Romantic

by Mary Ann Wilson

What’s more romantic than a candlelit evening? A candlelit evening inspired by a shared environmental conscience, that’s what.

Last year, millions of Australians participated in the first annual Earth Hour to raise awareness about, and to actively combat, climate change caused by global warming (if you still think that global warming “isn’t real,” better pull your head out of the increasingly hot sand real quick, and hope that right-wing of yours can fly you and your descendants to another planet). This year, at 8 p.m. next Saturday, March 29, 2008, millions of people worldwide will accept the Earth Hour “challenge.”

I put the word “challenge” in quotation marks (twice, even) because the concept could not be simpler or easier: shut off your lights for one hour. That’s it. Such a small gesture can be all it takes to really get you thinking about your personal environmental impact and responsibility, but Earth Hour is far from a gesture alone. According to its website (www.earthhour.org), “[i]f the greenhouse reduction achieved in the Sydney CBD during Earth Hour [2007] was sustained for a year, it would be equivalent to taking 48,616 cars off the road for a year.” Small effort, big results.

Hey Torontonians, when was the last time you went to the CN Tower? For couples who are looking for a place to celebrate a late Valentine's weekend, why not take it to the top of the world- literally! Through February 15-18, there's a buy-one-get-one-free pass (see website for details) up the tower. For a light meal and refreshments, spend some time at Horizons Café, located at 1136 feet on the Look Out level.

By Amber Whitman

Who doesn’t remember the original romantic movie “Dirty Dancing” of 1987, featuring the sexy and acclaimed actor Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle, and the loveable Jennifer Grey as Frances “Baby” Houseman? Well, now you can see this movie-turned-musical, written and co-produced by Eleanor Bergstein, live onstage at The Royal Alexandria Theatre.

“Dirty Dancing” is a classic coming of age love story that begins when the adolescent Baby, a doctor’s daughter with lofty dreams, is forced to go on summer holiday with her parents. Bored one day, she wanders into a world of dance and new people, where she meets Johnny, a ruffian. Through as series of circumstances, they find themselves making an unlikely pairing as dance partners. However, against all odds they fall in love and face life’s challenges together. With popular favourites like “Hungry Eyes,” “I’ve had The Time of My Life,” and “Do you Love Me?” this summer-romance show is a surefire winner (emphasis on the fire)!

The Canadian Opera Company is holding their Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre from September 26, 2007 to June 18, 2008.  The free concerts take place the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. and every Tuesday and Thursday at noon, with additional noon hour and early evening concerts throughout the schedule. 

Okay, in all honesty, some morning-afters aren’t guilt-free. However, for the most part, a quick snuggle, joint shower, and then breakfast together is a great way to spend the first part of a Saturday morning.

So what’s this ‘guilt-free’ business?

After all those ‘Happy New Years’, ‘Merry Christmases’, and ‘Happy Hanukahs’, the only post-Auld Lang Syne thoughts you’ll be thinking will be about those extra ten pounds you packed on during the break.

Well, not really – but what is realistic is that an awful lot of people make the ol’ ‘be healthier’, ‘lose weight’, ‘work out more’ types of resolutions. And the easiest way to break these decrees of determination? Peer pressure. Especially a ‘peer’ who eats with you and encompasses your free time.

Last night, Bobby seemed like a great choice, and this morning, you smile as you wake up to the smell of breakfast cooking. As you make your way downstairs, he turns with a grin in front of the stove, frying up bacon and eggs, spreading thick slabs of butter on thickly sliced white bread, heaping sugar and cream into a cup of coffee, and heating up danishes in the oven. “I thought we’d munch on this and watch a couple of movies,” he says congenially.

Every year, foodies can count on two things:  Summerlicious and Winterlicious.  Starting off the year just before Valentine’s Day, Winterlicious 2008 promises to be even bigger, with better selections and popular chefs such as Claudio Aprile of Colborne Lane, Didier Leroy of  Didier, Guy Rubino of Rain, and David Lee of Splendido.  This year, 121 restaurants are participating in the event, and it is gaining ground as one of  the most successful and anticipated annual events in Toronto.

The event is sponsored by local restaurants in the Toronto area that all offer prix fixe menus at a set cost of $15-20 for lunch and $25-35 for dinner.  If there was ever a time try out all the most prestigious restaurants in Toronto, the Winterlicious (and Summerlicious) season is it!

From the Beer Bistro website:  "In a recent brunch revue: Brunch Spotlight’ on Toronto.com beerbistro was touted as “a good place to take a date or best friend for an upscale brunch experience” , the food comments included: ‘The Eggs Benny served on russet potato scallion latkas rule” “try the Chambly smoked salmon and asparagus or the lobster, sweet pea and smoked cheddar varieties” and “Can’t go wrong either with their great tasting Beer Bistro Burger with Belgian ale on a buttermilk bun…’. The kitchen works diligently to bring you a brunch menu that features new and inventive takes on seasonal – traditional brunch time fare. A Fresh market menu means our bakers are in early every morning making fresh breads, pastries, and muffins so that you can enjoy a bakery basket right out of the oven!