Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal

We discussed various options for summer vacation but ultimately, we decided that we needed to laugh.  If you're not flummoxed or disheartened by the 2016 election results...get off my blog!

Despite having gone to another comedy festival less than a year ago, here we are.  Just for Laughs is THE premier comedy festival in the world so we're excited to add it to our repertoire.  I hope we'll have such a good time that it will become a tradition of sorts.  At the very least, we'll learn how to navigate the system and pick up valuable tips for the next time.

The purchasing of passes isn't quite as seamless as it is for JFL42 in Toronto.  We bought 5-show passes, which means we can pick five headlining shows.  They also come with free tickets from July 25-July 29 to OFF-JFL shows.  (OFF-JFL is made up of comedians that you might know like Janeane Garofalo but they're not as mainstream as someone like Jerry Seinfeld. OFF-JFL shows take place in alternative/non-traditional venues.  For example, one of our OFF-JFL shows is in a place that's normally a strip club.)  These free tickets, however, aren't automatic.  You have to sign up for them when you get an email and you won't have your choice of shows.  Tricky.

I definitely preferred getting the VIP pass for JFL42 and having the option to pick and choose shows up until the last minute through my online account.  I felt very much in control of my festival experience.  It's not that way at all with JFL.  Due to JFL's aggressive marketing schemes, I felt pressured to buy tickets way in advance for things that ended up not even selling out.  If I had known tickets don't sell like hotcakes, like they imply, I certainly would've waited.

They don't finalize the lineup of participating comedians/guests until the start of the festival.  They do a big name drop in the beginning of May and then every couple of weeks drop two names here, one name there. I find that tricky (again) because if, like me, you bought tickets in advance and then a month later they announce someone more to your liking, you might be stuck with a scheduling conflict.

JFL is definitely more of a money-making operation because there's an inflexibility to their ticketing system that just isn't a factor at JFL42.  I'm not complaining - just informing any potential festival-goers and learning for the next time.  We're VERY excited.  

Like we did in Toronto, we're going to live like locals in Montreal.  We've rented an apartment within walking distance to all of the festival venues.  We're closer to Downtown/Old Montreal than we were the last time we were in town so it means we're a little farther afield from the Mile End (best food options in the city) and Mont Royal (my favorite spot for an afternoon respite). We can always use the metro if our feet get tired.  We plan on parking our car in a garage and leaving it there until it's time to go home.

Also, like Toronto, I'll be live blogging rather than reflecting on the trip after it's happened.  It's easier to recall the acts immediately afterwards.  I'm also going to borrow my previously developed rating scale of 1 to 5 laughs; 1 meaning didn't-crack-a-smile, and 5 meaning pee-your-pants-hilarious.  

Our travel itinerary: Monday, July 24 - Saturday, July 30

Monday, July 24

Today entailed getting from Burlington to Montreal, parking our car in a garage, settling into our digs, and then hitting the town for two of our shows.  We also managed to order and eat decent Lebanese take-out.

Show 1: Mike Birbiglia: The New One

Loved the venue, loved the audience (Jimmy Carr, a British comedian we'll be seeing tomorrow night, was in attendance), loved the show.  I started to watch Mike Birbiglia's Netflix specials a few months ago and I've enjoyed each one better than the last.  This show was no exception.  There's continuity so if you're interested in him and/or appreciate his humor, I recommend watching all of his specials and preferably, in order of production.

Mike Birbiglia is a seasoned and well-honed raconteur.  He's so relatable you feel like he's talking directly to you and not an entire audience of people.  His show is funny throughout but also a slow-burn.  I felt like I had a tickle in my throat that progressed into tears-streaming-down-my-face-laughing.  I also appreciate how he can be simultaneously silly and deep when talking about his life experiences - in this specific case, becoming a parent.  5 Laughs.

Show 2: Arj Barker: Get in my Head

The venue was difficult to find - we actually walked two blocks beyond it because there wasn't proper signage.  Arj, however, is fabulous!  We love this guy!  I feel terrible that he's been given a subpar venue - very small and not filled to capacity.  If JFL invites artists to participate then I think they should fill the damn seats, even if they have to offer those seats to people off the street.  JUST DO IT.

Arj is talented, fun, and charismatic, and he talks to his audience like we're his buddies.  Sometimes his punchlines are obvious but his delivery takes the material to an unexpected level of funny.  Other times you think you know exactly where his jokes are going but he takes a surprising turn.  I wouldn't be at all shocked if his is one of the best shows we see all week.  5 Laughs.

Strong work from both Mike Birbiglia and Arj Barker.  What a great way to start the festival!

Tuesday, July 25

We had a great and filling breakfast at Allo Mon Coco and then set out for a multi-mile walk to gather some toiletries and a week's supply of famous Montreal bagels from St. Viateur Bagel.

Along the way we found ourselves passing by a cat cafe so we turned around and went inside.  It's not a good day unless you have a cat to pet!  While there we met most of the nine resident cats.  Unlike many cat cafes that offer cats for adoption, this particular cafe adopted/rescued the cats to make the cafe their permanent home.  Perhaps that's why one of them tried to take a sip out of my, I mean, his, water glass.

Here's King Kong bidding us adieu:

In addition to it being festival season in Montreal, JFL is just one of many festivals occurring, it's Montreal's 375th birthday, and it's the 150th birthday of Canada's National Parks.  What an exciting year for our neighbor to the north!  Anyway, because of all these concurrent events, there is stuff going on constantly.  

We happened to see several people covered in body paint from head to toe riding matching bicycles around the city.  We don't know the project or the purpose but Evan got a quick pic of Mellow Yellow:

There are so many cool murals all over the city.  Here are just a few we saw along the way:

Tonight we're seeing three very popular and JFL-specific shows.  Beforehand I had some delicious tacos (one pork, two shrimp) and Evan had a quesadilla from La Capital Tacos, about five minutes from our apartment.  A taco place in Chinatown.  Let that sink in.          

Show 1: The Ethnic Show 

Host: Alonzo Bodden

Participants: Vladimir Caamano, Mike Rita, The Doo Wops, Rachid Badouri, Steve Byrne, and Jessica Kirson

We utilized some of our free tickets to get into this show.  I'm glad because I wouldn't have wanted to waste money on this showcase.  The entire show from start to finish felt like a warmup.  Rachid Badouri definitely had the most spunk/personality and I'll give the Doo Wops credit for being different - one plays guitar and they both sing.  2 Laughs.    

