Photo via BlogTO

Last year I wrote a post reviewing different sports leagues in Toronto. The TCSSC (Toronto Central Sports and Social Club) is definitely the main league organizer and probably offers the widest variety of different sports, nights and times.  One would hope that the largest organizer would be organized themselves, setting good examples for other companies and delivering strong league services. Unfortunately, that is a hope that they continue to dash.  In the years I have played with them, I have never been overly amazed at their level of organization, communication or customer relations. They are often more expensive than other leagues, ranging in cost from $100 for an individual to upwards of $800-$900 for some teams. I continued to play with them because I was able to overlook their inadequacies and focus on the fun and good times of the games I was playing.  Until now..

This Winter season we signed up a team for our 4th season of Sunday night Ultimate Frisbee.  We are in the rec league, which is described by the TCSSC as

“almost no players will have experienced at an organized level of the sport, most having not played at all”.

This fit our description pretty well.  We were signing up to learn and have fun.  As the season got underway, we realized we were losing pretty badly each week against teams that had definitely played before, and were very well organized (ie. running drills during time outs).  Some skill differentiation between teams is to be expected,  but the real deal breaker for me was finding out that at least 2 of the teams are actually comprised  of TCSSC employees. They are literally doing somersault catches and boasting that they usually play at the intermediate or advanced level.  WTF?

Being a letter-writer by nature, I wrote the TCSSC a concerned and less than impressed email yesterday. The captain of the 1st place team responded saying,

“We happened to get a couple new players this season who have proved to be quite good, as well our team as a whole seems to be getting better at the game too.” and “We figured we would be good this season but we didn’t think we’d blow away all the teams (and we don’t have a perfect season, 1 tie and 1 loss)” out of a total of 9 games played.

The team in 2nd place is also comprised of TCSSC employees, winning 7 of their 9 games.

M point is this: People sign up to play because they are hoping to be competitive and to have some fun. From time to time its expected you will come up against a team that is probably out of your division. To face crushing defeats week after week is not so much fun and it is unacceptable that these dominant offenders are the organizers of the league itself. Surely they know the guidelines for each divisions, and surely they also know their skill set before they sign up. I honestly feel that our Sunday “games” are their practice. Why would we want to continue to pay hundreds of dollars to the TCSSC only to have them negate their own guidelines and rules and wipe the floor with us on a weekly basis? Where is the fun in that?

I am writing this because I am slightly outraged, and feel that anyone reading this post should be aware of the current situation. I am not sure if this has been happening in any other leagues but welcome feedback and discussion.

If you’re looking an escape, set your sights South of the equator. I say this for a couple of reasons: First of all, our Winter is their Summer so it is hot hot hot! Second, it’s far less expensive than anywhere in Europe, the US or Mexico. And third, it’s way cooler than going to the Dominican or Cuba (which are fine choices, but don’t offer much in the way of an adventure).

I would return to South America in a heartbeat. Our trip kicked off in Rio, which delivered an instant infusion of Brazilian culture: warm, beautiful and passionate.  It is a city that loves good food, loud music and vibrant parties. From Rio, we took a bus trip to Paraty (pronounced Par-a-chy), a small village surrounded by lush mountains and five interconnected beaches. The cobblestone streets of Paraty are lined with restaurants, tourist shops and outdoor markets. During the day, tourists take a short bus ride through the mountains to the beaches, rent boats, or charter a private tour of the surrounding islands. When the sun sets, they wander the streets, entertained by buskers and filled with cake from passing carts. It is truly a great escape. Our last stop in Brazil was Iguassu Falls. This is the site with the most waterfalls in one spot, with upwards of 275 drops . I wouldn’t recommend spending more than a day or two here, because aside from the falls visit there isn’t a whole lot to do or see.

Buenos Aires, known as ‘The Paris of the South’, was the first and only location we visited in Argentina. I’m a true city girl.  I love getting lost wandering among unfamiliar streets lined with architectural masterpieces. I felt instantly at home in Buenos Aires and wish I had been able to spend more than 1 night. Like Brazil, they love their beef buffets. I had never seen more meat lined up and ready to devour. Needless to say, I spent my only night there eating, drinking and comparing travel notes. The next morning, I walked along their pedestrian only street, Calle Florida, picking up trinkets for friends and family at home. I was surprised at how inexpensive the shops were.

