Top 10 Feel Good Single Songs

Screw the love ballads! Songs about being single are way better.

Here are singlecityTO’s top 10 picks.

1) Single ladies by Beyonce

Of course this would be number 1. It’s got a great beat, fun to dance too and even guys like it. So why not make like Beyonce and rock a black-one shouldered bodysuit.

Listen to the song again and prepare to laugh

2) Fuck you by Cee Lo Green

Whether it’s Cee Lo’s version or Gwyneth Paltrow singing this catchy number you can’t help but sing along. Plus, it feels good to cuss off an ex.

3) Ridin’ Solo by Jason Derulo

I’m feeling like a star, you can’t stop my shine; I’m loving cloud nine, my head’s in the sky.

This song has never made ridin’ solo so epic.

Facebook should get the memo and have a ridin’ solo option instead of single.

4) Shiny Happy People by REM

Just like the title, this song is an instant mood booster. The chorus of the song is a bit cheesy but the song in general is awesome. The song has appeared in many pop culture hits such as Fahrenheit 9/11 and Marley & Me. This hit also features back up vocals by a member of the B-52’s.

5) Stronger by Britney Spears

Its Britney bitch!

This song is one of Britney’s most popular singles. It is incredibly uplifting and gives you a confidence booster. The video may be a little raunchy with Britney humping the chair and all but the song makes being single fierce.

6) Bulletproof by La Roux

This catchy hit is for people who have been burned by a relationship. It’s about how the next time your in a relationship you are not going to get hurt again. You’re going to be bulletproof. Although, the message isn’t happy, it is inspiring and that is what makes the song so great.

7) It’s my life by Bon Jovi

This ain’t a song for the broken- hearted

This classic Bon Jovi hit not only rocks, but it is also inspirational. Just like the title of the song suggest, it is about taking control, not letting others get you down and doing what you want to do.

8)  99 Problems by Jay Z

If you’re havin’ girl problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain’t one

This song is just epic in general. Who doesn’t get a kick out of yelling out the chorus? It’s a great feel good single song about not having to deal with girl problems. Let’s face it- girl problems can be a bitch.

9) Bye Bye Bye by Nsync

This one is mostly for the girls, but it works for guys too. It’s about saying goodbye to a boyfriend/girlfriend for good. Plus, it is great to dance too!

10) Don’t Worry Be Happy- Bobby McFerrin

Title says it all. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Dumping Grounds

How to avoid an awful breakup.

By: Martha Ewing

thanks dublintimmy

Breakups are hard. There is no easy way to breakup with someone without the other person getting hurt. As an avid fan of Sex and the City, I couldn’t help but empathize with Carrie Bradshaw when Jack Berger dumped her through a post-it note in the sixth season. A few years ago, I was dumped by my then-boyfriend through a letter he left in my mailbox. He then refused to answer my calls and e-mails. This obviously isn’t an ideal breakup situation, as there are better ways to let your boyfriend/girlfriend know you want to end the relationship. Here are a few suggestions:

Meet in Person. Pick a place that is private and away from an embarrassing social situation that may arise when you breakup. Meet on your front door steps or in a small-secluded park. That way you can talk privately and if your partner decides to freak out and start yelling at you there isn’t anyone to witness it.

When in doubt, phone. Breaking up over the phone isn’t ideal at all, but if you have to do it, ok; it’s better than receiving an e-mail. You could also call and tell the other person to meet in order to discuss your relationship, that way you avoid a phone breakup.

Avoid e-mails, texts and letters. This is not the way to respectfully breakup. Honour the time you spent together and talk through your issues. Then the other party will get closure, which helps for moving on.

Embrace your new singleness and enjoy life. Once you get over your ex, you can move on to bigger and better things.

What’s your worst break up story? Comment below!

4 Romantic Restaurants

Singlecity picks 4 of our favourite date night restaurants in Toronto!

Need a romantic setting to set the mood? Check out these 4 favourite romantic hot spots in Toronto.

1) Harbord Room (89 Harbord Street)

Bright pink walls and an intimate, comforting atmosphere make this place a must. The sous chef used to work for The Drake and has created a delicious and homey menu that is sure to please you both. Frugal daters, beware, this place is not easy on the chequebook!

2) Frida (999 Eglinton Ave West)

Wonderfully sensual and aromatic Mexican food makes this place a hit. The inside is eclectic and warm and you’re sure to settle right in. Chefs prepare food on large grills in the centre, making for an interactive dining experience. Situated on Eglinton West, this is a great option for you mid-towners.

