Toronto Hit List: Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party, Biggity Boop, Motown Party, Love Saves The Day & more!

WEDNESDAY

10 pm Liquid Karaoke @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Colin Bergh, James McDonough, Nadia Belerique, and Jeff Hayward are your hosts. $4 Jameson and $5.50 pints before midnight.

10 pm Home Based @ Weldon Park, 569 College St. A night filled with good hip-hop, good people, and good vibes with DJs Sanga Genesis, James Redi, and special guests. Every Wednesday.

THURSDAY

10 pm Strangelove @ Weldon Park, 569 College St. The return of a Toronto cultural institution. Every Thursday. $5.

10 pm Get Lo @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. The secret is out and now we know why Gretchen Weiners’ hair was so big! Bangs & Blush and She Does the City are taking over Clinton’s with the ULTIMATE 2000s dance party, GET LO! So slap on your Von Dutch hat and get ready for a total ear assault because your Thursdays will never be the same!

10 pm V Good Thursday @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJ Coolin spins hip-hop, dancehall, slow jams, reggae, and beyond.

10 pm new.wav @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Blessings on Blessings on Blessings on Blessings. Music by Justin Bayot. $5.

10 pm Fun House @ The Steady, 1051 Bloor St. W. House and indie dance party with Metro Mammoth.

FRIDAY

10 pm Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. A pulsating dance party rocking the retro sounds of the 1990s! All your favourite dance, pop, hip-hop, R&B, and so on and so on and so on. $5.

10 pm Biggity Boop @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Hip-hop, dancehall, and R&B with your hosts Alikulapo, Hoiking, and Teej Mahal. It ain’t nothin’ but a biggity boop! Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

10 pm SoulSkank @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. Funk, soul, reggae, ska, and dancehall in its most raw form! A vinyl-only dance party with DJs Gramera and Parkdale Funk on the decks + Dennis P on the sax. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

10 pm Yacht Rock @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. A night of dancing to the smoothest music you’ve ever heard in your life. $5 to step aboard.

10 pm Puppy Love @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. Laid back queer + sex positive dance party. More a peck-on-the-cheek than a full-on makeout. A night for people who aren’t into the club scene but want to shake their booty and make new friends. Also: dance floor, board games/truth or dare/spin the bottle, porn screenings, outdoor patio, tons of sex-positive friends to meet, lots of places to sit and talk! $5.

10 pm Oldies 990 Spring Fling @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Featuring three sets of doo wop and rock ‘n’ roll + DJ Peter Elkas’ iTunes playlist spinning awesome tracks all night long.

10 pm (Ho)Motown Night @ Cardinal Rule, 5 Roncesvalles Ave. A little queer hangout and dance party featuring vintage soul, funk, and R&B. No cover, good vibes, great tunes!

10 pm No Sleep ‘Til Brooklynn Presents: Can I Kick It? @ Brooklynn, 1186 Queen St. W. Make new friends. No dress code. No bullshit. Mickey “bottle service” available. Attendees are asked to donate a pair of kicks (sneakers, dress shoes, heels, winter boots) that will be dropped off at youth shelters across the GTA. Free before 11 pm with a pair of kicks, $5 with guestlist before 11:30 pm.

10 pm Big Primpin’ @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. Hip-hop and hot times for homos, their friends, and admirers. With DJs Kevin Ritchie, Nino Brown, and Blackcat. For guestlist, email bigprimpin@gmail.com. $5.

10 pm Wedding Night @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. A newfangled affair that glorifies those qualities which are held in highest regard when it comes to a ceremony of holy matrimony: dancing, drinking, bad decision-making, gussying up, and annoying the DJ with requests for songs that he won’t play. Trust in guilty pleasures for an evening of eclectic musical merrymaking! Overdressing for this occasion is very much encouraged.

10 pm A Summer Fling Dance Party @ The Steady, 1051 Bloor St. W. The Summer Fling DJs play great songs from all of the eras: classic rock, funk and disco, modern indie, and a sprinkle of other dance floor favourites. From Bowie to Black Lips, Blondie to Broken Social Scene. And that’s just the letter B.

10 pm Marmalade & Buttahfingaz @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Hip-hop, soul, RnB, rap, trap, south.

11 pm Y2K: A Millennium Dance Party @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A party devoted to the best jams of the early-to-mid 2000s, brought to you by Good Kids. Guilty pleasures, one hit wonders, chart toppers, and everything in between! With DJs Marco Morales (Chicago), Caff, and Mensa. $10.

