Are You Yorkdale?

Want free swag, a $1,000 gift certificate,VIP access to Toronto Fashion Week and to star in an ad campaign? If you are nodding your head and live in Ontario than you’re eligible to win the Yorkdale is Me contest.

Celeb judges including, Lisa Tant, editor of FLARE and Amy Verner, style reporter for the Globe and Mail, will judge entries explaining why you are undeniably Yorkdale  so head to yorkdaleisme.com before October 9th to get your chance to channel your inner Ms. Jay.

PS- you can also win valet parking for a year! So genius!

Fall Footwear Fantasies

The past two fall seasons proved to be quite fruitful for my boot collection so this year I have abstained so far from any new purchases. My old standby’s have been cleaned and are ready for another season of wear and tear, plus nothing had jumped out to me as must have’s…until I caught up on the latest fashion magazines that is!

There are some pretty fierce and amazing boots out right now so I thought I’d post some of the dream boot purchases that caught my eye.

Ladylike booties for day or night:

Christian Laboutin's Paola 100 ankle boots

Coach Gabrielle boot

Tantalizing talls with ‘tude

Fendi Suede multi-strap boots with toe-cap

Botkier Rosa Boot

Easy riders for polished prep:

Sigerson Morrison Soft Leather Riding Boot

Tory Burch Liam Lock Boot

Punk-a-delic edgefests:

Alexander McQueen Slouchy leather calf boots

MICHAEL Michael Kors Carney Boot

Sergio Rossi Zip Platform Boot

Crawling Tecumseth: tō-come-sĕe

Last week was, Crawling Tecumseth: tō-come-sĕe, the second annual gallery crawl organized by the Young Associates of the Canadian Friends of the Israel Museum.

Event chairs Matt, Sarah and Laura, along with Rina, myself and our lovely committee put together the awesome evening in order to raise funds and awareness for the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

   

As guests sipped our signature cocktail, “the art star,” they took in fabulous contemporary art at Susan Hobbs Gallery, Georgia Scherman Projects and Birch Libralato. I really enjoyed exploring galleries I had never had the chance to visit, but I must say my favourite pieces of the night  by far - Cathy Daley’s super-feminine works - were to be seen at the latter.

 

The party ended at Diaz Contemporary where fabulous kitschy works by kelly mark lit up the room.

 

Tasty homemade treats, such as sugar cookies fashioned to look like artist palettes and sprinkle covered chocolate-dipped pretzel sticks were delish, and everyone got to hear a bit about the museum in Jerusalem while simultaneously experiencing culture in their own backyard.

Yet another fab event from the Young Associates!

(photos by Brian Mosoff)

Anne Hepfer's Homage to Coco Chanel

One of the most buzzed about rooms in the JLT Showhouse was Anne Hepfer's homage to Coco Chanel. The celebrated NYC-import fashioned a glamorous dressing room that made the most of the space's angular ceilings and small footprint, resulting in a jewel box any lady would love to primp in.

From the vinyl-wallpaper to the stunning lacquered vanity to the mirrored-dormers, Anne's room had designers wishing they had thought of it first! And what's not to love: the classic black and white palette is topped with luxurious hits of gold while grosgrain details and bold patterns entice the eye . It is simply divine!

Anne was kind enough to answer some questions about her space:

1. Coco Chanel is the obvious inspiration behind your space. Is fashion a constant muse in your work or was this a first-time experiment?

I am frequently inspired by fashion, textiles and the details on couture design.  Chanel’s timeless elegance is something I strive for as a designer, as well as attention to the finest details and great quality.

2. What is your favourite element in your design scheme?

I tried a first time experiment and that was mirroring the dormers. It truly was a wow factor and brought light and reflective qualities into the room, and made the room feel polished and finished. Chanel was obsessed with mirrors!  The Phillip Jeffries glossy quilted vinyl wallpaper looked fabulous – like the caviar Chanel bag. We trimmed the corners of the room and the baseboards in black gros \grain, which functionally hid the seams, and visually turned the room into a graphic jewel box. Stepping into the room felt like stepping into a Chanel box!

3. Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring interior designers?

Words for aspiring designers… learn everything you can in design school and from a mentor designer. Take a course in business development and management and learn how to sell and how to properly run a business. A lot of people think designing is just “fluff.” It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to run a successful business.

Thanks again to the lovely Anne Hepfer for answering my questions and sharing her design with us!

Twinkle Twinkle

I am loving the flapper feel of these elegant Crystal Canvas Earrings by Vera Wang ($295). They have that bijou lady eclectic touch that comes with most costume jewelry. I'd be curious to see if I could pull them off!

Junior League of Toronto Showhouse Redux

I was very put off by House and Home's coverage of the Junior League of Toronto Showhouse. As a member of  one of the design teams who spent hours at the house, I found the range of photos published to be extremely selective and not in a good way.  If you were there in person than you'd realize what I mean. If you weren't there, it's a shame because the impression the House and Homes spread gives leaves plenty to be desired. Rather than showing the most vibrant and interesting elements, they highlighted some of the more banal and lacklustre features. Some of the best rooms were relegated only to an online gallery, and generally the photography of those spaces seemed rushed and lacklustre.

In my own efforts to balance the exposure and share some of my favourite rooms from the showhouse, I have asked some of the designers to share photos and insight into their fabulous designs.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post, featuring Canadian design star Anne Hepfer's chic homage to Coco Chanel!

Shana Tova!

  Happy New Year to my fellow heebs. I wish you all the health and happiness in the world and a year of only good things!

Enjoy your Rosh Hashana fall weekend with a deliciously fragrant apple crisp, such as Martha's recipe right here.

Shana Tova u' Metuka!

 

Wouldn't You Like to Dine Here?

Toronto is abuzz over the recently-renovated Harbour Sixty Steakhouse. One of the hot-spots to see and be seen, the renowned steakhouse is known for its impeccable service and food with a matching price tag, yet the decor was in need of a major facelift.

In honour of the restaurant's 10th anniversary, the owners brought in Taylor Hannah Architect to revamp the interiors. Inspired by the classic proportions of the historic Harbour Commission building that houses the restaurant, Hannah and her design team transformed the tired masculine and Mediterranean-infused aesthetic into a gleaming jewel box with several classy compartments. Gone are the tired striped walls, deep red woods and paintings of angels - instead there is now a hefty dose of jewel tones, gleaming polished nickel accents and luxurious finishes and fabrics that ooze luxury.

Here are some snapshots of the various areas of the restaurant, but before you scroll down, check out the before photos on the restaurant's website or on Dee Dee's Blog.

THE BAR

The bar area boasts a back-lit onyx top, banquettes covered in fabric interwoven with copper and custom bar stools with polished nickel accents. Unique wall treatments include crocodile-embossed leather and mother of pearl wall tiles, and the black and white vintage fashion photography adds a chic retro throwback that oozes class.

THE GALLEY

Patrons can watch the delectable dishes being prepared in the open carrera marble kitchen when sitting in the galley. The blue agate front is mesmerizing, and the the silver-leafed domes and graphic marble floors are so glamorous.

FORMAL DINING ROOM

The formal dining room is so luxurious with its cut crystal lighting, velvet banquettes and rich tones of blue and violet. I love how the dramatic drapery pelmets frame the suspended custom canvases by local artist Joshua Jensen-Nagle.

LOWER LEVEL

The lower level is amazing with its graphic black and white scheme. Italian marble flooring, inspired by the lobby of the legendary Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan is super sophisticated, and the iridescent mosaic tile in the stairhall is simply dazzling! Fluid black murano chandeliers pop against the damask-clad walls and chairs with fabulous carpeting from Stark.

I love the design scheme so much because it doesn't subscribe to the same old-man-stuffy look seen in most traditional steak restaurants. It is luxe and glamorous and appeals to both genders for a change!

(photos by George Pimentel)

Perfectly Pink Posy Vase

Isn’t this Kate Spade for Lenox single stem vase positively darling??? The touch of gold on the lip is a great touch!