3) MoRoCo (99 Yorkville Ave)

Plush dark velvet and bourgeois ornaments line the lounge at MoRoCo. This is a great place to have dessert and coffee and the menu is packed with original treats and luxurious drink concoctions. You’ll feel like royalty as you lie back on your daybed and nibble on a salty pistachio macaroon or sip on one of their specialty chocolate pots.

4) Grazie (2373 Yonge St)

Want a unique Italian dining experience? You feel like you’ve been transported to Florence the minute you sit down in the rustic and fun interior of Grazie restaurant. The food is authentically Italian and the wine list is plentiful. There’s no whispering here, guests delight in sensory overload, and you’ll soon find yourself doing the same. Be wary of long lineups for Friday and Saturday dinner, they don’t take reservations, and people come from far and wide for a taste.

Friends to Lovers- can it be done?

Do you have feelings for your friend as more than a friend?

singlecityTO chatted with local Psychotherapy Associate Sue Sabijan and provides you with insight whether to take the friendship to the next level.

The old saying goes, “Friends make the best lovers.”

But is that really true?

Psychotherapy Associate, Sue Sabijan of Kimberly Moffit & Associates says, not necessarily.

“It is a very individual way of the romantic perspective of the world,” said Sabijan. “For some people this fits their romantic and personality style, for others it does not.”

For those who this scenario fits their romantic style, the psychotherapist suggests communicating with the person and honestly getting the desire out.

“Approach it without expectations and pressure. It may come as a surprise for the person and they may need some time to absorb and consider it,” said Sabijan. “Be patient and not pushy, keeping the pressure down and generally expressing an interest. Also, phrasing it in a gentle way without putting other person on the spot is important to remember.”

Another important matter to discuss with the friend is whether you guys will be in a relationship or just hooking up.

Sabijan advises that, friends with benefits can be problematic.

“Emotions develop at different rates, one person develops attachment stronger. In every relationship there is a power differential. It is impossible to get two people to feel the same way. There always tends to be one person more invested.”

Fear not!

There are couples out there who have made the jump from friends to lovers and have made it worked.

Here are just a few famous examples:

–       Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger

 

 

 

 

–       Chandler Bing and Monica Gellar-Bing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

–       Sabrina Spellman and Harvey Kinkle

 

 

 

 

 

 

–       Harry Burns and Sally Albright

 

 

 

 

 

–       Simba and Nala

PDA Disturbance

Places to avoid Public Display’s of Affection

By: Martha Ewing

Today, I was riding the subway and I was just minding my own business when out of the corner of my eye I saw a couple making out by the doors. At first, I was a little shocked because I can never understand people who make out in public places, but after I was annoyed. Why do people have to show public display of affections in public spaces? Now I’m not saying I’m annoyed when I see people holding hands or hugging in public, but it’s the people who do PDA when they know people are watching. If this is you, please be considerate, we don’t want to see that. Here are some places to avoid PDA

Public Transit—buses, trains or streetcar’s, they’re all the same. Although it’s a public space, please move your PDA to a private space. No one wants to see that on his or her commute.

The Movie Theatre—yes it’s very dark in there, and you may be up in the top corner while you’re making out, but we still know you’re there. Please stop.

Restaurants—when I’m eating my chicken and salad, the last thing I want to see is PDA. It makes me lose my appetite.

The Sidewalk—Kissing on the sidewalk always looks awkward because you’re half moving and half standing. Other pedestrians share the sidewalk too so please be courteous and either move over or just don’t do it.

I know you have your right to do what you want, but please just be considerate to those around you. PDA like holding hands, hugging, and small pecks on the cheek are fine, but once you cross the line it becomes a public disturbance. In India it’s a criminal offense to show PDA in public spaces; it could lead to imprisonment up to three months, a fine, or both. So respect the public spaces, and get a room.

Irish Cooking

How to make the best Irish breakfast on St. Patrick’s day!

