Sex and the City 2 Premiere Party

Last night, Bridget and I attended the What Women Want Sex and the City cocktail party at the 99 Sudbury event space. Earlier in April, I had entered a contest on this blog to win two free tickets to this party, and I won! So naturally, I called up Bridget and asked her to come along with me.

The anticipation for this party was immense. The build-up of it all was great. I find, before any party, I get so excited with the preparation for it: the manicures/pedicures, cocktail dress selection, new shoes, accessories, drinks prior to the party, and just how fashionably late should I be?

I ended up wearing a strapless Betsey Johnson (pale yellow with tiny white dots, corseted, then flowy) dress, Browns nude-coloured platform stiletto-heeled pumps, and a nude clutch with gold buckles by Jennifer Scott. (Sorry for the poor quality photo, it was taken on my Blackberry, and I promise that the dress looks better on than off!)

I started my night out by going to meet Bridget at her place, and then out to get some drinks and a little something to eat. We ended up at Fuzion on Church Street, one block north of Wellesley. They have the cutest patio and totally friendly staff. We each had a 'Big Red', which is a fabulous drink, comprised of Absolut Mandarin, Alize Passion Fruit Liqueur,  cranberry juice and Red Bull. It was so delicious, I had to have more than one!

We also ordered a few tapas dishes. We had the Fuzion Frites with avocado-scallion aioli, and Rice Balls. The frites with the dip were yummy... The rice balls? Not so much. Essentially, they were just deep fried balls of rice with what seemed like melted mozzarella cheese, and a tomato paste dip. I do not recommend this tapas choice! (Editor's Note: I'm aware that these are most certainly not part of my new diet, but I mean, it's only been one day! I'm bound to slip up and forget at the beginning! Back to dieting....)

We then decided we were fashionably late enough to head over to the party at 99 Sudbury (Liberty Village, one block south of The Drake hotel).

Upon arrival, we were greeted by scantily-clad women, and were given one drink ticket for a Carrie-themed Cosmo. After a quick pit-stop in the bathroom to adjust make up, and rest sore new-shoe feet, we headed into the main room.

We soon came to the realization that you had to collect your goodie bag as you enter the party. This, we both found to be very unfortunate. Nobody wants to mill around a party carrying a massive, heavy bag from The Bay, filled with perfume, juice drinks, and cosmetics. This was definite poor planning on the party committee's part. I would suggest in the future, they dole out the gift bags as people are leaving.

As we entered the main room, it became apparent that this "party" was more of a trade show, than anything else. I was aware, from the mass amount of messages I received via Facebook regarding this party, that there would be many SATC-themed vendors, but I didn't realize that it would be one giant room, filled wall-to-wall with vendors! There were bikinis, dresses, manicures, purses, jewelry, false eyelashes, the works! But where was the dance floor? Where was the great music and fun, party people?

All around the room,  there was an eclectic mix of women, that's for sure.... and approximately seven men - two of whom were straight. There were some very fashionable women, wearing gorgeous cocktail dresses and amazing shoes, and then there were the tragically dressed women who just have no clue how to dress for a cocktail party - SATC-themed, no less. I know this sounds mean, but there are blogs you can read, and websites you can scan - magazines, even! - that can tell you exactly how to dress for a party of the like. Even an LBD will do! For those of you who do not know, an LBD is a little black dress. They are perfect for any event, if all else fails.

After about 30 minutes, and one free cocktail later, Bridget and I had had enough people-watching, and decided to head for a little Queen West action. Because of the whole new-shoe-factor, we hopped in a cab and arrived at The Drake a mere two minutes and $4 later. After a quick flash of the ID's, we traipsed up the stairs to the stunning Drake Sky Yard, a personal favourite of mine among nighttime patios in Toronto. We grabbed our vodka-sodas-with-a-wedge-of-lime, snagged two seats by the bar, and resumed our people-watching, albeit a little more interesting than the all-girls party we were just at down the street.

Four vodka sodas and two doubles later, we headed back down to the street and hailed a cab. Our funny little Thursday night adventure had come to an end, but not regrettably.

All in all, it was a fun night (as soon as we arrived at the Sky Yard). No goodie bags to brag about, no new toys from any of the vendors, and certainly no real gossip after such a quiet night. Tonight, I have a fun-filled evening of work from 4.30pm-10.30pm, and a Bar Mitzvah in London Ont all weekend!

Tata for now, lovelies!

StheF

"On the whole, human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time."

