hidden gem

Why do I love Toronto oh so very much? Because there are many different things to discover: it is a such a diverse city that nothing seems impossible. [ya ya ya I totally just ripped off Tourism Ontario] One of my most favourite discoveries has been Honest Ed’s at Bloor and Bathurst. I walked through the doors of this glorious hot spot approximately a year and a half ago, and I assure you my life has not been the same since. In a nutshell, Honest Ed’s is a department store with anything and everything you could ever imagine but at reasonable prices because yes, Ed is an honest man. The extended version as nutshelled as I can possible make it begins in 1948 when Ed Mirvish opened a discount store with the main belief that people should be able to buy what they need at reasonable prices, so he painted a sign over his store which read "NAME YOUR OWN PRICE! NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED!" (no joke my friends, that man was ca-ca-craazy). First he bought one store, but over the years [as he became financially able] he would buy another store to expand. Today the ever evoloving structure is a maze of stores within stores that span almost an entire city block. It is safe to say that you will get lost in Honest Ed's but my god will you find some amazing deals and you could even get a haircut if you're lost that long.

There are many different components to Honest Ed’s that make it so appealing to yours truly, however the main appeal for moi is the constant stimulus. Once inside the walls of this fantastic wonderland, you will find yourself constantly cocking your head in different directions because there is something going on everywhere, and quite frankly I find that impressive. I mean if a store can keep my attention for hours at a time that is like getting a monkey to dance (hmm just go with it). It seems as though there is not an inch of that place that doesn’t have something filling it; whether it be 77cent bras, old theatre posters, antique Asian headboards, cookies, hats, t-shirts, shovels, toasters, cat carriers, vacuums, dishes, toys, $5 shoes, live plants, shirt and tye combos for $5.99, a knock-off 'slap chop', a Canada keychain, and on and on and on: this store is everything you could possibly want and more. There is even a hair salon, a pharmacy and I do believe I saw a sign for an Immigration office. The entertainment value alone is enough for me, I mean I am guaranteed a good time every time I walk through those doors even if I don't buy a thing. Think of Wal Mart on steroids, with a shot of Giant Tiger and a side of BiWay plus dinner and a movie and you've got Honest Ed's. This place is most definitely a hidden gem in my books and I truly do hope that the doors to Honest Ed's stay open for another sixty two years plus. If I could grant you one wish it would be that you too have the pleasure of experiencing Honest Ed's for yourself because it truly is an adventure that can only be appreciated once experienced first hand. Best of luck with your shopping endeavours :) Dani's disclaimer: if you are not one that is generally amused by shiny objects, please prepare accordingly for your visit otherwise you run the risk of becoming overwhelmed by all there is to see.

the transition

One of the best parts about winter turning into spring is the wardrobe transition. I can appreciate that someone might think the above statement makes me sound a little like a ditz, but fashion is important in my life and a big part of my industry [sidenote: even though unemployed it's still my industry] The clothes for spring are endless. A lot of winter trends are making their way over; patterned tights, leggings, boots (light in colour, worn with shorts and skirts), the boyfriend blazer and cardigan etcetera. This my friends is great news for the wallet. And because it is not a fashion faux pas to wear a lot of our favourites into the spring, it is safe to assume that you might get bored. Ah ha...good news, one of the best ways to change-up any outfit [and transition it into a new season] is with accessories. If you know me, you know that I love my accessories so these are my must-haves for the spring transition: gladiator sandals, layered necklaces and miss-matched bangles. These accessories are easy to mix and match, cheap to add to your wardrobe and will assist in keeping you off of the 'boring train' choo-chooo.

