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The long weekend is almost here, and if you are not sure what to do there are lots of fantastic things on! So grab your sunglasses and take full advantage of the last long weekend of summer. Make it a great one!
Things To Do In Toronto
1.Take A Day Trip To The Toronto Islands (click here to read more)
One of our favourite things to do is to go the the Toronto Islands.
2. Go To The Beach (click here to read more)
The Beach is also a favourite place to be this weekend. Take a stroll on the beach, play some volleyball, watch the seagulls, or enjoy a delicious brunch along Queen Street.
3. Visit The Harboufront Area (click here to read more)
There’s also lots of great things happening at the Harbourfront in general. Read on to find out what to do, where to go, and where the best patio is!
Things To Do Outside Of The City
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4. Take A Day Trip To Niagara On The Lake (click here to read more)
Niagara On the Lake is an absolute favourite. Here’s a short post on what do while you’re in Ontario’s favourite wine country.
5. Go To Cottage Country (click here to read more)
Cottage country is gorgeous, and there’s no better weekend to enjoy it than this one! Here’s a link to a last minute cottage rental site…so tempting!
Things To Do Anywhere
6. Host A Fabuous Dinner Party (click here to read more)
It’s going to be gorgeous, so host a fabulous outdoor dinner party with these amazing recipes.
7. Go On A Cheap, Fun & Active Date (click here to read more)
Great suggestions for cheap, active and super fun date activities. If you’re single don’t fret, grab one of your girlfriends and make it a girls date!
8. Go Hiking With Your Girlfriends (click here to read more)
The great outdoors, great girlfriends…well it all sounds pretty great. And it is. Do something totally different this weekend, and go hiking with your ladies. You’ll love it!
9. Day Dream What Your Fantasy Life (click here to read more)
In a relaxed environment, with no pressure or noise, or stress, or anything to disrupt you, let your mind wander…and create a picture of your dream life. It will be the start of great things for you!
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I can’t say that I’ve always wanted to run away with the circus, in fact, the closest I’ve ever got to the big top was reading Fifth Business as a kid, and creating body image issues for myself in funhouse mirrors. But as I approached my 35th birthday, I wanted to do something different, something that would test my boundaries and help me to regain some of the fearlessness of youth. I decided to try the flying trapeze. Now it’s not an original idea – I admit I saw it on an episode of Sex in the City, but the key was translating this idea into reality. I thought it was going to be difficult to find a circus in Toronto, but through the wonders of the internet, I discovered that the Toronto Circus school offers drop-in trapeze classes in a hangar at Downsview park.
I convinced a few friends to join me and off we went into the unknown. When we arrived we were greeted by a pleasant looking woman who asked us to sign a waiver. I shrugged it off as a precaution and happily signed away my life – all in the name of fun. My friends and I looked at each other and broke out into a nervous giggle. This was safe wasn’t it…??? I tried to reassure us as we walked into the gymnasium. There was nothing to be afraid of. We would have a harness, a net, someone spotting us and of course a lot of practice before we even got up the trapeze.
Or so I thought. As we walked in, all I could see was the 20 foot ladder leading to a precarious looking wooden platform and the vastness of the distance between the trapeze and the net. We all looked at each other and gulped.
There would be no easing into the trapeze; we received a routine, saw a quick demonstration and were strapped in for the horror ahead. The first person up made it look really easy and gave us a false sense of security (we found out later that she was a regular). The trembling people that followed were more the norm. The closer we got to the front of the line, the more nervous we got.
As I had been the instigator of the madness, I had the pleasure of going first. I never thought I had a fear of heights until I got up to the ladder. My arms were trembling and I had to force myself not to look down. As I approached the platform, I kept worrying that I would lose my footing and plummet to the ground. The platform itself was probably only 3×2 feet wide and had to support the weight of two people.
I was sweating as I walked onto the platform and having some serious second thoughts. The spotter told me to grab onto the trapeze with one hand and perch my toes off the front of the platform. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I looked at the net below. Then I was to grab the trapeze with my other hand and when she yelled “hup”, (carnie talk for “go”) I was supposed to jump off with my feet. She yelled, I jumped and swung like a pendulum. I could feel the rush of the air beside me and my arms being ripped from their sockets. I hung on for dear life and could barely hear the instructions of what to do next. After a few swings I was to tuck my knees up and throw them over the trapeze, let go of my arms and then release to fall gracefully onto the net.
This is what happened – I kept swinging, my arms quivering, my body feeling like a dead weight. Try as I might, I couldn’t get my knees over the bar and was stuck there in limbo. After what seemed like an eternity, I heard a voice say something that sounded like “let go”. So I did. I fell onto the net in a heap and rolled onto the floor. I felt exhilarated. I took a second to think about what I had done and smiled. I just did the flying trapeze. Now how many people can say that?
