Fun Things to Do in Toronto

Manolo Blahnik Exhibit: The Art of Shoes | Bata Shoe Museum

One of my fave Carrie moments on Sex and the City is her delight when she finds what she thought was an "urban shoe legend" -the Manolo Mary Janes- in the fashion cupboard at Vogue. Carrie's love of Manolos and the spectacular styling on that show made me fall in love with the artistry that is a Manolo Blahnik shoe. The Art of Shoes at the Bata Shoe Museum is a shoe-lover's dream; an ethereal exhibit of Manolos that will have you wanting to commit museum theft. Here are some shots of my faves:

Nearly cracked the glass here... guess that's why they only display one...

Inspired by nature:

Manolo Blahnik designed the shoes for Sophia Coppola's movie Marie Antoinette:

Timeless sandals...

The Art of Shoes runs until January 6th, 2019 at the Bata Shoe Museum in downtown Toronto. Rosie :)

Nowruz Festival at the Toronto Centre for the Arts

One of the great things about Toronto is that you don't actually have to leave the city to get a taste and appreciation for cultures from all over the world. This weekend the Nowruz Festival celebrates both the start of Spring and the Persian/Iranian New Year! There are a number of ticketed events with this festival but there is also a lot of the free family fun that we love here at The Scoop! The free events mainly take place this Saturday March 10th at the Toronto Centre for the Arts.

There is a Persian bazaar and traditional teahouse opening at 10 for adults where you can shop a little and then starting at noon there are shows and activities all day for kids. There are puppet shows and storytelling, face painting and balloon twisting, along with a kids film and family dance party to end the day! There is also an arts and crafts station in the afternoon where children can learn about the two best known characters of Nowruz, Haji Firuz and Amoo Nowruz and take home their creations, and a pastry making workshop where the little ones can make some little treats. Check the website for more information and specific times! Rosie :)

Free Waffles at Cacao 70 in Richmond Hill

Calling all chocoholics! There is a brand new location of chocolate paradise Cacao 70 opening in Richmond Hill this Saturday March 3rd... and they are giving away free waffles to celebrate their grand opening from 10AM - 5PM! Also, if you buy something on March 3rd, half the money will be donated to Yellow Brick Road, a charity that supports abused women and children. Cacao 70 is so delicious... they are known for their absolutely decadent drinking chocolate... a must try for chocolate lovers! Rosie :)

Sugar Shack TO at Sugar Beach

Remember when you were crossing your fingers hoping for a white Christmas? Well, that was then, and now if you are like me you are probably like "Winter.. please... just... GO ALREADY!" There is one sweet way to wave bye to the season and that is the Sugar Shack TO. It's happening March 10th and 11th from 11am to 5pm at Sugar Beach on the waterfront and organizers are promising Ontario's finest maple taffy along with live entertainment and activities for the kids. As a kid myself I remember having the best time at a sugar shack in Quebec where you take the hot maple syrup on a stick and roll it in snow to make a delicious treat. Admission is free and there are more details at Sugar Shack TO. along with a YouTube link showing last year's event so you can get a better sense of the syrupy sweetness before fully committing to putting on all that winter gear and heading down there. Rosie :)

Celebrate Toronto Festival at Nathan Phillips Square

TORONTO IS TURNING 184... it's PARTY TIME! Coming up March 3rd-6th at Nathan Phillips Square... the Celebrate Toronto Festival is celebrating Toronto's 184th anniversary. Food trucks, tons of cool vendors selling fun stuff, a DJ skate party... it's gonna be great! The night skate party on March 5th and 6th takes place from 5 to 10pm and features DJ Caff spinning a wicked mix including tons of tunes from Toronto artists. If you don't own skates, you can rent them, and make sure to visit the Celebrate Toronto Warming Lounge for hot chocolate! Rosie :)

Now Free Flick Mondays at The Royal Cinema

Looking for a free movie in Toronto? Now Free Flick Mondays are the bessssst.... you can see classic films, totally free, at the Royal Cinema one Monday a month. The next one coming up is Monday March 5th and it's a GOOD ONE... one of my faves actually... the 1985 coming-of-age John Hughes classic The Breakfast Club! Free tickets are available in advance here. Doors open at 6:30pm and the show starts at 7:30pm. Tickets only guarantee your spot if you arrive at the theatre by 7:15pm. Try to show up extra early because the first 100 guests get free popcorn! Rosie :)