Hello from my new home, Toronto Canada! I’m devoting my blog to share my experiences with the world as an American coming to live in Canada! I wanted to try and keep this blog as a fun way to further explore my surroundings and to talk about what I encounter here. I have learned many new things and look forward to many Spring events!
Look at all the Trout for the 10th Anual "Gone Fishing" Event!
Scadding Court Community Centre, Toronto
I grew up as a young girl in the
country so every first day of trout season I was always eager to get my line in
the water. It never occurred to me if you grow up in a city as a child, you may
not have many opportunities to get out on the water and fish. Well, ScaddingCourt Community Centre to the rescue! Recently, I was able to volunteer a school trip to
literally “Go Fish” right here in Toronto! The Community Centre held its 10th
Annual “Gone Fishing” event where they fill the entire community pool with
fresh water and trout! I couldn’t believe it- but everyone I spoke with had
rave reviews!
For one week only “Gone Fishing” lets people of all ages
come out and learn about the ecology, fishing tips and how to clean your fish if
you catch one. Once you get a pole (provided by the Community Centre) they let
you drop in a line and wait.
If you catch a trout they even gut and clean it for you to
take home for dinner. (Yes, everyone that I went with was eager to bring their
catch home to his or her parents). I never thought that I would fish again in a
city- yet alone in a community pool but I honestly had so much fun! If you are in the city, it is a family fun event you don't want to miss!
Everyone was eager to see if they will catch a fish today!
History has been made at Roland Garros today! After rain swept over the courts yesterday, the French Open Championship was played today and it's the first Monday final since 1973!
Nadal captured the French Open title defeating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the mens final. I was hoping that Djokovic could have pulled off his 4th grand slam title this year but history was still made.
Today marks Nadal's 11th Grand Slam title and marks his 7th French Open title. Wow. Not only is that so impressive but he breaks his tie with Bjorn Borg for most Championships won at the clay-court major! It's a great day for tennis!
The pomp and circumstance surrounding The Queen’s Diamond
Jubilee is all over the news here in Canada and I love it! Queen Elizabeth II,
86, is the second longest serving monarch in British History. Her coronation in
1953 meant that at the young age of 21 The Queen “Mum” pledged her life to the
service to the British people. (Prince Philip, 90, has been by her side since
their marriage in 1947). Just think we may never see this in our lifetime again-
only twice has there been a Diamond Jubilee with 60 years of service!
The celebrations started Saturday, June 2nd with
the Queen attending the Epsom Derby. On Sunday, June 3rd the
flotilla of boats sailed along the River Thames (over 1,000 boats) with The
Queen and her family traveling on the royal barge. On Monday June 4th
over one million people came toward Buckingham palace to watch the three-hour
concert, which includes performances by Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John,
Annie Lennox and Kylie Minogue!
Today is the final fourth day of the Diamond Jubilee and the
news channels are just reporting about the festivities as the Queen and the
royal family departed from lunch at Westminster Hall as they rode in the 1902
Landau open top carriage back to Buckingham Palace. They stated on the news
that the route was lined with more than 1,000 servicemen from the three armed
forces. The military band played and there was a 60-gun salute as the carriages
went down The Mall.As the royal
family appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace they had a RAF flypast to
the cheers of the crowd! I love all the coverage!
One year ago today I moved to Toronto! Yeah!! I have learned so
much about the city, found my favorite places to visit, went to some fantastic events and have met so many
wonderful people. This year has gone by so fast- but one of the best moments this year was when I officially “landed” as a Permanent Resident of Canada. What a year! :)
Today is Memorial Day in the United States! This federal holiday is observed
annually in the US as it falls on the last Monday in May. “Memorial
Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the
United States Armed Forces. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated
after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the
Civil War”. (1) I wish I was able to spend some time with family and friends this weekend for the many BBQs, parades, concerts, fireworks and events!
My deepest gratitude to all that have served, are serving,
and especially the men & women who gave their lives on our behalf.
Today is Victoria Day, which celebrates Queen Victoria's
birthday (May 24th). Looking up the history it states, “Canada is still
a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, of which the Queen is head. Victoria
Day is always on a Monday, and thus the holiday is part of a long weekend”.
According to CityNews, “This year’s Victoria Day festivities
will have an extra royal flare in Toronto with Prince Charles and Camilla, the
Duchess of Cambridge, scheduled to take in the fireworks at Ashbridges Bay Park
(in Toronto) tonight”. I look forward to taking in the fireworks and celebrating my first
Victoria Day in Canada!
