lights that sparkle

 
two dozen hours spent in the big city,

to replenish my soul

& celebrate a belated valentines day.

we checked into our little hotel

with a view of spadina's chinatown

and to the right, downtown & the cn tower.

wanting to take in as much as we could

during our short stay,

we walked to nearby queen street west

for a bite to eat in a gloriously casual pub

before strolling the streets

and enjoying the fading of the sky as the sun set.

a quick stop for two cappucinos,

then a few games of pool

before settling into a dark restaurant

to share a lamb burger, chicken kebabs

and stand up comedy

featuring some of the best in canada.

we returned to the hotel happy

under the sparkling street lights

and cuddled under a cozy, fleecy blanket.

waking to bright & sunny skies

(and slightly warmer weather)

we ventured out into kensington market

- a quirky, authentic, slightly disheveled

and completely delightful neighborhood -

to enjoy authentically mexican tacos

and a few beers

from a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant

before settling down at a dark wood table

in a starkly white cafe

to enjoy americanos, oolong teas,

engrossing novels,

and pleasantries with torontonian baristas.

sadly returning home,

i silently promised to soon return
to the big city that's already feeling
more & more like home.