Staycation

I can really get on board with the idea of a staycation. I surprised Stefan with a weekend downtown to celebrate our 3 year anniversary…the guy is always surprising me (ie. our trip to Niagara) so I wanted to do something special for him! It was so fun to be tourists in our own city. We tried restaurants we’ve never been to, strolled through Queen West, and spent some good ol’ fashioned quality time together.

Oh, and a King-sized bed helps, considering I am a diagonal sleeper.

Here’s a mini photo diary of what we got up to this weekend, as well as some reviews on the places we went. This weekend was more or less dedicated to food, drinks, and more food. My wallet is quite a bit lighter, but I found a few new favourite places in my city!

Stef and I stayed at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, and it was quite the experience. So beautiful! I got a deal using a promo code (thanks to Jess!) which was key in this plan…considering the cost of valet parking or a drink at the hotel bar, I am far too poor to stay at this hotel. The Royal York is old and has so much character, so I’m happy we got to experience it. We did manage to sit down for a beer at the stunning Library Bar…although I was dying for an $18 G&T!

Saturdays are for embarrassing Stefan all over the city…what else is new. After a night of seeing Suicide Squad (I loved it!) we spent Saturday strolling up and down King and Queen St. This new big red chair outside of the Royal Alex is so cool! Theatre nerd dreams do come true. We stopped in the park to catch a few Pokémon (as you do) and tried to stay out of the sun. We failed.

Can we talk about Smoque n’ Bones for a second? This place is AMAZING. I’ve never really been to a barbecue restaurant, and this place did not disappoint.  We were feeling ambitious for lunch, so we ordered The Sampler- 3 meats and 3 sides. We chose ribs, brisket, pulled pork, beans, coleslaw, and corn…I still have meat sweats. Highlights for me were the coleslaw and the brisket, and Stef loved the pulled pork. 10/10 would recommend!

Apparently the upstairs is reserved for dinner and features one of the best whiskey bars in the city. Definitely will be going back!

On our way back to the hotel before dinner, we were feeling mighty thirsty. Off to Hooters for a margarita! If you couldn’t tell, this weekend was far from health-conscious. Killer margs btw, and the rooftop is super cool.

Dinner was at a crowd favourite: Gusto 101. I swear I’m the only person I know who’s never been there. Shockingly, we didn’t have to wait in line and we got a seat on the rooftop patio. The meal was good! I loved my pizza and Stef had delicious ravioli. Not the best wine we’ve ever had, but for $1/oz, can you really complain? Also, the tabletop was marble and perfect for pretty pictures. So there’s that.

Lastly we were off to meet some friends for drinks at yet another new place: Macho Tex Mex Radio Bar. Honestly the most bizarre name I’ve ever heard. Aside from the mouthful of a title, this place was great. Cheap pitchers, yummy chips and tacos, and a cool vibe. I didn’t snap any pictures, but I can assure you that it’s worth a visit! Their sangria is dangerous…you’ve been warned.

With all the fun things we did this weekend, this phrase says it all…my happy place was back at the hotel, in my pyjamas with leftover movie popcorn, snuggled up watching the Olympics with Stef. I’m so happy we got to celebrate our 3 years together and all of the years to come!