Show 2: The Nasty Show

Host: Ari Shaffir

Participants: Robert Kelly, Yamaneika Saunders, Godfrey, Jimmy Carr, and Big Jay Oakerson

This was a much better showcase with good material from most of the acts.  I look forward to seeing Ari Shaffir's Netflix special when we get home.  I'd also see Robert Kelly and Jimmy Carr do solo work.  Regardless, I wouldn't seek out the Nasty Show at a future festival.  3.5 Laughs. 

Show 3: Midnight Surprise

Host: Alonzo Bodden (repeat from the Ethnic Show)

Participants: Jeff Ross, James Davis, Daliso Chaponda, Emily Heller, and Ricky Velez

The concept behind this show is a cool one - you buy a ticket having no idea who will be performing.  I was disappointed that right off the bat we had a repeat performance from earlier in the night - Alonzo Bodden.  His prepared material didn't impress me but his crowd work and off-the-cuff stuff was an improvement.  

I was so freaking tired that even when there were stand-out performances from the other participants (they were each given seven minutes) I could barely muster a laugh.  The people I'd keep an eye on are Daliso Chaponda, Emily Heller, and Ricky Velez.  3.75 Laughs.   

...

Overall, it was an unimpressive evening and another thing - the seating was uncomfortable for all three shows.  I'm still recovering from numb butt.  

Tomorrow night we have two galas, which will feature multiple comedians.  I think we've learned our lesson and going forward, we'll stick with solo acts.  It's more our speed and then we can pick and choose more specifically who we're spending our time with.  Needless to say, Mike Birbiglia and Arj Barker are still at the top of our list for best performers at the festival. 

Wednesday, July 26

The morning after we're still feeling dismayed by our lackluster Tuesday evening so we're going to skip one of the galas we were originally attending (David Spade is hosting but every other participating comedian is a repeat of people we've seen or will see later in the week).  Instead, we're paying extra to see Tom Segura.  

A good tip for life and JFL - go with your gut.  I wanted to see Tom Segura right off the bat but when I saw that he and David Spade conflicted I thought, well, Tom Segura will probably be in our area one of these days and David Spade won't.  

In the future, we will not waste our money or tickets on multi-participant stand-up events.  An interactive panel is one thing but I really don't need to see a multitude of comedians over the span of ninety minutes.  It's exhausting and bits start to run and blur together in your mind.  It's a disservice to the artists, too, because they can get lost.  

We had some bagels for breakfast and then hung out in the apartment while Evan did some homework and I did laundry.  

There are a bunch of food trucks set up in the outdoor festival area so we're probably going to grab lunch and dinner there. 

This is Victor, the JFL Mascot:

We ventured out and got some sustenance from a few different food trucks and then sat on a bench and people/celebrity-watched.  No joke - in the span of thirty minutes we saw eight different comedians just walking in the wild.

Mike Rita

Myq Kaplan

Sugar Sammy

Deanne Smith

Robert Kelly

Big Jay Oakerson

Ricky Velez

Steve Byrne

Colin Jost

We didn't stop or approach any of them but Evan did manage to yell out, "Colin Jost" as he was walking by.  He said, "hey guys" and we smiled and waved and that was that.  Evan was determined to see him again to get a picture.  We walked around and went into a nearby Starbucks to get some drinks and sure enough, when we emerged, there was Colin Jost!  He said, "you guys again" and from there we stopped for a very brief chat and some pictures.  

He was very nice, as you'd expect.  I think we were all a little flummoxed for various reasons - we were starstruck and we're guessing he doesn't get stopped by fans that often and/or maybe didn't expect that kind of reception walking around in Montreal.  I wish we could've had a more substantive conversation but we were tongue-tied and he had to get ready for his show tonight.  Can't wait to see him and Michael Che - the dynamic duo!

...

On our way to our first show of the evening we walked through the Gayborhood and saw these cool lights strewn across the street that represent all the colors of the rainbow.  We got far enough to see yellow in the distance but we didn't get into the green, blue, and purple.

Show 1: Tom Segura: No Teeth, No Entry Tour

You can't know what you missed but I think we made the right decision by skipping a bunch of repeat performances to see a brand new solo act from Tom Segura.  His observations about life are relatable and hilarious!  4.5 Laughs.

Show 2: The Colin Jost and Michael Che Gala

Participants: Phil Hanley, Sarah Millican, Lil Rel Howery, Jim Norton, David Baddiel, Ivan Decker, and Steve Byrne  

Our buddy, Colin, and Michael Che were awesome hosts and every participating comedian in the lineup was well-prepared and gave a strong performance.  Up until the show we were completely unfamiliar with Phil Hanley and Ivan Decker, both Canadian, but they're definitely people worth watching.  Steve Byrne also changed some things up, which made this performance comparably better than his routine from the Ethnic Show.

By the way, when Colin Jost introduced Steve Byrne he mentioned that he was a mentor to him and really supportive of his career when he was starting out.  It must've been so weird and potentially offensive when we saw the two of them together earlier in the day and blatantly acknowledged Colin while ignoring Steve Byrne.  BYRNED.   

We had selected free tickets to see Jeff Ross & Dave Attell: Bumping Mics at midnight but due to an early morning and free radio show recording, we opted to skip so we could get some sleep.  Along the way we saw more comedians in the wild - Vladimir Caamano, The Lucas Brothers (they opened for Mike Birbiglia - funny, but not memorably so), Big Jay Oakerson (repeat), and Ricky Velez (repeat).    

Our plans to get a good night's sleep were irretrievably dashed by a malfunction with our door handle that meant a representative from our rental company had to come over at 1:30am to let us back into our apartment.  That was not fun.  

Thursday, July 27

Show 1: The Jim & Sam Show 

Hosts: Jim Norton and Sam Roberts

Guests: Robert Kelly, Tom Papa, Dave Attell, and Ryan Hamilton

We will not be deterred so we're heading over to the Hyatt this morning to watch the Jim & Sam Show on Sirius Radio.  I normally hate social media but twitter can have its perks.  I follow Jim Norton so when I saw that he and his radio partner were offering free tickets to their show I immediately responded.  Evan and I accidentally gamed the system by both responding so we're going this morning and tomorrow morning.  Winning!

We both really enjoyed being in the audience for the Jim & Sam Show.  It was a pretty small group.  We had a few scares where we were close to being questioned but ultimately, we managed to escape detection for three hours.  

I wouldn't say that there was a cohesive theme but there was a lot of good, interesting conversation, most of which pertained to comedy, the festival, people bombing on stage, people killing it on stage, and successful vs. struggling comedians. 4 Laughs. 

