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A Night Out at Yuk Yuks!
January 12th, 2011 I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Yuk Yuks Standup Comedy Club when a “new friend” invited me to a night of laughter. Various comics entered the stage with different styles of humour. It was great to see some upcoming Canadian talent and an excited audience who interacted with the comics. Yuk Yuks is not only a great place to go on a second or third date but a great place to meet people in general.
It’s an easy-going atmosphere because most of the spectators are having a drink and a bite to eat. Another great component about Yuk Yuks is that it welcomes new talent and it’s an inexpensive date idea. I wouldn’t recommend you bring your love interest to a comedy club for the first date for the simple fact that you cannot speak to each other. It’s not exactly one-on-one time– it is you and your date listening to someone else speak.
The first date should be more of a sit-down over food or possibly an activity, like bowling for example, which will allow you to exchange information about each other. A comedy club is a great date idea, however, the first date should be the “getting-to-know-you” phase, and perhaps you can get a sense of whether the person shares a similar sense of humour as you. Once that is established, you can proceed to bringing your love interest to comedy clubs like Yuk Yuks.
An interesting tip for a date at Yuk Yuks is to sit in the front seats near the stage. You can enjoy the comic’s jokes up close and personal and they might just crack a few jokes about the fact that you’re on a date. So, make sure that you and your partner are comfortableand prepared to take the heat.
Check out their website to make reservations and see what they have to offer: http://www.yukyuks.com/
“Things To Do” This Winter!
December 15th, 2010Winter is arguably the busiest of the four seasons, with plenty of running around to find the best gifts for your loved ones. But despite all the chaos during the holidays, the most important moments will be the ones you share with immediate family and your significant other. Here are a few date ideas and family fun for this winter. Happy Holidays!
1. Christmas at Black Creek
Until December 23rd, 2010: Enjoy food, music and performances in Christmas by Lamplight and Sunday Christmas Dinners. This is a great place to bring your kids too! Reservations are required so make sure to book in advance.
2. The Toronto Zoo’s 35th Annual Christmas Treats Walk
Sunday December 26th, 2010: This is a ONE DAY ONLY event on Boxing Day that you do not want to miss! Starting at 10:00am, this outdoor event will have free hot chocolate for everyone during the walk. Tickets are half price all day and you can also donate to the food bank.
3. The Toronto Zoo’s 8th Annual New Years Eve Family Countdown
Friday December 31st, 2010: A non-traditional way to enjoy New Years Eve with our loved ones. The annual countdown features surprise performances, special animal visits and great food! This is a good option for couples with small children, nothing better than a little family fun to start off 2011!
4. Fun at Harbourfront Centre
December 2010- February 2011: For those of you who love music, beautiful Holiday decor and skating, check out 1 Love T.O: Holiday Party Edition with DJ DLUX and JEDI, Saturday, December 18th, 2010. And do not worry about not knowing how to skate, the Harbourfront Centre offers training and a “mini-rink” for those who are inexperienced, I assure you will still have fun.
5. Kensington Market Winter Solstice
Tuesday December 21st, 2010: The event formerly known as the Kensington Market Festival of Lights allows for couples to enjoy the artistic side of the Holiday in Toronto. For those of you who like to see creative, unique work, go ahead and invite that ‘special someone’ out for a day of fun.
6. Trail of Lights at Downsview Park
Friday November 26th – Sunday January 2nd, 2011: With Christmas decorations along a paved path, you can enjoy a casual stroll through Downsview Park on Wednesday nights or drive through the Trail of Lights. Whether you are with family members or your partner, it will be a beautiful experience.
7. Winterlicious
January 28th – February 10th 2011: Tickets go on sale December 16, 2010Includes 150 participating Toronto restaurants offering inexpensive meals that you can enjoy throughout the season. Go to the website for a full list of the restaurants and booking information: http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/se/restaurants.nsf/Winterlicious?Openform
8. Nathan Phillips Square
November 2010- March 2011: Open to the public throughout the winter, this is one of Toronto’s most popular rinks where you can enjoy skating, food, and carolers singing during your stay. If you and your partner love being around other love birds, this is definitely the place to be.
