Ms. Julie does Toronto: Day One

10:36 AM/Train 53, VIA 1 class

There’s a silvery mist over Lake Ontario. Only an hour left before our arrival in Toronto.

The last time I visited the Queen’s City was winter 2007. We stayed in an old house that shuddered with cold. All weekend long my body shuddered too, with a feverish chill and violent sneezes that left my tongue feeling thick and heavy in my mouth.

But I did eat the best veggie dog of my life on the corner of Dundas and Yonge at one o’clock in the morning.

I am tempted to leave my bags at the hotel and find that vendor again. Maybe stick my head into H&M. I should nap instead. Ms. Julie needs to look fabbo tomorrow.

So Ms. Julie is a character created by the QWF to celebrate and promote English-language literature by Quebec writers. The promotional campaign featuring Ms. Julie (er, me) will be launched at BookExpo in Toronto this weekend, with Ms. Julie herself making an appearance during both days of the event.

To help Ms. Julie share her love of Quebec literature with the rest of Canada, the QWF has created a poster and a booklet featuring Ms. Julie and the various new English-language Quebec books that she’ll be enjoying this summer and fall.

I tried to attached the image but sometimes technology wins the battle. I'll try again later.

And there’s that huge Bowmanville refinery that spreads along the left side of the train like a cement spider. Oshawa is not far off. More stories later.

12.21/ Starbucks, Yonge and King Sts.

Notable sighting. Lesbian couple strolling hand in hand. The one on the right is wearing a t-shirt that says:

Beaver groomer