Setting

As we walked into the restaurant, there is an almost authentic feeling that tends to accompany an Italian restaurant. You could tell by the layout and decor that they were trying to give the feel of being in a restaurant in Italy. You know the feeling I’m talking about – just think of any Italian restaurant you’d ever been to. I appreciated how spacious it was (it was huge actually, with two sides for dining), with a big kitchen just as you pass the host/hostess station. Just as important to mention are the very clean washrooms, labeled “Uomini” (Men) and “Donne” (Ladies). The walls were decorated with pictures from places in Italy and faux frames lined with wine bottles.

Service

The staff was great. There was someone at the host/hostess station ready to greet us and lead us to our reserved table. The waitress was ever patient, considering how long it took for the entire group to get settled. With every time we apologized for being disorganized, she seemed genuinely understanding. She remembered all requests and gave honest opinions when the undecided asked her for comparisons.

Food

You can’t go wrong with some freshly baked bread dipped in olive oil mixed with balsamic vinaigrette. I may have overdone it a bit, but it was SO good. Like. So. Good.

Although there was a group of us, I only noted what I and my friend Mel had ordered; especially since a couple of others had ordered the same thing we did anyway, except for one or two.

I ordered the Balsamic Chicken (fresh chicken breast roasted in-house marinade and smothered in their signature balsamic cream sauce) which was served with garlic roast potatoes and vegetables.

Mel ordered the Roasted Salmon  with Lemon Caper Sauce (Roasted in lemon, garlic, herbs and extra virgin olive oil) and also served with garlic roast potatoes and vegetables.

The food was very tasty – like very. I liked the chicken as it was well seasoned (and cooked just right so it wasn’t dry), as were the potatoes. I loved the flavour although for some at the table it was actually a little too seasoned with spices and peppers; it should be noted that they were both pregnant so that could have had something to do with it. Mel liked the salmon but liked the garlic roasted potatoes more; she couldn’t finish her meal because she found it all to be too much (spicy). She thought it would have been just as enjoyable had they not added that many spices. I’d have to agree that it was a bit heavy on the spice, but to me that just made the food even tastier. I had zero problems finishing my meal. My empty plate was a testament to that!

We didn’t order dessert because my friend brought a cake (not to mention we were pretty stuffed from our meals), but they looked too yummy to not take a pic.

Value

The items were priced comparable to a fine dining Italian restaurant (as compared to for eg East Side Mario’s) but considering the service and size of portions they weren’t unreasonably priced (both our meals were $18.95). What really stood out for us, was that after Mel advised the waitress that she couldn’t finish her meal because of the spices, she removed the item from the bill. How very considerate!

Overall Experience

Overall I liked my experience at the restaurant and wouldn’t refuse going again. However seeing as it is located far from home I may not be going again anytime soon, but that is just an issue with proximity and not my impression. Oh trust me; I’d be there again in a heartbeat because I love me some good Italian food!

The Olive Press is located at 2322 Dundas Street West, Oakville 905 827 4241. They also do take out if you are not interested in dining in.

Guess what? I now love it even more because I have learned how to make something amazing. You’ve read the title, you know where I’m going with this…ice cream!

I stumbled across a recipe for a frozen dessert using bananas in the Nutribullet. But, initially I didn’t have any frozen bananas, so I decided to play around with ingredients. I ended up turning these ingredients…

…into delicious ice cream!

Here is the ingredients in these delicious concoctions:

Blueberry Coconut NutriBullet Ice Cream

• frozen blueberries
• coconut milk
• dried stevia leaves

Peach  Coconut NutriBullet Ice Cream

• frozen peaches
• coconut milk
• dried stevia leaves

Easy peasy.

After experimenting, I learned that making ice cream in the NutriBullet is simple if you follow a few general guidelines. You will need some variety  of frozen fruit, a creamy liquid and an optional sweetening agent. The creamy liquid can be omitted if you are looking to make sorbet.

Remember when I told you to never ever fill your Nutribullet past the “max” line?

Ignore that for ice cream. Pack your Nutribullet cup to the top with frozen fruit. Then, fill the cup just shy of halfway with your liquid of choice. This seems to be the winning ratio for ice cream in the Nutribullet. I added about a teaspoon of stevia to sweeten, but this is really up to your personal taste.

