Hill Country Is Redefining Texan Hospitality
A new wave of hotels, wineries, and restaurants is transforming this rural region into a cultural oasis.
AT THIS POINT I consider myself a New Yorker, a Manhattanite to be specific. But I was proudly born and raised in Toronto’s West End. Since my departure from the city, I’ve done my fair share of frolicking — with stints living in Vancouver, Copenhagen, and Los Angeles and travels throughout Central America, Asia, and Europe. But it’s always good to return to good ol’ Toronto. Yes, there’s family and a network of childhood friends, but also something that makes it stand apart. It’s cosmopolitan, but with logic and a sensible pace. It’s invitingly doable.
In its vibe, Toronto is similar to Chicago or a little cousin to New York, but it’s distinctly Canadian. The city has diversity and liveliness, but it’s livable. The streets are clean, people are friendly, and it’s quiet — or at least the roars of sirens and honks of gridlocked cars are less frequent. Toronto has the same assortment of world-class restaurants and cultural institutions you’ll find in other capital cities, but without the unrelenting pace of a London, New York, or Paris. Oh, and the green space! Never have you ever seen so many trees, parks, and urban trails. This city has room to breathe. There are so many pockets and different worlds you can experience in a day, from the idyllic Roncesvalles Village to the painfully hip Ossington strip to two bustling, thriving Chinatowns. It’s all within reach.
After a bit of a post-pandemic boom, there has been a lot of new to experience. As a food, film, and travel writer, I’m always on the lookout for what to eat, what to see, and where to stay. Here are a few of my picks from a recent summer stretch.
Kyle Beechey is a New York–based writer. She’s either writing a screenplay, on a far-off adventure, or baking a cake.
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