I made a mental note of something Jim Norton said.  He was in the gala last night and while we thought he was great, he indicated on his radio show that he doesn't enjoy galas.  There's a lot of pressure because they're filmed and then televised (in this case, on Canadian television) and for someone like him, it's particularly challenging.  His material veers toward blue so he has to tone it down in a way that's inauthentic to his persona.  I really don't want to see comics being forced into a box so, going along with what I've already been thinking, we'll definitely hone in on solo acts vs. multi-comic lineups in the future.  

I hope there's a little more variety/enthusiasm on tomorrow's radio show.  I think most participants were nursing hangovers and/or some of the bigger names stayed away because they were partying late the night before/just going to bed.  Jim Norton indicated that Michael Che was planning on coming but that obviously didn't pan out.  Bummer.

...

We ate at the food truck corral again and saw Dave Attell and then Ari Shaffir (shirtless) in the wild.

Took a little afternoon nap so that we'd be fresh as daisies for our evening events.

Show 1: David Baddiel My Family: Not the Sitcom

Evan and I almost skipped this at the last minute to see an Australian stand-up but I'm so glad we stuck with David Baddiel. His show is ninety minutes of fun and outrageousness with a dash of sentimentality.  It's a lovely homage to his deceased mother who defined herself outside the mold of Jewish mother and housewife.  She was quite the pistol! 4.75 Laughs. 

On our way out Evan says he saw Sasheer Zamata walking away from us toward her venue for the night.  I couldn't confirm because by the time I looked her way I could only see her back.  I'll take his word for it, though.       

Show 2: I'm Dying up Here on Showtime: A Night with Cast & Creators

Participants: Michael Angarano, Erik Griffin, Ari Graynor, Jim Carrey, Andrew Santino, and RJ Cyler

If I'm being frank, I barely noticed any of the other cast members.  All eyes and ears were focused on Jim Carrey as the executive producer.  Everyone in attendance was there for Jim Carrey.  There was even an Ace Venture impersonator right behind us.  Brilliant.  

I loved hearing stories of Jim Carrey's days as a struggling stand-up.  You discover that many of his real-life experiences inspired and informed some of the storylines on this show.  In the 1970's, when he was starting out, the only way to achieve success/fame was to get a spot on The Tonight Show and the competition was fierce.  It's completely different now because there are so many different avenues comics can take to get noticed.  Jim Norton and Robert Kelly were saying (on the Jim & Sam Show) that even just a few years ago, people could go to JFL and leave the festival with an option for a TV show and contracts worth millions of dollars.  They said it doesn't happen as much anymore because too many people who were deemed up-and-comers didn't live up to their potential.    

There's so much depth to Jim Carrey and sadness, I think.  He admitted to being in an existential crisis - not really being able to define himself as Jim Carrey anymore.  But I could see the light in his eyes when he looked around the room and soaked up all the love we were sending out to him.  At the end he got up and shook hands with some of the people in the front row and I could feel the warmth dripping off of him.  He loves his public and his public loves him.  For good reason!  5 Laughs for the legend.

Jim Carrey strongly recommended seeing the show that we had skipped the night before so we bought tickets for the final performance tonight.  On the way there we saw Jimmy Carr, Sarah Millican, Ali Siddiq, and Jeff Ross.  Evan shook Ross's hand.    

Show 3: Jeff Ross & Dave Attell: Bumping Mics

There was great energy around this show.  The club was packed and there were a lot of comics in attendance including: Michael Che (we actually ran into him on the way in and we both got to shake his hand and tell him we're big fans), Godfrey, Alonzo Bodden, Vladimir Caamano, Elon Gold, and Jimmy Carr.  Those were the ones we saw so who knows who else might've been there.

It was a fun night because a lot of their work is off the cuff.  They pull up audience members and roast them.  They also had Jimmy Carr and Michael Che take turns on the stage with them.  4.5 Laughs.

We were disappointed to learn that we had missed Jim Carrey in the audience the night before - the night we were supposed to be seeing this show.  If you remember, we skipped it because we had to get up early for the Jim & Sam Show.  Our evening then devolved because of the issue with our door handle.  It's weird to think that we could've seen Jim Carrey in the wild but missed our opportunity because of a free radio show.  Then again, it would've been worse to have stayed out until 2:00am and then discovered we couldn't get into our apartment.  It would've made for an even longer ordeal in the middle of the night.   

On the way out we saw Dave Attell chatting up some girls, of course, and then we saw Moshe Kasher and waved hello.    

Another late night and we're supposed to get up for this radio show again.  You've got to be a night owl to survive in this business and/or to be a fan. 

Some great murals we saw late this afternoon/early evening:

Some fun guys on stilts and in weird costumes while we were getting dinner from a food truck:

Friday, July 28

Show 1: The Jim & Sam Show (again)

Guests: Annie Lederman, Ari Shaffir (he came across like a bored, self-centered douche), Dan Soder, Natasha Leggero, and Moshe Kasher

It wasn't as fun this time around.  To be frank, I would've rather slept in.  Apparently, yesterday's show was inconsistent with their usual banter and I liked it.  There were a lot more hardcore fans in the audience today and the hosts were catering to them.  I was bored and even annoyed by some of the conversation.  It devolved into tales of cringeworthy sexual exploits.  By the time we left, one hour early, they were talking about adult male circumcision.  Oy.  2.5 Laughs. 

Apparently, Ron Funches showed up after we left.  I don't even have the energy to care.  I'm too damn tired.

...

Took another afternoon nap.  No more shows stretching into the wee hours for the remainder of our 48 hours in Montreal. 

It's a beautiful afternoon so I think we'll take a walk and stretch our legs.  Perhaps we'll run into more comedians in the wild.  

We decided to take a walk into Old Montreal because it's rather close by.  We didn't stay too long because there were lots of bugs flying around.  I'm guessing because of its proximity to the water...?  I really don't know.  They've got a bug problem around here!  

We had dinner at one of the food trucks again.  We've had so few sit-down meals while in town here.  It just hasn't been a priority.  We've had consistently good food though.   

Show 1: Trevor Noah

Unsurprisingly, Trevor Noah was superb.  We saw him do stand-up two or three years ago, just a couple of months before he was named the new host of The Daily Show.  We liked him then but he's definitely grown and gotten even better since.  He really is the consummate professional.  I don't know how he finds the time to do a television show and then travel around the world in his off time to do stand-up.  It's nothing short of amazing.  He's polished, well-prepared, intelligent, relatable, and hilarious.  Sometimes his political commentary/worldview can hurt because it hits close to home - he was pretty harsh about racism in America - but the truth hurts, doesn't it?  We all need to take a hard look at ourselves and our country.  4.75 Laughs.  

