life in t.o.

Here's what I like about life in the Big Smoke, a.k.a Hogtown, often refered to as T.O.

1) Sababa Restaurant - if you know of a better Middle Eastern eatery, I'd like to hear about it. Their falafel costs $2.50 and the pita comes stuffed with all the goodies you could desire. Always hot, always fresh, always authentic. Then there's the tabouli, the hummus, their mid-east burger (ground chicken and lamb mixed)

2) my local branch of the CIBC bank - ok, some of you probably think I'm nuts to praise a bank but I have nothing but good words for these people. Always courteous, a great "can-do" attitude, line-ups are rare and smiles are in good supply. I mean it. Really. They're great! It took all of 20 minutes to get a decent line of credit up and running!

3) my local post office - since Canada Post has divested itself of the large, Soviet era-like cavernous post offices and allowed corner variety stores and drugstores to subcontract business, things have been great. My local post office always has the jazz station on so I can tap my foot to Thelonius Monk while licking my envelopes. Good service at all times, even during the pre-Xmas rush

4) snow removal in this city is good. Really good! When I visited Reykjavik, Iceland last November - their snow removal was a disaster. They had just had a major snowfall before I arrived and the streets remained pretty well impassable for days on end. In T.O. the snow will just about start flying and I can hear the scraping noise of a plow under my window (granted, the noise is not pleasant!) But you can drive almost anywhere withing 24 hours of a major snowstorm

5) CP24 - love the constant stream of news, weather, ticker tape, traffic cameras and quickie interviews and call-ins. Whenever I'm abroad I miss this station (though can I always watch them on the Internet) CP24 IS Toronto - they know what their mandate is and fulfill it perfectly.

6) HO-SU Japanese and Korean resto (across from the City TV buliding where the above mentioned station broadcasts from). Phenomenal lunchtime deals on bentos, sushi and sashimi combos. Well under $10 for soup, salad, main sushi course and a bottomless cup of green tea. Hmmmmmm.......sushi..........

Gee, I guess I'm in a good mood today. No worries, as soon as the depression returns, I'll list my 6 least favourite things about this gosh-awful burgh. Sayonara