Yesterday was the beginning of a long weekend – with glorious sun, although unseasonably cold. We easily got in over 10,000 steps on our Fitbits (nearly 7 and-a-half kilometers), 9 flights of stairs, plus a couple of transit rides, covering lots of parts of our amazing city. One of the things I love best is to capture snaps with my phone along the way, so I can remember what a great time I had – that inspires me to keep on walking!
We started the day with the Regent Park Summer Jam – our local 51 Division police cooked hot dogs while kids played with a dunk tank and bouncy castle, local CRC musicians played, and a free bike clinic helped riders get t
heir wheels ready for the season. Dogs and their owners were all enjoying the sun, even though we decided to go home and layer up before the next leg of our journey. We had a super time, heading next to the Queen bus (replacing the streetcar for a good part of the summer, as infrastructure is upgraded), and then the bus down Spadina to Harbourfront.
Down at the harbour, we visited some of the market booths, including It Came From Planet Weird and their adorable cards. Despite the chill, the waterfront was teeming with people and pets. It’s not often we can see whitecaps on Lake Ontario on the long weekend. The sun was warming…just a little.
It’s fun to capture new discoveries, too. I didn’t know there was a whole 
pet play space down near the water, for example. It’s called the Purina Pawsway, and cats and dogs are welcome. I thought the kids were having as much fun as the pets, posing and climbing on the giant kitty and puppy statues out in front.
We continued westward, finally turning north and swinging through St. Lawrence Market for some dinner fixings. Then we picked up the King 
streetcar to Broadview Avenue, where we re-joined the Queen bus, this time in an easterly direction. I stopped in to see my friends at The Purple Purl, choosing s
ome more project materials to keep me busy. It’s amazing to see the changes in Leslieville, as the former Jilly’s is refreshed to its former beauty, now the Broadview Hotel.
The next time you’re headed out for a walk, take time to capture some memories along the way. They’ll keep you going when it isn’t so pretty and you need extra inspiration to get some fresh air and exercise.
Happy walking!