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You Are Invited: TIFF boombox 2017


If you want to get your November started with a bang, TIFF’s Fame-inspired boombox fundraiser promises to be all that and a bag of confetti! With cool installations, film and art studios, a digital jam space, a VR lounge, an auditorium dance floor, and various performances, this is going to be a night to remember. And while costumes aren’t mandatory, this is certainly the best time to dust off your fave ’80s duds.

Proceeds from this year’s boombox fundraiser will support Share Her Journey, a worthy campaign to increase participation, skills, and opportunities for women behind and in front of the camera. Check out the video from the 2015 boombox party, and get your tickets here. You won’t want to miss it!


WHEN: Thursday, November 2 at 9pm
WHERE: TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West
DRESS CODE: Cocktail Chic or 80’s-inspired
TICKETS: HERE
Photo Credits: TIFF

What They Wore: Boobyball Toronto 2017


Boobyball has become one of my personal fave parties of the year; a party that puts fun in fundraiser (raising money for Rethink Breast Cancer), can pack a huge club to the brim, while still somehow making the entire affair feel intimate. This year, the theme was Get Physical, and the organizers had really outdone themselves, transforming REBEL into the 80’s/90’s wonderland, complete with gigantic Rubik’s Cubes, tables wallpapered in old teen mags, photobooths aplenty, old-school arcade games, and even an all-pink faux gym/locker room. There was so much fun to be had, and just as much food to go around with catering by the (amazing) Food Dudes and Nando’s, as well as sweet treats from Krispy Kreme and Sweet Jesus, and an open bar stocked with delicious drinks and Flow water. I may or may not have eaten way too many donuts, but probably worked them off on the dancefloor because the DJ was on fire that night (or is it lit?).

The best part of this year’s Boobyball, however, was people-watching. I loved how committed some of the attendees were to the theme. Neon windbreakers, scrunchies, leotards, legwarmers, mullets…you name it, we saw it! It made me kinda-sorta regret not dressing more theme-appropriate, though I do love the blinding sequin dress that I wore that night.

If you live in Vancouver, Ottawa, or Halifax, there’s still time to get your tickets to the Boobyball party in your city. Just a word of advice – more is more when it comes to dressing for Boobyball – bring your 80’s/90’s A-game!

Have you ever been to Boobyball? Share your fave moments in the comments.




More photos after the jump!
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TIFF 2017: #Cumberbrunch with Grey Goose Canada and Deadline

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It’s not everyday that you get to attend a very intimate panel with a bunch of movie stars, delicious Grey Goose cocktails, killer views, and a pair of seafood towers…but that’s exactly what I did on day 4 of TIFF. Last Sunday, I found myself on top of the world the rooftop of Lavelle staring at the handsome cast of The Current War film. Led by Deadline Hollywood’s Joe Utichi, the panel consisted of Director Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Writer/Executive Producer Michael Mitnick, and actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon and Nicholas Hoult.

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The actors seemed to be in great spirits, cracking jokes, enjoying their Grey Goose Caesars (both Cumberbatch and Shannon had two each, but who’s counting), and chatting about all things electricity, relationships, and muttonchops. When asked a slightly baffling question about getting ugly for a film role, Cumberbatch quipped that he “loved being ugly in this film” as Edison…even though no noticeable changes were done to the actor’s appearance beyond wardrobe. But he did seem to have a sense of humour about the whole thing. In response to the question about the cast’s own relationship with physics and sciences and how it impacted their acting, Cumberbatch confessed that he “was really bad at physics at school”, while Hoult’s response was slightly less modest: “I understood everything and I think that shines through in my performance”, he said with a laugh. Hoult also shared that the cast took a science lesson to prepare for their roles.“Nick is a bright boy”, added Shannon, while Cumberbatch concurred that Hoult did better than the other two in class. Beauty and brains!

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After the panel, my friend and I seized the opportunity to say hello to Hoult and grab a photo with the actor…and in case you were wondering, yes, he is very good looking (and tall) IRL, and was super nice about our fangirling.

