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Toronto in Eight Quirky Local Museums

June 29, 2022

Toronto local museums photo by Jeff Smith on Unsplash

Local museums can be the best part of a trip abroad: an afternoon of culture you can’t find anywhere else. Fun, affordable, and frequently family-friendly, they’re a great way to find the more laid-back and local side of a city.

If you’re an art-lover, history buff, doing it for the ‘Gram, or just like getting a little culture while you get your steps in, here are some of Toronto’s best lesser-known museums.

Mackenzie House

It’s not everywhere that a city’s first mayor was also its most famous—and failed—revolutionary. Tucked between hospitals, hotels, and high-rises, Mackenzie House—William Lyon Mackenzie’s original 1858 townhouse—is a downtown shrine to Victorian Toronto.

Come for practical tips on daily 1800s life, stay for the political scandals and century-old spicy opinions. Features: a working 180-year-old printing press you can try yourself. 82 Bond Street.

Market Gallery at St. Lawrence Market

St. Lawrence Market is one of Toronto’s most famous foodie attractions. But it’s also home to a lesser-known local history museum and gallery on the second floor—a space that held Toronto’s first City Hall and was lost behind boarded-up doors until the 1970s. (Yes, you can lose an entire City Hall.)

The Market Gallery hosts rotating exhibits from the City’s fine art collection and notes on the historic architecture. Start with a little culture, end it with a sandwich. 2nd Floor, St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front Street East.

The Myseum of Toronto

One of the quirkiest museums Toronto’s got, Myseum is a year-round, city-wide project produced and hosted all around the city. The result? Something that’s part art collective, part distributed historical museum, made of crowdsourced collections and digital walking tours.

While most of their past exhibits are available online, new ones are mounted annually in locations around the city–usually starting in April.

Spadina House

The closest thing to Toronto’s version of Downton Abbey! Spadina House shows off early 1900s Toronto in a sprawling, elegant hilltop mansion—complete with servants’ quarters and evolving architectural décor.

The five-acre grounds, though, are a feature all by themselves, including gardens and a heritage apple orchard that hosts everything from events to autumn cider festivals. Features: Close enough to Casa Loma to make a day of it. 285 Spadina Road.

The Textile Museum of Canada

A favourite of costumers and fashionistas alike, The Textile Museum takes a subject that feels niche—the art and history of fabric—and makes it fascinating. Behind an anonymous side-street door lurks five floors of textile history, modern art, event space, and programs—complete with a gift shop.

With collections that start local and stretch to Peru, China, and Serbia, there’s something for everyone, even if they’re not an enthusiastic crafter. 55 Centre Avenue.

The Toronto Railway Museum

Model railroad fans unite! And—regular railroad fans too. The Toronto Railway Museum packs historical trains, a train-driving simulator, and lots of information into an indoor-outdoor exhibit space. There’s a steady collection of artifacts inside: maps, tools, dishes, and uniforms used by conductors past.

While small, it’s conveniently tucked away right beside the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, and Ripley’s Aquarium on the waterfront—so there are lots of options for a full day out. Features: A mini-train ride. Because nobody says no to tiny train rides. 255 Bremner Boulevard.

The Bata Shoe Museum

While this attraction has a little more profile than the rest, it’s not every day that a city devotes a whole museum to—shoes. Open since 1995, The Bata Shoe Museum grew from the private collection of shoe company executive Sonja Bata: a trove of rare and traditional footwear from around the world.

The result? A fascinating mix of modern couture, ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Italian artifacts, history, and celebrity kicks. And a sometimes surprising social insight into how they’re all connected. Features: Enough glitter for your fashionista friends, and enough depth for an anthropologist. 327 Bloor Street West.

Riverdale Farm

Sometimes you just need to have a cow. Or some goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, and horses.

Riverdale Farm is the destination for downtowners who really just need something fluffy to pet. Part working farm, part historic Victorian site for learning about rural life, the farm dates back to 1849. Features: tobogganing hills, hiking trails, a wading pool, picnic areas, and year-round crafts. And the best part for families: admission is always free. 201 Winchester Street.

The authentic Toronto neighbourhood experience deserves a Toronto neighbourhood stay. Call DelSuites at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can open Toronto up for you to discover.

