Monthly Archives: October 2013

Totally biased product review by me — Bombay Bhel

1 Reply
On a cold, rainy night the warm red comforting glow of the Bombay Bhel sign offers hope of a tasty curry in this dramatically soft-focus photo

On a cold, rainy night the warm red comforting glow of the Bombay Bhel sign offers hope of a tasty curry in this dramatically soft-focus photo

Picture the scenario. It’s been a tough day. Work was hectic, someone stole your pork pie lunch from the communal fridge and the commute home on the TTC doesn’t go as planned.

You finally get in, slump in your armchair and put on your slippers. But before you turn on the goggle box for Corrie Street there’s just one word in your mind: curry. (Or two words if you say Ruby Murray to sound harder than you are.)

Where can you go, where there’s various locations and you’ll always get a decent curry? Glad you asked. Bombay Bhel!

I go there a LOT, and it’s one of the best curries for me personally. Two clues to back up that bold, totally biased statement: (1) They spend money on paying the best chefs and not on their website design, and (2) there’s always a lot of Indian customers enjoying the food … not just pasty-white Brits like me sitting alone and looking around trying to pretend I do have mates, but they’re busy that night.

So — onto the food.

First off, let me tell you that if you’re looking for the “English style” curry — all the oranges and reds floating around in copious amounts of ghee — then this is not the place for you. Bombay Bhel has opted for the more traditional type of curry: more browns, slightly thicker in texture and with more spice.

As someone who started off my curry adventure as a teen on Chicken Korma and worked up to a Vindaloo, asking for “slightly hotter than medium please, old chap!” once had me taking cooling air breaths in between mouthfuls — it was pretty spicy. But DELISH!

Another great thing about Bombay Bhel is they don’t scrimp on the portion sizes. I usually have enough of my main course to take half home for lunch next day, but prefer not to put temptation in the way of the pork pie thief at work … so I eat the lot. I’m also a greedy bugger too, so that helps.

As a starter, the samosas are a nice size — crispy with a good, meaty filling — and come with a tamarind dipping sauce. I always get three poppadoms too and ask for the green minty raita sauce and a side of the spicy lime pickle. [Curious fact = the Bombay Bhel I go to never charges me for the poppadoms or pickle! Maybe it’s because I’m a regular there? Not sure. Anyway, it’s never on the bill so I make it up on the tip. Good karma and all that.]

My go-to dish — and the one I drive miles specifically to Bombay Bhel for — is the Chicken Karahi. They cook it in the perfect way, with lots of sauce (a must for me), big chunks of succulent chicken (Jesus Christ, writing this is making me starving now actually) and lots of ginger and onions. Mmmmm! (They always put that little bit of wood in too, that I’m not sure what it is, but must be a spice of some kind. Keep an eye out for that.)

It’s licensed, so you can enjoy a beer or wine with your meal, but make sure you are responsible in your drinking, take a taxi or go with a designated driver. (Just saying that to cover myself legally.)

So, there you have it. One of my personal favourite curry houses and I give it a nose-blowing, brow-mopping, eye-watering Brits in Toronto 5/5 stars.

Advertisement

What Toronto pub do you watch your football in?

Leave a reply
Hours of number crunching the data produced some disappointing statistics

Hours of number crunching the data produced some groundbreaking statistics*

The great thing about Toronto is that you can put on your football scarf, wander into a pub on game day and mix with other football fans. You can also get out alive, which is a nice, respectable way to enjoy the game these days.

I had a quick look at the Brits in Toronto football page and — although chuffed that we have just over 50% of the English Premier League represented — still want to complete the full tally.

So, if you know which Toronto pubs fans of the following teams watch their matches at, drop us a quick line. Much appreciated.

  • Southampton
  • Swansea City
  • Hull City
  • West Bromwich Albion
  • Fulham
  • Cardiff City
  • Stoke City
  • Norwich City
  • Crystal Palace

*Illustration copyright Brits in Toronto 2013. All rights reserved. Unlawful copying or reproduction of the data is strictly prohibited.

Successful Brits in Toronto: Karin and Kieran Ronde

1 Reply
Karin and Kieran laugh about the uncanny similarity in their names

Karin and Kieran laugh and joke about the uncanny similarity in their names

Brits in Toronto feels a warm affinity to Karin and Kieran Ronde because of their blog — K&K Adventures — that they started in January 2012 “as a way to introduce locals and travellers abroad to Canada and the expat lifestyle they’ve come to love!”

