Every month, the girls head out to a different restaurant in Toronto.
Over the years, we've visited some great eateries and some wicked dives,
eaten some epic meals, drunk some lovely wines, and consumed more
calories that I personally would care to think about.
Girls
Night is a Dionysian tour de force, full of excesses in conversation,
food, drink and honesty. It can be the ultimate "truth or dare" game,
but without the dare. It is FUN, sometimes wild and debauched, often
raucous, occasionally serious with a soupcon of friction. It is an
opportunity for each of us to be who we are, and to be accepted as the
marvelous and flawed people we are. Over dinner, the advice flows like
the wine, but rarely with the lasting impact of the hangover! There can
be moments of disconnect, drama, misunderstanding and hurt feelings.
These are always eclipsed by the joy, laughter, outrageous fun,
hilarity, and incredible closeness. Girls Night is a celebration of who
we are as individuals and as a community, and it is a keen reminder of
how important friends are, of how important it is to stay connected
against a tide of other commitments, personal trials and tribulations,
distance, and expectation.
There is that inevitable
point when all the shenanigans stop, when our personal quirks and
peccadilloes overcome our party-girl demeanours. It's the dreaded point
in the evening, usually after someone has suggested "just one more glass
of wine" and we have all agreed, when the bill is delivered to the
table. Suddenly, we bon vivants are faced with hard evidence of our
excesses. We are inevitably shocked. The bill is the moment of reckoning
when glasses go on, and the gloves come off. The awesome infographic
below (courtesy of http://theoatmeal.com) pretty much sums it up (note, I am the one with the debit card!):
Every month, "the girls" head out to a different eatery in Toronto. Over the years, we've visited some great eateries and some wicked dives, eaten some epic meals, drunk some lovely wines, entertained many a cab driver, re-defined the purpose and nature of the thong, and consumed more calories than I personally would care to think about!
Girls' Night is a Dionysian tour de force, full of excesses in conversation, food, drink, and honesty. It can be the ultimate "truth or dare" game, but without the dare. It is FUN, sometimes wild and debauched, often raucous, occasionally serious with a soupรงon of friction. It is an opportunity for each of us to be celebrated (and occasionally chided) for the marvelous and flawed people we are. Over dinner, the advice flows like the wine, but rarely with the lasting impact of the hangover! There can be moments of disconnect, drama, misunderstanding and hurt feelings.; moments which are always eclipsed by the joy, laughter, outrageous fun, hilarity, and incredible closeness. Girls Night is a celebration of who we are as individuals and as a community, and it is a keen reminder of how important friends are, of how important it is to stay connected against a tide of other commitments, personal trials and tribulations, distance, and expectation.
And the, there is that inevitable point when all the shenanigans stop, when our personal quirks and peccadilloes overcome our party-girl demeanours. It's the dreaded point in the evening, usually after someone has suggested "just one more glass of wine" and we have all agreed, when the bill is delivered to the table. Suddenly, we bonnes vivantes are faced with the hard evidence of our excesses. Speaking personally, I am always, inevitably, shocked. I spent how much?? The bill is the moment of reckoning when the glasses go on, and the gloves come off. The awesome infographic below (courtesy of http://theoatmeal.com) pretty much sums it up (please note, I am ALWAYS the one with the debit card!):
There are few sights more endearing than thundering Shetland ponies tearing around a steeplechase course tackling 12 miniature "Aintree-style" fences. Shetland Ponies are fabulous, fierce competitors, and their cuteness often belies a high intelligence and well-developed sense of mischief.
The Shetland Pony Grand National qualifier from the 2011 Badminton Horse
Trials, one of several qualifying events held in England as riders and
their ponies vie to qualify for one of 10 spots in the Shetland Pony
Grand National at Olympia, the London International Horse Show, held in December.
