Apt search, street/area advice (to rent, condos, university)

[movetoto]

Hi I'm looking to move to Toronto from Ottawa and I'm using craigslist as my main source for finding a room to rent. I'd like to live near everything, grocery stores, shopping centres etc. I love the feel and atmosphere of the city. I'd love to live in some high rise apt building that overlooks the downtown area but anything will do really =p. Please list some streets/areas if you can that could offer this as I'm currently strolling through craigslist and only checking the ads with the street names listed below so far.

The street names that I currently look at now are:
College
Eglington
Little Italy
Bloor(not sure about this one, need confirmation)
Anything that says downtown Toronto

I came up with these areas from what I've been reading and hearing from people. I have never been to Toronto before so correct me if some don't fit for what I'm looking for.

[LeafsFan85]

Bloor St dissect Toronto, anything below Bloor is downtown, and anything above Bloor is uptown.
So if you google Bloor/Yonge St to Yonge/Dundas St, that is where us Torontonian consider the Center of the Center of the Universe, that is where the party will be if the Leafs ever win the Cup.

[theterribleone]

All those areas are good with lots of culture. If you can afford it, go for Eglinton.

[kkgg7]

I have the same preference as you do and here are my suggestions:
Bloor/Yonge (west of Javis)
Annex: Spadina-Bathurst along Bloor West
Between University Ave and Spadina ave, south of Dundas, North of King st West
Bay St between Gerrard and Bloor
Yonge/St Claire
Yonge/Eglinton

Waterfront (anywhere south of front st) is a bad choice as there is no city life, just endless ugly condos.
Other than these areas, there is not much "urban life" to talk about in Toronto. Everywhere esle is pretty much either deadly surburban or unbearably rundown.