By: Martha Ewing

My grandma always used to say “there’s nothing like a potato with your meal,” that’s because she’s Irish. I partially blame my weight with regards to this statement. My dad was born and raised in Northern Ireland, so when he moved to Canada he brought a lot of his own Irish traditions with him. Potatoes, carbs, and sweets were a common item found in our house, especially on our plates! Whenever there is a special occasion like Christmas, New Years day, or any day worth celebrating, my family prepares the ultimate breakfast— The Ulster Fry, commonly known as the Irish breakfast, but also know as “heart attack on a plate.” Today is St. Patrick’s day, so why not pretend you’re Irish and make yourself and your significant other an Ulster Fry! You’re sure to enjoy this recipe. It’s delicious!

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Ready in: 30 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 thick slices Irish bacon
• 2 sausages
• 1 soda bread farl, sliced in half horizontally
• 2 potato bread farls
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or as needed
• 2 slices black pudding (optional if you don’t like it)
• 1 tomato, halved
• 2 eggs

NB: Regular bacon will work as well. For the soda bread and potato farls, see you local British, Irish or Scottish shop for these supplies.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon and sausages, until they are browned. Reserving the fat in the pan, transfer to a heat resistant dish. Keep warm in the oven.
3. Fry both sides of the potato and soda farls in the reserved fat for a few minutes, or until they are golden and crispy. Meanwhile, heat oil in smaller skillet over medium heat and cook black pudding slices and tomato halves. Transfer everything to the dish in the oven to keep warm.
4. Crack eggs into the pan with any residual bacon grease, adding more oil to the skillet if necessary. Fry until egg whites are set but yolks are still runny, or to your liking. Divide everything onto 2 separate plates and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Online Dating: Weird or Wonderful?

Is online dating a good option for frustrated singles? Singlecity offers you a few suggestions.

In such a busy and fast-paced city, many people are turning to online dating as a way to meet new people. My single friends complain that once you get into a routine in a city like Toronto, it becomes hard to meet people. You go to work or school everyday, on the weekends you hang out with your group of friends and you don’t really ever meet new people.

I have a few friends who have recently become tired of feeling lonely and frustrated, and have joined online dating websites. They’ve confided in me privately to say that they’ve done so, but have kept it a secret for the most part. This got us thinking here at singlecity. Why is there such a bad stigma attached to online dating? Is it starting to change? Many of the popular online dating sites have recently made a big push to market themselves as being selective, and as a result, enrolment is at an all time high!

We decided to look into some of the biggest and best dating sites available to you and let you decide!

Eharmony (www.eharmony.com)

This is one of the most popular dating websites to date. With over 20 million enrolled, eharmony boasts that their scrutinizing personality surveys make marriage-worthy matches. Doing your initial personality test and getting matched is free, but connecting with any of your matches costs. The personality test takes a lifetime to complete, but hey, maybe that’s what makes it work for so many people!

Lavalife (www.lavalife.ca)

Lavalife is a little less about matching your personality, and more about letting you peruse at your own pace through the thousands of people enrolled. Certain features are free and some are paid. Just create a profile and browse!

Plenty of Fish (www.plentyoffish.com)

If you feel like online dating should be completely free, then this is the site for you. The site has very few bells and whistles and tends to be riddled with junk profiles and creepy members who are cruising for something a little less romantic. It is large though, and there is no fee to look for your future soulmate.

Let us know what you think! Have you had any experiences with online dating?

Goodluck cruising, singles!

Let the Past Stay in the Past

Past relationships getting in the way of finding a new love?

You’re not alone.

singlecityTO chatted with local Psychotherapy Associate Sue Sabijan and provides you with some helpful tips on how to get out with the old and in with the new.

Breakups are hard on everyone.

But for some people it can take months, even years to get over someone.

Psychotherapy Associate, Sue Sabijan of Kimberly Moffit & Associates says, every relationship is different.

“It really depends on the person. Some maybe more responsive than others. It all depends on one’s relationship history.” said Sabijan.

This is essentially true. Everyone has distinctive relationship experiences.

Sabijan digs deeper into the issue saying, it dates back to childhood.

“It is also about developmental theory attachment and how it can affect attachment in adulthood,” said Sabijan. “If there was trauma with the primary caregiver then that attachment loss can come up later in life.”

Sabijian explains that the unresolved grieving process one experiences when their young can be comparable to their relationships.

“Taking that trauma, that loss into the next relationship with those still unresolved issues towards a past love is why people have a hard time.” said Sabijian.

Now to help you with this hard time, here are some helpful tips on how to get over that certain someone.

Spend time with family and friends

It’s important to surround yourself with a support system. Breakups can be overwhelming and who better to turn to than your best friend and hey, mom and dad can help too.

