Another area popular with the tourists and local shoppers alike is the Queen Street West that lies sandwiched between Yonge St. and Bathurst Ave. This place is famous for the latest and the trendiest fashion shops, fabulous art galleries, exquisite antique shops and some of the finest dining places and cafes. The Kensington Market, situated at a distance of one mile from Renaissance Toronto Hotel at SkyDome , is a lively ethnic market place where you can hunt for any food item unique to any country in the world, such as Europe , the Caribbean , the Middle East , South America and Asia . This marketplace is one of a kind in Toronto and the locals belonging to different ethnic communities come here to shop for their grocery. There are all varieties of pastries and meats, vegetables. You might not have heard about or seen some of the items sold in this market. What's more, the food doesn't cost a lot and all the items are garden fresh. Along with shopping in the stores brimming with food items like nuts, lentils, mangoes or fish, you can also lay your hands on some precious and chic pieces of vintage and second hand garments in the adjoining clothing shops. This bazaar is a unique melting pot of culture as well as cuisine where you can put your bargaining skills to good use. The locals belonging to prominent Jewish, Portuguese, Asian, Caribbean and Italian communities occupy most of the shops of this market. The Spadina Ave. located in the middle of Dundas and Front St. is one of Toronto 's prominent garment markets, where you can shop for textiles, leathers, fashions and furs.
If you are an ardent antique collector, you should not miss the Harbourfront Antique Market at any cost. It is situated at 390 Queen's Quay West, just a stone's throw distance of 0.3 km from Radisson Plaza Hotel Admiral . There are over 100 vendors selling exquisite antique items. When in this area, you can also visit the four-storied Showcase Antique Mall located at 610 Queen St. W. This place exhibits the antique items of around three hundred dealers. Over one hundred antique dealers from the antique bazaars all over the world pick up all the items displayed in this mall from antique jewelry to period furniture pieces to showpieces. They also detail the history of every item along with an elaborate description of its craftsmanship, the country to which it belongs and its use. About one hundred additional dealers exhibit their artifacts from May through October, so the market extends to the sidewalks to accommodate them. The unique and valuable treasures of this market include the Shelley, Coalport, 1930s Fiesta Ware and Majolica china. They can also arrange to get a particular item fancied by you if you provide them all the details about it. All the visiting celebrities make it a point to visit this market in search of antiques.
For shopping purposes, Honest Ed's at 581 Bloor St. W. , situated at a distance of 1.9 km from Alexandra Apt Hotel has become a legend in Canada . Almost all the locals have explored the floors of this shopping complex at least once and this is a ‘must see' for all the tourists during their stay in Toronto . Illuminated beautifully as the sunsets, it is more like a tourist attraction of Toronto rather than a shopping complex. It has been offering bargain basement merchandise for 52 years in Toronto . This four-storied shopping complex is spread over an incredibly wide area of 160,000 square feet, where you can buy anything from everyday household groceries to hardware. The grocery section of this complex is comparatively bigger than any local grocery shop, although the items are not very different from those found in your friendly neighborhood store. The floors of this shopping complex are overflowing with all kinds of bric-a-brac and kitsch besides some trendy brand names in house wares, toiletries and garments. While shopping here for clothing, you might rub your shoulders with reckonable names in the fashion and entertainment industries. The locals consider it a good place to get some real good bargains in clothing and food. As far as other things are concerned, some of them might burn a hole in your pocket. For instance, I found that the attractive bust of Elvis and the cute Dalmatian that stands three feet tall cost $29.99, while the elegant porcelain woman riding a horse lamp is worth $499.99. Another item that caught my fancy was the Italian ceramic fountain lamp priced at an exorbitant $999.99 that depicted a couple being rowed in a gondola.
But, don't be deterred by the pricey items, your dollar will fetch you much more than what you can get with it in America . Have a nice time shopping in Toronto ! <<--Back |
