[Product Review] Ahoy Lashes

Lashes and Santorini!

Shop: Ahoy Lashes
Address: 216 Ossington Ave.
Phone: 647-326-3688
Operating Hours: Mon 12-8 PM, Tues - Fri 11 AM - 8 PM, Sat-Sun 11 AM - 6 PM
Website: www.ahoylashes.com

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Review

Ahoy Lashes is a semi-permanent lash extensions shop at Ossington and Dundas. I had the pleasure of getting a full set of lashes done by the co-owner and senior technician, Bella. I got them done just before my Greece trip in June because I thought it would be the perfect time to get glam. I wore my lashes throughout my trip (8 days) plus a couple of weeks on top. With the length of time I had them on, I'm confident to give my honest thoughts.

I went into the shop three days prior to my flight. I adored the vacation-themed decor, which was definitely in tune with the name Ahoy Lashes. It's a small but quaint shop with music that would transport you to a tropical island.

Bella did a full consultation with me before she started. I was very happy that she was very thorough and patient because I wasn't familiar with eyelash extensions. She showed me photos of previous clients so I had a visual guide as she explained the different types of looks. She was honest about everyone's eye shape being different. So even if I got the same set and style as another client, it wouldn't necessarily look the same on me. She gave suggestions based on my eye shape and made sure to cater to what I wanted. I loved the personalized consultation because it made me trust her capabilities and gave me a more comfortable experience.

I went for a full set with medium dramatic volume in thickness. They were D-curve lashes and were between 9 to 13 mm in length. By varying the lengths, it created a more cohesive look. I opted for a cat eye look to see how it would turn out on me. I thought I might as well go all out if I'm going on vacation. Bella coated my lashes with a protecting mascara at the end of the session. The lashes and products used are from Korea.

I fell asleep when I was getting my lashes done because it was sooo therapeutic! An hour flew by so quickly that the next thing I knew, I had new lashes on. Bella went over how to care for my lashes and when I should expect them to fall out.

Prior to this, I only had eyelash extensions done once before a couple of years ago. However, they started falling off immediately the day after I had them applied. I think most of the lashes came off by the end of the first week. So my first experience was a complete fail. Bella told me that the eyelash extensions should last for at least three weeks. She ensured me that I should not be expecting fallout during my trip. So for three weeks I monitored my lashes.

The lashes were very long and it took some time for me to adjust to them. Once I did though, I felt pretty bare once they all came off at the end! The unfortunate part was that I couldn't wear any eye makeup during that time as it would affect the integrity of the lashes.

There were a couple of things that occurred when I was wearing the lashes. I noticed that about 2-3 days afterwards, my eyes would tear up randomly. I soon realized that it might have been the glue affecting my eyes. I was unsure if my body didn't like the specific glue used or just all eyelash glues in general. This happened about 4-5 more times in the first week where my eyes would sting for about a minute or two randomly. By the end of the first week, it stopped. I also found that my right eye was a bit tender with where the lashes were attached to. This only happened if I touch that area, otherwise I didn't feel it. The tenderness unfortunately did not go away until most of the lashes came off. However once off, the tenderness disappeared and there were no other problems to the eye.

Other than those two problems I ran into, the lashes held on amazingly. As promised, there were barely any fallout when I was away in Greece. I only went into the beach once but they held up no problem. The lashes did not start falling out slowly until mid second week. I think the glue is quite strong because the last few lashes stayed on so stubbornly towards the end of the month!

I give the lashes a 4/5 stars due to the times where I had tenderness and some tearing, but they stayed on like a champ. The lashes definitely became an added feature to my face and I got used to having fluttery long lashes. The customer service deserved a perfect 5/5 stars! I loved the customization and the wonderful experience I had in the shop. Bella was a joy to work with and I would recommend booking her 100%. Overall, I give Ahoy Lashes 4.5/5 stars.

Ahoy Lashes also only charges a set rate for the extensions. Bella did not think that it was fair people were being charged by the number of lashes used because everyone is born with a different number of lashes. Therefore, if you are someone who has been paying too much for lashes, you should take a look at Ahoy Lashes! I do recommend that if you know what eyelash glues your body is averse to, you should inquire with the shop before booking.

Woo, lashes!

Noce

Restaurant: Noce
Address: 875 Queen St. W
Phone: 416-504-3463
Operating Hours: Various operating hours depending on which room you prefer to book, view website for details
Website: www.nocerestaurant.ca

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Menu

Insalata Noce 2.0

Bufala Campana

Olive All'ascolana Tartufate

B.C. Savoury Clams

Pizza Al Baccala

Sausage and Aged Beef Ragout

Torta di Nocciola

Sbrisolona e Zabaglione

Review

Noce is a lovely Italian restaurant in Trinity Bellwoods. I went for Winterlicious this year along with a few of my girlfriends for lunch. At $33, we got to choose from a curated menu of Italian delicacies. They have three rooms for you to dine and wine in: the Queen West Room, the Tuscany Room, and the Octopus Lounge. The Queen West Room is their main dining room, which was the room my friends and I were placed in. You get a nice view of Queen Street West and Trinity Bellwoods Park. The Tuscany Room is more of a relaxed atmosphere to get a bite and the Octopus Lounge allows you to unwind and socialize during late hours.

