Old Toronto renewed

These neighbourhoods were the centre of city government and commerce in the early 1800s, but those were the days when the lakeshore began at Front Street. Now, with its sparkling condos and cobbled laneways, the Distillery District is a microcosm of what the entire area has become: historic buildings that are now home to swish decor shops (Hästens, Trianon), highbrow cultural institutions (the Canadian Opera Company, DanceMakers) and epicurean amenities (St. Lawrence Market, Balzac’s Coffee).