Instead of staying home and getting those extra calories, get up, get dressed, and GO OUT! Call up a few of your friends and make plans to hit a night on the town. We live in one of the greatest cities in Canada, so we have a huge variety of hang-out places. Downtown Toronto is absolutely fantastic for eating dinner, going to a bar or club, or simply taking a stroll and enjoying some good company. If you want to be more low- key, just go to dinner or have a few drinks with friends. Hit up Toronto’s Yorkville District and choose from the many restaurants, wine bars, and cafés.
However, if you’re on a budget, Yorkville isn’t the greatest place to have a good time—you don’t want to have a panic attack when you see the bill. A more affordable place to wine and dine is on College Street.
Park your car or take the TTC and start walking! There are a variety of places that serve tasty but affordable food. Also, if you want to have some extra fun, College Street is the home to many bars and lounges, such as Mana, Lilly’s Lounge, and the Mod Club.
Although these ar great places to hang out and have a few drinks, you might want to take this night to the next level: CLUBBING! This is absolutely one of my favourite things to do and hope it will become one of yours too.
The best places to visit are my three favourite men: Peter, John, and Richmond (PJR) Streets. The best clubs are in and around that area, including Adelaide and King Streets; it depends on what kind of music you want to hear and the crowd you want to mingle with. If you want to hit a club where Top 40 music is the main beat, you need to visit clubs like Lot 332, Embassy, Frequency, and Reign, all near PJR. The age ranges are from 19 to 23, so if you’re that age and enjoy a mix of hip-hop, rap, reggae, and dance, then those places are definitely for you. If you’re looking for high-end clubs, then you have to visit the King himself, and party at clubs like Century Room, Spice Route, Dolce, Cheval, and Devil’s Martini.
These clubs all require semi-professional dress. Clubs located in the PJR district let guys get away with casual looks (like jeans and T-shirts), but when you’re visiting the king, make sure to dress appropriately.
Guys, start polishing those dress shoes and ironing those collared shirts; for girls, heels and dresses are the trend.
When you’re going clubbing, make sure you don’t have to work the next day. Clubs usually close around 2 a.m., but if you feel that the night is still young, hit-up some after-hours clubs like Film, Footwork, and The Guvernment. If you’re shy and feel like you need to break out of your bubble, please go clubbing, have a few drinks, and let loose. My recommendation: have a couple shots of tequila, whiskey, or vodka.
You’ll definitely become sociable. Remember to be careful, and don’t do anything harmful or too crazy—you still have to return to school on Monday. But get out of the house and show them how we party, Toronto-style.