Show 2: Katherine Ryan: Glitter Room

I have to say, I was pretty disappointed with Katherine Ryan's performance.  I saw her Netflix special and as soon as I saw that she would be appearing at the festival, jumped at the chance to see her live.  As Evan said, it's possible that she was testing out material and that's why her set lacked cohesion but, what if that was just her set?  It was all over the place and kind of a mess.  The theme was female empowerment/independence but it inched over into man-hating territory, which seemed more bitter than funny.  I also felt like a lot of her stories were middles without defined beginnings or ends.  There were funny/clever moments but I didn't feel like it was up to her standard.  3 Laughs.  

Evan and I both thought that her warm-up, Andrew Johnston, was great!  I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for him.  I like diversity in comedy and I believe he's the only gay comedian we've seen perform during the festival.  I'm disappointed overall with the lack of women represented in the festival, too.  We saw so few women in general and only one was a headliner - Katherine Ryan.  I hope there will be more women performing next year.  

Some more comedians we saw in the wild this evening:

Bryan Callen

Jimmy Shubert

Kyle Ayers

Jake & Amir (separately)

Langston Kerman (I knew I recognized him but I didn't know from where until I just looked it up - Insecure on HBO)

Saturday, July 29

It's our final day in Montreal and attending the Just For Laughs Festival!  It's been fun, intense, and kind of exhausting but we're going to end with a bang.  We've got two great solo acts to close out our time here and an afternoon podcast that we're attending for free.  

We took a long walk to Mont Royal and then climbed a bunch of steps to get to the Chalet du Mont Royal, where I remember sitting in Adirondack chairs the last time we were in town.  They were all occupied this time so we didn't stick around for long.  

Some stuff along the way:

Evan said he overheard someone saying this piece of art is "hideous".  Can't handle a woman with curves, huh?

This is the first time during the trip that I felt like I earned a meal.  I definitely worked up a sweat and some body odor.  By the time we reached the food trucks again, I was full on hangry!

We also saw a few more comedians in the wild:

Seann Walsh 

Kurt Braunohler and Lauren Cook (with their baby) 

I guess we can't skip their podcast now - we have the same taste in dessert.   

Show 1: Wedlock with Kurt and Lauren

Hosts: Kurt Braunohler and Lauren Cook

Guests: Cameron Esposito, Rhea Butcher, and Ron Funches

This turned out to be way more fun and professionally produced than we were expecting.  Everyone on the panel was fantastic particularly, Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher.  I actually think they'd be great as a regular foursome.  Lots of chemistry and a natural conversational flow.  4.5 Laughs. 

  

Show 2: Judd Apatow

The positives: Great, intimate venue and we feel very fortunate to be part of his upcoming Netflix special.  Good comedic material overall.   

The negatives: I felt very self-conscious the entire time because I could feel the cameras and see the production happening all around me.  I forced myself to fake-laugh throughout the special because if the camera's going to be on me then I figured I better look like I'm having fun.  As much as I love comedy it takes a very special person to make me really giggle.  A lot of the time I'm just there for good storytelling and if I laugh, it's a plus not a requirement.

Judd Apatow must be a bit of a control-freak because production was pretty tight.  It was suggested to us/the audience more than a few times that we could (should) give him a standing ovation when he entered the stage.  I was always under the impression that an ovation is earned.  Also, as soon as he came out he essentially ordered a woman sitting next to us to remove her orange cardigan sweater because he found it distracting.  I feel like a seasoned stand-up wouldn't let a colorful garment throw him off his game.  

His delivery is still kind of stilted/unnatural.  Honestly, I think it's too soon for him to have a Netflix special or any kind of special for that matter.  Just because he's a successful producer, director, and writer doesn't mean that he can skip the steps he needs to take to be a great stand-up comedian.  I don't think he's earned his keep yet.  He should still be hitting small clubs and working his way up.  This foray into stand-up comedy 20+ years after he started out seems like a quest for perfectionism and/or a mid-life crisis.  I guess it's a good thing my opinion doesn't matter.  3 Laughs. 

We loved Judd Apatow's opener, Wayne Federman.  He should get a special! 

While getting in line for our next show we saw Jim O'Heir who played Jerry on Parks and Recreation.             

Show 3: Craig Ferguson: The New Deal Tour

Like Trevor Noah, Craig Ferguson is a master at his craft.  He came out on stage with such natural charisma and perfect delivery.  He looked like he was having so much fun, too.  His enthusiasm is infectious.  I never watched him when he was doing late night so I was kind of on the fence about seeing his stand-up.  I'd say he's a got two new fans!  A strong finish for our festival experience.  4.75 Laughs.    

This will also be turned into a Netflix special but I doubt we'll be visible because we were seated all the way up in the balcony. No biggie.  

...

We laughed, we cried, we name-dropped.  It was a great time!  I can't think of another comedy-related experience where you get the chance to meet so many legends by accident.  All we had to do was sit on a bench or stand somewhere on the festival grounds for a few minutes before we spotted someone.  I would say that that alone gives Montreal the edge over Toronto.  JFL42's lineup last year was stronger but we didn't meet any of the participating comedians nor was there a central location where everyone could run into each other.  The majority of comedians here in Montreal have been put up in the Hyatt hotel right in the center of the festival district and within blocks of most of the venues.  It's crazy cool!

We probably did a little too much and we definitely overspent and even wasted money but next time we'll be better prepared. I think we'll tentatively plan to go every year unless something comes up or the lineup is terrible (unlikely).  Perhaps next time we'll be more equipped to face our idols so we're not terrified to talk to them or ask for pictures. 

We didn't get to enjoy Montreal much because we were so busy with the festival.  It's OK.  We'll be back.  I do wish the anti-smoking campaign would make an impact here.  I hate hate hate all of the smoking.  I know it messed with my sinuses and dried out my throat.  No bueno.  They need to start treating smokers like second-class citizens as we do in the U.S.  It works!   

In summary: I called it on the first day but our favorites of the festival remain Mike Birbiglia and Arj Barker followed closely by David Baddiel, Tom Segura, Trevor Noah, and Craig Ferguson.  Our favorite atypical festival experiences were Bumping Mics, I'm Dying up Here panel (Jim Carrey), and Wedlock the podcast.  

Now we'll bide our time until next year's festival.

