We made good time coming home (if you aren’t going 120 on the 401, you are posing a hazard), stopping in Tweed again.

We are tired but it has been a wonderful trip and a wonderful time shared. We talk about the next one…

We have to head east out of town, so I drive back to the Beaches to get some lunch on the way east…

We get lunch at Lick’s – an old favourite.

Then off to the 401 and out of town…

We head out to the Yorkville area downtown. Yorkville is the most exclusive shopping are in Canada (the Rodeo Drive of Canada you might say) and it is fun to see.

Lynette likes to visit Betsy Johnson’s, were she found a designer skirt on sale last trip. We enjoy the browse though there is nothing at Betsy Johnson’s this year that wouldn’t involve leaving my car in payment 🙂

We head back down to Original on Queen Street, and Lynette buys the wonderful skirt she found yesterday.

Then to a bead store for a few odds and ends…

We start the day as usual, which we enjoy thoroughly. Then we check out of our lovely Hotel. It has been a good stay and I would recommend the place. The staff was so friendly and helpful as well…

After some preparation, we are off to the Prince of Wales Theater for Mama Mia.

What can I say? It was wonderful! We had the same box seats as last year – perfect sight lines, plush wing chairs to sit in, everything absolutely perfect.

The show was incredible and we leave with the music of ABBA running through our heads and reminiscing about various scenes.

Beyond description….

It has been another big and successful morning, but we are a bit tired.

So, back to the beaches for some browsing in the Queen St East shops close to the Hotel. We also need some rest because we have the theater tonight.

Queen St East is another eclectic area, though really more little restaurants and such than other stores. We have a little browse, then a short walk on the boardwalk and then out onto a pier in the lake that I use to visit many years ago.

It then sprinkles rain so we head for the hotel – the first un-sunny time.

Lynette takes short nap and I do email. Then out for a light meal on Queen East.

Having wrapped up St Lawrence Market quickly leaves us time and energy to walk Queen Street West, so off we go.

In the few blocks we find incredible fabric stores with bolts of fabric stacked to the roof of store (12 feet), the spaces between isles only about 2 feet. I bet the fire inspector hasn’t been in there since 1950, but it is neat to see.

Incredible bead and craft stores that appear to supply people who make crafts for a living are fun to browse. Lynette finds some unique things.

Lynette is in heaven in the designer dress shops. She finds a wonderful unique skirt in ORIGINAL. We put is aside until after we visit the Yorkville area tomorrow.

It is now after lunch time and since we are still in the area we go back to our favourite Kensington spot to eat. As good as ever.

I even find a little area of free parking in the market. This is good for now and for future trips.

A great morning, but we aren’t done yet!

We decide that an hour or so is available for foray into the Eaton’s Center. We had not planned to visit it this trip but there are a few stores there that don’t have Ottawa locations (Hollister and ABercrombie & Fitch). We park right across the street (Toronto downtown parking is SO easy) and have a nice browse under the geese…

We start a new day with another nice hotel continental breakfast, again having it mostly to ourselves at 9:15.

We decide to explore St Lawrence Market in the Jarvis and Front St area. I have never been there to my knowledge.

It is interesting but mostly a food market of incredible varieties of products. There is apparently a farmer’s market on Saturdays that doubles the size.

We decide that if you lived in Toronto it would be a great place to shop, but the interest for us is limited.

It has been a long and happy day, but we are tired. Also we are both still fighting off a bug, so that makes for more fatigue.

We get some simple dinner and eat in the lovely little breakfast room at the hotel, overlooking Queen Street. We have it all to ourselves.

I have an webinar to attend online that keeps me busy until 9:30 and Lynette watches a move online. High speed net access it lovely.

We top of the evening with a walk on the Kew Beach boardwalk by the lake. It is lite by old gaslight style lights are night. Lots of other people enjoy a leisurely stroll along beside the beach on a warm evening. The city is a long way off, yet just a few blocks. Wonderful!

I tried to take a picture but the low light just won’t permit it. Here is a day shot.

Just imagine the lights illuminating the boardwalk dimly and people strolling along, with the sound of the lake. Heaven.

Queen Street West, about a half kilometer south of Kensington, is the edgy Toronto garment district now. Stretching a couple of city blocks, from Spadina to Bathurst, are numerous fabric, bead, craft and associates shops, intermixed with designer dress shops. The dress shops range from the very edgy to the more traditional, but all unique.

We are kind of tired today, so we drive the areas checking locations for a later foray.

Now back to the Beaches for dinner.

As we grow a bit tired there are a last few overflowing  shops before heading out…

We continue, with me eventually having tea on the patio of the Blue Banana while Lynette browses inside…

This place, unlike many others, is very new. However, it has two floors of an amazingly eclectic mix of things to see.

As always, the Market has a great variety of places to eat. We particularly like a little grilled panini shop. We stop in to find the same guys as last Summer behind the counter. And the food just as good…

Mozzarella cheese, sun dried tomatoes and back olives grilled in a panini – yum!

So here we are back in the Market and everything is open. We never get tired of wandering the streets and shops.

So many retro clothing shops, craft places, food shops, music and cafes – with an amazing cast of characters. This year, because it is before the end of school and before Summer, most people are the local people as opposed to students or tourists. That is great.