Liberty Social Hour: Le Bel Été – Are You In?

Perhaps the atmosphere of last Thursday’s Liberty Social Hour is best captured by the name of our host venue: Merci Mon Ami – it was truly a gathering of friends. For some, it was the greeting of old friends but for most, it was being finally able to exchange names and numbers with the faces they’ve seen and the businesses they’ve come across in the neighbourhood.

Trinity-Spadina PC Candidate Mike Yen was there. Folks from Danceology, Kingwest Fitness, and other studios came by. Artists, techies, designers and chefs made appearances. Residents came out. Commuters dropped in. From veteran Villagers to aspiring hopefuls… the collection of guests were as varied and interesting as the Liberty Village mosaic itself.

And as usual, food was delicious and drinks were refreshingly apt for a summer’s evening.

I can’t wait for the next Liberty Social Hour at Locus 144. With live singer Lucia, drink specials and menu promotions all happening in conjunction with Live It Up.  Liberty Social Hour: Le Bel Été.

For more pictures go to: Link

Chef’s Challenge for a Cure

Bobby Flay is no stranger to culinary showdowns. This November, however, he’ll be hosting a culinary challenge in the name of ovarian cancer research at Mount Sinai Hospital.

We were lucky enough to attend the press conference for the second annual Chef’s Challenge last Wednesday and boy did our stomachs thank us. Each celebrity chefs came with a special hors-d’ouevre and everything was simply delicious! Whoever end up getting to work with these chefs is in for a real treat.

Chefs present included David Rocco, host of La Dolce Vita, Massimo Capra, host of Restaurant Makeover and Mark McEwan, head judge on Top Chef Canada and host of The Heat with Mark McEwan.

Though we’re not huge chefs ourselves, the event looks so exciting and goes towards such a great cause that it had us thinking we’d want to participate too! The actual Challenge will be hosted on November 26, 2011 and will feature six (one more than last year) celebrity chefs from The Food Network who will each lead a team of 10 top fundraisers and self-proclaimed foodies to create the best-tasting five-course meal, as judged by a panel of celebrity judges. Last year, the Challenge raised $1.1 million for ovarian cancer research. This year, they plan to do even better!

Should be great! Can’t wait to see the culinary rivalry heat things up!

Ps. The Sub-Zero Wolf showroom is spectacular. It could not be more gorgeously designed. Great venue.

Toronto’s Finest Auction

Auctioning off eligible bachelors and bachelorettes for a charitable cause has always been a popular past time. Maison Mercer was the scene for yet another great fundraising event on Thursday night in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. Created by IntriKate, this is the sixth annual auction that has seen nothing but great faces and success since its creation.

All of the women in the office got a chance to check out this year’s auction, and I can honestly say that we it was a perfect night out.

This year’s hosts, Wes Hayden and Jessie Sulidis, brought a higher level of entertainment to the event, offering quirky and hilarious commentary. And they were further complemented by the beautiful list of bachelors and bachelorettes, who ranged from professional athletes to models to corporate leaders to world travelers. When each bachelor or bachelorette came on stage, it was exciting to hear about each one’s story and what kind of date they had planned for the lucky winner. This was the first auction that I had been to which featured high-profile bachelors and bachelorettes, so to gain even a little insight into the life each one was great!

And what’s an event without a silent auction and a gift bag? Guests saw no disappointment in this area. Sponsors for the silent auction and ‘swag bag’ included MAC Cosmetics, Politica, Notable, Luxe Travel Company, CMC Entertainment, Dell, Danier, Elle Canada and Steamwhistle.

Overall, the auction raised quite a bit of money (with some eligible singles going for literally thousands of dollars!) for the Canadian Cancer Society. And it truly was an event with fabulous entertainment, incredible date packages, and great food at the perfect venue.

And as I mentioned before, the swag bag brought no disappointment. Complete with MAC make-up (which I love!), discounts on spa packages, and chocolates, the bag was perfect.

This auction was unlike any other bachelor/bachelorette auction I’ve ever seen. Congratulations IntriKate on a fabulous event!

August 9, 2011: Fastlane Patio Party

FastLane offers a unique approach to connecting urban professionals who have backgrounds in a variety of industries and providing the opportunity for professionals to meet new people, trade tips and make beneficial contacts.

Don’t miss out on this easy way to expand your network by connecting with other businessmen and women. Since it will be on a patio, you won’t feel the pressure of a work meeting and have to deal with all of the usual formalities. Attendees will feel at ease, as this event will be taking place at a relaxing environment, and won’t find it hard to start up conversations with others.

Date:  Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Time:  6:00pm – 9:30pm

Location:  TBC

Theme:  Patio Party

Here are some photos of the event : http://www.flickr.com/photos/cityeventstoronto/sets/72157627513069770/

Networking Tips

1. Set goals. What do you want to get out of this event? Who in particular do you want to meet.

2. Prepare your introduction. Describe who you are and what you do.

3. Ask open-ended questions. This allows for discussion and shows your interested in the other person.

4. Don’t stay in one spot. Walk around and meet as many new people as you can.

5. Be aware of your body language. Nervous people make others uncomfortable.

6. Keep your network organized and build a database.

7. Always follow up. Remind those you met who you are and what you have to off.

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