This week Toronto's downtown around the Entertainment District and surrounding the Convention Centre is looking like a two ton gorilla with braces. Everyone who can work from home or take vacation days this week will do just that. Many businesses near and around the area will close for a few days including the Rogers Centre (the Blue Jays will play their home games away from home in Philadelphia) and the Mirvish organization's theatres will be dark. All in all not the weekend to enjoy Toronto's usually bustling downtown. I will definitely be nowhere near the core as we get close to the weekend and during the weekends itself. If you live in Toronto or were planning to visit Toronto during the Summits, may I suggest the best alternative: Montreal (of course, there's always New York as well, but NYC may be pricey and there's always the hassle of crossing borders or airport security). Montreal is awesome. The Festival International de Jazz de Montreal starts this coming Friday (check hotel availability before you decide to follow my recommendation).
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If you live in Toronto and have never been to Montreal, what are you waiting for? Montreal is a Canadian city, a North American city, but with one big difference from all other cities in the continent. It has a distinct international feel that is neither European nor North American. It's a hybrid of both. Great ambiance, fantastic restaurants, awesome festivals, quaint neighbourhoods, beautiful parks and even more beautiful people. If you've never seen it, check out Tourisme Montreal's website. Get some insider/local info and secrets from TM's bloggers, especially Tamy and Christophe.
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But just in case you think I only recommend the official tourism board (I just happen to believe that Montreal Tourism is actually doing a great job promoting their destination with a more entrepreneurial and less bureaucratic approach to tourism promotion than many traditional tourism boards) - here are some of my faves in Montreal:
Schwartz's Delicatessen (smoked meat sandwiches)
Old Montreal (not necessarily to eat, but to take a stroll, absorb the ambiance, maybe take a cruise on the St Lawrence
Place des Arts and whatever's going on there
Mont-Royal (one of my favourite places in Canada to go for a jog)
Boulevard Saint Laurent or "La Main" as it's locally known
Also check out this website: Made in Montreal
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Bon voyage,
Jaime
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