FETE ‘TILL YOU SWEAT!!!

Hot humid air lingers over the city and in dark, cool warehouses across Toronto revelers of Caribana are limbering up to Soca, Calypso and Steel Drum music in preparation for the coming festivities!  Colourful costumes laden with feathers and beads are getting last minute alternations and the anticipation is mounting.

The Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival weekend (commonly known as Caribana) is here! 

I have always been a strong believer in consulting the experts in uncharted waters so I am handing this week’s blog over to Charmaine and Adama from the aNd Logistix team.

Charmaine’s ritual:

Coming from St Lucia, an island famous for its sun, fun and tropical flavors, it has been my tradition to “jump-up” in a carnival band since the age of 5. Caribana is the perfect substitute to the St. Lucian’s fete: J’ouvert.   Every year, I go through the same ritual. At the beginning of spring, I pick my favorite costume and the band I will be jumping with. Then I familiarize myself with the latest Soca beats and practice the newest dance moves.  In preparation for marching and dancing on the Lakeshore, I jog and have salads for lunch and dinner (7 days a week!!). A week before, I do a final costume fitting  to make sure to my efforts  have paid off and I attend the different festivities to get into the Caribana mode.  The big day, my husband and I leave the house early in the morning to join the other excited revealers at the Exhibition Place to start a weekend of partying.   Caribana is the highlight of my summer. My little one is turning 5 this year and I hope she will start her own tradition.  

Adama’s insight:

Moving to Toronto, I was very surprised when I found out about the festivities of Caribana. It was nice to see that the City of Toronto and Scotiabank were putting so much effort into keeping the Caribbean culture alive. For me Caribana is everyone’s fete, from ages 3 to 93 and people participate in Caribana for different reasons:

-          Some like it for the music and the dancing, watch the promo video

-          Some especially appreciate it for the island flavors

-          Some love it to learn more about the culture and tradition

I personally enjoy Caribana the most for its 3 days of partying!!

Thanks Ladies – have a fun-filled weekend

Hope my “Free Idea” makes your Friday!

To learn more, please visit www.andlogistix.com

Free Idea for Foodies

Sliders are all the rage this season - but go beyond the regular beef and try serving these creative versions of the popular bite size grub:

- scallops and cilantro lime mayo sliders

- meatball slidera or Italian veal Parmigianino  sliders

- Portobello’s and walnut crusted goat cheese sliders

- pulled turkey with cranberry barbecue sliders

- lamb sliders with Tzatziki- Greek yogurt dip

                                                           - and why not try the ultimate smoked meat slider or Reuben slider

Check out Caplansky's http://www.caplanskys.com/ - a particular favorite pick of the team at aNd Logistix!

They offer live slicing stations with their famous smoked meat, and they even have a Food Truck (another big food craze for events this summer).

Hope my “Free Idea” makes your Friday!

To learn more, please visit www.andlogistix.com 

Echo Beach

Growing up in Toronto, Ontario Place was a favorite spot for summer fun.  Faded memories of hot summer nights on the lawn of the old Forum easily flow back to the forefront of my mind – Jan & Dean with Mike Love of the Beach Boys, Air Supply, Teenage Head and the legendary Bruce Cockburn.  And who could forget CFNY 102.1’s Edgefest in the early 90's.   I loved the Forum and still miss it!  It was my first experience of not knowing how good you have it until it’s gone.

For those too young to remember, the Forum was an outdoor concert venue that was an architectural landmark torn down to make way for the Molson Amphitheatre. It featured covered seating under a unique tent-like, metal framed, solid roof, with extra seating on the open surrounding, grassy hills. While having only half the seating capacity of the current Amphitheatre, it offered a far more intimate theatre-in-the-round experience; featuring a rotating stage which gave every seat in the house, in turn, an excellent view. It also had the benefit of being generally free with park admission.  Free live music under the stars and nothing could beat that!

