Travelling Starfish

As I’ve said before, sometimes a girl has got to treat herself.  There is nothing better to achieving that then by taking a day out on your own (or with a girlfriend) and heading to a first class spa.

After travelling around the world and visiting quite a few spas, I must say that some of the best I’ve been to have been in my hometown province of Ontario, Canada.  For anyone making a trip over to Toronto or other parts of Ontario, I highly recommend booking yourself in for a massage and a bit of pampering.

There are a number of reasons as to why Ontario is such a fantastic destination.

As I believe most things in life run in threes – here are my 3 reasons for this claim –

1) Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs) – in order to be a practicing massage therapist in Ontario, you need to be registered.  Ontario has a strict policy on this and anyone who is not an official “RMT” is actually performing massage therapy illegally.  This may sound a bit over-the-top but I think it’s great.  It does run the costs of massage a bit higher than other parts of the world but you will not regret it.  Also you know that when you go for a massage you are not placing yourself at risk of getting a bad massage (and value for money) or (even worse) getting an injury if the person isn’t properly trained – which does happen.

2) Lots of competition – there are so many spas across the province that they all compete with one another.  There are loads of deals on offer, especially in the slower months and customer service (which as I’ve said before is typically fantastic in Canada anyway) is incredible.  I’ve never left an Ontario spa without being fully satisfied.

3)  A truly relaxing experience – many of the spas I’ve been to, whether they are deep in the heart of the city or in the countryside, all help you unwind and getaway from your day-to-day stresses.  This should be true of all spas but, in other countries, I have found that this obvious element sometimes is missed – which can be quite disappointing.

If you are travelling to Ontario, most likely you will pass by Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and many of the spas I love are there.

Here are my top 3 regions and some spa suggestions in each:

Niagara-on-the-Lake

1) Niagara on the Lake (NOTL) – as most of my friends and family know, I love this part of Ontario and the world in general.  Niagara-on-the-Lake is a small town just outside of Niagara Falls.  Unlike its neighbouring city, NOTL is quiet and relaxed.  It is a very quaint getaway from the hustle and bustle of the Falls tourism.

Surrounded by Bed & Breakfast accommodation and wineries (yes, wineries!) this area has blossomed into a spa destination for many.

Some of the spas to check out, from my experience, are the White Oaks Resort & Spa, which is right off the highway en route to Niagara Falls and a beautiful complex for an overnight stay or just for a spa day.  They have a number of packages that include massages, body treatments and manicure/pedicures.

If you want a spa closer to the old town of NOTL (which is fabulous by the way), the historic Pillar & the Post is just what you need.  It has a gorgeous spa that was refurbished in the past few years and offers all the treatments a girl (or guy) could ask for.

2) Jackson’s Point – for something a bit closer to the city without losing that country feel, I recommend this area on Lake Simcoe.  Just about an hour north of Toronto and near a town called Newmarket, is Jackson’s Point.  A favourite cottage country getaway in the summer, it is a quiet town with a very comfortable atmosphere.

The Briars is a resort that offers accommodation alongside the spa.  Years ago, my mother and I did a 2-night getaway there in the winter.  They often have deals at this time of year so check them out.  It has serene surroundings, amazing food and fantastic spa treatments – truly a perfect place for the weekend.  Summertime is their popular season and you will find that they have a number of activities for all tastes.

Getting dolled up at The Briars

My mom and I really enjoyed the spa there and we even got our hair styled a bit too – it was fun.  The aestheticians were lovely and they let us take our time to really enjoy the time we had together.

While there,I also got a massage which was really nice and my mom got a manicure and pedicure which she enjoyed.  We chatted with a lot of the ladies there and many just adored the treatments they had, making me want to go back another time.  It’s been a few years now, so maybe we are overdue – another thing to add to my list.

3) Toronto – even though Toronto is city that you wouldn’t typically associate with relaxation (that’s for sure!) there are some premium spas here.  Booking a spa day in the city, is a perfect way to unwind after a long day at work or shopping!

