by Anne Marie Kirsten Driving east on Danforth Avenue early one evening in October, headed toward Comedy Bar, I could feel the last rivulets of summer dripping away. Sidewalks were crowded, and as shops and cafes decanted, restaurants filled up. Misjudging the location, I didn’t realize how far down one of Toronto’s busiest roads I’d be going. By the time I parked, the hand-holding passersby near Pape Avenue had slowly morphed into small groups of unhoused people near Main Street, huddled, sharing blankets. It felt like I’d travelled through multiple cities all on one street. Such is the magic of the Danforth. When I’d booked tickets to see American comedian,…

by Amanda Pompilii Photo credits: Amanda Pompilii, Jason Villanueva, Eva Bronzini, tortoon I visited Danforth Avenue for the first time on a mid-November day that could only be described as grey. Grey skies, grey fog, grey cars speeding by in a blur. Imagine my pleasant surprise, then, as I approached the Press Vinyl Cafe, which had a front window awash in the warm glow of string lights. When I entered the shop, I, too, felt a newfound warmth. Vibrant, hand-painted wall murals replaced the cloudy skies outside, and the constant thrum of traffic gave way to the twang of guitars from the loudspeakers. Every inch of the cafe encapsulates the…