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Cheers from Toronto! I'm visiting our northern neighbors to take part in the city's first annual Luminato Festival of Arts and Creativity. Though the culture is what brought me up here, it's not my main focus. For starters, I got to check another Major League ballpark off my list, in my quest to visit all 30. Not only that, but I dined atop the world's tallest freestanding structure and checked in to The Four Seasons' flagship hotel (where, by the way, if you time it right, you can actually snag a deal!) If you're up for having some summer fun as we visit North America's fifth largest city, then hop on board! And don't worry; for those of you who don't have time to read the story, we have a two-minute Johnny Jet video at the end. Also, be sure to check out the story by our newest writer, Sarah Kozer. If her name rings a bell that might be because she was one of the first bona fide reality TV stars; she caused all kinds of controversy in Fox's hit show Joe Millionaire. If that doesn't do it, then how about the fact that she posed for Playboy and for the first time in the magazine's history, made the June cover which is normally reserved for the Playmate of the Year? Sadly, I never saw it, but the good news is that we have her traveling for JohnnyJet.com and her first destination is … Toronto!
THE STADIUM FORMERLY KNOWN AS SKYDOME
Last week, we left off in Erie, Pennsylvania where I was visiting my dad who is recovering nicely from his quadruple bypass surgery. From Erie, the quickest way to get to Toronto
is to drive. That's because there are no nonstop commercial flights. The drive takes three hours and it's a nice and easy trip. My friend Natalie and I drove (without stopping) straight to The Rogers Centre to catch an afternoon game
between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Chicago White Sox. It was my first time seeing a ballgame in this beautiful stadium. Originally called The SkyDome, it opened in 1989 with the world's first retractable roof, which can fully open or close in 20 minutes. The field is so big that eight 747 planes or 516 African elephants can comfortably fit on the Rogers Centre field when it's set in baseball mode! The ceiling is 310 feet high. The best time to go is on a clear day when the roof is open and you can see the world's tallest freestanding structure, The CN Tower, literally
towering over you. I have a fear of heights so I couldn't help looking up throughout the game and thinking, "Why did I agree to have dinner at the very top of The CN Tower?" More on that later. The Rogers Centre is a fantastic place to watch a ballgame and guests at the built-in Renaissance Hotel can even watch the game from their room. If you're hungry and don't want to eat stadium food, you can make a reservation at the Hard Rock Café which overlooks the field. For more info or tickets, visit: Toronto.Bluejays.mlb.com.
CANADIAN CURRENCY
One of the many things that I love about Canada is that practically everyone accepts US dollars. At press time, the exchange rate from Canadian to US dollars was almost equal: $1CDN = $0.95USD. For up-to-date currency rates, see: BankofCanada.ca/en/rates/converter.html.
THE FOUR SEASONS
After the game, I
checked
into the
32-story, 380-room (150 are suites) Four Seasons Hotel. The Toronto location is the company's flagship hotel. Although the service was outstanding, the rooms and lobby made me feel like I had taken a time machine back to the '70s. Don't get me wrong; it was nice with its antique furniture but let's face it – it's outdated. My room
had an old-school TV and tired shower/bathtub. Plus, I could hear people walking above and the water pipes from the shower next door. No wonder the Four Seasons is building a completely new hotel with residences just down the road. They've not said what will be done with this location once the new one opens in 2010 but my guess is that they'll sell it to another chain. The best part
about the Four Seasons, aside from the excellent service, is the location. It's situated in the heart of Yorkville, Toronto's fashionable dining, shopping and entertainment district. Rack rates begin at $255CDN but good corporate rates are available ... I secured mine for $185CDN. Four Seasons Toronto, 21 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5R 2G1 Tel. (416) 964-0411, Fax. (416) 964-2301.
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Copyright 2007 JohnnyJet, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Pictures From
The Trip

Sarah Kozer
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Toronto |

Jays vs. White Sox |

Sky Dome |

Four Seasons |

Checking In |

My Room |

View From Room |
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