Packing Drama

Posted by Toronto Girl 4 comments
August 31, 2010


{Photo courtesy of Apartment Therapy}

The last couple of days have been...an adventure. Full of action, sweat and tears! As luck has it, I chose to pack last minute, which coincided with a heat wave. Oh! the joys of going up and down several sets of stairs while you're sweating like a man! With three boxes left to go, I can honestly say that I have learned a lot! and since this blog is about the things that I've learned (while trying to make it in the Big City) I have compiled a list of lessons, so you don't have to go through the same drama.

1) Pack ahead, this is not the time to procrastinate! I started to panic a little when the Canada Post Website recommended that you start packing a month before the move. I started 2 hours before the scheduled move and I am still packing and moving.
2) This is the perfect time to edit your closet. Why and when did I buy a red poncho? Make sure this never happens again. EVER.
2b) In fact,  it's the perfect time to throw out or donate anything that you don't really use or need.
3) Set aside the essentials:
 - documents (passports, sin card, credit cards, bills, birth certificates, etc)
 - grooming products (deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, moisturizer, make up, etc)
 - a towel and some clothes you want to wear in the next couple of days.
 -  MONEY.
4) I know I always say save your money and cook your meals, but this is an exception. Do not buy groceries the week before. Do make healthy choices when eating out. This is not an excuse to pig out on junk.
5) Leave a pitcher of ice cold water in your fridge. It is so very important to keep hydrated while you're carrying around boxes. It's quite the workout!
6) Do clean up after yourself when you're done. It's the right to do.
7) Do not panic, blast on some good music, take it one room at a time and breath.

If you need more packing tips click here.


Flippin' Funny Show Recap

Posted by Toronto Girl 5 comments
August 30, 2010


On Saturday I had the pleasure of witnessing  the legendary Flippin' Funny Show at the Court House, put on by the producers of The Most Races Show on Earth. It was hilarious from start to finish! A big congratulations goes out to Neil, Keith, Kevin, Ron and Joey for putting on a show that will go down in the history books.   

Pictures taken by Patrick Estebar.

{All in court}


{Pretty Funny}

{Good looking folks everywhere}


{The hilarious Joey Guila}

Lexus Live @ The Distillery

Posted by Toronto Girl 3 comments
August 28, 2010


I have never been seduced by a car, that is, until I met the Lexus CT 200h. I can't talk much about the car, I am no expert, but it is a good-looking car and it's a hybrid. A pretty luxurious hybrid too. I hear that hybrids are all the rage in the auto world.

What I can really talk about is the show that The Stills put on. The show was high energy and the crowd was super enthusiastic. Everyone was dancing and having a great time!

Here are some of the pictures:


{Lexus is bringing sexy back}


{The Stills - rockin' the Distillery District }


{Toronto Girls enjoying the show}


{These Toronto Girls are super stylish ;) } 


 {The crowd}

{And then the night came, but the party was far from over}


So now you know what you're doing today! You're welcome :)


A special thank you goes out to the gals at Rock-It Promo for throwing a great party and inviting us!



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Working For the Weekend

Posted by Toronto Girl 0 comments
August 26, 2010


Many, many exciting things happening this weekend Toronto Girls! And most of them are Free (or under $20).

Lexus Live @ The Distillery



Lexus is launching the sexy CT 200h hybrid and to celebrate they are hosting a series of free concerts at the Distillery District.
Friday, August 27
7:00pm - The Stills
Saturday, August 28
Noon - Lily Frost
5pm - The Midway State
Sunday, August 29
3pm - The Paper Lions


Scotiabank BuskerFest @ St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood




Known as one of the largest and most exciting busker festivals in the world, BuskerFest will be happening from Thursday, August 26 to Sunday, August 29.  For Schedule Click here.
The event this year features new acts, a "Magic Corner" and the Sultan's Tent - a celebration of Morocco (and since I didn't get to go this year, I will be sure to check it out).


Flippin' Funny Comedy Show



On Saturday night I will laugh my ass off (or LMAO) to the funniest, edgiest and cutest Filipino Comedians.
Read more about it here.
P.S - At the beginning of the month I posted that I would be giving away a pair of tickets. I will announce the winner at 5pm (ish) today. I just need to get through all the e-mails. I am working on it :)



One more day people, one more day!

H&M Fashion Studio

Posted by Toronto Girl 5 comments
August 25, 2010


I take shopping very seriously. I have a limited budget so I can't afford to buy "mistake" pieces.  At the beiginning of every season I take a look at what I have in my closet and what I need. Then I browse through magazines, come up with a little look-book and off I go.

I was putting together my look-book for this Fall season and I came across the Fashion Studio at the H&M website. Can I just tell you how much I love H&M? The make it so easy to shop! not to mention affordable.

