At Home

Ever since I was a little kid, this has been where I’ve felt at home.

I grew up just a few streets north of Yorkville, and my parents always had businesses around here.

I have so many memories of this place.

So as a kid, I used to hang out there a lot.

When I was 16 and 17, I would try to get the servers to serve me drinks under age.

But they never did!

All my friends would get served though. They joke with me about it to this day.

When we moved to Bay street it was crucial that we maintained our visibility from Bloor.

We are Bloor Street Diner after all! I hang out there even more now.

The neighbourhood has evolved. Just like every area does. But the feeling hasn’t changed. It has always been a vibrant area, and that continues to grow.

I feel really lucky to be able to spend my time here.

Thanks to Sebastien for sharing his story. Check out Eatertainment, his hospitality and entertainment business, and visit The One Eighty and The Bloor Street Diner in the Manulife Centre! You can also watch him on The Marilyn Denis Show.

Hogtown Stories is a project by Jeremy Korn. Follow Hogtown Stories on Facebook and Instagram!

[Editor’s note: Sebastien’s restaurants don’t serve alcohol to people under age…]

Raw and Real

Editor’s Note: The Following is an abridged version of a story written as part of a collaboration with The Globe and Mail. The story originally appeared on September 25, 2015.

Growing up, I felt like a loner. It was tough to fit in.

But at Queen and Bathurst, it didn’t matter who you were, or where you came from.

Punks, rockers, and all sorts of kids hung out there. Some were homeless.

Instead of being rejected elsewhere, we made a place where we belonged.

Thanks to Frankie for sharing her story. Check out her band, Frankie Whyte and the Dead Idols!

Hogtown Stories is a project by Jeremy Korn. Follow Hogtown Stories on Facebook and Instagram!

Important Places

My formative years were in Thorncliffe Park.

As a kid, I thought that was the most inconsequential place in the universe.

I know that’s a common feeling.

I used to hang out in in the park, around the Don Valley, all the time. With my friends.

We would play Star Wars, pretend to be soldiers, go for Cub Scouts, or do whatever.

The carefree experiences I had as a child seemed mundane to me at the time.

Then I moved to Los Angeles to pursue my animation career. I lived down there for seven years.

In LA, the it was so beautiful all the time. But sometimes I just wanted a cloudy day!

I remember one day thinking, “this looks like the Don Valley!”. And I would feel happy all of a sudden.

It was there that I realized that the joys I found in LA were only in reference to the glorious times I had being a kid back home.

The places you think are not important, actually are.

Thanks to Peter for sharing his story. Check out his short film, ‘Surly Squirrel’, and his feature film, ‘The Nut Job’!

Hogtown Stories is a project by Jeremy Korn. Follow Hogtown Stories on Facebook and Instagram!

Nostalgia Will Always Lie to You

Editor’s Note: The Following is an abridged version of a story written as part of a collaboration with the Globe and Mail. The story originally appeared on September 18, 2015.

I moved to Dawes Road in 1992 in the wintertime.

When I was around 14 I started rapping here. A friend of mine inspired me. I spent a lot of time with others in the ‘cypher’ – the rap circle.

I’m well guarded with those good memories, but things were never all good here.

Nostalgia will always lie to you.

Thanks to Ian for sharing his story. Check out his new album, T.O. Noire!

Follow Hogtown Stories @hogtownstories on Facebook and Instagram!

A Real Community

I met Ryan at Wet Bar on Richmond and Peter in 2007. This was back when the area was mostly clubs.

At the time, we were both naïve in understanding who we were as people. I was in a stage of self-discovery, rebelling after a recent heartbreak, and Ryan was full of energy and confidence. He was also really charming.

We partied all the time at Richmond and Peter, and we knew everyone at the clubs. It was a fun time in our lives, but we’re not interested in that lifestyle anymore.

When I return to the area, I see that so much has changed. Back then, it was so rowdy, and there were police officers lining the streets to keep everything under control. But now it’s a real community, and it’s nice to see diversity downtown.