Rob Ford, Ron Burgundy has a message for you...

Tonight I was pleasantly surprised when the latest trailer for Anchorman 2 played before Star Trek Into Darkness. Ron Burgundy has a message for Rob Ford, the mayor of Toronto. I hope he’ll listen and stop embarrassing the residents of our wonderful city.



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Social media goes to college at PodCamp Toronto 2013

After five wonderful years and having the pleasure of working with a stellar and dedicated group of volunteers and supportive sponsor partners, I’ve stepped down from the organizing team. I’ve remained a contributing member of the PodCamp Toronto community.

For those of you who don’t know, PodCamp Toronto – is a free unconference for content creators and other digital media enthusiasts – taking place February 23 and 24.

Read more...

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Rita Tesolin Jewellery holiday sample sale

What?


Rita Tesolin Jewellery holiday sample sale

Canadian jewellery designer Rita Tesolin is having a holiday sample sale with up to 90% off her regular prices and below cost. You’ll find a mix of goodies including array of one-of-a-kind belts, costume, sterling silver and semi-precious jewellery. New items added daily.

Where?
63 Wingold Ave., Suite 103 (map)
Toronto

When?
Friday, Nov. 11, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 12, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 13, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 20, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Cash only!

PodCamp Toronto 2011: Feb. 26-27, 2011

Once again this year, I’ve had the pleasure of working with a stellar and dedicated group of volunteers busily getting ready for PodCamp Toronto 2011 – a free unconference for podcasters and other new media enthusiasts – February 26 and 27.

PodCamp Toronto is less than one week away and almost 1,000 people have registered to attend. There are more than 80 sessions covering a wide variety of topics that will appeal to almost everyone and their grandma. Whether you’re new media curious, a dedicated online storyteller or a seasoned pro, there will be lots to keep you busy.

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Sex and The City 2 - Toronto Premiere

Kudos to the gals at Veritas for inviting me to the SATC2 premier last night. I hope they’ll understand that sometimes things come up at the last-minute and I wasn’t able to attend. Fortunately, my colleague Aly Robb stepped up to the plate. I hope you’ll enjoy her guest review. In addition to being an account exec on High Road’s digital team, Aly’s is an avid lover of dance, shrimp cocktail and Bill Murray.

“Do you want to go to the Sex and the—” I don’t think I let the oh-so-lovely Bargainista finish her sentence, inviting me to attend an advanced screening to Sex and the City 2 last night, before I eagerly replied “Yes, Yes, YES!” The clothes, the shoes, the men – how can a girl refuse? Accompanied by my best gal-pal, I headed off to the screening sponsored by Trojan and Nair, excited to get my Sex and the City fill a little earlier than anticipated.

I arrived a full hour and a half before the movie was scheduled to start as I was instructed to do, thinking that I would be at the front of the line, but I misjudged the die-hard Toronto SATC fans, and found myself among a large crowd of party dresses (should have re-thought my jeans) and stilettos (should have re-thought my flip flops).

As we arrived, we were greeted by organizers adorned with pink boas and the Trojan Man, a bare-chested gladiator hunk you could get your picture taken with. Although it was a long wait until the movie actually started, we were entertained with Sex and the City trivia and prize packs that would make any girl blush.

As the lights dimmed and the movie began, our great MC reminded the crowd that it was a girls night out – and we should all embrace the girliness within us as we watch... and embrace it, I did...

I laughed, I squealed, I cheered, I even got a little choked up – I won’t lie, I LOVED the movie. It was like being reunited with four long-time friends, and for just over two hours, I got to live the life of Sex and the City.

As the night sadly ended and I walked away with my Sex and the City gift bags (filled with sweet Nair and Trojan swag), I felt a little more glamorous... even in my flip-flops!

Are you planning on seeing SATC2? If so, share your thoughts and leave a comment.

