Café Nervosa: Mediocre Food and a Resident Raccoon

For those of you who aren't from Toronto, Yorkville is a chi chi neighborhood full of designer boutiques, hair salons, plastic surgery clinics, and for some inexplicable reason, below average eats. It is a place people go to be seen and to spot celebrities and 6 figure cars trolling down the narrow streets. It is also, I recently learned, home to some very hungry raccoons.

Monday night Alex and I tried our luck at Café Nervosa. The food and service were very mediocre despite the impressive collection of awards littering the staircase wall on the way up to the patio where we ate. We started with a blasé spinach salad and overpriced table wine. We were in good spirits that night so we didn't really mind waiting over half an hour for our second course: a pizza they had forgotten to make.

After a few bites of pizza, I became aware that someone or something was watching me. I looked up and saw a raccoon sitting on the roof of the patio staring down at me baring its teeth and smacking it's lips hungrily while it looked around at the unsuspecting diners below. It kept moving around and shifting its position poking its head out here and there, as if deciding which table to pounce on. It really grossed me out and I could hardly eat because I was mentally preparing my exit strategy if it did jump on us. I would bolt down the stairs. Or I would jump over the bar. Other patrons started noticing, probably because I wasn't exactly quiet about it. One silly girl was like, awwww! It's so cute! But most diners looked anxious and I could see they were planning their exit strategy too.

It started sprinkling rain so the waiter came over to crank open the canopy that the coon happened to be sitting on. I asked him not to do that since I was afraid it would cause the hungry raccoon to fall onto the deck. He just laughed and said, "Oh ya, that's happened before. One time he went shooting down the stairs. It was hilarious!”

What?? This has happened before?? This raccoon is a regular? The waiter then proceeded to tell me that raccoons are around all the time and there is nothing they can do about it. He said they've called the city, but nothing has been done so far.

We immediately moved inside, paid our bill and left.

I think we'll save Yorkville for shopping from now on and leave the food to the raccoons.

Girls Night Out at Buff Nail Lounge

Every Thursday from 5-9pm, Buff Nail Lounge (Toronto) has girl's night out. They offer complimentary Chocolate Martini's, Cosmos and snacks to enjoy while you get your nails done. I've wanted to try this for a while, so yesterday I roped my friend Caroline into coming with me. She got a beautiful french manicure ($22) and I got a pedicure ($34)with green apple colored polish. My esthetician was a very sweet and friendly girl, and the staff are pleasant and laid back. It is a nice open concept space with hardwood floors and comfortable chairs. It's not quite as fancy as I'd anticipated from the website, but it's a fun thing to do with a girlfriend or two!

Retro-Sexuals

My sister Claire and I enjoy bashing hideous trends. We hated Uggs, trucker hats, mesh slippers and this summer we’ve targeted Crocs as the must NOT have item of the season. Primarily we take issue with people dressing dumpily for no good reason.

Claire recently came across an article on retro-sexuals. Transl: A paunch-sporting man with no fashion sense. This would be the dude with the ear and nose hair who wears his flannels and old runners to death. The uber male. The article lists Vince Vaughn and Ben Affleck as the poster boys of this look. Ya right. Sloppy isn’t exactly the first word that comes to mind when I picture either of those two.

So who would be the female equivalent? With every starlet in Tinseltown starving herself into skeletal proportions with her barely there Versace clinging to her bony frame, it’s hard to come up with an example of a retro-sexual celebrity chick. That’s because no self-respecting stylist would allow their female clients to dress that way, and dumpy clothing isn’t available in size -2.

No, no, ugly wear is reserved exclusively for the average north American woman whom marketers having been deceiving for years into believing that hideous equals cutting edge fashion. Remember adult overalls??

There are plenty of comfortable stylish things a gal could wear without looking foolish. Lululemon is a great place to start and if that’s too expensive, Old Navy and H&M can supply tights, skirts and denim that are fashionably cheap.

Chickies, let’s not be fooled. Put away the sweatpants with wording across the butt. Resist the temptation to delve back into blue eyeshadow. Do me a personal favor and stay away from Crocs!

We can do better. And we should.

Peek-A-Boob

So I embarrassed myself today. Big meeting. Important people. My boobs. Here's how it all went down:

Last week, I bought this cute top at RW&Co, $45.00, to wear to business meetings. It's 100% cotton, sleeveless, and perfect for a hot summer day. This morning I had to present to a boardroom full of people. I shook hands with them all one by one, introducing myself. Suddenly I became aware of a breeze on my chest and casually looked down to see that my shirt had opened more than it's supposed to, revealing my bra. It was like, "Ali, meet *Bob. Bob, meet Ali's boobies." I discretely adjusted my top and sat down.

