Raise the Hammer

Seems a lot of people like the many things in this city that I do. In addition:

Cafe Palazzo on Upper James 1 block n. or Fennell

I like the "Neighbour" wraps & grilled sandwiches behind the PetroCanada station on Upper James at Mohawk/

You can stitch a good walk/bike ride going west from Sam Lawrence Park too, through leafy residential neighbourhoods, Southam Park, St. Joe's mountain campus and Scenic Drive.

East or west end of the mountain you can catch rail trails that descend the escarpment face back to the centre of the city: gorgeous views; leafy, natural settings through the heart of urban South Ont. Take the bus back up if you're lazy like me, or head north at Chedoke Golf Course taking Longwood Road through Westdale to pick up the Waterfront Trail at Princess Point. Or use Ferguson Ave. to connect with the Waterfront Trail at its east end. Other backstreets will connect you to Locke St. and, I'm wondering, can you go through the Mac campus to link up to Dundas trails?

Uh, the RBG. The Conservation Authority parks and lands. The Bruce Trail.

Proximity to Niagara. The Vegas-like fantasy. Clifton Hill. The Falls! But also the faux history of Niagara On The Lake, the Shaw Festival, the riverfront parkway and trails, wine country, War of 1812 battlefields (how nice to enjoy war from a distance of time rather than space,) the three Jordans, the Welland Canal (and its history,) Lakes Ontario and Erie shores.

Thirty minutes down Hwy 6 to Pt. Dover perch, Hewitt's ice cream, honkey-tonk beachfront and summer grub but also Lighthouse Theatre, boutiques & bikers.

Mennonite Country about an hour north west.

Toronto towers and nightlife an hour away on public transit (you can get to Union Station on Front St. faster from Hamilton's downtown GO station than riding the TTC from Scarboro!)

Hamilton has three different waterfronts within it's urban borders: Lake Ontario, Burlington Bay and Cootes Paradise. Hamilton has an internationally recognized natural biosphere ribonning through it's heart: the Niagara Escarpment. In your face multi-culturalism, including the Six Nations. And oh, the abundance of locally produced fresh fruit, veg, dairy and meat.

Lemoncello on Ottawa St. N.

That cheese shop in Dundas.

Burlington Heights. A spiritual place from which to view the turmoil of the outside world, with Paradise at your back.

An abundance of accomplished local poets. Speaking of local writers, did anyone else read Jeff Mahoney's subtly subversive piece in Thursday's Spec? Makes me want to cacel my subscription then renew it just to read what he writes next.

The ongoing comic genius of the "Community Leadership Show!"

Canada's Basilia: the Jackson Square rooftop.

Hammerheads.