So, in effect we’re copying their idea. Fiddlesticks!

But curious as to what brought them to Toronto, we invited them to be featured in Successful Brits in Toronto … and they were game. Right ho, here we go then and over to you, Karin:

What made you decide to choose Toronto as a city of choice? Did you plan a permanent move, or wanted to “try it for a while and see how it goes” and it turned out to be longer than planned?

Toronto wasn’t so much of a choice for me; my parents moved to Toronto when I was 17. I was still living in Europe and decided to stay there and go to university in England. Because I was a minor at the time, I was given permanent Canadian residency along with the rest of my family.

At university I met Kieran, who was convinced we should take the opportunity of my residency and move to Canada when I’d finished my studies. Once there, I could sponsor him and he could get residency too. We planned to move permanently … although recently have been talking about looking at other cities in Canada because job opportunities may be better elsewhere.

What steps did you take to land your first Toronto job? Did the infamous “Canadian experience” hinder you in any way?

When we both first moved here in April 2011 I was fresh out of university and knew that it was a bad time to be a recent graduate looking for a job. Kieran and I both worked for six months at my parents’ fishing lodge in northern Ontario. It was bliss, totally remote and peaceful.

After we finished for the summer we were both still scared to move to Toronto and look for work. We went travelling round south east Asia for two months instead!

When we came back we jumped right in and I was lucky enough to get an interview with a Canadian who grew up in Bali. We spent the whole interview talking about my recent trip and she gave me a call the next day with a job offer.

Kieran was not so lucky. It took him the best part of a year temping, and looking for work before he found his current job.

What’s the best/worst aspects of living in Toronto?

From a job-hunting perspective we both have had struggles with agencies, and find them beyond frustrating. I moved to another company recently and it took me four months of searching and interviewing before landing a job that I can truly say I love. Every industry here seems very competitive and it can be difficult to get an interview.

That being said, Toronto is a wonderful place to live in. We live in midtown, by Forest hill, and as neither of us have lived in a big city before, we are still struck by how much we love being close to the subway, having a grocery store next to our building, and the speed of which we can get anywhere in the city.

We also love the constant stream of events and activities we can enjoy living in the city. Toronto has a thriving music scene, many quirky bars and tons of beautiful parks to explore.

There are activities for everyone in both winter and summer, and Toronto is close enough to mountains for winter sports, and lakes for summer ones. Really there is no excuse to not be outdoors, and we both really enjoy that aspect.

Do you make an effort to connect with other Brits in the city, or just meet them when chance allows it? Any recommended pubs/eateries/other places for homesick Brits to meet each other and network?

When we first arrived we went on Meetup.com and found the Brit Meetup to be a fantastic place to make new friends. We participate in their bi-monthly pub quiz when we can, and really enjoy it. In terms of pubs I would say Scallywags at St Clair and Yonge always has a British crowd as well as the Football Factory on Bathurst.

Open question/comment: feel free to write anything here/advice/tips on a Brit living in, or moving to, Toronto.

My advice for anyone moving to Toronto is to get out there and experience all that the city and surrounding areas has to offer. The scenery north of Toronto is breathtaking and in any season you can find something to do.

Don’t be afraid to explore all of Toronto’s neighborhoods too as they really are so diverse, and look out for street parties and festivals like Taste of the Danforth or Salsa on St Clair.

Thank you K&K! Here’s their Twitter account if you’d like to connect.

Vote for Brits in Toronto in the MiB Awards

Leave a reply
Sally Field just phoned to say, "The first time I didn't feel Brits in Toronto. But this time I feel it. And I can't deny the fact that I like you, right now, I like you!"

Sally Field just phoned to say, “The first time I didn’t feel Brits in Toronto. But this time I feel it. And I can’t deny the fact that I like you, right now, I like you!”

Never a dull day in the Brits in Toronto HQ. Yes, we work Saturdays. Just got an e-mail stating, “We are pleased to let you know that your candidature to the MiB Awards has been approved.”

Having already won one award since launching — voted Best New Website 2013 by my mum — it would be most pleasing to scoop another.