Midway through the presentation I felt the same cool sensation and discovered that sitting down made my shirt open all the more. There I was exposing myself to everyone across the table. I kept adjusting and readjusting myself while trying to do my presentation and appear calm and collected. Thankfully I was not alone in the meeting and my partners did a great job deflecting attention by discussing important things like spreadsheets.

After the presentation as we were leaving, the men got handshakes and I got a wink.

At least my husband likes the top.

*Names have been changed to protect their identity.

Confessions of a Nerdtrepreneur

I'm ashamed to admit it, but Misschickie has become a full-on computer geek. I know the names of several programming languages and say boring things like, "Can you change this from tables to div's?” and "Oh the HTML looks all screwed up. I think I unzipped it!"

To anyone who knows anything about programming this is nothing impressive. But for someone like myself who spent my first year of Radio and Television Arts screaming, "I HATE computers!!!” this is huge. I went from having only basic computer skills 6 months ago to adding Adsense, Google Search and Analytics to my blog. By myself.

Building chickadvisor has been an extremely interesting and educational experience and I'm loving it, but I had no idea my inner nerd would unleash to this extent. I'm hopelessly addicted to Google Analytics. What the FCUK?

Probably the defining moment of my new-found nerdom was a couple of weeks ago when my sister and a couple of friends were trying to drag me out on a Saturday night and I said, "Sorry, I can't. I've got to rewrite the wording for this module and get it over to the flash guy so he can fix the CSS." They just stared at me in horror.

All I can say is, if being a geek helps me build a better business, I'm all for it. But don't worry, I still have my priorities straight. I'm getting a facial next week.

I Heart Bubbleshare

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There is only one thing I hate more than email forwards and that is email photo attachments with an endless list of jpegs that you have to download one by one. I think it is rude (Yes, rude!) and unnecessary when there are so many great photosharing options out there.

My favorite is Bubbleshare.com. It is a free photo sharing service that allows you to easily download and share your photos with text and audio captions as well as comments. It is a super easy way to see what your friends and family are up to!

My Peeps, My Feet and a Foot File

Summer is all about feet. We trade sock lint for bare tootsies and flaunt the cutest footwear of the season. Our feet got a lucky break this year because wedges flats and sturdier heels are in, which are uber comfortable and don't get caught in street grates or cobblestone. I'm loving Peep Toe Heels right now like my Franco Sarto's above (Feet First, $99.97 on sale!).

While shoe styles come and go, one thing that NEVER goes out of style is nice soft feet. Unfortunately genetics are not on my side here as I have very dry heels which are ugly to look at and dangerous under the sheets. Pedicures can be embarrassing for me; watching the esthetician huffing and puffing as she buffs madly away while suggesting I make a weekly recurring appointment in order to keep them smooth. Sorry but until pedicures become $5 a pop, no can do.

That is why I was so excited when I discovered the Crystal Foot File at a little booth on Toronto Harbour Front. It is made of Bohemian Crystal and is eco-friendly, hygienic, and does not wear down or break the skin.

My feet have never been smoother. I also use it as a nail file for my fingers and toes. www.crystalfiles.com

The Product Police Part II: Dove Energy Glow

I would like to thank the fine people at Dove for giving me that "Hollywood Glow" and the Dermatologists who tested the product before putting it to market. I used it once and the "subtle self-tanners" quickly turned my skin a fresh shade of pumpkin. The streaks on my legs and forearms reminded me of Tony the Tiger. Boy, I look Grrrrreeat! Then this morning I awakened with the fresh glow of hives all over my back and torso.

I took a long shower hoping to wash the chemicals from my orange body as I scratched like a monkey.

Next stop: The Pharmacy downstairs for an anti-itch cream so I can get on with my day.




P.S If this happens to you, try Cortate Lotion. It's a smelly hydrocortisone solution but it works and is available without a prescription.

Ralph Lauren Pulls Plug on Caban

My Dear Caban,

How could you leave me this way? I bought my very first dining table from you. And my 4 matching chairs. My beautiful buttery leather cream loveseats. Heck, I even bought my bar stools from you! Yet after loyalty such as this you are leaving me?

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw your going out of business signs. I rushed to the nearest salesperson and asked her with tears filling my eyes if it was true… that you were closing your doors forever.

"Yes, I'm afraid we are." The Caban Woman said.

"But why?" I asked.

"I don't know. We just are."

"But our whole apartment is Caban!!"

"I see." Caban Woman forces a smile.

"How did this all happen?!!?!"

"I don't know. I just work here. Listen is there something I can help you with?"

And that's pretty much how we found out that our beloved Caban, the home decor counterpart of Club Monaco by Ralph Lauren, is going out of business.

We tried to console ourselves with some retail therapy. Perhaps a funky chandelier at 20% off? Or those gorgeous thick bathrobes, we could get his and hers? But even the matching leather armchair for $459 couldn't ease the pain. Or the dinnerware at 40% off.

In the end we decided we would slowly stock up on Caban merchandise until the stores close forever in September.

