Four Things You Never Thought of for your Valentine

It happens every year. You and your sweetheart are basking in the post-holiday glow. All of the chaos of Christmas, Hanukah, New Years and oh-so many family get-togethers has passed and its back to just the two of you when suddenly you see it: that first pink and red shiny teddy bear in the drug store window.

Valentine’s day is a great fun day to show your partner how much you care about them, but the pressure to create a lasting romantic memory strikes fear in the hearts of even the most assured couples. So whether you’re old flames or a new romance check out these fabulous ideas to sweep even the hardest to surprise valentine off his or her feet.

Make it Unique
A box of chocolates and flowers are Valentine’s Day staples, but think outside the box to really knock the socks off your date. The perfect gift starts in knowing your date’s interests. At the same time picking a hobby related item when you don’t know much about the subject is a minefield. The safest route is to pick something fun, luxurious, and that they would never treat themselves to (forget practical gifts for this day). A great resource for strange gift ideas is http://www.thisiswhyimbroke.com/. Updated daily, here you can find gift ideas ranging from suit-jamas (silk suit pajamas), Ninja Star coat hooks, to remote control sharks. Prices range from the $55,000 working Tron motorcycle to the $6.87 glow in the dark toiler paper. It’s everything you never thought of, but always want.
Transformers USB Flash Drive $14.00

Make it Homemade
Not every Romeo and Juliet has the old-family money to throw around. There are hundreds of things you can make or do, even if your pocket book is on the lighter side. Homemade cookies, brownies, or other sweet treats always show your care and effort (which is always better than throwing a lot of money around). Can’t cook? Try a homemade craft or card. Everyone at CityEvents is in love with this neat idea guaranteed to impress: “Rainbow Roses”. Pick up 6 white roses and with a sharp X-acto knife, slice a 3 inch strip in the stem at the end, then quarter it so the end of the stem breaks into 4 prongs. Get four cups, and add 30 drops (super saturated) of food colouring of yellow red, blue and green in each cup (one colour per cup). Dip one piece of the stem in each for each rose, then gently tie the roses together so they don’t fall over (they tend to do that once the stems are split). Leave for 3-4 days and the roses will soak up the colours and the petals will begin to turn. Once they are coloured, cut off the split ends and be prepared to stun your date.

A Night on the Town
Now that you’ve picked out something to give your Valentine, it still leaves the question about what to do? We live in an amazing city. Any night of the week there is something interesting going on, the problem is narrowing it down to find the perfect event to take your Valentine to. Any savvy-Torontonian knows to do their research before hitting the streets. The City of Toronto lists all festivals and larger events: http://wx.toronto.ca/festevents.nsf/. Here you can find everything from the fantastic Winterlicious meal-deals to Valentine’s Day parties. As always http://torontocityevents.ca/site/ has featured events if your date enjoys touring the city.

Hiberdating
Not every Valentine is the type to dance till dawn. Knowing your date’s style social style will dictate if you paint the town red or curl up inside in front of a roaring fire. Staying in and “Hiber-Dating” as it’s affectionately known can be better than spending your money and time outside. Make it a perfect cozy evening for two with a bottle of wine (check the LCBO’s blog for hot deals) and a home cooked meal. Making the night a personal party for two does take some planning however, so stock up on snacks, treats, and movies and your evening is sure to be sizzling.

There are many different routes to take when planning the perfect Valentine’s Day but when in doubt keep it simple, keep it thoughtful, and just remember: make it unique to your unique couple style!

Have Fun This Valentine’s Day With Special Events Happening Around The City

Valentine’s Day is here again and there are plenty of fun and romantic specials for those interested. There is a diversity of events happening in Toronto for couples, families and, singles this Valentine’s Day, take part with the following events.

