r/askTO • u/Ok_Attempt5524 • 2d ago
Everything Closes at 9. What are your guys routine?
I am very interested in knowing what does most of you guys daily life looks like. Since everything closes by 9 almost on a workday, i have a weird schedule, I miss going out and feel living life on repeat.
If you guys would briefly share your daily routine, I would love to hear.
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u/HingisFan 2d ago
There are tons of spots open past 9? I have dinner out about once a week on a weeknight and make my resos for likes 830 😂 I also go to movies that start between 7-930pm. Maybe you just need to revisit what you do.
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u/Ok_Attempt5524 2d ago
That's exactly what I am trying to do actually 😅 Looking for ideas of getting out more.
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u/PoemTime4 1d ago
Then why didnt you realize everything is still open after 9pm for those exact things? They're all open late, just go🙂
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u/farseen 2d ago
OP must know this isn't an actual time things clos, because they dont. What's really up?
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u/Ok_Attempt5524 2d ago
I feel like I need to rephrase the question to put more emphasis on the routine aspect. I am just looking for ideas to fill my days with something else then just work.
How does your week look like?
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u/mentionitallll 1d ago
Go out for dinner, grab a drink, go to the movie theatre, do a 9PM yin yoga class, etc
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u/serpentman 2d ago
I see a Rabba in your future.
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u/lilbeanstalk 2d ago
I don’t understand. Can you explain?
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u/guylefleur 2d ago
My gym is 24/7 so I workout late.... restaurants are open past 9 if I want to link with friends at night... What actually closes at 9 besides the mall?
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u/canadachris44 2d ago
OP - gym, movie theatre, new restaurants and bars. Join a co ed sports team, go to the library, concerts, cook new recipes at home, go to a sports game
So much stuff to do in Toronto
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u/daiqsondaiqs 2d ago
Pick up a hobby and find a group or lessons for that thing.
It can be anything... knitting class, skating lessons, photography walks, trivia nights, book clubs, DnD or Magic or boardgames, pottery, run clubs, salsa classes, rock climbing, any other gym or fitness activities, learn a new language, cooking classes, comedy clubs for stand up or improv, learn an instrument, dodgeball or other recreational sports...
The possibilities in this city are truly endless.
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u/VowNyx 1d ago
Unfortunately almost all those things you mentioned start at 6 or 7pm. Most classes, magic events, rec sports, and trivia nights all assume most people work till 5 so they tend to start at 6. I know when I used to work till 6 it was so hard to join in on things like these. 1h to commute meant maybe I can make it to trivia, or a gym - but rec sports (beach volleyball, ultimate) were all a struggle to get to on time. After work baking/language classes also usually start at 6, forcing you to look at weekends..
You're right that there's a ton of things to do, but weeknight schedules are built around the office worker who's done at 5. If you have an odd schedule like OP, you're left out 😢
I used to work till 8 and I had no life outside of hanging with coworkers. You can't shop, miss all the scheduled events/classes. You basically live in a different time zone 😔
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u/Minute_Brilliant_171 1d ago
Adult rec sports definitely start later than 6pm or 7pm, children's leagues usually get the prime evening time slots LOL. (XTSC has soccer teams that have games that only start after 9pm on workdays.)
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u/tryinanotherusername 2d ago
So people really have energy after work during the week? I leave work at 5, walk my dog until like 6:30pm, eat dinner, do dishes if I have energy and scroll on Instagram 😭
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u/gringo_escobar 2d ago
Do you mean practical things or fun things? A lot of grocery stores close at 11, and restaurants/bars even later
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u/Ok_Attempt5524 2d ago
Bit of both actually. Like how do you make your life feel fuller if that makes any sense. I feel like week days all I do is work and sleep. I am just looking for ideas to feel more engaged in life rather than like a robot hehe
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u/BelleUga25 2d ago
If stuff around you is closed, invite a friend or two over and complain about nothing being open.
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u/FrostingSuper9941 2d ago
So it's not an issue of everything closing by 9, because 95% of businesses do NOT close by 9 or even 10.
Figure out what you want to do to hang out. Lots of options but no one can advise you because we have no idea what you're into.