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are greeted as they arrive in Canada. The royal couple are visiting to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
I wanted to post about the amazing 2012 Stars on Ice show I saw at
the Air Canada Centre! I have been a fan and skater myself so I just couldn’t
resist a chance to see Kurt Browning, Virtue & Moir, Joanne Rochette,
Jeffrey Buttle, Jeremy Abbott, Cynthia Phaneuf, Ashley Wagner, Weaver &
Poje, Shawn Sawyer and Davis & White perform!
The show showcased each athlete beautifully and Kurt
Browning directed most of the innovative choreography! One of my favorite cast
routines was when the ensemble skated to “Dog Days are Over” by Florence &
the Machine. It was also a treat to see Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir skate to
“Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley in a beautiful and strong routine that literally
had me mesmerized. To my surprise Davis & White came out and performed
their 2012 World Championship routine “Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss and it
was fantastic!!
Such a great night for all skating fans out there- I hope to
see another show in the future!
In celebration of my
Permanent Residency in Canada, I received the most beautiful Miansai anchor
bracelet! I was just thrilled to learn more about the creator/founder of these magnificent Miansai pieces Michael Saiger.
According to his website, he is a
New York bred, self taught designer, that incorporates nautical designs that
stems from his childhood memories of the beaches of New England. I was born in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, so his innovation and nostalgia really rang true with
me. Each bracelet is handcrafted from military grade custom rope and some
metals are used from salvaged machinery. This anchor bracelet is the perfect piece in
honor my “landing” here in Canada!
For all space exploration and NASA fans out there- today was a bitter-sweet welcome home for Space Shuttle Discovery as it took it’s final fly-bys on the back of a NASA Boeing 747 around Washington, DC- three times before it’s final landing at Dulles International Airport. It will spend its retirement at an annex to the Smithsonian National Air & Space museum in Chantilly, Virginia.
As stated by CNN above, “…As it left Florida at first light, the shuttle made a pass over launch pad 39A - the site of all the manned Apollo launches as well as the first 24 shuttle launches. The symbolic salute to the nation's space program was followed by a flight down the beach and over the space center's visitor complex before heading north”.
Per CNN, I found some interesting facts about this historic craft:
- Discovery is the oldest of the three remaining orbiters from a shuttle era that officially began on April 12, 1981, with the launch of the shuttle Columbia.
- Discovery - named after one of the ships used by British explorer James Cook when he traveled to Hawaii, Alaska and Canada in the 1770s - carried 252 people and the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit during its career.
- It was also the first to return to space flight following the loss of the shuttles Challenger and Columbia.
- NASA retired Discovery after it traveled 148 million miles.
So what is next for space exploration? They state, “In some ways, the past is meeting the future. Just a few miles to the south at Cape Canaveral, Space X is in its final preparations to launch its Dragon spacecraft. It is a hugely crucial test scheduled for the end of April. Space X hopes to be the first commercial company to rendezvous and then berth with the International Space Station. Next year, Space X plans to start ferrying cargo to the station and in four years, U.S. astronauts”.
Yesterday, the Toronto Marlies held a school assembly that focused on anti-bullying in conjunction with the Safe Schools Network. The students in attendance had an opportunity to hear stories and advice about how to help themselves and other friends if they see or hear bullying around them.
Toronto Marlies goalie Chris Noonan took the stage and talked about his career coming from Niagara University to sign with the AHL affiliate for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The students were excited to hear about his favorite food and tv show which were “House” and “pizza with olives”. He also had a chance to talk about his experiences dealing with bullies in school and how he handles this issue on and off the ice.
With a little help from Toronto Marlies mascot, Duke the Dog, this pup got the students chanting and cheering as they separated into teams and held a game with Chris Noonan about things they learned about bullying and how to help stop it.
It was quite a fun afternoon for all in attendance- and I was happy to see the Toronto Marlies organization tackle this issue and help talk to students about it. For more information about the Toronto Marlies click here.
It is with much love that I say- this is a must watch video! I am honored to say that this is my brother Doug, speaking and inspiring at TedxFlint! If you have never heard of this, "TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED Conference invites the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown". My brother is in good company- Wow! I am beaming and in awe watching this- so very proud of you DK! :)
Last week I was delighted to attend an assembly that featured some amazing musicians. The group is called Infinitus and features Alex Cheung, Anthony Cheung, and John “Adidam” Littlejohn who play cello, viola, and violin respectively. This string trio has the background of highly successful trained musicians but incorporate a style that is free to showcase their extreme raw talent. They can blend classical works with modern day pieces (such as Harry Potter, Mario Brothers, The Simpsons theme song, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, etc). When I saw them, they not only captured the attention of a room filled with young students, they featured a platform for musical education (which may inspire many blossoming musicians in the process).