9. Niagara Falls CAA Festival of Lights
December 6th, 2010 – January 31st , 2011: This can be the perfect getaway for couples during the Holidays. You can enjoy your time skating around in the TD Rink at the Brink or enjoy amazing performances at the Christmas Concert Series! Whatever you and your partner choose, you will definitely have an amazing time.
10. Shamrock Lodge Winter Weekend Getaway
December 2010 – March 2011: The package includes 2 nights accommodation, 1 candle light dinner and 2 breakfasts for about $240 per person. A weekend in Muskoka could be a romantic getaway or a family holiday getaway. Children under 10 are free, for more information contact (705) 765-3177.
An Introduction and Review
September 25th, 2010Toronto Poetry Slam
As a new writer for Love In Toronto, I am excited to express my opinions and review on not only the events that are happening in Toronto, but the people. Toronto can be a fun place, with a population of over 2.5 million residents (excluding tourists and visitors) and thousands of restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs, parks, historical sites and entertainment venues that cater to the diverse communities in our city. The statistics may seem overwhelming to a newcomer, and perhaps they wouldn’t know where or how to start having fun in this big city. Well, that’s where I come in. The reason for my use of the words “Toronto can be fun”, rather than, “Toronto is fun”, is because some Torontonians complain about Toronto being a dull place.
I thought these claims were ridiculous at first, until I asked why they would say such things about this beautiful and exciting city. The fact is, many Torontonians are busy with work, school, internships, family, and others simply have financial limitations that do not allow them to see this wonderful city for what it really is. So, the “fun” in Toronto happens for those who not only have a little extra time on their hands, but for those who make time. And for people who have too many commitments at the moment, there are alternatives to going out every night and spending big bucks. There are free and reasonable events in the city every year and even a walk in the park can be arguably fulfilling. Therefore, as a writer, I want to shed light on various places and events that people living in and outside Toronto can enjoy.
Last night (Friday, September 24th, 2010) I attended the Toronto Poetry Slam, which took place in downtown Toronto at The Drake Hotel. I was invited by a friend of mine who happens to be one-fourth of a wonderful spoken word group called The Recipe. The Recipe has won the 2009 Canadian Poetry Slam Championship and have shared the stage with Saul Williams, and Amir Suliman. The event was hosted by David Silverberg and it allowed various poets a chance to compete and be inspired by those who performed. This amazing event was only for 5 bucks! What started as a facebook invite turned into an exciting and new experience in Toronto.
The Poetry Slam takes place once a month and has been going strong for 5 years. Prior to last night I was a “Poetry Slam virgin” who enjoyed poetry and writing in general, but had not yet been exposed to something of this caliber. I also had the honour of being one of last nights five judges. My task was to judge the poets based on their writing, performance, and how effective their poem was. I was one of the harder judges of the night, earning a few thumbs down and “boo’s” after revealing my scores. Overall, the poets did an amazing job, however, some were better than others.
Now, you may be wondering the same thing that the audience did about me, “What gives me the right to judge writing?” For I am no journalist, no author of any book, nor am I a teacher or a poet. Well the truth is that I, like the other four judges, were chosen randomly. I would never consider myself an expert or writing professional of any sort, however, I do believe I am familiar enough with writing to know what good writing is. I am also not in the position to judge anyones performance because the last time I performed was in my grade seven drama class, and I was forced to do it. However, the opportunity was offered, and I simply took it. Another thing to note is that it was all for the fun of it, so by the end of the night I met a few really cool people and nobody hated me afterall.
The night was an interesting and fun night for everyone who attended this Poetry Slam, therefore, there were no hard feelings for the poets (I assume) and it was a great place to meet new people and network if you happen to be a writer or performer. It was also very inspiring for those who had not been to an event like this. Thankfully, this event occurs monthly, so the next Slam is taking place on October 23rd, 2010. I encourage you to go out and see it for yourself! If you do not appreciate poetry, or performance arts, that’s fine. But I guarantee that you will learn something new, meet someone new, and most likely want to go back to the event in the following month. And if you do not enjoy it for some odd reason, there are many more events to enjoy in the city, so stay tuned!
