TORONTO GIRL CHRONICLES

A Toronto Girl on the Road: Chicago Part 1 (The Highlights)

Posted by Toronto Girl 4 comments

September 29, 2010

{GPS - essential for a road trip }

16 hours of driving + 5 cups of coffee + a 100 miles (probably more) later = great adventures in Chicago!

{Chicago Girl cranking some tunes}

Chicago is a fantastic city with an older-and-wiser feel than Toronto. It is the home of 9.6 million habitants that are lucky to enjoy a fantastic waterfront and one of the best art museums that I have been to. I had a great time partying, eating, going to sporting events and even walking a million miles. I can't wait to share it all with you!

For now, I will just tease you with a couple of pics that sum up the perfect road trip.

Here are some highlights:

{Cloud Gate Reflections}

{Downtown at Night}

{Biking around the city with Bobby's Bike Tours, make sure this is on your to-do list!}

{The Navy Pier is the #1 Tourist Attraction in Chicago,

and if I may say so, a very romantic destination}

Stay tuned, part two and three are coming shortly...

On The Road |

Toronto Girl is going on a ROAD TRIP!

Posted by Toronto Girl 6 comments

September 20, 2010

{Photo courtesy of stuckincustoms}

I had been dying to get away this summer, but all of a sudden work got crazy busy and then there was the move, minor renovations, endless Ikea trips...and I've you have been to Ikea you know that's enough to drive you crazy!

So my best friend and I made a deal. We would take a couple of days off this week and conquer the open road. We are going to a very special place with incredible architecture,deep dish pizza and the worlds biggest baseball stadium. Am I giving away too much? I hope not because I want to keep you intrigued...
Hey, if you guess what city I'm going to I'll bring you a souvenir! Write your guess in the comment section. You have until Wednesday, September 22, 2010 (midnight).

NOTE - MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY OR CLOSE FRIENDS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO WIN (SINCE YOU ALREADY KNOW WHERE I AM GOING). YOU MUST RESIDE IN THE GTA TO WIN.

Give Away, Monday Note, On The Road |

GUEST POST: Mr. Right and The 30's Life Crisis

Posted by Toronto Girl 0 comments

September 15, 2010

This is a very insightful piece written by my friend J.Lewis, who never ceases to amaze me with her quirky, yet accurate, views of love and life.

In a conversation not too long ago, a friend and I were once again participating in the female ritual of criticizing men. We ourselves have been sharing everything from the good and the bad, to the sexy and ugly for a number of years. We have had countless conversations over which men we should keep (for the meantime), which to throw to the curb, and which to love till death do us part. But no matter the man, be he the love our life or the jerk that never called us back, we have never been short of things to criticize.

During the most recent confab, I suggested our male counterparts were going through a third-life crisis, which was later revoked for the more accurate 30's-life crisis. Our loveable men, now in their early 30's, have decided it is okay to be a little moody or a little unpredictable (or both). They are taking on new extravagances and indulging themselves in what we consider more youthful hobbies.

Given some time to let the idea percolate, I have come the the decision that there is no such thing as a 30's-life crises. Or quarter- or mid-life crises. Much like our childhood invisible friends, or our daydreams of hot makeout sessions with McDreamy, these so called life crises are figments of our imagination. In the most frustrating moments of our relationships we are forever looking for something to pin our partner's shortcomings on--because obviously WE would never choose to live with a man that did 'this' or 'that'. But this is the genius of humans, we are all allowed to be individuals who can decide what we do, and change our minds at any time. I'm certainly not saying this is always a good thing, but it's not always bad either, and as long as the thing we're complaining about is how our man has taken up paling video games for a couple hours a week, or watches sports 24/7 during the playoffs, I think we can all agree that it could be much worse.

Considering the vast majority of women are often more moody, unpredictable and indulgent than their men, I think that when the boys branch out, we should be a little more understanding. So does this mean that we shouldn't acknowledge our men when they change? Hell no. I will likely continue to call up my girlfriends and whine over a glass (or bottle) of wine, not only because it feels good, but because it is an important part of female bonding. The only difference may be that the next time I go to gossip about his latest quirks, I might be a little less sarcastic with my girls, and a little more understanding when I talk to Mr. Not-so-perfect-but-still-Mr. Right.

Guest Post, Lovey-Dovey, Mr. Right |

THE KIT: Beauty Kit For Party People

Posted by Toronto Girl 6 comments

September 14, 2010

{Clockwise from left to right: Lipstick, Moroccan Oil, Band Aids, Milk Thistle,

Face Wipes, Raw Potatoes, Honey, Fruits and Vegetables}

Six more nights of TIFF and let me tell you, partying is fun... until the morning after. I've yet to hear how delightful a hangover can be or how amazing blisters feel or dark under eye circles look.

These are some after-party beauty tips that have never failed me:

Red Lipstick: It is said that when a female is aroused her lips turn red, which makes her more attractive to the opposite sex. It might or might not be true, but red or cherry lipstick is classic and sexy, so pick your right shade and you can't go wrong.

Moroccan Oil: Also known as hair crack. Use it to prime your hair for heat styling or right after washing your hair for silky frizz-free hair.

Band-aids: Blisters are uncomfortable, plain and simple. They are also inevitable when you're wearing heels. So just put a couple of band-aids in your purse and don't let blisters stop you from dancing.

Milk Thistle: Your poor liver has to work overtime when you drink. A few drops of MT on hot water will help you soothe and restore your liver. Choose organic.

Face Wipes: Going to sleep with your make up on is asking for trouble. If you can not make it to the sink to wash your face, simply wipe the make up off with a refreshing wipe. I love Biore because it contains Salicylic Acid that will exfoliate and remove all those nasty impurities.

Raw Potatoes: Raw potato wedges work wonders on under eye circles. You see, potatoes contain catecholase, an enzyme that is used as a skin lightener in many cosmetics. Leave on for 10 minutes and voila! no one will be able to tell you went to bed at 5am.

Raw Honey: Everyone knows that raw honey will leave your skin feeling softer than silk. If you didn't know, now you do. Apply a thin layer to your face, leave on for 5 minutes or so and rinse off with luke-warm water.

Fruits and Vegetables: This last tip is the most obvious. Not to sound like your mother but... drink lots of water and eat your fruits and veggies. You're going to need all the energy you can muster.

Party on party people! Have a beautiful TIFF.

Health, In the Kitchen, The Essentials, TIFF |

There's Something in The Water: TIFF Vitamin Water Social

Posted by Toronto Girl 3 comments

September 13, 2010

My long standing affair with Vitamin Water started a long time ago, one busy workday afternoon. In need of some energy to help me cope with the two hours left I dragged my tired butt to the cafeteria and was immediately attracted to the colourful water. Fast forward many months later, I am checking my twitter and I catch a tweet about a #byard social hosted by Vitamin Water. They will serve Vitamin Water and cocktails. So naturally, I grabbed my Louboutins (not really) and model-walked my way to Yorkville (this is true).

{This is not me by the way, my ass is much bigger and I don't own a pair of Louboutins...yet}

The party, of course, was pumpin', all the hipsters were there and the bar was serving Vitamin Water with Vodka. It was the place to be on a thirsty Friday afternoon.