I fucking love this city.
Pittsburgh just gives me the warm fuzzies. It feels strangely like home and it makes me happy being here. I was worried a one point that this might not be the case anymore and I’m very relieved that I didn’t turn out that way. It’s such a great and wonderful place, full of personality and wonder and actual nice people. Plus the cutest boys in the world go to Pitt; it must be an entrance requirement.
Today brought breakfast at Barb’s and lunch at Lindo’s, picture-taking in South Side and book purchases in Oakland. I didn’t sleep well last night so I’m being horizontal in my room for a while before heading to Squirrel Hill of dinner and my obligatory visit to the kosher Giant Eagle. I’ll probably drive around a bit more tonight and then hit the bed fairly early so I can get up, have breakfast at Ritter’s and head north to see Sarah in time for a late lunch. And then…Canada.
I envision a longer trip to Da Burgh soon.
And I’m pissed that I missed the giant rubber duck.
Coming to you from Canada, which always adds an extra layer of contentment to my life.
It was really cold this morning, especially after a short sleeves kind of day on Monday. Breakfast in Pittsburgh was followed by a relatively uneventful drive to visit my friend Sarah outside Buffalo. I’ve known Sarah for more than sixteen years now. It’s kind of cool that I’ve been doing this long enough that new friends I mentioned meeting via the site way back when have now become old friends I’ve now known on both ends of the country. It was great seeing Sarah; we had hot dogs at an incredible joint and just sort of hung out, if not for long enough.
Then came Canada. I’m always mildly tense at the border due to my strange immigration status, but there were no big issues other that a friendly warning that my residency obligations will become an issue soon if I’m to retain that status.
I’m staying in Burlington tonight and tomorrow so I can explore Hamllton and some of the other surrounding cities and towns. Upon checking into the hotel, I found myself acting as translator between the desk clerk (who spoke no French) and the couple in front of me (who spoke no English). That was kind of surreal and not really something I expected to be doing. I hope I didn’t misunderstand and that they really did want a double room with prostitute and a large order of fries.
Gonna read my paper and go to bed now.
Breakfast at the Skyway Diner in Burlington proved to be the cheapest and one of the bet of the trip so far. I got out relatively early and was in Toronto before noon. Fortunately, I was able (a) to park right in front of the hotel for check-in and (b) actually to check in three hours early. My room is huge, it has a view of sorts and the place is really nice and well-located. My only complaint is that it has the lowest toilet I’ve ever sat upon, in what is also a very small bathroom given the size of the room in general. Seriously, I keep tripping over the potty en route to the shower.
After checking in, I walked down to a shawarma joint on Yonge Street (OK but nothing special) and the Annex to buy books, see Honest Ed’s for maybe one of the last times, and generally commune with the spirit of Jane Jacobs on Bloor Street.
I walked down the street to Fran’s for dinner a bit later. Had a Monte Cristo sandwich, just because it sounded so old-fashioned–as if it might come with a carrot salad and a pack of cigarettes on the side or something. The waitress was amused.
Not sure if I will venture back out. There’s supposed to be rain and snow tonight.
I really don’t give a damn if you want to smoke pot. It’s your brain and your lungs. But could you please not do it in a nonsmoking room on a nonsmoking floor, so the rest of us don’t have to smell the nasty shit? Your clue for the night: Setting it on fire and inhaling it, no matter what the substance is, is pretty much the definition of “smoking.” It’s just as toxic and just as annoying whether it’s marijuana or tobacco.
So stop it.
Now.
Thank you.
I’ll get back to the daily trip entries soon, but some random thoughts for late at night:
- Why did I never think before about seeing if there were white noise apps? There are, by the way, and I’ll tell you how effective they are tomorrow. I think I’m going to opt for “airplane cabin” tonight.
- Watching two bored-looking guys get bound together with any number of nonbiodegradable substances (cellophane, trash bags, duct tape…) to the tune of “Ghostbusters” has a certain whimsy about it–unplanned, I fear.
- That whole “eliminating pennies” thing? Brilliant.
- McDonald’s hummus wrap and Wendy’s falafel sub: Two things that really exist now in Canada. This is a good thing, right?
