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spotlight on toronto | amanda blakley.

Name: Amanda Blakley

Age: 22

Star sign: cusp or cancer/leo – I definitely have some of both traits.

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Why i love Toronto? Its a city of neighbourhoods, each constantly evolving with an ever-growing list of excellent restaurants, shops and galleries. We love how safe and hospitable it is to family life as well as to entrepreneurs. We also enjoy the proximity via short(ish) flights to so many other great cities (New York, Boston, Miami, London etc..).

What do you want to be when you grow up? A butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker.

A Perfect weekend...Would start with an early Friday night family dinner at Terroni on Price street for pizza's, salad and a couple bottles of cold Moretti. Saturday morning we would get up and make a big healthy breakfast at home and then head to the Brickworks farmers market or one of the cities beautiful parks (Jean Sibelias is our fave). While Atticus plays we would enjoy our coffee from Ezra's Pound or push him on the swing. Saturday nights are perfect for entertaining. If we're lucky, we'll host some friends for a dinner party or try a new restaurant (currently loving Playa Cabana Hacienda as its just down the street). The Soho House does a great Sunday brunch that the whole family enjoys. Sunday is also a perfect time to hit Kensington Market to stock up on staples for the week ahead. Sunday night dinner with family is a nice tradition we try to keep up on most weekends that we stay in the city.

Best view? Our apartment has a great birds eye view from the top of South Hill down over the city. Likewise the patio at Terroni Summerhill.

Best place to work out? This is a tie between Catalyst and Fusion Health Studio. We also love to get our yoga on at 889Yonge.

Who is inspiring you right now? My entrepreneurial female friends who are all hard at work on some amazing ventures. From beauty booking applications (getbeautified.com) to kids shoes (Akid.com), cardboard houses (Houseofcard.com.au), foot lingerie (tootsieshoppe.com), and accessories (elabyela.com) these gals are kicking some major business butt!

What are you working on? In addition to being a mother to my sweet toddler, Atticus and new baby Archer, and a (doting) wife, I'm currently in the throws of launching a line of children's accessories. All products are 'Built for Adventure', in conjunction with a blog I write called The Adventures of Atticus as well as continuing with some travel writing for the National Post, the HuffingtonPost. I have a particular interest in traveling with tots - and not your disneyworld/club-med run of the mill variety. I hope my children will have similar chances as I, to travel this amazing world of ours.

Current favorite travel destination? Pilson, Czech Republic, the home of Pilsner Urquell. The original Pilsner brew.

Next trip? San Diego in a few weeks and then The Yucatan (Tulum, Mayakoba) and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

What is on your stereo? The blogotheque playlist on songza.

Words to live by…"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." -- Vincent Van Gogh

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