Number one; gladiator sandals, newly named the Grecian. I most definitely have this in my wardrobe due to the fact that I am 5' 10" and this is a dressy alternative to the flip-flop. You can pair these with leggings, skirts, dresses and of course shorts [weather permitting of course]. I even wore a pair of gold gladiators, with a shift dress to a wedding last summer and it was definitely dressy enough. These sandals live on the shelves at Aldo, Urban Outfitters and Spring [to name a few], but if you're not ready to buy leather and make the financial commitment Ardenes offers options under $20. Number two; layered necklaces and chains. The key to this look is different lengths and different metals: I would even dare to throw in a beaded necklace or pearls. I would also suggest making sure that the shortest necklace isn't above your chest and that the longest necklace as a pendant of some sort. H&M offers unique choices that are generally under $10 or check-out Claires. Number three; mixed and layered bangles. I have always been a fan of bracelets; it is a good way to make an outfit unique and more times than not they become conversation pieces. I don't really think you can take a wrong turn on this one, you are your own brand so wear whatever makes you feel good. Most of my bracelets have come from markets or thrift shops but you can also find some really detailed bangles at Aldo Accessories $20-$40. No matter how you decide to transition your wardrobe from winter to spring remember be comfortable and confident.

the shape up

The relay has come and gone and there are many things that I have gained. I have gained new friends and experiences, but sadly I have also gained 15 pounds. The fact that I ate my way across the country, and figuratively speaking that is true, is nothing I regret. It seemed no matter where we were there was that local favourite that just needed me to eat it. Newfoundland offered me seafood chowder; Nova Scotia buttery lobster; PEI potatoes; New Brunswick and their tortiere; Quebec ma favourite POUTINE; Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC- you get the point! I really like food, my will power sucks and a busy, unpredictable eating schedule all assisted me in the extra bits of ‘me’ I am carrying around. I can’t wear lululemons forever and summer is coming so it’s time I got that will power in check and start doing something about it versus complaining and avoiding jeans. First things first, I have cut out chocolate. This step my friends is more difficult than you might imagine, I am a chocolate whore! On the relay there was no shortage of desserts; they graced me with their presence at almost every meal and, as previously stated, my will power sucks. Now that I am home there are mini eggs everywhere I look, I actually begged my mom to stop putting them out [which was even more difficult than you can imagine because my love for mini eggs is a love like no other]. But let’s be honest here, I think success for me would just be not as much chocolate, and I know where those mini eggs are hidden. My next step is to stop eating so much. When you put a buffet in front of a girl that loves food for 106 days straight chances are she will eat a little bit more than she needs to. I don’t really need to go into detail on this one, I ate like a glutton and now I need to get back to being me- case closed. Finally, step 3 is exercise, exercise and exercise. This is something that I used to enjoy, and oddly enough something that I used to do on a daily basis so I am going to reinstate this into my life- again case closed. I’m not really one of those girls to dwell so no need to continue, I am just happy that I have finally had enough and am ready to get back to normal.

mystery solved?

Growing up with a corn field behind your house meant that it was no surprise to see a mouse in your house, or a mole in the pool or even a wild turkey in your backyard once in awhile. Beachville is a little different than Toronto, a point that was proven once again on Saturday morning. I was watching a little Bugs Bunny and Tweety [you know you love it too] and above my head I heard a 'scurry'- I assumed it was a mouse and went back to my show. The little 'scurry' soon turned into a lot of 'scurries' and eventually a 'scuffle' was taking place above my head. In cases like this I did what all mature young adults would do, I went and got my mom. Marilyn is a trained professional in the art of country living and she told me it was a mouse, I told her to just wait and listen...she concluded it was not a mouse. Dave then emerged and pulled out the manly card about how he was going to catch this critter and kill it yadda yadda yadda. Hmm okay Dad [sidenote: I love my Dad but he is not exactly the type to hunt and definitely not the type to stomach a kill]. Blame the humanitarian in me but I do not like to see any animal hurt; it doesn't matter if it's a rat or an adorable puppy dog. I in fact once hit a bird while driving and I think it scarred me for life. Back to the story- Dave went to my Uncle's farm and borrowed a trap. I assure you that I inspected that trap and concluded that the mystery animal would not be hurt in anyway and would actually get a delicious treat of marshmallows if he or she decided to enter this trap. We set the trap, and waited...3 days later, I woke up to see a racoon in the trap. As predicted the racoon was not hurt, but he did look pretty scared- I just can't help but feel bad for animals sometimes. I have been assured that Mr.Racoon is being escorted to a forest somewhere and that he will live to see another day which makes me happy. My only concern now is who was he having the scuffle with above my head?