SATURDAY

9 pm Feast in the East @ Jam Factory Co., 2 Matilda St. A monthly east-end music, food, and installation series. This month’s edition features a free dinner by Stephanie Fielding and Heather Rule, with music provided by Picastro, Charles Spearin’s Roadside Silhouettes, Isla Craig, and A. Minster. $8 advance tickets (includes a free dinner) available at Circus Books & Music, Cask Music, Rotate This, and Soundscapes. $10 at the door or $13 with food. All ages.

9 pm Mad Men: End of an Era Lounge & Dance Party @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Join the Toronto Vintage Society and With It as they celebrate Mad Men on the eve of the show’s final season. Vintage cocktails, vintage decor from Ethel – 20th Century Living, a photo booth, ’60s music on vinyl, and a best-dressed contest with prizes from Exile Vintage will make this party a swingin’ good time! $8 if dressed to the theme, $10 otherwise.

10 pm Motown Party @ 751 Queen St. W. Motown, northern soul, and remixes with Fawn BC, Sean Caff, and A Digital Needle. $5 before 11 pm, $10 after.

10 pm Shake, Rattle & Roll @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Spend the night together with the Bangs & Blush ladies! ’60s pop, soul and rock ‘n’ roll to drink, dance, and get messy to. $5.

10 pm Lucky Bitches @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Two ice stallions serve it up hot with a glamour-positive party for anyone who knows what it’s like to be a lucky bitch. The guiltiest of pleasures all night: hitz that span the ages, ’90s hip-hop, contemporary hitz, ’80s velvet jamz, forgotten gemz.

10 pm PPParty @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Why all the the P? ‘Cuz this party is golden! 24 Karat hits from all decades. $5.

10 pm Pay Day @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. DJs Isosceles and Stew Innes play hip-hop, RnB, and party jams. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after.

10:30 pm Tapette: Édition Tulipe @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. Like a tulip out of the ground at Spring, Tapette rises out of the dirt and blossoms all over the dance floor for a night of French pop, disco, and house with DJ Phil V. $5.

11 pm Love Saves The Day @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. Maximal disco and maximal house with DJs Produzentin, Kevin Ritchie, and Jaime Sin.

11 pm Shake A Tail @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. ’60s pop, rock, soul, funk, garage, ska, ANYTHING! Always humid. $5.

11 pm Never Forgive Action @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A monthly dance party paying tribute to the golden age of hip-hop! DJs Numeric and Dalia spin classic jams from the sweet spot of 1986 to 1994. $10.

SUNDAY

7 pm Brass Facts Trivia @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Test your knowledge and win prizes! Hosted by Famous Kirk Hero. Until 10 pm.

8 pm Nite Comfort @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. It’s a nite of local luminaries as Toronto electronic hero I am Robot and Proud (solo audio/visual set) and Ambient Ping originators dreamSTATE join Nite Comfort in the ongoing search for genre-defying, boundary-pushing music and other hidden gems in the heart of the city. The first Sunday of each month, focusing on live eclectic, electronic, ambient, drowsy beats, loose bytes, droney feats, psychic lights, live visuals, noisy tangents, artful dodging. PWYC.

9 pm Judy & Igby’s Easter Camp Cabaret @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Judy Virago and Igby Lizzard, the wicked queens of the west end scene, return to the Drake Underground with their eclectic cast of calamitous characters for an Easter Cabaret quite unlike your regular Sunday service! Featuring burlesque, drag, circus and live music performances from members of the House of Filth and stars of the Toronto creative scene: Allysin Chaynes, El Toro, Fay Slift, Igby Lizzard, Judy Virago, Laura Desiree, Nancy Bocock, Percy Katt, and Quanah Style. $10.

~ For event submissions, email Caitlyn Holroyd at caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com

The post Toronto Hit List: Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party, Biggity Boop, Motown Party, Love Saves The Day & more! appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

from Shedoesthecity http://ift.tt/1EDI84x
Toronto Hit List: Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party, Biggity Boop, Motown Party, Love Saves The Day & more! http://ift.tt/1EDI84x Caitlyn Holroyd

WEDNESDAY

10 pm Liquid Karaoke @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Colin Bergh, James McDonough, Nadia Belerique, and Jeff Hayward are your hosts. $4 Jameson and $5.50 pints before midnight.

