Carrie Underwood's Blown Away Tour

You know when people says they like all music? Well, I'm sort of like that. This weekend started with Dave Matthews Band (wiki describes them as a rock band) on Friday and ended Carrie Underwood (oh so country, y'all) on Sunday. Musical bookends!

Did I mention that on Friday I won both sets of tickets? One on Facebook and one on Twitter. Sunday's show was courtesy of Sony Music Canada's Twitter page and my oh my was it spectacular! Far more moving pieces than Friday's show. I mean, part of the stage lifted off the ground and moved across the crowd below. Have you ever seen anything like that?

As always, I apologize for the bb quality photos (mission for 2013: buy a phone with a good camera!) but here's a few, anyway. See what I mean about the stage? 

If you happened to be there, do you have any idea where Carrie got the rhinestone Willie Nelson shirt? I need that!

I also discovered (well personally, anyway) Hunter Hayes. Country music star extrodinaire that opened for Carrie. Loved his music... new favourite country song? This one:

Cute. Sad. Perfect! I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing a lot more of this guy very soon. As A put it, he's the country version of the Biebs. Can't go wrong with that!

My playlist tomorrow is going country, y'all!

Dave Matthews Band

Back in 2002, Dave Matthews Band released Busted Stuff. I can still remember going to HMV (at the mall, of course!) to buy it the day it came out. The CD was on high rotation for probably a year and it's still one of my favourite DMB albums. It’s been a while since I’ve put on a full album and just listened, but I’m always happy when songs like Crash, Satellite and Everyday come on the radio.

The band has toured extensively since then, and I have somehow managed to miss every show in and around the Toronto area. Every show. That is until I managed to score 2 tickets to the show at the Air Canada Center from the awesome guys at FanXchange. I entered a last minute contest on Facebook with a story about my road trip (which I have plans to write about over the next month!) to the Southern States. A few hours later: Dave Matthews Band LIVE!

The 100 section was general admission, putting me about 30 people way from the stage. Dave Matthews... a few feet away from me!  They played Don't drink the water, Satellite, Everyday and a ton of other songs I'm not overly familiar with. Or maybe it was only 5 songs? The band does love individual solos!

Everyday was probably my favourite song they sang during the show (well, that and Satellite). Have a listen... so good right? (and look at the 30 Rock connection! It's Judah Friedlander!)

Of course, there were “no cameras allowed”, so I didn’t bring a real camera, only my mediocre Blackberry (Android, if you’re reading this—help a girl out?) to snap some photos. Here is the best of the bunch:

DMB is back on high rotation!  Tomorrow night is Carrie Underwood at the ACC.

 A weekend of concert ticket wins! 

The First Podcast

A few weeks ago I was asked to be a guest on the Not So Mad Men podcast (hosted by two great guys at BridgeCom Media). I'll admit, I was worried/nervous/scared. Does anyone like hearing their own voice? I put my worries aside, went in to the office, sat down and we talked for nearly 45 minutes... go figure!

We covered a variety of topics, but the best bit was definitely our discussion on social media disasters.  Here's the final product:

 Have a listen and let me know what you think!

Tis the season... to send cards.

Every year I have grand plans to physically mail Christmas cards, yet I don't remember the last time I actually mailed anything. It sounds good though, doesn't it? It's almost December 1st and I have yet to purchase cards OR ask for people's updated addresses, so it's looking like it might be the digital version again this year.

I've also been deep into the Holiday Card creation for my 9-5. Brainstorm sessions, photoshoots, meetings...  Next week I'll be able to post the greatest holiday e-card of all time, but until then, here's a round up of a few cute cards I've come across in the research:

Buy it here

Buy it here

This is my favourite holiday card. Just everything about it makes me smile.

Where do I even buy stamps?

Vegas, baby!

I've wanted to visit Vegas since watching both Swingers and Vegas Vacation many many years ago. Finally, I had a few days off work and booked myself a ticket. 

We explored nearly every hotel on the strip, stopping for some very touristy photos. Including, but not limited to:

 

An outdoor ice rink in Vegas! 

While I'm sure the people sitting around me didn't love that I was singing all the songs softly, I completely enjoyed LOVE!

What's a tourist-y trip without throwing rocks in the local canyon?

A self-reminder: Downtown Vegas is NOT the Strip.

 The Hoover Dam was amazing. So much concrete. And memories of Vegas Vacation. Where can I get some damn bait?

Oh course I had to stop at the Vegas sign. There's always so many people around!

This isn't the right song, but it was still just as beautiful. And stunning at night, too. 

And there it is. From the top of Mandalay Bay. Las Vegas is crazy.

When am I going back?

On high rotation

I can't stop listening to Tanlines.

Is there a song you can't get out of your head? 

Eating food: The Toronto Underground Market edition

The last month and a half has been a whirlwind adventure. No complaints here, just a realization that I needed a solid weekend of sleep to kick the mediocre feeling I've had for a bit. Enter, this weekend.

This weekend has been one of my favourite weekends in a while. Nothing planned, nothing that I had to do (with the exception of work) just a weekend of doing whatever comes my way. Friday night consisted of watching The League (!) at the neighbours and then making my home around midnight. That was exactly the Friday night I was overly excited to have.

Saturday started late with a sushi lunch (and some work) at a new sushi place I came across on King St. W one night when I was walking home. It totally trumps my go-to; it will now be known as my new go-to (it's also cheaper, and the people are super friendly). The morning then took a turn and I ended up at Shanghai Cowgirl-- a great resto on Queen W-- with BG for breakfast (him) and a beverage (me). Lots of travel talks and a keen realization that I want to travel. Right now.  Las Vegas next month?

Then the night hit and I had been invited by KF to the Toronto Underground Market. A foodie's heaven (haven?) with 42 vendors serving every type of food you can imagine. Lobster, Elk, Chicken, street eats, meringues with passion fruit in the middle (drool)-- sold.

I've also had a big pull towards Australia lately. Maybe it's the winter season looming? Maybe it's that when we first walked in, this was the first stand? Meat pies!

I was too focused on shoveling food in to take photos (damn). But my top favourites were (in no order):

Rock Lobster lobster roll
Jack & Lil's Passionfruit Meringues
Hot Bunzz (all 3 flavours: beef, elk, curried duck)

With that, we have: 1. A terrible blurry photo 2. me waiting ever so patiently for Lobster (by far the longest line we waited in) and 3. the "artsy" photo on the street car home.

Happy October 19th.