The title of this post is one of my favourite quotes. It was said by famed and acclaimed author, George Orwell. It's one that I find relatable, and definitely applicable to our society, and societies around the globe, in this day in age.

This afternoon, I went for a run under the piping hot sun. The Weather Network (I live by it) informed me that it was a sunny day, 31 degrees - feels like 38. These kinds of days are my favourite to run. You really get to push yourself in the heat, sweat it all out, stop in the park to stretch out and bask under the rays for 15 minutes, then carry on your way.

My favourite part about running is no matter how many people are around, no matter how many cars drive past, no matter how many construction men whistle, I am in my own world. Running is an escape for me. It is one of the reasons I look forward to summer the most. It is the best way to organize my thoughts, reflect on what's going on in my life, and just clear my head.

Lately, a lot has been going on for me in my life, personally speaking. It's just so great to let loose and run for miles, without a care in the world at long last. Do you ever feel like you just want to rip your brain out because it won't shut off, or even shut up for one minute? The greatest thing to do on days like that is to hit the ground running and never look back.

Writing has always been an outlet for me as well, but it just doesn't compare to the sound of my running shoes smacking the pavement, my deep, heavy breathing - in through the nose, out through the mouth - and the silence and clarity in my head.

When I woke up this morning, I wrote out a draft of a diet/new lifestyle plan I'm going to try. I call it,

10 STEPS TOWARD SUCCESS

• Step 1: NO MORE JUNKFOOD! (Chips, fast food, candy, deep-fried food, ice cream, etc.)
• Step 2: NO MORE POP OR SUGARY DRINKS!
• Step 3: EAT VEGETABLES WITH EVERY MEAL!
• Step 4: EAT BREAKFAST! (Wheat or bran cereal, fruit, and a glass of juice)
• Step 5: NO MORE SLEEPING IN! (Must be out of bed by 10.30am latest)
• Step 6: RUN AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK! (Make a schedule and stick to it)
• Step 7: NO MORE BEER OR SUGARY DRINKS! (Only clear drinks or white wine)
• Step 8: QUIT SMOKING! (By the end of June - Permanently)
• Step 9: SPEND TIME OUTSIDE EVERY DAY! (Go for a walk, go window shopping)
• Step 10: DO SOMETHING FUN EVERY DAY!

I really don't think any of these things are unattainable. I even gave myself a realistic date to quit smoking. That's going to be the hardest task on this list, but I know that with enough will power and support from friends, I can do it!

Well, it's time to hop in the shower after being outside all day in the heat! 

Until next time,

StheF

Hot Damn, Summer in the City.

When summer rolls in, the city buzzes with excitement, and last Thursday was no exception.

I took a stroll (and by stroll, I mean car ride) down to Kensington Market with a friend to fix his bike. He had left it in Kingston, and it was stripped down to the frame. They took everything from the back tire to the pedals. He found a tiny, little nook in the back of an alley beside Segovia called Parts Unknown, where he could find used bicycle parts for cheap, and build up his bike.

As he was rummaging through old bicycle parts, I walked through the streets of Kensington Market to kill some time. I've got to say - people-watching in this part of the city is pretty amazing. The most eclectic crowd can be found milling about the streets. People from all walks of life are popping in and out of shops, restaurants and cafes, perched on steps, wandering the one-way streets that make up the market. Hand-in-hand, laughing, smoking, chatting, drinking - you name it!

I think my favourite part of people-watching is catching the tail-end of people's conversations. For example:
"...and then he fell in a ditch!"
Or,
"..she said her nipple turned purple and..."

The weather this weekend has been incredible. Gorgeous, sunny days, parties, patios, friends, family.. I love the summer! And it only gets better from here.

I have to sign off now, as I must get ready for work! Yes, that's right. I'm working on Holiday Monday.. But I get those holiday dollars $$$$, which are significantly higher than my regular hourly pay! :) Super happy about raking in the mula!

Hope you all had a fabulous, sunny, patio-filled, hopefully cottage-filled long weekend! I would love to hear about it, so comment away with the fun things you got up to!

Tata for now,

StheF

How could I forget?!

I almost forgot to tell you!

I cooked a feast last night for a couple friends. I started prepping around 3.30-4pm, and it was all ready to eat by 7.30pm. Longest I have ever spent slaving away in the kitchen... but so so worth it!

The meal started with a delicious Asian sesame salad (iceberg lettuce, red peppers, cucumbers, celery, Asian sesame dressing). One of my friends is super picky about veggies, but for some reason, whenever I make a salad - which is rare, seeing as I never make a home-cooked meal - he always eats it!