These are my Work, Weekend and Party looks (respectively):






Try it out! I spent a ridiculous amount of time at this site! you will love it too!



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Let's Go to the Ex!

Posted by Toronto Girl 4 comments
August 24, 2010

This was my first time at the Ex. I can not believe that it took me four years to make it! I'm glad I finally did, it was so much fun! I have to confess, I did not try the deep fried butter balls - the thought of indigestion was too frightening to me. If you want to try them out, do so, and tell me all about it!

{The CNE now open - Until Labour Day Weekend}


{Summer in the City}


{Beer Nuts - one of the many delicacies found at the Ex}


{93.5 FLOW Factor host Jeni was on location}


{Muah - Alpaca Kiss @ the CNE Farm}

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the TTC 29 Dufferin Bus South Bound to Exhibition Grounds or take 510 Street Car (out of Union Station) to Exhibition.
BUDGET:  On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays you pay only $5 after 5pm (at door only).
Ride coupons - 4 for $5, 22 for $22 and 55 for (you guess it!) $55. Rides require anywhere from 3 to 6 coupons per ride.
Add $10 to $15 for food.

* for more pictures check out our facebook page *



MONDAY NOTE

Posted by Toronto Girl 0 comments
August 23, 2010



{Birthday Flowers}

I woke up to this question on my Blackberry screen: Does anyone actually love their jobs? In my Monday morning state of mind I answered:


Jobs are like men. You date a few (or a lot) assholes, you learn your lessons and then you find the man you truly love. And you’re so good with him (or the job) because 1- you truly appreciate them (the man or the job) and 2 – you have experience.

Oh, that tricky little thing called experience. What a concept. You truly cannot get to point B without going through point A. In my 26 years of life, this is what I have learned. You might hate your job, dating, doing triple spins or whatever you hate, but you should do it anyways. Eventually you get better and it prepares you for something better. Maybe we focus too much in why we hate our jobs/guys/school to actually see things for what they are: A stepping stone (take advantage!).

Only in my Monday morning daze I can appreciate all of these things. The jerks I dated taught me not to settle, the bad jobs have given me great experience and those triple spins? They taught me how to trust myself and let go.
August 21, 2010


My friend and I headed to The Ossington for the third annual Havana Cultura festival on Friday night. They had a DJ playing hot salsa in the front room  and a band in the red-lit back room. I was impressed by the decor and atmosphere of the place. It was very laid back and unpretentious. This is the kind of lounge that I can see myself at every Friday night.


{The Ossington}


{Mojitos}


{The Band was playing Afro-Cuban Music}


{Afro-Cuban Dancers}


{The Crowd}

The last chance to enjoy Havana Cultura is Sunday night. For schedule click here.



Playlist: The Scissor Sisters

Posted by Toronto Girl 1 comments
August 20, 2010


At the insistence of CM from SDP I checked out The Scissor Sisters. What followed was me dancing like a maniac around the room and "lip-syncing" in front of my mirror. Good times and the perfect way to celebrate Friday! Feel free to lip-sync to your hearts content as well. Please be mindful of sharp edges when dancing around your room.



Happy Friday! What are your plans for the weekend?

A Little Bit of Glamour

Posted by Toronto Girl 4 comments
August 19, 2010





On a random quiet night I decided to shake things up and get dolled up for a night of dancing, a night of glamour, if you will. I put on the one expensive dress that I bought in Paris last year and off I went to Yorkville. Elegant women dressed up head to toe in designer duds, men driving expensive cars...the glamour is a little bit surreal if you ask me, but it is good to indulge once in a while!







So where did I end up dancing? Babaluu, of course. The staff and patrons are so friendly that they will know your name by the end of the night. The DJ is always playing the best in Latin music, hip hop and R&B. Good times are guaranteed at Bab's.


{Marilyn Monroe, the ultimate glamour gal}

Getting ready for a night out is a treat for me since I am no glamour-gal.  These are some of the things I do to transform into one:

5 TIPS FOR FEELING/ LOOKING GLAMOROUS
1) Slick you hair back into an elegant Chignon - I learned this trick from my dance days. Wet your hair, then lightly coat it with gel and pull it into a low pony-tail. Then twist the pony tail and secure with bobby pins.

2) Make a statement with lips or eyes (but not both):  Red lips are always sexy, but get some help picking out the perfect red at your favorite make up counter (the ladies at MAC are always so helpful). Not all reds work for all complexions.  If you opt for making a statement with your eyes, the smoky eye is a go-to look.

3) Wear your LBD:  It doesn't have to be an outrageously expensive dress, but it does have to be well constructed and  in a high quality fabric. Details like ruching or even sequins add a bit of umph and enhance your silhouette.

