My Neighbourhood: Leslieville

Leslieville was at the forefront of a wave of gentrification in the east end starting in the mid-2000s, and it’s now a highly coveted ‘hood for creative professionals and young families. One of them is The Richards Group Agent, Jenny Simon. Jenny was a lifelong Beacher but now calls Leslieville home. Here’s how she would spend her dream day unplugged.

8:30 am:

Coffee always comes first on weekends. Leslieville is full of great coffee shops, but my go-to is an oat milk latte from Te Aro. Conveniently their cookies happen to pair perfectly with the latte! Te Aro, 983 Queen St. E

9:20am:

After coffee, I’ll head down Carlaw to Torq for an outdoor spin class with my friend and fellow instructor, Justine Keyserlingk. All of the Torq instructors are amazing, but Justine’s music is so good, and she always pushes me to my max. I’ve been teaching spin for a few years, and the Torq community is one of the things that’s made me so attached to Leslieville.

Torq Ride, 536 Eastern Ave.

10:30am:

After our ride, Justine and I will walk over to One Academy for a Bootcamp class because there’s nothing better than a double-header workout to kick-off a Saturday! Leslieville has earned its representation as a fitness and wellness hub, and the whole OneAcademy team is excellent. One Academy, 858 Eastern Ave

11:30am:

After our workout, we like to head west across the bridge to Impact Kitchen in neighbouring Corktown for lunch. The Warrior and Hero bowls are my favourites. Impact Kitchen, 573 King St. E

12:00pm:

I stroll and people-watch while running errands. One of the best things about Leslieville is how accessible all of my favourite things are. My route typically includes a stop at Spaccio and Butchers of Distinction for groceries, Dimensions to pick up any art I’ve had framed, and the Side Kitchen for a jar of some Uncle Chuck’s BBQ sauce made by my dear friend, Cheryl. Other favourites include Token, Arts Market (their Turkish Towels are fantastic), Good Neighbour, Province of Canada, and a visit to my friend Derek who owns Pop Music and always has the perfect record recommendation. I’ll spend the rest of the afternoon shopping in the neighbourhood.

5:00pm:

Leslieville has so many great restaurants, and we usually start at Comrade for a pre-dinner cocktail but then end up staying for dinner! Their burger is one of the best meals in the East End, so ending the day on the Comrade patio is always perfect. Good night! The Comrade, 758 Queen St. E

SHOPS IN THE 'HOOD

Spaccio, 22 Sackville St. Butchers of Distinction, 738 Queen St. E Dimensions, 732 Queen St. E The Side Kitchen, 1093 Queen St. E Token, 777 Queen St. E Arts Market, 790 Queen St. E Good Neighbour, 935 Queen St. E Province of Canada, 1004 Queen St. E Pop Music, 581 Gerrard St. E