Things to do in Toronto

Joggers Boat Cruise

You really can’t ever dress properly to keep it cute and combat the weather you’ve got to endure in The6ix these days. A few weeks ago I was invited to a birthday party — a Joggers Soca Winter Boat Cruise upon the Empress of Canada.

The boat wasn’t as um, Empress-like as its name implied… but the event did have 2 floors of dancing DJ’d fun to be had… AND apparently everyone’s ticket came with food (which they ran out of before our birthday loving toop could get any)

Um, looks like this empress needs a wash and paint job.

Those ominous clouds above held off for the most part … buuuut there was a sudden 7-min storm that totally wrecked some parts of the city. Including the party guests on the top deck of the boat…like US!

Once that was behind us, it was lit on the top deck as we floated around the lake catching views and busting moves!

Below are the many looks that took place as the weather and dancing lead to removal of layers and drowned-wet-rat hair. 😀

There were surprisingly a ton of people on this boat that were “blasts from my past” … gotta love those unexpected catch-ups of faces you haven’t seen in more than 10-15 years!

The day was pretty great dancing, drinking and floating with the birthday girl and the team that love her.

Me and the Birthday Girl as the sunsets on Toronto

Now that you know what I did, curious about what I wore to this Soca Joggers Winter Boat Cruise?

What I Wore

Y’all know I’m the biggest sports fan … and dressing “sporty” is a piece of cake for me. (**written dripping in sarcasm** ) #gosports

I really didn’t want to have to be worried about a jacket while on this boat. So layers was the name of the game for outfit strategy!

I found this cropped TFC sweatshirt from Winners a few days AFTER having attended my very first soccer game. So I was thrilled to have an excuse to wear this top somewhere where I’d stand out more than among crowded stands of similarly dressed fans.

I wore a simple ribbed black tank underneath a plain white tee to give me warmth layers.

My bottoms are my very first pair of jeaggings (jean leggings) … in black…rolled up cuz I’m short. With my wedge high-top black kicks and red mini-crossbody that’s just large enough for my cellphone, money, sunnies and lipgloss. Keeping me free to ‘jump up’ for all the soca fete ‘big chune’ goodness. **insert loud horn noise here**

When you’re trying to take pictures for the blog…and swarm of handsome men come photobomb you. 🙂

How I Got The Look: TFC cropped hoodie, Winners; Round sunnies, Public Butter; Thin Cross-body purse, Necessities; Jeggings, Penningtons; High-top kicks, NineWest (layers of black tank and white tee both from Old Navy)

Would you take a Winter Boat Cruise around the Toronto Harbour?

What did you think of my outfit strategy for this event?

Use the comment section below and tell me your thoughts!

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TFC and PPMeow!

As a proud Torontonian, I am a bit embarrassed to say that I haven’t been to a TFC game in nearly 10-years.

So when the opportunity arose to go to a game and sit in the designated cheering-section with a boy you’re newly dating, how can a girl say no. 😉

Now, you may not know this, but I’m not exactly a sports fan. But, I’m all about dressing up appropriately for any kind of event. So I did a bit of research and asked a few questions and discovered that TFC colours were: RED, BLACK and WHITE.

Basic colour staples in any girls wardrobe – especially in mine. But instead of wearing something I already had, I chose to go the DIY route and get crafty!

TA-DAH!!! Here you see a custom, one of a kind, Irene creation. This tank top was on sale at Eddie Bauer for $10. Perfect TFC colour combos as the white fades into red.

The morning of the game, I had the bright idea to cut out felt letters and affix them on to the shirt, creating the be-all-and-end-all outfit requirements for any and all sporting event invitations in my life: GO SPORTS!

WHAT I WORE: Tank top, Eddie Bauer; Leggings with mesh calves, JoeFresh; R2D2 socks from Torrid; Sneakers (not seen here) and Lettering by moi 🙂

With unpredictable weather, I wrote a white checkered fleece zip-up (Old Navy), just in case and wore my gold-studded cross-body bag (Aldo) so that nothing would have to be place on the ground of a crowded and likely beer-covered floors of BMO Field’s stadium.

See that gifted scarf around my neck…completing my sporty-fan-girl outfit? That’s the 10th anniversary TFC scarf.

The soccer scarf phenomenon began in the early 1900s. This trend originated in the United Kingdom where fans needed a way to stay warm without sacrificing their team spirit. It was here that the idea of ‘team scarves’ was born.

If you look closely, you’ll notice that one of the fringe on each side of this scarf is made of blue wool. That’s meant to be a nod to the pre-Toronto FC history of soccer in the city. Specifically it was part of the colours worn by the Toronto Blizzards and Toronto Metros Croatia, who were both teams in North American Soccer League. See the things you learn when you date a soccer dude :p

Today, the team itself has simply been called “TFC” and “the Reds” by the media and the club.

