Earlier this summer, I decided to take a different route home from Kensington Market to my apartment in the Village. I have a fledgling obsession with home design and often like to meander down streets looking for a nice bay window or bedroom balcony.
On this particular day I stumbled onto Baldwin Village. It's a jewel of a street comparable to a freshly bathed hippie and has become one of my favourite spots in this city. The tree-lined area is nestled between Dundas and College just west of University.
Baldwin exudes a worldly sensibility for those with either a slim or portly pocket book. There is a restaurant for every corner of the world, cafes, health food stores and clothing and record shops. Patios and balconies are decorated with faces splashing back margaritas or chewing on California rolls.
My favourite spot on Baldwin is the Import Chada Gallery. Most of the clothing, accessories and housewares come from South Asia but are without the import mark-up.
The lovely Thai woman who owns the shop is refreshingly friendly. She hails from the southern island of
Phuket. Phuket island lies in the Indian Ocean and was an area heavily damaged by the tsunami of 2004. It has a population of around 250,000 people. According to estimates from January 2005, more than 5,200 people perished as a result of the natural disaster in Thailand.
When she saw my Thai tattoo she began to speak openly about her love for the area and the western tourists who visit. She remembered a time when Phuket was full of naked hippies basking in the sun. Now, development is king. You're more apt to find a spa or resort than you are a backpacker these days .
She, and her small shop, are one of the many things I love about my other village.
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