Toronto Entertainment, Toronto Family Travel, toronto toursim

Toronto in Six Local Art Galleries

March 22, 2022

Toronto art galleries photo by Donna Lay on Unsplash.

There’s a reason a day at the art gallery is such a vacation staple. It’s a fun, free afternoon out for anyone who’s into the finer things in life.

Toronto is home to the celebrated, Gehry-designed Art Gallery of Ontario, which has some major collections and full events list. But there’s a whole universe of smaller, international, tucked-away Toronto art galleries which are following what’s new, fun, and weird in visual art.

If you’re into the chance to really soak in what new, local, and unique talents are doing—or just like having a reason to explore whole neighbourhoods—here are some of Toronto’s best smaller art galleries.

Harbourfront Centre

While it’s not a sprawling, massive gallery, Harbourfront Centre is definitely an institution: a combination cultural space that hosts dance shows, theatre, art installations, major literary festivals, and more all year round.

Throughout it all, you can watch resident Toronto artists pot, shape, weld, glassblow, paint, and work through glass windows. And there’s no shortage of family-friendly activities, like learning to skate on their rink in the wintertime.

But between the events, their smaller gallery spaces can get sold short. They’re always host to a mix of incredible new and seasoned artists, both local and international—and absolutely free to browse. Featuring painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, installation art, and craft, it’s a sure source for a smart, fun afternoon. 235 Queens Quay West.

The University of Toronto Art Centre

The University of Toronto runs its own gallery—split between the Art Centre and the smaller Justina M. Barnicke Gallery in historic student centre Hart House. And while you can find all the student art exhibitions you’d expect, it’s frequently home to some great, international exhibitions.

As a teaching and research collection, the centre heaps a great list of programs on top of its diverse collection: guided tours, artist talks, and group exhibitions that are all usually free to attend. It’s a great chance to see modern and thoughtful art in some very historical buildings. 7 Hart House Circle.

The Distillery District

The historic Distillery District‘s a haven for smaller Toronto art galleries. It’s easy to find just about anything you’re interested in, within the arms of an old Victorian distillery made new.

While there’s a huge selection of high-end boutique shops—a large Fluevog store and Ontario’s only sake brewery are special highlights—it’s almost known for its commitment to art. The Distillery is home to galleries as large the Canadian Sculpture Society and Arta Gallery, a wide-open, airy space focused on contemporary art, to spaces as small as Artscape’s warren of individual upstairs studios. It also holds some genuinely unique offerings, like Toronto’s Deaf Culture Centre, which puts on regular exhibits.

It’s an experience that’s best taken in as a neighbourhood, with plenty of opportunities for shops, snacks, and enjoying the sunshine along the way. 14 Distillery Lane.

The Ryerson Image Centre

Another university-hosted gallery, the Ryerson Image Centre—just two blocks from the Eaton Centre—is all about photography and video. Whether it’s photojournalism, video installations, documentary, or new media, they’re all mixed expertly in a 4,500-square-foot space tucked discreetly away on campus.

Ryerson Image Centre’s exhibitions mix student and historical projects with an indigenous and social focus. You’re just as likely to find a history of WWII photography as a celebration of African women’s portraits. With quiet screening spots, tucked-away specialty rooms, and a huge archive collection, it’s an everlasting source for something quiet, provocative, and interesting in the middle of the downtown core. 33 Gould Street.

The Local Gallery

The Local Gallery only opened in early 2022—and as a spinoff from a Toronto ad agency, it’s absolutely focused on what’s up-to-the-minute in contemporary and pop art.

While they’re not too shy about the sales end of things—there’s a whole selection of “collectibles”—it’s one of the few spaces that has a category for 3D-printed work. If you’re looking to update your Warhol energy, this Little Italy storefront is a definite destination. 621 College Street.

Whippersnapper Gallery

Whippersnapper may be one of the tiniest Toronto art galleries. An 130-square-foot storefront at the south end of Kensington Market, where it borders Chinatown, Whippersnapper hosts most exhibitions through simply displaying them through the shop window, one installation at a time.

