'Tis the Season for Staycations!
Last month our family trip to Miami got cancelled due to concerns related to Hurricane Matthew. I was really looking forward to getting away, but that trip just wasn't in the cards. But I didn't give up ... I was determined to do something! The idea of a staycation intrigued me and now I can't wait to share my 44 hour experience at 44 Charles.
I have to be honest, I live in the city, but have not spent a lot of time in the Bay and Bloor area. When I decided to "staycation" in a furnished guest suite at 44 Charles I was excited, but nervous because I really didn't know what to expect. To my pleasant surprise, this was a weekend to a remember and in a neighbourhood that I will now never forget!
I had no idea that 44 Charles was in the heart of everything. Literally everything! We made the guest suite our home away from home and my daughter was thrilled about the idea! The suite was a perfect size for our family and I'm not even kidding, we stepped out of the elevator and we were face to face with three floors of shopping, amazing restaurants and cafes, and then tons of cool spots just around the corner!
I'll start with where we ate because food is always top of everyone's priority list. We dined at Scaccia Restaurant the first night - it was an intimate spot and conveniently located just a hop, skip and a jump away from the entrance to 44 Charles. Psst ... get the mushroom risotto and you won't be disappointed! Next up: Planta. It is seriously one of my favourite restaurants in the city so I was so pleased to know it was just a short walk away. We enjoyed lunch there and every single thing we ate was delicious. I recommend the cauliflower tater tots and the coconut ceviche. I am definitely going back to try the entire menu! The best part about 44 Charles is that there are just so many eating options ... and if you just aren't feeling like a sit-down restaurant, you can always opt for a grab-and-go bite from Loblaw's Bloor Street Market. We did that on Sunday evening! My daughter loves grocery stores for some reason, so she thought this was a fun adventure to add to our staycation!
As a mother, coffee is LIFE! I was thrilled that Starbucks and Timothy's was a stone's throw away from our suite. I rolled out of bed and went straight for an Americano! Caffeine was definitely needed for our day ahead, which included a swim in the amazing pool at 44 Charles. Sure, we missed our trip to Miami last month, but nowhere in Miami could you find this incredible view of our city (CN Tower included).
Coffee also helped jump start my much-needed workout; I got in a full-body workout in just 30 minutes using everything from dumbbells to the treadmill at the 44 Charles gym. This sweat session gave me that extra boost (above and beyond coffee) to get me through the rest of the weekend.
The second day of our staycation started off on a sweet note with free hot chocolate at the Manulife Centre and a yummy brunch at Bloor Street Diner followed by watching the Toronto Santa Claus Parade. We lasted as long as we could in the cold weather and then found ourselves shopping at Indigo! My daughter scored a Paw Patrol toy and a couple of new books and mommy went across the way to the LCBO and scored a bottle of red! It's the weekend and mommy juice was definitely in order! Everything I just listed is seriously just steps out of the elevator from our suite!! Crazy, right? I almost forgot, we even squeezed in a visit to the ROM. The dinosaur exhibit was my daughter's favourite - did you know that a new dino was just discovered called the Wendiceretops Pinhornensis? I had no idea!!
Lastly, we also had my brother and his family come visit us at our "home away from home" and we hosted a small party in the party room of 44 Charles. We really felt like we were home. I have to say staying and living at 44 Charles is affordable and convenient. We made some beautiful memories and this staycation was the perfect start to the festive season!
Wishing you a very happy and healthy holidays!
