(February 19th)
����������� For the longest time since I have moved to the big city, many of my friends have been asking how I enjoy having the chance to get out and see the sights. Today I got took the time to get them some answers. Acting on some information I received from my old friend Jennifer, I went on an adventure into downtown Toronto. So come with me as I retrace my steps.
����������� First of all there was the idea of getting downtown. I've recently discovered how reliable the TTC can be (when you consider that I've only been exposed to the somewhat flaky LTC and... whatever it is that Sarnia has...if anything). So getting downtown wasn't much of a hassle.
����������� I started my journey by getting off at the Wellesley station on Yonge street. This was the closest place to the first of my stops I had planned. I have to admit that I was somewhat disoriented when I climbed to the surface from the subway station. When I first started walking down Yonge street, I wasn't sure if I was going north or south. However, I soon caught sight of the first store I had on my list: 1,000,000,000 comics. The place was aptly named, cause there were lots of comics in there for sure. Comics aren't really my thing, but I did find an interest in some of the anime oriented stuff they had in there. I found more key chain characters like the Vash one I have, including several Gungrave ones. I would have gotten one if they had one of Grave himself, but all they had were Harry, Brandon and a few others, and I knew that if I was going to get Harry or Brandon, I would have had to get both. So I left that there. I saw a few wall scrolls in that place too that I was really tempted to get. (especially the Gungrave one). However, I figured this was just my first stop so I didn't want to go overboard. Besides, I could always come back.
����������� Back on Yonge street, I continued along until I caught sight of Sam The Record Man. It was hard to miss really, what with the GIANT spinning discs above the entrance. I poked my head in there and looked around for some of the hard to find metal bands my London buddies and I listen to. I managed to find Demiricous' album "One" for twenty bucks, and I had to snatch that sucker. Anyone who claims to have any interest in thrash metal would be retarded to not own that album.
����������� Across the street from Sam's, I found a Sunrise records AND another HMV. I had the HMV on Queen Street on my list, but this one was just as good. They had a good T-shirt collection in there, but sadly not a lot of good posters. I found out that In Flames was going to be there signing autographs in a couple of days. I'm still debating whether or not I am a big enough fan to warrant standing around in the cold for hours just for a few signings. We'll see.
����������� I made my way to Dundas and then realized that I had missed one of the stores on my list: the Hairy Tarantula. Jennifer had warned me that the entrance was hard to spot. I guess she was right. I wasn't about to backtrack though. It wasn't really that big of a deal that I find everything on this one trip, so I kept on down Dundas street. I had an eye out for the Greyhound bus station and the Gameshack that was supposedly on Bay street, the first street I hit along Dundas, but I didn't see either. I'll have to look harder next time I go down. I kept down Dundas for a while and noticed that as I was closing in on Spadina street, I was defiantly entering the Chinatown area. Lots of foodstuffs and merch for display right on the sidewalk. It was pretty nifty I thought. Some of the salespeople were pretty lively and animated, like carnival barkers. Quite the sight I must say.
����������� When I hit Spadina, which was quite the trek from Yonge, I turned north and started scanning for the next place on my list: animeXtreme. I was really looking hard too, cause the number of signs and small stores was rather abundant. I credit actually finding the store to luck actually. Interestingly enough, I actually ended up going through the wrong door into the shop, and ended up in the store next to it... an oriental CD store. Yeah... awkward. So I 180ed it out of there and went into the right door. The place was small but had a lot of toys and anime DVDs for sale. I noticed a heap of cheap posters, but sifting through them didn't yield anything I was specifically interested in. I did find something else in that store that I ended up buying, but I can't say what it is just yet.
����������� So back on the street I turned south back down Spadina. Again, just jiving down the Chinatown streets is something else. I came across the Chinatown Center on my way to Queen street, and almost didn't have the gall to venture inside. Thank god Jen and Clay's voices spoke up in my head and egged me on. That place was really something else. It was more or less a smaller, more cramped mall with lots of nifty oriental shops. I was circling the floors looking for this one shop Jen had told me about, but I couldn't find it. To be honest, I wasn't looking all that hard. Again, it wasn't a big deal. I did get a kick out of the oriental orchestra that was playing in the center of the place. Music is music is music I figure, so I stopped and had a listen for a while. It was groovy.
����������� Back on the street, I found Queen Street soon enough and started down that one. The next place on my list was one that Niall and Jen both had spoken about: The Silver Snail. Once again, I found the place by luck more than anything. THIS store was cool! Action figures from just about anything you can think of and a fudge-tone of comics. They had a lot of movie posters in there, but unfortunately nothing I was interested in. I was actually almost on my way out of the place when I noticed a few calendars sitting almost forgotten on a shelf. There was a Gungrave 2006 one that I snagged almost instinctively. Not that I have much use for a calendar, but when it has art from the show all over it, why not?
����������� Further down Queen street, I found the other HMV store and shot in there. I was amazed by the amount of Opeth CDs they had in there... if they only had "Morningrise" though. I would have bought that. I did finally find a good poster there though... good old "Iron Maiden - The Trooper". That sucker is on my bedroom door now. Yup.
����������� The day was winding down and I was coming back to Yonge street. As I turned south, I started peering around for the last comic shop on my list: Comic Emporium. Never found it though, despite really, REALLY having my eye out for it. By that time I was about ready to head home anyway. I had been walking around all day. I went south further till I finally found a subway station (on King Street) and then rode the rocket all the way back to my place.
����������� All and all, not only am I glad I went, but I can't wait to go again. I might go down again Tuesday. In Flames IS going to be at HMV down there, so it's worth at least checking out. If its lined up out the door though, I might not bother and just might try looking for some of the stores I missed (as well as some of the goodies I didn't pick up last time).
����������� So that was my trip. Tune in again next time!
DC