Over blending the mixture will mean more of a milkshake consistency. To avoid this, pulse the Nutribullet very quickly for one of two seconds, then remove and shake. You should only have to do this 2 or 3 times before your ice cream is ready to go.

Now that you’ve got the basic steps, the possibilities are endless. There are a ton of different frozen fruit combinations to try. For the liquid component, you can try chocolate milk, soy milk, almond milk , coffee, your favourite liquor and more. To sweeten, try honey, agave or maple syrup. How about protein powder ice cream? Chocolate and nut butter? Endless delicious possibilities!

Here is another recipe that I test drove in my Nutribullet with tasty results:

Chocolate Raspberry Banana NutriBullet Ice Cream

• frozen raspberries
• frozen banana ( about 1.5)
• cocoa powder
• chocolate almond milk

Bananas can be quite sweet. So, I did not add any sweetener to this ice cream. It was rich and decadent.

Nutribullet ice cream is a yummy, refreshing treat that you can feel great about. I love that I am in control  of exactly what goes into it , so I am confident that no processed additives are present. Also, I can control how much sugar, if any , will be added.

I know that during the upcoming Summer months this is going to be one of my favourite uses for my beloved Nutribullet.

Give it a try, and  let me know what you think!

Hot Docs is an annual Canadian international documentary festival that just celebrated its 20th year. It featured over 200 films for your viewing pleasure and this year a friend and I attended for our first time. The biggest challenge we faced was trying to decide what to watch. The only way we settled on one was due to an overlap in our list of selections!

We settled on “Gaza Calling“: “For over six years, two Palestinian families are split between the West Bank and Gaza; mothers and sons are forbidden from travelling the one-hour road that separates them. Witness the personal cost of an intractable political conflict.”  The tickets were reasonably priced at $14.60 + tax. There was also a $2 service charge, although we were picking up the tickets which I guess meant they were still trying to make a profit since they’re around for only a 2-week period.

courtesy of hotdocs.ca

All the films were being featured at more than one location on a few different dates, and for our selection we went with the day it showed at the ROM Theatre. We were really surprised when we walked into the basement theatre, because it  was a fairly decent size, even bigger than some movie theatres. Before the film started, we had someone do a small presentation explaining that neither directors were present that evening. My friend and I looked at each other like :”We’re seeing two films!”. If we had booked the tickets through the second film we’d have seen that note, but it was not mentioned while booking through our first choice. A bonus!

The other film was titled “Captive Radio“: “tells the stories of three families for whom The Voices of Kidnapping, a weekly radio broadcast, is the only way of staying in touch with their loved ones. Although the last of the military and police hostages were released in 2012, hundreds of civilians are still missing. “We’ll be here until the last hostage is free,” says the radio announcer. “We’ll move heaven and earth until you are free.”

Courtesy of hotdocs.ca

The two films were excellent.

“Captive Radio“, set in Colombia, was shown first. It featured families that had been trying to survive through the kidnapping of their loved ones. They relied on the weekly radio program (The Voices of Kidnapping) because they could go on air to send messages to their loved ones, as there was a chance they’d be listening. There were also the occasions where the captives appeared on a tv program and were able to reassure their loved ones they were holding on. It was absolutely heart-wrenching to say the least to learn that until 2012 over 3,700 people had gone missing each year in Colombia after being kidnapped by the guerilla for either ransom or political reasons; some never to be seen again while others reappear after numerous years without any sign of them. Of the families that were being featured, one had their son return to them while the other has yet to see any sign of their missing son/brother. As there has been no indication that he had died, they continued to hold on to the hope that they would one day reunite.

Then “Gaza Calling“ started and it seemed like the tone had lightened as it started with a young man’s graduation. However within the first five minutes of watching, you realized he was at his graduation alone. This was because his family wasn’t allowed to cross the border though both sides resided in Palestinian territories (West Bank and Gaza). Like the first, this film also featured two families and their struggle to reunite. In this case they had the “wrong” papers though they were trying to return to the city where the papers originated. We watched mothers do everything in their power to bring their sons home to them, only to be told it most likely would never happen. Essentially, once you’d left even if it was for a short time, you often were not permitted to return. Eventually we saw one of the sons give up all he had accomplished because he wanted desperately to return home to his family. As we watched the emotional reunion between parents and son at the border (and him meeting his young sister for the first time because he was already away when she was born), we couldn’t help but be moved by the entire scene. The other young man has yet to see his family again, if ever.

