Tag: summer

Staying your “hot self”, even when no dates are happening

~ Emmie Reve ~ Leave a comment

I’m single. I have been single for longer than I want to admit on here. And while I haven’t been totally under a rock and in my own shell; (.I’ve dated around since being married last in 2006) It’s not a goal of mine to be perpetually single. I do want to meet my soul mate, for once and for all, and run into the sunset without abandon with him. But I know it ain’t happening. It ain’t happening anytime soon. Toronto has only started reopening since the last panicked winter covid quarantine. So technically I am two years behind in my dating search progress for the “one”. I say this to make myself feel better. Another thing that provides me comfort this early summer in TO is this: I will date myself. I will go out to nice dinners and enjoy a city re-opening even if I’m not coupled., That’s right…I got the idea from so many other liberated souls with bad luck in love too; I know that hot girl summer has to happen, whether or not Mr. Romance is knocking on my door. Summers in Canada are so short and I’ll be damned if I don’t visit all the patios and gourmet rest stops this city has to offer. My work at the salon has suddenly slowed down for the month of June and I am ready to enjoy this sun and warmth. With my son in tow, we are visiting yummy, trendy spots on TO, with no sign of stopping. I want to experience this summer 2022, and we all deserve it after two years in quarantine. My fun won’t be dependent on waiting by the phone for “him” to call. It’s happening now and happening fast!

This is my neighborhood in Toronto. Taken just the other day, one can see the vibe in the air: the streets are full of things to explore!

How to Have an Awesome Single Gal Summer Post Pandemic:

  1. I decided to search out all the yummy, unique restaurants and wonderful patios that exist in the city.
  2. I then go to these places, with children, with friends and anyone who wants to.
  3. I primp and preen myself for myself to be seen and be fabulous.
  4. I order new dishes, things I really want to taste and experience
  5. And I just enjoy! Like I said, summer in North American cities are so short. There’s no time to waste waiting for Mr. Right to appear and ask me out. I will make my own sparkle and shine!
At this really cool Pilipino bar and resto on Queen West called Islas. They have great barbeque skewers for the carnivorous bunch, Buck a Shuck oysters on Tuesdays!
The hottest new thing in Toronto Annex (central west location) is an Asian Night Market called Super Fresh with vendors serving street eats from the East! A bit over rated and probably not worth the lines, the Taiwanese Fried chicken/any fried chicken is the bomb!

Women often get all dolled up when we know we are going on a formal date. And even extra primping is involved when it feels like a potential match. But I promise, primping up and going out for oneself is a beneficial exercise in having joy in life. And going on a date with friends and family will build social bonds that always need strengthening. At the end of the night, I don’t have to wonder and fret if the date I went on was a success. I will know that time was well spent with myself and those around me.

Summer drink recipe: let’s toast to the end of the pandemic…

~ Emmie Reve ~ Leave a comment

Ya, so I drank way too much during the winter and spring lockdown in Toronto. I ate too much too. Depression and boredom got the best of me, who else can relate? A lot of people I am sure. It’s something that I admit I’m not too proud of, but it’s been a hard year for me. Being unemployed and single took it’s toll. But since the spring of this year I’ve been trying to take back control of my life and turn things around…the world is finally opening up and a glimpse of normal is in sight. Toronto is now re-opening, I have job and love prospects again, and the summer time is just so beautiful! The flowers, the sun, the birds…the breezes. Can anything be better? I think not. After the horrible year in isolation we’ve had, it’s time to drink not out of sadness or boredom…but let’s lift a glass to celebrate better days ahead!

I created a delicious drink recently that I wanted to share. It’s refreshing and cold for the summer, and a little bit fruity with fizzy bubbles to delight. It’s also very pretty in colour and low calorie too. It only requires 3 ingredients that are pretty easy to find. First of which is sparkling water with a bit of flavour. I like the AHA, or Bubbly brand of sparkling water, and any fruit flavor will work just fine (i.e.. peach honey, pineapple, watermelon..etc.). Then we need frozen mixed berries, find this in any grocery store, and a nice brand of gin! Here it is, my recipe for the best summer drink ever:

Gin Berry Fizz, By Me!

  • 1 can or 355ml of fruit flavoured sparkling water (any fruit flavour or water brand will do!)
  • 1.5 oz. of gin
  • 1 big handful of frozen mixed berries (I use a blackberry, blueberry and cherry mix, yum!)

Put a generous amount of frozen berries in a high ball glass. Add the gin, then fill to the top of glass with the sparkling water. And enjoy! What I like about this drink is that it’s very refreshing, not too sweet, and eating the berries at the end really compliments the herbal botanicals such as juniper in the gin. Try it today!

May is month to celebrate the coming of summer…

~ Emmie Reve ~ 2 Comments

I’d like to think I am pretty spiritual. I find happiness in rituals, I believe in things that can’t be seen, just felt. I like to think about Mother Earth and how she changes the seasons. May 2021 is especially wonderful, because after a winter of lock down in Toronto, Canada, any brightness and colour would easily excite me beyond words. It had been a cold, grey winter lockdown, but with spring finally warming up in this very Northern city, it’s sunny enough to get greenery growing all about. I see flowers blooming, cherry blossoms are on trees, the rains of April have stopped and nature is alive again. A rebirth. Very meaningful to me and joyful.

This particular winter has been very difficult on my mental health as I have posted about in my previous post about weight-loss and gain during the pandemic. Being trapped at home was dark and sunless, as are all winters in Canada…I struggled daily with anxiety and depression. Even now with the change of seasons, I still suffer a bit from a lower mood sometimes, but much less so. I wanted to do a post about celebrating and being thankful for this current pre-summer loveliness that is working hard to cheer me up. Being thankful for connections that can now be made as the weather allows people to go outside and just see, experience, maybe even frolic? I must admit I’ve never frolicked before, but this Spring going into Summer is more a good time than ever to start!

How I Celebrated this May-time Wonder:

I love flowers. I think they always look so beautiful. Flowers add elegance and happiness to anything and/or anyone they decorate and touch. See their work on Mother’s Day, at weddings, funerals, as table decor, patient gifts. Their magic is undeniable. So to celebrate their floral vibrancy I decided to make a simple flower crown and then go outside to model it in photos. I found some cherry blossom trees and could not resist using them as a backdrop for enjoying being in nature and being thankful.

So this is me, modeling my crown. Also modeling this white blouse with ruffle-y sleeves. I think it fit the general mood of May, and it’s themes of rebirth, freedom and enjoyment.

How I Made my Flower Crown:

The crown itself is actually pretty simple to make, First buy some flowers with stems that are delicate enough to wrap. Then grab some floral tape. I got mine from a craft store. Also find a base for the crown. I used a thin headband, but a circular wire, etc…could also work! Then clip off the individual flowers from the bouquet, leaving a stem 1-3 inches long. Then arrange the flowers by colour and shape on the headband, wrapping each stem with the floral tape to the head band in a spiral motion. And Voila; a gorgeous, simple crown that shines with the glory of nature awaits to be worn!

My flowers were a few days old when I made the crown, but a slight wilt makes them look more real. For my eye make-up I wore a vibrant violet shadow, as I was inspired by nature’s colourful florals…

What are some other ways to celebrate the outdoor nature around this time of year? Let me know in the comment section below….