My parents purchased a townhouse in the Marigold Gardens complex from the builder back in 1978, long before the neighbourhood was reconnected with it's past and embraced the name "Leslieville". It was a different neighbourhood in those days and my parents embraced it. They wanted to ensure their daughter grew up to be unbiased and respectful of all individuals regardless of background or household income. It was tough at times, I was embarassed when I had friends visit and we had to hop over the vomit outside the Duke (the original Duke, without John Wayne murals and website addresses), and sensitive of being judged by my "tacky" neighbourhood- typical adolescent growing pains. I resented my parents at times as I was shipped to the Danforth and the Beaches to attend French Immersion school (Trudeau loving parents, even had a 10 foot high campaign poster on the wall accross from Che!) because I didn't live in a big house on the Danforth or a tree lined street in the Beach. But I value what they were trying to teach me and I appreciate the lesson, even if getting to this point was frustrating at times. I have walked the streets of Cairo unescorted, in part, thanks to growing up Leslievillian.

The neighbourhood has evolved and it has been fun to watch the changes that have occurred over the last decade. I left home to attend University, spent time in Boston and Italy, and when it came time to buy a house, the kid who use to hate to have to admit she lived at the corner of Queen and Leslie bought her very own Townhouse in the same complex.