I can not wait until next year when Hot Docs returns, and maybe we will have more time to be able to take in a few of the films. The only down side (and I’m sure many would agree) is the short time period it is around! But really, if you love watching documentaries then this isn’t a film festival to miss.

Have you ever taken in any films at Hot Docs? Share your experience!

What comes to mind when you think about press on nails?

I think about that episode of Fresh Prince of Bel Air when Will is stuck in the basement with a girl and he realizes that everything about her is fake. “Stuck in a basement, sittin’ on a tricycle, girl gettin’ on my nerves. Goin’ out of my mind. I thought she was fine. Don’t know if her body is hers.”

Don’t know what I’m talking about? Check it out HERE.

So, yeah. When I think of press on nails, I think of Tisha Campbell ripping them off and giving them to Will. Not good.

I have decent nails and have never really been interested in fake nails of any kind since high school. I recently watched April Kalloo’s review on the KISS imPRESS Press on Manicure though, and I have to say …I was impressed. April’s nails looked fantastic…and natural. What really piqued my interest was the fact that she said that the nails have lasted her up to 14 days! That is unreal.

I am headed on a beach vacation in a few weeks and I wanted to give these a try. I find that nail polish always chips on vacay, and it would be nice to not have to worry about packing remover and polish for touch ups.

From April’s video I could clearly see how natural and fantastic these nails looked on. However, I was still skeptical about the lasting power of the press ons. So I decided to purchase and review a set, pre vacay.

I picked up a set of the shortest imPRESS nails in a dark oxblood colour on sale for 5 dollars at Rexall. I noticed that these nails also come in patterns, which are about a dollar more than the solid shades.

The KISS imPRESS nails come in adorable packaging that looks like a bottle of nail polish. This is not only cute, but really handy, because you can put your extra nails back in that and store it amongst your nail polishes afterwards. It contains 24 nails in 12 sizes, a mini nail file and prep pad.

When I was ready to apply my press ons, I trimmed all my nails down. This is optional, but I didn’t want my own nail to show at the back of the press on. At this point, I attempted to choose the right size for each of my nails, so that I could lay them out and begin application.

Houston, we have a problem.

Here is my thumb with the largest size nail in the set on top. Apparently, my nail beds are way too long for the short size of these nails, even after trimming them down to the start of my fingers.

So, I returned these nails. I was going to exchange them for the medium length at Rexall, but I was not a fan of the colours that they had in stock.

I found my oxblood colour at Target in a larger size for 7 dollars. I could tell immediately that this would be a better size for my long nail beds, so I bought them up. However, when I got them home I noticed something fishy on the package. Can you spot it?

For toes?!

Ummm… Who’s toenails are that narrow?

Who’s toenails are that long?

I decided to give these a try anyway.

The application of these was extremely quick and easy. I began by laying out all of the sizes that I would be using.

Then, I wiped the enclosed prep pad over the surface of each nail in order to remove any oils and help the glue to stick better. The nails each have a little plastic tap that you peel off, exposing the glue, then you simply stick them on.

It was easy and fast.

I found the final look to be a bit long for my liking, so I filed them down and softened the square edges a bit.

I think the imPRESS nails look incredibly natural and polished.

My only issue is that some of the sizes were too narrow to cover my nails on the sides completely. You truly can not notice this unless you are really looking closely but I worried that this might affect the lasting power of the nails.

So, lets see how these suckers do.

*Update 1* Ok, so I have now had these nails on for 7 days! They have not budged at all, I am definitely imPRESSed. All of my friends and family was suprised to learn that these weren’t my natural nails. They said that they looked incredibly real and did not even notice that they were a bit narrow until I pointed it out. It was so nice to have nail colour all week that did not chip or fade. My nails literally look freshly manicured.

7 days is amazing as far as I’m concerned. But just out of curiousity. let’s see how long these last. I am gettin a bit sick of the colour but I’ll press on (pun intended).