So, dear reader, best mate, old pal … if you like what we’re trying to do at Brits in Toronto, please click here and give us your hard-earned vote! REALLY appreciate it …

Totally biased product review by me — The Feisty Jack British food truck

4 Replies
Canadian customers shuffle around nervously polishing up their Cockney before ordering

Canadian customers shuffle around, nervously polishing up their Cockney before ordering

My mate told me about The Feisty Jack British food truck, and I just had to check it out for a review.

At lunchtime on Friday, I left the Brits in Toronto HQ, strolled two blocks south, a couple of blocks west, crossed the traffic lights, ran across a busy road … and there it was, like a red, white and blue beacon, at the corner of Simcoe Street and Wellington Street West (check where they’ll be on Food Trucks Toronto first).

There were only about four people in the queue, so I didn’t have to wait long before ordering. I went for the English sausage poutine, on Yukon Gold fries, Mozzarella cheese and onion gravy ($9).

A hearty portion of English sausage, Yukon Gold fries, Mozzarella cheese and onion gravy, with a plastic fork for scale

A hearty portion of English sausage, Yukon Gold fries, Mozzarella cheese and onion gravy, with a plastic fork for scale and framed thoughtfully by a grate

The portion size was definitely filling enough for lunch and came in one of those boxes that stops the grease from leaking out over your jeans. Nice touch!

The food quality? Excellent! The sausage had a nice meaty tang to it, backed up nicely by the well-sized fries. The cheese melted perfectly over the top, all complemented by the rich onion gravy. It was the perfect, comforting lunch for a chilly, grey Toronto day.

One small criticism: I checked the street food menu on their website and was excited to try the TFJ Chicken Tikka Box … but found out that they only choose certain items to sell from the truck on any one day. So you are limited to what is on the menu that day.

I can live with that. It means I have an excuse to go back every Friday now to work my way through the menu!

Overall, very nice and I give it the first Brits in Toronto 5/5 stars. Well done!

The Duke of Gloucester = World Cup 2014 HQ for Brits!

3 Replies
Cheer up, son. You can have a pint and pop downstairs for a Ruby Murray

Cheer up, son … we got pretty far. Bloody Italy. Let’s have a pint and pop downstairs for a Ruby Murray

Bad news: it’s Monday. Good news: England recently qualified for the World Cup 2014!

And today I’m launching a stellar campaign to make The Duke of Gloucester pub on Yonge Street (between Bloor and Wellesley) the OFFICIAL World Cup HQ for Brits in Toronto.

I’m totally biased … let’s get that out of the way so there’s no accusations of bribery or conflict down the road. I consider it my local and have been going there a good number of years.

Having experienced a couple of World Cups/Euros there, I can attest it’s the place to be for live games. The place is jammed, seats are at a premium, usually CP24 or CityTV show up and film the joy and anguish on the faces of the collective Brits that come together as one for games.

The atmosphere is electric and the support when another English penalty shoots over the goal is heartwarming.

So … more details and campaign news to come down the road. But, let’s start getting excited!

ENGERLAND … ENGERLAND … ENGERLAAAANND … ENGERLAND … ENGERLAND … ENGERLAAAANDDDD!!

Dance like Jane Austen

Leave a reply
"Darcy, the one who smelt it, dealt it." "Why yes, Lizzie, but the one who ignored it, stored it."

“But Darcy, the one who smelt it, dealt it.” “Why yes, Lizzie, but the one who ignored it, stored it.”

English novelist Jane Austen once famously wrote, “Don’t believe every quote you read on the Internet.”

That’s why Jane still has many fans to this day — a true Brit who spoke her mind and … was also a massive dance fan!

So, Brits in Toronto was very excited to hear about Jane Austen Dancing, a website listing sociable events in and around Toronto based on the theme of the famed, curly brown ringlet-haired novelist always staring off into the distance as she ponders her next best-selling book on the wry foibles of high society, cakes and piano lessons by the window.

The website lists a lot of Austen- and Regency era-related events and other fun stuff that would even make Jane crack a smile.

Here’s the next one: Saturday, October 19 — Trafalgar Ball. Dancing, decorations, live music and toasts to Lord Nelson and King George!

There’s also a mailing list, Twitter accounts to follow and a whole lot more.

So, swallow your pride, forget your prejudice, use your sensibility and spend some of those cents (that one didn’t quite work) on tickets!