JFL42: Toronto's Comedy Festival/Hipster Parade

Toronto wasn't on our must-visit list but this trip was less about the destination and more about an event.  We're also considering it our (early) anniversary trip.  Evan and I really enjoy stand-up comedy so we were enticed by the idea that we could go to a festival and see multiple comedians over a series of days.  Montreal has the most famous/world renown comedy festival in July - Just for Laughs - but since we couldn't make that this year we opted for the "baby" version, JFL42 in Toronto.   To be clear, the JFL stands for Just for Laughs so the two festivals are affiliated.  The Toronto version is in its infancy at only five years; Just for Laughs in Montreal has been going on for thirty-four years.  The 42 stands for forty-two comedians/acts.  We bought VIP passes, which allowed us to see four headliners and twelve additional non-headlining comedians.

Incidentally, we had the opportunity to attend well over sixteen performances due to a credit system.  After attending non-headlining shows you get your credits back to use again.

We also did something different than usual in that we rented an apartment through VRBO (vacation rental by owner) versus staying in a hotel or B&B. Since we knew we would be in town for an extended stay, it just made sense.  I've been to Toronto before to visit/stay with family so twelve years later I'm seeing a whole new side to the city.  We opted for Kensington Market/Chinatown as a locale.  It's fantastic in terms of great food options but oh boy, the street (people) noise at night is a real doozy.  Even with ear plugs!  Also, weed is everywhere.  Who knew Torontontians (what a mouthful) were a bunch of potheads?

I also feel that I should explain my addition of "Hipster Parade" to my blog title.  I don't know if it's our particular neighborhood or Toronto in general, but hipsters are pouring out of the woodwork.  I can't even count the amount of bushy-bearded, tight-pants and Buddy Holly-glasses wearing, weed-smoking, unicycle-riding (just kidding) individuals we've encountered.  If "hipster" was a sickness then I'd say there's an epidemic in Toronto.  WE GET IT - you want to be different.  But if everyone around you is a hipster then aren't you just like everyone else?

We brought the laptop with us so that Evan could do homework for his online Master's program; as a result, I will be "live" blogging each day rather than regurgitating an entire week's events after the fact.        

Saturday, September 24

We got up very early and drove a little over nine hours to arrive in Toronto late afternoon.  Once we had parked in our building's garage and dropped our stuff off in our apartment we ventured out into our neighborhood to grab a bite to eat.

We didn't go far, maybe two minutes beyond our place, to reach Seven Lives Tacos Y Moriscos.  I think the secret is out about this place because despite being an almost literal hole in the wall (very cramped one room quarters) it was packed beyond capacity.  We waited no less than thirty minutes for a fish taco for me and a shrimp taco for Evan.  Were they delicious?  Absolutely.  Worth waiting thirty minutes for?  Absolutely NOT.  If I'm going to wait that long to get a taco I might as well hop on a plane to Mexico.

We followed up with Don't Call Me Cupcake right outside our building.  They didn't have much left at that point in the early evening so Evan got a double vanilla (too sweet for me) and I got coconut (just right).  The next day we saw a sign in the window that said they were closed and relocating.  I guess we got lucky! 

From there we got our car and drove to Queen Elizabeth Theatre to see Margaret Cho.  I've been wanting to see her for a while but I've been a little nervous because I know she has a tendency to be crass.  Surprise, surprise, she delivered.  Haha. Some of it was a little over the top for me but overall, I enjoyed her show.  Her opener, Ian Harvey, was also very funny. They make a good team.  I think I'll implement a rating system of 1-5 laughs to illustrate my level of enjoyment.  Margaret gets 3.75 laughs.  I took away 1.25 laughs for the overly bawdy aspects of her act but I give her kudos for her family stories, impressions, and political humor.  The audience was also wonderfully diverse because she really embraces and embodies the LGBTQ community.  It felt good to be part of an inclusive and welcoming environment to those who are often-times victims of prejudice and abuse. 

Immediately afterward we headed to Sony Centre to see our first headliner of the festival, Jim Jeffries.  I saw one of his Netflix specials a few months ago and thought he was very talented.  Apparently, he's made quite the name for himself all over the world.  I'd have to give him 3.75 laughs because he's very clever and methodical, and even though you can tell he's very well-prepared, his act is effortless.  I took away 1.25 laughs because I was so physically exhausted from our long day that at some point, I just wanted him to stop talking.  He's a bit long-winded!  He's also very opinionated and while I agree with most of his viewpoints there were at least a couple of things that made me cringe a little.  I also expected more political humor from him (Trump bashing, for instance) so I was slightly disappointed.

Sunday, September 25

We didn't get moving until sometime after 11:00am but when we did we ventured to our nearest side street to eat chicken and waffles at The Dirty Bird. Big mistake.  I mean, it was fine but it's a) not really my thing to begin with and b) it's not something Toronto is known for.  If you're going to get chicken and waffles you should get it in the U.S. and preferably in the Deep South.  We both felt pretty gross afterward.

From there we took a stroll through our immediate area and Chinatown.  I was thrilled to see rambutans and mangosteens being sold on the street.  I don't think I've had a real mangosteen (outside of a can) since my family lived in Thailand.  It was my favorite fruit!  We'll definitely go back and buy some before we leave town.  Then we spent a decent amount of time in Graffiti Alley taking pictures.

I liked the look of these giant bugs crawling all over the building.

Graffiti Alley:

Not graffiti exactly but art with a message:

This was hands down my favorite part of Graffiti Alley.  Do colors get any more vivid than this?

On the way back to our area we had a few more photo opportunities.

Note: This is not an endorsement.  I assume this is a play on the joke that is the lead oompa-loompa's slogan campaign.

I had read about these goofy neighborhood watch signs before we came into town.  Fun!

Back in our 'hood.  I think this gives you a sense of the vibe.

We took a very brief break at the apartment before we walked to Second City for "In Conversation with Sinbad".  Because it was a more intimate experience audience members were allowed to take pictures!  It was really lovely to learn about Sinbad's life before comedy and also about his rise to fame.  He's funny and energetic and he seems like a great guy.  I'd give this event 4 laughs because I loved the small, cozy venue.  I wish we could've seen him do stand-up but I believe that his event conflicted with one of our headliners.  I took away a laugh because it wasn't a traditional stand-up performance and there wasn't, in fact, much to laugh at.

From there we had to hightail it back to our area to grab a quick bite before getting in the car and driving Downtown for our next performance.  There was a Sunday festival going on in our neighborhood (as if they need an excuse to play loud music and smoke ganja around here) so we grabbed some jerk chicken and rice from Rasta Pasta.  The chicken was amazing but we've never had jerk before so we didn't realize the sauce was so spicy.  Our lips and mouths were on fire so we had some ice cream (it was a medical emergency) to cool off.  I got some delicious almond marzipan and Evan got black sesame and coffee.