*Update 2*

So after an unbelievable TEN DAYS with these looking like a flawless manicure, I removed them. They were actually still going strong. but , because my nails had grown out so much, the bottom of the press on had moved up and my hair would get caught underneath when I was combing or styling it.

I dont know what kind of miracle adhesive these nails have on them, but even though they still weren’t budging, they came off quickly and easily in under a minute.

The imPRESS nails did no damage whatsoever to my natural nails.

This is absolutely a RAVE review. KISS imPRESS has certainly changed my opinion of press on nails. I will be trying out more patterns and colours in the future!

Have you ever tried KISS imPRESS Press-On Manicure?

The first one up is the Naturalista Cosmetics Juicy leave In Conditioner formulated for dry, thirsty hair. It is supposed to leave your hair feeling moisturized even days later and based on the reviews, it does. WELL I’ll be the judge of that!

Ingredients:

They aren’t fully listed on the container but the product is all natural and organic; the label states it is “infused with avocado, hemp and jojoba oils”.

Texture:

The texture is like whipped butter and actually very light. When I rub it between my fingers the consistency becomes oily which was a nice surprise because I was concerned it would be heavy.

Smell:

It smells like absolute heaven. No really, I am certain this is what heaven smells like. Like, I want to ice a cake with it. Actually, who am I kidding, just pass me a spoon so I could dig right in! It smells like vanilla and almonds and cookies and ice cream and well…. dessert.

How I used it:

As usual, I started by spraying my hair with water and then detangling. I then flat-twisted after applying the conditioner to each section, spraying more water if necessary. Oh man, did I mention it smells good? Oh, i did? Okay. A little goes a long way too, so that means the product would last longer than expected. It’s so light that you’d think you’d have to use quite a bit to get any true results, but that wasn’t the case.

Results and overall impression:

The next day, I took out the flat twists and noticed my hair was indeed still very… well juicy! The curls were more defined and my hair was very moisturized. By the end of the day, it hadn’t lost any moisture either. I remember the days when leaving my hair open meant combing it out would be hellish, but now I can still run my fingers through it no problem. I have officially joined the Naturalista Cosmetics Believer Club. And now, I can’t even remember my life before it.

Retail details:

It comes in two sizes: 8 oz and 16 oz containers which cost $23.59 and $47.19 respectively. While watching Strawberricurls review, she said she had purchased the 4 oz container for $10, but I didn’t see it online. I am not sure if that means it is no longer available in that size.

It definitely seems like a hefty price tag, but I think it’s worth it. Plus as I mentioned, a little goes a long way so it’ll last for months. It’s only supposed to be used when styling and wouldn’t need to be used daily based on how moisturized it leaves your hair.

I’m so happy I received this product in my April curlkit! Now I’d like to hear from you – have you used this? And do you LOVE it?

So, we have chatted about my lash situation before. You’ve even seen pictures. Let me just refresh your memory, k?

See my lashes? No? Well that is because they are stick straight.

I am lucky in that I have super long eyelashes, but what I gained in the length department I lost where the curl was concerned. Because my lashes are so super pin straight, they are resistant to even the best eyelash curlers. That is why I need to give ‘em the one two punch every morning by heating my eyelash curler and then curling them post-mascara. This really is the only way for me to have all day curl.

As you can imagine, this is rather tedious and I am always looking out for an alternative. This is why I’m always too eager to test drive the latest and (supposedly) greatest in mascaras and curlers that are supposed to make your lashes point to the sky.

I have some friends who have tried lash perms. Lash perms set your eyelashes around a rod so that they curl. I did my research online and learned that if you have very long lashes then you should be wary of lash perms. Because they are curling your lashes around a rod, long lashes can potentially end up curling right back onto themselves, actually making your lashes appear shorter than they did before the treatment.

No, thank you.

Recently I found out about a relatively new take on the lash perm, called the lash lift. Rather than a rod, a lash lift uses a curved silicone pad to shape the eyelashes from the root. Each lash is shaped to the pad separately, unlike forcing all of the lashes to wrap around a sponge rod.

This definitely sounded more up my alley so I contacted some salons that offer this service.

