Where's Johnny Jet? Flying Porter to Toronto

Greetings! This week we're going to take a spin on a new airline that serves New York and Toronto (other U.S. gateways are in the works). And when I say Toronto, I mean downtown, baby! The small airport this airline flies into is actually just on the outskirts of the city on an island, making it a joy to travel to and from -- especially considering the immigration process. Then we'll check into a hotel that's so plush that most Hollywood stars stay there when they're in town. And then there's the border crossing. Do I have some tips for you on driving across the border; I made the jaunt a couple of times.

New York City

Last week, I left off after attending one of the many shows during New York's Fashion Week. Later that week, my sister and I attended a cancer benefit concert featuring the Dave Matthews Band at Madison Square Garden. The following night, we got a behind-the-scenes look at the Tribute in Light. The Tribute in Light is an art installation of two vertical columns of light that can be seen from up to 60 miles away on a clear night. They first appeared in 2003 in remembrance of the September 11th, 2001 attacks. For the last several years, the lights shine from dusk to dawn each 9/11, a solid reminder of what the victims, heroes and our country went through on that fateful day. (I was in New York City that day and lost a good high school friend.) Thanks to a friend, I was given a tour by one of the masterminds of the Italian lighting firm, which is behind the project. It turns out there are 88 lights in total, 44 for each column. The closer I got, the more it felt like I was in a Batman or Spiderman movie. It became even more surreal when I ducked in between them and went into the center to see all 44 lights shooting up to make one incredible beam. Fortunately, I wasn't stupid enough to look directly into the lights. My friend Dr. Giammaria later told me in his thick Italian accent that if I had, I'd have had serious problems in about two hours (Gulp! That meant permanent blindness.) In my opinion, the best view seemed to be a few miles away where you could really get the whole feeling. Hopefully, the tradition will carry on but I recently read that the funding for future tributes hasn't yet been approved. But I can't imagine it won't go through since the city has already purchased a hundred of these 7,000-volt lights at 18,000 euro a shot.

New York City to Newark Airport

My flight to Toronto departed from Newark Airport (EWR) and instead of taking an overpriced taxi or car service (approximately $69 to $75), I took the more reasonably priced and eco-friendly train. The mad dash began when I was already running late and my taxi driver dropped me off at the PATH train station instead of at Penn Station. Both trains will take you to the airport but the PATH takes about 45 minutes ... or so I've been told. I took the advice of one of the scarce, not-very-with-it agents. I had just five minutes to catch the NJ Transit train, so I literally ran two blocks down an active bus lane so I could avoid the tourist-filled sidewalk in front of Macy's. Fortunately, I outran the beeping buses and maneuvered deftly in and out of the slow moving lunchtime commuters at Penn Station. The train was now departing in less than a minute and although the trains to Newark run practically every 20 minutes or so, I was so late that if I missed it, I didn't think I was going to make my flight. My last obstacle was the long crowded escalator but fortunately I only had carry-on luggage so I darted down the empty stairwell. I spotted the NJ transit sign and prayed I didn't need to purchase a ticket in advance like the PATH trains and subway require. Lucky for me I didn't; I made it on just as the conductor was shutting the doors.

Newark Airport

The train was old with big, brown, comfortable bench seats. It cost an extra $5 to purchase a ticket on-board rather than in advance in the station. The total was $9, which would have made the fare $4 if I'd purchased my ticket in advance, which is quite the deal. The train made a couple of stops and we reached the Newark Airport platform 24 minutes later. I followed all the passengers toting luggage to the AirTrain, which cost an additional $5.50. A ticket from one of the automated machines is required before going through the turnstiles, unless you purchase your ticket in advance. The AirTrain runs frequently. I know this because I'd just missed one and another came along within three minutes. It takes about 10 minutes to get to Terminal B, which was where Porter Airlines was flying out of. FYI: On board AirTrain, they list all the airlines and their terminals. Overall, the trip would have been a piece of cake if I hadn't been pressed for time.

Porter Airlines

AirTrain dropped me in the middle of the terminal and after going up a short flight of stairs, I was in the main ticketing area. The Porter Airlines counter was just a few yards away (near Alitalia which, incidentally, might soon be defunct) and the wait took all of 20 seconds to check in and get my boarding pass. NOTE: Porter Airlines doesn't allow online check-in for international flights but they do for domestic destinations (Halifax, Montreal and Ottawa). Obviously, Porter Airlines is a Canadian-based airline and began flying to the U.S. in late March 2008. Porter bills themselves as "an airline that does it right," which I thought was a lot of hype until a few of my friends raved about them. That's one reason I gave them a whirl ... that and the fact that they were much cheaper than any other airline between the two cities. FYI: Porter flies between Newark and Toronto seven times a day.

