Kawhi Leonard, if you’re reading this, you don’t have to be afraid of Toronto.
Despite hordes of fans snapping photos of you eating dinner or following you at Home Depot. Despite your low-key trip to Niagara Falls making the news. Despite the pack of journalists currently camped outside a swanky Yorkville hotel just in case you’re inside signing a contract with the Toronto Raptors.
You don’t have to be afraid because, lucky for you, there are plenty of safe places in the city where you can seek refuge from the incessant shutter-snaps of cameras and adoring fans.
Mr. Leonard, for your consideration, here are the top five places in Toronto to hide from everyone.
AN ISOLATION TANK
Sensory deprivation tanks, also known as restricted environmental stimulation therapy, or REST, are becoming a bit of a thing in Toronto. The premise is simple: you pop in a couple earplugs and wade into a spacious tank filled with salt water. You’re then free to float in complete darkness.
Proponents say the feeling is akin to floating in outer space, and that the mind is free to wander.
Most float sessions only last an hour, and cost about $50 to $70 per session, so this solution could get pricey. (Maybe you could bring this up in contract negotiations?)
A PITCH-BLACK RESTAURANT
If you’re feeling a bit skittish about eating in public, have no fear. At Onoir, an underground restaurant near Church and Bloor, you can eat dinner in total darkness. Diners are asked to turn off their phones, too, to eliminate any possibility of light, so you can dine in total peace.
A HIMALAYAN SALT CAVE
For a brighter option, might we suggest a salt cave?
At Hoame, more than six tons of pink Himalayan salt make up a calming cavern, complete with cozy seating. You’ll probably have to share the space with at least three other people, but thankfully, noise-cancelling headphones give you the perfect excuse to ignore their questions.
Also, no phones allowed.
A SOUND MEDITATION SESSION
If you end up signing with the Raptors (which, of course, you should), you can end a stressful week with a sound meditation experience at Mindset, a “brain gym” in Yorkville. Every Friday night, a sound practitioner spends an hour using quartz crystal bowls and drums to coax attendees into a state of audio-induced relaxation.
They’ve got complimentary kombucha on tap, too.
A $4.7-MILLION PENTHOUSE
For a less public escape, you could always just hide out in that free penthouse you were offered earlier this year. In case you missed it, Simon Mass, the CEO of the Condo Store, said he was willing to give you a luxury $4.7-million condo if you re-sign with the Raptors. The idea began as a joke, but Mass insists it’s a legitimate offer.