Mync Lash and Brow Bar was quick to respond.  They offered the lash lift as a treatment at both of their two locations ( Yorkville and Uptown) for $60.00.They were friendly and informative, answering all of my questions, confirming that the lash lift was in fact, very different than the traditional lash perm. They also have a great website with loads of information. The site is cute and girly and let’s be honest, if I wasn’t already convinced, that sold me. Great graphic design team, Mync.

I wrote back and let them know that I would like to give it a try. I phoned their Uptown location (on Yonge between Lawrence and Eglinton) and set up an appointment.  FYI, you will need to provide a credit card number to hold an appointment, but the card will not be charged.

I arrived at my appointment excited about the treatment. The staff member who booked me on the phone had advised me not to wear mascara the day of the treatment so I arrived bare eyed. I wish that I had been able to curl and mascara my lashes as I usually do so that I had been able to show my stylist just how curled I like my lashes to appear and am able to get them with a heated eyelash curler.

A staff member at the front desk greeted me and had me fill out a form. The form asks if you have any eye allergies or sensitivities, or wear contacts. No to all of the above. She also gave me a little case of eye makeup remover and cotton to remove the eyeliner that I had on.

I had arrived about 15 minutes early for my appointment. It took me a couple of minutes to remove my liner and fill out the form. What I thought was odd was that the staff member who had helped me at the desk ended up being my stylist , but she waited until the exact scheduled start time of the appointment to get up from the desk and get started. Strange, but no problemo.

My lash stylist got me settled into a comfy reclining chair, offering me a neck pillow, blanket or some water. I explained that this was my first lash lift and that I was looking for an alternative to my current lash curling method. She then got to work, letting me know that I was to keep my eyes closed the entire time.

She began by placing some gel pads under my eye to cover the lower lashes. It was actually refreshing and cool. Then I could feel the pad being placed on my lashes and solution being applied. It did not hurt, sting or burn. My biggest challenge was staying still and keeping my eyes shut. Luckily, Mync has some great music playing and that helps when you’re antsy.

I would guess that the whole treatment probably took about half an hour. I appreciated that my stylist sat with me the entire time even when waiting for the solution to do its thing. When she removed the pads and solution, I was dying to see my lashes.

She handed me a mirror and…womp womp.

My lashes looked… okay. They had a tiny bit of curl to them and were pretty crisscrossed. Although they were nowhere near as curled as I can achieve with my heated curler, they were at least for the most part a bit curled. The stylist told me that my lashes were extremely straight and since it was my first lash lift, it was hard to get them to curl. Fair enough.

However, on one eye the outer lashes still pointed downward and were completely straight. When I questioned my stylist about this, she told me that some of my lashes may have gotten stuck under the pad, rather than over and therefore were not processed. She offered to fix it.

Unfortunately , I did not get a picture of my eyelashes at this point.

So, we did the treatment over again on my right eye, this time not leaving the solution on as long. When it was finished the right eye looked amazing, just as I had hoped both eyes would look. I had now taken up the time of two appointments, so I paid and left.

Looking at my lashes after the appointment, the one that had been “fixed” was fantastic, and the other was not. I had mismatched lashes. So, I gave Mync a call. They offered to have me come back in the next day for a complimentary appointment, which I gladly accepted.

When I returned to Mync the following day, the same stylist apologized and repeated the whole procedure. When she finished, I was thrilled with the results.

Both of my lashes are now perfectly curled and I don’t even require mascara! I think it opens up my face and makes me look entirely more alert and refreshed.

It is a treat to be able to wake up in the morning and my lashes are ready to go. The treatment is supposed to last anywhere from 4 to 6weeks so I am interested to see how they hold up.

I would say that my experience at Mync was ultimately positive. It started off disappointing but they were quick to fix the situation until I was completely happy with the service. They even sent a lovely e-mail before the second appointment, “We believe in doing things right and guarantee you’ll love the results.” This was much appreciated.

I am unsure about keeping up the lash lift. If I could guarantee results like I finally received every time then I would be all for it. But keeping in mind that this took 3 tries, I wonder if it would be as much of a challenge every time.

Mync also offers a number of other lash and brow treatments so I hope to return for something in the future.

Have you ever been to Mync, or tried a similar lash procedure?

