One of my favorite places to make an escape to when fleeing the United States for a weekend getaway is Canada and in this particular case, Toronto to be exact. I dig Toronto for multiple reasons, culturally it’s an eclectic mix of amazing people and backgrounds, musically, there’s a lot of diversity with types and sounds plus Toronto’s got records! And to suit the tastebuds, the city has some of the best food from all over the globe that can be sampled all within a few block radius. But honestly, my favorite reason for heading there is to visit close friends and fam who love what they do and know how to enjoy life.
The first stop after landing is always to meet up with my brother from another Aki, owner of Cosmos Records, one of the finest establishments in the world to service your record needs. Always stocked with quality vinyl from A to Z and from genres across the globe the two shop location a short walking distance between the two are categorized perfectly for optimum digging. And with any good Japanese record store owner, they without a doubt know where to get great ramen and Kinton Ramen is our usually go to spot while catching up on time passed. No trip is ever complete without catching up with the ambassadors of Toronto’s digging elite, Cratery and Famous Lee for an afternoon meeting at Cosmos, to record the latest episode of Cratery or to discuss future plans for Live Convention, one of the best record record shows in the world.
So when you’re looking for that weekend getaway that’s not too far but far enough to not feel local, then head to Toronto to explore whats good.