Nikki Yanofsky: Canadian Singing Sensation

Nikki Yanofsky is unlike other singing sensations her age. At 16, her interest in jazz music and love for performing tracks by timeless music legends like Ella Fitzgerald are a far cry from the pop-saturated culture of 21st century music.

Chosen as the voice for “I Believe” – the anthem for the Canadian broadcast of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games – and gracing a worldwide audience of 3.2 billion viewers during her opening performance of “O Canada” at the Games, Yanofsky recalls it as, “one of the most nerve-racking and amazing experiences” she’s had to date.

“Afterwards, I went back to my dressing room and I’m like, ‘OK, mom, dad – you go into the Green Room, I’ll meet you in a second,’ and I called my best friend and just started crying hysterically Read more

Ford Escape Hybrid and Jeep Wrangler

Ford Escape hybrid
SUV practicality without fuel consumption worries.

With the fuel efficiency gains of gas electric hybrid power, it wasn’t long before SUVs started adopting this green technology. Ford was one of the early adopters, after Toyota, to equip its popular Escape compact SUV with a hybrid system. Ford launched the Escape Hybrid early in the decade and since then the model has been updated and modernized to its current form. Having driven the Escape on an extended trip, the 177-combined horsepower of the 2.5-litre four-cylinder gas and electric hybrid motor feels energetic and gives surprising acceleration. At one point, with no highway traffic and the gas pedal floored, the Escape impressed by reaching “hello, officer!” speeds effortlessly. The only downside was the aural whine of the engine as the continuously variable transmission Read more

Motionball Marathon of Sport Toronto

Raising funds and awareness to ensure the long-term stability of the Special Olympics in Canada, 350 young professionals and Special Olympic athletes took to the field. Participants were pledged to play a full day of soccer, volleyball, bench ball, football and ultimate frisbee and raised more than motionball’s goal of $100,000 in one day! Presented by SunLife Financial, motionball was a great success with the help of its generous donors, sponsors and participants, including its national presenting sponsor, AIR MILES. Read more

Are Smartphones making us smarter?

Your day begins early, and whether early is early, or early is afternoon, on the way to work or to play something begins to worry you, something is missing. Presumptions lead to paranoia and, after checking each pocket, portfolio, and underneath each car seat, your paranoia becomes an unwanted reality. You’ve forgotten the device that was created to help you remember all your important dates, numbers, and notes and without it you are nearly useless. You’ll now be forced to use the outdated, bacteria-infested box that for many people entails embarrassment as much as the opportunity to make a phone call – the dreaded public phone.

The smartphone is indeed a very smart phone, much smarter than phones from the past, but placing our social and professional lives in its microchips doesn’t leave you with much to do when you accidentally leave it at home. Not having it can Read more

Mandranova Estate, Sicily, Italy

An island in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea makes an ideal vacation destination. With rich history and breathtaking scenery, Sicily is a must-see region of Italy.

Mandranova brings you all the beauty of an island with true Italian hospitality. A comfortable atmosphere, authentic cuisine, first-rate amenities and beautiful surroundings epitomize the Mandranova experience.

To appreciate Italy and all it has to offer, a Mandranova tour package is available. Starting off at the Mandranova hotel, this tour is six days, five nights. From Day 1 to Day 6, there is endless sightseeing in various Italian cities and towns, visits to museums, cooking courses, wine tasting, and leisure activities. Enjoy the architecture, history and overall beauty of Palermo, Agrigento, Caltagirone Read more

Night at the Movies

Grab that buttery popcorn and pick a prime spot as you prepare to indulge in one of these hot new flicks, either at the theatre or in the comfort of your living room.

1. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps After being locked up for years, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) finds he no longer holds the top spot in the corrupted world he once ruled. Trying to salvage his relationship with his daughter, Gekko creates an alliance with her fiancé, Jacob (Shia LaBeouf), who at first sees Gekko as a father figure and friend but soon learns that Gekko is far from a changed man. www.foxmovies.com

2. The American If you can’t get enough of James Bond, this film is a must-see. Jack (George Clooney), a seasoned assassin and master craftsman of weapons, decides this mission to the Read more

Maple Acura

“Every time they turn that key, they’re smiling, they’re saying ‘wow this is my car’ and they enjoy the drive,” says Dominic D’Elia, general manager of Maple Acura. “That’s our main goal.” With a dynamic team of individuals, this brand new dealership is able to give its customers the best service possible.

When you walk into Maple Acura’s modern 25,000 sq. ft. facility, you instantly feel at ease. From the receptionists to the sales and service people, the spacious dealership is recognizably unique. Although Acura has a great reputation for building vehicles that impress their owners year after year, the Maple dealership prides itself on something different. “We have the same products as every Acura dealership, but what they don’t have is our team,” says D’Elia. “Our business focuses on the people.” Read more

Villa Foundation Father’s Day Golf Classic

On June 22, 2010, over 200 guests celebrated la famiglia italiana at the Villa Foundation Father’s Day Golf Classic and Dinner Celebration. Golfers were kept busy at the porchetta station, Miss Martini sampling tent and the espresso stop, giving their swings an extra kick. In the evening, NHL legend Andy Bathgate was a guest speaker at the Father’s Day Dinner Celebration. Raising approximately $70,000, Villa Charities continues to provide social assistance and cultural development for the Italian community. It was a successful day with help from sponsors, Joseph Fusco, chair Rudy Bratty, and the organizing committee. www.villacharities.com

FROM LEFT: Rudy Bratty, chair of Villa Foundation, shares a laugh with NHL legend Andy Bathgate, at the Villa Foundation Father’s Day Golf Classic and Celebration Dinner, June 22, 2010 at Eagles Nest Golf Club.

Neil Pasricha and The Book of Awesome

A marriage on the brink and a best friend battling severe depression gave a Toronto man two good reasons to start reminding himself of the simple things in life. “I was in what I guess you could call a bit of a doom-and- gloom phase,” says 30-year-old Neil Pasricha, who is now a best-selling, award-winning author. While he admits that starting a blog wasn’t the most innovative idea he’s ever had, it turned out to be one of his most rewarding. Over the next year, Pasricha used his site, www.1000awesomethings.com, as a global platform to list life’s little wonders, adding colourful and often comical commentary to joys that almost everyone can relate to. Finding money in your coat pocket, watching The Price is Right when you’re home sick, popping bubble wrap, fixing electronics by smacking them and the smell of new books all made the page. “It was really fulfilling and really fun but the other parts of my life started getting worse,” says Pasricha, who earned his MBA from Harvard. Read more

Did you Know?

1. The Congo River is the only one in the world that flows both north and south of the equator – crossing over twice! We’re on the fence with this one, but some might call that indecisive.

2. What did our corneas do to deserve the callous treatment from our blood? It’s the only part of our body that it selfishly chooses not to supply its services to. The cornea in the eye survives from oxygen in the air instead. How can you do that to your own flesh and blood?

3. Dear Narcissists,
All humans spent about half an hour as a single cell. That means you were once way smaller than a coffee bean. XYXY

4. One-tenth of a calorie is what you consume every time you lick a stamp. The solution? Eat-mail … we mean, e-mail. Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »