Ask any Torontonian what is most prestigious shopping and dining area in Toronto and the answer will always be Yorkville. Why? If you want to shop for a dress that is one of each kind, you will not visit any brand name store, but shop independent boutique clothing store in the area. This unique district is about diversity in clothing, goods, personal services, health and well-being services and fine dining. This district is a prime Toronto destination, but also a home to many residents of new condos and luxury apartment buildings. The name has its origin in old Yorkville Village incorporated in 1853. It was beyond the boundaries of old Toronto and absorbed by the city in 1853. On today’s map, we can find Yorkville district as an area extending north of Charles Street to, just north of Dupont, where railway line is. West of Yonge Street to Avenue Road. Over last forty years or so, we have witnessed many transformations and each period might have left long- lasting memories on Many Torontonians. First recognition that the district gained was during sixties. It was the area of Vietnam War with its hippie culture and free love that impacted old sleeping village most. This famous area became synonymous for hippies culture and international meeting place for US draft dodger coming to Canada, students, visitors and many more. “See you in the Yorkville,” was enough to be said and understood. District also impacted Canadian music. Old Minah Bird on the main avenue was a starting point for a number of performers who have become legends since that. Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young and Joni Mitchel just to name few. It also became a starting place for one of Canadian corporate names, since Mr. Submarine opened its first sandwich shop on Yorkville Avenue on 1968. On any visit there, I would buy an assorted sub and Coke, paying only $1.25 with no tax then. During sixties, it might have been a cousin to Greenwich Village in New York City. It made its mark not just in music, but also fostering ground for writers. Bohemian Embassy was a legendary name for art and bohemian lifestyle. In 1923, it becomes the first home to a great Canadian institution, known today as Mount Sinai Hospital. Hospital moved out to University Avenue in 1953, leaving its original building behind. For a while, the building continued to serve as hospital’s nurses residence, until it became St. Raphael’s Nursing Home, in the sixties. The Mount Sinai facade was designated as historical under Ontario Heritage Act and remains in Yorkville until today, serving a new purpose. I recall many interesting sights during hot summer days and nights of 1969, watching elderly residents of nursing home sitting on chairs in front of their nursing home and watching hippie generation walking by. What was on the minds of those residents, seeing new long haired generation smoking their grass? A generation gap or shock was obvious. Yorkville presented new business opportunities to Real Estate developers with foresight who started buying quietly properties that they consider under their value. Early seventies saw two major breakthrough developments there. It was the Four Season Hotel and just across the road Hazelton Shopping centre development. The centre was remarkable because of its placement of skating ring in the middle. It was supposed to be a major attraction that has not survived for too long. It just did not bring enough shoppers, but the idea always reminded me the skating ring in front of Rockeffeler Centre in New York City. Yorkville Shopping phrase was coined and meant shopping for uniqueness and quality unmatched by traditional department stores of those days. It has transformed its image of rags in sixties, to an affluent place in seventies. So many changes have occurred there since that; however, one business and restaurant defied all changes. Le Trou Normand, a French restaurant, it has been an icon there for more than 35 years.