TheMetroTorontoConventionCentreand
theJohnBassettTheatre(center)
Imagescourtesy:www.mtccc.com
J
Jet engines revved,the aircraft ascended and I settled into a
good book as overhead,“Welcome aboard Air Canada’s Flight
7911 from Philadelphia...”greeted me. I sat back and relaxed
when,soon,the flight attendant came back on: “...We thank
you for flying with us today,and hope you enjoy your visit to
Toronto.”
Finishing the chapter,I couldn’t believe we were already at our
destination. I was almost wishing for a few more moments of
reading time. At fifty minutes,this was the shortest flight I had
ever taken.
Below me,Lake Ontario shimmered like deep blue-coated
onyx as the great city - Canada’s largest - spread out before me.
The unmistakable CN Tower,one of the tallest structures on
earth,spiked skyward toward the plane.
My ongoing quest to find perfect destination cities for meet-
ings and conventions had taken me outside the U.S.once
again,though Toronto’s proximity and ease in which to get
there,along with a vast infrastructure of services,a white hot
culinary scene and the juxtaposition between Old World and
Modern - that,plus a friendly,welcoming and yes,English-
speaking community - all help to make Toronto one of the
most desirable (and safest) major metropolises in North
America.
Though the locals may not want to admit it,their very
approachable city,so close in proximity to New York State,is
almost an adjunct to the U.S.
Historic sites,European architecture and British roots remind
me of Boston,or even my own hometown of Philadelphia. The
downtown’s glittering ultramodern building beehives,bustling
street scenes,City of Neighborhoods aspects; fashion forward
and stylized urbanites,and a never-ending flow of taxis and
subways systems make me think:“Manhattan,only smaller.”
One big difference between the two though: the cabbies in T-O,
in general,are so much nicer!
Hotels are plentiful in Toronto; whatever sort of lodging you
may be seeking,whether it’s intimate and boutique-y, vast and
convention-minded; sleek and sophisticated.
I happened to stay at a Toronto institution,the Fairmont Royal
York Hotel (www.fairmont.com),its heart-of-the-city situation,
expansive mélange of Grand Dame glamour (Circa-1929) with
recent multi-million dollar renovations providing today’s tech-
nologies, and a near-seamless service staff,all made for a
memorable venue in which to reside,at least for those 72 excit-
ing, too-fast-moving hours.
Knowing what I’ve seen from other Fairmont properties,I
expected no sparing of square footage and hotel rooms
(1,365!) at the Royal York.Its lobby,festooned with a rich,luxu-
rious feel and a brassy array of chandeliers - so impressive,it is
a city favorite for gawking,gandering and people watching.At
Mid-Atlantic EVENTS Magazine 49
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