Whippersnapper packs more than a single installation into a small space. It’s also an avant-garde, artist-run centre focused on emerging—or “new generation”—artists. It’s also exquisitely responsive to the neighbourhood it’s in: the heritage of surrounding Chinatown often takes centre stage. 594b Dundas Street West.

Downtown Toronto, Family Vacations in Toronto, Toronto Entertainment, Toronto Family Travel, toronto toursim

Toronto: Your Summer Vacation Destination

March 15, 2022

Toronto Summer Vacation photo by Scott Webb from Pexels.

If you’re like us, after two years of COVID restrictions, you’re starving for a good summer vacation: sun, socializing, and absolutely nothing to think about but having fun. A hard winter’s making this summer’s travel plans extra sweet—and also making everyone want to make those plans memorable.

If you’re putting together that dream vacation now, here are four reasons to do it in Toronto.

We’re super vaccinated

Let’s get the big question out of the way, because right now, practicalities count: Toronto has one of the highest urban vaccination rates in the world. Over 90% of eligible Torontonians have rolled up their sleeves for at least one shot, and public health measures like mask-wearing generally happen without a fuss.

Whatever COVID safety means to you, knowing you’re around people who take it seriously—and cheerfully—makes having fun much easier. And a Toronto summer vacation is one where that much easier to have a genuinely good time.

A Toronto summer vacation is a simple trip

And now: getting there. No matter where you visit from, Toronto’s one of the easier travel destinations to reach.

Pearson International Airport fields flights from over 180 destinations, and the Union-Pearson Express train makes regular trips directly downtown. For more regional visitors, the smaller, downtown Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport brings in regular flights from over 20 North American cities.

Toronto’s also reachable by train: on VIA Rail inside Canada, and Amtrak from New York State. And for an affordable, scenic trip, Megabus routes go to and from Toronto from Ontario, Quebec, New York City, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.

While you’re here, it’s even simpler to get around: Toronto is one of the most walkable cities in the world. With regular pedestrians-only areas and the underground PATH network ready to help out when it’s rainy or cold, it’s an easy city to do on your own two feet.

If you’re heading a little farther afield—or just want to put your feet up—a web of streetcars, subways, buses, and LRTs connects every bit of the city, from the core to the suburbs.

And if you’d rather put those feet on pedals, the growing network of separated bike lanes—complete with BikeShare rental program—lets you speed through the city with ease.

An international vacation in one place

In a time when it’s easier to deep-dive in one place than plan multi-city tours, Toronto puts the whole world in walking distance. It’s been called the most diverse city in the world, with 117 languages regularly spoken and people from 230 countries calling the city home.

Wherever you’re from, you’ll be able to feel at home and discover something entirely new—usually in the same afternoon.

The dining scene is the most obvious place Toronto’s diversity shows—a United Nations of amazing restaurants that runs regular Lunar New Year celebrations and Eid-al-Fitr feasts. But those community roots run much deeper, to networks of bookstores, film festivals, classes, and what feels like ten national festivals every weekend.

It’s a city almost custom-built for sampling, befriending, and discovery, and a great way to see a little of the world without hours of travel—and at a fraction of the price.

That deep dive gets even easier with a DelSuites Toronto short-term rental. With year-round discounts on longer-term stays, a stay in a DelSuites furnished apartment makes discovering Toronto even more comfortable and affordable.

It is impossible to get bored

You have to work very hard to get bored in a Toronto summer. High culture, low culture, or subculture—whatever you love, there’s a way to enjoy it here.

For those looking for a touch of class, Toronto is home major galleries and museums, championship sports teams, several symphony orchestras, Canada’s national ballet, and the nation’s biggest opera company. There’s enough fine dining—award-winning or up-and-coming—to keep you full for days.

When you’re feeling cozy and local, there’s LGBTQIA+ theatre, movies outside in the park on a picnic blanket, and tiny neighbourhood zoos. Hundred-year-old diners, dumpling shops, and lunch counters stand ready to feed you for under twenty bucks.

And if it’s time to get away from it all, the parklike, green Toronto Islands are just a ten-minute ferry ride from downtown. You can spend the day on one of the city’s warm, sandy Blue Flag beaches, take a boat ride on the lake, or hike the Don Valley to get close to lush, thick nature.