If you’re thinking of heading down South, here are some tips:

1. The sun down there is intense. Make sure you take lots of high SPF sunscreen and reapply like mad.

2. GAP guides often have deals worked out with a lot of the local restaurants. This is both good and bad. Good in that they know with places to take you to that serve quality food. Bad in that they are often expensive, touristy and not really indicative of authentic dishes.

3. Hit at least 1 proper Brazilian or Argentinian buffet. If you like meat, you won’t be disappointed (cheese and wine infused beef = died and gone to heaven).

4. Brazil’s national drink is called the Caprihina. It is made with their national liquor cachaca and lots of lime and sugar. If made properly, it is delicious and extremely potent. Drink with caution.

5. Buy your Haviana sandals from the markets and make sure you bring your best bargaining skills!

photo via BlogTO

The TTC has taken a pretty hard hit lately: workers sleeping on the job, their chairman caught in one sexually scandalous lie after the next, a Facebook group lashing out at TTC riders, videos of blatantly rude drivers; and all of this after a substantial and hotly contested fee hike.

TTC employees,  TTC management and the union are being called into question, and rightly so. I take the TTC to and from work everyday by way of the King streetcar.  I don’t expect perfection, but  I do expect to a) get where I am going and b) be treated with respect.  A is usually satisfied, although I still don’t understand how 15 streetcars can go by in one direction while you wait over 30 minutes for one in the opposite direction. But that’s a subject for another post.

TTC drivers are taking a brunt of the backlash as they are the featured “stars” of these videos and photos. My feelings on this are as follows: There are definitely times throughout the day when I might feel like curling up and taking a nap, or dropping the phone mid conference call and running to get a doughnut, but guess what? I have responsibilities and a job and I act accordingly. I also feel that if I have a question for a streetcar driver about an upcoming stop, I should be answered with respect, minus the attitude. At the end of the day, TTC employees are working and we, the riders, are their clients – it is fair that we expect to be treated as such.

All that said, there are also TTC employees that are amazing – funny, nice and even personable. These guys get the real shit end of the stick, branded with the same cloth as their less than stellar counterparts. Despite the bad rep the fact that they probably put up with way more shit than we could ever imagine, they are friendly and even manage to maintain a sense of humour. They deserve to be rewarded.

With the influx of mobile applications I would love to see a rewards system put in place which works to highlight impeccable service and point out employees not meeting expectations.  I would definitely input information via my smart phone on good vs bad experiences and drivers. People are already tweeting about it all the time – why not create a systemic solution using mobile communications? This would serve to reward those who truly do go above and beyond, penalize those who are taking their frustrations out unnecessarily and re-empower a public who feels they are currently paying for a service that doesn’t take into account their basic requirements.  Lets face it, a stern memo to workers about their recent behaviour isn’t going to cut it! We need something more compelling, that gets everyone involved.

What do you think??

This year, I will be celebrating Saint Valentine from the comforts and confines of my living room. For those of you looking to go out and be social, but want to avoid the lame and over priced prefix restaurant dinners, here are some events I have come across this week:

1. BoylesqueTO: Me Mein Valentine! A Weimar inspired male burlesque show, huh? Hilarious! This event promises to be “a showcase of sexual outlaws, with ladies of ill repute, and men of gender ambiguity!”. If nothing else, you’ll get a good laugh and likely have a little fun while you’re at it.

Where: The Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St. West)

When: Saturday February 14th and Sunday February 15th @ 9pm

Cost: Advanced tix $25.00, door tix $30.00

Who: YOU!

2. RENDEVOUS: Toronto’s singles soiree with a cause! While you’re busy dancing the night away, having your make-up done, sipping on delicious martinis and receiving free give aways from a number of sponsors, you will also be supporting the “Because I’m a Girl” campaign, which goes to provide clean water, food, security, health care and education to women and girls around the world.

Where: The Fifth (225 Richmond St. West)

When: Sunday February 14th @ 10pm

Cost: $20.00

Who: Girls +23, Boys +25

3. Jezebel Burlesque’s G’Lamour: For those of you who have not yet been to Jezebel, its definitely worth experiencing at least once. It’s a small space, lined with velvet covered booths and grand chandeliers. It will no doubt provide a high end, debaucherous Valentines experience. Check out their Facebook invite here

Where: 227 Ossington Avenue

When: Sunday February 14th  @ 10pm

Who: YOU!