I made some fusilli with a tomato & mushroom sauce as a side.

The entree was a buttermilk oven-fried chicken breast, which turned out amazingly; however, it was an incredible process to make. First, I had to make my own buttermilk, as I didn't have any. It's really simple, you just need 1 cup of whole milk and 1-3/4 tablespoon of cream of tartar. Let it stand for 15 minutes, and voila! Homemade buttermilk. After that was ready, I poured it into a bowl, added some salt and pepper, and dropped four chicken breasts in to marinate for 2.5 hours in the fridge.

Then, I put flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a double paper bag. When the chicken was finished marinating, one by one I dropped a breast into the paper bag and shook it around so it was fully coated in the flour mixture.

I then pre-heated the oven to 425 degrees, poured a little oil in a baking pan, and placed the chicken breasts inside. I baked them for 30 minutes, and then flipped them with some tongs and baked them for 15 more minutes.

They turned out perfectly! They were actually so good, I received rave reviews!

I'll keep you updated on my next home-cooked meal. It was a lot of work to prepare, but a lot of fun, and it's always great when your company enjoys your cooking!

Anyway, I'm exhausted. I just got home from a seven hour shift at work! Busy night.

Sweet dreams, lovelies.

StheF

Oh..Hi!

Well it seems it's been a while since my last post. I kept telling myself that I would get back onto the blogging train and organize my life, but I only did the ladder. I think it's time to start writing again, seeing as it's summer and it has been a year since I began this thing.

So what has transpired in the life of Sadie, you may ask? Well, I have completed my first year in the Humber College Public Relations program, which was an absolute blast. I have met some incredible people, learned a ton, and had many amazing experiences.. And it's only the beginning!

I picked up a summer job (although it's sadly only part-time) as a court steward at a tennis club in Toronto. Sounds glamourous (haha), I know! I change the balls every two hours, clean the clubhouse (that includes toilets!), answer the phone, sweep the patio, make coffee, make juice, and chat with members. The best part is I get to be outside for at least six hours, so it's a lot better than a desk job!

The most exciting news right now, is I just returned from an incredible, life changing, trip of a lifetime to the land of milk and honey - ISRAEL! Because I am Jewish, I had the privilege of taking what is called a Birthright trip to Israel. That means an all-expense paid trip to learn more about my religion, the only Jewish state in the world, the conflict that is sadly taking place in that part of the world, and meet some outstanding people.

I've gotta say, if you're Jewish, and between the ages of 18 and 26, you HAVE to do this trip. It's honestly one of the best opportunities to travel for free, see some amazing sites, and make some life-long friends. I traveled all over the country, south to north, slept in bedouin tents in the desert, rode camels, swam in the dead sea, hiked up Masada, toured Yad Vashem (Holocaust memorial), saw Mt. Hertzl (IDF soldier cemetary), and so much more. Not to mention - the FOOD is TO DIE FOR!

The above picture is THE best falafel I've ever had in my life. I had it in the Old City of Jerusalem in the Jewish quarter.

This is how we ate in the bedouin tents in the desert. It was four to a table, and we all sat on mats on the floor. Inside the silver pan, there was what sort of resembled naan bread, with rice and meat. On the side, there were fresh cucumbers, tomatoes and green peppers, cabbage cole slaw, and tahina sauce. We used the bread to eat and dip in the sauce. It was absolutely delish!

In the mystical city of Tzvat, we ate these yummy sandwiches prepared in front of us by a Yemanite man. It was almost like a crepe, but a little thicker. He poured what looked like pancake mix into a pan, then added feta cheese, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and some spices. After it was ready, he would flip it out of the pan onto a wooden surface, then fold it over as a sandwich. My mouth is watering just thinking of it!

All in all, the trip was incredible! I can't wait to return to Israel.. Hopefully sooner than later!

Anyway, I hope this is the beginning of my return to the blogging world.
Catch ya later,

StheF

My Personal Brand

Hey guys,

Click this link to check out my personal brand!

It's been a long and tedious process, but it's complete, and I'm feeling pretty proud of it.

Cheers,

StheF

Ethiopian House

If you're in the mood for some ethnic food, but are looking for something new, try Ethiopian House at 4 Irwin Ave. (just south of Yonge and Bloor). The authentic Ethiopian dishes are absolutely delicious, healthy and include many vegetarian options.