march 17th

Today is the day that I look forward to every March...St.Patrick's day. It is quite possibly one of my most favourite holidays, and yes in my books it is a holiday. I don't think there is anything that I don't enjoy about this glorious annual event. I like beer; that is a safe assumption and I like Irish beer which counts for double bonus points in my book. I like Irish pubs; some of my best times have occured in these fine establishments and I intend to have many more fun times within the walls of a pub. I like Irish stew; granted that I don't usually eat it on St.Patrick's day but I could if I wanted to which is another reason why I like this day. I like to wear green; it is part of my wardrobe on a regular day so St.Patrick's day gives me a good excuse to go overboard on one of my most favourite, and flattering I might add, colours in my closet. I like the spirit of today; people come together to be social and I do enjoy being social with happy people. My final reason why I like St.Patrick's day is because I like the Irish; they're fun, loud and like to sing...I like it when they sing. This is not only an entertaining component of St.Patrick's day but also one of the ways that I have made many a friends. Today in fact I am going to see one of my good friends [who is Irish and I met him in an Irish pub] sing Irish music in an Irish pub. I am sure that there are many more reasons why I enjoy celebrating my favourite March holiday but I think that is a good start. Wishing you and yours a Happy St.Patrick's day, cheers!

daily forecast

"Congratulations, Aries! You've finally reached a goal you've been working toward for a long time. Success and advancement are on their way, and you should be feeling extremely enthusiastic and optimistic about your future. Some vast changes may take place in your life, but they all promise to be positive...[myhoroscope.com]" That my friends is my horoscope for today. It is fair to say that reading my horoscope is not a daily practice. It's true that once in a while I will be a little bit curious, Google horoscopes and click on that firey ram to see what the day holds for me but I prefer to make my own destiny. With that being said, I can't help but laugh a little because I hope the prediction has a little bit of truth. I am not sure that I have accomplished a goal that I have been working towards, I mean how could I when my goal for the last 3 weeks has been to do 'nothing'...but I do like the part about success being on its way. Needless to say I am extremely optimistic about what my future is going to hold and I am ready to get it started.

baby steps

When I made the move to Toronto in September 2008 that was a big deal. Looking at it now it seems like only a baby step in my life and really not that epic at all. I remember thinking that I wasn't sure if I was going to make it, but I was too stubborn not to. I was scared, nervous, excited and overwhelmed by the big city and its diversity. That was then,and now I consider myself a Toronto girl. I had an interview for a job in Calgary this afternoon, and that same scared, overwhelmed feeling took over. I have been applying for jobs from Halifax to Vancouver, but did the notion ever cross my mind that I might actually move half way across the country? Umm no...that would be a big step, a very big step. Maybe I'm ready for a change, maybe I'm growing up and this could be the next baby step in my walk through life. I haven't been offered any jobs just yet but I hope that if I am that I'm ready to take the next step.

respect thy fashion

Spring has not yet sprung my friends; it is only March 11th and we do live in Canada. Today I witnessed many things, some of which confused me; I saw bare legs, gladiator sandals and even one puzzled fashionista wearing a sleeveless spring dress. I love spring, I really do but it is still winter and it is not appropriate to be breaking out the pasty white legs just because there is a bit of sunshine. It was warm today, agreed. I sat on a patio wearing only a boyfriend blazer but I still knew it was winter and I knew that as soon as the sun went down it would be cold once again. Winter offers us some wonderful fashion options and although I am excited to break out the floral patterns and short skirts we need to pay each season its due. Boots, pashminas and layers...do these things mean nothing? Most women love wearing black, brown and grey so what's with the rush for pastels? I too am eager for spring and all of the fashion options that it has to offer but for goodness sake, goose bumps are not a flattering accessory. I think if someone is happy, confident and comfortable then almost anything can be fashionable but please consult your thermometer before going outside because no fashion statement is worth getting a cold over.