I thoroughly enjoyed each and every single dish I had at Noce! I ordered the Bufala Campana, B.C. Savoury Clams and Torta di Nocciola. I don't think you can go wrong with any of these dishes. The appetizer and entree were incredibly savoury so I highly recommend the Bufala Campana and B.C. Savoury Clams if you like savoury food. The Torta di Nocciola is perfect for someone who wants gelato with a crunch to their dessert as well.

When I go for Italian food I typically order pasta or pizza because it's normally what I can afford on the menu. But with Noce's Winterlicious menu, I was able to venture out and try items I normally wouldn't get. I am glad to have had the opportunity to try Noce's diverse menu. Our waiter was not only charming but he made sure we were comfortable and provided excellent service. I highly recommend Noce to anyone who loves Italian cuisine or is looking for a nice place to eat lunch or dinner.

Saving Grace

Restaurant: Saving Grace
Address: 907 Dundas St. W
Phone: 416-703-7368
Operating Hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM - 2:30 PM, Sat-Sun 10 AM - 2:30 PM
Website: N/A

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My Review

My cousin and I finally went to Saving Grace, a popular brunch place in Trinity Bellwoods. The place was packed when we arrived on a Saturday morning. I put my name down on a clipboard list of everyone who was waiting in line. We ended up waiting for around 75 minutes in order to get in. It was probably the longest I've ever waited for brunch.

Despite the long wait, the food and price was worth it. There's a standard menu and a chalkboard of their daily specials. I went for one of the specials of the day, which was the frittata. For only $12, I had a hearty brunch. I was satisfied and happy to have finally found a brunch place that was reasonably priced with a good amount of food.

If you live in Trinity Bellwoods, I highly recommend you go to Saving Grace if you haven't yet. It's a very quaint and small place (thus the long line ups) that's perfect for breakfast/brunch any day when you want to be by yourself or with a friend. I do not recommend coming in with more than 3 other friends due to the space.

Fonda Lola

Restaurant: Fonda Lola
Address: 942 Queen St. W
Phone: 647-706-9105
Operating Hours: Mon Closed; Tues-Fri 12-2 PM, 6-9 PM; Sat 11 AM - 3:30 PM, 6-11 PM; Sun 11 AM - 3:30 PM, 5-8 PM
Website: N/A

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Menu

Review

Fonda Lola is a Mexican restaurant by Trinity Bellwoods that serves a variety of tacos and magaritas. I had the pleasure of trying some of their menu items while sitting at their back patio on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. The manager recommended a couple of their best-selling items, which were the Candied Jalapeno Bacon and the Baja Fish Taco. I ended up loving both of those items! The Candied Jalapeno Bacon has a spicy kick to it, but is still manageable for people who usually avoid spicy food. I thought the Baja Fish Taco was absolutely delicious. It has a great combination of flavours that melts into your mouth. The other taco I tried was the Tacos al Pastor. I say to pass on these. The pork was not very tender and the pineapple did not make for a great combination.

I ordered one of their margaritas, the Guadalupe. It was alright, I wasn't completely wowed by the drink as it was a bit more sour than sweet. I did try the Horchata for the first time and loved it. It's non-alcoholic as well! It's a light and naturally sweet drink. I learnt that people would drink horchatas to clean their palate while eating. I highly recommend drinking this if you order some spicy food!

Fonda Lola has a great array of food, which some are hits and others are misses. The downfall is probably their price point. The portions are smaller and best if you want to eat something light to share but don't mind spending a little bit more on.

Queen Margherita (Dundas West)

Restaurant: Queen Margherita
Address: 772 Dundas St. W
Phone: 647-748-4666
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun 12 PM - Close
Website: www.qmpizza.com

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Menu

Review

My Order: Margherita Pizza, $15

I received a couple of vouchers from Queen Margherita in October for #PizzaMonth. I have been following their social media for awhile but never had the opportunity to visit until last month.

Queen Margherita has three locations in Toronto, including one in Leslieville and another in Baby Point. I opted to visit their Dundas West location because it was most convenient for me. The first thing that struck out to me was the space of the restaurant. It has two floors. Above ground there are a decent number of seats, which you can see from the outside. But when you go to the lower level, it's massive. They have an open concept kitchen, which I thought was really cool because you could see the stone oven and their chefs working away. The restaurant has that urban posh feel, which I really liked.

Their menu consist of prix fixe appetizers and a variety of pizzas. My voucher only allowed for one margherita pizza so I didn't try anything else because it was already filling (I ended up taking half of it home). The pizza was good, though it wasn't something I was wowed by. I prefer to have a lot more toppings on my pizza but if you like the classic margherita pizza, you would definitely enjoy this signature dish.

Queen Margherita's Dundas West location makes for a great date or a place to host a birthday party due to size and a menu with a variety of pizzas to choose from.