Starbucks $2 Grande Cold Drink

How to get this awesome deal?! 

Seriously?

What drinks can I get? Fraps, Ice teas, Smoothies.. cold ones.

Great, let me tell you how.

On the same day, if you've purchased a drink at Starbucks that morning (prior to 12:59pm), take your receipt and after 1:00pm show it to them to get any cold drink in a grande (473 mL) for only $2. 

How long is this deal? 

It started July 30, 2012 and goes until August 26, 2012 at participating stores.

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What a great and cool summer it is!

Keep watch for more awesome deals out there to survive this years hot summer.

Free Coffee @ McD's

Sometimes, the sweetest things in life are FREE.

(photo manipulated by theccgirl)

McDonalds' is doing it again this summer. With only 5 days left, go into any Mcdonalds' and get a small cup of coffee for FREE. No "morning-only" limit 

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However.....

........the deal ends Sunday August 12, 2012.

Windsor's own: Mary Spencer

(photo from google, not the property of theccgirl)

Well done Mary! You are loved and supported by Windsor and all of Canada! 

You are a strong and great person, whom we all admire. 

Come home with a peace of mind knowing that win or lose, your journey has just begun!

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I am especially proud of you because I was lucky enough to be there in our high school years at W.F Herman to see how athletic you were and still are, amazingly so! You never boasted and was always a great team player.. in every sport you were in. *wink*

So here's to you and your teenage memories (2000-2001):

Team Canada gets a winner with Mary Spencer!

with love,

theccgirl

Food Review: O&B Canteen

Housed inside the Toronto International Film Festival building on King St. West, this casual setting restaurant called O&B Canteen is quite charming.

If you're on the move and need a great sandwich, consider O&B Canteens' Grab + Go section on the west side of the restaurant.

This time around, my friends and I wanted to try the dine-in and enjoy a night of food and fun.

I thought the menu was rather limited, but enough for me to order something I liked. 

I ordered the Semolina Gnocchi (braised lamb, rosemary, Parmesan)

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I thought it was tasty. The lamb was tender and the sauce was not overly salty. The gnocchi was thick and filling. Overall,the dish was only good and not head-over-heels-you-gotta-eat-this!

 I like this place for quick lunches, coffee/laptop hub or chat time for lunches/dinner with a friend.

Located at 350 King St. West

Price range $$-$$$ 

Great for: Date night, Group dinners, casual/semi-dressed up, Great patio

I rate it 3.3/5

*Star siting: Shane West (A Walk to Remember)

Miss Eve goes shopping

Ode to a happy baby

While the parentals go out to work

my aunts and popo come out to play

and play and play and play we go

near and far and wide we go!

With my Yi Yee and Popo by my side,

I ride high and high

on Mr. Plastic horse

We take the east and now the west

it's getting cooler

so don't forget to grab a blanket

Did I forget to mention 

How much I oh so love my blanket

well I do

and that's just for you to know

Let's end it here

Because I'm kinda pooped out

I pray you will have a good day

And thanks for coming by

See you next time

Hope you all had a great July 2012

Chocolate Shop Review: SOMA

This quaint chocolatemaker shoppe, aka SOMA, lies in the heart of King West -just west of Spadina.

They don't just have chocolate on the menu. They have an extensive chocolate concept of chocolate in food and beverages. One of their products was a "dark chocolate lovers' lunchbox". 

The space has high ceilings and a rustic and modern atmosphere. They even have a wide bar in front of the front window. It looks like the perfect place to seat and relax with a newspaper or to go people-watching.

Another great thing about SOMA is the spaciousness of it. In the front, it looks like a small chocolate shop that sells chocolates to go with limited seating at the front bar stool. However, if you venture deeper into the space, there's another set of bar stools and past that they have 3 medium-sized tables, good for chilling with friends.

It seemed appropriate that I try Hot Chocolate. They had 2 options, the classic or Mayan sytye hot chocolate. I decided to be adventurous and go for the Mayan hot chocolate without really know what the difference was. I wanted to be surprised!

