Comedian John Hastings takes us through his average, unemployed day.

Courtesy of John Hastings

Episode 17: Moving up.

This summer, I have been tossed out of a cannon and faced with some amazing personal and professional successes. I got to go to the Just For Laughs festival in both Toronto and Montreal. While there, I loved, lived and competed in the Homegrown Comedy Competition, which I was lucky enough to win. But this was not the moment I will tell my grandchildren about.

The moment that is tattooed on my brain, the moment that is forcing me away from my usual fart jokes or drinking games, was the moment I got to speak and embarrass myself in front of one of biggest comedic influences on the world.

I was doing a show at Club Soda in Montreal. And as I lumbered up to the running order of the show, picking out my intro music with the Front of House staff, I saw it. No, I gazed upon it. I was going to be performing right before Jim Norton. Norton is a New York comic; he is honest, original and different. He specializes in jokes about sex addiction and political censorship all with a huge smile on his face. He does a type of comedy where it’s not subject matter but more the comedic style that just rings true and has helped shape my own comedic voice to date. In short, his dick jokes are WAY better than my fart jokes.

So I did my set – there was laughter. Good.  I walked off and shook his hand and headed down to the green room to take in the moment. Then I thought to myself, “That wasn’t enough. I’m going to go bother him like a pimple on prom night”. He had just wrapped his set and was entering the bathroom, so naturally, I waited around outside like Jack Nicholson in The Shining. He came out, I made some chatter, we shook hands, I kept blabbing, we shook hands again – at which point he commented that he had just washed his hands. I then mentioned it was nice to open for him to which he said “you didn’t open for me”… I then felt embarrassed. He shook my hand again, and walked off.

My hero, my hand, my stalker-like grin. How many of you cubicle dwellers get to do that? Well, a lot of you probably. But at least I still have my fart jokes.

– John Hastings.

Some beautiful yet simple street art we’ve seen recently.

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

It’s that time again ponies! We’ve done posts on graffiti, on signs, and even on burlap sacks – there is artwork to be seen everywhere in Toronto, you just need to be looking out for it. Today, we’d like to focus on some of the positive messages we’ve seen as of late – ones that make us smile as we pass by.

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Have you seen some inspiring street art around town? Feel free to send them over at cowgirls@mushypony.com!

– The Cowgirls.

Our interview with local bargain babes, Seven Dollar Pants!

Courtesy of Seven Dollar Pants

When it comes to Toronto fashion blogs, there are many who show us what’s haute and what’s not. But for those of us who can’t afford McQueen just yet, Seven Dollar Pants is here to save you from bargain-hunting your booties off. Founders Julie and Christine scour the city for the best vintage, boutique, and chain-store deals – pairing them together in unique ensembles on their blog. Here’s what the Cowgirls learned today from these savvy-saving sweethearts.

Pony: What are the key components you look out for when determining what’s a good deal?

Julie: Mainly if I can foresee getting a lot of wear out of it. I don’t focus on brand names – never have and probably never will.

Christine: The price! So many pieces will catch my eye regardless, but the deciding factor will be the price tag as to whether or not I will take the next step to the fitting room – be it in Value Village or Holt Renfrew.

Pony: How do you find the deals in Toronto compare to other cities? Are they better here?

Courtesy of Seven Dollar Pants

Julie: I’m used to shopping in Toronto and have figured out where to hit and when. But I must say, small towns have great deals! Every time I go home to Niagara I find the best little gems. I think small towns are good for vintage finds especially because the thrift shops aren’t made to be trendy or cool – they’re simply thrift shops, and therefore don’t mark up their prices as much.

Pony: You say it’s important to know when to shop – buying items early before the season starts. Does this mean you oppose the sales at the end of each season?

Christine: There are key pieces that I will have on my list that I will purchase at the beginning simply because I cannot wait.  I also won’t wait to purchase good basics as they never seem to stay on the racks long enough. But the trendy items I leave towards the end; simply because I don’t mind being a couple of months behind everybody else.

Courtesy of Seven Dollar Pants

Pony: Do you ever disagree with each other on what looks good? How has your style evolved since working together?

Julie: Sometimes we disagree, but it’s rare. We genuinely appreciate each others style. I don’t think mine’s changed that much since we started working together, but we do tend to influence each other here and there when it comes to seasonal trends.

Christine: If anything, I believe we have positively influenced each other. I definitely think that I have been more conscious of what I wear every day since starting the blog. Julie is more of an accessories girl so I’ve learned from her.

Pony: And how would you describe your sense of style?

Julie: My style is a comfortable, unique-chic. I tend to wear stand out pieces; I always accessorize, and I like to look and feel comfortable in all my outfits whether it’s at a party, going to work, traveling, or walking around on the weekends.

Christine: My style changes everyday – I really can’t describe it.  I remember reading in Harper’s Bazaar that your twenties are the time to experiment with personal style and I guess I really took that to heart.

For daily updated tips on deals, Toronto hot-spots, bargain purchases, and living a fabulous life on a budget – head over to Seven Dollar Pants to see what Julie and Christine are wearing today!

Courtesy of Seven Dollar Pants

– Emma Farquharson

The Cowgirls take up sailing – in the Canadian Championships.

Courtesy of MushyPony.com

This past weekend, the Cowgirls crewed at an international sailing regatta based in Kingston, ON – known as CORK. We’d never been in a race before, and yet miraculously we were scheduled to appear on two different J105’s named Thunderstruck and Sonic Boom. We were then weighed, measured, and thrown aboard with our sea legs shaking – but still determined to maintain an even keel. And now, without any further embarrassing nautical puns, here is what we learned on our three-day excursion:

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

The Foredeck (or bowman) stands at the front of the boat before the gun fires. They call out where the other boats are so you don’t hit them as well as skirt the jib (the sail at the front). They also set up the spinnaker (the parachute sail that gets hoisted for downwind) and help feed it across during jibes.

The Helmsman (or Captain) calls the shots from the back of the boat. They run the show by steering the entire time (either with a wheel or a tiller) and working with the Tactician in finding the best course – he usually stands nearby with a pair of binoculars. Like so:

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

The Maintrimmer sits in the cockpit working the main sail. They tend to keep it trimmed as tight as possible for the start and then let it out based on the wind etc. We were told this is the most physically demanding role on the boat but we don’t believe it seeing as they barely have to move.

The Trimmers work both the jib and the spinnaker. We had one for each sail during the races – and the one working the spinnaker got to make all the calls heading downwind. Tailing is a term used when hoisting a sail to help pull in any slack.

The SQUIRREL (i.e. our role) is fairly easy to do. We had to pull down the spinnaker into the hatch when rounding the mark to head upwind. The rest of the time we were hiking on the side of the boat and trying not to get thrown overboard.

By the end of the weekend, we’d been bit by the racing bug and were already preparing for our next regatta! Sonic Boom finished in 5th place overall with Thunderstruck closely behind in 6th. Big thank you’s to our dad for taking care of us all weekend and also to our very dear friend Trevor for teaching us the ropes!

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

Courtesy of Mushy Pony

– The Cowgirls.