We met up with Ralf at Cafe En Passant to talk about an awesome date idea for Valentines day. This French cafe offers an amazing Valentines-specific menu and celebrates many other special occasions. They are located in downtown Richmond Hill, close to the Richmond Hill Center of Performing Arts, which means you can catch a play right after your romantic dinner. Ralf and his staff will be sure to recommend different types of wines to compliment your dish and will show you daily specials. They also cater to vegetarians, and the salads are delicious! You and your loved one will be pleased with the service during your visit and there is a patio available for summer dates. Be sure to visit Cafe En Passant with your significant other. Enjoy!

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/

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!

Photo by: eraphernalia_vintage

We’ve heard repeatedly that there’s a big need for qualified babysitters in the city.  So many of you find it difficult to get out and have a great time with the stress of leaving a stranger to mind your child and your possessions.  Thanks to some parental readers out there (thanks eva_black and fatheroftwo for the tip!) who decided to write in and tell us about their experience with their babysitter: Christopher Robin.

eva_black says: “I fully recommend Christopher Robin’s service as it had to be the best service I’ve had since I’ve been going out on dates.  Before, I’ve experienced waiting for teenagers to call me and praying that they’d show up in time for me to get out and live stress free.  This service is fantastic. Highly recommended by me!”

fatheroftwo says:  “I hated the interview process.  It’d be just a waste of my time and theirs when they show up looking like they just came back from a rock concert or god knows where.  I won’t even tell you about one adult who showed up smelling like they’ve not bathed in a while.  Frustrated, I called up a friend who told me about Christopher Robin’s service and thought I’d give them a call.  Finally, I’m able to get to work and make ends-meet without worrying.  Not to mention get a bit of my life back.”

For more details on this service, check out Christopher Robin’s official website here.

screen shot from MyLoveCal.com

Today I stumbled upon one peculiar website, www.mylovecal.com. What it does is calculate the love compatibility of two people. So I entered my name and my girlfriend’s name and birthdays and viola, this is what I got:

“If Leo manages to understand and adjust to Piscean sensitive nature, and the Fish can ignore some of the Lion?s outbursts then this match can go places. Fish should learn to be a little more outspoken to earn Leo?s respect and Leo should try to understand the feelings that are controlling the Pisces. One good thing in this match is that Pisces will allow Leo to take lead in the relationship and Leo will gladly take this responsibility. All in all the compatibility isn?t great, but can work with efforts to adjust and change.”

It sounds about right with how our relationship is going, but I often wonder if it’s just because men are from Mars and women are from Venus.

The site claims to base its calculations on astrology. Now whether you believe in astrology or not is not important, because the point is that the site is a very nifty tool for online flirting. I assume that especially girls would be amused by it. A hypothetical conversation with someone you like:

“Hi. I just found out that you and me are a match made in heaven”
“How did you find that out?”
“Here: link.”
“Lol”
“But yea, we do have some differences, that I doubt we’ll ever overcome”
“What makes you say that?”
“Well the site says that you are too stubborn and I am too independent”
“Haha. I am not all that stubborn.”

And so on.

The site has another part, that provides a description of each zodiac sign and has information such as “how to seduce this person”, “love traits”, “sex habits” and if you’re interested, “drinking style”. It’s all amusing and fun and some of it is really true. 

In any case, check it out, it’s free and you could possibly add it to your flirting arsenal.

The Fifth, 221 Richmond Street West

I was stunned by the ambiance and romantic feel when my bebe and I stepped onto The Fifth’s patio at 221 Richmond Street West a few nights ago.  While the place can get a bit crowded after work (especially when there’s nice weather), last night was perfect.

Our evening started with a half-dozen oysters as an appetizer.  When the oysters arrived, I tried to remember the last time I ordered some and why it took me so long to have them again.  I’ve not had fresh oysters in a while, so these hit the spot.  For our mains, my bebe decided that she would try the organic Irish salmon and I would have the rack of lamb.  The service was excellent tonight, prompt and very well attended. Both dishes came reasonably quickly or at least I thought that they did; the entire evening was spent relishing in the beautiful Toronto scenery and cabana that was set up here.  Candlelit and very romantic, the atmosphere is perfect. The food was great too, there were many moments were we didn’t even talk to each other because we were enjoying the food so much.  Big portions and lots to take home.

Great Date Idea:  Come out just after work, enjoy the sunset and look forward to dinner here.  Relax.  Afterwards, a hustling Toronto walk along Richmond Street awaits!

Address:  221 Richmond Street West, Toronto, ON, M5V1W2
Phone:    416.979.3005
Email:    thefifthgrill@thefifth.com
Website:  http://www.thefifth.com
Parking:  street parking available
What’s nearby:  Princess of Wales Theatre (4 blocks away)
Why you should go:  One of the most romantic patio’s we’ve ever been on, excellent oysters, great service!