Then we saw our second headliner of the festival, Tig Notaro.  Gary Gulman opened for her.  We were both impressed with his polished and well-crafted act and will definitely keep an eye out for whenever he's in the DC area next.  Tig was predictably low-key and funny.  I enjoy her calm demeanor and I find comfort in knowing that she's not going to be dropping F-bombs or bringing us into her bedroom.  She even steers clear of politics.  As Evan says, her focus is observational humor. I would challenge anyone to find something controversial or offensive about her act.  That said, I'd give her 4.25 laughs.  I really did enjoy seeing her but I'm taking away .75 laughs because she was even more low-energy (heh) than I expected. I've seen other funnier bits of hers.

Monday, September 26

We got up slowly this morning but once we were ready we headed over to a neighborhood coffeehouse, FIKA.  Evan had what was a lackluster espresso.  We also ordered two bacon breakfast sandwiches.  They were exceptionally good but we were so annoyed by the long wait that I don't think we'll go back.

Some Kensington Market highlights:

This guy reminds me of the Mouth of Truth in Rome:

Afterward we made our way to Wanda's Pie in the Sky for a sweet treat.  So amazing.  We split a chocolate cupcake with buttercream filling and a Willy Wonka-esque slice of cake that had six different flavored layers.  It tasted as good as it looks!

Following that, we made our way back to the apartment for a low-key afternoon.  It was the perfect time for Evan to do some homework because it was drizzling off and on for several hours.

Early evening we walked to Soi for dinner.  Soi is unlike any Thai place we normally go to because it doesn't have the usual fare like pad thai or chicken fried rice.  It's strictly street food.  Evan and I each got chicken dishes but prepared in different ways.  I think Evan's was cooked with fish sauce and mine was cooked with garlic and black pepper sauce.  Evan's dish was good but my dish was GREAT.  We practically fought over it.  We enjoyed ourselves so much that I wouldn't be surprised if we went there again.

We followed up with The Big Chill for dessert.  You can smell the sweetness a full block away.  Evan was a little more decadent with his two-scoop waffle cone whereas I settled for a small cup of rainbow sherbet.  Why does it feel natural to pronounce it sherbeRt?

Our comedy venue for the night, Royal Cinema, was also within walking distance so we were able to go car-free the entire day.

We overestimated the amount of time it would take to walk to dinner and then to the venue so we were milling around well before our first scheduled show at 8:45pm.  We found out there was a comedy event prior to ours that had available seating so we thought we might as well attend or risk loitering for ninety minutes.  The event happened to be "In Conversation with Dan Harmon".  What a train wreck!  This guy wrote the show Community, which Evan and I never watched and when we attempted to watch it, we couldn't.  He's involved in a few new shows right now that we've never heard of, but that's beside the point.  This guy should stick to writing because he's a TERRIBLE public speaker.  He babbled, mumbled, interrupted himself, and veered off on nonsensical tangents.  It was like watching an hour-long Tourette's episode.  Case in point: When asked about his creative inspiration he said he was like a gingerbread man with a hole cut out of the middle, lined with meat, and that the inspiration was like juice shooting through the hole but if done properly, the end product should not be meat-flavored juice.  I mean...

I could barely muster up a smile so I can only award him 1 laugh.  We weren't alone in our thinking either because afterward, while waiting in line for our next show, we overheard several fans of his saying that it was horrendous.  We also spoke to someone who specifically said it was the worst thing he's seen at the festival and he's been going to it since its inception.    

Todd Barry was a breath of fresh air after that cluster.  We actually saw him two nights before at Jim Jeffries' show (he was attending like any other regular Joe) and Evan went over and shook his hand.  It must be stated for the record that Evan had no idea who he was until I pointed him out! Anyway, we both really like his style.  Like Tig, he's extremely calming and laid-back.  He's not as clean but still inoffensive.  He definitely won the night. I'd give him 4 laughs.  My biggest critique is that he repeated a joke JFL42 used as a sample on their website.  Now, why would he do that?  The focus should be on new material.  I don't want to pick on him too much though because I did enjoy his act overall.  I'd see him again.

Our second act was Nick Thune.  He was so well-rehearsed that it felt kind of phony to me.  Every comedian we'd seen up until that point had engaged with the audience but there was no such spontaneity in Thune's act.  Instead I felt like he was practicing for when he films and/or records his next special.  He essentially told two thirty-minute long stories, one of which, I'd heard in its condensed version months ago on a late night show (perhaps that was also in one of his JFL42 samples) so that was disappointing.  Basically, I found his on-stage persona unlikeable.  I'm being generous by giving him 3 laughs.

Tuesday, September 27

According to my weather app we're in for a rainy/gloomy rest of the week so we're going to try to take full advantage of our potentially last sunny day. You know what that means - picture time!

We started our day having bagels at Nu Bugel.  I don't know what it is about food service in Toronto but it seems slow across the board.  Must be the European influence...?  It's such a shame because while we enjoyed our bagels we really didn't enjoy the wait.

We did A LOT of walking today.  We walked about an hour in one direction and then of course, had to walk about an hour back.  Since we had all morning and afternoon we took our time exploring in between.

Our first stop was Nathan Phillips Square to see the Toronto sign that was installed for the Pan American Games last year. It's a temporary fixture and will be taken down by the end of this year.  We really lucked out.

From there we walked through Brookfield Place.  We parked in its garage and passed through the building on our way to the Sony Centre our first two nights in town.

I assume this is a Chihuly piece but I didn't see a placard to confirm:

Then we proceeded toward the Gooderham Building.  Evan and I have long (ever since we arrived in Toronto) admired an art piece on the side of this building.  Upon closer inspection today we realized it wasn't a mural painted directly on the brick. It's actually 3D art, which explains why it's so life-like. We think it's just amazing.

From there we went into the famous St. Lawrence Market.  It's an enclosed market like so many we've been to before - Reading Terminal in Philly, Mercato Centrale in Florence, Jean Talon Market in Montreal, etc.  While there we sampled the famous and unique-to-Toronto peameal bacon sandwich. It was fine but I didn't think it was special.  Sorry!  It was also pretty salty.  I had two bites and Evan ate the rest.

Last but not least we visited the Distillery District.  It's a very trendy and touristy area with expensive dining and upscale shopping.  We enjoyed walking around but didn't have an occasion to stick around for too long.

