Display Comb 4

/ featured media, post meta, title, read more link and full content

2013 Canadian Country Music Association Award Nominees Announced

Emerson Drive
Emerson Drive (with 2 nominations this year including Group or Duo of the Year) will be performing live at the 2013 CCMA Awards Broadcast on Sept 8, 2013

Emerson Drive (with 2 nominations this year including Group or Duo of the Year) will be performing live at the 2013 CCMA Awards Broadcast on Sept 8, 2013

The 2013 CCMA (Canadian Country Music Association Awards) are being held in Edmonton, Alberta on Sunday, September 8th, marking Canada’s biggest night in country music. It will be aired live on CBC with encore airings on CMT Canada starting at 10pm ET.

On the morning of July 17th, an official CCMA nominees announcement was held here in Toronto at the Storys Building with industry and media present as well as Autumn Hill and Emerson Drive in attendance giving a sample of their performances. Even though both bands showcased just vocal and acoustic guitar duets, their talents shined through. Emerson Drive will also be giving a live performance at the awards broadcast as well as Dallas Smith and The Band Perry.

Dean Brody, Gord Bamford and Terri Clark are among the biggest nomination leaders.  Gord Bamford leads with 7 nominations including CCMA Fans’ Choice, Album of the Year, CMT Video of the Year, Single of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Record Producer(s) of the Year, Male Artist of the Year.

Voting for the CCMA Fans’ Choice Award winner is now open. To vote and to view the complete list of CCMA Award nominees visit www.ccma.org. All voters will be entered into a draw to win the Ultimate Fan Contest which includes a trip to Edmonton to attend Country Music Week and present the Fans’ Choice Award at the CCMA Awards Broadcast.

Autumn Hill

Autumn Hill

Autumn Hill

Autumn Hill

Lindi Ortega, nominated for Roots Artist of the Year

Lindi Ortega, nominated for Roots Artist of the Year

Gord Bamford leads with 7 nominations including CCMA Fans' Choice, Album of the Year, CMT Video of the Year, Single of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Record Producer(s) of the Year, Male Artist of the Year

Gord Bamford leads with 7 nominations including CCMA Fans’ Choice, Album of the Year, CMT Video of the Year, Single of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Record Producer(s) of the Year, Male Artist of the Year

CCMA-2013-Award-Nominees-BestofToronto-017

Check out the video from the CCMA nominees announcement event

That night at The Stop Night Market 2013

Cote De Boeuf: Open-faced Corned Beef served on Baguette

Cote De Boeuf: Open-faced Corned Beef served on Baguette

The Stop’s Night Market is a fundraising event, held at the Honest Ed’s alleyway, bringing together various chefs, food vendors and artists in support of The Stop’s innovative anti-hunger programs. This year, the event was on June 18 and 19, spanning 2 days instead of 1 in response to the overwhelming demand. What an amazing deal at only $50 for unlimited eats and drinks for such a great cause! This year they raised $115,000!

Cote De Boeuf: Open-faced Corned Beef served on Baguette

Cote De Boeuf: Open-faced Corned Beef served on Baguette

The Stop Community Food Centre: Octopus Takoyaki

The Stop Community Food Centre: Octopus Takoyaki

Yours Truly - Mechoui Lamb, goat's yogurt, flat bread & pickles

Yours Truly – Mechoui Lamb, goat’s yogurt, flat bread & pickles

The-Stop-CFC-Night-Market-2013-BestofToronto-004

Momofuku Shoto: Brisket with Tiger Vegetables, Cuttlefish Salad, Crab Soup

Momofuku Shoto: Brisket with Tiger Vegetables, Cuttlefish Salad, Crab Soup

Pizzeria Libretto: Meatball with Ricotta & Salmoriglio

Pizzeria Libretto: Meatball with Ricotta & Salmoriglio

Marben: Tequila & Jalapeno Atlantic Salmon Ceviche

Marben: Tequila & Jalapeno Atlantic Salmon Ceviche

Ursa

Ursa

Photos from Boys Night Out 2013

GotStyle

Boys-Night-Out-BestofToronto-015

The annual Boys Night Out event is like being in the manliest of man-caves. They have pretty much everything the youngest and oldest men could want including poker tournaments, golf, motorcycles, sports cars, cigars, fine spirits, tons of great food from local restauranteurs and tons of varieties of fine wine to discover from the Lifford Wine & Spirits portfolio. One unique experience was by the GotStyle section, where owner Melissa Austria would size you up and give you a pocket square with a colour that coordinated with your outfit. With my purple, navy and white checkered shirt Melissa chose an electric blue pocket square. A bold colour for a bold occasion. What a great event idea!

There was also a poker tournament, silent auction items, and raffle tickets for big items including the grand prize of a weekend with an Audi S5 Cabriolet with golf and stay at Deerhurst Resort in Muskoka.