My Porter Experience

There was no lineup at security, which was nearby. The gate area had plenty of seats but it was depressing as it's quite old. Fortunately, that theme didn't carry over to Porter's planes. They are brand spanking new! Boarding began at 1:15pm for a 1:45pm departure; they begin with rows 10 through 18 and are strict. They fly Canadian-built Bombardier Q400s. The Q supposedly stands for "The Quiet One" but it wasn't all that quiet. It was actually difficult to hear the PA announcements and the safety demonstration, which is done in Canada's two official languages, English and French. The modern plane had leather seats, lots of legroom and a 2x2 configuration so there's no dreaded middle seat. There's only one class of service and economy holds 70 passengers. They offer just three types of fares so you know what you're getting and the ticket rules don't require a Master's Degree to understand. The flight attendants wear retro uniforms, complete with a hat and scarf and offer a snack and beverage service on all flights, including complimentary soft drinks, wine and beer. On my flight, the snack choices were terra chips, oatmeal cranberry bar (from Dare Foods) or mixed nuts. Porter's own branded bottles of water are shaped like the mini Fiji bottles of waters but these are bottled in Montreal at Blue Orchid Waters. On my morning return flight, they served cinnamon danishes, yogurt and granola. While many airlines are getting rid of in-flight magazines, Porter has stepped it up a notch and offers a small booklet with pertinent stories from the same publisher of Wallpaper Magazine.

Newark to Toronto

At takeoff, the plane was only a third full. Flight time took 59 minutes and we flew right over Niagara Falls, which was amazing to watch. I found it surprising that the pilot didn't announce it. I had no idea where the Toronto City Centre Airport (YTZ) was located and for a moment, it looked like we were going to land right next to Toronto's most famous building -- the CN Tower. (BTW: I had dinner at the top of the CN Tower last year in the 360 Restaurant). Anyways, then I saw the runway. Let me tell you: This has to be one of the most convenient city airports I have ever been to. The only one I have been to that possibly compares is the Reykjavik Airport (RKV). We had a smooth landing and pulled right up to the airport door. It was literally just two steps off the plane and I was in the building. I was the third person off and just followed the signs to customs where there were two agents patiently waiting. They spent about one minute with each visitor: Why are you in Canada? Who are you visiting? Where are you staying? For how long? I cleared customs and walked about 50 yards to the airport ferry.

Toronto City Centre Airport

Yep, the airport is actually on an island. There's a free ferry that goes to the mainland every 10 minutes and it takes just two minutes to cross, which is way too short because the view of downtown Toronto is amazing. Porter also offers a free shuttle that goes to The Royal York Hotel, which is centrally located. (I stayed there a few years ago). I have to say that this airport and airline make traveling to Canada a complete joy. And the return flight was even better (except for the fact that the U.S. doesn't offer immigration here as they do at Toronto's Pearson Airport). Porter's waiting room at the Toronto City Airport is equivalent to airline club lounges. There are comfortable seats, free newspapers, Mac computers, free WiFi (though I couldn't connect), snacks and drinks. NOTE: Passengers used to be able to show up just 30 minutes before flight time until a few weeks ago. Since then, the required check-in time has changed to 60 minutes because U.S. officials were fining the airline for not handing over the flight manifest in time. Porter Airlines, tel. 416/619-8622 or toll-free 888/619-8622.

SoHo Metropolitan Hotel

My friend Natalie and I checked into The SoHo Metropolitan Hotel, which opened up in late 2003. It's in downtown Toronto, literally three blocks away from the CN Tower and the SkyDome (now the Rogers Center). It's in the heart of the theatre, entertainment and sports district, which explains why Wayne Gretzky's restaurant is directly across the street from the hotel. The SoHo Met is a luxury boutique hotel that has 92 guestrooms and a number of swanky residences. Upon arrival, guests are greeted by a Dale Chihuly sculpture of 80 pieces of hand-blown glass, dangling from the ceiling of the hotel's entrance. I first wrote about Chihuly a few months ago when I stayed at the MGM Grand Macau). Check-in was swift and the lobby was modern. The elevators didn't take long and the room was pretty much perfect. The welcoming bed had a recessed, soundproof headboard; crisp, clean white Italian Frette linens and a down duvet. Across the room near the floor-to-ceiling windows was a small divan, perfect for lounging. The bathroom was floor-to-ceiling marble and the floors were heated, a nice touch since much of the year is cold in Canada. The large bathroom also has a large soaker tub, a multi-head glass shower stall and Molton Brown amenities. The ample closet space and large dressing room (80 square feet) made the room feel more like an apartment than a hotel room. Downstairs off the lobby are the Senses Bakery, Senses Restaurant and Senses Bar. All in all, it reminded me of the Saville Hotel, where I recently stayed in Brisbane.

