CITY WALK: CABBAGETOWN

STREETS STOMPED: East on Gerrard to Parliament, North on Parliament to Carlton, East on Carlton to Riverdale Farm

Our city walk begins walking east on Gerrard, past Allen Gardens. You can pop inside to bask in the steamy greenhouse atmosphere, gaze up at a banana tree, lounge by the fountain in the fragrant flower room, or check out a cactus. East of Allen Gardens, past a Beer Store, some churches and a jazz mural, you’ll find Kiden Thrifty Store(246 Gerrard St. E). This tiny space is packed with old encyclopedias, sequined dresses, vintage kitchen appliances, and giant candles. Annie buys a vintage muffin tin, and I pick up a large white ceramic cookie jar with a tiny orange mushroom illustration ($4), and a heavy gold H pin ($2).

Annie with Aya, owner of Kiden Thrifty Store, and some choice placemats (50 cents each!)

Vintage muffin tin from Kiden Thrifty Store

H pin from Kiden Thrifty Store

Allen Gardens Foliage

We cross the street to visit Leslie at Eclectisaurus, a bright, clean space filled with endless goodies like candy-coloured type writers, feathered chapeaus, and ancient photo albums with thick paper pages. From Eclectisaurus, we make our way East past the library to Parliament. Heading North past a forklift driver slurping a grande Frappucino, we stop into No Frills (very exciting to those of us moored in the world of Metro) for veggie burgers and $2 Ferrero Rochers, The Epicure Shop for spiced gouda and samples of delicious cream cheese, and Lennie’s Whole Foods Cabbagetown, for Agave nectar and Spike-the world’s most unbeatable seasoning. We poke our heads into Daniel et Daniel to ogle macaroons, and then head East on Carlton.

We lust for typewriters

Ponyhair change purse!

The Epicure Shop, home of many cheeses

Veggie burger win. Thanks, No Frills!

Macaroons at Daniel et Daniel

Here, we ogle beautiful houses in avocado and periwinkle blue that we wish we could own, and grin at countless puppies. We make our way to Riverdale Park, and sit in the sun beside a tree to eat our spiced gouda. We dodge golden retrievers to look at the horses and donkey at Riverdale Farm, and then make our way back to catch the streetcar.