Toronto offers so many simple pleasures especially heightened in the winter when you are bundled up against the cold and travelling on foot. Having lived in tropical climates for the past two winters I’d almost forgotten the delightful feelings of cold, more about ruddy cheeks, epidemic of coming into warmth after braving the wind, the sounds of smooth ice slipping underneath ice skates (shrrush, shrrush), of muted footsteps in the snow.

I’m always thrilled to discover little gems in Toronto, especially when they are introduced to me by friends. It’s always an immense pleasure to discover local gathering places or hole-in-the-wall eateries that lack pretense or the sheen of “modern luxury”, and are accessible on foot. I visited the Dufferin Grove Farmer’s Market on Thursday and was delighted to see people out and about even though it was a rather cold day (it’s open year-round). There was a guy selling Mexican drinking chocolate made from cacao beans grown, picked and processed by his collective; a lady presiding over delicious breads made with beets or potato scones with rosemary; and theatre props hanging from the rafters above organic beets, turnips and cabbage. The market is housed inside a community ice rink and there were lots of kids and teenagers having a good time amongst the shoppers.

Near the corner of Dufferin and Bloor, there was a cozy Ethiopian restaurant that offered a yummy vegetarian platter that I shared with my friend. In the two and a half weeks back in Mississauga and Toronto, I’ve made up for the lack of international cuisine in southwest Florida by eating Cantonese, Sichuan, Thai and Lebanese (Paramount Fine Foods in Mississauga – deeelish pastries, fresh fresh fresh pita bread and hummus, and manakeesh) foods. And I plan to eat more before I return to the sunny climes (Newin Centre, here I come!). (Oooh…in the midst of all this, I do miss my mamey shakes and Cuban sandwiches. Grass is always greener on the other side, eh?)