9 Reasons to Love Toronto

Whenever I meet non-Torontonians, there seems to be a general response of disbelief that a single woman who was raised in a small town has no qualms about living and working in the heart of Canada’s largest city. What they don’t realize, is that by taking the same routes daily, you create your own little community. I have my favorite places where people say hi and comment on the weather just as they would in a small town. I’m trying to explore more (something that will most likely come with spring weather), but I’m quite content with my downtown-meets-Greektown life. Here are a few reasons why:

• Bus stop friends. Yes, I have them. Nancy and Nick. They’re both from out East. Nancy lives alone and feeds the squirrels every morning. Nick is a family man who’s taking his kids out of school tomorrow to go skiing. Oh, and he’s taking his wife to Paris for her 40^th birthday. The bus stop is where it’s at, I tell you.
• The convenience store guy. There’s a little convenience store in the building next to my work. He’s the friendliest man ever, and because I’m there way too often, he notices when I change my brand of soft drink or if I style my hair differently (without being creepy about it). And every time I say, “Have a nice day,” he has to one-up me with, “Have a very nice day.”
• Rainbow Cinemas. Tuesdays are $4.24. Enough said.
• The Metro. I love the free little newspaper I pick up every morning. On my way to work, I skim all the headlines I’m interested in. On the way home, I do the crossword and Sudoku. And then I recycle.
• Libraries. So much to absorb. So little pain to my wallet.
• The TTC. I know a lot of people complain about it, and yes, it can be crowded and inconsistent and dirty. I enjoy the fact that I can sit on the subway and not think of a thing at 7:15 in the morning. In fact, there are mornings I wish I didn’t have to get off, so I could just sit in my little daze for a little while longer.
• TTC drivers. I conducted a social experiment. The conclusion? If you thank the driver, there’s an increased chance that the person behind you will do the same. One driver on my daily route commented that he saw me walking with my groceries the other day and thought it was great that I opted for some exercise.
• You never have to eat at the same place twice. Unless you want to. Or you’re lazy. Or poor. Or on foot. And cold. And wet.
• CityTV. Man, you have to love a city that shuts down a major downtown street for a Mary-Kate and Ashley interview.