A Toronto vacation is the kind you can spend changing it up, or changing your mind: hiking one day, and luxuriating in the spa tomorrow. All you have to do is start walking. There’s something out there for you: even if it’s only Sunday afternoon at the coffeeshop, petting the dogs.

Make your Toronto summer vacation memorable

After all the last year’s had to hold for us, we all deserve a vacation that’s unique. Call us at 647-370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com to find out how we can help you discover summer in Toronto—whether you’d like to spend it chowing down everything the town has to offer, or relaxing peacefully in the sunshine.

Business Travel, Energy Conservation, Toronto Family Travel, Vacation Travel

Your Big Fat Green Vacation: Travel Sustainably with DelSuites

January 25, 2022

Travel sustainably photo by Scott Evans on Unsplash.

After a year of fires, floods, and hurricanes, how to travel sustainably in our networked world is a bigger question than ever.

But as travel restrictions lift and all those trips COVID put off become possible, the question is: how? Without spending cash on carbon offsets, how do we balance the travel we love—or have to make to keep business running—with doing what’s right for our climate?

At DelSuites, we’ve already taken care of the big things: situating our fully-furnished rentals in sustainably-designed, LEED-certified Tridel buildings which are pushing the limits on how eco-friendly a high-rise can be. And our fully paperless booking service also lets you book, bill, and plan your trip while keeping a few trees in the ground.

But if you want to max out your sustainability while you travel, here are a few easy ways you can make that Toronto trip a little greener—and have fun while you do it.

Ditch the plastic toiletries, and get some planet-friendly ones

Everyone always forgets the toothbrush—but it might not be a bad idea, this time. For no more than a few extra dollars, you can forget the toothbrush and pick up a biodegradable, planet-friendly bamboo brush for your stay.

Kensington Market health food store Essence of Life Organics has a whole selection of biodegradable, zero-waste kitchen, laundry, and bathroom products to sample for only a few dollars each—and they offer reliable next-day delivery. Schedule an order before you leave, and you’ll be happily picking up your zero-waste, plastic-free lemon-flavoured dental floss from the concierge on your way through your door.

If you’d like to give that bamboo toothbrush a longer shelf life—and use it for your next five trips, too!—Quebec-based OLA Bamboo also offers a case to take it home in.

Sustainabilify the souvenirs

It’s not a trip without a few treats for the people back home. But it’s easy to make those treats more sustainable, eco-friendly, and longer-lasting.

“Eco-conscious general store” Logan & Finley offers a wide selection of sustainable treats for friends and family back home, from clothes to sustainably sourced specialty chocolate and decadent bath soaks.

In the west end, the laid-back Roncesvalles neighbourhood’s Ecotique puts an emphasis on looking chic, with green accessories, Toronto-themed tea towels, and elegant lounging robes made from upcycled saris. They’re gifts so elegant the environmental impact is just gravy.

Clean up your caffeine

When we’re on the road, all those morning coffees add up. But there are a few cafés that’ll let you get your fix greener while you’re on the go in Toronto.

Low-waste café Poured Coffee is taking the indie coffeeshop entirely package-free: their beans are dropped off by roaster La Marzocco in reusable food-safe bins, their milk in glass bottles, and every cup served goes into a reusable mug or thermos—yours or theirs. Complete with locally sourced baked goods and neighbourhood art, it’s a low-waste haven for east end travelers.

On the west side of the city, regional coffee roaster Reunion Island Coffee Roasters is a certified B-corp focusing on sustainable coffee “from seed to cup”. Powered by renewable energy provider Bullfrog Power, they’ve made every part of their supply chain more sustainable, from compostable wood-pulp coffee bags to fair-trade beans. And if you have to get a few bags delivered, don’t worry; the packaging’s biodegradable too. Drink up!

Send it with pedal power

Have an important package to get across town by end of day? Need a prescription refilled, stat?

Send It Courier is one of Toronto’s all-cargo bicycle courier companies—this one worker-owned and operated, with an A-list client portfolio and reasonable rates (including the highly descriptive “Panic”).

Instead of a cab or a rideshare, hand your parcels—heavy or light!—off to one of those professional cyclists, and do business with no carbon footprint at all.

