Friday, June 17, 2016

Toronto, And Why I Love My Friends


I rode my motorcycle to Toronto yesterday and am incredibly happy. My intense joy isn't due to the city, it comes from the pleasure of hanging out with two really-good friends.

Suzanne and Patti are fashion-bloggers whom I was introduced to through blogging and later turned into real friends. I've met both in person several times when they visited New York and also at the Vancouver meetup Suzanne organized last year. When they recently invited me to join them in Toronto (where Suzanne lives), I leapt at the opportunity. It was a smart move.

Toronto is a surprisingly-large city, the fourth biggest in North America. (The first three, in order, are Mexico City, New York and LA.) Like New York, Toronto has numerous different neighborhoods with distinctive character. At Suzanne's suggestion, I got a hotel-room in the bohemian part of town, where young and artistic people congregate, socialize and buy unique stuff. Strolling down the street minutes after my arrival, I shopped in wonderful little boutiques and bought a bunch of hand-made coin-purses and greeting cards to later give as gifts.

Let me mention my biggest source of happiness on this trip. It is Suzanne and Patti themselves. These two women are compassionate toward me in ways that touch me deeply. They accept me for who I am, they relate to me as I am, and they encourage me to be myself. That is soooo nice.

Additionally, it is rare. I've spent my whole life not getting this from people. From earliest memory, I wanted to be seen as female -- but was not. After struggling for years with universal non-acceptance of who I am, I gave up hope of ever receiving it. So to be offered compassionate understanding now, my mind is blown. Boom!

You are lucky if you have friends as caring and lovely as Suzanne and Patti.























25 comments:

  1. Say hello to Suzanne and Patti for me!
    Toronto is cool, I was there for 3 months one summer in the early 90s, working as a sales assistant...
    Did you know that Toronto used to double up as New York in a lot of tv shows and films?

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  2. Yes, I did. (I'm a movie-buff.) Many American films are shot in Vancouver now, for the lower cost than Hollywood. And many Canadian actors learn their craft in either Toronto or Vancouver before hitting the big-time in the U.S.

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  3. thank you for this, Ally. Spending time with you and Suzanne is such a tonic for the soul. Great city too. Xo

    Patti

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  4. Speedy Gonzales!

    It is so wonderful to have both of you here. I really appreciate you came all this way for a visit.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  5. Oh, how cool that you go to hang out with them both again! I hope we'll get some more pictures of all of you!

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    1. We took plenty yesterday and will share them in a few days.

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  6. Yay ! Ally on the road :) ENjoy !

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    1. I love that phrase! I'm gonna use it for my memoir, "Ally On The Road"!!

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  7. I know both Patti and Suzanne and I am sure the three of you have a special bond of friendship. So glad you had a great time, and you felt at home there :) Many kisses, hope one day you visit Italy and we can also meet up, if I don't go back to the USA first !

    Fashion and Cookies - fashion & beauty blog

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    1. How 'bout we meet in the middle? Maybe there's an island in the Atlantic... :-)

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  8. That's truly wonderful, Ally. Three huge cheers on visiting TO, spending time with good friends, and getting to explore more of Canada, eh! :)

    Have a stellar weekend,
    ♥ Jessica

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    1. As I meet more nice Canadians like you, Jessica, I want to come back and back and back!

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  9. Such nice photos. The thought of you three stomping through the streets of Toronto makes me very happy.

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    1. Thanks! Eating, shopping and gossiping with girlfriends... perfect!

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  10. I'm so glad you made your way to Toronto, but more importantly that you feel love and accepted just as you are <3 Because the you we know, is beautiful throughout.

    Have a wonderful stay--your photos are gorgeous (PS: love the fashions and totally covet that woman's purse, HA!)

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  11. So nice to know you have good friends you can rely on for a good time and understanding!

    -Kati
    http://almoststylish.blogspot.de/

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  12. It is so nice that you three lovelies were able to meet up. I have not been able to visit blogs much lately. So even if I don't comment just know that I think of you and your beautiful spirit often, Ally. xo

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  13. So nice to see the lovely Suzanne and Patti!!!x

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  14. That's amazing! So happy to hear you've got such lovely friends.

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  15. Glad you had a good trip and had fun with the girls.

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  16. Aw man that seems like a totally hep place.

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  17. Always wanted to go to Toronto, love your photos, they're very artistic and really give you a sense of the place you visited. Loved the part about your friends Patti and Suzanne and how they accept you for who you are!

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  18. How exciting! I've just done the round trip through all the relevant blogs reading about your get together.
    Really lovely to see how happy you felt. And don't those bracelets look good on you. Suzanne looks amazing on the bike too!
    I must admit my favourite look is the genderqueer feel with your masculine gear and your feminine bracelets...but that's just how I roll ;-)
    Xo Jazzy Jack

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