Basically it was just a great fête letting boys be boys (and women are welcome to) with proceeds going to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and Prostate Cancer Canada. You should definitely check out this fun, annual charity event for a great cause.

And ladies, you can already get your tickets for Ladies Night Out on Wednesday, September 25, 2013 with details on Lifford’s website here. Here’s the video from last year’s Ladies Night Out on Vimeo. Thanks to my friend, FashionEcstasy.com, for the heads up!

Boys-Night-Out-BestofToronto-008
Boys-Night-Out-BestofToronto-013

GotStyle

GotStyle

Tequila Tromba

Tequila Tromba

Boys-Night-Out-BestofToronto-034
Boys-Night-Out-BestofToronto-042
Boys-Night-Out-BestofToronto-024
right: Pay Chen

right: Pay Chen

Boys-Night-Out-BestofToronto-035

Some tweets from the evening

More photos below and also check out our photos of Boys Night Out 2012.

Fine Spirits Recaps: Spirited Dinner, Spirits Confidential Event and the Disaronno Mixing Star Dinner

Simon Hooper, Kevin Brauch

In this issue:
Event Recaps

Upcoming Events

It was back-to-back days for me with Beam Global starting with a Spirited Dinner with Jim Beam’s Great Grandson, Fred Noe III followed by the next afternoon with fine spirit sampling at Spirits Confidential. But even after 2 days, it’s incredible how varied the amount of spirits there are to sample with the large Jim Beam collection of brands ranging from whisky, bourbon, scotch, tequila, vodka and even Courvoisier cognac.

Also I got to join in the celebratory Disaronno dinner for Simon Hooper’s win as Toronto’s finalist for The Mixing Star global bartending competition.

EVENT RECAPS

Spirited Dinner with Jim Beam’s Great Grandson
The Drake Hotel was the scene for the sold-out exclusive 5-course Spirited Bourbon dinner with special guest: Jim Beam’s great grandson, Master Distiller Fred Noe III from Kentucky. There was also Master Bourbon ambassador, Adam Harris from Austin Texas. It was Fred Noe’s second trip to Toronto in 15 years and Adam Harris’ first trip. Read more …


Spirits Confidential 2013 at Evergreen Brick Works
The Spirits Confidential event at Evergreen Brick Works was a spirit lover’s delight with tons of fine spirits and cocktails to sample including whisky, tequila and vodka. Read more here….
Spirits-Confidential-2013-BestofToronto-016


The Disaronno Dinner with Mixing Star Finalist, Simon Hooper at Bloke and 4th
I was lucky to be invited to join in on the celebrations of Simon Hooper‘s recent win as Toronto’s finalist in The Mixing Star, Disaronno’s global bartending competition. Afterwards he would head off to compete in the international finals in Amsterdam. Read more…

UPCOMING EVENTS

Boys Night Out
In support of Prostate Cancer, the Lifford Wine Agency’s annual Boys Night Out event is happening tomorrow at Evergreen Brick Works so if you are a man (or a woman) who loves fine cigars, cars, suits, blackjack and boats then you might want to pay attention to this one for a good cause. $100 tickets are available on EventBrite here. Check out our photos from last year’s Boys Night Out 2012. It will be sure to be a great time… also, flood-free!
IMG_3901


CRAVE TO
Also don’t forget to mark your calendars for August 17th for the second iteration of Crave TO.
CraveEd

Kultura Restaurant: New Chef, New Summer Menu, New Hookah Lounge

These beauties will be in the new Hookah Lounge at Kultura
These beauties will be in the new Hookah Lounge at Kultura

These beauties will be in the new Hookah Lounge at Kultura

Just in time for Summerlicious which starts today, I was lucky to get the opportunity to sample the new menu at Kultura with their newly-appointed Executive Chef, Daniel Racine. At the same time, by the time you read this Kultura is also launching their new Hookah lounge so guests can enjoy the aromatic and soothing shisha. Good things happening at the Kultura. Check out their menu here including their Summerlicious specials. www.kulturatoronto.com/menu.html

Crunchy asian salad with napa cabbage, vegetable whispers, toasted peanuts and drizzled with Asian sauce

Crunchy asian salad with napa cabbage, vegetable whispers, toasted peanuts and drizzled with Asian sauce

Jerk spiced tiger shrimp with ginger papaya compote

Jerk spiced tiger shrimp with ginger papaya compote

Shisha break while dining

Shisha break while dining

Chocolate banana spring rolls with ferrero rocher gelato

Chocolate banana spring rolls with ferrero rocher gelato

ABOUT KULTURA
Boasting three floors, four rooms, two lounge bars, a private dining room and an impressive three hundred fifty-person capacity, the elegant eatery personifies style, artistic flair and presents a welcoming social atmosphere. Visit www.kulturatoronto.com

1 … 265 266 267 268 269 … 310