happy right now

"It's not so important that it's 'Happily Ever After' as it is to be 'Happy Right Now'..." I think that's true, at least for the most part. I am a strong believer in the fact that you have to take steps to achieve that all mighty goal, but for some reason in my search for a job, no wait my next career step, I don't want to compromise for just happy right now. I want something great for my next step. I feel as though there are a lot of people that want me to get a job, and they keep reminding me. I am well aware that I need to find a job to survive; I mean that is common sense is it not? We need to work to make money to feed ourselves and put a roof over our heads...but why do we always seem to settle for what comes first. So here's my predicament- I don't think a job should be a job, I think your job should be your passion. So what am I passionate about? I am passionate about events. I am passionate about marketing ideas (products & dreams) through events and I am newly passionate about the possibility and success of promoting ideas through social media. So why don't I just do it? Well here's the problem...I am young, but yet I would say I am twenty three years old. Why do we say we are such an age old when really we're considered so young? I think my experience within the industry is more than your average twenty three year old. And yes that might sound slightly conceited, but my god sometimes I think I need to be. I am quickly learning that my age is working against me. And yes, I am aware that companies don't hire based on age [because we know that is illegal...] but I am noticing a trend that I am quickly dismissed due to my 1986 birth date. I know that I will find the perfect job for me. It will fit with my passion and goals but also with my experience and worth. For now I am happy to settle for a job that isn't my 'Happily Ever After' because I understand that there are stepping stones to achieve that but I want to ensure that my 'Happy Right Now' is on track to that fairy tale...

be my Valentine

Okay so I am a little bit late, 16 days to be exact but the reason for my reinstated enthusiasm in Valentine’s Day is that I just watched the movie ‘Valentine’s Day’. As a single, young woman it is the unwritten rule that I have a free pass to hate the movie and hate everyone in love, but I don’t. In fact the opposite is true, I love people in love and I thought that the movie was one of the best I have seen all year. Granted it is only March and I have been to the movies 3 times since 2010 has begun, but yes it is the best so far. The movie was funny, really funny…not just funny haha but clever and witty. I found myself laughing out loud throughout the entire film. The cast alone is enough to get people to say it was a good movie; Ashton Kutcher, Patrick Dempsey, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts and on and on and on. If you ask me the cast could have all been ‘no-namers’ and I still would have loved the film. It put an interesting spin on love, it was a little bit cheesy as most love films are but aside from that it was honest and I can appreciate that. The movie showed a lot of different angles, but what was so honest about it was the lack of fairy tale romances and the realization that there are many different types of love and that none of them are perfect.
The main message of the movie, or at least this is what I took away, is that if you are going to love someone you have to love it all. You can’t just love them for what you really like about them but also you must love the things that you don’t quite understand and even those things that you don’t like. I guess it is a pretty simple message, but it’s fair to say for myself that it is sometimes easily forgotten. The movie didn’t just focus on the love between two people in a romantic relationship, but also those within a family and between friends. Amongst all of the laughs and the witty humour I found something much more enjoyable about this movie, it made me genuinely happy. Although I am not in love with anyone, I can appreciate people in love and more than that I can appreciate the notion of love as I have many amazing friends and family members that I love very much. The movie is definitely a must-see, whether you're a critic on love or not I have a funny little feeling you will find yourself laughing out loud. That's all the sappiness I have for now ;) Cheers!

True Patriot Love

I think that most Canadians sat down to watch the hockey game yesterday, and those that didn't watch the game were at least aware of what was going on. I also think it is fair to say that most Canadians knew what was at stake yesterday going into that hockey game; that despite the fact that we had already won 13 gold, 7 silver and 5 bronze medals, we were weighing our entire Olympic achievements on this one game. The Canadian Men's hockey team won gold yesterday against the USA in overtime and our Nation went crazy with excitement and pride. I guess it is safe to say that hockey is Canada's game; both our Men and Women's hockey team won Gold and I don't think that anyone could be more proud. The way that the Olympics have brought our Nation together and helped us to become a tighter-knit unit is amazing and as far as I am concerned a surprise. I don't think that anyone could have predicted the positive outcome of the Olympics amongst our own people and even amongst the entire world. The proof is in the red mittens, the sold-out HBC line and the evident glow among our Nation; Canadians are beaming with pride and that is a good thing. The proof is all over my Facebook and Twitter pages and the text messages that flooded my phone yesterday. Whether they show it by wearing red, smiling, sending texts or through social media, Canadians are proud to be Canadian. I think that these Olympic games have successfully restored a love for our Nation amongst many people. I know that I will continue to wear my Canadian pin on my jacket and I hope that other Canadians remember the pride that they felt yesterday and they will keep it with them for years to come. With glowing hearts...