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Ontario Place is bringing back the Forum – well sort of.  It has opened Echo Beach, a 5,000-capacity venue featuring a real sand beach and offering guests a spectacular view of the downtown Toronto skyline.  Like the old Forum, it is a general admission venue with no reserved seating and allows fans that intimate concert feel al fresco.

This summer’s free concert line-up includes Platinum Blonde on July 23, Third Eye Blind on July 28 and Sloan on August 5.

I’m holding out for Martha and the Muffins playing Echo Beach sometime soon!

Ontario Place http://www.ontarioplace.com/

Echo Beach http://www.echobeach.ca/

Hope my “Free Idea” makes your Friday!

To learn more, please visit www.andlogistix.com

Summerlicious

Summer in Toronto is full of adventure.  If you have never tried it before – you should definitely take a look through the list of over 150 restaurants offering 3-course prix fixe menus.  At $15 for lunch – you can try some of the best restaurants in the city for a fraction of their regular price!  Check it out:

http://www.toronto.ca/special_events/summerlicious/2011/index.htm

If you're looking for a low-key activity for after dinner - try this great idea provided by long-time friend Enzo Flammia.  Enzo is an avid cyclist and really knows how to take advantage of the summer months in the city.  Try going to an outdoor film screening.  Luckily, there are films being shown in parks and venues across the city all summer long! With so many different options, it can be hard to plan out your calendar. We've rounded up as many screenings as we could find for you here: Movies in the Park is taking place on July 24, August 14 and 21. Over the course of the three weeks Rango, Best in Show and Rear Window are being screened in Riverdale Park (East). Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Proceeds will go towards supporting local charities. Dancing in the Dark kicks off on July 5 in Yonge Dundas Square with a free screening of Beach Blanket Bingo. Every Tuesday until August 30, they'll be screening a different dance-themed film. Highlights include Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Saturday Night Fever and more. All films start at sundown. Hot Spot Summer runs from July 5-August 9 at Harbourfront. Every week, they'll be screening a different film exploring different cities through the eyes of filmmakers. Screenings are free and start on the WestJet stage at dusk. Films include Annie Hall, Lost in Translation, Paris Je T'aime and more. TIFF in the Park is a joint venture between TIFF and the Entertainment District BIA. Every Wednesday from July 6-August 31, they'll be screening classic musicals at David Pecaut Square, next to Roy Thomson Hall. Films include The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz and more. All films are free and start at sunset. Movies Under the Stars takes place every Friday at Downsview Park starting July 8. The selection includes some fun classics like Space Jam and Beauty and the Beast, but there are also screenings of Justin Bieber Never Say Never and Up if you're looking for more current flicks. Films are free and start at sunset. Summer Afternoon at the Movies runs every Tuesday until September. A perfect solution for those rainy days, the indoor series will be taking place at the Toronto Reference Library and will feature screenings of films such as Amelie, The King's Speech, The Hound of the Baskervilles and more. Screenings take place from 2-4PM each week. If you want something extra out of your outdoor movie-going experience, the Open Roof Festival gives you a double hit of film and music. Every Thursday, a different independent film and musical act are presented at the Amsterdam Brewery. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Don’t forget about all the wonderful water activities on Lake Ontario.  We want to give a big shout out to Ken and Jetta at Heritage Coast Charters – we had a great time at our annual Company Day last week!

Heritage Coast Charters

http://www.heritagecoastcharters.com/

welcome@tbaytel.net

(647)284-8843

Hope my “Free Idea” makes your Friday!      

To learn more, please visit http://www.andlogistix.com/

Happy Canada

Happy Canada Day and Happy 4th of July!

Since our launch in January, the Free Idea Friday has become a great exchange for new ideas. 

This week's idea is courtesy of one of our clients - Cara Shulman from the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals.

If you are looking for a special treat this holiday weekend, why not try the delicious ideas from www.slicepies.ca  The "Pie of the Month Club" is a perfect gift for a wedding, anniversary, birthday or other special occasion.  They also do mini pies served on chinese soup spoons for corporate events.

Hope my free idea makes your Friday!  Enjoy the long weekend.

For more information check out www.andlogistix.com