10 pm Home Based @ Weldon Park, 569 College St. A night filled with good hip-hop, good people, and good vibes with DJs Sanga Genesis, James Redi, and special guests. Every Wednesday.

THURSDAY

10 pm Strangelove @ Weldon Park, 569 College St. The return of a Toronto cultural institution. Every Thursday. $5.

10 pm Get Lo @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. The secret is out and now we know why Gretchen Weiners’ hair was so big! Bangs & Blush and She Does the City are taking over Clinton’s with the ULTIMATE 2000s dance party, GET LO! So slap on your Von Dutch hat and get ready for a total ear assault because your Thursdays will never be the same!

10 pm V Good Thursday @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJ Coolin spins hip-hop, dancehall, slow jams, reggae, and beyond.

10 pm new.wav @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Blessings on Blessings on Blessings on Blessings. Music by Justin Bayot. $5.

10 pm Fun House @ The Steady, 1051 Bloor St. W. House and indie dance party with Metro Mammoth.

FRIDAY

10 pm Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. A pulsating dance party rocking the retro sounds of the 1990s! All your favourite dance, pop, hip-hop, R&B, and so on and so on and so on. $5.

10 pm Biggity Boop @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Hip-hop, dancehall, and R&B with your hosts Alikulapo, Hoiking, and Teej Mahal. It ain’t nothin’ but a biggity boop! Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

10 pm SoulSkank @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. Funk, soul, reggae, ska, and dancehall in its most raw form! A vinyl-only dance party with DJs Gramera and Parkdale Funk on the decks + Dennis P on the sax. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.

10 pm Yacht Rock @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. A night of dancing to the smoothest music you’ve ever heard in your life. $5 to step aboard.

10 pm Puppy Love @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. Laid back queer + sex positive dance party. More a peck-on-the-cheek than a full-on makeout. A night for people who aren’t into the club scene but want to shake their booty and make new friends. Also: dance floor, board games/truth or dare/spin the bottle, porn screenings, outdoor patio, tons of sex-positive friends to meet, lots of places to sit and talk! $5.

10 pm Oldies 990 Spring Fling @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. Featuring three sets of doo wop and rock ‘n’ roll + DJ Peter Elkas’ iTunes playlist spinning awesome tracks all night long.

10 pm (Ho)Motown Night @ Cardinal Rule, 5 Roncesvalles Ave. A little queer hangout and dance party featuring vintage soul, funk, and R&B. No cover, good vibes, great tunes!

10 pm No Sleep ‘Til Brooklynn Presents: Can I Kick It? @ Brooklynn, 1186 Queen St. W. Make new friends. No dress code. No bullshit. Mickey “bottle service” available. Attendees are asked to donate a pair of kicks (sneakers, dress shoes, heels, winter boots) that will be dropped off at youth shelters across the GTA. Free before 11 pm with a pair of kicks, $5 with guestlist before 11:30 pm.

10 pm Big Primpin’ @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. Hip-hop and hot times for homos, their friends, and admirers. With DJs Kevin Ritchie, Nino Brown, and Blackcat. For guestlist, email bigprimpin@gmail.com. $5.

10 pm Wedding Night @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. A newfangled affair that glorifies those qualities which are held in highest regard when it comes to a ceremony of holy matrimony: dancing, drinking, bad decision-making, gussying up, and annoying the DJ with requests for songs that he won’t play. Trust in guilty pleasures for an evening of eclectic musical merrymaking! Overdressing for this occasion is very much encouraged.

10 pm A Summer Fling Dance Party @ The Steady, 1051 Bloor St. W. The Summer Fling DJs play great songs from all of the eras: classic rock, funk and disco, modern indie, and a sprinkle of other dance floor favourites. From Bowie to Black Lips, Blondie to Broken Social Scene. And that’s just the letter B.

10 pm Marmalade & Buttahfingaz @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Hip-hop, soul, RnB, rap, trap, south.

11 pm Y2K: A Millennium Dance Party @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A party devoted to the best jams of the early-to-mid 2000s, brought to you by Good Kids. Guilty pleasures, one hit wonders, chart toppers, and everything in between! With DJs Marco Morales (Chicago), Caff, and Mensa. $10.

