Toronto: You Belong Here

So last month I went on a trip with some friends to New York. This was my second visit, and while I didn't really spend any more time than usual there, I did spend a little more time paying attention to the city and taking in all the visuals it offered. I came to the following conclusion.

New York is a rather ugly city.

That's not to say it isn't interesting, or that I don't like it. I think it's a great city. But it's just not aesthetically pleasing. I can't really put my finger on what it is that's so off-putting for me, but I came away from New York with a renewed love for Toronto.

Many times I've heard people from the US comment on how European the city of Toronto feels, and I've never understood what they meant until I came back from NYC. Now I get it.

While it's not as steeped in history or as architecturally interesting as many European cities, Toronto is definitely not like your typical big American city. There are no slums in Toronto. There are certainly bad areas, but you'd never know them by simply looking at them. Many times the difference between a nice area of the city and a bad area can be put down to a fresh coat of paint, or new siding on the apartment building balconies.

The majority of NYC felt like a slum (at least the areas I walked around in, and I was in the upper west side of Manhattan!) while I've never felt safer in a big city than I do in Toronto.

For the past few years I've been feeling like I want to move away and find somewhere else to call home. While I still want to travel more, I am content to call Toronto my home. It took the cold streets of NYC to make me find the beauty in my city, and for that I want to thank New York.

You're an intriguing city, but Toronto has much more to offer.

Moving On Out (to the west coast)

So, to make a long story short, my boyfriend and I still have a minute possibility of moving out west for a few months. We'd wanted to head down to the Bay area in California for the summer and we were looking for places around San Francisco-San Jose. Since then our plans crumbled a bit, and though the chance still remains, it's very unlikely at this point.

However, I have not stopped dreaming about it. While I love Toronto, I'm in need of something new and different. I want to travel. I want to live somewhere else for a while. I want new experiences. I want out of this city for a stretch.

So a few times a week I still browse Craigslist, looking at apartments available for rent in the Bay area. Most of them are out of our (preferred) price range, but every now and then something pops up that would be perfect for us (and that doesn't make me cringe). I still love checking out the expensive places, though.

Since this blog (right now) is for me and my thoughts, I've decided to post links to my favourite places, regardless of price. I want a brand new place to decorate and make a home out of. Kris might not like some of my style, but he's more open to bright and wild and I think he'd let me do what I wanted since we'd only be renting.

I'll shut up now and get to my favourite places (none of the links will work in a few days most likely, but that's fine, it was really just a spur of the moment thing for me).

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1103227128.html - A bit expensive for the size, but I love the dark hardwood floors! The juliette balcony is nice, as well. Opening the doors and sitting in front of them is practically sitting on a balcony anyway, right?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1103225013.html - I like the dark floor again, and the kitchen area is quite lovely. The deck on the back is a nice addition.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1103162639.html - I love the seating area in the kitchen! That's fantastic. Seeing as how it would only be the two of us, it would enable us to use the dining room for something different. It's a bit big for what we'd need, but the price is not bad for the size.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1103005714.html - This one looks like it could have potential, if you could see a better layout! How big is the main room? I need to visualize these things. Price is much better for us, though.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1102920026.html - Price is great and it looks quite nice!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1102912703.html - If only these weren't carpeted, they'd be a winner (especially the price). Doesn't really look that special, but it could be fixed up nicely. That carpet just ruins it, though!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1102856167.html - What's the catch with these? Sounds fantastic. Don't care if it comes furnished or not, but if it does, as long as it looks like the pictures, that would be fine. I especially love having the pool.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1102819832.html - So out of our price range (unless we come in to some extra money) but this is pretty much exactly what I want. I'm so in love with lofts...

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/apa/1102768958.html - A wee bit expensive for us, but if I don't have a loft, then this is pretty much exactly what I want! I love this.


Alright well perhaps I'll do one of these another time, but I think right now I should get back to actual work. :)

Eclectisaurus.

I take belly dancing lessons on Fridays along the Danforth, and afterwards I like to walk across the few km's to the Yonge area. This past week I decided to head down Gerrard in the Old Cabbagetown area (perhaps not the brightest thing to do at night, as the area is a little on the shady side). I happened to walk by this particular store that caught my eye with its delectable vintage items in the window. It was closed at that point in time, so I stored it away for another day.

Just yesterday my boyfriend and I were out driving and were headed toward the Beaches area in search of lunch and ice cream, when we happened to pass it by and I remarked that I'd found the place on Friday and meant to check in there at some point. Being the dear that he is, Kris put off his quest for food so we could park and go check out the store.

I've found my new favourite place in Toronto. That store is fantastic! Leslie, the owner, is wonderful and her enthusiasm for those items is exciting. We stayed past closing but she didn't seem to mind. I was in heaven, pouring over all the old things (including the gorgeous typewriters, a few wonderful old train boxes, and the greatest corkscrew of all time).

Kris had started picking her brain on the subject of finding an old silver plate to use as a trophy for his upcoming futsal league (modelled after the Bundesliga plate) before buying a pair of old cuff links that came in a funky little vintage box. It was a nice touch added by a store owner who truly ares about what she does.

I can't wait to return, and hopefully Kris already has or is planning to soon in order to buy me some things for my birthday! I pointed out a few pieces I really liked, so hopefully he remembers them.

Muffin Morning.

So I did some baking last night, to stave off my annoyance at my boyfriend having taken my keys by accident, thus confining me to my apartment while he was at his statistics class. One of my favourite super simple things to bake are oatmeal muffins (well, mine turn out to be small cakes, but it doesn't quite have the same ring to it). So I put four little loaves in to bake, and suddenly felt inspired to try mixing in some hot chocolate powder (why not, right?). So I did up two like that, then in a moment of giddy inspiration, mixed peanut butter into another two. Without bothering to try them to ensure them came out alright, I did another peanut butter one, and topped it with the chocolate powder.

They were, without a doubt, absolutely fantastic. I'll definitely be flavouring them that way again! I forgot to take pictures of them before eating them (actually, it was really more that I never got the chance, because Kris has returned by then and was hungry) but I'll probably make more tonight while he's not around. Perhaps I'll even try a half peanut butter, half chocolate one.

Beginning.

I'm Kat, and I'm branching out.

Oh, but first, the details! I'm (not quite there yet as I type this) a 28 year old currently living in the lovely city of Toronto, in the fantastic country of Canada.

I had to think for a few minutes there on how to classify myself - we all want to call ourselves something, after all. There are many things I'd like to be, but I can't quite say that I'm completely there enough in any of them to categorize myself. I'd like to call myself a writer - but what have I written? I'd like to say I'm a dancer - but how long has it been since I've truly given in to my rhythm? I'd like to say I'm a photographer - but then why haven't I been able to follow up with my daily blipfoto account? I'd like to say I'm a fanatical football ultra - but then why am I not following my team to Columbus next week?

So instead I'm just 28 (in a month and a half - but let's not get anal over the details just yet), and I'm growing into all of those things once again.

I intended to really follow through with a lot of promises to myself this year, but so far I've fallen short. This is my turning point, though. This is going to be my glorious new beginning (or something equally as overly dramatic) and this is going to help me get started. I hope.

I'm not quite sure what I plan to use this blog for - except for that new beginning. I'm sure I'll talk about my novels, I'd like to talk about my crafty side, and I'll probably talk about food. I also need a place to talk about influential things - be they furniture, projects, music, etc.

That'll probably all take place here, and I hope that here ends up being what I'm looking for.

Musical Interlude

Alive Alone - The Chemical Brothers (particularly inspirational for me tonight)