Have you heard of any other V-Day parties? Got anything big planned?

For anyone thinking about taking a trip to Chicago below is my itinerary, hopefully it inspires you:

Friday:

Friday night we went to a Mexican resto-bar called Mercadito to start our trip with some seriously potent margaritas. This is the only bar I have ever been to where there were full bottles of tequila on the tables and shots as big as my head. Ummm, Awesome! Needless to say, a great way to start off any night!

Post margaritas, mojitos and tequila shots, we made our way to a club called Crescendo. Crescendo reminded me of Embassy (the old System Soundbar). Had we been in Toronto, I would probably have scoffed at the half naked girls dancing on platforms, the mirrors that lined every wall and the wanna-be, wished-it-was “house music”. I find I am far less picky as an out-of-towner and danced to the poorly mixed beats nonetheless. We had fun, but unless you really like the cheesy club scene, it wouldn’t be top on my list.

Saturday:

On Saturday afternoon we went to the Park Hyatt’s NOmI Restaurant in search of some over priced, high-end burgers (aka The Twenty Dolla’ Burger). Unfortunately, this particularly delectable item was no longer on the menu, forcing us to select other over-the-top munchies instead. We ’settled’ for ‘The Park’ (which is basically a chicken avocado club), an order of Kobi Beef sliders and mini pulled pork sandwiches, served with salads and fried plantain chips. Nothing warms up your stomachs or your wallets quite like a swanky hotel lunch.

Chicago has no shortage of shopping. Whether you’re in search of a Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s or a smaller boutique, you’ll find something to suit your tastes and budget. I picked up some awesome boots from Bloomy’s and a great pair of pants from a boutique called Intermix (highly recommend checking this one out!).

Saturday night we decided to treat ourselves to a steak dinner at Epic, a trendy new restaurant spanning three floors. The top two were lined with booths and large round tables full of diners and daters, while the first floor, reserved for dancers, pumped out classic dance hits from the ’90s. The food was great, but definitely very rich. We ordered a spread of appetizers, most notably the sausage gnocchi and brazed scallops. We were also treated to light appetizers and deserts, compliments of the chef – I love when restaurants shower me with love in the form of free snacks!

After dinner we hit the clubs, and hit them hard. Since bars and clubs in Chicago are either open until 2 or 3 on Fridays and 4 or 5 on Saturdays (depending on their license), we had enough time to hit 3 post dinner spots. The first two, Lumen and Y Bar, were pretty loungy and reminded me of King Street West. The third club, Spy Bar, had much more of an after hours vibe, with DJs JJ Flores and Alex Peace cranking out well mixed house music. I wish I could remember more of the finer details, but all I can tell you is that I danced until I could literally not feel or move my feet any longer. And then it was time to tap out!

Sunday:

Sunday morning we dusted off our 48 hour hangovers, threw on our leggings (have i mentioned lately how much i love leggings?) and sat our danced-out asses down at Kitsch’n, a typical mid-western greasy spoon, comparable to Mel’s or Boom. Our meals were pretty basic but nonetheless delicious. Id suggest hitting this place up if you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful brunch spot.

Before catching our 6:30pm flight, we toured Millenium Park and ogled the beauty that is the Nugget. We even made it to the famous Art Institute of Chicago for a little culture. No matter how hungover and tired you are, this is a MUST! Plus, they have the coolest museum shop Ive ever been in – so many neat and interesting gadgets and doohickeys.

It has taken me 8+ days to get over the partying and sight seeing that was Chicago – truly a great city to visit!

Since Yahoo! Canada is a client of the marketing firm where I work,  my colleagues and I joined the party to see what all the fuss was about. I had never been to One before, and have to say that my first impression was, “Wow, this place is huge”. I had assumed that it would be one large open space with maybe a couple of rooms, but was proven very wrong. There were 4 main rooms all occupied with different stations.