SATURDAY

9 pm Feast in the East @ Jam Factory Co., 2 Matilda St. A monthly east-end music, food, and installation series. This month’s edition features a free dinner by Stephanie Fielding and Heather Rule, with music provided by Picastro, Charles Spearin’s Roadside Silhouettes, Isla Craig, and A. Minster. $8 advance tickets (includes a free dinner) available at Circus Books & Music, Cask Music, Rotate This, and Soundscapes. $10 at the door or $13 with food. All ages.

9 pm Mad Men: End of an Era Lounge & Dance Party @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Join the Toronto Vintage Society and With It as they celebrate Mad Men on the eve of the show’s final season. Vintage cocktails, vintage decor from Ethel – 20th Century Living, a photo booth, ’60s music on vinyl, and a best-dressed contest with prizes from Exile Vintage will make this party a swingin’ good time! $8 if dressed to the theme, $10 otherwise.

10 pm Motown Party @ 751 Queen St. W. Motown, northern soul, and remixes with Fawn BC, Sean Caff, and A Digital Needle. $5 before 11 pm, $10 after.

10 pm Shake, Rattle & Roll @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Spend the night together with the Bangs & Blush ladies! ’60s pop, soul and rock ‘n’ roll to drink, dance, and get messy to. $5.

10 pm Lucky Bitches @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Two ice stallions serve it up hot with a glamour-positive party for anyone who knows what it’s like to be a lucky bitch. The guiltiest of pleasures all night: hitz that span the ages, ’90s hip-hop, contemporary hitz, ’80s velvet jamz, forgotten gemz.

10 pm PPParty @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Why all the the P? ‘Cuz this party is golden! 24 Karat hits from all decades. $5.

10 pm Pay Day @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. DJs Isosceles and Stew Innes play hip-hop, RnB, and party jams. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after.

10:30 pm Tapette: Édition Tulipe @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. Like a tulip out of the ground at Spring, Tapette rises out of the dirt and blossoms all over the dance floor for a night of French pop, disco, and house with DJ Phil V. $5.

11 pm Love Saves The Day @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. Maximal disco and maximal house with DJs Produzentin, Kevin Ritchie, and Jaime Sin.

11 pm Shake A Tail @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. ’60s pop, rock, soul, funk, garage, ska, ANYTHING! Always humid. $5.

11 pm Never Forgive Action @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A monthly dance party paying tribute to the golden age of hip-hop! DJs Numeric and Dalia spin classic jams from the sweet spot of 1986 to 1994. $10.

SUNDAY

7 pm Brass Facts Trivia @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Test your knowledge and win prizes! Hosted by Famous Kirk Hero. Until 10 pm.

8 pm Nite Comfort @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. It’s a nite of local luminaries as Toronto electronic hero I am Robot and Proud (solo audio/visual set) and Ambient Ping originators dreamSTATE join Nite Comfort in the ongoing search for genre-defying, boundary-pushing music and other hidden gems in the heart of the city. The first Sunday of each month, focusing on live eclectic, electronic, ambient, drowsy beats, loose bytes, droney feats, psychic lights, live visuals, noisy tangents, artful dodging. PWYC.

9 pm Judy & Igby’s Easter Camp Cabaret @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Judy Virago and Igby Lizzard, the wicked queens of the west end scene, return to the Drake Underground with their eclectic cast of calamitous characters for an Easter Cabaret quite unlike your regular Sunday service! Featuring burlesque, drag, circus and live music performances from members of the House of Filth and stars of the Toronto creative scene: Allysin Chaynes, El Toro, Fay Slift, Igby Lizzard, Judy Virago, Laura Desiree, Nancy Bocock, Percy Katt, and Quanah Style. $10.

~ For event submissions, email Caitlyn Holroyd at caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com

The post Toronto Hit List: Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party, Biggity Boop, Motown Party, Love Saves The Day & more! appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

http://ift.tt/1EDI9pa April 01, 2015 at 11:00AM Shedoesthecity http://ift.tt/1eHoT7u

Orchrd: The Online App Handpicked for You

Orchrd,  the app created by a handful of Canadian (and predominantly female) artists, wants to help you cut through the clutter, broaden your interests and fundamentally change the way you explore online.

Every day the Orchrd team chooses content and organizes it under ‘emotion’ categories (like Current, Aha, Geeky, Sexy, Zen, Inspired, Joy, or Empathy). The app asks you to pick an emotion and swipe through articles, photos, videos, and songs. It remembers what you’ve read so it only gives you what’s new, and when you find something you want to save, you ‘plant’ it into your Orchrd profile.