The Current War will hit theatres on November 24th, and the full video of the panel is embedded below for your viewing pleasure.



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TIFF 2017: Favourite Moments

TIFF is arguably one of the most exciting times to be in Toronto, and this year’s festival has not disappointed so far. Here are some of my fave TIFF 2017 moments, from fundraisers to celeb sightings.

1. Priyanka Chopra at TIFF Soiree
While I wasn’t able to make it to the TIFF Soiree this year, I followed the fancy affair on Twitter. Priyanka Chopra was this year’s guest of honor, in town to promote Pahuna: The Little Visitors, a film she produced with her mother, screening at this year’s festival. Chopra’s Soiree appearance was in service of TIFF’s Share Her Journey campaign aimed to promote and empower female voices behind and in front of the camera.

“One-third of the films selected for the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival are directed by women, with an even higher number of female-identified short filmmakers at Festival (42.4%) and the director-driven Platform programme at gender parity. Films by women at Festival this year include the solo directorial debuts of actors Greta Gerwig, Brie Larson, and Molly Parker, as well as new work by Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Dee Rees, and documentarians Alanis Obomsawin, Agnès Varda, and Jennifer Baichwal.” If you’d like to support women in film, you can donate here: http://www.tiff.net/shareherjourney/

2. Call Me By Your Name Premiere and After-party
My Day 1 of TIFF began in the best way possible – with tickets to the premiere of Call Me By Your Name, a Luca Guadagnino film starring the impossibly handsome Armie Hammer and newcomer Timothee Chalamet. Going in I had no idea who Chalamet was, but after watching the film I am now in awe of this talented young New Yorker and his magnetic screen presence. The movie was a stunningly filmed coming-of-age love story set in a small town in Italy; it captured the angst, the pain, and the joy that comes with that first love. And while it was a two-hour long affair, I wanted to watch it all over again once the credits started rolling.After listening to the director and the leading men give thoughtful and eloquent answers during the Q&A, le bf and I hightailed it to the film’s swanky after-party at STK Yorkville. I had the chance to congratulate Armie and Timothee on the film, and got le bf to snap a photo of Armie and I…which he sadly bungled. Thankfully the in-house photog captured our mini photo-fail and I still ended up with a memento of my brief Armie moment.


3. Julianne Moore VIP Reception with L’Oreal Paris
Celeb encounters are always an exciting part of TIFF, and this year I was lucky to have been invited to an intimate Julianne Moore reception hosted by L’Oreal Paris. Julianne arrived looking as stunning as ever, and shared a few thoughts on her favourite red carpet moments from prior years. She stressed that every red carpet moment is a result of a “professional collaboration”, and that if left to her own devices, she’s actually not that great at blowing out her own hair. When asked about her top beauty tips, Moore shared that she wears moisturizers with SPF since she was 23 years old, she pays regular visits to Joanna Vargas for facials in NYC, and that “sleep helps”. She also revealed that she owns the same pair of Givenchy heels in every colour because of how stable they are, even if they don’t look it.


4. Mongrel House
One of the liveliest places to be during TIFF is Mongrel House, with nightly parties that have everything from table tennis to live karaoke to free poutine. This year we spotted Stellan Skarsgård, having a great time, laughing and chatting with the attendees. Shia LaBeouf and Canadian tennis player Denis Shapovalov also made an appearance. With a lengthy list of Mongrel Media movies screening at TIFF this year, there’s a good chance more celebs will be stopping by in the coming days, so keep your eyes peeled if you find yourself near the beautiful Campbell House at night.

5. Papillon Grey Goose After-party at STK
STK Yorkville is playing host to several film parties during TIFF this year, sponsored by Grey Goose and Nordstrom. One of the first parties held at the fancy steakhouse was for Michael Noer’s remake of Papillon, with star Charlie Hunnam in attendance. The handsome actor happily posed for photos, taking selfies with everyone brave enough to ask. A selection of delicious Grey Goose libations was on offer, but the coffee-based Star of Film Noir cocktail was my fave (Grey Goose vodka, espresso, and coffee liqueur…yum!), and gave me a much-needed boost of caffeine for TIFF.