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I’m a big fan of stations at parties because they keep them interesting and entertaining. Yahoo’s stations included a photo shoot with lots of fun and crazy props (wigs, swords, helmets, big glasses and boas), a lip balm bar where you customized your own balm, a bar station where you ordered your own drinks (what? it counts), and a make your own taco station. This last one wasn’t really for me, by the time i got there it looked like a thousand small children had been there first, sticking their fingers into the cheese and various sauces. In short, it was kind of a mess and turned me off a little. Good idea in theory, poor in execution.

The music, spun by DJ Starting from Scratch, was selected by party goers who could make requests when sending their RSVP. This was a good way to make people feel involved and to ensure everyone heard at least one song they could dance to. It would have been even better if you could also tweet your requests (since social media is a big part of the new Yahoo! Canada site).

Canapes were flowing from the time I arrived until the time I headed home. They started with sliders, butter brazed lobster, sesame coated tuna sashimi, and boxes of poutine, followed by sweet key lime and pecan filled deserts. Hats off to Food Network’s Chef, Mark McEwan for providing delicious treats all night long.

Given that the theme of Yahoo’s new website, It’s Y!ou,  is all about customization, this party was on point with their message.  I had a pretty good time and would definitely attend another party at One Restaurant. Yahoo!

Did you attend? What did you think?

I have been dining at Hair of the Dog (Church and Carleton) since my University days. It is small and intimate and built into the side of an old house. In the summer, it provides a great balcony setting to enjoy caesars over brunch. In the winter, it embodies the feeling of a cozy cottage, dimly lit with comfortable chairs and benches. It’s furnished with dark wood and draped with rich velvet.  Soft house music plays dimly in the background, providing just enough melody to muffle the chitter chatter of other diners. It is instantly relaxing.

Hair of the Dog is a popular spot and does not take weekend reservations, however, I have never had to wait for more than 15 minutes, during which the bar tenders and hostess provide excellent service, including prompt martinis and regular table updates and check-ins. You’re never left waiting and wondering (unlike some other trendy hot spots, ah hem, Guu). Once seated, the service is fast and friendly. No complaints.

OK, now onto the really important part: the food. The menu at HoTG is not huge, but it has something for everyone. My personal favourites include the jambalaya, the 1lb burger and the chicken stir fry. The pulled pork sandwich and grilled seafood dishes are also amazing.  I will warn you, if you order the jambalaya add the scotch bonnet sauce with care, it is not for fair-tongued eaters. Unless you like to feel the burn the next day, take it easy on the hot sauce. Most dishes range from $10.00-$20.00. Expect to pay about $60.00 per person including liquor, tax and tip.

If you’re in the area definitely check it out. Let me know what you think!

I have to say that these classes to be a perfect middle ground between Bikram and traditional Moksha. They are definitely challenging and work towards improving your mental and physical strength, but they are not as intense as the Bikram and offer a variety of different movements each class.

The downtown location celebrates its 1 year anniversary in February and there is already such a huge sense of friendship and community among those who practice. The uptown location, Moksha Yoga Uptown, is more of a Moksha style, but also offers flow classes for anyone living further North.

I have to admit I’m a bit of a convert. Ill probably mix up practicing between Bikram and these flow classes depending on my mood and energy levels.

Where do you practice? Any other good hot yoga studios downtown?

As January rolls in, many of us are looking for ways to shed the extra pounds we have undoubtedly packed on over the holidays.  I’m thankful that my parents pounded into my head the importance of exercise and healthy eating at an early age  (of course, I  wasn’t so thankful when I was 10 and searching endlessly for the hidden Halloween candy in my Mom’s closet). Now that I am older, I usually seek out healthy food naturally. I actually love and crave big salads with lots of different toppings. I have come across some pretty amazing salad and prepared food bars in Toronto which are both healthy and delicious.

My favourite place to grab a prepped salad is Whole Foods. I LOVE Whole Foods. Its totally yuppie and I don’t care. The salad bar and prepared foods section is amazing. First, you have a choice of romaine lettuce, baby greens and baby spinach, before working your way through toppings like sesame tofu, grilled eggplant, baked cloves of garlic, candied yams, mini potatoes, 3 different types of quinoa and at least 6 cultures of cheese. Their prepared food section doesn’t end there. They also have a hot bar for anyone looking for fresh lasagna, turkey meatballs or beef stir fry. The list goes on, but those are my favourite dishes. I usually mix the hot and cold bars – because I am a grazer, and at the end of the day I have a hard time saying no to food.  Whole Foods does not sell any products that contain unnatural ingredients like dyes or preservatives and most of their food is organic.  For between $10.00-$15.00 dollars you are guaranteed a delicious, filling and totally good-for-you meal!