*Sniff*

The Sweet Smell of Victory

So the person who stole my blog got busted for violating the terms and conditions. I just have one thing to say... thpppppppppp!

Missschickie.blogspot Has Been Hijacked

To clear up any confusion...

Some thoughtless wanker has taken it upon themselves to steal my misschickie.blogspot er, spot. I usually post here on chickadvisor, but since a number of people first got used to reading me on misschickie.blogspot I have been posting to both locations for the last month or so. Now someone has stolen my url and is redirecting the traffic from my misschickie.blogspot blog to their lame-o website. So if you come across this, please be assured it isn't me and look here for all future posts.

Love,
The REAL Misschickie

DC Sample Sale in Toronto!

Every now and then I receive something in my inbox that simply must be shared. If you would like an amazing deal on designer denim, check it out!

Go early for the best selection.

Sweet Roza

I have a little secret that I've been holding out on for quite a while and it's time I fessed up. Now I know boys find this subject disgusting yet fascinating at the same time, but we girls tend to talk about this a lot. I'm talking about hair removal; a hot topic among women especially in the summer when we find ourselves half naked most of the day. Anyhoo, in April I introduced you all to my little friend, the silk epil. While I swear by this product and continue to use it, I still visit the best waxer in town for the areas that are too dangerous to do on my own: Bikini and Eyebrows.

I discovered Roza about a year and a half ago when I was on my way to a waxing appointment at another spa. I noticed her little yellow sign on the side of the street on Bloor Street West and upon reading her prices, called and cancelled my appointment at the other spa on the spot. I headed up the stairs to Roza's Esthetics, a non-descript little spa tucked away on the second floor of a plaza in Bloor West Village. Her little shop is small and casual with no frills and fuss, but her prices are unbeatable and she is fast and efficient. A bikini wax costs approximately $11 and eyebrow threading is about $10. She took me in without an appointment and a few minutes later I emerged fuzz free with enough cash left over for a celebratory cappuccino down the street.

Roza is a very busy woman and it is not uncommon to wait a few minutes or have her thread your eyebrows while having a conversation on the phone. The first time this happened I was concerned however, upon inspecting my perfectly shaped brows I realized this woman is a pro and can multitask like nobody's business.

Roza's Esthetics
2323 Bloor St. W, Unit 205
Toronto
P: 416-767-7326

Pssst... tell her you heard it from chickadvisor!

And The Winners Are...

Thanks to everyone who entered our contest on Red Flag Deals! We received an overwhelming number of entries and you guys had some great recommendations!

Crocs were by far the biggest trend of the year according to you, followed very closely by wedges, gaucho pants and aviator sunglasses. Cetaphil and Clinique were the most popular facial moisturizers by far, and Donato, Fiorio and Tony and Guy were your favorite hair salons.

The following usernames were our winners: Redhoodie, Tangyal, Pangyal, Jenn and Loveprofusion. All winners have been contacted by email.

For those who didn't win, don't fret. We will have other contests in the future!

Bridesmaidzillas

I think brides get a bad rap these days. As soon as you announce your engagement, everyone is looking for a chance to label you a "bridezilla". It somehow makes people feel better about themselves when they have a scapegoat to blame in this very stressful time. But in all of the hullabaloo, everyone gets too distracted to see the real "bridezillas". The bridesmaids.

Now before I get myself in huge trouble with any of my gorgeous wonderful bridesmaids, let me preface this by saying I got off lucky. I chose 6 fabulous girls who treated me like a queen and were a great support. This bridesmaidzilla insight comes from my experience as a bridesmaid. I've been a flower girl twice, a candle lighter, a guest book attendant, a singer, a bride... and I've been a bridesmaid 4 times.
A friend of mine decided to keep things simple and just have one bridesmaid instead of choosing between her girlfriends. She asked a girl she had known since age 5 who, after agreeing to be her maid of honor, informed her that she would not be throwing her any showers or doing anything special for her. The cow stayed true to her word and I ended up being surrogate bridesmaid running errands, planning showers, taking my friend for spa treatments and getting my hair done with her on the morning of her wedding. I was honored to help her out but watching the thoughtless cow gliding smugly up the isle made me want to smack her for being such a lousy friend.

Another friend of mine, a very sweet girl, had one bridesmaid who couldn't be bothered to attend any of her showers, help her pick her dress or participate in any way aside from smiling her hypocritical face off in all of the wedding photos as she bragged to the rest of us how great she looked in her dress.

For anyone getting married, choose your bridesmaids wisely. Pick girls who are good at calming you down, who know what you need before you say it and are willing to get down on their hands and knees and wipe the dirt off your dress before you walk down the isle if need be.

Thank you Nancy, Mia, Claire, Alison, Pamela, and Julie!

P.S If any of you have any bridesmaidzilla stories you would like to share, please post them in comments!