I couldn't quite tell you what willed me that Tuesday morning to purchase a bus ticket to Toronto. What I do know is I woke up with a need for a new adventure so I googled the closes places I could travel out of the country with out breaking the bank and close enough that if I needed to I could drive right back within a reasonable time. My selections dwindled down from Vancouver, Montreal, and lastly Toronto. It was 5:50 pm and I was at Union station in DC, running in Palladium Boots, dress shoes in hand in a rush to make it on time to catch my bus. I was in a state of rush, mental anxiety, and searching for some sort of self-affirmation, happy yet possessed by the luggage my soul kept clinging to.
Though the bus station was lack luster I whipped out my phone and continued my snap chat story. Letting my friends and family know I had made it ok. Most of them surprised still believing I was still at home with my pooch. I rushed to the nearest Starbucks I could find like the good little gay adventurer that I am haha. I needed wi-fi and to double check if my reservation for my hostel had even gone through....that attempt failed so I just walked in what I thought was the direction of the hostel and hoped for the best; I found it eventually dead phone and all. I didn’t know what to expect but after checking in and quickly rinsing offI was out the door and exploring quicker than that little brown betch Dora the Explorer. I didn’t know what to expect of the city but I was immediately comforted by the kindness I was met with by complete strangers. I even had homeless people giving me directions. All the while I’m thinking "where they do that at!?" NOT in DC ...and most definitely NOT IN NYC. They will point you in the direction of their buddy hiding in the alley ready to jump and take your belongings lol.
Aside from all the site seeing I managed to accomplish during my 5 day excursion (side note: you can see all of Toronto efficiently in 3 days on foot and a couple places by Ubër) I set out one evening on a mission to get some good night photography shots. I started that evening at a locally recommend dive bar, Tequila Book Worm. If you are in town YOU MUST HAVE THE FRIED CHICKEN BURGER. Its like Precious and Wolfgang Puck came together and made a baby...ahhh horrible visual, but you get my point. I asked my ridiculously sexy and clearly slightly inebriated waiter which way china town was he managed to put together a complete sentence and sent me along my way. After a long walk I eventually had to stop and ask an Asian... Lesson one: Don’t approach middle age Asian women at night regardless of how fabulous you may be dressed the result will end in a slight yelp and Asian profanities. So then I approached a younger group I was happily met by smiles and the directions I needed. Best believe I asked where the good Ramen was at, and yah cuz they're Asian lol
After I completed my shots I was about to head home when I saw a small crew of alternatively dressed teenagers. I asked them what was going on inside the building with a storefront that read "Bonsai" they mentioned a DJ was Spinning in the basement. Camera in hand I stepped inside and was met by a deaf gay Russian door kid ...lol Our exchange was awkward (first because I didn’t realize he was deaf I thought he was fucking with me) but ended with a hug and a free pass. The phrase "Im a photographer" works in some places not always though. I toured the building ...from courtyard down through the dusty dreary condemned interior. Following the music I was finally reached a dark foggy room illuminated only by one projector screen and happy souls of acid tripping teenagers inside. A small part of me jumped inside and screamed, "This is the shit I LIVE FOR". Talked to the guest DJ for a bit "DJ Pippy Long Stockings" a young lady who I could describe her taste as slow melodic beats churning hip hop versus in a psychedelic rotation that kept your mind at peace but your body in motion. We all took a mutual liking to each other and I was asked to return the next day for a fashion show put together by a group of aspiring fashion designers, which was dubbed Cat Call....(TBC)
