1st impressions of toronto plus restaurant rec

* the men (in taxis, hotels, restaurants, stores) are exceptionally nice w/out in any way seeming to hit on one

* lake ontario is beautiful as are the parks along it - more low key than chicago's lake front, but also nice

* Joe Badali's, a family owned Italian restaurant kitty corner across from the convention center is lovely - cute building with old wood floor, old multicolored tile floor on the other part kind of long and narrow but also spacious, and fantastic waiters and maitre de/owner who treated my systems thinking colleagues lorri and rebecca and lorri's mom and me just wonderfully - humor, quick service, scrumptious food (try the appetizer size butternut squash ravioli) - highly recommended!