Their high-energy performance showcased Classical works such as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ but with true Infinitus style infused it with some beatboxing that truly fascinated all in attendance. If you are an educator and want a fun interactive way to showcase string instruments and music appreciation, I would definitely check out their clip above for more information. If you’re the type of person that appreciates all music from classical to hip-hop (like me) these musicians really take it to the next level. Great job and I hope to see them sometime in the future!
If you are in the Toronto area this week you may just want to attend a special fundraising event that supports Fred Victor’s women shelters and services. The event is called the ‘Women Strut for Women’ and it's almost here! What is it you may ask?
'Women Strut for Women' is a food and fashion show that will be held Thursday, March 8 at the Glenn Gould Studio from 6:00-9:30pm. This event will feature Toronto designers from Frou Frou Vintage, Fresh Collective and more! The host of the event is Hilary Farr, most famous for being the strong minded and talented designer for “Love it or List it” on the “W” network. Per the website they also state that food is catered by Chef Fawzi of Veloute and wine provided by Barefoot Wine and Bubbly. All of the proceeds from the event and major silent auction go towards supporting Fred Victor Women’s Services- a “40-bed emergency shelter and day program which are safe havens, sources of information and referral, and access points for health services for women who are homeless or living below the poverty line in downtown Toronto”.
The event will be held on International Women’s Day- so it a great opportunity for all to get out there and show support toward a great cause!
I just found out about an event that takes place tomorrow that sounds fun for all! I'm talking about the “Winter Wilderness”Bloor-Yorkville IceFest in the village of Yorkville Park! I just found out about this event and read that it will feature ice sculpture displays, events (such as competing against a northern Lumberjack) and ice carving demonstrations (and competitions) throughout the neighborhood. Per the website they state that they will be serving, “…hot drinks, soups, crepes, mac n’cheese and more hearty goodness for all visitors... These restaurants include: Carens Wine and Cheese, Crêpes à GoGo, Sassafraz, Jacques Bistro du Parc. There will also be desserts offered from Baker Street”. They even mention that they will have skating performances by “Glisse on Ice”!
I actually find ice sculpting a unique art and have never actually seen it done in person before- sounds fun! If interested make sure to go to the Bloor-Yorkville IceFest website for additional details.
Yesterday marked a statutory holiday called Family Day here in Canada. It states, "Family Day is observed in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan on the third Monday of February. This holiday celebrates the importance of families and family life to people and their communities". I was able to spend a relaxing weekend in Grand Bend for the holiday- so it was quite a treat! I wish we had a family day in the US!
Presidents Day
Yesterday was also, Presidents Day for everyone in the USA. This is a federal holiday that in honor of the first President of the United States, George Washington and his birthday. In honor of Presidents Day- I have included a list of current female world leaders currently in power! Please clickhere to check it out!
Thank you to everyone who helped make my birthday the most special day for me here in Canada! After a surprise morning appointment spent with Raf at Sparks in Toronto- my hair was perfect and I was ready for an exciting night! (Raf you are awesome and thanks for letting me play some LTJ Bukem in the salon!)
Another big thank you to Terroni Italian Restaurant (on Queen) that accommodated our party of 14 in a cozy private room upstairs. The wine was flowing and the food was delicious! This is one of my favorite places to eat in Queen West and I loved that we were able to spend time there for my birthday! There were some friends who had never dined there before- and I was excited to see how much they loved the atmosphere and scrumptious cuisine.
After a fantastic evening at Terroni the group traveled to The Red Light on Dundas West. Out group just overtook the back room and we danced the night away as the dj spun old school hip-hop. This is my favorite bar on Queen and I was happy to spend the last hours of the night there. If you have never been there before they have a fantastic beer selection and the friendliest staff around. They also feature a great mix of chill beats and underground music from local djs in Toronto. Thank you to everyone at the Red Light who helped arrange our reserved area- we really took over the back room!
It was such a special birthday for me and I appreciate everyone who came out! The biggest thanks of all sent out to Brett L. who coordinated the entire night and got the group together for me! Much Love!
This weekend I will spend my birthday in Canada! This will mark the first time I will be celebrating in another Country and I am quite excited! (I should note- friends and family from the US- I will miss spending this weekend with you)! Plans have been set in Toronto- and I look forward to a great night out in the city!
To quote Bob Dylan, "...May you stay forever young"!