In 2009, when I was home for just over a month my good friend Michelle took me to Stillwater Spa at the Park Hyatt for a manicure and pedicure.  I have to admit, I was a bit sceptical that it wouldn’t compare to other spas I’d been to – including those in NOTL or Jackson’s Point.  It definitely did.

We spent 3-4 hours in the spa – enjoying the steam room, sauna and relaxation room before we headed over for our manicure and pedicures.  It was a really nice time – a perfect way to unwind on a Friday with a great friend.

For all of you who are making plans to Canada and love spas (like I do) consider booking one of the ones I’ve suggested above.

Tell me what you think!

Three times a charm – well, not for me unfortunately. 

A few months ago, I set myself up with a bit of a challenge.  I commited to give the dating scene a try again and decided to conduct my own little Travelling Starfish experiment.  After living and working across a number of countries and cultures, I wanted to understand how dating differs across 3 very different countries  – Canada, Israel and the UK.

So far, my personal dating luck has been minimal (see how honest I am!) but my research has been plentiful.  So, being the research nerd that I am, I’m oddly satisfied.

Looking at UK and Israel, I found out that Israelis are very in your face about dating, making it easy to see what’s out there.  A refreshing approach – one that isn’t for everyone but definitely something welcomed from my perspective.  The UK had a lot of options but the week lay over I had was a bit aggressive to set one up.  I’m headed back that way soon so maybe I’ll be able to directly test the waters soon.

So what is Toronto like for dating?

I’ll keep all of you guessing on if I had a date or two over the 2 months I was there (a girl shouldn’t really kiss & tell should she) but I have plenty of experience dating in the T-dot.  Especially, from my years of singledome in my 20s. Plus I also have a lot of friends in Toronto who’ve dated so research was easy in this thriving metropolis.

Toronto is a wonderful town but I find it hard to meet new people in the city. Unlike the UK (especially Jersey) and Israel I don’t find that people socialize so much after work.  My opinion is that it has to do with the commuter culture there.  In Jersey, Friday was the big night to go out and have a few drinks with colleagues. I loved it and found it was an easy way to meet new people.  In Toronto people typically live and work in different places making it tough to have a few before heading home.  People work really long days too so they want to go home and just kick back. For meeting people naturally, it makes it difficult.

Here’s some of my observations:

1) How Torontonians typically meet significant others -

Via friends, meetups or online.  The latter is the one I hear most people talk about.  For those in their 30s, online appears to be the way to go. I’m not convinced it’s for me (after years of practice in my 20s) but I guess it’s always good to keep an open mind.

2) What to do on a date in Toronto -

This aspect of dating in Toronto is a positive.  There is tons to do – go for a coffee, drink, bite to eat, walk around the Royal Ontario Museum, see a movie and so on. The possibilities are endless.  A typical first date is usually a coffee or a drink. I prefer the latter as I find the initial meetup less awkward and a bit of wine helps to take the edge off.

3) My thoughts of dating generally in Toronto -

To be honest, it is one of the bug bears I have with settling in Toronto. I find it to be a really hard city to meet new people and when you are looking for the man of your dreams (lol) it can be a bit of a pain. I guess you never know though.

One innovative way to meet people that is used more often now in Toronto are meetups through www.meetup.com.  If you haven’t used this site, check it out. It allows members (which is free) to join groups of interest in their local area. It’s not a dating site but definitely a good way to meet someone who shares a passion or hobby.

So what is the moral of dating across all these countries?

One thing really – looking for love wherever you do it, isn’t easy.  The key is to keep an open mind, try new things and hopefully that magic person will come into your life.  It’s like they say, sometimes the best things in life happen when you least expect it.

Good luck to all those singles across the world looking for love.

Bye for now, Travelling Starfish

As you probably have figured out by now, I have friends scattered around a lot of different countries.  While I’m in Canada, I thought it made sense to see a couple of friends in Ohio.  Ohio is less than an hour flight from Toronto and because I have some Aeroplan points, I thought I’d take advantage of them for a weekend away.