I sat down with, Ali Momen (Founder), Kinnon Elliott (Designer), & Zarrin Darnell Martin, Julia McLellan, Nadine Villasin (Curators) to learn more about it.

SC: What is Orchrd?

Zarrin: The problem with the Internet is that there’s too much out there. Two years ago, I think we were in my kitchen, Ali said to me “I think I’ve got this idea for an app. Instead of categories of ‘sports’ and ‘arts’ and ‘news’, why not ‘feelings’?” So what we’ve done is created an app that curates online content not based on subject but rather feeling.

How did this app come about?

Ali: I’ve always been a geek and one day the idea came to me, it’s hard to find really good content on the Internet. At the same time, I gravitate not to what piques my interest but rather piques my heart. So I thought; wouldn’t it be great if there was an app that instead of asking me ‘What are you interested in?’ asked me ‘What do you want to feel?’  That was the beginning.

What was the process to start Orchrd?

Ali: As a theatre actor, the process was very similar to putting on a play. I have a certain set of skills but needed to find a team to make it all possible. So our designer, Kinnon, came on board. I don’t know how to code so I needed our programmer, Brandon Holland. After that point, I wanted curators. I loved Julia’s Pinterest wall, she’s got phenomenal taste. Zarrin is one of my closest friends; she’s a journalist student, driven, artistic. Nadine is bright, intelligent, and a multi-disciplined artist. I needed this whole team.

Orchrd’s design is really gorgeous, how did that come about?

Kinnon: It was really fun because we had a few meetings at the beginning and we talked about the overall function of how the app might work. Essentially, how do people use it? And that’s how we landed on the colour aspect. Ali sent me a list of the categories but we were looking at what would unify content within each. As in when you scroll through Hip, how do you know you’re distinctly in Hip versus Sporty? So we thought of using colours to code the content and essentially distinguish Orchrd from any other app.

What makes Orchrd different?

Julia: The coolest thing about Orchrd is that it’s “hand-picked”. It’s a group of humans selecting and putting together online content, which is different from anything else out there. It’s hand-curated.

How do you pick material?

Julia: Anything that makes you feel. The best part about curating for Orchrd is that you don’t have to judge your choices like “Is this interesting” or “Does this apply to me right now”, but rather “Has it made me feel something and where’s the best place to put it?”

How do you curate a source of content for Orchrd?

Julia: It’s different for all of us. Some of us post things every day. Some of us choose to do once a week and post a lot. I personally like to collect a bunch of things and then I can ruminate on them and then decide what I like the most.

Zarrin: It’s a creative process. You find the content and then you have to come up with a great title or tagline. I have to decipher what emotion to put it under and the accompanying image. I take great joy in the work. And it’s exciting that people around the world are seeing that.

Who uses Orchrd?

Ali: It’s 65% female. Which is very much our demographic. When it first came out, usage was predominately in Canada but then we had some nice press in the United States and that took it global. Currently, the majority of our usage is in the U.S. and the next biggest country is the U.K. But we do have people using it in Australia and India.

Why do you think the majority of your users are women?

Nadine: Women tend to make emotionally based decisions and I think that’s often looked at in a negative way. But it’s a positive thing. Think about how people decide their plans for an evening: “What do I feel like doing?” “What movie do I feel like seeing?” “What’s my mood?” These are the ways we make decisions in the hopes of finding joy. Male or female, we are multi-dimensional in our interests.

What past experiences do you draw on to curate Orchrd?

Ali : Nadine is a yogi and has a degree in politics so you’ll find a lot of her picks under Worldly. Julia loves to travel and do DIY-kinda stuff so you’ll see a lot of her picks in Wanderlust. And Zarrin… Zarrin finds a lot for Sexy.

Zarrin: I’m very open about sexuality and talking about it. I’m the person if you have some deep dark secret, you’ll come to me. So I love posting in Sexy.

Do you describe yourselves as Entrepreneurs?

Nadine: I would argue that as artists we are all entrepreneurs. People always tell artists that as if we don’t know. We are the ultimate entrepreneurs dealing with limited resources, often producing our own work. We are self employed multi-taskers always making something out of nothing.

What’s in the future for Orchrd?

