if you like hanging out with cats in an indoor cat playground, while eating icecream … Consider checking out your local cat cafe. We went to My Kitty Cafe in Guelph, Ontario, where all the felines are fosters, looking for forever homes.
Since opening nine months ago, over 100 cats have found loving adopted families. Heart warming.
What’s better than queens, queers and some outstanding cameos from Margaret Cho, Alan Cumming, RuPaul and Rachel Dratch? Not a damn thing. Seeing the premiere of Hurricane Bianca, a campy, colourful revenge comedy was second only to rubbing elbows with the star herself, and some gorgeously glam local folks and celebrity imports. Larger than life, Bianca Del Rio, travelling with her entourage, swept in like a veritable force of nature and she was on. Megawatt. Just an arm’s length away. Above, my wife poses on the carpet with Bianca.
While part of me was thrilled and awed just to see her (and to learn that she is just as witty and biting as she is on tv), the other part remained relieved that I flew under her radar, because one highlight of the film was the scathing shade she throws. And man, does she have an arm.
The premise: Del Rio goes undercover as a high school science teacher, schooling the hicks and homophobes, all while navigating the world of romance and friendship. I discretely reveled in the vicarious joy of her scathing one-liners, leveraged against some very very mean girls. Have I secretly wished I could say similar things to bigots and twerps? My lips are sealed.
An unexpected highlight for me: seeing Xanthippe from The Unbreakable Kimmi Schmidt! She is in Toronto, doing the circuit, for her film, First Girl I Loved, which played in the festival. Make it your mission to check out next year’s festival!
Gorgeous weather and a day full of plans. Although I’m exhausted from yesterday’s 2 pm- 10:30 pm dance rehearsal, you can’t just stop moving. I tend to do best when I’m busy.
She is a vision. She is visionary. And seeing her live was just incredible. Her vocals and dancing were incredible as she brought us through her hits, from ‘Formation’ to ‘CraZy in Love’ and ‘Halo’… There is no question ‘Who Runs The World’. Queen Bey. I want into the hive. But don’t let me drone on.
We jumped a train and were on our way.
The bees are swarming.
With pyro technics, fierce dancing, confetti guns, aerial suspensions, illusions of her dancing astride her own caged dancers, she then – like a miracle worker- walked on water.
It doesn’t get much more divine than that. 
This long weekend, we soaked up the sunshine and sweetness of the Niagara-on-the-Lake region. There are infinite reasons to love this locale, but here are an easy ten:
ONE: The wineries
En route to Niagara, we stopped at Suann Staff Estate Winery, for a tasting in their state of the art kitchen, and then popped by Westcott Winery for their celebration of redheads… Gingerfest. The duck confit poutine and lobster grilled cheese were amazing! We finished with a very tasty board of sweets.
It’s a place where you can relax with a glass of wine … and your kids can run around in a field. With glorious views … it feels exactly like a weekend should feel.
TWO: Breweries
We cannot say enough good things about Oast House brewery. It’s just awesome. Their vibe is unpretentious… more than it should be for such EXCELLENT beer. They have live music, great snacks and a slammin’ new patio. I wish this was just a skip away from our house. The view of the vinyard is so enchanting! Oh, and their beer – so, so good. 
If beer ‘touring’ is your thing, consider also checking out The Exchange, right downtown on the main strip. It’s a two-storey brewhouse with a classy interior and lovely sampling options (see above). Also on our list, Silversmith is hopping, day and night, with music, friendly servers and some truly outstanding food (sticky pickle wings and shrimp po-boys… and oysters, check out the pics below). The venue is a re-purposed church with glorious high ceilings. You can even leave a note for a friend, letting them know that you’ve bought a pint for them to enjoy later!
TWO: Bicycle touring
THREE: The food
FOUR: The architecture and flora
So many flowers. Everywhere you turn there is a cuter vignette, a quainter cottage, a more lovely yard. Below, …Just a few of the blooms on my parents’ property.
FIVE: The theatre 
SIX: Family 
SEVEN: The small town feeling.
With walking trails, bicycles, horse-drawn carriages, verandas covered in blooms, wide streets and folks who say ‘good morning’ as you pass, NOTL has all the charm of a small town. It even has the regular breakfast joint where an egg special costs less than four bucks. 
EIGHT: The history
From historic battles and forts, to the Silversmith Brewery (in an old church), to antique markets, and the first home in the region owned by freed African Americans (formerly slaves)… there is history at every turn.
