Single on a Saturday: Thrice as nice

So it's winter ....right....sort of I guess. It's technically winter and this past weekend was the Roundhouse Craft Beer Fest...Winter edition. My third time at one of the best beerfests...so far. With an extra entrance and no line for the washrooms, it is in the top running for the best beer fest.

A lot more brewers this year...and some true crafters. It was a refreshing site to see considering how many craft beers are getting swallowed up by the bigguns. Left Field seemed to have quite a line up...they were offering marshmallows...not sure how that worked, but they ran out so I didn't go to their booth. My top choices for this year...as I sort through my coasters (the only records of what I like):

Yum..WeeHeavy!

Highlander Brew Wee Heavy 8%....damn right...it's dark, but not heavy. I'm not a fan of dark beer, this one had me fooled. It was just all around full and delicious.

Niagara College Brewing Program...they had a few different things. I had a half of all and enjoyed the trip.

Redline Brew out in Barrie had a very energetic way....and tasty libations too! My drinking crew and I are planning our brewhouse assault ;)



Honestly...there really are too many to list. It's just nice to try something different. You know you want to be a part of the fun. Besides, it supports the Toronto Railway Museum!

Be on the lookout for next year....tix go on sale in December and sell out in hours!  For more info check out their fb page: Roundhouse Winter Craft Beer Fest 2016 ....There is a summer edition to this fest, but...nothing beats drinking outdoors in the winter. ....although I did take my coat off to dance and felt no cold, but still...it's winter right.

Single on a July Day: The Croatia Files, pt 1

After an exhilarating stay in a city I longed to see, it was time to head to the beach. This half of the trip is even more so filled with drinking and partying, but without the full cultural experience. Sometimes you just gotta have fun. 

I spent my time gazing out the windows.

From Sarajevo I hopped two flights to Zadar. Normally I don't fly, but Croatia Airlines had an amazing fare going on Expedia.ca, and money talks when you are travelling alone on a budget! 

SJJ is one of those simple, cute airports. It's easy to navigate and just a few gates take you around the world. Not much to do. There is a duty free shop, but it's best to bring your own entertainment.

I was doing SJJ-ZAG-ZAD and both of my flights were late getting in and out. Apparently this is just what to expect from this airline. I didn't mind; the great service and low price made up for it! 

A little snack during my stopover in ZAG

I arrived in Zadar after 10pm. It was dark and everything was pretty much closed. I already looked things up before so I knew there was a bus and how much it cost and how to get to my hostel, so I wasn't worried about anything.  I grabbed my pack and made my way to the bus...it was pretty full and I think he waited for the flight to get in before departing... pretty decent! 

I was staying the Old Town and it was the last of two stops on the bus. Easy enough. The place was packed still with visitors enjoying their vacation and it was a little after 11pm. I checked in to what I'm going to consider a luxury hostel. As usual, Booking.com was a score. The Boutique Hostel Forum in Zadar was awesome. I think it is important to remember that this comes after the grossness in Novi Sad and the dormitory setting in Sarajevo. I feel like I spoiled myself on this stay.  I had my own room with bathroom and regular cleaning...I loved it. Not really hostel-esk, but single occupancy in a double room was under $50CDN/night....so I guess I can call it a budget hotel..whatever the label, it was great!!

Zadar was a definite good time. I spent my whole time in the Old Town, but I think I should have stayed longer and did more. You can walk the Old Town...you kind of have to since cars are not permitted in most of it. This was great since it was only people traffic that you had to deal with. Plus it was easy to navigate after a few beers...

What to do:
-The Sea Organs (of course!!): The Adriatic Sea feeds into this piece of art and creates music! You just have to go.
-Swim in the sea: I liked sitting by it and smelling that sea like odour that cannot be captured in a room freshener. I saw people jumping in and there was a shallow section for kids to walk around in.
-The Greeting to the Sun: Another wonderful piece of art. It lights up and is very nice to see at sunset or night.

