LCBO Vintage – with a goal of under $30 – enjoy.

Three different Muscats this release! If you haven’t had a chance to try the Alsatian expression of this grape then I wholeheartedly recommend picking up the one below. It is medium dry but still works as a dinner wine or something to sip at a party. The other two Muscats are sweeter versions but still worth a look if you like stickies. I must also admit that I am looking forward to trying my first Ukrainian wine and the fact that it is a Muscat is icing on the cake.

* Good value, very good wine, well worth picking up and drinking at this price
** Highly recommended wine, you will get comments bringing this to most parties
*** Wow! buy this if you can find it

Ukraine

Fortified

White Muscat 2008***
Massandra, South Coast
$15.95
Drink = Now

Canada

White

Riesling 2008*
Mike Weir, Niagara
$14.95
Drink = Now – 2015

Chardonnay 2009 Sketches of Niagara*
Tawse, Niagara
$19.95
Drink = Now – 2015

USA

Red

Zinfandel 2009
Clos du Val, California*
$23.95
Drink = Now

Argentina

White

Chardonnay 2010 Single Vineyard*
Xumek, Zonda Valley
$15.95
Drink = Now – 2013

Chile

Red

Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Medalla Real Gran Reserva*
Santa Rita, Maipo Valley
$19.95
Drink = Now – 2013

Australia

Red

Shiraz 2009 The Down-Underdog*
Jim Jim, South Australia
$15.95
Drink = Now – 2014

New Zealand

White

Sauvignon Blanc 2010*
Mahi, Marlborough
$19.95
Drink = Now

South Africa

White

Sauvignon Blanc 2010*
Morgenof, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
$16.95
Drink = Now

France

Dessert

Muscat 2010 Beaumes de Venise*
Domaine des Richards, Rhone
$16.95
Drink = Now

White

Muscat 2008
Domaine Francois Schwach, Alsace*
$15.95
Drink = Now

Red

Corbieres 2008 Cuvee Notre Dame*
Chateau de Fontenelles, Midi
$15.95
Drink = Now

Crozes-Hermitage 2009**
Nicolas Perrin, Rhone
$28.95
Drink = Now – 2014

Portugal

White

Vinho Verde 2010 Alvarinho/Trajadura*
Varanda do Conde, Moncao e Melgaco
$13.95
Drink = Now

Red

Azul Portugal 2008*
Lezirias, Ribatejo
$13.95
Drink = Now

Em Vinhas Velhas 2009*
Lua Nova, Doura
$15.95
Drink = Now – 2014

Romania

Red

Feteasca Neagra 2007*
Origini, Dealu Mare
$13.95
Drink = Now

Spain

Sparkling

Brut Cava*
Castel D’Olerdola
$18.95
Drink = Now

Red

Crianza 2007*
Bodegas Lan, Rioja
$15.95
Drink = Now – 2015

–gene

Click here to go inside grand opening of Trump Tower Toronto

Toronto is a first class city full of energy and talent. Our entertainment industry is growing not only locally, but internationally. We constantly share the spotlight, with major concerts, fundraisers that attract A-list stars, and a fashion industry that crosses boarders. There’s no doubt that we have arrived. All this attention, however, has raised the bar, not only for the talent but those who support them, as well as those who have taken up the gauntlet to responsibility put it all out there. And I can tell you , it works. Being a publicist, I have had the opportunity to not only work in Canada, but the US and I’m always amazed at how much of what we’re doing here at home has crossed the boarder. This is in large part due to the amount of information on line. It’s important for all of us to work together in support of that. The US has had a handle on the “Entertainment” blogs for a long time, allowing the promotion and flow of information to spread at meteoric pace. We are catching up. With blogs such as hadablog, we have a “go to” place for insight on what’s going on around our city and beyond. So, if you need ideas for your next function, or just want a sneak peek at who was out and about in your town and what they were doing……..just log on.

Stay Blessed.

Sasha Stoltz
Sasha Stoltz Publicity and Management
P. 416.579.4804
Twitter: @sashastoltz

“When the Bush gets trimmed – the tree looks taller”

Attitudes are Contagious, Is Yours worth Catching? Margaret Wallis-Duffy

Did you know that giving back through charitable work is good for your health, your community and your business?