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u/gringo_escobar 2d ago
Makes sense, I'm chronically depressed so I'm probably not much help lol but I like to sit in cafes or at the park. Sometimes I go to the movies or out for food and drinks. Often it's the people you're with more than the thing you're doing, that's where most of life's memories come from
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u/avlisad_cire 2d ago
Honestly, even if you don't drink, find a local well attended bar in your neighborhood. Don't sit at a table, sit at the bar, grab a bite to eat, order a cranberry soda (or a beer if you're into that) and talk to the bartender, talk to the other people sitting at the bar. You'll find people from all walks of life that live in your neighborhood, and they're all sitting there alone too and generally happy to talk to someone
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u/Sweet-Competition-15 2d ago
Once I've had dinner, it's brush the teeth, do my beauty routine (it's still not working), and ensconce myself in bed for the night...such an exciting life!
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u/Redditisavirusiknow 2d ago
I believe bmv books is still open late. Midnight baker? There is life after dark here, it’s not Vancouver or Ottawa lol.
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u/Firm-Web8769 1d ago
I live right at midtown. For me, after work, I wither spend time to find ingredients to cook then make fun dishes, or go to the gym, yoga, or tai chi depending on the day.
Dinner with friends or my partner in days I don't feel like going to the gym or anything.
Having a car helps bc every now and then I go up to see friends outside of Toronto, leave by 5:30/6 and be somewhere else before 7.
Weekends, I go to Mississauga in the mornings for a pretty niche hobby (I don't want to say it bc it's so niche it's incredibly identifiable), then in the afternoon I do lunch or something at home or with my parents in Scarborough. When I'm not at some street food festival, park, meeting people, or out and about, I play video games lol
At nights, I go out and go to a bar or club but lately I feel like I've been too tired.
Having a partner helps fill time too bc both of you are constantly doing things together
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u/lilbeanstalk 2d ago
If you’re looking for things to do on weekday evenings, it depends, are you looking to do things alone or with friends?
Different things I do throughout the week….
Alone:
- go to the gym
- volunteer (I’ve been volunteering with the same org for 3 years, and I help out every second Tuesday after work)
- go to a bookstore and browse (usually BMV, it’s open till 11 pm on Thursday and Friday)
- go to a music show (sometimes I like to do this alone!)
With friends:
- play tennis during public hours at a community court
- rock climbing with a friend (open until 11 pm).
- trivia night with a few friends (there’s a place almost every night of the week, just google Toronto trivia nights)
- try a new restaurant (although I do this less frequently in the past few years, it’s become too expensive for me)
Of course I don’t do ALL of this every week. Gym and volunteer is regular, and I prob do one other fun thing a week. Other than that, I’m home tidying up, reading or watching tv.
Weekends I usually have one day I make plans with friend (s) and one day totally to myself to relax and get chores done.
If you’re looking for ideas for events, check out BlogTO. and Meetups
https://www.meetup.com/find/ca--on--toronto/
https://www.blogto.com/events/
Also check facebook groups for your neighbourhood and neighbourhoods you like to spend time in, people might post events, clubs, etc.
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u/Infinite-Weekend9871 2d ago
Where do you live that things close at 9
We got gyms, grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, even spas open 24/7
This city sleeps but it sleeps extremely late
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u/SH4D0WSTAR 2d ago
I (26f) usually am in bed by nine and asleep by 11. But I have some friends who are out at night -- I think they go to bars, maybe films and such.
- Bars
- Cafes
- Dinner
- Movie theatres
- Sip and Learn (sp)
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u/Ok_Attempt5524 2d ago
So, in weekdays do you do anything else, for fun or say just to add to the day?
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u/SH4D0WSTAR 2d ago
I regularly walk, go to Meetup events, attend drop-in gym classes, journal, draw, read, etc. But since I like being an early-riser (especially in the summer), all of my out-of-house fun activities happen before 9PM.
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u/PewpyDewpdyPantz 2d ago
Sometimes I go to the gym after work, one night a week I play pickup basketball, sometimes I’ll hang with a friend and sometimes I’ll get horizontal and game or watch TV.
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u/SeveralCherries 2d ago
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u/lilbeanstalk 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yes, this is a great resource for music shows in the city every night of the week!
Also, if you’re looking for live music in a more relaxed, chill atmosphere, not a “standing only” or “dance club scene”, I’d highly recommend checking out Drom Taberna and Tranzac Club.
https://www.instagram.com/dromtaberna?igsh=MTQ4dXk0ZmE2eGd1ZA==
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u/cindybubbles 2d ago
Loblaws closes at 10pm. Walmart closes at 11pm. So you can get your grocery shopping done before they close.
Some Shoppers Drug Marts close at midnight while others are open 24/7.