TEN: The Scene
We love the city. But. Our favourite place to unwind is in Niagara, surrounded by friends and family. There is always a local festival, a pop up market, a tasting, a concert. And it’s always delicious, regardless of the season. We love that our servers remember us from last time; we get waves ‘hello,’ and friendly smiles; we know where to go for what… and exploring is as fresh and exciting now as it was when my family first moved here. If you haven’t been yet, do. 
Things to check out: The chocolate festival. The icewine festival. The Blues and the Jazz festivals. Get the picture? From the chilly nights warmed by icewine cocktails and live music, to the sunshiny afternoons of handmade markets, garden tours and the Shaw Festival versus Stratford Festival cricket match. This is a town that knows how to take a weekend and make it memorable.
Oh, snap! If you love your Social Media, NOTL is the perfect backdrop. x0 A+A
Our third day started with a craving for New York bagels. We went to a mom and pop shop. Heaven in a carb. Then lattes and walking around in the brisk air. It was unseasonably mild; perfect for strolling outdoors. MOMA was our destination.
I loved seeing Frida Khalo and the accompanying mirror where you could be her companion piece. Basquiat, Klimt, Picasso, and all my faves from art class. It was great spending the day revisiting pieces I’d only ever seen in textbooks, or haven’t seen since high school! Fur tea cups, absurdism, modern iconography, and historical digital technology (like a walkman or discman), gay pride flags as modern symbols…
I loved the video installments, the live electric violin in the sound space and the up-close and personal views of my favourite artists. Klimt always makes my heart rev.
We had a yummy lunch of soup and cheeses (and wine) at the terrace. Al had eleven compliments on her hair and we got recognized from last night’s red carpet. Only in New York?!… I also loved that in NYC (of all places) on several occasions total strangers called us ‘stylish’. ‘We’re from Canada,’ we giggled. 
Relics of times gone by. If you consider how few young students know why the ‘save’ icon is shaped as it is, the reason for these exhibits is sad, but charming. We are moving so quickly that we don’t remember where we’ve been.
The ‘Department of Health’ photo (below) of an overflowing cubicle. What a perfect visual paradox. And Jackson Pollock.
After the museum we met up with one of my most favourite people, a Canadian expat who is now a New York City girl. We went for a night on the town, a show at the comedy cellar, a ride on the subway, drinks at a few fancy bars and hotels. 
What could be better than a bite of the Big Apple with the most wonderful company?
Just one more day to go 🙂
What does it say about me that the highlight of a great GREAT weekend is an icecream cone. Sweet Jesus to be specific. They have a soft serve dipped in crushed cookies and caramel and brownie, and … It lives up to its name. I can’t wait to try all their flavours.
After a long workday, and delicious homemade raspberry pie as lunch-dessert, we went out to a hotel party, met some charmingly loquacious gents and then ended up at Betty’s. 
Betty’s has a second floor with a tin can and string pulley system to order drinks.
From the hotel we could see all of Toronto’s city hall. Saturday was a sleep in morning and then I went to see a friend in a production of The Skriker, followed by King’s Crown nachos at Sneaky Dee’s. 
It was a perfectly sweet Saturday.
Sunday was all about balayage. At my friend’s salon, Blonde, for a staff training … Which means new hair. And some Beyoncé Face Swap. And a crepe. And a picture of my cat. 
Time for another work week.
Start with brunch, a double date to L’ouvrier. This is the same delicious place where we had our engagement photos taken. See more: http://sweetheartempire.com/images/brunch-engagement-photos-louvrier-kitchen-bar/
Today we had French toast and a potato rosti with smokes salmon and arugula. 
Oh, and half a dozen oysters to share. Our friends’ food looked so yummy that they insisted it deserves its own photo.
Sleek industrial-rustic. If you get a chance, eat at this Toronto gem. 
Next, to Kensington market for herbs and food stuff, like turmeric and fresh breads.
And churros!!!! This was a say ‘yes’ day. The man serving up the churros made my day by continuing to speak Portuguese to me, even when mine was broken. I don’t get much chance to practice and my vocab is dwindling. Know what I will never have trouble understanding? Dulce de leche, condensed milk and chocolate.
Pure delight. 
The cocktail emporium was our next stop, to pick out some early birthday treats – like bitters sampling packs and ginger syrups.
This, of course, inspired a desire to make ou way along Queen Street West, where a drink at Lisa Marie helped to break up our walk.
I used to say I ‘ never win anything,’ but that doesn’t seem true anore. I won – just by buying a drink. And we, my wife and I, remarked input usual way that life is pretty wonderful.