Have you ever been to a TFC game? Here are some things you can do to participate:

Visually.

Wear Red. Black. White. Or a combination of the three.
People don’t really make banners or anything. But if you wanna make one and if you got TFC swag like a flag or scarf… bring them and wave them proudly. 🙂

Verbally.

There were SOOOOO many chants you can participate in. Sadly, I was too into it myself during the game, that I didn’t record any myself from the enthusiastic fans around me calling themselves THE U-SECTORS (fans sitting in the U section of BMO Field, I was told later). THE U-Sector vocally leads the entire south stand, and has also contributed to the highly visual nature of TFC support.

But here’s a clip of what goes down among these chanting fans:

There were many more creative chants sung to the tune of many well known songs. One of my personal favourites was done to the Jesus Christ Superstar tune:

T-O-R…. O-N-T …Oooooooh….. T-F-C! ❤

IF you’re the type that needs to know the lyrics before confidently yelling them to a tune among a stadium full of day-drinking fans…here’s one for you along with its YouTube vid so you can study up 🙂

Just Cant Get Enough
(this one is usually sung after a goal)
When I see Toronto, I go out of my head
I just can’t get enough, I just can’t get enough
All the things you do to me and all the things you said
I just can’t get enough, I just cant get enough
We slip and slide when we fall in love
and I just can’t seem to get enough of…
(Repeat with Doo’s and jumping)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUwshjBY3hk&feature=related

TFC team now is amazing!!! They’ve been winning all the games (I think?) … they definitely won the game I was at! 🙂

If you haven’t gone to a game – you must!!! It’s an excellent thing to do in our fabulous city of Toronto!

Have you ever been? What did you wear? What did you think? What did you chant? Tell me everything in the comments below!!! ❤

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Choir! Choir! Choir!

I love to sing. I’m an off-key karaoke fiend, and often have broken into song on the streets whilst listening to my iPod. I’m not particularly good at it … except when I’m singing “Drunk In Love” in my shower – then I sound EXACTLY like Queen B 🙂

Singing makes me happy. And I’m determine to discover and DO more of those things – that make me happy. I’ve been told of social choirs outside of a ‘church type choir’ before, however many of the ones I’ve been looking at have strict rules and restrictions before one can become a member. Plus, most of these chapters are located in Whitby, Mississauga and Oakville. Not at all what this Downtown Toronto gal is looking for.

SIDE NOTE: Just recently found this BlogT.O. article: Karaoke Nights in Toronto – every night of the week?! I’m definitely gonna have to investigate this list and the different spots this summer FO SHO!!!

I often sing the praises (see what I did there…ya, I’m clever like that) of Toronto being the best city ever — and I’ve recently discovered yet another reason why this city is so great: Choir! Choir! Choir!

C! C! C! is a singing group based in Toronto. Since February of 2011, they have been throwing down and saving lives. www.choirchoirchoir.com

I’ve actually been a member of this Facebook group for a few months now. Always wanting to go to an event, but feeling shy and discouraged to go alone. Alas, my social circle’s avaliability has dwindled due to life, marriages and babies….. and of those who still remain, they are less than enthusiastic about singing loudly in public than I am 🙂

But when I received the invite to last week’s session – I was def gonna check it out not matter what!

Don’t You Want Me (Human League) and Tainted Love (Soft Cell) – Yup! Two classics. One glorious night!

Typically, C! C! C! meets at two different pubs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Toronto’s Little Italy (College/Shaw area) …

Daveed Goldman & Nobu Adilman are the musical leads/directors who kick off the evening with riffs and banter before corralling us all to stand tightly as close to the stage as possible, grouping those who sing “highs and mids” separate from “lows and base”.

With minimum practice, Daveed and Nobu were able to make us sound amazing in 3-hours of fun filled singing with beers! Don’t believe me – check out the SoundCloud clips … thrilled that MY voice will be among a few of these renditions now. Oooop Boop!

I really can’t describe how amazing it was to be surrounded by a bunch of strangers singing our hearts out in unison and harmony. The only way to capture that feeling is to show you friends. Check out this clip of C! C! C! singing Neil Diamond’s hit “Sweet Caroline”.… if you’re not smiling ear-to-ear by the end of it, then you are a robot.

Oh … here’s what I wore done collage-style (as I forgot to take pics of the actual outfit) – my #ootd was uber casual for pub singing with C! C! C!:

How I got the Look: Black tank maxi dress from H&M; Great back lace sweatshirt from Penningtons (click here and here for other posts featuring this one); Medina Bib from Stella & Dot; Purple patterned scarf and memory foam soled Sketcher — essential for all the STANDING required for 3+ hours of singing with C! C! C! 🙂

Can’t wait for the next sing-a-long event with this fantastic group of people! Just thinking about it makes my heart happy! Weeeeee!

Want more details about C! C! C!? – Read Here, New People 🙂