Tomorrow, Toronto-based indie-pop trio Valley will be releasing their third studio album Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden, a ray of sunshine within an era of pop music that tends to lean into darker territory. The lead single and title track paved the way for the project’s contagious optimism, with band members Rob Laska, Alex Dimauro, and Karah James harmonizing on the cut’s soaring chorus.
Following the record’s release, the trio will be touring North America in support of the LP, inspiring them to live it up in their Canadian hometown before then. To get a sense of what that might entail, we asked Laska to speak on behalf of the band as he walks us through a perfect day in what he refers to as “the best city in the world”—from time spent in the park with his dog Cooper, to a trip to their go-to coffee shop and bodega, to the best burger spot in the city, and back to the park again to catch the sunset.
Check out the day’s itinerary in photos below, and check out the band’s itinerary for their upcoming tour here. Also, feel free to compare/contrast Laska’s ideal day in the city with that of fellow Torontonian Luna Li.
This first spot is Trinity Bellwoods Park and Ossington Ave. This is a neighborhood that we find ourselves strolling through a lot. It’s perfectly in the middle of where we all live.
A typical morning home for me would be me taking my dog (his name’s Cooper) up Ossington Ave., pop into a few shops opening up, grab a coffee at the best coffee shop in the city (Found Coffee) followed by a walk through Trinity Bellwoods park.
Trinity Bellwoods is a staple in the summer—it’s great for people watching, taking the dog to the dog bowl, pick-up sports, and late-night hangs in the park with friends (maybe taking an edible and eating some snacks purchased from Lucky’s Bodega, too—they sell a ton of international snacks from all around the world).
Next, let’s hit up Kensington Market to check out some guitars and synths at my fave shop called Paul’s Boutique (like the Beastie Boys album!). This is a shop I’ve been going to and been mesmerized by since high school. I’d always take the train from the suburbs to Kensington Market and play all the cool vintage guitars and synths!
Now let’s hit up Manita back on Ossington (great brunch/lunch spot) to have the best burger in the city. Get the Manita Burger!
Finishing the evening with a walk by the water, people watching, and hopping on a Toronto bike share! Ideally I’d spend my evening either biking to Bud Stage to see a show (the best outdoor venue in Toronto) or biking home and working on some music.
Love y’all, and see you out there on tour!