Ali: We have plans for an Android version, and a web version. We’re also looking to add community-based features so users can comment on content. I’m most excited about The One. Every day at 5pm, you’re going to get an editor’s choice of the best thing we’ve found for that day. It’s really cool!

Find out more here. 

The post Orchrd: The Online App Handpicked for You appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

from Shedoesthecity http://ift.tt/1GgohXZ
Orchrd: The Online App Handpicked for You http://ift.tt/1GgohXZ Shannon Currie

Orchrd,  the app created by a handful of Canadian (and predominantly female) artists, wants to help you cut through the clutter, broaden your interests and fundamentally change the way you explore online.

Every day the Orchrd team chooses content and organizes it under ‘emotion’ categories (like Current, Aha, Geeky, Sexy, Zen, Inspired, Joy, or Empathy). The app asks you to pick an emotion and swipe through articles, photos, videos, and songs. It remembers what you’ve read so it only gives you what’s new, and when you find something you want to save, you ‘plant’ it into your Orchrd profile.

I sat down with, Ali Momen (Founder), Kinnon Elliott (Designer), & Zarrin Darnell Martin, Julia McLellan, Nadine Villasin (Curators) to learn more about it.

SC: What is Orchrd?

Zarrin: The problem with the Internet is that there’s too much out there. Two years ago, I think we were in my kitchen, Ali said to me “I think I’ve got this idea for an app. Instead of categories of ‘sports’ and ‘arts’ and ‘news’, why not ‘feelings’?” So what we’ve done is created an app that curates online content not based on subject but rather feeling.

How did this app come about?

Ali: I’ve always been a geek and one day the idea came to me, it’s hard to find really good content on the Internet. At the same time, I gravitate not to what piques my interest but rather piques my heart. So I thought; wouldn’t it be great if there was an app that instead of asking me ‘What are you interested in?’ asked me ‘What do you want to feel?’  That was the beginning.

What was the process to start Orchrd?

Ali: As a theatre actor, the process was very similar to putting on a play. I have a certain set of skills but needed to find a team to make it all possible. So our designer, Kinnon, came on board. I don’t know how to code so I needed our programmer, Brandon Holland. After that point, I wanted curators. I loved Julia’s Pinterest wall, she’s got phenomenal taste. Zarrin is one of my closest friends; she’s a journalist student, driven, artistic. Nadine is bright, intelligent, and a multi-disciplined artist. I needed this whole team.

Orchrd’s design is really gorgeous, how did that come about?

Kinnon: It was really fun because we had a few meetings at the beginning and we talked about the overall function of how the app might work. Essentially, how do people use it? And that’s how we landed on the colour aspect. Ali sent me a list of the categories but we were looking at what would unify content within each. As in when you scroll through Hip, how do you know you’re distinctly in Hip versus Sporty? So we thought of using colours to code the content and essentially distinguish Orchrd from any other app.

What makes Orchrd different?

Julia: The coolest thing about Orchrd is that it’s “hand-picked”. It’s a group of humans selecting and putting together online content, which is different from anything else out there. It’s hand-curated.

How do you pick material?

Julia: Anything that makes you feel. The best part about curating for Orchrd is that you don’t have to judge your choices like “Is this interesting” or “Does this apply to me right now”, but rather “Has it made me feel something and where’s the best place to put it?”

How do you curate a source of content for Orchrd?

Julia: It’s different for all of us. Some of us post things every day. Some of us choose to do once a week and post a lot. I personally like to collect a bunch of things and then I can ruminate on them and then decide what I like the most.

Zarrin: It’s a creative process. You find the content and then you have to come up with a great title or tagline. I have to decipher what emotion to put it under and the accompanying image. I take great joy in the work. And it’s exciting that people around the world are seeing that.

Who uses Orchrd?

Ali: It’s 65% female. Which is very much our demographic. When it first came out, usage was predominately in Canada but then we had some nice press in the United States and that took it global. Currently, the majority of our usage is in the U.S. and the next biggest country is the U.K. But we do have people using it in Australia and India.

Why do you think the majority of your users are women?

Nadine: Women tend to make emotionally based decisions and I think that’s often looked at in a negative way. But it’s a positive thing. Think about how people decide their plans for an evening: “What do I feel like doing?” “What movie do I feel like seeing?” “What’s my mood?” These are the ways we make decisions in the hopes of finding joy. Male or female, we are multi-dimensional in our interests.

