Tangled Green Thoughts

There are times when you live in a city where you just have had enough. I'm at that point. I need a break, I need a vacation.

The other day I was hanging out with my friend Alex, when I told him how much I loved Europe, and he started yelling at me. "Oh, you're one of those! Let me guess, you love the little quaint streets, the cafes, the slow pace......" Then he argued how everyone in Europe was coming here, and that they were coming because there was so much more opportunity here. Hey, so what if I love the little streets, the little cars, dicking around-enjoying life.

Anyway, I argued (or at least gave a very good attempt at it) how wonderful Europe is, and how he should just lighten up. In any case, I might not live in Europe my whole life, but I will live there for a little segment, a section you might say, of my life. I'd be so happy with that.

And THEN I met up with my other friends Sandra and Joey who are just about my most favorite people. They'd recently come back from NYC and Joey was all depressed. What is it about going away that makes you so depressed when you return? They are creative people, and I guess being in the creativity hub of the world I'd say, they were saddened by how Toronto compared. Joey gave this example about how strong the arts are in that city. Each district in NYC gives out this pamphlet talking about what's going on in that particular area in terms of theatres, galleries, shops, restaurants, etc. Then, he asked me about Toronto. "How do you get to the Distillery district in Toronto?" I half-heartedly told him "well, you take the.. Queen St east streetcar..... " Apparently I was wrong. He's just dumb founded over the fact that Toronto as a city doesn't promote itself artistically at all.

But then, there are days when you walk around Toronto, and you're just like "wow, I do love this city. The people are great, the food's great, we get lots of seasons, the music is pretty good, this is home." Recently I went to Toronto Island (a new love of mine I might add), and had so much fun with my friends.. (see photos!)

So what's my point here? I don't really know if I have one. It's just that I agree that Toronto needs some help. It needs some promotion, needs more creative people like Sandra and Joey NOT to leave. NYC is great, Europe is great, but we gotta stay, us Canadians in Toronto so we can make it just as cool as New York, and London, and all those other beautiful cities.

God that sounds stupid and patriotic. Watch. In a few years I'll dash off to Europe or New York. HAH!