Last night was my first night watching the Super Bowl here in Toronto. Let me start by stating that I’m not blogging about the game itself (yes, I was cheering for the Pats) but I’m talking about the lack of new (syndicated US) commercials airing in Canada! Although it was great to spend a fantastic evening with friends in town- I was missing the new television commercials being aired on American television! I had no idea they don’t show them here in Canada!! According to Forbes, “$3.5 million for a 30-second spot in front of 111 million-plus fans” is the cost to make these commercials- and I was disappointed we didn’t get to see them. At least we were following on twitter what commercials were catching the buzz (and we were looking them up online) to watch during the Canadian feed commercials.
For a great website to watch some favorite 2012 commercials aired click here:
On a positive note for Canadian television commercials: Below is my favorite pick last night from Budweiser!
Feel free to leave comments about your favorite commercial during the Super Bowl too!
Getting ready for the NHL All Star Skills Competition!
Parliament Building- Peace Tower
This past weekend I went to Ottawa for the first time for the NHL All Star Weekend! I must say that Ottawa was a fantastic city to visit and I truly enjoyed my time there. I was able to visit the Parliament buildings and learn all about the Canadian government. The city was buzzing with people for the All Star Weekend and fans from all teams were walking around town wearing their jerseys in support of their favorite teams.
The All Star Skills Competition was the first event I was able to attend and it was quite fun to watch! My favorite move of the night was Patrick Kane as superman in the breakaway challenge wearing the red cape and Clark Kent glasses. Both team Chara and Alfredson made the event very entertaining!
After the Skills Competition I was able to attend the NHL Molson Official After-Party and the event was fantastic! Walking into the Canadian themed venue you had to get your “passport” ticket stamped by the “border patrol” and you could walk around different areas that represented each major city in Canada.
The Calgary Room featured a fully stocked Saloon with entertainment provided by a country-singing band. If you were in the mood to try and ride a mechanical bull or try your hand at roping a mechanical bull you could do that too!
The Toronto Room featured the financial district with actors that were playing the part in a mock boardroom. This room also featured the streets and CN tower within the city. The funniest part of the Toronto Room was the fact that all the bartenders and chefs sported thick black-rimmed glasses that are quite the trend on the streets these days!
Montreal had it’s own Cirque De Soleil theme with trapeze artists, hula-hoop dancers, stilt walkers and contortionists. This was my favorite stop as I was just fascinated with it all!
Ottawa was represented with a scale model of the Parliament buildings and an amazing cover band that kept the tunes coming all night. Moving to the Vancouver Room you walked into an ice oasis with beautiful ice sculptors and VIP area that featured a back message area! Edmonton was also represented with a woodland theme and huge oil rig! What an amazing night!
The actual NHL All Star Game was the last event for the weekend and I loved every second of it! I was cheering for team Alfredsson but in the end Team Chara got the win. A fun surprise to all the fans in attendance was a performance by Drake! (They even let the players in the game come out to sit on the ice to watch). I was even able to get a good view of Prime Minister Stephen Harper in attendance at the game a few rows away from where I was sitting!
The time went by way to fast but I would love to get back to Ottawa soon. I wasn’t able to try a “BeaverTail” or skate on the canal this trip- but I hope to do so someday! Maybe if I get back there I can even take some time to visit Quebec too! This was certainly a weekend I will never forget!
Enjoy some pics below:
Patrick Kane as "Superman"!
@ NHL All Star Game
Toronto Room @ Molson NHL Official After Party
Relaxing at the "CN Tower" in the Toronto Room
Calgary Room feat. Country-Band & Bull Riding!
I tried to rope a mechanical bull @ the NHL after-party
Drake performing at the NHL All Star Game!
@ NHL Skills Competition
Montreal Room feat. Cirque De Soleil Hula-Hoop Dancer!
Ottawa Room at NHL After Party
Stilt Dancers in the Montreal Room!
Montreal Room- Cirque De Soleil theme contortionist!
Clip of my favorite move from Skills Competition- Kane as Superman!
I wanted to post pictures from the Tool concert I went to at the Air Canada Center! The venue was packed and the energy in the arena was electric. I can't stress it enough- the show was just phenomenal and Maynard’s voice was spot-on!! I also loved the stage and set-up too! What a great night in Toronto!
This past weekend I went to Hillebrand Winery located in Ontario’s wine country on Niagara-on-the-Lake for a wonderful tour and tasting! With a group of friends on hand the tour was a fantastic time that had us all eager to sample a variety of wines!
The setting was beautiful and the winery had a very cozy feel to it. We were there during the Trius Campfire Chili event (January 21, 22, 28 & 29) where people were relaxing around the campfire while eating Chef Frank Dodd’s Icewine Chili! Our tour and tasting were fantastic and I even bought home a couple bottles of the 2010 Trius Cabernet Sauvignon. Delish!
Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake
After the tasting we went to the Icewine Festival located in Queen Street in Niagara-on-the Lake. We had so much fun! This outdoor festival had wineries all around the region showcasing their Icewine while people listened to live Jazz and ate some delicious food pairings. I am eager to visit again!
Ok, I may be a bit late on this- but I have found a new fun sport to watch! If you are a fan of motocross, downhill skiing like super giant slalom or just intense extreme sports- mix those together and you get “Ice-Cross” or “Crashed Ice”! I tuned in to watch the Redbull Crashed Ice World Championships in St. Paul USA and I must say it was awesome! They stated that this sport came back to the USA after a 9 year absence and this race in Minnesota would start the 2012 season. The track itself was set in a beautiful location on Cathedral Hill in St. Paul and the announcers said there were about 80,000 people in attendance!
To further explain what it looks like- this extreme sport has racers in hockey gear, “ice-crossing” through a downhill ice track about ¼ mile (or 400 meters). The athletes are from around the world but Canadian Kyle Croxall took the win at the World Championships in St.Paul. I’m eager to learn more and watch this sport (heck, I’d love to go down that track too!) but check out a clip from the championship above!
Video Source: http://www.redbull.com/cs/Satellite/en_INT/Video/red-bull-crashed-ice-world-championship-2012-video-021243149167391
“Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. King has become a national icon in the history of modern American liberalism” (1) and today we celebrate this federal holiday.
Dr. King was born in Atlanta on Jan. 15, 1929, but this holiday is observed on the third Monday of January. “Martin Luther King Jr. Day began in 1976 — 18 years after his death by an assassin’s bullet in Memphis — but has only been celebrated in all 50 states since 2000”. (2) Today is recognized as national Day of Service so it is important to get out there in your community! "The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems". (3)
In August of 1963, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stepped up to the lectern of history to deliver his monumental “I Have a Dream” speech on the National Mall, he was introduced as “the moral leader of our nation”. (2) Please take a moment to listen to this epic speech today.
MLK on steps of the Lincoln Memorial (March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom)-1963
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial (Washington, DC)
If I were back in Washington, DC it would be a perfect day to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, which opened last fall on the National Mall!
I went to my first NBA game here in Toronto to see the Raptors play the Nets! The big buzz to the game was the fact Chris Humphries was in town (Kim Kardashian’s ex-husband) and Raptors fans didn’t fail to taunt him about that. In the 2nd quarter a group of men in the 4th row decided to hold up huge signs displaying the faces of the Kardashian family. The night ended up with a loss for the Raptors 97-85 but overall, I had a fantastic time!
As promised, I would post some pictures from the 2012 NHL Bridgestone Winter Classic in Philadelphia! The day itself was amazing filled with eager fans for both the Flyers and the Rangers. We woke up early (first stop was WaWa) and had a fun filled morning at the tailgate. The Citizens Bank Park lot was full of fans from both teams and contrary to some beliefs about Philadelphia fans- we made friends with Ranger fans parked across from us in the lot. Okay, I admit we all had some friendly banter going on!
Once we got to our seats the crowd was memorized. The crisp cool air encompassed all 46,967 fans and it even started to snow in the 2nd period. To say the least, it was a perfect setting and crowd for the Winter Classic was on their feet. According to NHL.com Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said, "The Winter Classic is a tremendous event, and our organization is thrilled to be a part of it. To play in an atmosphere like tonight, you know, the only thing disappointing for us was the result."
In the end, the Flyers lost to the Rangers 3-2. The glimmer of hope with a penalty shot from Danny Briere was lost in the end as Lundqvist “stood on his head” yet again with some amazing play. From a special blog from Brierefor NHL.com (after the game) he stated, “Coming in on Lundqvist, I had beaten him once on the blocker side, once on the glove side. He had stopped me a couple times before as well in shootouts, but I was still convinced I was going to score. I tried to surprise him with a quick little shot, unfortunately he was quicker than me. I've got to give him credit for that”.
I will always cherish these memories for the 2012 Bridgestone Winter Classic in Philadelphia. Not only do I consider Philadelphia my original hometown but I was able to spend the day with my closest friends who all grew up in Philadelphia as well. We don’t get to do these things all together normally, so seeing the joy on everyone’s faces as we took pictures, danced to the bands in the streets and watched the game together- it all added to the "once in a lifetime" memories from the event.
Enjoy the pictures below!
Our 2012 Winter Classic Crew!
About to head in Citizens Bank Park!
Let's go Flyers!
The Flyers and Rangers are ready to go!
Love when the Jets flew overhead!
Start of the game
Priceless memories :)
If you missed my pictures from the leagues Winter Classic family skate at Citizens Bank Park (night before the game) click here to check them out!