Ron White is giving away a $200 gift certificate on Twitter

Ron White is a Toronto-based high-end shoe store named after it‘s owner, with a focus on premium brands that put comfort first yet are equally fashionable.

Well, Ron White is new to Twitter and as a way to attract new followers and gain awareness for his store, he’s launched a Twitter contest. All you need to do between now and May 11 is email your favourite one of his tweets to Service@ronwhite.ca for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate to Ron White. Make sure to use “Ron TWEETS!” for your subject line. Make sure to check the website for complete details and while your there, check out the good work Ron White does in the community.

Just one word of caution, most items in the collection are well above $200, so while the winner probably won’t be getting a new pair of shoes or sandals for free, she will get a hefty discount.

I’d be curious to learn the total number of entries for this contest and the number of followers he gains compared to entries. How about you?

Hat tip to Connie Crosby for sharing.

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Lida Baday Sample Sale - May 8

The one you’ve been waiting for is back...



What?
Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale

Her collection is available in only the finest department stores.

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for an upcoming party, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

When?
Friday, May 7, 2010
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St.. (See map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

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Tassimo Smart Talk event – an inside view

A few weeks ago, Candice Shirreff, Sarah Roger and I shared our experiences with our new Tassimo beverage systems that we each had the good fortune of winning either on Twitter or by entering to attend the TASSIMO Smart Talk event in Toronto as Candice did and won the opportunity to attend and walk away with her own machine. I caught up with Candice and asked her to share her experience.

Candice, you won tickets to a TASSIMO smart talk event in Toronto with Sarah Richardson and Nik Manojlovich. What did you think? Did you leave feeling pressured to discuss the event or the Tassimo system?

Being a big fan of Sarah Richardson, I was really excited to attend this fairly intimate event about interior design and entertaining – although I have to say that leading up the event I did not really know what to expect. How many people would attend? The invitation said bring your questions so I thought it would be a relatively intimate setting but it ended up being bigger than I thought. Also, the invitation said the event would last from 1:00-4:00 p.m. – what were we to do for 3 hours?

Anyway, here is what really happened:

My guest and I arrived at 1:00 p.m. or shortly after and was greeted by several Tassimo staff who directed us to the ticket station where my guest and I were signed in. My guest was given a ballot for a chance to win the $10,000 Bosch kitchen. So, we proceeded to the Great Room and immediately saw a huge sign at the other end of the room that read Ballot Here (or something of the like). So that is where we headed.

Afterwards, we noticed that there were a series of Tassimo stations where staff were brewing everyone drinks. Unfortunately, the lines were too long and the brewing took too long that my guest and I gave up and grabbed some water before heading into the auditorium to grab a seat. We figured we also would have lots of time to test out the machine after receiving the free machine at the end of the show. Needless to say, we needed a little more time to get our own Tassimo beverage – but water would do since I didn't want to miss Sarah Richardson.

After waiting a few minutes for those who decided to wait for their Tassimo beverages to finish brewing in the Great Room – Nik Manojlovich came out to introduce himself and his history with Tassimo - which all started at a cottage a couple years ago. Throughout his introduction and chat with Sarah Richardson he would give out Tassimo products and Tassimo staff would brew selected products for audience members.

The chat itself was great – the only downside for myself was the fact that audience members brought their personal decorating questions along. I didn’t think those were the types of questions the event planners had in mind – but Sarah did a wonderful job of generalizing her answers so that they could apply to anyone.

When the event ended, and before it did, people began running back to the Great Room to get their free machines but before everyone left, Nik Manojlovich encouraged everyone to share their Tassimo machine and its beverages with friends and family – but by no means did I feel any pressure to “sell” this product to others.

My guest and I then made our way to the Great Room, which quickly turned into a bit of a mess with the usual pushing and chaos that happens when things are free. This is coming from someone who avoids sales for that very reason. I am about enjoying my purchasing experience, or this case - free experience, rather than saving 10%. Anyway, I quickly got my beautiful burnt-orange Tassimo machine and made my way out in amongst a sea of people trying to trade machine colours.