Focus on your career

After a breakup you may not feel motivated to work, but the best thing to do is get back on the horse. Set a work-orientated goal and work towards it. The goal will be even more rewarding because you achieved it for you.

Get a hobby

Start a new hobby like photography or pick up that book you have started reading but haven’t finished yet. Having a hobby or special interest allows you to put all your focus and energy into it which keeps you busy and not thinking about your past love.

Vacation time

After a break up sometimes all you want to do is escape. Well why not just do that? Plan a spontaneous trip, whether it’s a road trip with friends, a weekend at the cottage or a hopping on a plane to Paris, now’s the time to focus on yourself. So why not do that on a sandy beach?

How to Hold your Own in a Relationship

Advice from Sherry Argov

By Daniela Smith

Sherry Argov is the New York Times bestselling author of Why Men Love Bitches: From Doormat to Dreamgirl – A Woman’s Guide to Holding Her Own in a Relationship. This book is an advice manual for women that teaches them how to stop being pushovers, who are “too nice,” to become secure, confident women who maintain healthy boundaries in their relationships.

The word “bitch” used in the title might take people aback—they might get images of a powerful, yet nasty woman who not only holds her own, but also bulldozes over others in the process. You might ask why would any woman want to be like that?

But Sherry Argov takes the bold step of redefining “bitch” for her book Why Men Love Bitches. “I’m not recommending that a woman have an abrasive disposition,” Argov writes, “The woman I’m describing is kind yet strong. She doesn’t give up her life, and she won’t chase a man.”

In her book, Argov describes women who are “too nice,” as having unclear boundaries or none at all. In this case, they are the opposite of the “bitch.” According to Argov, women who are too nice bend over backwards for love interests, giving off a “desperate” vibe. All in the process they lose their sense of identity: they lose themselves in their relationships, or their dream of what their relationships should be. And this all stems primarily from a lack of self-esteem.

Ultimately, in trying to secure her man and build her relationship, she pushes the man away through her clingy, needy behaviour.

Argov conducted hundreds of interviews with men to gather research for this book. She uses her findings to inform women about “things a man will not spell out for a partner,” Argov says. One of her main findings is that “men need a mental challenge”—a woman who doesn’t appear needy. And this is the type of woman that Argov later refers to as a “bitch.”

“The bitch is an empowered woman who derives tremendous strength to be an independent thinker, particularly in a world that still teaches women how to be self-abnegating [self-abnegate means self-denial or self-sacrifice]. This woman doesn’t live by someone else’s standards, only her own,” says Argov.

All in all the tone of Wby Men Love Bitches is serious at times, but punctuated with humour. The book is entertaining yet informative, and reads smoothly and effortlessly. It offers several scenarios to illustrate and explain helpful advice to help you go from being “too nice” to a “bitch.”

This book is a classic, and can apply to women of all generations. It can be used to empower women for years to come.

From her website:

SHERRY ARGOV is the New York Times bestselling author of Why Men Marry Bitches and Why Men Love Bitches and has been featured on The Today Show, The View, MTV, The O’Reilly Factor, MSNBC and Fox News. Her work has appeared in over 50 leading magazines including People, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Modern Bride, Maxim, and Esquire. A first-class theater production abroad, her live play has topped Billboard charts for three consecutive years, and received critical acclaim. Sherry’s books are currently published throughout the world in over thirty languages.

Cookin’ For Love

Feel like staying in for a cozy homemade dinner? This recipe is sure to please and excite!

Here’s a simple and easy to follow recipe that’s perfect that romantic date night in the comfort of your own home. This mouthwatering italian vongole pasta for 2 is sure to please any palette. Keep the red wine flowing and don’t forget the oysters! They’re aphrodisiacs, and will be sure to get your lover’s blood pumpin’

Recipe By Donna Hay

Ingredients

• 2 lb baby vongole, oysters or mussels
• 7 oz. cooked spaghetti
• 3-4 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 lemon
• Flat leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp. butter
• Sea salt
• Cracked black pepper

Directions
1 Melt butter in large saucepan with crushed garlic cloves.

2 Add dry white wine and baby vongole, or oysters, or mussels. Cook until shells are opened.

3 Stir in chopped flat-leaf parsley, sea salt, cracked black pepper and cooked spaghetti.

4 Squeeze lemon on top and serve.

Serves 2 lovers….