Bed now. I actually have plans both for lunch and dinner tomorrow, which is more of a social calendar than I’m used to.
I am absolutely exhausted (I tend not to take relaxing vacations) so this will be quick and dirty:
- I did head back out Thursday night for a very overpriced beer. Got hit on more than once which is a nice ego boost for an old geezer, and spent quite a while talking to two very adorable youngsters, neither on whom hit on me, but both of whom were very nice.
- Breakfast Friday at the Coach House, followed by some explorations downtown and along the Queen Street West corridor, including lunch at Falafel Queen. I love Falafel Queen.
- Dinner in Greek Town, then a little walk, and a subway ride down to Dundas Square for more book browsing.
- Saturday brought rain so I used it as my car day. Did laundry out on the Danforth, had lunch in Leslieville, and did my traditional drive up the length of Yonge Street.
- Had an incident in the parking garage here at the hotel when I returned (fortunately not with another car) so I have a small repair to take care of on Monday. Thus I skipped seeing Sloan in Milton and opted for a stroll to the scary queer bar. I did not stay long. It was much ore fun on Thursday when there were many fewer people and much better music.
- Slept later than usual (9:15!) and ran some errands this morning.
- Had lunch with Mark, who was also visiting this weekend by coincidence, at the Coach House. Marked the first time we’d been in the same place in more than two years.
- I walked around a bit afterward but suddenly realized I was really worn out so I came home and took some much-needed down time. I should really do that more often when I travel.
- Dinner at the Thai place near my hotel with a friend from San Francisco who now lives here. That was nice.
I’m still pondering how the rest of the week will play out. It may depend on whether I can get my car fixed tomorrow. For now, though, it’s bed…
Couldn’t get my car fixed yesterday because the part (a passenger-side mirror that has to be ordered and painted) would take so long that I would have to spend several extra days here. It’s not a huge deal; I can live without it till I get back.
I was in a mood on Monday and it was making me inecisive. I’d planned to stay in Toronto until my car was fixed and then head home by way of New England or something. But I also felt like I wanted more time here. So I basically drove around a good while pondering what to do and feeling increasingly apprehensive about my ability to make a decision. Ultimately, I decided to spend a few more days in Toronto in a cheaper hotel outside the core–probably the worst compromise I could have made, but what the hell…
Realizations after all that drama:
- I get really indecisive when I’m tired, in a mood, very unsure of myself, or all of the above. No surprises there.
- I also get indecisive when my expectations of something (e.g., the annual fall road trip, dinner, how to spend a long weekend, etc.) are too high. I guess I’m afraid I will screw up something important. And by being indecisive, I often do.
- I think this trip was too long. Or maybe I should have left it less open.
- I obsesses over things and second guess myself way too much.
- On the other hand, when I know in my gut that something is a colossally bad idea, I should listen to the aforementioned gut and just not do it.
Anyway, enough introspection. Every trip has a day when I end up eating cruddy fast food. Yesterday was it, but I redeemed it with dinner at the Tulip in Leslieville. I also visited the actual beach (rather than just the neighborhood) and took my “Honest Ed’s was sold today” selfies.
Wednesday brings exploration in the environs. I may make it as far as Barrie.
Reset button successfully pressed.
Breakfast a the hotel this morning, and then I headed north toward Newmarket (home of Tokyo Police Club, if you care) and Barrie. Barrie was quite pretty. And pretty boring. It was the perfect place to go for lunch and an hour of exploration before returning to civilization so that’s exactly what I gave it. I use these side trips to give me some perspective and to remind me that Toronto is really what’s interesting here, which could be an issue should I ever exercise my option to relocate.
Coming back into the city, I explored the northwest corner, where every fucking street is apparently under construction. I spent a few minutes in the Annex, stopped on Broadview to take some skyline shots, and then stumbled upon this magical neighborhood on Gerrard Street full of Indian restaurants. And dinner was lovely.
Random thoughts:
- Canada must be the only place in the world where rap songs refer to Neil Young.
- I hereby declare that the new Arcade Fire album (that came out today) is good enough that I almost forgive Canada for allowing Nickelback to continue living.
- That’s really all I have.