Thank you Tassimo for a great event and fun take-home prize!

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I Love Sample sale

What?
I Love Sample sale featuring premium denims, clothing and more for both men and women all at fantastic discounts. Designers include citizen of Humanity, Robins Jeans, Christian Audigier, Dylan George, Tenstate, Local Good, Paco Chicano, Crystal Rock and Glamour Campaign.

Where?
90 Wingold Ave., Unit 7 (map)
Toronto

When?
Wednesday, Dec. 9: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 10: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Friday, Dec 11: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Cash, Debit, Visa, Mastercard, Amex

Parasuco Jeans Warehouse Sale

What?
Up to 80% OFF
5 days for men’s and women’s fashions.

Just in time for the holidays, an awesome selection of world famous Parasuco Jeans for women and men, including Awesome Denim, T-shirts, Jackets, Leathers, Accessories, Party Dresses and lots more – all at up to 80% off. Hurry in for the best selection.

Where?
The International Centre - Hall 4 (map)
6900 Airport Road
Mississauga, ON

When?
Thursday, Dec. 10: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 11: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 12: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 13: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Visa, Mastercard, Debit or Cash

Lots of free parking

Gotstyle Ladies Only Exlusive Shopping Event

What?
Gotstyle - Ladies only exclusive shopping event. Shop for menswear while drinking champagne and having hot male models try on clothes for you! Beats the mall any day.

When?
Wed Dec. 9- Thurs Dec. 10

Where?
Gotstyle
489 King St West (map)
Toronto, ON

If you go, leave a comment and let us know what you find.

Davids Private Sale

What?
Davids Private Sale
Preview of Fall/Winter sale with merchandise up to 50% off.

Where?
66 Bloor St. W. (map)
Bayview Village (map)
Yorkdale (map)

When?
Wednesday, Nov. 25
Thursday, Nov. 26

Public sale begins Friday, Nov 27

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Rita Tesolin's Holiday Sample Sale - Extended

What?
Rita Tesolin Jewellery Design inventory sale

Canadian jewellery designer Rita Tesolin is having an inventory sale with up to 80% off her regular prices and items starting as low as $5. You’ll find a mix of stuff including costume, sterling silver and semi-precious jewellery collections and a wide array of one-of-a-kind belts. Different items will be throughout the weekend. Now is the time to buy designer accessories at bargain prices.

Cash only!

Where?
63 Wingold Ave., Suite 103 (map)
Toronto

When? - New dates
Saturday, Nov 28, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday, Nov 29, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Friday, Nov 20, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday, Nov 21, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday, Nov 22, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Cash only!

Loving Aritzia

No, it’s not cheap but I’ve always had a thing for Aritzia from the time they opened their very first store in Toronto. Until the other day, I only looked. I bought an awesome black, silk cashmere, shrug-meets-boyfriend-cardigan sweater by Wilfred. At $95 and the amount of wear I’ll be getting from this baby, it’s worth every penny.

At the cash, I noticed my earring was gone. Oh, no, it was remodeled from some of my late grandmother’s jewelry. The sentimental value was huge, the monetary value no so much but it wasn’t costume. After taking a quick look around without success, (I hadn’t put anything over my head while trying the sweater on) I assumed it fell off the office and left.

Back at the office and a mere 15 minutes since I left the store, the phone rang. It was someone from Artizia letting me know they had found my earring and it would be waiting for me to pick up after work. I told her I’d be right there since I worked practically across the street.

When I got there, two sales associates recognized me at the cash and gave me my earring (I showed them the mate still on my left ear.) Another customer piped up and told me she had found the earring. We chatted for a minute and I thanked her profusely. She expected nothing but the knowledge that she was paying it forward.