Charitable work has always been a personal passion of mine. As a therapist and the owner of a successful wellness clinic for the past 2 decades, I am aware of a number of studies that have researched exactly why charity leads to happiness and better health. We have all heard the saying, “ you reap what you sew” but what you may not know is that by taking the time to give back you actually affect your brain chemistry!

People who give often report feelings of euphoria, which psychologists have referred to as the “Helper’s High.” They believe that charitable activity induces endorphins that produce a very mild version of the sensations people get from drugs like morphine. It also helps to decrease cortisol levels, a hormone that is released as a result of stress which can suppress our immune function and put us at greater risk of getting sick.

I personally have felt the many benefits of giving back to worthwhile causes. If you were to visit Wallis for Wellness, you would see a painted canvas hung on our waiting room wall that says “Attitudes are Contagious, Is Yours Worth Catching?” This is my personal mantra and the mantra of our business. Good or bad attitudes are equally contagious so I believe we have a choice to make. By choosing to have a good attitude, I have witnessed time and time again, the power we have together to make a difference in our lives and the lives of others.

Five years ago, I attended my first Angel Gala for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). As a therapist and business owner, I was thrilled to be able to contribute to a cause that I knew gravely affects the lives of far too many children and their families. Little did I know that just one year later this horrible, undiscriminating disease would strike my own family. My cousin Jack – that’s his cute picture up top – was diagnosed with SMA and his family’s world changed forever. With some creativity and the help and generosity of many people, last summer Jump for Jack/Bail for Bethell was born! My dream to skydive was turned into a charity event that not only broke down barriers and encouraged two charities to work together but it also attracted 19 other people who were willing to take a leap of faith to raise money and awareness for two worthwhile causes. Now if that isn’t proof that attitudes are contagious, I don’t know what is?

As a business owner we are always looking for effective ways to get our messaging out into the community. On April 6, 2012, Wallis for Wellness will proudly celebrate 20 successful years in business. I am confident that our success has been directly tied to our passion for health promotion and to our love for community work. Last year Wallis for Wellness was honoured to contribute to Meagan’s Walk Dinner and Dance Gala in support of Sick Children’s Hospital by sponsoring hadaball.com so that the special moments could be captured ( go to the gallery at hadaball.com to see our great night!) As a result, hadaball.com highlighted my business for a year and I have seen my return on investment in a variety of ways. This year, Wallis for Wellness will sponsor hadaball.com so they can come & capture the fun at the Angel Gala while we help raise funds to find a cure for SMA. http://www.hadaball.com/event.php?event=38&city=toronto

What are you going to do to improve your health and the health of your business in 2012? The answer… Try a “Helper’s High”

How to uncork a wine bottle without a corkscrew

If you’re looking for the best way to net a big return – the corporate gala dinner is still the best option. The bulk of your money comes from selling tables. There are typically 10 seats at each table and the table costs can range from $600 to $5,000. The bulk of the buyers will be companies but often a group of individual members will band together to get a table.

You should be aiming for anything from 35 tables upwards. When selling you’ll need to sell the values and benefits of your organization and use all of the other techniques you’ve learned. Consider having differently priced tables depending how close they are to the front.

The first thing to do is book the venue. There are two reasons for this; 1) most hotels need to be booked well in advance (probably a minimum or 9 months beforehand) and 2) most hotels have plenty of experience with corporate dinners so take advantage of their knowledge to get help during the organization. Make sure that you get a date, which has little competition. January and December are poor months in this respect.

The next thing to do is book your master of ceremonies and your quest speakers. Each may set you back between $500 and $1000 a head – however check with your local tv and radio stations and you might get one for free.

The other person you’ll need is an auctioneer. They need to be good at playing people against each other during the auction in order to maximize bids. Tip – make sure that rival companies are sitting close to each other in your table-seating plan. You’ll need about 10-15 high quality items. Signed sports memorabilia, holidays, tickets to events, paintings / poetry and antiques are just a few of the types of items that are most popular.

It’s always good to have some little gift for each place setting, like they have at weddings. Items such as key-rings, cigars, chocolates and mini bottles of whiskey or liqueurs are ideal.

Galas are social events so photography is important. People always look their best and love to relive the night by looking at gala photographs. Services such as hadaball.com offer your guests the star treatment. Everyone’s photograph is taken and all pictures can be easily viewed at hadaball.com. At www.hadaball.com your guests can also tweet their photo and copy it for printing at no cost to them.