Project Nightlife is officially complete!  In four days we hit up a club, relaxed in a lounge, belted karaoke, experienced burlesque, enjoyed a patio, cheered for our team, and took in some Toronto talent.  It was quite the weekend, and though all of this is true, I’ll leave the boobs, beats and bands to your man Al Hal.

As fast as a riot can break out during G20, Thursday night rolled around and there was no turning back.  First mission – the cluuubs.  With my swag and heels on, it was time to brave the streets of Toronto with my very uncoordinated strut in stilettos.  I didn’t make it far before complaining about my feet and I talked my way into a piggyback ride the rest of the way.  Rollin’ up in style, we checked into Tattoo Rock Parlour on Queen West where tats go with paying cover.  But like the big piggybacking baby I am, I opted out of getting a full sleeve and went for a drink instead.  Tattoo was big, dark, and a little bit scary.  Kinda like my basement when I’m the last person to leave and run up the stairs because I think someone’s chasing me (but doesn’t everyone do that?)

Anyways, I kind of liked the layout of the place to be honest.  The dance floor was massive with a bar at each end, and the DJ pumpin’ out the beats right in the centre.  The atmosphere was more rock’n’roll and I would definitely check it out again sometime… and possibly get my full sleeve then.  Sorry, Mom.

With the first mission complete in Project Nightlife, next on the docket was a swanky lounge.  And where else does one go to look swanky AND lounge then at The Drake Hotel.  This place was the definition of cool.  The crowd was young, sexy and at capacity.  While wiggle room was nowhere to be found, amazingly we scored a booth right in the heart of it all.  The DJ was killin’ it once again, and just to be the classiest guy in town, Al ordered the famous Drake martini.  Straight up.  Straight ballin’.

This officially brings us to the weekend.  The previous days were starting to take their toll, so on Saturday night we settled down on a patio.  While Toronto has a ton of great patio places to choose from, we stayed local and engaged in some good ol’ fashioned people watchin’.  After a quiet summer night outside and some street meat later, it was time to head back and rest up for Sunday and the biggest event of the weekend!

Dressed in orange, you can guess which team I was cheering for in the finals of the biggest soccer tournament on the planet – The Netherlands.  An hour and a half before the game, we headed out to Liberty Village assuming we’d land a seat no problem.  Big problem.  Not only had every Dutch fan in Toronto had the same idea, but I promise you there was not an empty seat in the entire city!  Panic began to set in as the opening whistle drew nearer and we walked farther and farther to find somewhere, anywhere to watch the game.

And then a miracle happened.  I popped my head into this tiny cafe fully expecting to be shut down yet again when an energetic old lady said to me, “Two? Okay.  Come with me!”  Yesssssss!  We didn’t exactly score a table, or even any real seats for that matter, but the owner put us in front of a booth just in time for kick-off.  The spot?  Free Times Cafe on College.  The food?  Pretty good.  The atmosphere?  Amazing.  Although we were surrounded by a pack of hungry Spanish fans, I couldn’t imagine a better place to watch.  It was shoulder-to-shoulder, just like a final should be.  And although my team didn’t come out on top, the pub atmosphere will always be a winner to me.

After a very busy weekend I got thinking of my earlier question.  Pub, club, or live music?  And my answer – all three.  Each scene is as good as the next one, it just depends on the day and what you’re feeling.  And although I wouldn’t suggest hitting every hot spot in under four days like we did, I do recommend trying out everything.  Because who knows who you’ll meet or where you’ll end up… the night is young my friends.

Project Nightlife, complete.

Jaime