I was particularly impressed by how quickly the lovely ladies at Artizia called me (I’m also impressed by their blog but that’s worthy of another post one day). I wanted to do something nice in return. The next day, I brought them a box of chocolates as a small token of my appreciation.

Sometimes we praise sales associates for excellent service but more often we’re quick to chastise them. Very rarely do we thank them for going above and beyond. Perhaps it’s time we should.

Are you a fan of Artizia? Check out Aritzia’s Facebook fan page and follow @ArtiziaLoves on Twitter.

When was the last time you experienced a sales associate going that extra mile? How did you show her your appreciation?

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Bodyblue’s trunk show

What?
Bodyblue trunk show
20-75% of all denim, lots of giveaways and a chance to win a shopping spree.

Where?
724 Queen St W (map)
Toronto, ON
416 703 7601

199 Danforth Ave (map)
Toronto, ON
417 778 7601

When?
October 23 - 25, 2009

Let us know what you get if you go...

Not so sure how Zemanta thinks this post is related but who am I to argue? ;-)

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Updated - Lida Baday sample sale October 23

What?
Lida Baday’s semi-annual sample sale...

Her collection is available in only the finest department stores.

It’s one great sale you won’t want to miss! Whether you’re looking for something sophisticated for a day at the office, a night out on the town or that special something for an upcoming party, this Canadian designer is not to be missed.

Update:
• Approx. 80% of items are under $100 and most range from $20-$60!
• Sizes range from 2-14. Most items will be in sizes 6, 8 & 10. There are few items in sizes 2, 4, 12 & 14.

When?
Friday, October 23, 2009
8:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Where?
70 Claremont St. (see map.)
Toronto
416-603-7661

Let us know what you get if you go.

Trip to The Clothing Show

Sumaya makes her Bargainista guest post debut sharing her experience The Clothing Show. Thanks to the organizers, she was able to attend for free and we were able to giveaway three pairs of passes to some of you as well.

Twice a year, I make sure to save up for a girls’ night shopping spree at The Clothing Show because I am always sure to get great discounts on clothing, jewelry and shoes.

Whether you you’re looking for the perfect vintage scarf or the funky-style leopard print clutch, this place really has it all and this past weekend wasn’t any different. I called my girlfriend up on Friday and we headed to the Better Living Centre in Toronto. When we arrived, we got a great tote bag (note: works well for doing groceries) along with some samples at the front desk and off we went!

This year, over 300 independent designers showcased their own designs. Out of the 300, our favourites included Kibo Natural Body Care, Outlaw by Design, and dara dot designs.

At Kibo, I was introduced by countless of natural soap and body products made by Kim Boland from Aurora, Ontario. I’ve always adored her soaps which is one of the reasons why I go back to the Show. Another vendor I admired was Outlaw by Design, an indie leather company from Toronto that sells authentic leather for an affordable price. I am still drooling over the neon orange belt I bought for only $15! Lastly, dara dot designs caught my eye some number of years ago when I accidently stumbled upon her etsy page. Ever since then, I’ve always been a big fan of her jewelry designs. It also helps if you’re one of the sweetest girls in town ;P

The best part of the night was the fashion show which highlighted some one of the local designers who were selling their clothes at the show. What better way to start the weekend than to see great local designs?! I can’t wait to attend next year’s show!

Have you been to The Clothing Show? If so, what did you enjoy most?

Lou Lou VIP shopping night

Welcome Erin Bury, Community Manager at Sprouter, an online collaboration tool for entrepreneurs. She loves shopping and can usually be found trying to justify her latest purchase. We’re thrilled Erin offered to write this guest post.

There are certain things that girls can agree on. One: that men are impossible. Two: That ice cream is a major food group. And three: that if you say the words "discount" "free drinks" and shopping to a girl she’ll immediately be interested. So you can imagine how happy I was when a friend forwarded me an invite to the Lou Lou magazine 5th anniversary block party.