The CN Tower and Sony Centre on the walk back:

Downtown:

CTV Station:

Ontario College of Art and Design:

Back in Chinatown:

We had dinner in our neighborhood at El Trompo.  Evan got chicken tacos and I got their speciality "Al Pastor" tacos.  The food was decent but there's so much good ethnic food to sample around here that I doubt we'll repeat it.

  

We headed toward our first venue of the night and along the way stopped at Bang Bang Ice Cream for dessert.  Evan got a Hong Kong egg waffle cone with a scoop of vanilla and banana pudding.  I had the day's special of "cinnibun sammy".  It's a cinnamon bun heated up and then cut in half to make room for a scoop of ice cream (vanilla, in my case) aka a cinnamon bun ice cream sandwich.  Each bite was more amazing than the last. It's one of the best desserts I've ever had. Quite decadent.  We are never allowed to go there again because I wouldn't be able to control myself.

I told my mom about all the weed around here and she warned me to not get a contact high because it would make me hungry.  Pretty sure that's what happened because Evan was convinced I had the munchies.  I can't remember the last time I had so much fun eating!

Our first show of the evening was with K Trevor Wilson at The Garrison, a dive bar with almost no cushioning fold-out chairs.  We have to go to the venue again on Thursday night but I refuse to sit down.  I'd rather be on my feet than sit in those torture chairs again.  K Trevor Wilson was our first taste of an unfamiliar and Canadian comedian in the festival.  He was great!  He said he just got back from doing a seven week tour in the States.  I imagine he was a hit with all of his fat jokes. Haha.  Anyway, we thought his delivery was excellent and his material, well-prepared.  I have to say, physically, he reminded me a little of John Candy.  But of course, there's no one like John Candy.  I'd give K Trevor Wilson 4 laughs.  He was fantastic but there's always room for improvement.

We followed up with Jake and Amir and Friends at the Royal Cinema.  This wasn't one of my favorite acts because it was basically a platform for their "friends" to do short spurts of stand-up and less about the actual draw, Jake and Amir.  I liked the comedy duo and I wanted to hear more from them. Instead we heard from Neal Brennan and Nate Bargatze, both comedians we will be seeing Thursday night.  Nate was especially funny but I hope there's not too much overlap of material. We also heard from Deanne Smith, a Canadian stand-up, who was mildly funny but mostly awkward.  Last and least we heard from Nick Thune.  He condensed one of his stories from the other night so lucky us, we got to hear that material again.  *rolls eyes* I'd give the overall experience 3 laughs but I'd be interested in checking out Jake and Amir some other time.

Wednesday, September 28

We started out our day with a late breakfast/early lunch across the street at Average Joe's Cafe.  I got a breakfast sandwich while Evan got a full breakfast plate.  We also split a delicious (Evan wasn't as big of a fan) and beautifully presented french toast with banana and chicken bacon.

Then we returned to the apartment where we proceeded to make ourselves at home.  Evan did homework and I did laundry. We made no plans for today other than dinner and our three comedy shows later tonight.  

Since it was so good the first time around we went back to Soi for dinner.  We ordered from the "tapas" menu and got chicken and shrimp with garlic and black pepper sauce and then a mix of chicken and pork skewers with a glaze.  We got savory sticky rice and slaw on the side.  It was delicious and amazing and unforgettable. 

Our first show of the evening was at the Royal Cinema with Neal Brennan.  I have to say, to date, this is the finest performance we've seen.  His act was completely original and unlike anything I've seen in stand-up comedy before.  He calls it "3 Mics".  He had three microphones on stage and each one represented a different segment of his performance.  One was the traditional stand-up mic, one was a confessional/story-telling mic, and one was a mic for witty one-liners.  He definitely tickled my funny bone a few times but I found his candidness about his life struggles particularly refreshing and relatable.  I'm giving him my highest score so far of 4.5 laughs.  I'd love to see him again.   

The worst performance of the festival followed the best performance of the festival.  We went to Revival for the first and last time to see Mark Forward and crew.  I'm really annoyed because I thought I had signed up for his solo stand-up act but when I looked at the JFL42 website afterward I realized that shows were added and changed around.  My tickets even said "Mark Forward" but when I looked at the website later the time slot we had reserved said something like "A Very Mark Forward Festival Party".   I had no idea what I was getting us into and I'm frustrated that we wasted our time on a bunch of untalented amateurs looking for practice.  Mark Forward spent his limited time on stage bullying the audience into laughing. His "festival party" reminded me of a Halloween party that Evan and I ghosted because it was so dull.  I have to assume that he didn't feel like performing so he got a few Second City rejects to perform inane skits.  We left 40 minutes in.  I wish we had left sooner because then we could've salvaged the evening by grabbing some dessert at Bang Bang.  I didn't think it was possible for anything to be as bad as the event with Dan Harmon but Mark Forward and his motley crew really outdid themselves.  0 laughs.

We happened upon this painted utility box (?) very serendipitously because it totally encapsulated how I felt during and after that show:

Last, but not least, we went to the Garrison to see Nate Bargatze.  His opener, Tom Henry, was very dry and funny.  He might be someone to watch out for.  Nate Bargatze offered a comfortable and enjoyable set but I'd say he falls somewhere in the middle in terms of the impression he made on me.  Not entirely memorable but it's better to be forgettable than to be memorable for being terrible - am I right, Mark Forward?  I'll give him 3.5 laughs.  

Thursday, September 29

We got a late start today.  Evan was feeling a little under the weather so we didn't venture out into the gloomy day until around 1:00pm.  We had a very mediocre lunch at Caplansky's.  I was looking forward to some good Jewish fare but the blintzes we ordered were just OK and Evan's matzoh ball soup was not to his liking.  Oh well.  You win some, you lose some.

Afterward we happened upon a cat cafe, TOT, and stopped in to visit.  It was our first time in a cat cafe and I have to say, aside from the awesome felines, I was unimpressed.  First of all, the litter boxes were full and the cat area was a little smelly. They definitely need to get in there and clean more often.  Secondly, I think it's risky to send in complete randoms without informing them of the various cat personalities.  For example, one of the cats was hesitant to be petted and so I treated her gingerly and mostly gave her space.  Evan was also careful with her but still got a little bit of pushback.  We're very experienced with cat behavior from having worked at the humane society so we knew how to manage the situation.  I think it would startle/throw off other people.  Just my two cents.  You also don't want the cats to be stressed from unwanted attention.