Young immigrants urged to become Canadian citizens

Leave a reply
A beautifully shot maple leaf, positioned atop some rustic concrete to symbolize Canada

A beautifully shot maple leaf, carefully positioned atop some rustic concrete to symbolize Canada

I was travelling downtown on the TTC this morning to hang out with a load more fun Brits in Toronto when my eye happened upon the following article in the Metro newspaper:

Young immigrants urged to become Canadian citizens

A national website and mobile app will be launched Tuesday to help young immigrants learn about the importance of getting their Canadian citizenships in light of tightening government rules.

The website, citizenshipcounts.ca, and its accompanying Android/iPhone app explain the benefits of becoming a citizen and the application process as well as providing preparation materials for the citizenship test.

More important, there is a myth-busting section that aims at dispelling misinformation about becoming a Canadian citizen such as having to give up one’s citizenship and passport from the home country, and how getting charged or convicted with a crime will affect a person’s immigrant status.

“Many immigrant and refugee youth are unsure of what it means to be a Canadian citizen, or are unaware of their citizenship status,” said Debbie Douglas, executive director of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, an umbrella organization of 200 groups behind the initiative.

“Complications arise if they try to travel or get charged with a crime. We are confident that citizenshipcounts.ca will help change that trend.”

We at Brits in Toronto think this is an EXCELLENT initiative. Encourage more young immigrants into the country, and educate them on making a better life for themselves, without thinking they have to give up their own citizenship.

Hoorah!

p.s. Here’s a bonus site I found while researching this post: Settlement.org = very useful too.

Successful Brits in Toronto: Catherine Mayled

1 Reply
Catherine Mayled in her English country ... garden. In Toronto

No, don’t ask for tomorrow’s lottery numbers

It’s not every day you cross paths with a compassionate intuitive, so Brits in Toronto is honoured to have Catherine Mayled as our newest Successful Brit in Toronto.

Catherine also does psychic readings and past life regressions, so when you next use that phrase “in another life” she knows what you’re talking about.

So how did a compassionate intuitive end up in Toronto? Let’s find out:

What made you decide to choose Toronto as a city of choice? Did you plan a permanent move, or wanted to “try it for a while and see how it goes” and it turned out to be longer than planned?

My journey to Toronto was back in the late ’80s. After no work as a student nurse in York, England, I came over as a nanny and — yes — I do have horror stories about some unpleasant situations . I came over on a visa and stayed longer than I intended to. I did go back a few times but I had changed and wanted more out of life.

What steps did you take to land your first Toronto job? Did the infamous “Canadian experience” hinder you in any way?

After I did a few years as a nanny I ended up in a government job, in an office. I obtained this position by going on many employment agency assignments, which I really enjoyed as it gave me an idea of what was out there. After going down a few career routes I have been self-employed for the last 20 years, which I love.

What’s the best/worst aspects of living in Toronto?

I really like the people and the social scene here is much better. It is great that people come from all over the world to live in Toronto, the variety of food is amazing and there is something for everyone.

The one thing I don’t really like is the weather; however, we have been getting less snow — thank goodness — and it is not as hot as it used to be. Other than than I love the fall and Halloween. I wish we had Halloween growing up!

Do you make an effort to connect with other Brits in the city, or just meet them when chance allows it? Any recommended pubs/eateries/other places for homesick Brits to meet each other and network?

I haven’t met too many Brits here. If I meet them in passing I usually try and guess their dialect. When I bump into them, they have an amazing sense of humour and we usually hit it off straight away. I have tried a few networking meetings but not had much luck.

To eat; there is an English tea room I go to in the west end of the city, run by a lady from Liverpool, that is very nice. It is called The Victorian Tearoom, on Burnhamthorpe Road West, west of Kipling.

Open question/comment: feel free to write anything here/advice/tips on a Brit living in, or moving to, Toronto.

My advice is to join lots of groups, I have met some great people through Meetup.com. What is great is more larger chain stores are bringing more British food products into their stores … but I still do miss Marks & Spencer!

Thank you, Catherine. Here’s her Twitter account if you’d like to follow her.

Totally biased product review by me — Campbell’s Chunky Alehouse Shepherd’s Pie

2 Replies
Shepherd's Pie. In a can. We can all go home now. Job done

Shepherd’s Pie. In a can. We can all go home now. Job done. Sorted. End of story

As I perused the shelves of my favourite British goods shop, my eye happened upon this enticing item. Shepherd’s pie. IN A CAN. Had to try it for lunch today.