More TIFF moments are coming to the website soon! Including Jake Gyllenhaal in Stronger, and brunch with Benedict Cumberbatch!

Photo Credits: 2 – GP Images WireImage courtesy of TIFF, 2 and 5 – Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca, 3 – Ryan Emberley, 4 – Mongrel Media

What They Wore: Grey Goose Sunset Soiree Picnic


I love picnics! I would picnic all the time in the summer, but I am way too lazy to put together a basket of provisions, blankets, utensils, drinks, and a million other things you need for an outdoorsy meal. Well, earlier this summer Grey Goose made my most exquisite picnic dreams come true and more!

The brand’s annual summer party was held at a Bridle Path mansion, its backyard set up with chic blue blankets and picnic baskets stuffed with a delicious meal prepared by Chef Justin Kent, along with an iced bucket of Grey Goose Rouge au Vin cocktail at the ready. With three lovely blanketmates, I enjoyed every moment of our picnic, sipping those refreshing cocktails, and devouring the incredible Poulet au Moutard, and other French-inspired nibbles.


After dinner, the guests spread around the grounds to enjoy the rest of the fun activations like a game of petanque, live music, a dove/goose balloon release, and Grey Goose Esspresso Martinis. There was even an artist on hand to sketch everyone’s stylish outfits! As afternoon stretched into late evening, the backyard was still abuzz with excitement – people dancing, mingling, and enjoying the free-flowing Grey Goose cocktails. And if that’s not a sign of a great summer party, then I don’t know what is.


If you’re planning on hosting your own al fresco soiree this summer, I highly recommend the Grey Goose Le Grand Fizz cocktail collection – these delicious concoctions will impress even the pickiest guest, and require only a few ingredients to whip up. I am also including Chef Kent’s recipe for Poulet au Moutard, because it was just too good not to recreate.

Happy picnicking!


More photos and recipes after the jump!
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You Are Invited: Power Ball XIX – Stereo Vision


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Power Ball is hands down my favourite fundraiser year after year. The combination of art installations, great fashion, music, and food makes for one fun soiree, and if you’ve never been, the party is next week on June 1st and you should definitely get your tickets ASAP!

This year’s Power Ball XIX: Stereo Vision promises to “be the portal where hidden worlds and alternate realities converge and collide, and are made visible to us in our earthly dimension”…not certain what that means exactly, but I know it’s going to be a blast.

If you’re not sure what to wear to Power Ball, pretty much anything goes, but dressing up according to the theme is definitely encouraged. One year, the theme was “Appetite for Excess” and I wore one of my favourite dresses from Hayley Elsaesser with a lip print all over, and colourful glitter in my hair. Excessive? That’s the point! Last year’s theme was the “Pleasure Principle”, and I donned another fave – a feathered Erdem gown, with hair piercings in my do – still one of my favourite party looks to date. But back to “Stereo Vision”…my outfit for this theme will be inspired by colour and 3D – loud and fun…and will be comfy enough to dance in and to eat in, because the food is always a high point of Power Ball. The only thing I haven’t figured out yet is my hair…but there’s still plenty of time.

I can’t wait until Thursday to finally see what this year’s Power Ball will have in store for the partygoers…See you there?

WHAT: Power Ball XIX Stereo Vision fundraiser
WHERE: The Power Plant, Toronto’s Harbourfront
WHEN: Thursday, June 1, 2017 from 9PM-Late
TICKETS: https://powerball.thepowerplant.org/reg/en/registration.html



Photo Credits: Image 3 – Mauricio Calero

What They Wore: YSL Beauty Club


Earlier this month, YSL Beauty threw a spectacular bash in celebration of the iconic Touche Eclat’s 25th anniversary. The party was crazy fun and had everything: beauty claw machine, glitter tub photobooth, product engraving, makeup touch-ups, food and drinks, and a special performance by Coeur de Pirate. I go to a lot of parties as part of my job, but this one was particularly fun.

