When: June 14-23, 2013.
Where: David Pecaut Square

Luminato is a free art event happening this summer in Toronto. It features art, dance, magic, film, seminars and theatre. Just some of the musicians performing include: k-os, Serena Ryder, DJ Kid Koala, Maxi Priest and Laurie Anderson. Although free, both art fans and artists look forward to Luminato. Don’t miss out on a free, high-quality art event!

For more information, visit LuminatoFestival.com.

Image courtesy of sattva / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image not taken at Luminato

In just 6 days, Boyz II Men are making an appearance at Gravity Soundbar. Not only are they performing, but you get to hang out next to them. If you spend $750, you get to sit in the VIP section, close to the band. Even if you don’t want to spend that much money, you can still get to watch the concert! Ladies are free before 11:00p.m. To get tickets early, visit www.megaevents.ca/boyz2men. For more information, visit www.gravitysoundbar.com.

Image by Momento Mori [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

• People often don’t understand them. Most people take what you say at face value. This means they may not understand you’re playing games. If you’re harsh with them, they may just cut you off.

• You could find yourself in a physical altercation. Because the person you’re trying to surprise may not understand the motive for your actions, you may find yourself arguing with her. Since one person is fighting for power over the other, this may result in intense anger and physical abuse.

• You could earn a reputation. If you are constantly putting someone down, you may look as though you’ve become mean. No one likes to be insulted or mocked. If you want to keep the friends you have, you should avoid making any hurtful remarks. This is your safest option. It especially looks bad if you’re putting someone down at work. Even though your boss may know you’re only trying to surprise them, it comes across as unprofessional and malicious.

• It’s rude. People have feelings. It’s not necessary to be mean to someone just to do something nice for them. In fact, the nice things you do in life are expected of you, like having a baby, asking someone out and random gift-giving. You’re not coming on too strong by doing them, as long as you’re not overly affectionate. The games you play to gain power won’t affect the outcome. You can’t make someone like you by degrading them. In fact, that just may turn them off.

Surprises are nice when someone’s been acting different for a while. Cruelty doesn’t have to be part of the plan, though. It’s one thing to make the occasional mildly rude remark about someone when you’re going to surprise them. When you’re doing it constantly and for a long period of time, it’s overpowering and may break down the other person’s self-esteem. What makes this even worse is when other people clue in you’re surprising her. This person is constantly in a whirlwind of unpleasantness, and there’s no way to escape.

I wouldn’t even go as far as to make the rare rude comment. I would just tease the person playfully. Even if she’s insecure about it, at least she can sense you weren’t serious. To make up for the lack of insulting, I would also withhold affection and conversation. I wouldn’t do this for too long though, because you wouldn’t want the other person to think you dislike her. You can even show affection but not overdo it.

Now you know how to surprise someone without looking like a jerk. Remember: people expect you to do nice things for them. They are just part of life! You don’t have to torture someone to make a grand gesture. Most of the time you know how someone is going to react, anyway. Good luck and happy surprising!

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There are a few things you can do to renew interest in your partner and in relationships, in general.

Cuddle. Word on the street is everyone loves to cuddle. Cuddling can actually make you more fond of a person, if they do it right. Why put off cuddling? It has the power to renew intimacy in your relationship, refresh your interest in your partner and make you happier in general.

Try new things in the bedroom. When you and your partner try new things in the bedroom, you’re likely to think she’s more interesting. You’re also likely to be more satisfied and entertained. It’s one more way you and your honey can break out of your routine.

Ask yourself if you’re mad at them. One thing I’ve noticed is if I’m mad at someone, I’ll be bored of them for at least a week. If this is the case, keep reminding yourself you’re just mad and you’ll get over it. If you’re not sure, give yourself some time and see if your feelings change.

Leave the house more. When you do more fun things with your partner, you’re bound to be more entertained. This takes the dullness out of your relationship and gives you a rush that will leave you exhilarated for a while. In small doses, this should slowly make your relationship more exciting.