I was pleased to see that when you open the can, the mash part of the pie is, indeed, separated from the meaty part. It sits atop the mixture in the saucepan in a very pleasing way.

The only problem — you have to stir it as it heats, thus mixing the whole thing together. The mash disappears and thickens the rest of the pie. It’s technically more a stew now, I suppose.

Taste test: it had a very tasty meaty texture to it, but was a bit gloopy. Maybe larger chunks of meat may have helped a little? I sprinkled in a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and some hot sauce, and that improved the whole lunchtime experience.

So even though it’s marketed as Shepherd’s pie in a can, there’s no way it looks like the photo on the tin. I’m glad I tried it, but it doesn’t stand out as a “must have” item in my British foods cupboard.

I give it a Brits in Toronto 1/5 stars.

Treat us like adults and let us buy booze when and where we want in Toronto … please

3 Replies
"Crap, sorry luv, forgot the milk"

“Sorry I took so long, luv. Had to drive to Montreal”

So you’ve arrived in Toronto, unpacked and got settled into a hopeful life. Your new Canadian friend invites you over for a BBQ on Sunday to meet some people, begins at 8:00 p.m.

“Brilliant,” you think. “I’ll just pop into the off licence on the way and grab some wine to be sociable.”

Two problems there. (1) There is no off licence in Toronto — it’s called the Liquor Control Board of Ontario [notice the word “control”] and, (2) Most of them close at around 5:00 p.m on a Sunday. No booze for you, mate!

“That’s OK,” you exclaim in a perturbed fashion. “I’ll just go to a grocery store and grab a bottle.”

Nope. Loads of bread, milk, meat, fish and a fine selection of produce … but no booze. Sorry. You’re going to be the freeloader turning up at the BBQ to eat your host’s food and — egads! — drink their booze. The shame. A Brit turning up to a party empty-handed.

One of the most frustrating aspects of a Brit living in Toronto is the lack of options for buying some booze. (I know it’s Ontario-wide, but doesn’t change the fact.)

In Great Britain you can go and get your groceries on a Sunday, walk to the next aisle and grab some wine and/or beer. All very civilized, convenient and so adult. In Toronto you’re driving to two different places for food and booze, or even three if you prefer to buy some beers at The Beer Store.

There are some independent wineries that may open slightly longer, or grocery stores (usually the larger chains) that have a small independent presence — but the choice of brands is just not there. It’s ridiculous!

Recently, there are moves afoot to open up the market. Thus:

Mac’s Convenience Stores Inc. is promising to invest $54 million dollars to build 27 new convenience stores in Ontario if it is granted the right to sell alcohol in Ontario. — Full story.

But who knows how long that will take? And why the delay? Do the people — like us, who enjoy the freedom to buy wine and beer when and where they want — and who get to make these laws and vote on issues like this, really think it’s sensible to limit the output?

What about alcoholism, I hear you cry. It will encourage us to buy more booze. Make it easier.

I personally don’t agree with that. People who want to buy more can do it now anyway. I’ve seen customers leave with boxes of booze. How will expanding outlets and opening up the competition add to that?

It’s really frustrating and hard to get used to at first as a new Brit in Toronto. Maybe things will change soon, and when they do, I’ll raise a glass to that.

Cool job alert: Director, Employment Engagement at The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

Leave a reply
A resume may be more useful, but like your spunk

A resume may be more useful, but we like your spunk

One of the aims of this website is to try and help Brits find work in Toronto. That may sound easy, but it’s not. There’s loads of competition and, well, you may need the infamous Canadian experience too.

As an immigrant myself I have been through that journey, am doing OK for myself, and want to help others. No catch, honestly.

So, when my army of contacts across the city — OK, Fred from the pub — gets on the old dog and bone, bends my ear for a chinwag and lets me know about cool RELEVANT jobs, I will highlight them. Brits in Toronto is not Workopolis or Jobs in Toronto, and doesn’t want to be.

Here we go …

Director, Employment Engagement at The Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

From their website: TRIEC is a multi-stakeholder council that brings leadership together to create and champion solutions to better integrate skilled immigrants in the Toronto Region labour market. Founded by Maytree and the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance in 2003, TRIEC is taking action on the underutilization of skilled immigrants’ education, talent and experience.

Here is the job itself. Sounds very cool; you will be helping immigrants find work opportunities. They may even hire a Brit!

The deadline to apply is Monday, October 14 at 5:00 p.m. — so get a bloody wriggle on!