When you first arrive and are seated at your table, you'll first notice something sort of strange for a restaurant. There is no cutlery on the tables. That's because this food is meant to be eaten with your hands, and sopped up by the native bread from Ethiopia, known as injera. Injera is a pancake-like bread, made out of teff flour, with a very spongy texture. Rather than using a fork, tear small pieces of injera and soak up the food with it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Because I had never eaten here before, I was very new to the menu, but that was no problem at all. The servers here are very helpful and can guide you in the right direction and are happy to explain anything, depending on what you feel for. We decided to go for the mixed platter of veggies and meat.

For $12.95, this platter comes with dollops of Tibs (pan-fried beef), Tikil Gomon (cabbage & carrots), and Atakelet Wot (string beans, potatoes & cottage cheese). This platter is extremely filling, so be sure to share with someone. Each dollop of veggies or meat has its own distinct and delectable flavour, ranging from sweet and savory, to spicy and rich.

Be sure to stick around for the traditional coffee ceremony at the end of your meal.

Party Size: 2
Price Range: $10-20/person
Visit Again?: Hopefully sooner than later
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere: 3.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Fulfill Your Cravings Any Night of the Week

Surrounded by Yonge Street’s traditional trattorias, Cravings (3393 Yonge Street), an Asian fusion resto, brings modern flare to North Toronto’s Lawrence Park neighbourhood. The menu offers up a delicious, affordable selection of Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese dishes, with a waft of Indian influence, in tapas style, or larger sharing portions.

I went on a Sunday night, which was surprisingly very busy, and I managed to squeeze us in for a 7 p.m. reservation. (Note: Reservations are definitely recommended, if you’re hoping to get a table.) Comfortable, clean and modern, the restaurant consists of a main room, linked by a corridor of five white upholstered booths, to a back room, featuring a sushi bar. Lit throughout with beautiful glass Murano chandeliers (they sure could use a dusting), patrons dine in an intimately pleasant atmosphere.

Because the dishes are so small, we ordered quite a few:

-Gyoza – pan-fried, veal dumplings with sweet soya dip ($7);

-Chicken Thai spring rolls – served with sweet chili dip ($5);

-Hot and sour soup – with tofu, bamboo shoots, egg and black fungus ($5);

-Thai mango salad – mango, red pepper, red onion, carrot, served in Thai fish sauce vinaigrette with a hint of mint ($8);

-Dynamite sushi rolls ($7);

-Spicy tuna sushi rolls ($7);

-Spicy salmon sushi pizza ($9);

-Butterfish sushi ($5);

-Shanghai fried noodles – wheat noodles, chicken, shrimp, stir-fried with Chinese soya sauce ($12);

-Ginger and scallions stir-fry – simple, yet flavourful Chinese traditional dish with the option of chicken, beef, seafood, or vegetables ($11);

-Coconut sticky rice ($3);

-and Steamed Jasmine rice ($2).

If you are looking for a restaurant that serves popular dishes from a variety of Asian countries, this is the place for you. Many of the menu options are familiar, with a few surprises. Everything is very fresh, which is certainly important when it comes to sushi, for example.

The Thai Mango Salad was deliciously sweet and perfectly crunchy. The ginger chicken and scallion dish, however, lacked flavour, and the chef went a little heavy on the cornstarch. The Hot and Sour Soup ranks among the best in the city, boasting great flavours and fresh ingredients, unlike Chinatown, where more often than not, you’re served a bowl of goop. My favourite was the Spicy Salmon Sushi Pizza, which was generously loaded with salmon, wasabi, and tobiko, on a yummy bed of crunchy, deep-fried rice.

Service throughout was friendly and accommodating, but a little too fast for our liking. Piping hot dishes arrived one after the other at a pace that made it difficult for us to keep up, without everything going cold.

The menu is reasonably priced, which makes Cravings a real find in this upscale part of town. Our total came to $92.50 (plus tax, tip, alcohol) for three people.

Overall, I would certainly return to this restaurant, as well as recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, fast and reliable Asian meal in the Yonge-Lawrence area.

It's Always Breakfast Time at Easy Restaurant!

Despite its location, Easy Restaurant, 1645 Queen Street West @ Roncesvalles, is not overrun by the ever-present hipsters that have taken over Queen West. An eclectic mix of people can be seen dining in the classic, cozy diner atmosphere. Small, orange booths line the west wall, while small, wooden tables-for-two line the east. Posters of old action movies hang on the walls, include one of Peter Fonda's famous "Easy Rider," which displays an obvious theme that encompasses the name of the restaurant.