P.S. I did better the second time around.
Heena is a labour lawyer with a large Canadian financial institution and has contributed several articles to Cashmere Clutch.
If you liked this article you may also like Heena’s other articles:
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Our latest Fearless and Fabulous Female Entrepreneur Series feature is Orlena Cain – founder of Sugarcain Entertainment, an online magazine that supports up and coming, aspiring female journalists, Belleville’s Mix97’s morning announcer, and The Shopping Channel’s TV presenter. Orlena also works closely with the Children’s Aid Society, and other charitable organizations. Busy does not even begin to describe Orlena, but you’ll be surprised by what makes her tick and what she would do differently if she could do it all again.
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How did you start your business?
I created it 6 years ago to help me build my portfolio of interviews and I kept meeting women who wanted to come on board and do the same. 2010 marks the end of a significant run in the world of entertainment news for Sugarcain Entertainment. We started out with one and currently have 25 journos that are in Toronto, Barrie, Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal. Vancouver, BC, Los Angeles, CA and TEXAS! We really are everywhere!
What’s your typical day like?
Throughout the ownership of my own online magazine, I have also continued to work as a television host and now morning show radio host too. A typical day starts at 430am/530am depending on if I wash my hair or
not, which also depends on how restless my night was…lol! Its on air 600am – 1000am in Belleville on MIX97 radio (Mon-Fri)and then if need be I may have to travel an hour and 45 minutes to The Shopping Channel (TSC) studio to work an afternoon or evening shift. I usually work weekends in Toronto at TSC.
What was your biggest worry when you started your own company?
My biggest worry was that no one would find it interesting enough to read and to date we have 250-thousand readers! Not too shabby for no advertising and purely word of mouth.
How long did it take for you to feel confident about working for yourself?
For me confidence has never been something that I wait for to do something. I walk fearlessly and sometimes foolishly in the path of the least expected. Sometimes I fall flat on my face…but most times noone is around to see it and I dust myself off, wipe a tear away if it has strayed and keep moving. Life is a battle. You don’t stop – keep moving!
What surprised you the most about working for yourself?
I will tell you what surprised me most about working for myself – you can make anything happen and it is true, ” If you build it, they will come.”
What’s the biggest reward in working for yourself?
The biggest reward is that I have had a successful online magazine for 6 years and I have helped alot of young women help themselves. I feel incredibly grateful to have met over 50 women who have been affiliated
with Sugarcain Entertainment. Some have moved on to great jobs like Monika Platek who is an in house announcer for their live TV coverage for the TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS or Loriann Vilani who works on 102.1 THE EDGE as an anouncer.
What have you sacrificed?
I have sacrificed having or starting a family. I have sacrificed sleep. But I would change nothing, because, everything is as it should be.
Is there anything you would have done differently?
EVERYTHING IS AS IT SHOULD BE. If I could change anything, I may have told a couple of people to go SCREW THEMSELVES. However, the world is small, so I silently have said it and not verbalized it, even though they deserved it.
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Other Inspiring Women: Fearless and Fabulous Female Entrepreneurs
Ali De Bold – cofounder of ChickAdvisor
Equipped with a great business idea and loads of hard work she and her husband and business partner, Alex De Bold, started www.ChickAdvisor.com – Canada’s first user generated reviews community for women to share advice on their favourite products and local places. Find out how she did it, and the one thing she would have done differently!
Lisa Ng – founder of HelloDJ
Lisa Ng is a woman that goes after what she wants. She’s never worked in a corporate office, she owns her own DJ company, Hello DJ, and she’s not afraid to take risks. But how did she do it and what’s it like?
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We’re trying to reach our goal of 150 fans on our facebook page and would be tickled pink if you would “like” our page.
Please join us here and show us some love by clicking “like”
Awww, thanks for helping out a friend!
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Yesterday we happened upon this great little French cheese shop called Chabichou. It was so charming looking that we actually turned around and went back so we could go inside!
When inside the decor is the classic small cheese store; a large counter area with a great selection of cheeses, little jars of fancy French jams, fresh baguettes and croissants, and also a gorgeous selection of fresh quiches and quality home made meal options.
But that’s not all, the cute guys that work there have the most lovely French accents, and they are so friendly and pleasant (defiinitely the opposite of what you would experience in France where you would be treated like a degenerate if you didn’t pronounce the names of the fancy cheeses properly).
Tempted by the pistachio terrine’s we could resist buying a big block of the French treat with a crusty baguette.
We dove into it as soon as we got home, and it was like magic!
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It’s Wednesday, it’s summer, and it’s hot! That means it’s time for a mojito!
Now you don’t have to slurp back hundreds of calories when you enjoy this insanely refreshing drink – the Weight Watchers version is very diet friendly!
