I was sick for a good few days immediately after moving in, so the true Torontoness of my existence has really yet to hit me yet.
That being said, the merits of not living in a run-down backwater town (no matter how enthusiastic and picturesque St. Catharines was) is already becoming apparent.
I now live within a short distance of:
a half a dozen art supply stores,
dozens of vintage clothing stores,
dozens of independent art galleries,
at least a couple art gallery/vintage clothing stores,
at least 3 nationally renowned art galleries,
dozens of independent coffee shops
at least one Starbucks,
too many expensive restaurants with delicious food I can’t afford,
two boutique hotels (one that’s pretty cool, and the other too cool for it’s own good),
at least one video rental place that only rents movies that do not suck,
a knitting cafe,
a variety of authentic storefronts with stacks upon stacks of junk piled up in the windows,
hip hot spots that look like dives, dives that are hip hot spots,
and many other fascinating things within this city that are accessible through one of the three street car lines that are directly outside my apartment.