The menu offers a wide array of breakfast food, ranging from more typical breakfast meals (eggs, bacon, etc.) to delicious, and often more lunchy sandwiches (offered on spelt bread - naturally leavened, organic & yeast free), as well as Easy's signature breakfast dish, Huevos Divorciados (2 sunny eggs on a corn tortilla with spicy green & red salsa, re-fried black beans with side guacamole, ancho jam, toasted baguette - with salad or homefries - $12.50).

Out of all the places I've had brunch at in Toronto, Easy has to be one of my favourites. I went on a Sunday afternoon, around 3 p.m., and the place was more or less empty. I liked it like that though, because the service was great and speedy.

After a long deliberation over the amazing choices on the quite extensive menu, I decided, because it was lunch time, I was more in the mood for one of the many sandwich options on the menu. I went for the BBQ Chipotle Chicken on Spelt Toast, which was absolutely mouthwatering, to say the least.

For $11.95, this sandwich comes with sliced avocado, fresh tomato, lettuce with chipotle chicken breast on spelt toast, and chipotle mayonnaise (on the side) - with salad or homefries. I chose to go with the homefries, which were perfectly seasoned, a bit crispy, and truly delectable.

To drink, I had the Classic Smoothie (Easy has three other smoothies to choose from). It was incredibly refreshing and fruity, with strawberries, bananas and OJ.

Overall, I highly recommend Easy Restaurant for breakfast, lunch or brunch. It's open every day from 9-5 p.m., with free wifi from Monday-Friday!

Party Size: 2
Price Range: $10-25/person
Visit Again?: Can't wait
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

It's just about that time...

I kick myself everyday for letting my blog slip onto the back-burner. This past September, I've started my three year Public Relations diploma program at Humber College, which has been, needless to say, incredibly busy. From excessive readings, assignments, to tests, and midterms galore, I haven't had a chance for my leisure writing!

So far, this program has been great, especially when you put it in comparison with Guelph. I've made tons of friends, the material is so very interesting, it's in Toronto (huge plus) and, to top it all off, I'm doing so well! Combined, it's a recipe for success, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Right now, we're focusing on grammar, spelling, and punctuation (parts of speech, commas and semicolons, and sentence elements) in my College Writing Skills class, and one of our first assignments of the year was an autobiography. The angle we were to take was to position ourselves as PR practitioners and tell a bit about ourselves, past experiences, ambitions and objectives for the future. I got 100% on this assignment, and I am pretty damn proud of myself for that, so I thought I would share it with those of you who were curious enough to read it:


Indulging in Creativity with a Divine Passion for Writing

I’ve resisted working in Public Relations all of my life. My mother had a stack of news releases waiting for her to approve when we returned from the hospital the day after my birth. I’ve heard about brand building, reputation management, strategic initiatives, crusty or cooperative media contacts, visionary clients and clients who don’t get PR at all… since day one.

My mother leads a big Public Relations agency in Toronto, and I’ve had the chance to work there for three summers in a row. To be honest, I did not enjoy it there at all. Maybe that was because I was an unappreciative teenager, or because I never thought I’d follow in my mother’s footsteps. Because of past experiences and personal interests, I know now that this is the profession I belong in.

I’ve always enjoyed expressing myself through writing - from poems to short stories, non-fiction, and newspaper articles. After an incredible and stimulating three-week student exchange to Tokyo, Japan, at the young age of 14, I decided to write a short book. I filled it with my wonderful experiences in the form of poems, e-mails I, had sent to friends and family, short anecdotes, and summaries of each place I visited and every kind of food I tasted. Parts of it were sent back to the school I was studying at in Tokyo, while the rest went into a scrapbook I made about my trip. This was a great accomplishment for me and encouraged me to stay on the writing train.

My strong interest in writing led me to a creative writing course in my final year of high school. Through this course, I improved my writing greatly, and had the chance to have two poems published in the Montreal Jewish Public Library’s edition of First Fruits.

Through my high school years, I wrote for my high school newspaper, wrote articles for my mother’s company website, as well as started a restaurant critique blog to channel my excess creative energy.

I would really love to have a career in which I could put my love for writing and creativity to good use. After two years of studying at the University of Guelph, in Sociology, a program of very little interest to me, I did a great deal of research to find a program that best suited my interests. Low and behold, Public Relations seemed to be that program!

My dream has always been to be the food editor for Toronto Life magazine, but now, after learning more about the field of Public Relations, I’ve discovered that I would also love to work in PR. Perhaps falling into my mother’s footsteps wouldn’t be so bad after all.

...Well, I'm off to the first family dinner of the long weekend!
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, everyone!

StheF