To help inspire you to explore the Middle of Somewhere, this list will be updated each week of 2021 with things to do in Toronto. Follow along on the adventures, or look back on past weeks when you are in need of inspiration.

Also be sure to check out the “Eating & Drinking Throughout Toronto” and “In The Know Toronto” pages for more inspiration!

Participating in Dry January or are simply interested in taste-testing no-alcohol cocktail alternatives? Try out Salty Paloma’s Non Alcoholic Cocktail Kit featuring Seedlip Spice (a non-alcoholic spirit), Bonne Maman Orange Marmalade, Fresh Sour Mix, Grapefruit and Pine Cordial, Fever Tree Lemon Tonic, Cashew Orgeat (Syrup), Chai Tea, Lemon and Dehydrated Fruits. The kit also comes with three non-alcoholic cocktail recipes.

Salty Paloma also offers a newly launched subscription kit – check out the In-The-Know Toronto page to learn more! I’ve previously ordered one of their kits and attended a virtual cocktail class, and thought both were excellent.

If you like the idea of Dry January, but didn’t start this month – opt for Dry February instead and consider participating in the Canadian Cancer Society’s Dry Feb campaign to raise money.

Join Rasa – a Toronto restaurant by the Food Dudes – for a virtual dinner in collaboration with Event Circle. The event runs on January 23rd at 6:30PM. Purchase your ticket and you’ll receive all of the ingredients for a three-course meal and access to a virtual class to cook with Rasa’s chefs.

The meal includes Rasa’s amazing chopped salad, truffle gnudi, the famed Rasa burger, and a dessert. It costs $90+HST / person.

Early in the pandemic, several chefs, restaurants and home cooks came together to contribute to Toronto’s very own open source cookbook. Contributors include: Canoe, Woodhouse Brew Pub, Drake Devonshire, Alimentari (see our interview with the owners here!), Chef Rocco Agostino (of Pizzeria Libretto and Enoteca Sociale), Chef Craig Wong (of Patois and Bar Mignonette), Shori Imanishi (of Imanishi Japanese Kitchen) and many more (see the full list of contributors here). Cook up something that might be a bit outside of your wheelhouse – everything in the book is meant to be approachable and as described by the creators, “It is meant to be shared so that we can learn from each other, inspire one another and at the very least, derive joy from each other.”

Find the cookbook here. You can also download a PDF version from this site.

Order yourself some delicious, limited edition zaa from a new kid on the block: Sohmers. One rectangular pie feeds two hungry people. Order via the link on their Instagram feed (keep an eye on their Instagram for the new weekly drop dates – this week, they’re opening orders on Wednesday. Check back weekly if you miss the boat this time!). Pickups are on Saturday’s between 4:30 – 8:30PM.

Also be sure to order the Middle of Somewhere pizza checklist and make your way through some of Toronto’s most popular pizza joints!

What was once a happening waterpark now offers great walking trails and plenty of stunning views of the water and CN Tower. There is paid parking onsite and is also accessible via TTC with a bit of a walk. Make your way around the West Island – taking the trail as far to the west as possible and looping around the island – then head out over the peninsula that looks like a ship. Circle back and head over to the East Island for some more great views of the city.

Despite the province shutting down almost every activity this winter, I was thrilled to learn they kept skating rinks open. That excitement quickly dwindled when I learned it was near impossible to book a slot on the city’s website. Luckily, the Bentway’s booking system opens up every Friday at 10AM with new slots. Pop onto this site, promptly at 10AM to secure your rink time. The Bentway is always a great loop to skate in the winter, but will be even better with fewer people (there is a fixed capacity of 25 people)!

DaiLo is extending their pop-up at midtown’s Hot Black Coffee for the next few weeks (just north of Yonge and Davisville). They’ll be serving up a small menu of delicious items like bao bun burgers & wings. Follow their Instagram for the latest dates & info. Of course, I’ve taste-tested and it’s well worth the hype. Order in person at the front window.

Tip: If you are unfamiliar with DaiLo, the restaurant serves up New-Asian cuisine with Chef Nick Liu at the helm (you may have seen him on the Food Network). The food is delicious and one of the few tasting menus in Toronto that I’ve returned to multiple times.

Crothers Woods is over 100 acres of woodlands, meadows and wetlands in the Don River Valley. It makes for a perfect hike in the middle of the city.

Depending on which trail you take, you may come across the Redway Road staircase, thought to be a neat hidden gem inside the woods. The stairs were originally built as an escape route from the employees of the North Toronto Sewage Treatment Plant, which was built in 1929 (I know what you’re now thinking, but no worries – I couldn’t smell the plant on the trails in the winter, which makes it an even better time to go for a walk in the area!).

Follow the directions to here (or just type in Crothers Woods into Google Maps) and you’ll be guided to trail entrance and a parking lot beside the Loblaws off of Millwood. 

Tip: The trails can get pretty muddy and icy, depending on the weather. Be sure to wear appropriate footwear!

Okay first off, what the heck is crokicurl?! The game is played on ice and is a large scale hybrid of curling and the board game Crokinole. It was invented by Canadians Liz Wreford and Leanne Muir and was first played in Winnipeg. 

Why should I care? It’s one of the few activities that hasn’t been shut down in Toronto this winter and it still has available time slots to book, unlike Toronto’s skating rinks (note – you may have to look a few weeks ahead, and there are only a few spots remaining so book swiftly). You’ll have the rink to yourself, so it’s a great, safe outdoor activity. I’ve booked my slot in Feb and am looking forward to it!

Book here.