Love your new green bin

The city of Toronto’s Green Bin program is a citywide way to keep your organics out of landfill. And because DelSuites furnished rentals are residential spaces, your stay lets you access the program.

The rules for Green Bin use may look complicated at first glance, but they’re worth spending five minutes to get to know. The program takes in food waste, coffee and tea grounds, paper plates, tissues, and paper towels—and much, much more.

Instead of piling up garbage, your waste will be turned into compost for the city’s parks and gardens, and biogas to power renewable natural gas programs—a win-win for everyone.

Our smallest gestures count when we travel sustainably

No, your travel toothbrush isn’t going to save the world. But the small choices we make add up, and a few better habits can be enough to make a much-needed trip more sustainable in the long run.

For more sustainable travel planning, contact us at DelSuites by phone at (647) 370-3504 or email info@delsuites.com. We’ll help you make your next visit to Toronto green, clean, and easy.

Business Travel, Fitness and Health, Toronto Condos, Toronto Family Travel

How to Be Motivated and Stay Active While Working from Home

June 23, 2021

These days, we’re not moving around as much. Due to the pandemic, many of us are working from home. So, instead of commuting to our workplaces, walking upstairs, or moving around the office, we’re spending most of our time at our desks, in front of a computer screen.

It’s important to maintain an active lifestyle, especially during a pandemic – when we need to boost our immune system to avoid getting COVID and combat its spread.

But it’s hard enough to be motivated to stay active under normal circumstances. And it’s even harder when we can’t go to a gym or physically attend group workout sessions like we’re used to.

Are you unmotivated to exercise at home? Do you feel tired of always doing the same workouts? Read on to find out how you can make your workout routine more interesting and varied, even while working from home.

Follow an Exercise Class Online

There are more online exercise classes available online than ever, so you can take advantage of this broad selection of online classes. Find the one that’s right for you – whether it’s a more relaxed cardio workout or a more intense weightlifting tutorial.

Many of these classes are available for free on YouTube. So, you can easily access them right from your home. Just put on a video, and you’re in a virtual class.

For example, Yoga with Adriene is trusted by her 9 million-plus subscribers to give a soothing, relaxed approach to yoga that will leave you feeling completely refreshed.

Keep in mind that if you don’t have a lot of experience performing these exercises, you should try to be careful and know your own limitations.

Add New Exercises and Equipment to the Mix

Doing the same exercises day in and day out can cause us to end up in a fitness rut. Do you need to reinvigorate your routine or want to stretch your body’s limits? Add something new to your routine to mix it up.

If you tend to stick to running, try building your strength by incorporating more weightlifting into your routine. Or if you strictly use the same weights, challenge yourself by adding more weight.

On the other hand, you may already be big on weightlifting but not so keen on doing cardio. If so, try spending more time running or biking to train your body in different ways. You could even add a new cardio machine to your home like a rowing machine, a stepmill, or an air bike.

Get Creative With Your At-Home Exercises

In order to motivate yourself to work out, it’s always important to be able to pinpoint the reason you’re not feeling motivated. That way you can know the best way to increase your motivation.

Here are a few interesting and creative solutions to get you motivated to stay active:

Have a virtual workout session with friends: Do you miss being in an environment where you can work out with others? Do you need that motivation you can only get from working out with someone else? Have a video call with a friend while working out and motivate each other to get through each workout.

Play sports with your family: Are you looking for a more fun way to get moving while working from home? Why not encourage your family to get active, too, by playing active games or sports like soccer with them.

Design a circuit workout in your own home: Doing the same workouts in the same room each day can get boring and difficult after a while. Consider coming up with a circuit workout where you do different activities in each room. A few workouts you could do are jumping jacks, burpees, and lunges.

DelSuites: Stay Active on Your Business Trip or Vacation Using Our Exercise Amenities

DelSuites makes it easy for you to stay in shape when staying at one of our locations. All of the buildings include fitness centers. However, keep in mind that they are currently closed due to COVID-19.

If you’re going on a business trip or vacation or just need a place to stay for a while while you’re transitioning from one house to another, you can rent or lease one of our short-term rentals.

Find one of our rentals wherever you need to go – with locations spread out across Downtown Toronto, Etobicoke, Markham, and more. Find the rental that suits your fitness needs today.

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