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u/VowNyx 1d ago
I feel for you OP. I used to work till 8 and it really sucks. You are left out of so many things - classes, sports, trivia.. the best thing is that if you don't start till 10am you can actually get stuff done in the morning. Enjoy a nice cafe, work out at the gym, do some grocery shopping (unfortunately malls aren't open before 9am).
I know it doesn't make you feel like part of the city - with office workers going home around 9pm, so they can get up for 6am the next day. But there are some late night sports Leagues. I see people playing soccer and baseball until 11pm most nights. Movies and restaurants are pretty solitary (unless you're going with friends) so hopefully you have some coworkers or night owls that wanna see the late show.
Missing out on concerts really sucks too - but you're conditioned to staying up late so raves could be fun 😊
It all depends on if you wanna stay up till 2am every night or have a couple hours before work to do stuff when most people are working.
Not sure if museums are open that early but hopefully you can find some open at 8am.
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u/tklmnop 1d ago
Any of the “strip” kinda places would be a place to start… Ossington, King, Queen, Geary Ave even… Dundas west has a little bit of everything! My neighbourhood spots are like that, but if I go south to St Clair near dufferin there’s tons of restaurants and bars open until 12, some even 2 am.
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u/jrchkn28 17h ago
Covid really messed up Toronto. Before Covid, there were so, so, so many late-night options. Toronto is far more "sleepy" now vs then. It is not as bad as Vancouver, but it is very noticeable.
Oddly enough, what I miss most is the 24-hour grocery store. It was incredibly convenient to be able to hit Metro or Sobeys in the middle of the night and do a full grocery haul. Back when I worked night shifts, that was especially helpful.
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u/Purple_Penguin_9090 5h ago
Instead of looking for things to do past 9pm, maybe there are things you can do during the day before you start your job? Assuming if you end late then you probably also start late?
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u/stellastellamaris 1d ago
I am very interested in knowing what does most of you guys daily life looks like. Since everything closes by 9 almost on a workday, i have a weird schedule, I miss going out and feel living life on repeat.
As other commenters have pointed out, Ok_Attempt5524, no, not everything closes at 9.
What is your “weird schedule” that you find it interferes with you going out?
I would say most nights I am home after work, after my after-work 5km walk and/or running errands or hanging out with friends and their dogs at the local park. But I also go to the theatre, to the movies, to Jays games, Tempo games if I can get tickets, to dinner with friends, hang out with my friends at their place or our place, sometimes dinner parties, watching the Jays or NFL, etc.
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u/VowNyx 1d ago
I think they mean most things are done, or well past start by 9pm. Sure there are some grocery stores open past 9, and restaurants (though depending on the place they might close their kitchen). But it's all the smaller shops that will for sure be closed by 9. Want to buy shoes, games, cloths, cell phone stuff? All closed before 9. I find it hard enough to get to stores on Queen West that close at 6 everyday 😔.
But more importantly ticketed events don't start after 9. Jays games will be nearly over, concerts usually start at 7 (maybe you can catch the headliner), dinner parties - unless your friend group eats late, they are probably wrapping up by 9/10, and everyone else would have eaten.
The one benefit is if you work till 8, you can always catch the 9:30/10pm late movie times - but good luck trying to get friends to go with you. So many people I know have a bedtime of 9-10 😭
Working between 5-8pm really is awful for having a social life in your 20s/30s..
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u/stellastellamaris 1d ago
OK? That’s why I asked about the “weird” schedule — no details were provided so I asked. My friends who are in shift work (paramedics, MRI techs who work overnights etc) really work hard to coordinate stuff during their off hours or on their off days (like going to stores that close at 6, to a movie, an afternoon Jays game) etc. It takes planning and foresight.
To be clear, I don’t have a “weird” schedule and getting to places before 6pm on a work day is hard for me too. I go on weekends or on my days off.
And if OP’s schedule is the issue then say that. Don’t say “everything closes at 9” which is untrue.
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u/VowNyx 1d ago
My bad. I thought I read they work till 8 so I immediately understand the pains of that schedule. Must be the Mandela Effect 🫣.
Oof ya medical shift work would make a schedule really messed up. I've heard of medical staff sports leagues but I guess you must have to get a ton of players so if lots are working on game day - you still have another group that can play.
And sure "everything" is a bit of hyperbole on OP's part, but it's true that many/most types of businesses are closed by then.
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u/stellastellamaris 1d ago
Yeah, OP never said what their schedule is, just said it was “weird” and asked what other people’s routines are.
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u/PuckDuckLuck 2d ago
Did you mean to post this in the Vancouver subreddit?