And GOOD LUCK!

Successful Brits in Toronto: Dave Fleet

1 Reply
The $1.99 Instagram Mean 'n' Moody filter was money well spent

The $1.99 Instagram Mean ‘n’ Moody photo filter was money well spent

Picture the scene: you’re a successful Brit in Toronto, working away in your PR agency on a Friday afternoon, looking forward to the weekend.

Suddenly a Canadian colleague utters those immortal words: “It’s Random Office Dance Party Friday everyone. Yay!” Brits everywhere hear “dance” and start to sweat, looking for a hasty exit. But no — the intern is blocking the way out with the beer cart.

No problem for Dave Fleet. He purposefully strides from his office, grabs a beverage and leads the fun. As the Senior Vice President at Edelman, blogger, running nut, bookworm, gamer and Brit-nadian, Dave likes to lead by example.

He has a great story of making it in Toronto, and here it is:

What made you decide to choose Toronto as a city of choice? Did you plan a permanent move, or wanted to “try it for a while and see how it goes” and it turned out to be longer than planned?

Simply put, I moved here for a girl 🙂 I first came to Canada for school in 2002 — I did a one-semester exchange with the Schulich School of Business in the final year of my business degree. While I was there I started dating someone and decided to move back here at the end of my degree to be with her. That relationship didn’t work out in the end, but in a twist of fate I actually met my now wife on the same day as the first person … so the big picture worked out perfectly.

What steps did you take to land your first Toronto job? Did the infamous “Canadian experience” hinder you in any way?

I found it really tough to land my first job here. When I first moved to Toronto I had very little money at the outset, and worked doing door-to-door coupon sales, scrabbling to find enough money for rent each week. That was tough, and the hours were very long for very little money. After a few months of that I realized I was on a path to nowhere fast, so quit and started looking for a different job.

Ultimately I got my break through a temp agency — I did a few jobs with them, then got a short-term gig in the Ontario government. I actually postponed my flight back to England to take that gig … I’d run out of money, and was about to move home.

That temporary job turned into a short-term contract, which turned into another and another, then into a permanent job. I worked my way up in government communications for about five years before I left to work on the agency side.

What’s the best/worst aspects of living in Toronto?

The best aspect for me is the opportunity to get outside. I’m a huge camping junkie — I love to head up north to sit by a lake in Algonquin or Grundy Park with a book in one hand and a beer in the other. The spring and the fall are just magical seasons in Canada; I love every minute of it. If you haven’t seen Algonquin at the end of September/mid-October, you haven’t lived.

I also love the blend of cultures here. I grew up in Cornwall, U.K., which was very homogeneous. Being able to come here and experience other cultures, foods and traditions is exciting for me. Dim sum was a revelation and, after 11 years, I’m still addicted. Blend all of these cultures with the energy in this city, and it’s invigorating.

I’d say the other two seasons are two of the worst aspects of Toronto. Summer is nice in that it’s warm, but it’s too warm and humid for my liking. Meanwhile, I definitely prefer the Canadian winter to the British one; I liken a Toronto winter to a quick blast of cold, then hours of nicely heated buildings … whereas British winters bring non-stop rain that just seeps into you and stays.

On the other hand, I’ve never taken to winter sports so I generally hibernate through the season. I will say, though, that after a few years I got completely hooked on hockey. I still suck at skating though.

Do you make an effort to connect with other Brits in the city, or just meet them when chance allows it? Any recommended pubs/eateries/other places for homesick Brits to meet each other and network?

My exposure to Brits tends to be through other activities nowadays — through work, or my hobbies. It’s always great to meet other people who have gone through the same experiences, though. In particular, with the challenges I had getting started here, I enjoy the opportunity to provide advice or a helping hand for people just getting started on this side of the pond.

If you’re a football fan (or soccer, if you prefer), there are pubs around the city that are havens for football fans. I’m an Arsenal guy, and the Fox and Fiddle at Yonge/St. Clair has been a wonderful recent discovery for me.

Open question/comment: feel free to write anything here/advice/tips on a Brit living in, or moving to, Toronto.

Remember a significant portion of the people in Canada either moved to Canada in their lifetime or had their parents move here not too long ago. You’re not alone, and there IS a solid support network there if you need it.

Fantastic advice, Dave — thank you! Here is his personal blog if Brits want to connect.