The destination is Cleveland and I’m headed over from Friday early evening to Sunday mid-PM.

Luxe Bar

So for this month’s 24 hours – I’m heading from my hometown of Toronto across the border to Cleveland, Ohio.  To find out more, read on:

12 noon - I’m struggling to get out of here on time (as usual) but know that I have to finish up my work and hit the road. With all the long days and nights I’ve been pulling work-wise, I’ve decided to take a half day off and take the local transit to the airport.

I think I’ve mentioned before that one of Toronto’s biggest issues from a tourism perspective is that it doesn’t have a cheap and fast way to the airport.  Cabs into the city are about $50 one way and shuttle buses run at about $25 one way.  I’m testing out, for myself and my readers, the local TTC option which only is $3 one way – their website says it will take me 90 minutes (!!) from where I am (just north of the city) so we’ll see if it’s a hit or a miss.

1pm – luckily, I made it in time to catch my first bus that will drop me off at Lawrence West station.  From here, I need to grab the 58A to Malton that will drop me right off at Pearson International Airport Terminal 1 which is where I need to go.

2:15pm – so far so good.  All the buses have arrived on time and I’m on the 58A heading towards the airport.  All is going well but the one thing I’ve noticed is that this bus isn’t taking me through the best of neighbourhoods.  In my opinion, Toronto is a fairly safe city but there are certain areas I try not to go into.  The area around Jane & Finch is known for having gang issues and we pass through Jane & Lawrence which doesn’t look much better.  This route is fine now at 2/3 pm, but I think I’d give it a pass when the sun goes down just to be safe.  Good to know for my trip home on Sunday!

So, all in all I think this local bus option is a hit but only if you have the time & know the area.  Again, this is only my opinion.

3:30pm- arrive at the airport right on time – not too early, not too late.  In Toronto (and many Canadian airports), you actually have to clear US customs on the Canadian side.  They place US customs officers in Canadian cities to avoid returning someone on a flight if there are immigration issues.  This, obviously, adds more time to check in.  You also have to carry your checked baggage through US customs so be prepared to lug those cases around for a bit longer than you may, going to other destinations.

5:00pm – my flight is set to leave at 5:30pm so I’m at the gate right on time for boarding.  Unfortunately, we aren’t boarding – everyone is just sitting and waiting.  After asking some of the friendly Air Canada staff what is going on, they tell me that there is going to be a small delay.  It’s not too bad – we end up boarding at 5:45pm and set off at 6pm sharp.

6:30pm – the flight is going smoothly except some turbulence which you can totally feel in this plane.  The flight is a small commuter flight so it’s only a propeller plane.  Luckily, I’m comfortable in most aircraft so I don’t have an issue.  I can see a couple of people in front of me are a bit nervous as we descend – luckily all goes well and here we are in Cleveland.

Cuddle up with a book & coffee at The Root Cafe

7:00pm - as an fyi for those doing this trip, be aware that you may not fly into the Air Canada area of the Cleveland terminal.  I flew into Continental.  Air Canada and United are a part of the Star Alliance and United just bought Continental so they are obviously working through a few kinks at the moment.  It’s no real issue except for the person picking you up at the airport…oops!

7:30 pm – finally after a bit of confusion I meet up with my friend – these reunions always make all the travel worthwhile.  We quickly head back so I can drop my bags and freshen up.  Then we are off out for a night of fun in C-town!

1:00 am - and fun we have – the rest of the night is a bit of a blur.  Between the fabulous Mexican food we had at Momocho’s (especially the tasty guacamole) and the bar hopping we did I think I drank a bit too much.  One highlight to be remembered was a sexy Burlesque show at Luxe Bar – I’m not sure if they do this every Friday night but it definitely spiced the entertainment up a bit.  Really nice bar & wine by the way.

2:30 am - we finally get back home (well, home for the weekend) and I literally just crash.  I haven’t had that much red wine in a long time so I know the best thing for me to do is get some zzzz’s so I don’t suffer too much tomorrow.