MYNC {lash lounge & brow bar} Uptown is located at 2596 Yonge Street (647) 352-MYNC (6962)

I’d known more about curlBox although I had started following CurlKit on Twitter and Facebook last year, so I jumped on trusty YouTube to see what everyone was saying. Most were subdcribing to both and seemed to be equally impressed. Some however did praise CurlKit a bit more on the products they’d sent, so I made a mental note. In perusing both their sites (both charge $20 US for their subscriptions), I noticed that CurlKit sends 6-9 product samples while curlBox sends 5-7. Another mental note. I also noticed on CurlKit gave a discount code if you were following them on Facebook. It started to become apparent that my decision was being made for me. What finally pushed me over the edge, was when I tried to sign up with curlBox, I got notification it was sold out. Okay well then – CurlKit it is!

Once I’d placed the order (it costed $37.95 CDN including shipping), I started looking out for their tweets and Facebook updates. The more I read the more excited I got, especially when they announced a “spoiler”. April’s subscription was going to include both Naturalista Cosmetics Juicy Leave-In conditioner and Karen’s Body Beautful Sweet Ambrosia leave-in conditioner; can I just tell you that I almost spontaneously combusted with excitement?! I have read so many good things about these products, and they were on their way to me!

The boxes are mailed out on the 10th of every month, and I received mine in tact on the 18th – not bad. The time factor can be so touch and go with items being mailed from the US. I contained myself long enough to open the box, and I was totally pleased.

Included in the kit was a copy of CurlLife – a CurlKit publication that includes hair care tips and decriptions, styles and more:

And the kit contents:

• Ori Essentials: Moisturizing Leave-in Conditioner
• Ampro Pro Styl: Vitamin E oil
• Honey Curls: Hair Honey Oil Blend
• Karen’s Body Beautiful: Sweet Ambrosia Leave-in Conditioner
• Naturalista Cosmetics: Juicy Leave-in Conditioner
• Amazing Botanicals: AloeMint Spritz conditioning moisturizing detangler

The box is also gives the perfect height adjustment to use my Huetiful Hair Steamer on my table so hoorah for happy coincidences. Now all that’s left is to try the different products and share my thoughts.

Have you ever subscribed to CurlKit or even curlBox? If so, did you find items you fell in love with? Share you comments, please!

This no-nonsense slogan that appears on the shirts of staff at The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro makes it very clear that this is not your average burger joint.

I think hamburgers are pretty tasty. However, I am not a fan of mustard, relish or ketchup (blech). So, I am thrilled that The Works offers more than the ho hum regular trifecta or burger toppings. Lots more. The Works has 71 burgers topping options on their menu.

Fancy something unique? The Million Dollar KD is topped with Kraft dinner.  The SK8R Boy is topped with jack cheese, bacon and peanut butter ( it’s awesome if you’re wondering). Or, maybe you’d like to try the Sexy Sarah Polley which features cream cheese, hot peppers and grilled pineapple.

Like I said, not your average burger joint …definitely a must-try.

I headed to The Works newest location in The Beaches for some burger deliciousness.

Setting

Like the Danforth and St Lawrence Market locations ( the only others I have been to), the restaurant has an industrial/construction site type theme. The Works definitely has fun with this theme. Washrooms are labelled ” Men’s Dumping Area” and “ Ladies Waste Removal Zone”.  Attention to is paid to the fun details like the light bulb salt and pepper shakers.

This location is spacious and clean with a small open window area in front. I imagine this will be a highly coveted spot in the Summer months.

Service

As soon as we were seated , the owner of this Works location appeared ast our table. He introduced himself, and gave us a card for a free Tower-O-Rings appetizer on our next visit. He also asked if we would like to see a salmon burger option added to the menu, as there had been some demand for it. He was friendly and welcoming. It was great to have him come and chat with us as it showed that The Works is truly interested in customer feedback. He was friendly and welcoming.

A short time later, our server appeared. She was courteous and friendly. She seemed a bit over zealous at times, often offering to clear food that we were not quite finished with. No biggie.

Food

The menu at The Works is overwhelming, to say the least.

See?

I recommend browsing the menu online prior to arriving at The Works if you are anywhere near as indecisive as me.

We started with a coconut milkshake. The shake was ginormous. Three of us split it and there was still more left over! It was a definite treat.