Couples

Singles needn’t worry about lack of events to attend on a day geared towards couples; Toronto is filled with opportunities for singles to have fun. No Sweetheart Required, is a festival presented by Cabbagetown Theatre Company from February 9 to the 14, the festival includes performances, music and more.  There is also the humorously named Toronto’s Largest Singles Anti-Valentine’s Day Party hosted by C-Lounge on the February 11.  and our recommended event:  Among the numerable things happening in the city this Valentine’s Day a few stand out among them is Shanny in the City and Gary Wilson’s Eligible Inc. Social Club present Valentine’s Masquerade Event, it is an exclusive and mysterious event happening in downtown Toronto on February 10. The event includes appetizers, drinks and door prizes.

image from freeimageslive.co.uk

Liberty Social Hour’s Noche Caliente

Outside may have been freezing rain but things were heating up for the 7^th Liberty Village Social Hour, at Williams Landing! On Thursday Jan 26^th. Liberty Villagers bundled up and headed out to network, socialize and most importantly have fun!  Planned by Rod Ponce of RPC and Deb Lewis of CityEvents, Liberty Villagers were treated to a night of relaxation, amazing door prizes, and a signature Liberty Village cocktail courtesy of Williams Landing at Noche Caliente.  For one evening the January gloom melted away into the chic urban glamour of the neighborhoods’ hottest new restaurant. If you missed out on the action, the next Liberty Social Hour is in the works for April 2012.

Winterlicious (LiciousTO) Restaurants to Follow on Twitter

Toronto is well known for its wide range of cultures and cuisines as well as an ever-evolving foodie culture. In fact, Toronto is such a food-lover’s paradise that selecting a restaurant can be a daunting task even without a Winterlicious Festival.

The ten restaurants profiled below have made this list for two reasons: 1) They have received praise for delicious, adventurous and consistent food and drink paired with excellent service and 2) They provide patrons with information of interest and a sense of community through updates online.

Here is a list of restaurants participating in @LiciousTO 2012 with active and engaging Twitter accounts:

Annona Restaurant – @Chef_JMonfaredi

‘Joan Monferedi, executive chef for Park Hyatt Toronto, including Annona Restaurant’

Chef Monferedi tweets regularly about other contemporary chefs, current food events and invitations to the ‘Masters of Food and Wine’ series hosted at Park Hyatt by the executive chef herself.

Auberge du Pommier, Biff’s Bistro, Canoe, Jump, Oliver & Bonacini Cafe Grill – @Oliver_Bonacini

‘What’s happening with our Chefs and restaurants’

Follow five of the big name players in Winterlicious 2012 in one fell swoop; this account is packed with delectable tidbits, twitpics, haggis races and plenty of compliments to the chef from the twitterati.

Bier Markt – @BierMarkt

‘An atmosphere that balances sociability with sophistication’

Bier Markt’s friendly Twitter approach retweets patrons’ comments and keeps followers in the know about oft-occurring specials and events, and of course, new additions to the best bier list in the city.

Cafe Moroc – @TheSultansTent

‘Admire the charms of belly dancers & enjoy a four-course Feast or create a menu suited to your event’

Twitter followers of Cafe Moroc—one of Toronto’s favourite dinner party locations—are kept aware of changes to menus, last-minute specials, weather updates and, most importantly, belly dancer set times.

The Drake Hotel – @thedrakehotel

‘Hotbed for Culture’

The Drake’s Twitter account, with over 21,000 followers, projects the spirit of Toronto’s lively arts scene with a brilliant personal touch. Take this reply for example: “@CherylKozoriz The menu isn’t vegan but we spoke to Chef Rose though + he said he’d create a vegan Winterlicious option if you’d like!”

earth Bloor West – @globeho

‘Globe Bistro, earth Rosedale & earth Bloor West owner-operator, gourmand and lover of meat, wine and cheese. Think global. Eat local’

Foodies take note: Ed Ho, owner-operator of local and seasonal Toronto establishments Globe Bistro and both the Rosedale and Bloor W. earth locations tweets about burgers, business and gives shout outs to smaller restaurants like Mother’s Dumplings in Chinatown.

Embrujo Flamenco -@embrujotapasbar

‘Enjoy with us the regional cuisines of Spain!’

An extensive wine selection pairs off with authentic Spanish specialties served tapas-style. There is dancing Wednesday through Saturday, and tune in for flamenco nights—they’re complimentary!

Prime – @windsorarms

‘Consecutively voted the #1 hotel in Toronto by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine’

Prime’s @LiciousTO offerings include an herbivore’s delight: a 100% vegan prix fixe menu served in Toronto’s premier boutique hotel. This handle communicates updates from the hotel, restaurant and Toronto herself.