9:30 am - (by the way, I never sleep in until 9:30!) I wake up and get out of bed – ah, bad idea.  I’ve got the biggest headache and that lovely hangover feeling.  I realize as I’m getting older how much more alcohol hits me.  I always think the same thing – “I’m never drinking again” and maybe one day I’ll really mean it.  For now, I just need a cup of coffee.

10am – my luck, there is no coffee in the house.  OK, I think a trip out of the house is in order.  After getting ready, we decide to head to the Root Cafe on Detroit Avenue in Lakewood (sorry no website).  The food is all freshly made and it has a relaxed atmosphere.  At this point, all I care about is that they make coffee, so the name Root “Cafe” sounds good to me.

11:30am – The Root Cafe turns out to be a big success and just what I need to cure my hangover.  I have the beetroot and goat cheese sandwich.  It is delicious – it’s just what the doctor ordered along with a cappuccino of course.  I can’t wait for more meals here in Cleveland – food, drinks and fun is what this city is all about.

So, that’s what I got up to in 24 hours – a bit exhausting but a lot of fun.

Keep watching Travelling Starfish to hear more about my trip to Cleveland, Miriam x

When you grow up in a city like Toronto, it’s sometimes hard to try new things or branch out from your typical hangouts.

In lieu of a cancelled trip to Montreal (due to bad weather) my parents and I wanted to do something different in the city. We were celebrating their anniversary.  So, being the Travelling Starfish that I am, I researched some ideas for a night out in the t-dot (local phrase).

Mum & I at The Sultan's Tent

I love different types of food and experiencing different cultures.  Enter The Sultan’s Tent.  I heard about this restaurant in Toronto that serves Morrocan food and has belly dancing shows as entertainment.

We thought about a few options and decided to go for it.

The sultans tent was originally located in the Yorkville area of Toronto but re-opened in 2002 at its current location on Front Street.  This places it right in the heart of the city and beside St. Lawrence Market – one of the best places in the city.

They offer 3 dinner seating’s – 5:30, 7:45 and 10:15.  We went for the second one so it gave us enough time to get ready and also wasn’t too late.  Prices start at $39.95 per person for a 4-course meal and the show.  Not a bad deal we thought.

Belly dancing & Moroccan decor

As soon as we entered, it was packed to the brim with people – those coming out of the first show and those waiting to be seated for our seating – we grabbed a drink and waited.

When we finally got seated, we got led to an area draped in curtains and couches.  First impression? I like it!  The ambiance was great and the couches were comfy.

The whole night was excellent, especially for my parents who don’t get out a lot.  The belly dancing was good and food fairly decent.  My dad had the roasted lamb, mum had the mango salmon & I had the chicken Marakesh.  The starters were my favourite part of the meal – the mains were fine but I’ve had better.  To be honest, I’ve been to better Moroccan restaurants but the dancing made up for it.

Fez cake

They also gave us a lovely little Fez (like the hat) cake in honour of my parents anniversary.  I recommend the harrira soup for the first course (delicious) and hummus for second (its homemade).  Stay away from the chicken as mine was overcooked – my mum loved the salmon so I would have that if I go back again.  We had a great red wine too that was a Portuguese Douro.  It was full bodied and reasonably priced.

All in all a good experience.

If you like dancing and are looking for a dinner experience in the city with a bit of atmosphere, I recommend The Sultan’s Tent.  It is especially nice for a special occasion as it’s a fun place to have a party and celebrate – you can get up and shake your hips with the belly dancers so you can learn a thing or too!

Another tip is that if you want the atmosphere without the show, you can also just eat or drink at the bar there, Cafe Maroc. They offer an a la carte menu and there is a great ambiance in the bar area.  This is what I plan to do next time as I think you would still get the benefits without the set time or menu.

Enjoy and let me know your thoughts on The Sultan’s Tent in Toronto.

Miriam

With the holiday season ahead of us (or in back of us if you are talking Chanukah), shops are packed and parking lots are heaving.