4) Posture is everything:  Walk like you mean it, stand like you mean it. Slouchy posture is sloppy. Chin up, shoulders down, rib cage up, core engaged  and hips relaxed. Without sounding too much like my mother, great posture conveys power and elegance.

5) Smile: Because your smile lights up the room and nothing is more glamorous than having a good time!



Coming Soon: Havana Cultura

Posted by Toronto Girl 0 comments
August 17, 2010


When it's really hot outside I sit on my front porch, close my eyes and pretend I am in Cuba. The cars passing by are the melodic waves crashing on the ocean, the neighbour's garden hose splashes me once in a while to add authenticity to my scenario. I sit there and sip my mojito. I could do this for hours.


{ Cuban Mojito from La Havana}

Political opinions aside, Cuba's amazing history and culture that have inspired many talents around the world. It was actually in Cuba where I got bitten by the travel bug and fell in love with Latin dance. Don't you want to fall in love too? Lucky for you, the Havana Cultura Festival is on this weekend from August 19-22 at various locations.  Enjoy some delectable Cuban food, dance to the beat of the Cuban Son and hip-hop and learn how to prepare a mojito that will be the hit of every party.

{photo courtesy of Havana Cultura}

For event schedule click here.

MONDAY NOTE: Perspective

Posted by Toronto Girl 3 comments
August 16, 2010


A truly insightful guy once told me that life, like photography, is all about perspective. A great photographer can make the ugliest subject look amazing. It's all about looking at things from the right angle and appreciating the beauty in the most unexpected places. So how skillful are you at looking at your life from the right angle?

I think this is the harderst thing to do! Sometimes you just want to feel miserable, but is it really helping you? Are you moving forward by mooping? I'm guessing not, because at the end of it all you're still there.  A friend of mine taught me 2 little tricks that I use everytime I feel blah...

1) On a piece of paper write down 5 things that make you feel grateful/ happy
2) Do one of those things that make you feel grateful/happy a day. (My joyful activity for today: Eating Gelato)

Oh! And it's Madonna's birthday! Happy birthday Madge!

This song cheers me up :)


HAPPY MONDAY! :)

Out on The Town: Wards Island

Posted by Toronto Girl 0 comments
August 15, 2010


It was the perfect summer day, the weather was humid but you can not complain when you know the last days of summer are fast approaching. I had a very limited budget, so my pals and I did the only logical thing to do. We packed a picnic and grabbed the ferry to the Islands. The lines for Centre Island were so ridiculously long and crowded that we decided to step into the semi-empty Wards Island Ferry.
After enjoying a delicious sub, we walked around the boardwalk (you can rent bikes too, or bring your own) and were astonished by the beauty of the scenery and the comfort of the lake breeze.

{Toronto Skyline}


{Stylish Ferry goer}

 
 {Enjoying a long walk on the beach}


{Life on the beach}

HOW TO GET THERE: Take subway to Union station and street car to Ferry Docks.
BUDGET: $6.50 (for ferry ticket)

GIVE AWAY TIME!!!!

Posted by Toronto Girl 2 comments
August 13, 2010


"You can fake an orgasm but you can't fake laughter" - Bob Dylan

("Omg! this show is HILARIOUS!" photo courtesy of mrsoe)


A good comedy show never disappoints. With that said, I have something special for you. I will be giving away two tickets to see the hilarious Flippin’ Funny on Saturday August 28. This comedy show is brought to you by the same team who produced the always sold-out “The Most RACES Show on Earth!

To win the pair of tickets, just let me know who makes you laugh the most and why? It could be your best friend, a co-worker or someone famous such as Chris Rock or Will Ferrell.

Tweet: @togrlchronicles (enter a name) makes me laugh because (whatever reason) #flippinfunnyshow
Or email me at: torontogirlchronicles@gmail.com You can do both to increase your chances.

A random winner will be chosen on August 25.

Here's a clip of Joey Guila - one of the comedians performing on Flippin’ Funny


EAT PRAY LOVE

Posted by Toronto Girl 3 comments
August 12, 2010


I read and fell in love with the book Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert a couple of years ago, dispite an older's friends warning that I was too young to understand. True, I had not been in love, or gotten a divorce or even travelled across the world but I think we can all relate to the theme of the book. To me, the book was about living the "perfect" life and loosing your voice in the process.  I really enjoyed the book and  learned a lot from it. I can not wait to see the movie.

Here's the trailer:

August 11, 2010

If I am giddy with excitement today, it can only be because of two things: 1) A free movie (featuring Johnny Depp) , 2) Chocolate!

Yes, the audience choice for the final movie on the Longo's Free Flicks @ The Harbourfront is Chocolat (say with a French accent), starting a very (very) sexy Johnny Depp. If you ask me,  Chocolate + Johnny Depp = Perfect Chick-flick = Perfect Wednesday Night.