I saw these growing out of rocks by the waterside

-Drink Maraschino: I haven't steered you wrong so far in the booze department so I'm not even going to explain this one...just do it!
-Walk around/take a tour: I'm a firm believer in wondering around, taking it all it in. Or have someone take you around. It was not a big town. I didn't get lost and if I felt lost I just kept going...eventually I saw a building that I recognized.

The lackadaisical life of solo vacationing....

I took in the Museum of Archeology.. ...after a few beers at the Boutique Caffe Forum-- oddly enough it is connected to my hotel, but no discounts were given. Whatever, it's not like it was that expensive to drink...15k for a Tomislav .5l...wonderful!

7.3% and didn't taste like a dark beer  

As usual my trip had some music involved...Havana Club put on a promotion with live band! Smart move since Manu Chao was playing there the next night. That really wasn't the highlight of the trip though....on my second night, I met a cool local and chilled on the pier facing the Adriatic Sea drinking beer from a 2L bottle...that's how it comes...in the convenience store...and they give you cups. Then you relax and enjoy the coast. 

Breath taking....just remember to clean up after yourdamnself!  There were a lot of bottles around and the person I was with outright said that it was probably tourists....of course it is. Not all tourists, but some just see every part of their trip like it's a hotel...someone else will pick up after them.

Folks remember: take pictures, leave footprints....not: take advantage and leave garbage!!

I wish I could have captured the scent!

Well a couple of days of luxury was all that I had...then it was a 1.5h bus ride to Novalja for the final stop on this grand vacation.  

Single on a July Day: Part 2, Exit Festing (NoviSad)

Well after my short time in Belgrade I had to make my way to Novi Sad...I had a ticket for Exit Festival!!!! This is where things get fun. The lady at the counter did not speak English and my Serbian isn' t any better. I made great use of sign language and what I hoped was the correct schedule. I bought what I hoped was a one way ticket and got on a train that I figured was going to the right place.

Solo travel at its best!

This is the old train...used for other cities

 

Two hours later I was in Novi Sad. The trip was in a great new train, but the tracks are still old so it was not any faster, just way more comfy...and had air conditioning which was a plus with the +36C degree weather.

Once I arrived at the train station there were volunteers from the festival helping people get to their destination. Now this is where I give two pieces of important advice...1) don't bother with the bus pass;  2) If you are a solo traveller on a budget do not book through Exit Trip (unless you are booking camping).

As for #1, they sell you on the bus pass because it is more convenient than trying to pay on the bus, but it really is not necessary. Everything I needed was in walking distance...including the festival.

The shower curtain..one on each side

And #2....I was told by representative (by email) that  I had to book a whole room even if I was traveling alone. This meant that I was paying double, but got the whole room to myself. So it was a budget conscious decision for me to go with the cheapest place. Bad idea!! Horrible....no WiFi, no cleaning, very basic amenities. A true hostel...but was apparently student housing for a tech program. The shower was open to two room areas and when I told the guy that was showing me to my room that it was unacceptable he said it was nothing to worry about and continued. Hahaha....I know better now. Next time I'll just do a little extra research and not trust the website; too bad their ad could not just say: "this place is filthy and ill equipped". (Booking.com helped me out with the other places, I'll keep them in mind for my next Exit Adventure.)

On a positive note, it was a good place to meet other people since everyone around was either a student or a visitor down for Exit.

Me and the rules for entry

Exit Festival was a first of its kind for me...a night time festival. I've done raves, but a full on festival at night....that was  different. I loved it. It was 8pm- 8am and I was usually there from 10pm-4am...that's the perfect time of day for me. The weather was more bearable and I simply prefer the night time.

There were 10 stages and all sorts of awesomeness. Plus it was held in fortress!! The party atmosphere was insane; DJs and bands all over an historical fort and let's not forget about 100 000 people were there each night. It was a great experience that I wish I could afford to do again next year. So many highlights: Faithless, Roni Size Reprezent, the whole No Sleep zone, silent disco, Manu Chau, giant slide, opening night fireworks...and much more.  I walked to and from the event and had no issues with safety or directions since Novi Sad is easy to navigate and my map memory is pretty good.

