Happy Summer!

Well after a couple shitty summers here in Toronto, we are finally experiencing the greatness of the sun and temperatures through the roof! A bit too sticky some days but you can't always have your cake and eat it too.

June went by rather quickly. Lots of craziness both in my life and at work. Spent a lot of time with someone new who I really adore. After weeks of chatting through a iphone app we finally met up for drinks one night and have been having fun ever since. He's kept my social calendar quite full since coming into my world. He's up for usually almost anything and if you know me at all - I'm known to want to do some crazy ass things. Friends don't come around like this very often and I'm grateful we stumbled upon each other.

Drake came by my store on June 21st... It was insane! Fans will do almost anything to meet their idols. He was a nice guy and we sold tons of his record - so it was a win-win situation for both of us. He does a remix of the Alicia Keys track I talked about a couple posts ago. Very sexy!

Then there was the G20. The media had been hyping the event for months and months, so much so that you couldn't escape the attention it was getting. I wanted to check it out for myself and took JJ for a walk down in the "high security zone" before the actual weekend hit. It was all a little bit crazy... the "fence" (JJ took a leak on it) the cops (there were hundreds - some quite cute I would like to add) and the tension in the air of what actually might happen. It was kind of novelty really as it was so over the top. Then came the weekend and that changed everything. It all became very real and not since 9/11 was I glued to my TV watching the events unfold live in front of me. Luckily my store was protected by hoarding that we put up before the weekend, otherwise we would have lost a few windows, not to mention product. Kudos to Jeff who leads the security team at my store for having the foresight to predict such chaos - many retailers were caught with their pants down after the rioters went up Yonge St. in a wave of destruction.

Pride this year was fun. I'm not a huge fan of Pride generally as it's so over the top and everyone is just too much for me. After the weekend was over I came to the conclusion that I missed out on something really big for me this year. I forgot to flirt. I spend all this time at the gym and buy hot clothes and yet I didn't have the balls to talk to anyone outside my group of friends. I used to be such a flirt back in the day - I wouldn't think twice about approaching someone in a bar and now it seems I always hesitate. Part of it though this year is that I didn't want to hook up with anyone whereas before when I was younger, I was more open to the idea. I think my ideas around sex have changed and it's clouding my ability to put myself out there like I used to. I'll be 40 before I know it so I am going to try to challenge myself for the rest of the summer to be less of a pussy.

I got free tickets to check out Lady Gaga when her Monster Ball tour landed here in the city. Her opening act were giving away tickets to the show in front of my store. Thanks to Kayla one of my favourite associates at the store - we scored some excellent seats for a very entertaining show. Gaga was fun - the show was a bit gimmicky but then again isn't that what she kind of is? She wasn't as polished as M is but she'll get there in time. I'm so sick of the M comparisons although I realize I just did it myself in the last sentence. She brings it on herself though by all her various "homages" to M. M was no different with Marilyn comparisons back in the day. Is anyone allowed their own path anymore?

I've put off any vacation plans this summer as I'm feeling the pinch of being a new homeowner and don't want to spend any more money than I have to right now. I am going out to Newfoundland in September for Iris' christening so I'll just tack a couple extra days on to that. My brother David choose me to be the Godfather which is cool. Nashville and Memphis will have to wait another year I think. Maybe I'll be able to find someone who wants to do the same trip.

Some summer tracks to check out... fresh off my new mix!

Commander (Bit Error Radio Edit) Kelly Rowland
DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love (Main Version) Usher feat. Pitbull
Beautiful Monster (Mixin Marc & Tony Svejda Radio Edit) Ne-Yo
I Like It (Main) Enrique Iglesias
Lovesong (Radio Edit) Jes
Dancing On My Own (Fred Falke Edit) Robyn
Love the Way You Lie (Main Version) Eminem feat. Rihanna
Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) (Remix) (Feat. Drake) Alicia Keys
Rose Colored Glasses (Main Version) Kelly Rowland
Tonight - Samantha James
Get Outta My Way - Kylie Minogue
Get Together -Madonna
Monster - Lady GaGa
Loving You Is Easy (Dave Aude Radio Edit) Sarah McLachlan
Hang With Me (New Mix) Robyn
Acapella (David Guetta Edit) Kelis
Can’t Shake This Feeling (Grum Club Remix) Grum
Why Does the Wind? (Morgan Geist Remix) Tracey Thorn
You Lost Me (Hex Hector & Mac Quayle Remix Radio Edit) Christina Aguilera

Just started to really dig this new guy Jay Malinowski - the record came out in the spring but I grabbed a promo copy from the store to listen to and I think he's amazing... His album is called "Bright Lights & Bruises" so go check it out. Very soft-core rock but I love his vocal and emotion in his songs.

Don't forget to wear sunscreen!