Diet Friendly Mojito Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Bacardi Rum
- 12 fresh spearmint leaves
- 1/2 lime
- 7 oz sprite zero or club soda
- 2 tbsp. Splenda
Directions:
In a cool tall glass, mix the mint, Splenda and lime juice. Add crushed ice. Add rum, soda and stir well. Garnish with a lime wedge and a few sprigs of mint. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy!
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Every year Canstage puts on a fabulous evening of entertainment with Dream in High Park. This year it’s Romeo and Juliet and that doesn’t mean it’s only for couples; everyone is welcome and it’s a great way to spend a night with friends, family or alone.
You pack a picnic, sneak in a little bit of wine, perch on the viewing ledges, and watch the excitment build as the stage gets its final touches and the sun sets. When the production begins you are treated to a great night of entertainment in a totally unique setting.
If you haven’t been to Dream In High Park time is running out! Make sure you check it out before September 5th. Shows are Tuesday to Sunday and it starts at 8pm, with gates opening at 6pm. There’s a minimum donation of $20, which is a steal, and of course if you are a big fan of supporting the arts they always welcome additional donations.
Here are directions on how to get there
If you liked this post make sure you share it with friends on facebook, twitter or email this link.
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We’re trying to reach our goal of 150 fans on our facebook page and would be tickled pink if you would “like” our page.
Please join us here and show us some love by clicking “like”
Awww, thanks for helping out a friend!
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That’s right. What’s better than free stuff in the city in the summer?
According to the Toronto Star Metric is putting on a free show this Wednesday, August 3rd at 7pm at Union Station.
Here’s the full story directly from the Toronto Star Entertainment Reporters Ben Rayner and Bruce DeMara:
Hot Canadian rock band Metric will play a free concert outside Union Station on Wednesday night.
Samsung Mobile announced the show on Tuesday without naming the band.
But a source within the band’s camp confirmed Metric was it. “It’s true. It’s all happening. It’s not really a big secret or anything.”
And details of the event — going down at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Union Square Plaza — were leaked via Twitter and readily available online mere hours after Samsung started dropping hints on its own Twitter feed.
One clue read: “I wonder who this band is going to be? Is it The Beatles or could it be the Rolling Stones?”
That brings to mind Metric’s hit song “Gimme Sympathy,” which includes the lyrics, “After all of this is gone / Who’d you rather be? / The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?”
Apparently, the only reason Metric’s identity was kept secret was to appease city officials worried that a giant crush of people would wind up on Front St.
That will almost certainly be the case now that the cat’s out of the bag. Drivers, you’ve been warned.
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In Ontario we have a fabulous 3 days off for the August long weekend.
Not sure what to do? There are lots of fantastic things going on, not to mention the weather is going to be absolutely gorgeous!
Things To Do In Toronto
1.Take A Day Trip To The Toronto Islands (click here to read more)
One of our favourite things to do is to go the the Toronto Islands.
2. Go To The Beach (click here to read more)
The Beach is also a favourite place to be this weekend. Take a stroll on the beach, play some volleyball, watch the seagulls, or enjoy a delicious brunch along Queen Street.
3. Visit The Harboufront Area (click here to read more)
There’s also lots of great things happening at the Harbourfront in general. Read on to find out what to do, where to go, and where the best patio is!
4. Take Part In Caribana (click here to read more)
Of course you’ve probably heard that this weekend is the Caribana weekend – it’s a massive party that consumes a large part of our city to so here’s information on how you can get involved.
Things To Do Outside Of The City
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5. Take A Day Trip To Niagara On The Lake (click here to read more)
Niagara On the Lake is an absolute favourite. Here’s a short post on what do while you’re in Ontario’s favourite wine country.
6. Go To Cottage Country (click here to read more)
Cottage country is gorgeous, and there’s no better weekend to enjoy it than this one! Here’s a link to a last minute cottage rental site…so tempting!
Things To Do Anywhere
7. Host A Fabuous Dinner Party (click here to read more)
It’s going to be gorgeous, so host a fabulous outdoor dinner party with these amazing recipes.
8. Go On A Cheap, Fun & Active Date (click here to read more)
Great suggestions for cheap, active and super fun date activities. If you’re single don’t fret, grab one of your girlfriends and make it a girls date!
9. Go Hiking With Your Girlfriends (click here to read more)
The great outdoors, great girlfriends…well it all sounds pretty great. And it is. Do something totally different this weekend, and go hiking with your ladies. You’ll love it!
10. Day Dream What Your Fantasy Life (click here to read more)
In a relaxed environment, with no pressure or noise, or stress, or anything to disrupt you, let your mind wander…and create a picture of your dream life. It will be the start of great things for you!
