Out & About #168 | Union Station Holiday Market

Despite yet to make my way to the Distillery District to take part in Toronto's annual Christmas Market this year, I had the chance to stroll by Union Station's more compact version over lunch break.

With close to twenty-something retail booths huddled into a small, temporary tent-like structure, the indoor market immediately became congested as eager shoppers swarmed the area. (And to the snarky-faced ahjussi that intentionally pushed me mid-snapshot, your actions were NOT appreciated.)

The market featured several local boutiques carrying one-of-a-kind, handmade goods - all of which either depicted to be "handcrafted in Canada" (Foxy Originals jewellery) or bursting with Toronto-specific patriotic pride (Tuck Shop Trading Co.).

A few select food vendors were also present, making loose leaf tea (The Honest Leaf), nachos and dip (Mad Mexican), and funky festive cookies (Miche Bakery) available for purchase as well.

A variety of delicate light fixtures had been utilized to decorate the frame of the temporary building, with a few more ornate pieces outlining the perimeter of individual booths. 

More of my shots can be found below!

In the case where shoppers happened to reside a tad longer than anticipated, sustenance could be found directly outside the Great Hall in the form of hot beverages (Railroad Coffee Co.), greasy comfort food (Bacon Nation), and roasted corn on the cob (The Mighty Cob).
A small fire pit surrounded with spacious red lawn chairs also provided for an area to demolish any newly-obtained food items while re-acquiring a bit of warmth.

I had intended to drop by Pilot to pick up one of their velvety smooth Chai lattes (they're the only place that has had me keep returning for more!) prior to heading back, but seeing the vast array of jarred hot chocolate toppings made me rethink that decision.

I figured that there wouldn't be much to lose, especially when I could obtain a crushed-candy-cane-mini-marshmallow-and-Oreo-chunk-topped Hot Chocolate for a measly three dollars, and I had already made the trip to Union Station anyway.

Visually appealing indeed.

Unfortunately, I found that it hadn't been properly mixed, causing the chocolate to remain at the bottom and the top one third of the cup to fill with a somewhat-warm, foamy milk. The temperature was below optimal, which I suppose wasn't a crucial factor as the day had gradually warmed up, though it wasn't exactly impressive at the same time.

In short, the Union Station Holiday Market is an event targeted particularly towards the "tourist group" (and/or commuters on a Christmas shopping time crunch); this niche actually prefers Toronto-specific merchandise and odd little trinkets, and will not mind liquidating a solid chunk of their wallet's contents in exchange for uniqueness.
​Unless I happen to be leisurely strolling the area immediately outside the terminal, it's unlikely that I'll visit again without a distinct purpose in mind. (The lights were a nice touch, but just not nice enough to be persuasive.)