I used to work downtown at Bay and Queens Quay, which is rammed with lots of bad-for-you, fast food. If are in the financial district a lot and looking for a good place to grab a salad the Longo’s Market (BCE Place) is a safe bet. Like Whole Foods, they have a wide variety of salad toppings – chicken, boiled eggs, seafood salads, smoked salmon, and a ton of veggies and cheese. I usually paid about $12.00 for lunch and looked forward to treating myself at least once a week.

Bay and Elm houses one of my other favourites called Commensal. I uncovered this restaurant back in my vegetarian and vegan days. All of their food is vegetarian friendly, but it is so amazingly delicious you would never know it. They have a hot and cold bar as well as a full counter of deserts! Because this is a vegetarian menu only, you get more variety than your typical hot/cold bar. I especially love that you can choose between 2 types of hummus and a variety of other dips and spreads, not to mention their vegetarian lasagna, quiche, chilli and stir fries.  Yummy! I haven’t been vegetarian/vegan for years, but I still love going back to Commensal. This is the more expensive of the three – usually upwards of $15.00-$20.00 per person.

Do you have a favourite prepared food spot? Any good hot or cold bars in Toronto that I am missing?

I am definitely no wine connoisseur, but I do know what I like when it hits my pallet. Throughout the evening we tried four wines from the series and listened as Marketing Director, Scott Starra, regaled us with stories of Inniskillin’s past and present accolades.

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We started the tasting with a 2008 Two Vineyard Riesling. Unlike most Rieslings this particular blend was not overly sweet, but instead had strong notes of citrus, leaving a refreshed feeling in your mouth. If you like your Rieslings dry with higher acidity levels this is a great choice. It is also highly versatile for food pairings, going well with Asian, Thai and Indian dishes as well as squash soups.  Scott explained that if you are ever unsure of what to pair with a particular meal, a dry Riesling is a good choice as they often accent most flavours and foods.

Our second wine was a 2008 Three Vineyard Chardonnay, oaked in both French and American oak for a full robust bodied taste.  As with the Riesling, this Chardonnay was high in acidity, which is a common element in 2008 white wines because of the long, warm nights that summer was blessed with. I usually prefer an unoaked Chardonnay, however, found this one to be really tasty when paired a strong cheese  like the Roaring Forties Blue from Australia. You can also pair it with buttery foods like lobster, seafood, buttered popcorn (with truffle oil if you’re feeling swanky), and even turkey.

It was finally time to move onto the reds. While I enjoy my whites, I am a red wine girl at heart. I was thrilled to learn our first selection was a Pinot Noir. Maybe it stems from the scene from Sideways in which Miles gives a full description of the delicacy, sensitivity and temperament of the Pinot grape, or maybe its just because i have good taste, but Pinot has been high on my list of favourites for some time.

The 2007 Three Vineyard Pinot Noir owes its full body and distinguished tastes to the hot summer we had in 2007. If you’re looking for a mild Pinot, this is not for you. On the other hand, if you like your wines to have a little bit of attitude and be able to stand on their own this is a great choice.  In terms of pairings, Scott suggested anything with earthy mushroom flavours, pork, duck, or a good brie. I also liked it with the Blackburn cheese from Quebec that we sampled last night.

Our final vino of the soiree was a 2007 Cabernet Franc from Inniskillin’s Reserve Series. As with all wines from 2007, the Cab Franc was very full bodied, without being too strong or intrusive on the pallet.  I liked this wine a lot and since it is the only one we tried last night currently on the stands in the LCBO will definitely be picking some up for the holidays. Priced at $16.95 you’re getting a lot of value at a low cost. This wine is well paired with lamb, steak and grilled chicken as well as a strong well-aged cheese.

The first three wines featured will be hitting the shelves in the near future. If you’re not already familiar with the different wines Inniskillin and other Niagara region wineries have to offer, its high time you get acquainted. For more information on Inniskillin check out their Facebook page, including videos, interviews and recipes.