It was unseasonably warm in Toronto during my two-night stay. As the fifth largest metropolitan area of North America, the Greater Toronto Area is a hefty 5.1 million (and there are three million publicly owned trees). Officially created in 1834, you can hear 128 dialects and languages on the streets of Toronto -- 46% of its population are immigrants.
I continued my overnighters with Fairmont, staying at The Fairmont Royal York. Now 80 years old, it has hosted some legendary guests, starting with Winston Churchill in 1929. The hotel has also been used as a movie set -- scenes were shot here for Chloe, Amelia, Grey Gardens and Take the Lead. I didn't spot any celebrities, but did have a nice chat with a former Attorney General of Canada in the hotel's Library Bar.
The new Art Gallery of Ontario, looking somewhat like a whale on Dundas Street West, is Toronto-born Frank Gehry's first building in Canada and marks the very place where he made the initial connection between art and architecture. Exhibitions on view include Edward Steichen: In High Fashion, The Conde Nast Years, 1923-1937 (ends Jan. 3, 2010) and Alexander Calder: The Paris Years, 1926-1933 (ends Jan. 10, 2010. King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs opens Nov. 24, 2009 and the AGO is the sole Canadian venue.
FRANK is the name of the restaurant at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Yes, it's named after Frank Gehry. I enjoyed lunch in the casual yet chic resto, which has modern Danish decor and a contemporary installation of Frank Stella's work, along with other art work. It's closed Mondays, along with the museum.
I took a 40-minute subway ride to The Toronto Centre for the Arts to see the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys. With the talented Jeff Madden in the lead as Frankie Valli, The Four Seasons came back to life in this lively, fast-paced production that has been extended through March 21, 2010. Pictured above are members of the Jersey Boys Orchestra: Sasha Boychouk, Mark Promane and Mike Herriott. It was a fun finale for my time in Toronto.Photos by Sue Frause
NEXT: Niagara Falls
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