Comments Off on CANFAR’S Bloor Street Entertains: Focus on the Positive
CANFAR hosted another extravagant “Bloor Street Entertains” evening starting with a reception at the Royal Ontario Museum followed by pop-up dinners taking place in shops and boutiques across Bloor Street, also known as the “Mink Mile”, for the luxurious and upscale nature of the area. Some highly sought-after upscale dining hotspots included Hugo BOSS, Harry Rosen, Tiffany & Co., Diesel, Cartier, Pink Tartan, Roots, Mont Blanc, the ROM and more. Top local chefs delivering on the exclusive multi-course dining experience included Jamie Kennedy, Corbin Tomaszeski, Bruce Woods, Brad Long, Paul Boehmer, Rob Gentile, Trevor Wilkinson, James Olberg and more.
Following the dinner there was an after party back at the ROM to dance the night away. It was an interesting night with lots to do and highly recommended for those who are looking for a unique dining experience. How often do you get to sit down to enjoy fine dining in a jewellery store or clothing store?
Cancan girls
B-Girlz
Sean Jones
First year students from Seneca’s firefighting program with a Be Open girl
ABOUT CANFAR
The Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR) is Canada’s only independent charitable foundation dedicated to eliminating AIDS through research. By funding promising Canadian HIV and AIDS research and promoting prevention through educational campaigns, CANFAR is working to end AIDS globally. To learn more visit www.canfar.com
Comments Off on Join us on Dec 15th for A Toronto Christmas party
It’s back! The swanky third annual party, A Toronto Christmas, is on Saturday Dec 15th at the Steam Whistle brewery proudly supporting GlassFrog International Aid Organization! Grab a festive cocktail dress or bow tie and join Toronto’s beautiful young professional crowd for a great cause!
There will be live music by Stiffler’s Mom as well as DJ Rouge and DJ Mike Wilson.
Tickets for A Toronto Christmas are now on sale for a limited time at a reduced price of $40. Get your tickets here. http://tinyurl.com/TorontoXmas
ABOUT GLASSFROG International Aid Organization
GlassFrog is a nonprofit organization that provides basic human needs in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Their projects use on the ground resources to support sustainable economic and social benefits in the communities they assist.
For more information about GlassFrog, visit http://tinyurl.com/glassfrogFB
Comments Off on Chef’s Challenge: The Ultimate Battle for a Cure
The highly anticipated 3rd annual Chef’s Challenge finally arrived on Dec 1st with a turnout of 450 fundraisers and supporters of Mount Sinai. There was lots of intense pre-battle hoopla including 4 weekly Food Truck for Sinai events and culinary pre-events as well as some videos from chefs such as Mark McEwan and Chuck Hughes both declaring they were in it to win it this year.
The evening at Fairmont Royal York started with a reception and silent auction. There was also a MasterCard VIP reception on the 19th floor where all the celebrity chefs were doing photoshoots with VIPs but it was also really great that chefs Lynn Crawford and Michael Smith mingled in the general reception, too. Michael Smith was so gracious and allowed for so many pictures with admirers. He’s such a great guy! Guests enjoyed Appleton Estate cocktails and hors d’oeurves like cocktail shrimp and beef carpaccio.
Michael Smith with the Appleton Estate ladies
The main event was emceed by Bob Blumer, host of the Food Network show World’w Weirdest Restaurants. When Guy Fieri came in, he lit up the room with his energy and got the crowd going throughout the whole evening. But he also said that this event to find a cure was very personal to him as his own sister, Morgan, passed away from melanoma about a year and a half ago. Fieri was quick to switch gears back into a lighter mood, too. He has incredible stage presence! Chef Mark McEwan with no-holds-barred, started the smack talk by saying that David Rocco was a model, not a chef, and claimed that Lynn Crawford was a cheater. Shocking! Lynn Crawford won the first annual Chef’s Challenge and Mark McEwan won the second, so there was quite a bit of friendly pent-up rivalry.
Guy Fieri with the Chef’s Challenge awards
Getting into the heat of the culinary battle, the first secret ingredient the teams had to use was sushi grade ahi tuna. Each team’s chef then had to come up with a recipe on the spot to make an appetizer. It was a flurry of activity as each chef wasn’t allowed to touch anything, instead they guided their teams to create their dishes ready for the panel of judges. The next secret ingredient was beef tenderloin followed by phyllo dough. In the end it was Chef Lynn Crawford who won back her title and her team was ecstastic. Chuck Hughes took a close 2nd and Michael Smith took 3rd place, not bad for a “rookie” to Chef’s Challenge. What an incredibly entertaining culinary competition to watch unfold in person!
Ahi tuna appetizers ready for the judging panel
Members of the judging panel, Kris Reyes and Antony Robart
Bob Blumer and David Rocco
In what seemed like a spontaneous live auction, bids were given to shave off the “caterpillar” from Chuck Hughes face. Hilarity ensued. The bids were incredible and it was great to see it go up to $5,000. Food Network chef Corbin Tomaszeski also donated his stache for another generous winning bid of $2,500.
Chuck Hughes and his “caterpillar” ran to the bar to get a drink
The social media table is busy!
Judges included Kris Reyes, news anchor for Global TV, Antony Robart, anchor and host of Global Toronto, Michele Henry, reporter from the Toronto Star, John Moore, Morning Show Host for Newstalk 1010 and Amy Rosen, acting food editor at Chatelaine Magazine.
