At Minicards, we’re working hard to help your visit to Toronto the best it can be, and also to meet the promotional and marketing demands of our local merchant community. Accordingly, we’ve built this new site to deliver everything you need to find your way around, get the best deals, and for our partners, reach your customers' demands.
My first blog! A virgin no more. With the launch of our new website and mobile platform for Minicards Toronto, I was told by friends, family and clients that I must write a blog. While I’ve read many blogs, I panicked about how I should go about writing one for Minicards Toronto. One that would be relevant and hopefully interesting for the tourists, students and visitors to the Toronto area.
My Love Affair with Minicards
In 2005, when my wife and I checked into our hotel in Copenhagen, the first thing that I saw was a display of Minicards in the lobby. Picking some of them up, I fell in love with the concept. I could put 50 different Minicards in my pocket, giving me information for castles, restaurants, night clubs and shopping, all with a discount and a map. So much more convenient than having to carry flyers, brochures or magazines everywhere.
Fast forward to today, Minicards have become the best source of information for when you are looking to do whatever in Toronto. Even when you don’t have a Wi-Fi connection, Minicards will always be with you.
When I first moved to Toronto in the mid 80’s, this was a city that was more about the suburbs than downtown. Toronto was rather sleepy and unsophisticated but I found that with the influx of Montrealers and other people from small town Ontario (including myself from Peterborough), the vibe and culture was slowly changing.
I’m not sure at what point in these past few years, that I looked around my city and noticed all of the wonderful changes. Driving daily for business in this city, I don’t often take the time to see what is being developed all around me. Now, I love driving down a street and seeing how much the landscape has changed.
Neighbourhood Spotlight
And our neighbourhoods. Wow!! We now have amazing and distinct neighbourhoods.
I went to university in NYC and New York was all about the neighbourhoods. You never said that you were going to Wooster St and Spring St. Instead, in was SOHO, or Lower East Side or whatever neighbourhood you wished to meet up with friends. And that is what Toronto has become. Fun neighbourhoods – Liberty Village, Kensington Market, Little Italy, West Queen West and the (re-named) Beach. We have more than 82 areas in our city!
Grab N’Go Minicard
Overseas tourists have flooded Toronto like no year on record. And our low Canadian dollar is once again enticing Americans to travel north of the border.
We are so fortunate to live in a dynamic metropolis with soaring skyscrapers, the iconic CN Tower and performing arts venues like the Sony Centre, host to a variety of musical theatre, concerts, dances and performances for all the family. Escape to an 11th century-style castle, where Medieval Times takes you inside stone walls, where a Knight and his horse clash their way to King’s Champion, where brawn and metal unite.
I visited the Toronto Zoo this past summer, set in the beautiful Rouge Valley. While I enjoyed the antics of the newborn Panda Bears, what took my breath away was watching the Polar Bears play and dive for their lunch. I so wanted to jump in for a swim with them and rub their bellies but as they stand over nine feet tall and weigh in over one thousand pounds, my urge was very brief. Baby Juno will be one year old on Remembrance Day!
Arriving at Pearson International Airport?
Grab an UP Express Minicard for the swiftest and most reliable way to travel downtown Toronto.
Planning a visit to the Toronto region in November or December?
Don’t miss these iconic holiday events and experiences. Celebrate the sounds, sights and scents of Christmas at The Toronto Christmas Market, running November 18 to December 22. Toronto’s Waterfront becomes a spectacle of lights towards the end of November. And the Cavalcade of Lights begins with the illumination of Toronto’s Christmas Tree at Nathan Phillips Square.