Pure Spirits – @spiritspure

‘Oyster House’

Turn your @LiciousTO dinner into a date night in the Distillery District and tune into @spiritspure for specials on seafood ( $1.50 oysters), goings-on @DistilleryTO and mouth-watering meal descriptions.

Scarpetta – @ScarpettaTO

‘Famed Chef Scott Conant oversees Scarpetta – the first international outpost of the acclaimed Scarpetta Italian Restaurant’

Located in the Thompson Hotel, retweeted reactions to Scarpetta’s $35 @LiciousTO dinner menu are flooding the stunning resto’s online feed. Get online and join the conversation—if you can get a reservation, that is!

8 Tips on Planning and Hosting Winter Events

The days are shorter, the night are longer but don’t let old man winter stop you from hosting your most fabulous event yet! Follow these CityEvents tips to create a Winter Wonderland on any budget

1. Pick a Theme and Stick to it!

For a winter event let the season inspire you and all your décor, theme, activities, and food options. A fun festive tip to try is pick one winter item, anything from a crystal icicle, a snowy forest, or a roaring fire and from that item recreate the feel, smell, taste, touch and sound that object brings you in all your event’s details.

2. Stay Warm!

The temperature may be dropping but your parties are heating up!  Make sure your guests stay warm, and bundle up coming and leaving your event. It can be anything from having a heated area when lining up to enter the venue to as simple as offering extra mittens and scarves to your guests when they leave (bonus points for having your event logo on the accessories!). For smaller parties have your guests brave the cold with a cup of Goodnight Hot Chocolate!

3. Make Outside Inside

Why let the seven feet of snow outside your door limit your options. Make outside inside with different heating setups. Try installing a tent area to take advantage of a larger lawn. Small budgets are no problem, as decorating a yard with fairy lights and having folded blankets on chairs creates a winter wonderland while giving your guests a chance for a breath of frosty fresh air.

4. Safety First

Safety should be a concern for all savvy planners year round but winter presents its own unique challenges. As much as possible check the weather reports for the day of your event and shovel, salt, and snow-blow all walkways! Always do a run-through of your whole floor-plan to make sure there are no slipping and sliding risks. Have enough coat racks (or coat check) as well as mats for wet boots and shoes. As always, for any guests who were feeling the festive winter spirit and consumed have alcohol, insist on a taxi or have alternative transportation on standby. Two numbers for the Toronto area are: Beck 416-751-5555, and City Taxi 416-740-2222

5. Use the Season to Your Advantage

Winter is the best time to match your décor to the season. Ice sculptures, and ice luges (for beverages) are beautiful, reasonably priced, and an impressive visual for your guests. The lower light of the afternoon sets any candles and lighting aglow. Rich colours: crimson, snow white, pine greens pop against the drab background of the urban winter. The crisp air makes savoury smells more noticeable, and any warmth always draws people in off the street. Counterpoint the heat and energy of your party with the frosty outside and all your event choices will be that much more of a standout.

6. Try Something Different

As beautiful as the winter season is there is something to be said with doing the exact opposite! Vacation sales spike in the New Year for a reason – people want an escape! This is the perfect time to juxtapose a wacky or different theme to shake your guests out of their winter hibernation. Who wouldn’t want to try a January Hawaiian Luau or a Murder Mystery Dinner instead of a traditional February Valentine’s day party?  Get creative and try something no one else is doing! It’s sure to be noticed.

7. Timing is Everything

They’re called the “Winter Blahs” for a reason. Holiday season is very busy with Christmas, Chanukah, New Years and reunions. Guests may be worn out by January 1st, but there is a large empty period from Jan – March. This is the perfect time to plan your winter party and give your guests something to look forward to! Half the trick in creating a good buzz is standing out from the competition, and with little else going on even the smallest party will shine.

8. Make it Fun!

This is the most important thing to remember! As planners we can get caught up in the detail and forget to see the big picture. People come to events to have fun, so think critically. Is this something I would have fun at? Spontaneity is the key to fun; why not whip up a snowball fight at midnight? Drop snowflake confetti? Keep your guests guessing and keep it fun! Happy Planning!!

« Previous Page