the ROM (Royal Ontario
Museum) traveling through the history of mankind. Outside of some European
cities, where can one combine such culture with such outrageous nightlife?
Having a blast with
locals at one of Toronto's great bars.
In subsequent visits, Toronto has continued to impress. One can feel
the energy of the place simply by walking down the streets. No other
city I've visited besides New York has the same feeling.
In the clubs, this town simply rocks. There is little thought given
to holding back. Instead, it's just good, pure fun. The John/Adelaide
street area downtown is The Bartender's domain. Al Fresco's, Montana's
and the Crocodile Rock are the cornerstones of my existence in T.O.
A few blocks in any direction are dozens of more options, all with
the same tantalizing activity. There are so many bars in this town that
I stumbled upon three new ones on the way back to my hotel one night,
and I only walked about four blocks.
One summer, a friend took me up on an offer to join me in T.O. and
I'm not sure he's recovered yet. Within a few hours of his arrival he
was learning firsthand about the good Canadian hospitality on the back
stairwell of the first place we visited. He's already made plans for
a return visit, with or without me.
Then there's the Crazy Canuncks with whom I've associated during my
past few visits. Their intensity is impressive and, so it seems, constant.
Wednesday at the 'Rock, Thursday at Fresco's, all over the place on
the weekend, starting in the afternoon at a place called the Lion at
the Beach. Thank goodness for Mondays and Tuesdays unless, of course,
I'm there during some holiday like Canada Day which spills over into
the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
The biggest culprit is Andrew, the prototype of the Crazy Canuck His
appetite for fun is as voracious as is mine for good copy. Andrew never
met a bar he didn't like and in Toronto, he's got plentyof "friends."
Yes, T.O. is a town tailor-made for The Bartender. Heck, I would even
live there if I could stand the winters.
Andrew (left) is
a a true "Crazy Canuck"
 Next
stop on the Party Bus: PubClubbing
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