The city itself was very nice beyond the festival. Once again great prices for food and drink and great places to chill. Since my crappy accommodations did not have WiFi (so odd!!), I was advised by the ExitTrip people to go across the street to the mall and find a restaurant there. It worked out for the best since I ended up hanging out at cool place called Babylon in the SPENS. I walked in and asked if they had food, booze and Internet...they had booze and Internet and that was good enough for me.

My time at Babylon begins on a Thursday. The festival did not start until Friday so I needed a night of boozing. This is where the rakija enters the vacation. To compensate for the no food issues I had fast food across the way at Minuta....

It's all about cheap and fast

after a few beers....then I asked for rakija and the waitress was shocked and pleased.

Now from this point it is a routine of beers and different types of rakija and glasses of water along with laughs and failed language lessons . It was nice to feel welcome and, since I was alone, there was no pressure to stay or to go. I crawled back into my single bed at the residence around 7:30am....I swear that rakija shit is like red bull....I didn't get sick, just stayed awake until I was horizontal...then it was sleep time.

I did some visiting and more drinking during my few days in Novi Sad, but as I said this was a whirlwind vacation. I think I'll need to go back and stay for a few days after or before Exit Fest. I'd definitely do Exit again!

If you're making plans here are my recommendations:

Get the early bird ticket and make sure you have a hotel/hostel/apartment booked by February. The prices go up and the city sells out. You can always do the camp thing...not my thing, but I heard it was pretty clean and close to the beach.

Also, there is a secondary festival in Montenegro-- Sea Dance. If you buy your Exit ticket early enough you can get into this festival quite inexpensively. I did not go, but I saw pictures....awesome time. I might do it next year...if I can afford to get back to that side of the world!


On to the next stop....

This was one of the stops on my 9h bus ride to Sarajevo

Coke vs Cock

Well I think it is time I started addressing some common health issues that inflict the clubs. This is basically my single on a Saturday health tip.

As the title suggests this is about the impact that cocaine has on male sexual functioning. Let's be honest here, cocaine is in full effect in most Toronto clubs..hell I'll even go so far to say in every club/pub/bar/nightlife establishment there is at least one person busting rails in the bathroom...and it is probably two considering how much of a social drug it is.

What does this mean for lovers of the penis? Well....hours of fucking without an end. Yup that's the basic effect. You see, cocaine can actually be considered an aphrodisiac. It makes you horny. For men, they want that sex when they get high and can probably get a pretty decent hard on....might not be the best one, but it works. Then they have all the energy in the world because coke is a stimulant.

The hold up might come hours after he has already rawed out the vag or anus that he's been enjoying. There is this sudden (but not too sudden since there has been probably a few hours of sex at this point) realization that he can't cum. Delayed ejaculation is one of the side effects. All the friction in the world often can't help it.

There is hope gentlemen. You really just have to wait it out. Go as much as you can (or as much as partner can handle)-- use decent lube for comfort. Then take a break and rest it off. Wake-up sex is just as delicious!!!  If you cannot sleep, then just enjoy the body contact (the contact they makes you both/all feel wonderful). To the partner, just show love and understanding. This is not a sign of long term impotence, for most men it is temporary.

Remember there is no point in trying to break records if all you're doing is killing the pleasure. 

Resources:
Web MD "Cocaine and its effects": http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/cocaine-use-and-its-effects
University of Arizona "Health Effects of Cocaine" http://methoide.fcm.arizona.edu/infocenter/index.cfm?stid=212

Booty Call Etiquette

I woke up this fine New Years Day afternoon and heard a grumble in my tummy. Naturally I was not in the mood for cooking...or reheating. Then it occurred to me: that guest that left should have come over with food.

