Take Me Out // Toronto Island
The electric buzz of Toronto is one of its biggest appeals, but every once and awhile that buzz can get so loud its overwhelming, and even the most dedicated city girl can feel exhausted. On those days when everything is sweaty and smelly and you just want to get away, it can seem like Toronto is one giant trap that’s impossible to escape. Luckily, there’s Toronto Island.
You know in Mary Poppins when everyone jumps into the chalk drawing and finds themselves in a magical park with a fair, dancing penguins, and carousel horses that can jump off of the carousel? Well, Toronto Island is sort of like that place, but real and accessible via ferry instead of sidewalk drawing. With three different docks to land at, the island is full of adventures to be had, and though it’s only a few blocks away in reality, it really feels like a whole new universe.
My best friend Sarah has been staying with me for the past week, so we’ve been trying to cram an entire summer of fun into a tiny piece of time. We had a couple magical days on the island last summer (in fact one of my first ever blog posts was shot there with her), so we were determined to visit this year before she headed back to her life in Vancouver. On a sunny Tuesday we packed up our bathing suits and sunscreen, picked up some snacks from TBC, and made our way toward the ferry dock. As we boarded the boat marked “Centre Island” we silently promised to have the best BFF day ever.
Never the type to shy away from matching, Sarah and I headed to Bicyclette to pick out some fun summer outfits for our adventure. I paired my Wildfox ice cream shirt with a black Party Skirt (my new favourite staple), white sneakers, and cute sunnies, while Sarah chose the Polka Dot Dream dress and paired it with eyelet sneakers and a gold Ban.do hair twist. Of course we both accessorized with our Fieldguided totes and bright lipstick, two of our favourite summer essentials, and we topped everything off with chunky glittering statement necklaces.
Dressed for a day of pure magic, we stepped off of the ferry into a dreamy paradise. We climbed over stone bridges, chased after swan boats, and did our best to avoid being run down by four-person bicycles with cute little red roofs. We stopped for a cotton candy lunch break at the Centre Island Fair, then spent the rest of the afternoon swimming and baking in the sun at Hanlan’s Point beach. By the time we were ready to leave, it was almost 6pm, and we still secretly wished we didn’t ever have to go home.
‘Take Me Out’ is a new blog series collaboration between Toronto blogger Alyssa, of Random Acts of Pastel and Bicyclette, where she takes her favourite Bicyclette pieces on adventures throughout the city, and brings you along!
[photos: Brianne Burnell]