Our last outing of the day before our evening events was a stroll around the Bata Shoe Museum.  What fun!  We were in and out in forty-five minutes so it's a very manageable museum if you're limited on time.  There are four half-levels of exhibits and the reading isn't as overwhelming as other museums.  It makes for a quick but fulfilling experience.  I loved seeing shoes from all over the world and from different cultures and time periods.  

Elton John's platform shoes:

Kinky Boots from the Broadway production:

My favorite exhibit was "Fashion Victims: The Pleasures and Perils of Dress in the 19th Century".  You wouldn't believe the lengths that people, especially women, went to for beauty.  Well, maybe you would.  Back then, to achieve colors like green and purple, they had to mix elements that had deathly consequences for the mixers and their clients.  There was a green dress on display (I know, it's a shoe museum) and it had traces of arsenic! There was also a crinoline, wooden petticoat, on display, and with it a statistic that 3,000 women died per year in the U.K. from them catching on fire. Holy moly!

Our first show of the evening was Siriux XM-sponsored Top Comics.  Tom Green, whom we've seen do stand-up in our local area, was the headliner. It was quite neat in the sense that we got to see eight up and comers/unknowns vie for top honors. The prizes included $25,000 and slots at next year's Just For Laughs festivals.  Everyone we saw was very talented but obviously, a few really stood out.  Now we'll have to keep an eye out for our favorites in the coming months and years.  Tom Green was hilarious as always.  He has such a bizarre sense of humor and his antics are kind of legendary. We'd definitely see him again.  4 laughs. 

Here's a not great iPhone picture of the finalists.  The winner, Chris Robinson, is the guy on the far right.

  

Our second and last event of the night was to see our penultimate headliner, Jim Gaffigan.  The guy is an impeccable and engaging performer.  He's just such a likable and relatable person.  Evan and I both agreed that we weren't rolling on the floor laughing but we enjoyed his clever and effortless presentation.  His voice inflections and impressions are especially fun and set him apart from some of the other people we've seen this week.  I have been looking forward to seeing him for months and I can't say he disappointed.  4 laughs.  

Friday, September 30

Our week in Toronto is starting to wind down.  We're pretty worn out and a little burnt out on comedy.  Haha.  Today we're going to take it easy in the apartment until our events this evening.  

For breakfast/lunch Evan went next door to Blackbird Baking Co. and got some pastries.  Pretty good.

Early afternoon we made our way over to Second City to see "In Conversation with Natasha Leggero".  We saw her do stand-up in Denver when we visited my brother-in-law last summer.  We enjoyed her act though, Evan is now saying he wasn't that impressed.  I didn't think the conversation was all that interesting and it didn't really rev me up to see her to do stand-up tomorrow night, which we're currently scheduled to do.  (We ended up cancelling.) It was partially not her fault because the moderator really dominated the conversation.  But I did think it was prissy that she expressly didn't allow photography unlike the other people we've seen participate in these more casual events.  3 laughs.

In between events I looked at the pictures around the Second City entryway and you can see all the greats that came out of there like Martin Short, John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Myers, etc.  It's easy to forget how many famous comedians are Canadian because they all live in the U.S.  

Afterward, we stayed and saw "In Conversation with Anthony Jeselnik" in preparation for seeing him do stand-up tonight. If the conversation was any indication of what's coming tonight then I am REALLY excited to see his stand-up routine.  He's fabulous.  When the room opened up to questions Evan asked him about his musical preferences and how they inspired his persona.  He said he was particularly inspired by the arrogance of hip-hop, specifically, NWA.  4.5 laughs.    

For dinner we ate at a neighborhood burger joint called The Burgernator.  It was decent.  I'd say it's akin to a Five Guys but on a much smaller scale.  I think it only has one location but everything is made to order.  

And then...oops, we did it again, on purpose - we went back to Bang Bang!  Evan got an exotic mix of fresh mint and totaro.  I got a half ice cream sandwich with milk n' cookies ice cream and b'day (sugar) cookies.  OMG.  I want to eat there every day forever.  Amazing.  

Afterward, we saw our final headliner of the festival, Anthony Jeselnik.  He's known for his edgy/controversial/offensive comedy but we rolled with it and had a great time.  I like that he pushes boundaries.  He's really honed his craft of delivering zingers.  What's a shame is that because his expertise is delivering one-liners, it's hard to remember everything afterward. That's part of what makes comedy so fun - reliving it after the fact.  For example, there's a particular story Tig shared about her cat and Evan and I have referenced it every day since.  I feel like that says a lot about the power of Tig's comedy.  That doesn't mean Anthony Jeselnik's comedy isn't as strong or impactful; it's just fleeting.  It's also hard to relive because no one can deliver his material with the same level of over-confidence.  I'm waffling on his score because even though a part of me wants to say that Tig was my favorite, I feel like he's on par but in a different category.  In other ways, I feel like he bested her. For now, I'm going to go with my gut and say 4.5 laughs.  

Saturday, October 1

We were set to see Craig Robinson twice, once for an "In Conversation" and once for stand-up, but Evan hasn't been feeling well and today he woke up feeling much worse so we're going to cancel and head home a day early.  We saw sixteen acts, which was our original intention before we started to reuse our credits.  No complaining here!  Also, because we had never seen Craig Robinson do stand-up before, who knows if it would've been a hit or miss.  I'm glad we were able to end the festival on a high with Anthony Jeselnik.      

Overall, we had a fabulous time in Toronto.  It did, however, feel like a long trip.  I didn't know there was such a thing as too much comedy but I think we hit that threshold.  We learned that going forward, if we're to attend another comedy festival (Montreal's Just For Laughs would be an aspiration), we'll probably limit our participation/be more picky about who we see and do it over a shorter period of time.  Toronto is also way more hip(ster) than I was expecting.  And the pot!  Look, I'm all for legalizing marijuana but maybe there's something to be said for keeping it in your home.  We both got really sick of smelling skunk everywhere.  And also, does anybody freaking work around here?  I mean, you can't be high and work unless you work at a dispensary (and ethically, you probably shouldn't even do that).  It's kind of ridiculous.  That also reminds me of the street noise we experienced in our neighborhood.  Again, does anybody work?  How can you be up until the wee hours every night partying and singing and doing God knows what else and then work the next day?  I don't even work and I'm in bed by 10:00pm every night!  

On the plus side, we were really impressed with how safe Toronto felt.  We spent many a late night walking to/from event venues and never once felt uncomfortable or threatened.         

I don't know when/if we'd ever be in Toronto again but at least one reason to return would be the incredible food.  BANG BANG.