My first sip was intense. It had a subtle chocolate taste (which was nice) and then as it dances around your mouth for a second and then drops down your throat  with an intense blow of flavours. As I continued drinking my Mayan hot chocolate, the intensity diminished, probably due to the reduction of its heat. It was a very new experience for me while enjoying a chocolate product. I would go back and order this! 

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(photo by Elizabeth Kim)

The back area with more tables and chairs gave my friends and I an opportunity to slowly enjoy our hot chocolates, have great conversation and... for some more fun, a game of Monopoly Deal.

Overall, I rate the chocolate maker shop 4.5/5

Bring your friends (groups of pairs) and enjoy samples of chocolate dipped ________.

The price is $$

This is the place you'll want to try for something different and unique in chocolate.

Food Review: Congee Delight

Uptown in the plaza on the corner of Finch Avenue and Don Mills (north east corner), there is a fairly new Cantonese restaurant that has the same taste as the popular Congee Wong (Leslie/Finch), Congee Queen (Steeles/404) and Congee Time (Yonge/Cummer). This place, just like the others is called Congee Delight.

Are you confused yet? =0)

With an open menu right at the door, it invites those who are skeptical and gives outsiders a chance to try and see.

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We arrived before noon and the place was still untouched (photo bottom left).

Around 12:30pm, the place was completely full at every table (photo above, right).

So... what's for lunch?

A lot of choices: rice, rice noodles, snacks, congee, soups and so on.

Fried turnip ($5.50, photo above)

Stir fried flat noodles (photo above)

Snack: Fishball wrapped inside fried dough with sweet & spicy sauce (photo above)

The first 2 dishes are a definite staple in my chinese food diet and the last dish was something I never had before. The noodles were the made to perfection. It wasn't overly spicy nor was it bland. The noodles were soft to chew and the meat was well-seasoned. 

The fried turnips were more on the spicy side, which I enjoyed. If you're hesitant to try, it helps to know that the Chinese make a mean fried turnip that makes you feel like you're eating something other than a vegetable.  

Without a doubt, I would come back. With a good location (in a plaza), affordable prices and most importantly very tasty food, I need to tell you to go and try this place.

I give it 4/5 stars

Foodware, Downtown

Luxury - Classy - Fresh - Stunning

...can all describe a food court in The Bay @ Queen/Yonge.

If you are in the Yonge and Dundas area and in need of good food and you're just sick of those mall food courts, well you're in luck, here is a space where you will feel pampered and stomache happy. 

it's called....

It's not new or anything like that, (I've even passed by it several times) but it is newly renovated and it looks great. And the service is even better. It's unlike any food court I've ever been to.

Personalized chefs that cook right in front of you, so you see everything they put into your food as well we had a delightful conversation with the chef. 

Got an ordered of pasta.

We watched as she made the creamy pesto spaghetti with grilled chicken and other spices.

It didn't take too long and was delivered on a very comfortable plate (remember this is a food court).  The portion looked like a very filling size. This came to $8.79.

They had a lot of seating. The area was very nice and very clean. The design was very modern even changing up the seating with booths and bar stools to the regular cafeteria style. 

I would definitely come back here again!

Fashion Talk: Outfit in colour Fresh

SUMMER 2012

TEAL

So unexpected, but this outfit came together through a series of random purchases, gifts and happy freebies! I call this outfit Rockin' Classy.

Use of neon yellow and teal make for a refreshing look.

Two tone wrapped sandals

Thin neon yellow belt

Chunky chain two tone necklace

Teal silk blend tank top

Beach Bum Blue nail polish by Essie 

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and with all the bright bold colours, I keep the colour of my purse classic black.

Count down til London Olympics 2012

4 more days til the world is watching London 2012 Olympics

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In support of Canada's Olympic team (and fellow W.F Herman Secondary School alumni),  I present you with Windsor's very own Mary Spencer, the boxer.

If you've been watching TV for the past couple of weeks, you cannot miss Mary Spencer sporting in her beautiful CoverGirl commercial ads.

Go Mary Spencer! 

Canada is 100% behind you -watching, adoring and supporting you in London 2012.