NICHE style Summer 2016
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<strong>NICHE</strong> magazine<br />
TRAVELLING<br />
EDITOR<br />
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW<br />
SOMETHING FOR THE FIRST TIME?<br />
BY: TRACEY DRAKE | THE TRAVELLING EDITOR<br />
TORONTO’S WEST QUEEN WEST<br />
I<br />
have always been attracted to Toronto. I lived there for a few<br />
years in the early 1980’s, and my daughter lives there now. I<br />
thought I knew this city pretty well but on my most recent visit<br />
to the big T.O, I met up with cultural concierge Betty Ann Jordan<br />
(artsinline.com) who took me on a walking tour of a fascinating upand-coming<br />
neighbourhood - West Queen West. Touted as the “New<br />
West End”, this little enclave is rife with exceptional art, unique graphic<br />
and home design shops, and some pretty incredible food. However,<br />
what really stuck with me (even all these months later) was the street<br />
art that seemed to be everywhere; the vintage buildings making bold<br />
statements, the colourful graffiti art and the eclectic signs – bright<br />
modern neon living harmoniously alongside homemade kitschy store<br />
signs. It is a neighbourhood that is growing up but working equally hard<br />
to hold onto its inner child. I respect that in a community.<br />
This was my first time deep into the West Queen West community. Our<br />
walking tour started at the famous Drake Hotel (love the name, by the<br />
way). Rumour has it that when The Drake Hotel opened in 2004, it<br />
began the neighbourhood transformation – bringing life and creativity<br />
to a drab and lifeless part of Toronto. For a property with just nineteen<br />
rooms, its artistic aesthetic packs a mean punch. The artwork, the<br />
history, and the ambiance all meld together perfectly. I loved The Sun<br />
80<br />
SUMMER ISSUE <strong>2016</strong>
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