As you know I’m always inspired by the simple pleasures of the country: a humble farm house, a simple flower by a window sill, a garden in bloom…I could go on. But as a Style Editor at House & Home Magazine, my day takes me far from these quiet moments and earthy pleasures. In fact, my daily routine of commuting into the heart of Toronto, Canada’s largest city, is all about urban hustle and bustle.
It all starts bright and early (or in the pitch dark in the fall/winter) in Oshawa, Ontario where I catch the GO train with all of the other sleepy commuters. From there I’m taken to Union Station. Kind of beautiful…
Kind of not…
Next I bust a move and walk up to the House & Home offices through buildings new and old, large and small and always crowded with lots of people.
This busy corner is at the TIFF Lightbox where they’re getting ready for the 2011 Toronto Film Festival these days. Soon the stars will descend…but for now in the background you can see the downtown headquarters of CTV where I film segments for The Marilyn Denis Show (a close walk from my office at H&H). I still think of it as Much Music actually…
There’s no shortage of chic old school bicycles waiting to be peddled by hip downtowners…
Restaurants and cafes line the streets with tempting menus and lots of busy activity.
Once I get to the office I spend my days running around creating decorating story after decorating story,
sourcing furniture and accessories,
propping for photo shoots,
blogging,
brainstorming,
sketching,
scouring books and magazines for inspiration,
filming H&H web tv segments,
and emailing about a million different people!
When it’s all over I hit the pavement and head back to the train…
I’m a pretty fast walker so if you want to talk to me about some upcoming event, incredible deal or charity I’ll probably whiz right by on my march to catch my train. Most days I’m so pooped I fall asleep – in public!! On my way back to our cozy little nest I see this outside my window (this is a stop somewhere in Scarborough)…
That’s how I know I’m getting closer to our small-city house, our garden, some breathing room and some peace and quiet. It makes it all worth it.
Some die-hard Torontonians can’t believe I’d want to live way out in Oshawa (or Poshawa as I jokingly call it) but if you’re at all like me you can imagine why I feel at home here. I get a big dose of the city life each day but where my heart truly lies is somewhere far away from sky scrapers and steamy pavement. Some day Sara and I hope to move even further into the countryside and find a perfectly rundown farmhouse to make our own. But until then…this is my daily grind.
Ah, last photo is Rouge Hill.. I only know this as I took an express train instead of my all-stops (I exit at Danforth) and ended up here by surprise one day last year. I couldn’t believe this pretty stop was in Scarborough
RIGHT! Rouge Hill! I can never remember the name! Thanks Laura! It’s pretty isn’t it?
Michael
I fully appreciate how your lovely home is a refuge & a home in the country would be truly divine. That said, I love city life as well… perhaps a pied a terre? A flat in the city & a place on the Georgian bay – bliss!
I totally feel your daily grind…I do it almost daily too. It can become tiring to say the least…but when you know what is waiting for you at home, your right it makes it worth it!
You said it Sundeep – totally worth it!
Michael
This summer the Robert McLaughlin art gallery actually dared to make “I Heart Oshawa” buttons. A revolutionary act for this town!
Erin Elliott
Oh my gosh that’s hilarious! Thanks Erin!
Michael
Toronto is so beautiful! Although I completely understand your “suffer” through a long commute to live in the country decision. And I really hope you and Sara do find that perfectly run down farmhouse someday! Maybe in Maine?
Michael,
I’m in Australia and I think that you should get a salary from the Canadian Tourist Bureau because your blogs make me (and plenty of others I’m sure) want to come and visit your part of the world so that we can see all these wonderful places, fantastic shops and gorgeous houses for ourselves.
Thanks for the daily slice of life from the other side of the world (and all the gorgeous decorating photos and ideas).
I am saving up so that I too can go sight-seeing and shopping at all the wonderful places you have shown me. It’s inspirational!
Cheers, Tracey
Wow Tracey – thanks so much! In Canada you always hear about people wanting to go to Australia so badly – it’s like one of their life goals. But I’m glad I could make you want to visit here! It is a pretty special place, Canada, and I don’t think I’d want to live anywhere else. I hope you do get here some day and in the mean time I’m happy to give you a window into life here. Thanks again Tracey!
Michael
I remember making the same trek myself everyday for a few years before B and I moved into the city in 2009. I made pretty much the same walk too… I was at Spadina and Adelaide.
There are days I miss living in the burbs in Whitby (mostly because at the time I was at my parents, and on days like this I would love to go home and jump in the pool)… but for now our little house suits us. B and I would like to move somewhere further into the country in the future too… especially now with a little one here, we’d like her to have more space to move the older she gets!
I do exactly the same thing, only from a little town in Delaware to Philadelphia. Except Philly is was less pretty and civilized than Montreal, and the train ride there is way less beautiful; in fact, it’s downright ugly. So really the only thing that’s the same is the fact that we both commute. Oh, and sometimes I’m so pooped I fall asleep on the train too. I hate sleeping in public places!