What past experiences do you draw on to curate Orchrd?

Ali : Nadine is a yogi and has a degree in politics so you’ll find a lot of her picks under Worldly. Julia loves to travel and do DIY-kinda stuff so you’ll see a lot of her picks in Wanderlust. And Zarrin… Zarrin finds a lot for Sexy.

Zarrin: I’m very open about sexuality and talking about it. I’m the person if you have some deep dark secret, you’ll come to me. So I love posting in Sexy.

Do you describe yourselves as Entrepreneurs?

Nadine: I would argue that as artists we are all entrepreneurs. People always tell artists that as if we don’t know. We are the ultimate entrepreneurs dealing with limited resources, often producing our own work. We are self employed multi-taskers always making something out of nothing.

What’s in the future for Orchrd?

Ali: We have plans for an Android version, and a web version. We’re also looking to add community-based features so users can comment on content. I’m most excited about The One. Every day at 5pm, you’re going to get an editor’s choice of the best thing we’ve found for that day. It’s really cool!

Find out more here. 

The post Orchrd: The Online App Handpicked for You appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

http://ift.tt/1GgohHD April 01, 2015 at 10:00AM Shedoesthecity http://ift.tt/1eHoT7u

From Infant to Toddler: The Story of Bath Time

Before I had a baby, I never really appreciated how many steps there were to each and every task. Putting a baby in a car seat is not just putting a baby in a car seat, exiting the house can often take 30 minutes, and lunchtime often means that sweet potato puree explodes in 29 different directions. Like all daily rituals, bath time has its own set of challenges, but songs and splashes, and gently washing baby is a wonderful way to end each day.

I was asked to test out AVEENO® Baby Wash & Shampoo and AVEENO® Baby Daily Lotion and share with you my thoughts on the product. However, since I’ve been using both since Baby Boo first arrived home from the hospital, there was nothing to test. Instead, I want to share with you the ever-evolving story of bath time. Every few weeks, as my son develops, bath time looks a bit different. The only constant has been AVEENO® Baby! Well that and his love of water.

The story of bath time. (Although all photos are from the other night.)

When Baby Boo first arrived home from the hospital, we were very nervous about giving him a bath. (Like, TERRIFIED.) Before filling the infant bath, we would cautiously arrange everything that we needed: fresh diaper, towels, wash, moisturizer, clean onesie; we even had a special thermometer to test the water temperature.

We knew that some newborns disliked being submerged in water, and got cold when removed from the bath. So, like nervous new parents we would put his towels in the dryer beforehand so that they were toasty warm for the big transition.

Since those early days last spring, we’ve hit countless stages. At around week 6, when everyone was a teensy bit more comfortable with bath time, we introduced a nice baby massage with moisturizer, once he was out and dry. At around 3 months, we got him a rubber duck to play with. (He mostly chewed it, still does.) I can’t recall when he first noticed his reflection in the taps, but that has remained an exciting highlight of bath time ever since.

As Baby Boo grew, he noticed more and more fun bath time elements and activities; he began to watch as I filled the bath, he pointed at bubbles, kicked and splashed around. He enjoyed different sensations and laughed when water sprinkled on his little face. At 9 months, he started to pull himself up, so that he could take a good look at his bath water and plop a few toys in before I undressed him.

Now, bath time is much more active as he explores the washroom, excitedly pulling on the toilet paper roll, trying to open drawers, attempting to stick his hands into the toilet bowl and crawling at high speed out the door. While there are moments that are still relaxing, our bedtime routine has become a an increasingly physical exercise: me constantly chasing him, or holding him to ensure he doesn’t slip when he stands up and tries to cruise around the bath tub.

While bath time looks different with every few weeks that passed, one thing has remained the same: my trust with AVEENO® Baby Daily Care line of products. I’ve been using both the AVEENO® Baby Wash & Shampoo along with the AVEENO® Baby Daily Lotion  since I first brought my little guy home from the hospital. The duo is the best natural choice for moms and perfect when used together for daily bath time. As a matter of fact, I’ve been using it for years to help with my eczema-prone skin. Knowing that my babe would likely have sensitive skin like me, I didn’t want to experiment with unknown products. Instead, I wanted to use something that I knew would be gentle enough for newborns and irritant-free. The ACTIVE NATURALS® oat (with 5 active ingredients no less!) helps soothe and moisturize, and we’re both big softies because of it.