The Toronto Zoo’s holding a stingray and shark petting exhibit until Monday October 12, 2009.  Tickets are only $3 and FREE to children 3 and under (not including general admission, which is about $56 total for two people and parking to get into the exhibit).   Occasionally, the keepers will pass around some food for feeding of which you’ll be able to put your hand in the water and have the stingrays or sharks eat them from you.  The sensation is quite surprising as a stingray comes close to gulping down the food (I had a small shrimp) in one swoop.  While petting the animals, I didn’t imagine that it’d feel as it did – slimy and very bony/muscular.  It was exciting to watch more stingrays circle in and get close for petting.  The wait times are reasonably short and the keepers are very careful with the animals to ensure that everyone is safe.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the stingrays’ barbs have been trimmed for the general public.

Check out their website for more details!

Address:   361A Old Finch Avenue. Toronto ON
Phone:  416-392-5929
Email:  tzwebmaster@torontozoo.ca
Website:  http://www.torontozoo.com/specialevents/stingray.2009.asp
Parking:  $8 parking on-site
What’s nearby:  The 401 highway is nearby which can take you closer downtown
Why should you go:  Pet the sharks and stingrays!  There are new attractions at the zoo for 2009

Agrandir le plan

Sex and the City is a movie that allows its viewers to escape the boundaries of the rule-oriented dating scene that has become dominant in recent times. It helps one to think outside the box, coming up with all sorts of possibilities, rather than jumping to conclusions. Instead of thinking, “Because s/he’s not doing x, it must mean y,” the plot of Sex and the City causes us to think, “S/he could not be doing x for a lot of reasons. I won’t rush to assumptions; I will find out why.” I feel this film promotes healthy thought in adults who are involved in the dating scene. This optimistic film will come as a refreshing release to the cynical few out there who think negatively about their love lives.

Sex and the City tells the story of a woman who thought she’d never fall in love. She ends up surprising herself by getting wed to her boyfriend of 10 years – and being thrilled at the anticipation of married life. Sex and the City follows the lives of the commitment-phobic, the happily wed, the dysfunctional family, and the skeptical, so everyone can relate. It teaches us about forgiveness and understanding and asks us to challenge our opinions on cheating. The viewer steps outside the black-and-white perspective she sees through the lenses placed on her by North American society. She realizes there are gray areas that exist. Is cheating acceptable if one has been physically and emotionally distant in a relationship for months? Is it forgivable if you feel your partner is genuinely a good person and a trustworthy mate?

That’s not all that we can learn from Sex and the City. This movie is great to see on a date, because it demonstrates effective ways of problem solving with a partner. Not only does it challenge common opinion, but is humorous as well. Certain outrageous scenes will make it impossible for you not to laugh your pants off. You will cry, chuckle, and gasp throughout this movie.

I highly recommend that couples rent this motion picture and curl up to watch it. Even though it may be considered a chick flick, the most macho of men will appreciate its comedy and in-your-face moments. Have your tissues ready! Sex and the City is the perfect romantic comedy. It deserves a 10/10.

I recently had the privilege to visit the Art Gallery of Ontario in downtown Toronto for free. As a lover of art, I was thrilled to attend, but unfortunately, the gallery did not live up to my expectations. Don’t get me wrong – there were many awe-striking pieces to be seen. However, I found that the works of art displayed were mostly paintings, and even these paintings seemed to be repetitive. In my opinion the elderly plump aristocrat from the 1600s, as the subject of many portraits, is overdone in this museum.

Although this seems to be my verdict on the place, there were many other works of art that were simply gorgeous. My particular favourites are “Salon Indian”, “Portrait of Dr. Heinrich Stadelman”, and the statue of a human-sized bird sporting a business suit. The latter carries a black bird on his shoulder and shards of glass and hair in one hand. He can be seen pairing lime green socks with penny loafers. What abstract meaning could this work suggest? That is for the viewer to determine.

“Salon Indian” by Kent Monkman is a gigantic teepee made out of beautiful crimson cloth with gold embellishments. Gallery-goers can enter the teepee to view a video installation projected onto the floor. One quote by the artist, which is flashed before the viewers’ eyes while watching the video, is “The European male will own forever in my pictures as the remembrance of a noble race.” This masterwork caught my eye as soon as I stepped inside AGO.

Finally, the “Portrait of Dr. Heinrich Stadelman” by Otto Dix bedazzled me, because of its deviant subject – an aged man with receding hair parted in the centre and green skin to emphasize his emerald green eyes and forest-green pupils. The whites of his eyes are red, and to his left appears a plant, the significance of which must be determined. It was refreshing to see an abstract piece among all the still-life portraits, and what an extraordinary one at that!

If you have an appreciation for art, check out AGO with your sweetheart or someone you’ve been crushing on. Your opinion may very well differ from mine. Besides, the price of admission at AGO is fabulous – the Art Gallery is free to visit on Wednesdays, and $18 for adults on regular days. Another perk is its location downtown, surrounded by nightlife and eateries. What other date could make you feel more cultured than observing works of art in the city with a mate?

Love In Toronto met up with Lulu Taylor, the author of Stop the Mamas Boys, to ask her what her book was all about. Here’s what she had to say!

Check out her website here: http://www.stopthemamasboys.com/