Now, for the burger.

The first order of business burger-wise is to choose the type of burger patty you’re after. The choices are; gourmet ground Canadian beef (hand pressed daily) , whole chicken breast, ground turkey, gourmet veggie, portobello mushroom or lean domestic elk.

I had tried the elk burger on previous visits and I love it. It tastes almost exactly like the beef patty, but a tiny bit stronger in flavour. A server once told me that the elk patty has only 5 grams of fat, while the beef has 20. Winning!

Next, you choose one of the many’ many topping selections on the menu. They are grouped for ease. Top 10, Veg Out, and Carnivore’s Corner are a few of the categories.

Then, you choose your bun ( whole wheat, white or gluten-free) .

All that’s left now is to decide if you would like your burger with spicy die cut chips, fries, coleslaw, salad, broccoli, cucumbers, mashed potatoes, or sweet potato strings.

Decisions, decisions…

I chose an elk patty, with Sum Young Guy topping ( caramelized onions, cream cheese and limp strip bacon) on a whole wheat bun. For my side, I chose the house salad, called ” weeds” on the menu. Nom.

The burger was delicious. The melty cream cheese was definitely the highlight of this selection. The flavour held up nicely to the elk patty and the sweet caramelized onions,rounded it out. The side salad was fresh and tasty, a great pairing to the rich burger that I chose.

Curious what the rest of my party had?

Here, we have the Superman ( crunchy black peppercorn crust, gouda cheese and crispy bacon) on a turkey patty. The side is spicy die cut fries. These were delicious salty potato crisps dusted with cayenne pepper.

Lastly, Smokey Mountain ( smokey bbq sauce, jack cheese and bacon strips) on a beef burger with regular french fries.

Value

At The Works , the price of your burger is dependant on the topping choice you make. They are all between $11 and $13. Considering the quality and selection of both toppings and meat, this is a very good value.

Also, If you choose the lean domestic elk burger there is a $3.39 surcharge.

Overall Experience

The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro is a delicious and fun dining experience. Their modern and varied take on the burger and fries will surely have something for everyone. Just the process of finding your perfect burger combo is a good time in and of itself and you will want to keep returning to find new favourites.

The Works has prime locations. The Beaches, Bloor West Village,  Danforth and St. Lawrence market neighbourhoods make for some great after dinner strolls and people watching!

Have you been to The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro?  What’s your fave burger on the menu?

The Beach location of  The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro is located at 1953 Queen Street East. (416) 686-6516

Check us out at:

https://www.facebook.com/TheNeonLeopardblog

Don’t forget to “like” and share the page while you’re there!

Thanks so much for your continued support!!

-C&A

A few of my friends and I have been volunteering with Carnival Nationz since they debuted years ago and with every year the thrill never dies. Helping backstage with any last-minute touches and getting the models ready for the stage marks the beginning of the Caribana season!

This year their theme is THE REEF, and with that it was expected that the colours would be plentiful and very vibrant. The 5-time Band of the Year winner has never been one to disappoint so as the air filled with anticipation, all frustrations were forgotten as soon as the mc got on the mic to start the presentation. There was a giant backdrop that displayed the theme logo and gave the feeling of being under water.

SECTIONS:

There are 12 sections in total and thanks a million to my friend Joseph who was taking in the show from the crowd while we were backstage.

Hawkfish:

Emperor Angelfish:

Pearl: Queen of Gems:

Mandarin fish:

                               

 

FEEDBACK:

CNz always sees a theme through and this year was no different. It was the hope since the theme was The Reef that they would play with different colours to encapsulate the beauty. Not only were the colours vibrant , each section selected colour combinations that worked really well. The headpieces fit the name of each section and gave the visual they were going for when showcasing the costumes. Registration started yesterday so if you’d like to jump on the road with Carnival Nationz, get on it otherwise you’ll miss out!

To stay updated on anything to do with CNz, follow them on Twitter, Facebook and check out their pics on Instagram (cnzinc). Their mas camp will be located at 116 Howden Rd., Units #4 & 5 in Scarborough. To contact them, email: info@carnival-nationz.com.

See you on Lakeshore Blvd for Caribana on Saturday August 3rd!