For more product info, ratings and reviews, be sure to visit the AVEENO® website HERE!

The post From Infant to Toddler: The Story of Bath Time appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

from Shedoesthecity http://ift.tt/1xyuv3P
From Infant to Toddler: The Story of Bath Time http://ift.tt/1xyuv3P Jen Mcneely

Before I had a baby, I never really appreciated how many steps there were to each and every task. Putting a baby in a car seat is not just putting a baby in a car seat, exiting the house can often take 30 minutes, and lunchtime often means that sweet potato puree explodes in 29 different directions. Like all daily rituals, bath time has its own set of challenges, but songs and splashes, and gently washing baby is a wonderful way to end each day.

I was asked to test out AVEENO® Baby Wash & Shampoo and AVEENO® Baby Daily Lotion and share with you my thoughts on the product. However, since I’ve been using both since Baby Boo first arrived home from the hospital, there was nothing to test. Instead, I want to share with you the ever-evolving story of bath time. Every few weeks, as my son develops, bath time looks a bit different. The only constant has been AVEENO® Baby! Well that and his love of water.

The story of bath time. (Although all photos are from the other night.)

When Baby Boo first arrived home from the hospital, we were very nervous about giving him a bath. (Like, TERRIFIED.) Before filling the infant bath, we would cautiously arrange everything that we needed: fresh diaper, towels, wash, moisturizer, clean onesie; we even had a special thermometer to test the water temperature.

We knew that some newborns disliked being submerged in water, and got cold when removed from the bath. So, like nervous new parents we would put his towels in the dryer beforehand so that they were toasty warm for the big transition.

Since those early days last spring, we’ve hit countless stages. At around week 6, when everyone was a teensy bit more comfortable with bath time, we introduced a nice baby massage with moisturizer, once he was out and dry. At around 3 months, we got him a rubber duck to play with. (He mostly chewed it, still does.) I can’t recall when he first noticed his reflection in the taps, but that has remained an exciting highlight of bath time ever since.

As Baby Boo grew, he noticed more and more fun bath time elements and activities; he began to watch as I filled the bath, he pointed at bubbles, kicked and splashed around. He enjoyed different sensations and laughed when water sprinkled on his little face. At 9 months, he started to pull himself up, so that he could take a good look at his bath water and plop a few toys in before I undressed him.

Now, bath time is much more active as he explores the washroom, excitedly pulling on the toilet paper roll, trying to open drawers, attempting to stick his hands into the toilet bowl and crawling at high speed out the door. While there are moments that are still relaxing, our bedtime routine has become a an increasingly physical exercise: me constantly chasing him, or holding him to ensure he doesn’t slip when he stands up and tries to cruise around the bath tub.

While bath time looks different with every few weeks that passed, one thing has remained the same: my trust with AVEENO® Baby Daily Care line of products. I’ve been using both the AVEENO® Baby Wash & Shampoo along with the AVEENO® Baby Daily Lotion  since I first brought my little guy home from the hospital. The duo is the best natural choice for moms and perfect when used together for daily bath time. As a matter of fact, I’ve been using it for years to help with my eczema-prone skin. Knowing that my babe would likely have sensitive skin like me, I didn’t want to experiment with unknown products. Instead, I wanted to use something that I knew would be gentle enough for newborns and irritant-free. The ACTIVE NATURALS® oat (with 5 active ingredients no less!) helps soothe and moisturize, and we’re both big softies because of it.

For more product info, ratings and reviews, be sure to visit the AVEENO® website HERE!

The post From Infant to Toddler: The Story of Bath Time appeared first on Shedoesthecity.

http://ift.tt/1xyusFi April 01, 2015 at 09:00AM Shedoesthecity http://ift.tt/1eHoT7u

NYT Health: Ways to Prevent Injuries in Falls

Ways to Prevent Injuries in Falls
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

Exercise and vitamin D supplements may help prevent injurious falls in older adults, a randomized trial found.

Published: March 30, 2015 at 08:00PM

from NYT Health http://ift.tt/1NEOdio
Ways to Prevent Injuries in Falls NICHOLAS BAKALAR Exercise and vitamin D supplements may help prevent injurious falls in older adults, a randomized trial found. http://ift.tt/1NEOdio http://ift.tt/19NPzp2 Health The New York Times March 30, 2015 at 08:00PM