See your partner more. When you don’t see your partner for a long period of time, it’s easy to forget what they’re like. You may remember what they look like and their general personality but it’s hard to capture their exact essence. Seeing your partner more should increase your interest in them, because you’re reminded of all the reasons you like them in the first place. If you can’t see each other often, at least talk or video chat more.

Show more affection. You tend to get a rush when your significant other shows you affection. There’s no way to make them initiate affection more, so why not initiate affection yourself? Your partner may even grow more find of you for being such a warm companion.

Keep your personality. In a long term relationship, people often take on the personalities of their partners. This may make you bored of the other person, because you are too alike. Keep your own personality and you will not only feel comfortable in your own skin but also be amused by your partner’s quirks.

Don’t let the other person control you. One person in a relationship usually has a bit of an alpha complex, but if you feel suffocated you need to change something about your relationship. Go clubbing, make friends of the opposite sex and flirt if you’re into that. Relationships should be fun. You shouldn’t feel bound by restrictions.

When in a long term relationship, it’s easy to lose interest in the relationship. You can eliminate this boredom with a little hard work. The key is positivity. Remind yourself you can stay interested in your partner if you just follow the tips above. You should be feeling butterflies again in no time.

Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Vatican Museum

The Power Plant is located at:

231 Queens Quay West
Toronto, ON M5J 2G8

For more information, visit ThePowerPlant.org.

Image courtesy of thephotoholic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

a bed, photo not taken at the Hilton

Immediately upon entering the room, there was an odour, similar to that of a hospital. The interior was drab, but it wasn’t so bad compared to the hallway. The purple and orange rug and horse statue in the hallway were all too tacky for me. This gaudy hall combined with the plain room clashed too well.

I could not get over the fact the fridge barely held anything. There was a club and several bars across the street. I thought management would have known this and anticipated most guests having a drink before barhopping. I couldn’t fit my bottles in the fridge, not that they needed to be refrigerated. If I had brought actual food, however, it probably wouldn’t have fit in the fridge. There was also no cutlery or plates, which the Marriott provides in every room. The Marriott also has a stove, which The Hilton did not.

They offered me a great price, though. Rooms started at around $100. I chose the $120 room, though, to be safe of rats and roaches. I still could’ve gotten a better room at The Marriott for around the same price. What irked me further was that they gave me one free parking spot and my guests had to pay. This would have never happened at the Marriott.

I’ve stayed at The Marriott Residence Inn a few times for parties, and breakfast was always free. It was delicious, too – a buffet of scrumptious breakfast foods. In comparison to the Marriott, the room was tiny. The Marriott had a separate kitchen and living room in addition to the bedroom. The Hilton only offered me one room, which consisted of two beds, a TV, a bathroom and a tiny fridge.

In addition, I didn’t see anywhere I could buy food. Of course, there was a restaurant but no place within the hotel to buy snacks. There was also only enough coffee in the room for one person. There was one packet of caffeinated coffee and one pack of decaf. We didn’t have enough coffee to serve all of my guests.

I would give The Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/Markham a 6/10. During my stay, it just seemed like I was experiencing one disappointment after another. Maybe I’m just accustomed to The Marriott, but I expected more of The Hilton. I’ve stayed at The Hilton – not The Hilton Garden Inn – and it was fabulous. Maybe it was just the location. Either way, I had a mediocre time.

*All prices are rounded and exclude taxes.

Image courtesy of franky242 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I ordered potato and cod balls, poutine and coconut macaroons. Everything I got was remarkably tasty. I was extremely impressed with the poutine I ordered, which was presented ever so elegantly – cheeseballs melting over hot meat strips and potato slices.

We had two waitresses serving us. They never neglected us and ensured our every need was met. From Mondays to Saturdays, food is relatively cheap. Mains are approximately $25 each, but that’s typical of every restaurant. Also exclusive to Sundays is the absence of corkage fees, meaning you can bring a wine bottle from home at no charge. Table 17 also offers a Table D’Hôte Menu on Sundays, which allows you to get three courses for $35 per person. Even though the dishes were exquisite, they were served in tiny portions. I had three courses, but I was still hungry upon leaving the restaurant. My friend’s servings were just as small.

