Note: This is going to be a long one, so grab yourself something to drink, get comfortable and enjoy. I did my best to break up the paragraphs and keep them short so it should make it a bit easier to read. Enjoy!

My parnter and I have really crazy work schedules that even though we may both be around at the same time; we tend to be so exhausted that we can barely blink.

We decided that it was important to, each week, set a day aside and we would go out and do something. We would each take turns and plan something for us to do together.

Now it was my partner that brought this idea up to me, love him, and since we spend most of the time in his city I wanted him to go first because I was completely clueless on what was out there for me to come up with.

Ironically, the next day while I was on the bus heading to work I came up with 3 ideas! Yeah for ME!

So yesterday was the first of these many adventures to come and I have to tell you that yesterday was one of the best days I have ever had.

We started by hitting the grocery store across the street for a bottle of water and some popsicles. You can't start a summer adventure without popsicles.

Now my partner didn't tell me everywhere we were going he just led me along and we played tourist in our own «backyard» walking around the city.

We first headed over to the museum, which was closed, and then over to Queen Street West to check out all the trendy little stores. On our way over we also walked past OCAD (pictured below). It has got to be one of the coolest looking buildings in downtown Toronto.

Now this was quite a walk so we needed to stop for refreshments so we stopped at the Black Bull (pictured below). We sat there and chatted, people watched and my partner told me about how the area has changed, how he used to hang out there and shop.

We checked out a few of the stores he used to go to, found a great store that had the coolest vintage clothing. I found some great stuff but nothing in my size. Guess there aren't bigger guys out there that get rid of their cool clothes!

We then walked through the entertainment district, where all the nightclubs are and over to see my partner's friend at his work. The place was PACKED and it was way after lunch time. Guess lunch was late yesterday.

We then headed off to the Kensington Market area to check out the funky shops, delis and other specialty shops. I found a cheese shop that carries my favourite cheese (Chaume).

I haven't had any Chaume in about a year and I think I am due for some. Didn't pick any up though because we weren't going to be going home anytime soon but I will be back there SOON!

It was hotter than hell yesterday and it had been about 90 minutes since our last refreshment stop so we stopped on a patio and had a couple pints of beer.

Now this place had the worst bathroom I have ever been in since visiting Africa when I was 13. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. In fact there was a drain in the floor in the hallway and I was tempted to use that instead of going in the bathroom!

We then meandered around Chinatown, checked out a few of the shops and bought some incense. It was great to just follow his lead and walk around without anywhere to go at a certain time or be in a rush.

We rounded a corner and ended up in front of the Paramount downtown and went for a movie. We saw Pirates of the Caribbean II, not a bad film, was longer than I expected it to be. The animation and special effects were mind blowing though - I think they did a really good job. But I did like the story of the first one better.

When we walked into the theatre we were drenched in sweat and then sitting in the theatre we both froze because the AC was cranked way UP. This also caused us both to have trouble breathing, we don't do well with AC, so we came back home to puff on the inhalers and have some wine (been a while since we had refreshed ourselves).

While back at the apartment my partner started figuring out a place to go for dinner. Using the net to find a place to go to seemed to cause more problems. After about 15 minutes of him searching he turns to me and says, «Fuck, now there are about 400 places I want to take you for dinner!»

«Sorry baby I just don't have room for that much food!»

He figured out a place to go for dinner so we changed and headed back to the subway and headed south. I had NO idea where we were going. All he told me about it was, «don't know why I didn't think of this place sooner....it has YOU written all over it.»

Yup that got my eyebrow up.....

We got off the subway walked a few blocks and ended up at The Bier Markt and then I realised what he meant about this place having ME written all over it. I love BEER. I don't mean any beer, I mean good beer and this place has good beer! More beer on tap than you can imagine. The beer list is a BOOK that they leave on your table. I was in heaven!

We got a table out on the patio, drank 3 different kinds of beer each, had an excellent meal. The coolest thing is that our appetizer that we shared, which was meats, cheeses, paté (which I actually enjoyed this time), bread, mustards, pickles and onions on it, well the coolest thing was that one of the cheeses was Chaume! I was like a kid at Christmas!

We sat and had a relaxing dinner, talked, laughed, looked into each other's eyes, all that romantic stuff and basically just had a GREAT time.

Oh, one thing though about the restaurant - seems I was having bathroom issues during this adventure. While I was in there a guy comes bursthing through the bathroom door, rushes into the cubicle and ralphs his guts out! Now that is classy!

We stopped on the way home, picked up a bottle of wine and spent the rest of the evening on the couch watching TV and just relaxing. My head was spinning a bit, but not from the wine and beer, but just from having such an AWESOME day with such an awesome man.

Here are some pictures that I snapped along the way. I thought I had taken more but guess not.

Church we passed along the way that looked very much like a «chateau» so I had to take a picture or two.
We walked past OCAD (Ontario College of Art and Design). This is the roof over the courtyard outside
We continued on and ran into Beverly and Phoebe hanging out.
It was time for refreshments so we stopped for some beer and nibbles.
We realised that we were right around the corner from my partner's friend place of employement so we went by, grabbed a soda and since there is a giant thimble across the street and well gee you have to take a picture of that.
Here we found some cool graffitti in a couple of back alleys.
It was warm out, okay that is an understatment it was fucking hot, so we had to stop at another watering hole.
While walking to the movie theatre we passed this building and thought that the «grass» around the top balcony was totally cool so yup shutterbugged it!