The event took place in Montreal and Toronto on Wednesday, September 23rd (the perfect way to ease into fall, in my humble opinion), and being a resident of the Big Smoke I eagerly signed up for the event in Yorkville.

So what exactly did the block party involve? Well to celebrate their anniversary Lou Lou teamed up with several of the stores on the Bloor St. strip – The Gap, Banana Republic, Town Shoes, and Winners, among several others. Each of the stores offered a special discount for the night, contests (I’m still waiting to find out if I won a beautiful Banana Republic purse – cross your fingers for me), a bar complete with cute bartenders and delicious drinks (pomegranate martini anyone?) and trays of snacks. They also had a special “passport” and if you got it stamped at 5 stores you were entered to win a fabulous Betsey Johnson prize.

So I got to shop at my favourite stores, drinks and food in hand, at a discounted price. Oh, and I didn’t mention the best part – the gift bag. My girlfriend and I browsed at The Gap and Banana Republic but didn’t see anything that caught our fancy (except for the delicious Bailey’s White Russians and Smirnoff ready-to-pour Mojitos – I know what I’m buying for my next girls-night-in).

Then it was off to Town Shoes where I bought a beautiful pair of Steve Madden over-the-knee black leather boots –no discount on the pair but with my purchase I received a coupon for $20 off my next purchase and a gift bag (see photo). The gift bag was worth $200, so of course I HAD to buy the boots, if only for that – at least that’s what I told my boyfriend. The gift bag contained all kinds of goodies – a copy of Lou Lou magazine, Blistex lip balm, Fisherman’s Friend mints, a Fruits & Passion gift set, a Bic Soleil razor, a CityTV Cougar Town notebook, and more.

Next it was on to Guess – my girlfriend bought a necklace, and with a $5 donation to a local women’s shelter she received 20% off the purchase and an amazing gift bag. Her gift bag contained almost the same swag as mine, but as an added bonus she got a L’Oreal gift set and a $20 gift card to Guess.

Overall it was a fabulous night – I got to hang out with one of my best friends, enjoy some delicious cocktails, shop for fall fashions, and walk away with swag in hand. Thanks Lou Lou, for an awesome night that any bargainista would die for!

Announcing TO Social Media PR Events Wiki

Okay, so shoot me. Tonight’s post may be a bit off topic but on Blogger’s 10th anniversary and the eve of the season opener of Third Tuesday Toronto, it seemed only fitting that I give something back to a community that has done so much for me.

Lot’s of people in communications, marketing and PR whether they be part of the local fishbowl or not, have asked me to keep them informed about local events. This may surprise some of you who know me but I don’t go to them all. I don’t even know about some of them and as much as I’d like to have the time to keep you all in the know, I’m just not that scalable. ;-)

So, I’ve started a Toronto Social Media PR Events wiki (feel free to suggest a better name). I hope you’ll help keep it up-to-date with local events and/or events of interest to the local community.

If you’re looking for something more, Say Yeah maintains a more comprehensive event calendar.

Party at HoHOTo and support the Daily Bread Food Bank

What?
hoHOTo
Last December I attended HoHoTo - the coolest holiday bash of 2008 which raised $25,000 for the Daily Bread Food Bank.

According to the organizers, “HoHoTo is for geeks, phreaks, webheads, twitterfiends, techies, media, marketing, and PR types and all their friends.”

Cash bar, DJs, lots of interactive fun

The organizers wanted to keep the momentum going and they’re at it again with HoHOTo - sure to be the hottest bash of 2009. I’ll be there again this and time around I’ll be helping out by selling raffle tickets. Hope to see you there!

When?
Aug. 18: 7 p.m.

Where?
Suite 106 & Wetbar
106 Peter St. (map)
Toronto, ON

How?
Tickets started at $10 per person, now they are $40 (it's all good ’cause the money goes directly to the Daily Bread Food Bank). They’re going fast. Buy one now!
You must be 19+ to attend, tickets are non-refundable
Donate to Daily Bread Food Bank