A day in the distillery district
Here is my first post attempting to recap the various activities and day trips we've had this summer. We've done a lot, and sadly our summer family time is over - I start back at work tomorrow morning! Writing these posts will give me a good excuse to go through our pictures and remind me of all the good times we've had.
A few Sundays ago Ella, my mom, dad and I spent the day in the Distillery District in Toronto. That morning, Ella came downstairs carrying a basket and asking if we could go to a market. My mom and I had taken her to the Saturday farmer's market in the nearby city of Milton a few weeks before, and she obviously had a good time. Most markets around here are held on Saturdays, but after a quick google search I found this guide to markets in Toronto, listed by day of the week. So off we headed on our impromptu day trip into the city. Andy opted to stay home with Ollie - neither of them are big fans of markets (or shopping of any kind).
A few Sundays ago Ella, my mom, dad and I spent the day in the Distillery District in Toronto. That morning, Ella came downstairs carrying a basket and asking if we could go to a market. My mom and I had taken her to the Saturday farmer's market in the nearby city of Milton a few weeks before, and she obviously had a good time. Most markets around here are held on Saturdays, but after a quick google search I found this guide to markets in Toronto, listed by day of the week. So off we headed on our impromptu day trip into the city. Andy opted to stay home with Ollie - neither of them are big fans of markets (or shopping of any kind).
The Distillery District is a small area in central Toronto with restaurants, shops, arts and culture, housed in an old whiskey distillery from the 19th century. It is a pedestrian only zone, which makes it a nice place to walk around, even with children. We parked nearby ($18 for the day, ouch! But still way cheaper than all of us taking the Go Train into the city) and walked over, and I immediately spotted the café Arvo Coffee. I am forever on the hunt for Aussie-style espresso based coffee, and Arvo was on my list of cafés to check out. The name is a huge hint that this place has an Australian influence, "Arvo" is Australian slang for "afternoon". Ella had a babycino while the three of us enjoyed our coffees in the sunshine, along with some smashed avo (avocado) to make me really think of Melbourne!
Next we wandered around some shops while searching for the market. There was free family yoga happening outside as well, and so now I'm dying to get back there one more time this summer with Ella! We have until the end of September to make it there. We stopped in the very cute children's store Mini Mioche where they had TOMS on sale, so lucky Ella got a few new pairs of shoes for school. The shop accepts gently used children's clothing which the redistribute to families in need, in exchange you get 10% off your shopping.
Disappointingly the "market" was just a few small stalls, without any of the fresh produce we were expecting. Ella was super disappointed; the article I linked to above must be outdated.
We did have fun checking out all of the outdoor art sculptures and features though!
Next we came across The Spirit of York, a distillery specialising in vodka, gin and whiskey. We did a tasting of three of their spirits. I must say straight spirits are not really my thing, but the gin was not bad. Ella had a sniff of each but thankfully accepts when we say something is an adult drink, she was very happy with her glass of juice instead.
We had lunch at the Mill Street Brew Hall, where we tasted some of their beers and had delicious food. We even ended up buying a case of their seasonal brew, a strawberry/rhubarb beer, which sounds weird but is actually very refreshing and perfect for a hot summer afternoon on the patio.
Disappointingly the "market" was just a few small stalls, without any of the fresh produce we were expecting. Ella was super disappointed; the article I linked to above must be outdated.
We did have fun checking out all of the outdoor art sculptures and features though!
Next we came across The Spirit of York, a distillery specialising in vodka, gin and whiskey. We did a tasting of three of their spirits. I must say straight spirits are not really my thing, but the gin was not bad. Ella had a sniff of each but thankfully accepts when we say something is an adult drink, she was very happy with her glass of juice instead.
We had lunch at the Mill Street Brew Hall, where we tasted some of their beers and had delicious food. We even ended up buying a case of their seasonal brew, a strawberry/rhubarb beer, which sounds weird but is actually very refreshing and perfect for a hot summer afternoon on the patio.
And of course no day out with Ella is complete without a stop for ice cream. In this case we had gelato at Soma Chocolate Makers. I must admit, I do enjoy having an ice cream with Ella, so I'm very good at discouraging this habit!
Despite our initial disappointment about the lack of market, it was a fantastic day filled with good food, alcohol tasting, and shopping. There were so many other yummy looking places, I hope we are able to get back there to try them soon!
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