Oh! and the movie is also very good. Watch the trailer:


In honour of the movie I made some low-fat but still delicious chocolate truffles. The secret is in omitting the cream and butter and replacing it with honey. You also have two options. You can add coffee to add some kick, or you can add rum if you want to make it fun. A truffle or two are sure to satisfy your chocolate cravings.


INGREDIENTS
1 Bar (200g) of organic dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more)
1/4 cup of strong black coffee (substitute for rum if you wanna have fun)
2 tablespoons of acacia honey
Cocoa powder, to dust (you can also use sprinkles or coconut chunks)

 METHOD
(based on the recipe found on the book Cook Yourself Thin)
  1. Melt your chocolate gently in a large bowl over a pan of boiling water until it liquefies.
  2. Slowly add coffee (or rum*) and stir to mix. The consistency of the chocolate will thicken. Then add honey, mixing it slowly until the consistency becomes smooth.
  3. Put in the Fridge for about 30 minutes at most. You want it nearly solid but not frozen.
  4. Remove from fridge and with a melon scooper scrape out little chocolate balls. Cover with cocoa powder or your topping of choice.


* if you're adding alcohol to the chocolate it has to be at room temperature. If it's not it  will upset the chocolate, and the last thing you need is grumpy chocolate.

Toronto Girl: Christine Cho

Posted by Toronto Girl 10 comments
August 9, 2010


Gwen Stephani sang about the magic being in the makeup. I sat down with Christine Cho, freelance makeup artist,  to figure out if this was indeed true. I wanted to know if there was a magic formula for success.  Two years ago Christine left her position as spa manager to become an entrepreneur in the beauty industry. She went back to school to build her portfolio,  made important contacts and is now the master of her own destiny with many exciting projects on the horizon. 


You had a safe job but you decided to go back to school and re-start your career as a makeup artist. How did you reach that decision?
I went to U of T for English Literature. I wanted to become an English Professor but I've always been artsy and really into fashion.  After I graduated I started working as a Spa Manager and doing makeup [for fun] on the weekends. It was something that I really enjoyed and was passionate about.  I kept getting compliments and my clientele kept expanding from brides to photographers, so I decided to go back to school. I attended the Yorkville School of Makeup & Esthetics (George Brown College). It was a huge risk, and it was really scary, but I've always had confidence in my skills not only as a makeup artist but also as a business woman.

What was your big break?
When I was in school I volunteered to do makeup at L'oreal's Fashion Week (back in 2008). I took advantage of that opportunity to network. I handed out my business card to everyone I spoke to. I always say I am my own walking business card. At a recent party for MAC cosmetics I introduced myself to the Creative Director. I waved at him, like I knew him, and he came up to me and we started talking about the industry. It is always nerve wrecking to approach a stranger but you have to knock on every door because you never know!

{Photo courtesy of makeupchristine.com}

What are the skills you need to be a successful freelance makeup artist?  
People think its all about being a good makeup artist, but it also takes good business skills to be successful. Being organized and persistent is a must. You have to be really proactive. Jobs don't come to you! Its really important to get out there, do your research and network. In this industry you have to mix business and pleasure. It's also very important to be self-aware. Know what makes you unique, what are the skills that you excel at?

How has living in Toronto contributed to your career?
I was born and raised in Toronto, and I know it sounds cliche but the city's diversity and access to many different cultures has enhanced my ability to see beauty from a broader perspective. It is really inspiring as an artist. The more I travel the more I love coming home.

So is the magic in the makeup? No, it turns out that the magic is in being proactive and believing in yourself. What's in Christine's future? traveling, opening her own make up studio and starting her own makeup line. World domination also wouldn't surprise me. 


Stylish Girls of the Danforth

Posted by Toronto Girl 0 comments
August 8, 2010


{Toronto Girls Just Wanna Have Fun}


{Friday Night Sparkle}


{Lovely on a Summer Night}

{Patterns & Denim}

Opa! A Taste of the Danforth

Posted by Toronto Girl 1 comments
August 7, 2010

The streets were packed last night at Taste of Danforth and rightfully so! There was great entertainment, food and a very multicultural crowd. P.S try the chicken souvlaki!

Here are some  pictures to entice you:

{Going on its 17th year - it just keeps getting better}


{A beautiful Flamenco Show}


{Greek Pastries - at affordable prices}


{Fresh Chicken Souvlaki}

How to get there:  Subway (Bloor/ Danforth Line) @ Broadview Station
Budget: $0-$30/ per person
For today's events click here
For Sunday's events click here

*Check out more pictures on our  facebook page - and while you're at it, click the like button*
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