As you know, this weekend we were getting ready for my daughter’s graduation from Middle School. We had been shopping for shoes in our neighbourhood but could not found the right shoes: they had to be flat sandals in a gold-like colour. Yesterday we decided to take a trip to Chinatown to see if we could find what we were looking for.
We got off the streetcar just as we entered Chinatown, hoping that we could find the shoe shop we had visited before.
Alas, the store had closed down – as have so many in the last couple of years. Store fronts stand empty even in this part of town.
We walked to the main road in Chinatown, Spadina Avenue. Here throngs of people were shopping or strolling along the road on this first day of summer.
I have seen these streets busier – and they will be as the tourists come to visit and schools are closed. Looking around one can feel the vibe of the city. I love, too, that public transport is available and that the city is attempting to make the streets safer for cyclists.
Whenever we are in Chinatown, we always take the time to go for a meal. Yesterday we visited the best restaurant we have been to for dumplings, The Dumpling House Restaurant. The dumplings are made in-house and are freshly made every day.
We often order our favourite: wonton soup (for my husband), vegetable stir fried noodles (for my girls) and pan fried dumplings. The meal is delicious – especially as we do not have it too often.
While in Chinatown, we take the time to stop by the supermarket to get some Chinese vegetables and cooking essentials. The fruit and vegetables are displayed outside to attract the passing trade.
The signs showing prices are crude, penned on torn cardboard boxes or red card.
The following sign was put up after people began bringing their own shopping bags to stores. As expected, the sign is also written in the language used by many of the clientèle.
The fruit always looks good and the scents encourage one to pick some up to take home.
We enjoyed our day out together as a family. The best part about it was that we found shoes for my daughter – and a little clutch purse that would go perfectly with her outfit.
All items are now ready for the big day. Later on this afternoon, she will be all dressed up and ready to celebrate.
Do you enjoy shopping in Chinatown?
© Colline Kook-Chun, 2014
(This post was inspired by Restless Jo’s Monday Walk)
Colline's Blog 
Congratulations on such a successful trip. I remember my graduation from 8th grade very clearly. I wore a white dress too, but my shoes — which were the “in” thing at the time — were very pointed toe, white, high-heeled pumps. We added pink pearls and a pink corsage. I hope your daughter has as much fun as I did.
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My daughter refuses to wear any shoe with a heel – she looks for comfort and ease of walking. Luckily we found these roman-style shoes that are dressy enough to wear for evening.
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I don’t wear heels much anymore. But what I can’t figure out is WHY we thought the pointed toes were so great. They are uncomfortable, and they look utterly ridiculous!
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Both my daughters and I are in agreement: why wear thin high heels when flatter shoes are more comfortable and so much easier to walk in. My daughter even refuses to try on a shoe with a heel 🙂
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Congratulations to your daughter and to you, too, of course.
I drooled over the mangoes. They are one of the things I miss most living here in the northeast. I only get to taste those kind when we visit Montreal. And yes, I miss good Chinese food, too.
Thanks for the visual trip, Colline.
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From time to time we do buy mangoes. However they do not come close in taste to the ones we have eaten warmed by the African sun. But they come close 🙂
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Enjoyed the amble through Chinatown with you Colline. The sandals look really pretty. Best wishes to your daughter on her graduation.
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Thank you Madhu. The bonus is that the sandals were comfortable too 🙂
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A delightful look at your China Town, Colline. The food looks delicious. I know I would also be tempted by those pan fried dumplings. Well done on finding the beautiful sandals and bag. Congrats to your daughter on her graduation. 🙂
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We were lucky with the shoes – it was the last pair and in her size 🙂
As for the bag, we had given up on finding one in the right colour but popped into a store in the subway station.
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Thank you for the enjoyable Chinatown tour! I love the pan fried dumplings and noodles.
Beautiful shoes 🙂
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Glad you enjoyed the walk Amy. Pan fried dimples and noodles are a favourite of my family 🙂
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Glad I’d eaten tea when I got to your post, Colline! That food looks delicious 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your walk (and your daughter’s graduation shoes!) with me. (that bag is beautiful, too) I tend to forget that you live in Toronto. I have a step-nephew who lives there, but I’ve never been, nor am likely to. You know I love to look around new places.
Happy graduation to her! 🙂
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I will try take more pictures when we are out and about Toronto this summer Jo. Maybe you can get to see Toronto a little through my eyes 🙂
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Thank you- that would be appreciated, Colline 🙂
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fun 🙂
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oh – and I like it all – but that first sign – looking up at it with the welcome to china town was my fav –
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This sign is new to the quarter and I like it too 🙂
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We liked it – especially poking around in the little shops 🙂
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been there and loved it, évidemment… 🙂
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What is there not to love: restaurants serving delicious food abound, the vibe is alive, and the weather was perfect 🙂
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This was a lovely trip through Chinatown with you. Glad the outfit is ready to be used!
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Glad you enjoyed it Scrapy. It is far larger than what exists in Johannesburg.
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The photos of Chinatown are fantastic, and they made me hungry! (That’s not very hard to do 😉 )
Glad you were able to find the shoes!
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Every time we go to Chinatown, we eat somewhere. Who could resist Chinese food? I know I can’t 🙂
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Urgh! You making me want to go to a Chinatown. Hmmm … this is not my time of the year because more people are doing the same thing I usually do – tour and sightsee.
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It can be a little busy. I think from next weekend the tourists will be out in full force.
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A beautiful outing, by now the Princess would have worn her golden slippers.
The fruit looks great, our fruit here is coated in wax to preserve its shine, something I detest.
Regards
Ian
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Ours is coated in wax too. I have read that the wax is to make the fruit look attractive – it has nothing to do with preserving the food.
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What a lovely walk around your Chinatown! I have been to Toronto, but not Chinatown so it was nice to see what I missed. A very vibrant community, but a shame about all the closed shops. It has been very tough for everybody over the last few years.
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It has been – and many have closed down in the last couple of years. even now we miss the ones we used to shop at.
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