Last but not least, we went to Nuvango. https://www.nuvango.com/
Nuvango is a great Canadian startup that features the work of artists, printed on high quality, beautifully fitting leggings. The patterns are vivid and unique and the artists are paid for their designs, while the product is all produced equitably. They also have kickass phone cases in a huge array of artist designed patterns.
With love, I gotta say, this Sunday beats a super bowl party any day!
I was so lucky. Timing was perfect. My wife got sent on business (to go and interview the cast of Vinyl, the new HBO series) and I was able to make a weekend of it. This never happens. But, for one time only, we had a weekend away together and it was super inexpensive. Stay tuned for the four days of whirlwind fun.
Day One
At Toronto Pearson Airport, YYZ, we were ready to head out. Hats are my travel buddy. Even though they are a bit of a pain to carry on the plane itself, they save whatever is going on from the eyebrows up, and keep me feeling pulled together. Allia’s hair was a hit, here and abroad. She had no less than eleven shout outs on the streets – from admiring hair fans. One man in Manhattan, who looked rather tough, completely stopped in his tracks, put one hand flamboyantly onto his hip and declared ‘girl. I love your hair. mmmm hmmmmm. God bless,’ then he melted away into the cold day, leaving us grinning. 
High flyer airport cocktails and a journal ready for filling.
Easy, cheap jewellery (no fuss if it gets lost or damage), but again, it got some love on our trip. No one would ever know it was a $11 sale item from The Bay. 
After we landed, we cabbed it to the Hilton Garden Inn, near Times Square, and walked off our airplane lungs and legs in a late night stroll around the square. People say that New Yorkers are harsh and chilly. Not so. We always have such pleasant interactions. 
I chose my mom’s vintage coat (she wore it during her pregnancy with me, 33 years ago) for the trip. I sewed a fur collar onto it years ago, which helps make it perfect for cutting wintery wind. The belted waist also adds some shape.
I think of all the Law and Order I have watched whenever I see the NYPD.
The divide between yellow cabs and Uber is ever-present. We split our time between the two.
Obviously, the Delorean is waiting, gull-wings up, for photo ops. 
What first night in the city would be complete without a slice of pizza. Just off Times Square, we are big fans of the cheap and delicious pizza from Bella Vita. It was flavourful and an amazing bedtime snack.
Tomorrow’s promise: celebs, shopping, great food and some romance, too.
One of my favourite sites, Domaine.com, had some on point ‘suggestions’ for making 2016 a standout year. Among their list of Thirty Resolutions Everyone Can Try were a few that really resonated:
1. Drink more champagne (we know it’s good for your health) and we can come up with at least 22 reasons why you should always have it on hand.Make coffee at home instead of dropping dollars on an artisanal blend every day.
2. Revamp your living room with a coffee table makeover.
Scratch that, I’ll enjoy the beautiful space I’ve made for myself and stop wasting current joy in the search for future ‘perfection’ – because we all know that the perfect home is just one scan of Pinterest away from the next impulse to redecorate.
4. Stop worrying (as much).
I’d like to see how that works… worry is my biggest nemesis. But I’ll give it a shot.
6. Plan a trip to South America.
Or anywhere. Yes, please.
7. Create an evening ritual that helps you wind down at the end of the day and number 8: Do like Arianna Huffington and make sleep a priority.
10. Learn a week’s worth of new recipes.
I’m always excited to try out a new recipe.
12. Keep a gratitude journal.
13. Throw a themed dinner party.
15. Declutter your home and your workspace.
18. Streamline your Gmail. You’ll feel like a new person when your inbox is organized.
22. Remove the word “sorry” from your vocabulary (at least during business hours)
24. Take care of yourself. You can never underestimate “me time.”
25. Stop repeating the same relationship mistakes.
29. Get creative with date night.
Yes, these are things I can get behind.
But, while these all sound like things I’ll probably do… I don’t want to set myself up with any more fake expectations and hypothetical ‘to do’ lists that will add stress, or guilt (ultimately), rather than add joy and well-being. I hate being told what to do, even by myself.
Instead, I’ll embrace listening to myself, my gut, my emotions and my instincts. I will stop eating when I’m satisfied (thanks, Alanis); I’ll dance like no one is watching, and like everyone is watching, because I know I’m a performer, but I’ll be doing it for myself. I’ll take pole-fit classes, because it’s fun … and taking care of myself should be a pleasure. I will try to improve my spinal health – because you only get one of those, and having a sore back and shoulders makes me cranky. Proactivity is the word of 2016. I will say now not later, unless I really don’t feel like it. I will try to let more things slide, except the things I really care about. I will be nice to myself and let all those good vibes reverberate out into the relationships around me.
That … I can commit to.
StyleSaVie 