Storybook Vacations

Tonight on the Top Chef season five finale, many viewers were left surprised by Hosea’s victory.  Not that I actually wanted Stefan to win (frozen carpaccio, anyone?), and as wonderful as Carla is in her soulfulness she wasn’t qualified, but I expected him to do so.  But Hosea wowed the judge’s with his last supper and emerged the next, Top Chef.

Top Chef New York was unique in its innovative new episodes and challenges.  The staple of celebrity guest judges was both expected and welcome, but the true draw was the top-notch group of chefs and their incredible and sometimes awful dishes.  Equally interesting was Ariyan who was an assault on one’s senses and generally not a good chef.

Top Chef has been a welcome addition to Bravo these past five seasons, and I’ll be curious to see what new concept they create for season 6.  Europe? Hawaii? South America? Any of these venues could add elements of intrigue to the next season.

Watch what happens.

Brian Bravo, new york, Season 5 Finale, Top Chef

It’s been several years since my last trip to Toronto, Canada, the New York of Canada.  But I remember enjoying my trip and wanted to share some travel advice about Toronto with you, the readers.

Toronto is located in the province of Ontario and has over 2.5 million residents.  An noteworthy fact is that almost 50% of Toronto residents were born outside of Canada making Toronto a truly international city.

So what can you do in Toronto, you wonder?  Here are some sights you may want to visit:

-Niagara Falls (it will require a short day trip, but is a breath-taking waterfall which offers a water-soaking boat ride)

-CN Tower (the former, world’s tallest building which towers at over 1,800 ft high)

-Royal Ontario Museum (world culture and history of Ontario)

-Yorkville neighborhood (one of the most elegant shopping/dining districts in Toronto)

Toronto is very similar to New York or Chicago (if they were in Canada, ay) due to the large, metropolitan area, bountiful attractions, culture, and fine dining.

What about the exchange rate? One USD is worth about $1.24 CAD.  So everything is effectively cheaper.  That means that you may even be able to save some of your hard-earned cash.

If you do travel to Toronto, airfare and accommodations are another consideration.  A good time to travel is in the summer as it may be cold other times of the year.  Also, if you live in the Northeastern US, there are many inexpensive flights you can choose from.  Hotels are also well-priced at as little as $84 per night.  I didn’t check hotel-flight packages, but you can almost always find a better rate that way.

Finally, here are a few restaurants that sparked my interest:

-Embrujo Flamenco tapas restaurant (pricey, Danforth/Greektown area, food sounds interesting and there is live flamenco)

-Ten-Ichi Japanese (inexpenive, Scarborough area, has all-u-cant-eat dinner menu and cheap lunch specials)

-Dos Amigos (moderate, Downtown area, has nice-sounding, authentic Mexican food)

Here’s a good restaurant review site you may want to consult.

If you have a chance, check out Toronto, Canada on your next vacation.

Brian airfare, Chicago, cn tower, Dining, new york, niagara falls, toronto