Since I’ve been back, it’s really sunk in how much shopping there is in Toronto.  I know, there is shopping obviously everywhere but there is definitely something cultural about shopping in North America – I can’t really explain it.

Eaton Centre in all its glory!

Going to the mall is a past-time that many of us Canadians have as part and parcel to our childhood. I remember times where I spent afternoons on weekends with friends sitting in the food court at the local mall,The Promenade, eating fries and messing around.  After living in other countries with other cultural dynamics, when it comes to shopping I think I see this more than ever here. Whether or not it’s the weather – extreme cold in the winter and extreme humidity in the summer – or it’s the wealth of suburbs here, I wonder why there are so many malls. Ideas anyone?

I love to shop though so there are no complaints coming from me right now.  Toronto has its fair share of quality shops and shopping malls – definitely something for everyone.

One of the biggest and most well known in the city is the Toronto Eaton Centre.  The Eaton Centre has almost any store you can think of – well, probably two of every store.  A week ago I was downtown and took a visit to the mall and was honestly overwhelmed by all the people, choice and things to do.

The Toronto Eaton Centre was named after a department store chain in Canada called Eaton’s that grew from this very area of the city.  Eaton was the family name of the owner, Timothy Eaton and he grew a dry goods store in the 19th century to an empire.  Eaton’s announced plans in the mid-1960s to build the Eaton Centre complex and it opened its first phase in 1977.

Just over a decade ago, though, in 1999 Eaton’s went bankrupt but the mall decided to keep his name as it is notorious with locals and as a testament to him.  I don’t think we could ever call it anything else – but I guess that never stopped Rogers from changing the name of the SkyDome to the Rogers Centre so we’ll see if the Centre eventually gets a new name (and sponsor) one day.

Eaton Centre at Scotiabank Nuit Blanche '09

The Centre has over 200 shops and is one of Toronto’s most popular attractions.  One of the most prominent sights in the shopping mall (seen in my photo above) is the group of fibreglass Canada Geese hanging from the ceiling.  This is actually a sculpture by artist Michael Snow and named Flight Stop.

The mall is also connected to The Bay on Queen Street.  The Bay is another chain of department stores in Canada (this store is definitely in business).  I love the Bay.  It is a great department store that probably compares to a Debenhams in the UK and Macy’s in the US.  However, I think The Bay is the best.  When I walk into the one on fhe corner of Queen & Yonge I feel so glamorous – all the lovely clothes, makeup (my favourite) and accessories.  I’m such a girl sometimes…lol.

Outside of the obvious shops, there are also loads of restaurants in the mall – including Baton Rouge (which is yummy), Mr Greenjeans (an old fave – they play “They Say its Your Birthday” when you celebrate your birthday there) and Eggspectation.  All yummy choices!  Also many events are hosted in the Eaton Centre considering its size.  There are always product promotions going on there and I’ve been to quite a few signings with celebrities – last time I was there Michael Buble (I’m a big fan!) was there signing his new CD.  I didn’t get to meet him because I didn’t want to wait in the endless queue but it is cool that we were breathing in the same air nonetheless…haha!

Last year, I even went with 2 of my good friends to Scotiabanks’ Nuit Blanche where there was an exhibit in the Eaton Centre.  That is what the photo above with the bunny rabbit is all about.  This event opens up the doors of a number of buildings and local attractions and spotlights works of contemporary art.  In this “piece” a big rabbit, resembling the bunny from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, is floating around in the empty air of the Toronto Eaton Centre.  This was from the work of Jeff Koons, who is an American artist known for his reproductions of banal objects—such as balloon animals produced in stainless steel with mirror finish surfaces.  Definitely contemporary but pretty cool too.

So, the point here is that there is a lot more to the Eaton Centre than meets the eye. Back to the shopping though …

At this time of year, there are deals to be had and you can walk away with some great gifts for others & (most importantly) you too!  Boxing Day sales are coming up soon too in Canada – that is going to be a shopping frenzy…I can’t wait.

Visit the Eaton Centre and you can literally shop ’til you drop! Enjoy!!!