I think this should be customary booty call etiquette. Bring a snack for the morning....well the afternoon...after. It's like bringing a gift for the host/ess. Show up at the calls door with a sandwich, a pizza, something!  Or maybe it should be the caller should bring the food for the call-ee....Nah, I want food brought over.

I'll supply other goods and beverages, but someone needs to bring over a snack. Something to help me recover after using all of that energy.

I don't want this to turn into a dinner date though. It needs to be an afterglow snack saved for after the guest leaves. 

Let me know if this is a trend that picks up...give it a try.

Happy New Year...may 2014 bring great changes ;)

Single on a Saturday: Sausage with a side of meatballs

Is it just me or did Toronto have a huge influx of men in the bars this weekend?

Not complaining, just saying…and it was good times. Let’s take it from the top.

Friday, after the shittiest work week so far, I went to a friend’s bday get together at Encore-- up near Dovercourt and Dupont. I walked down a scary dark road, that I probably should have not walked down, and made it to this jamming party. Great DJ playing great old school tunes. Men….mostly men at the bar. I didn’t think anything of it then. I just enjoyed my booze and reconnecting with people I know.

I then toddled off to PJ O’briens on Colbourne for a hot whiskey and to celebrate with other friends. This is where it became apparent that Toronto was taken over by men. Men with ugly mo’s, but men just the same. The place was packed with them. I shifted my way to the bar to meet up with the ladies.  

Click on picture for Hot Whiskey info

So my one hot whisky turned into several. It was nice to just hang out and chit chat. There was one annoying guy  that must have really thought being sarcastic and unsexy was a the best way to get into bed with someone. He played the cockblocker. I tried to entertain and have fun with his dance floor antic, but he kept holding my hand (or trying). I wasn’t that drunk and not that into touching him. Eventually I started to ignore him.  Unfortunately, most of the other men at the bar were not as social (or were perhaps dismayed).

That pub used to be a great place to pick up hot Irish men as you dance to a live Irish Folk band.  Tonight there was not such a vibe. No Irish men (beyond the bartenders) and no Irish band. It was almost like being at a wedding reception…maybe it was a reception and we just did not realize it. Whoops.

Now let’s shuffle on to Saturday when two singles decided it was time to be out all night. Yup this was a 9am-er. I met up with my friend over in the Queen West area. I have been turned off of this neighbourhood before, but tonight was different. It was definitely an all-time best.

We started at …um…I don`t know the name of the place. It was on Queens West somewhere west of Beaconsfield. It was a nice little place with a DJ and bar. That`s all I needed on Saturday.  My Patron Café was only $9 and it was delicious! It wasn`t busy, but the male: female ratio was higher than the place before. 

We chatted and then moved down the street. Nice and random…and I cannot remember the name of the second place.  Good music, $4 tequila shots, and men men men…. At this point in the night we were doing shots and taling travel with a guy at the bar. Nice local type of place; the bartender knew him by name!!  I really hope we find it again.

Then we wondered to Brooklynn, but it was full…and there was a line. 

I do not stand in lines. As far as I'm concerned, 20 years of clubbing is worth being able to walk on in.

We hustled off to another bar…the Gladstone. After my last experience (See the Nuit Blah Edition) I did not want to go, but there wasn`t a line up and it was karaoke and that it is always fun times. I don`t sing but I love dancing to it.

After one drink we decided it was time to try Brooklynn again. Of course at this point there is no line up. Now here is where it all gets crazy…the man to lady ratio was somewhere in the area of 5:1. Great odds…great odds….I think it is also safe to mention that they were not pretentious or ugly. I was definitely satisfied. The music was great and everyone was so social.Did I mention the men were hot. Just saying. I haven't seen a lot of hot men in this city in a while...especially concentrated in one room!

I danced off steam; socialized; I loved it and went on to the after hours. Made it to my home at 9:30am after a mini walk of shame...that's how single gals (should) do it.

I feel like I'm getting my groove back...f-you horrible week, I win!!!