I don’t like being the centre of attention. I get anxious at the thought of being scrutinized, and my body grows tense when I can feel someone looking at me. Sure, I went through a phase in high school when my insecurities led me to rebel against all of my teachers, but that side of me is long dead. As I grow older, my insecurities manifest themselves in the form of sleepless nights, a cruel inner monologue, and the occasional cry in the shower — you know, regular adult stuff.
OMNI TV had contacted us earlier in the week requesting an interview, and my excitement over such a wonderful press opportunity was quickly replaced with trepidation as the thought of being in front of a camera settled in. What’s worse, Nadya would still be at work so I would be alone.
The interviewer ended up being extremely kind and the footage of our prep is far better than my crappy pictures (Okay, you caught me. I completely forgot to take pictures). Feel free to watch the interview here — even if you don’t understand Mandarin, it’s fun to see me try and give intelligent answers while suppressing all my screams.
My concerns over being interviewed for television were also put at ease by the fact that the guests for tonight were two friends, Sidra and Adam. Every single Chez Lisgar night we’ve had thus far has been incredible, last week we had a PhD candidate who practiced law on the side, and the week before that Taylor Swift came over. But trying to create the best dinner environment for people we know next to nothing about can be a little daunting. Since we were having a classic night in with friends, we decided to make a classic dinner: spaghetti and meatballs.
Sidra works as a UX/UI designer, and Adam is the marketing manager and booker at The Beaver on Queen West, one of my go-to bars on those rare nights I actually leave the apartment. A quick Google search of the place led me to this treasure, which I thought I should share with the world:
Sidra also owns a wonderful greyhound named Hannah who deserves a special mention because she is a magical creature and I’m 99.99% sure she was sent straight from Heaven.
The night started off the same as any other: lots of wine. It gave us a chance to unwind and chat about food, work, Bunz, and Toronto life in general. Sidra also brought some AMAZING coffee. Just a note to future dinner guests- we like fancy coffee beans too!
Another thing that has become a staple in our Chez Lisgar nights is showing our guests weird YouTube videos and Vines that we stumble across throughout our week. Adam also had a few treasures to show us, and immediately brought our attention to airhorn remixes. He played a particularly special song, and I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.
I’m also including an airhorn remix of “Hotline Bling” because I’m a proud Torontonian and I really want Drake over for dinner. Please hang out with us, Drake.
Say what you will about millennials, but you can’t deny our ingenuity when it comes to online entertainment. These random, silly videos offer good laughs, but they also act as a tiny glimpse into the minds of our guests. Ever want to know what a person is really like? Find out what they think is funny.
I don’t know Sidra and Adam as well as Nadya does, but the laidback vibe of our evening had me thinking a lot about the importance of surrounding oneself with good, supportive friends, which is easier said than done. My anxiety sometimes gets the best of me and there are many days when I can barely get out of bed and if it weren’t for the people in my life, I would be nothing more than a neurotic, blubbering mess of a person who never leaves her room.
I have the privilege of sharing the Chez Lisgar experience with one of my closest friends, and I must say, having Nadya around is probably my favourite part of this whole thing.
To think that we have been friends for a decade now is insane.
I felt nothing but gratitude that night. I am grateful for Sidra and Adam, whose good humour kept our dinner exciting and fun. I am grateful for my friends and family, who continue to keep me in check and encourage me to grow as a person. Most of all, I am grateful for Nadya, who is smarter, cooler, and more capable than I will ever be.
