Born and raised in Toronto, Julia Eskins is a writer and editor specialising in design, travel, sustainability, and arts and culture. Her work has also appeared in Vogue, Condé Nast Traveler, Michelin Guide, Travel + Leisure, Time, Architectural Digest, and National Geographic. She has travelled to more than 50 countries, lived in six, and currently splits her time between Canada and Spain. When she’s not writing, she can often be found on her yoga mat, the trails, or on a surfboard (usually not far from shore).
What does a journey mean to you?
Any opportunity to grow, learn, and return home feeling more inspired than before.
Where do you spend your day off in Toronto?
I’m a west-ender through and through. I often return to my childhood neighbourhood of Trinity Bellwoods to play tennis or wander over to Dundas West for vintage shopping and brunch. The shores of Lake Ontario are another happy place for me, especially in the summer. On Saturdays, I try to make a point of heading to the St. Lawrence Market for seasonal produce and a bit of people-watching. It’s truly one of the best food markets in the world.
What should a visitor to Toronto not miss?
The Bata Shoe Museum. It’s often overlooked, but it houses nearly 15,000 shoes spanning 4,500 years of history, making it one of the most unexpected and fascinating museums in the city. The temporary exhibitions explore the intersections of footwear, culture, media, and politics. Even the shoebox-shaped building itself, designed by renowned Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama, makes it worth a visit. And it’s free on Sundays.