I would give Table 17 a 7/10. I enjoyed the ambiance and succulent food. The eatery still had a start-up feel with the menus that looked like they were made out of cardboard and the tables that were too close together. I was still impressed, though. Table 17 is the place for a high class evening at an affordable price.

For more information, visit table17.ca.

a couple at a bar - not the Maddy

The Madison Ave. Pub, also known as The Maddy, thoroughly surpassed my expectations. It is a Victorian mansion in the heart of The Annex in downtown Toronto. Although it looks small from the outside, it is quite spacious on the inside. The food and drinks were delectable and reasonably priced. What most impressed me was the servers who were so attentive it was like they were reading our minds.

The Madison Ave. Pub is a cozy place to spend a Friday night. The beige walls and red booths give it a vintage feel. Even though the building is quite narrow, this gives a unique aura to the whole pub experience. Besides drinking, a good game of billiards can be enjoyed at The Maddy.

Normally, when one goes to a bar, one generally expects the menu to consist of fast food. In addition to typical bar food, The Maddy has gourmet meals available to order. Just some of these include butternut fusilli, grilled chicken bruschetta and calamari. When I was there, I had the most delicious red velvet cake I’ve ever tasted. I’ve ordered red velvet cake from bakeries since, but it hasn’t been the same.

I was quite pleased with The Maddy’s prices. The Maddy is a great place for students. My friends and I were able to wet our palettes for relatively cheap. As a bonus, The Maddy offers grilled cheese, burgers, quesadillas, wings and pints at $3 each on the first Tuesday of every month in honour of their 30th anniversary. There are also live musicians and a contest to win a car on those evenings.

The service at the Madison Ave. Pub impressed me. At first, my friends and I didn’t know if the servers would come to us or vice versa. After approaching a waiter in the bar area, he was very helpful all night. He never abandoned us for too long, and when a friend showed up later on, he brought us a chair without us asking.

After a crazy night filled with laughter, cheer and bonding, I would give The Maddy an 8/10. Although I enjoyed myself, I had to go looking for the server, which I found strange. On top of that, the building is narrow, which is unappealing though unique. Despite this, I would still recommend The Maddy to a friend. It is a thrilling place to be.

The Maddy is located at:

14 Madison Avenue
Toronto, ON

For more information, visit their website.

Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The film entertains, though. It takes you through happy moments, like when Jen thinks she’s found the one, to sad ones, like when Jen thinks her on-screen lover is non-committal. It makes one believe she, too, will find the one, the one who truly cares and puts her above all others. It even has humorous moments like when Jen and Alex O’ Loughlin have sex in a barn.

The great thing about The Backup Plan is it has a lesson, unlike other films. It teaches one not to be negative about one’s love life. The one will come around. All it takes is patience. This lesson can even be taken further to suggest one should not be negative about life in general. Good things do happen, and there’s no point in feeling down all the time.

Image by LadyGagaYouSuck (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

We ended up bowling, which was highly overpriced. Although fun, I could not take my mind off the price. It was definitely an upscale night on the town with a matching price tag. Normally, you think about the good time you had with a friend after an outing, but this time I was disappointed with my wallet’s weight loss.

The Ballroom Bowl has the kind of atmosphere that puts you in a partying mood. The bar has a cosmopolitan aura to it and, the bowling alley is glow-in-the-dark.

The service was good. The staff was attentive and friendly. There was a fly in one of the drinks I ordered, but that was probably because the window is a giant garage door.

Overall, I would give The Ballroom Ball 6/10. The Ballroom is venue unlike any other. The prices left me unsatisfied, however. I would recommend The Ballroom Bowl for an occasional date night but not a regular hangout.

Image from FreeDigitalPhotos.Net