The rooms are pretty decked out in the technology department. There's an oversized flat screen TV that swings out so that you can watch it comfortably from either the divan or the bed, an iPod docking station and smart technology that allows you to adjust the lighting, motorized drapes and Do Not Disturb light. The rooms also have free wireless Internet but the signal wasn't very strong. Fortunately, they provided a cable, too. My only real complaint is that the valet was difficult to find. The valet guy is supposed to greet guests at the main entrance but he wasn't there when we arrived and there was no sign so we drove into the $30-a-night underground parking garage. Apparently, the valet guy was parking a car. You'd think there'd be more than one person working the valet service! SoHo Metropolitan Hotel, 318 Wellington Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5V 3T4, tel. 416/599-8800.

From a Fellow Travel Writer

Don't just take my word about the hotel. Here's a review from my colleague Elina Fuhrman, who stayed at the SoHo Met for a month while her daughter was filming a movie:

We fell in love with the modern chic style of this downtown Toronto hotel and residences. Just minutes from the CN Tower and a few blocks from hip shopping on Queen Street (think New York's SoHo or Paris' Marais), the SoHo Met is 'ground zero' to Toronto's Entertainment District. It's a very popular place for Hollywood stars, many of whom call it home when they are in town to film, promote or attend events and parties, especially during the Toronto International Film Festival. SoHo Met claims a 4,000 square-foot, three-story, to-die-for penthouse suite where Madonna and J-Lo have slept, but its two-bedroom loft residences where my daughter and I lived for a month, are also splashed with ultra-modern conveniences like an all-stainless steel kitchen and luxurious extras like down duvets and pillows. The residences share services with the hotel, including room service from the award-winning Senses restaurant, known for Executive Chef Claudio Aprile's haute reinterpretations of contemporary fusion cuisine. The Senses Bakery was such a treat each morning, with fresh-baked croissants, freshly roasted coffee, freshly squeezed juices and pastries galore. If you fall into a decadent dining routine here like we did, you'll appreciate the sleek indoor pool and well-equipped, sky-lit gym."

Dhaba Indian Food

Natalie and I decided to walk around the neighborhood. Within just a few blocks of the hotel were restaurants offering up every kind of cuisine imaginable. It was Saturday night so everywhere was packed. We both felt like Indian food so we took a chance on a place called Dhaba (309 King St. W.; tel. 416/740-6622). It was upstairs and a bit out of sight so we walked upstairs to see what it was like inside. It turned out to be quite upscale and we had a good feeling about it since almost every table was full, everyone was well dressed and many of the diners were Indian ... a good sign at an Indian restaurant. The food was indeed very good and the butter chicken ($14.95) was insane. We also had rice ($3.95), garlic naan bread ($3.95) and pineapple raita ($3.95) to cool our palates after the not-so-fantastic Goan xacuti chicken. Service was a bit slow but I can't wait to go back and get my Indian fix.

Crossing the Border

I extended my stay by a day so we could drive to Erie and visit my dad. It's just a three-hour drive if there's no wait at the border but that's a big IF. I later learned that there's a website that gives accurate, up-to-date wait times at all U.S./Canada borders. We arrived at the Buffalo border around 5pm on a Sunday; it takes 90 minutes to get there from Toronto. It was rush hour entering the U.S. and no line returning to Canada. Hmmm ... looks like Canada gets no love. Our wait was exactly an hour. I noticed that the far left lane had no wait but was dedicated to NEXUS cardholders. This is such a good deal especially for frequent travelers to Canada as it costs just $50 US/Canadian for the processing fee and is valid for five years. It's not only good for driving but they have dedicated lines at the airport and ports. NOTE: If you're driving, every passenger in the car has to have a pass to use the dedicated lane. It's such a deal, I'm signing up now and I only go to Canada once or twice a year. For more information on NEXUS, call: tel. 866/NEXUS 26 (tel. 866/639-8726). FYI: When driving across the border, you need to carry a passport or one of the new Passport Cards issued by the State Department.