It seemed that most of Toronto’s fashion industry showed up to #YSLBeautyClub too, wearing their best “rock chic” looks – lots of moto jackets and so much black! I went with a printed “oldie but goodie” Hayley Elsaesser frock, with a fave Acne leather jacket on top, of course. Check out the rest of the looks in the gallery after the jump!





More photos after the jump!
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What They Wore: Fogo Island Shop Event at Holt Renfrew


I’ve been loving Holt Renfrew’s H Project pop up shops for a while now, but I’m particularly obsessed with everything H Project’s Uncrate Canada has to offer, including the new Fogo Island pop up offerings. Last week, I attended an event hosted by Alexandra Weston in honour of Holt Renfrew’s Fogo Island pop up shop with special guest, Zita Cobb, Founder of the Fogo Island Inn and CEO of the Shorecast Foundation.

Speaking to the attendees, Zita Cobb referred to patchwork quilts as a “perfect metaphor for everything we are doing here. This little patch could be Fogo Island…one patch alone will not keep you warm in the winter. If you figure out how to stich yourself to the other patches and keep stitching and stitching, you have a quilt…..I want to say to Alexandra and your team, you are really wonderful stitchers. Thank you so much for stitching us in.”

The Fogo Island pop up will be available at Holt Renfrew Bloor Street (with some pieces available online) until early May and will stock a variety of vibrant quilts, delicious artisanal jams, and handcrafted home decor – all made on Fogo Island. So if you are looking for a unique gift with meaning, make sure to stop by and shop this lovely collection while you still can. And while you’re at it, check out the rest of Holt Renfrew’s Uncrate Canada offerings – I am obsessed with the Obakki and Laura Siegel dresses they have in stores right now. 





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You Are Invited: CHANEL COCO CAFÉ at Holt Renfrew in Toronto

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If you’ve always dreamed of visiting a CHANEL-themed cafe, then you’re in luck! Running from March 1 to March 26, COCO CAFÉ at Holt Renfrew Bloor Street in Toronto will welcome all with open arms, complimentary beauty services, and CHANEL-branded coffee cups. I got a chance to preview the space yesterday, and as always I walked away in awe of CHANEL’s ability to transform any space into a dreamlike wonderland, whether it comes to runway shows, or pop-up shops like the COCO CAFÉ.

Celebrating the launch of ROUGE COCO GLOSS, COCO CAFÉ features a variety of fun beauty stations, filled to the brim with covetable goodies. There’s a very instagrammable magnet wall, the cutest selfie backdrop, and lots of complimentary services:

  • CHANEL CHANCE “Juice Bar” fragrance consultations
  • Hydra Beauty “Bubble Bar” face or hand massages
  • Lip Lollipop Bar
  • Manicure Bar
  • Nail Photo Cam
  • Makeup Master Classes

For someone who loves CHANEL and beauty, this is the ultimate pop-up experience. Stop by, play with some beauty products, shop the new ROUGE COCO GLOSS before its official launch date (March 3rd), take lots of photos, and just have fun. The cheerful COCO CAFÉ and the beaming Lily-Rose Depp wouldn’t have it any other way.

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chanel coco cafe toronto, holts chanel coco cafe toronto, chanel blogger
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You Are Invited: TIFF Cinematheque Presents Volcano: The Films of Anna Magnani


One of the first posts on this site (way back in 2009) was about TIFF Cinematheque’s Italian Cinema showcase. I noted then that Italian films from the 50’s and 60’s were probably some of my favourite movies of all time. In part because I grew up watching them, and also because they still hold up so many years later. Well, starting this month TIFF Cinematheque will be showcasing more gems of Italian Cinema, this time focusing on films starring the incomparable Anna Magnani. If you’re not familiar with La Magnani’s body of work, this is your chance to see some of her most brilliant performances on the big screen. It’s the perfect wintertime date idea! More info after the jump!
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