On Monday July 11, our day began early – we (the contestants and coordinators of Miss Teenage Canada) were up early to eat a delicious breakfast before we went off for our Hippo Tour of Toronto. This tour allowed the girls a great opportunity to get to know one another and check out some of Toronto’s best high lights. We had the pleasure of having E talk along for the ride. They helped document our day and get the memories on tape.
Hippo Tours:
The girls’ first official tour of Toronto started with a guided bus tour courtesy of Hippo Tours. The outing began promptly at 9 am and all along the way, the contestants received a lot of welcoming energy from pedestrians. People were taking pictures and wishing the hopeful Miss teens good luck on their journey towards the crown. We always look for the best way for the girls to share this experience and our Hippo Tour was filled with excitement and laughs (thanks to our two knowledgeable tour guides, Vanda and Alice), making this one of the most enjoyable ways to see Toronto.
The CN Tower:
The Hippo Tour dropped us off at our next destination, the CN Tower. Here, we received the special VIP treatment, bypassing lines and having our own special security team guarding our every move. Going up the elevator was stressful (due to some of the girls’ fear of heights), but thankfully, we made up to the seeing level within 58 seconds. We all got to take pictures with fans and each other featuring the beautiful background of the city. For many, it was their first time in Toronto and this experience gave them a great view of the City’s landscape. Another highlight was when the contestants walked along the glass floor, where it almost feels like you’re floating over the city. After all the pictures and fun was had, we strutted back over to our tour buses and made it to our next destination.
The Ballroom:
Lunch and bowling is a great way to round up the fun. This was a great time for the girls to unwind and relax. The morning there was a lot of direction and movement, so during lunch they got to sit down, enjoy a delicious lunch and bowl a couple of rounds at the The Ballroom, downtown Toronto. The girls were given brand new socks so they can switch out of their heels and be comfortable in their bowling shoes. We had our own bowling lanes booked off for us and the girls formed teams and played their hearts out.
Rehearsals:
After all the fun, it was time for the young ladies to practice their walks.We made our way back to the hotel and Chris Fry helped the girls perfect the art of strutting with style. Here, it is all about class and elegance. Chris showed the girls how to be confident and comfortable on stage and this will certainly help them all on the day of the show. After an hour of full rehearsals, Chris split the girls down in to groups of 5 and gave them more specific feedback about how they can improve. Perfecting the walk was not as easy as staying at a Toronto Bed and Breakfast but it was still fun. It was a great one on one experience for the young teens and a way for them to know what to expect on Saturday.
We want the girls to have lots of fun but also learn a lot from this experience. Today was a great start, as we got to visit many different parts of Toronto, as well as work on different things for the show. Stay tuned to find out more about the girls and their journey in Toronto this week.