From an event marketing perspective, the Shetland Pony Grand National really has it all. The ponies and kids are compelling, the race is incredibly fun. It is a compellingly cute attraction that appeals to audiences young and old, and it is linked to charity and a high-profile, worthwhile cause. The Shetland Pony Grand National raises significant money for charity, draws visitors to horse shows (which means increased profile, more revenue, etc), and, in an era where a significant number of breeds are considered endangered by the http://www.rbst.org.uk, gives the Shetland Pony Registry and the breed's opportunity to do what it must: reinvent the Shetland Pony so that it stays relevant in the modern world.
About Shetland Ponies:
Shetland Ponies originated as a breed in the Shetland Isles, northeast of mainland Scotland. They are small, hardy ponies ranging in height from 7 hands (28 inches) to 10.2 hands (42 inches) at the withers. American Shetlands can be as large as 11.2 hands (46 inches).
The ponies have heavy coats, short legs and are considered very intelligent. were first recognized as a breed in 1890. They were first used for pulling carts, carrying peat, coal and other items, and for plowing farm land. When the Industrial Revolution increased the demand for coal, Shetland ponies were used as pit ponies on mainland Britain and in the United States, where the last pony mine closed in 1971.
They were officially recognized as a breed in 1890.
Today, Shetland ponies are ridden and shown by both children and adults in harness classes, and used for pleasure driving outside the show ring. Shetland ponies remain very popular for small children, used in riding schools, for pleasure riding and at horse shows. They can also be trained as guide horses, peforming the same role as guide dogs.
About the Shetland Pony Grand National:
The Shetland Pony Grand National stared in 1981 as the brain-child of the Late Raymond Brooks-Ward, the founder of the Olympia International Horse Show. The steeplechase is run along the same lines as its big brother, the Grand National at Aintree. Ponies are paraded, jockeys (wearing racing silks) are mounted led to the start. The race around the course incorporates 2 1/2 laps and 12 miniature Aintree-style fences.
The rules of the event are simple:
Riders must compete for a year in a discipline like jumping, eventing or dressage before beginning the qualifying process at the Windsor Horse Show.
Competitors must be between the ages of 9 and 13, and no taller than 5'1".
Ponies must be at least 5 years old, and registered with the Shetland Pony Stud Book Society.
The purpose of the Grand National is two-fold. It raises money through race sponsorships: since its inaugural race in 1981, the Shetland Pony Grand National has raised more than £400K, with the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital being this year's charity of choice.
Every month, the girls head out to a different eatery in Toronto. Over the years, we've visited some great eateries and some wicked dives, eaten some epic meals, drunk some lovely wines, and consumed more calories that I personally would care to think about!
Girls Night is a Dionysian tour de force, full of excesses in conversation, food, drink and honesty. It can be the ultimate "truth or dare" game, but without the dare. It is FUN, sometimes wild and debauched, often raucous, occasionally serious with a soupcon of friction. It is an opportunity for each of us to be who we are, and to be accepted as the marvelous and flawed people we are. Over dinner, the advice flows like the wine, but rarely with the lasting impact of the hangover! There can be moments of disconnect, drama, misunderstanding and hurt feelings. These are always eclipsed by the joy, laughter, outrageous fun, hilarity, and incredible closeness. Girls Night is a celebration of who we are as individuals and as a community, and it is a keen reminder of how important friends are, of how important it is to stay connected against a tide of other commitments, personal trials and tribulations, distance, and expectation.
There is that inevitable point when all the shenanigans stop, when our personal quirks and peccadilloes overcome our party-girl demeanours. It's the dreaded point in the evening, usually after someone has suggested "just one more glass of wine" and we have all agreed, when the bill is delivered to the table. Suddenly, we bon vivants are faced with hard evidence of our excesses. We are inevitably shocked. The bill is the moment of reckoning when glasses go on, and the gloves come off. The awesome infographic below (courtesy of http://theoatmeal.com) pretty much sums it up (note, I am the one with the debit card!):