Guy Fieri and the judging panel: Antony Robart, Kris Reyes, Amy Rosen, John Moore, Michele Henry
The featured live auction item of the night was the “Ultimate Foodie Package” featuring a set of private dinners with chefs Lynn Crawford, Chuck Hughes, Mark McEwan and David Rocco. Guy Fieri upped the stakes with dinners at his restaurants in California if a minimum of $25,000 was reached. A generous bidder obliged and the crowd cheered.
David Rocco with Future Sinai’s Ashleigh Steinhauer
Congrats to Chef Lynn Crawford and the team!
Thanks very much to the kind folks at Mount Sinai Hospital who have let us cover all the exciting Chef’s Challenge pre-events. I also made the trek out to all 4 Food Trucks for Sinai events as well. It was a busy whirlwind of events but very enjoyable all the way and most importantly for a great cause. Congrats to the Chef’s Challenge team for raising $775,000 in 2012 for Mount Sinai Hospital. Keep up the great work! Stay tuned for more exciting fundraising opportunities with Mount Sinai in 2013!
From Mark McEwan’s Facebook, we have Drake with Guy Fieri at One Hazelton on Saturday night after Chef’s Challenge
ABOUT MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL
Funds raised at this event provide sustaining funding to breast and ovarian cancer research and education at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute and Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre at Mount Sinai Hospital. With your support, scientists at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute can investigate new approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat disease, while clinicians at the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre provide priceless classes to the community on mammography and self-screening, as well as classes on health, diet and exercise for recovering breast cancer patients.
More pictures below. Thanks to Macleans for using our Guy Fieri picture in their article!
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And here are even more pictures. And also check them out on our Facebook album.
Comments Off on Adelaide Club Celebrated it’s 35th Anniversary 70’s Style
So it turns out the Adelaide Club tucked away in First Canadian Place in the financial district is not only a 35-year-old mainstay in the fitness world but they also know how to throw quite a party! To celebrate this milestone with a 70’s theme, they turned squash rooms into lavish lounges decked out with bars and food, they brought in pole dancing by Flirty Girl Fitness and 70’s getups, from fros to bellbottoms to mini skirts and disco dancing. Food was served and drinks and ’70s candy were shared and it was quite turnout!
It’s interesting to see a fitness club with bar service so that you can relax in the lounge with a drink with your buddies after squash. I say why not have it all? Quite different from the impersonal, cookie-cutter gyms we’re all used to.
Flirty Girl Fitness pole dancing
Flirty Girl Fitness pole dancing
Interesting classes at the Adelaide Club include the Hot Barre, which has Ballet concepts, or Tabata, a type of interval and calisthenic training.
Never resting on their laurels, the newly renovated Adelaide Club will feature an expanded Adelaide Health Clinic designed by the Design Agency early in the New Year. That’s quite the bold red!
Adelaide Club’s New Health Clinic arriving early in the new year
For more pictures check their own Facebook album as well, with over 200 pictures.
Adelaide Club Toronto
1 First Canadian Place
Toronto, Ontario M5X 1C8
ABOUT ADELAIDE CLUB
Since 1978, the Adelaide Club has been a leader in the Fitness World. State of the art equipment, world-class group exercise programming and accredited, knowledgeable staff are the backbone of our wellness service.
Pinball Clemons, Mike Bradwell, Damon Allen, Jennifer Hedger
After the Special Olympics Festival breakfast earlier in the morning, the Special Olympics Festival Gala was hosted by Jennifer Hedger and Rod Black from TSN to celebrate the 30th annual Special Olympics Festival gala. The evening featured a large silent auction, a great aerial performance, a grand live auction (including a Toyota Camry Hybrid), and musical entertainment by up-and-coming Canadian recording artist, Melissa Bel.
Aerial performance
Tons of Canadian celebrity athletes were in attendance including Olympic gold medalist Rosie MacLennan, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero, Pinball Clemons, Adriano Belli (aka “The Kissing Bandit”), Mike Bradwell,, Damon Allen, Mark Tewksbury and so many more. We also spotted Aliya-Jasmine Sovani of MTV News.
Toronto Argonauts, Mike Bradwell and MTV News, Aliya Jasmine Sovani
It was funny to hear Jennifer Hedger recap Adriano Belli’s performance leading up to the Grey Cup win including breaking the Grey Cup. He took it all in great stride saying that since he couldn’t break an arm he had to break the Grey Cup’s arm.
Toronto Argos wide receiver, Adriano Belli getting put on the spotlight by TSN’s Jennifer Hedger
What a day of celebrations and tons of great support for the Special Olympics!
Also, check out our pictures from the breakfast on our Facebook album.
ABOUT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS FESTIVAL
The Special Olympics Festival is a legendary Toronto tradition that offers sport fans an opportunity to meet some fo their heroes wile supporting Special Olympic Canada’s programs and athletes.
Thirty years ago, a Toronto boardroom was the scene for a brainstorming session among brothers Brian and Bruce Etherington, and friend David Garard. Together, they created the Sports Celebrity Festival, a sports-themed breakfast with a purpose — to weave new strands of generosity and caring into the fabric of national life. Over time, the event grew in popularity and form, and became the Special Olympics Festival with events happening from coast to coast to coast.
