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Holidays 2017: Last-Minute Gifts That Don’t Suck

13 December, 2017 Nelia

We are less than two weeks away from Christmas, and I am happy to report that I am pretty much done with my gift shopping. If you’re still stumped about what to get for your friends and family, here are some last-minute gift ideas that (we think) don’t suck. You obviously have to know a bit about the person you are getting the gift for, but I doubt someone would be disappointed with any of these presents.

1. Their Fave Drink
If the person you’re shopping for loves to host parties, or if you know what their drink of choice is, then getting a beautiful gift set from LCBO is a no-brainer. I love this Grey Goose Martini Pack ($59.95), but there are lots of other gift set options available.

2. Luxurious Touchscreen Gloves
Gloves are one of those things that people tend to lose all the time, so giving someone a beautiful new pair would certainly be appreciated. These Quill and Tine touchscreen beauties ($89) aren’t only made with 100% Italian lambskin and cashmere, but they are also crafted in Canada.

3. The Gift of Film
If your person is a film lover (and who isn’t?!), then the gift of TIFF Membership (starting at $49) is one of the best presents you can buy. With exclusive year-round savings and perks, ticket pre-sales, discounts, and special offers and events, this is the gift that will keep on giving all year long. If you don’t live in Toronto, annual membership to their fave museum or art gallery would also make for an awesome present.

4. Comfy Pajamas
I am not sure if it’s just me, but I loooove getting new PJs for Christmas! Get a luxurious set or a cute onesie, throw in some nourishing skincare masks, and a box of hot chocolate, and you’ve got a lovely gift set that will make them smile on those cold winter nights.

5. The Gift of Fitness
When shopping for someone who’s into fitness, there are plenty of gift options that are both cute and practical. Fitbit (and accessories) is something that I’ve given as a gift before, and it’s something that I use (and love) myself. Other fun gift ideas include: a fancy new yoga mat for your fave yoga lover, a nice gym bag for that gym goer in your life, a pair (or two) of cute grippy socks for a friend who loves to barre. If you know which gym or studio they frequent, a gift certificate to their fave workout place would also make for a thoughtful last-minute present.

6. Their Fave Perfume
This one requires a bit of knowledge about the person you’re buying the gift for. If you know which perfume they usually wear, then buying a lovely perfume gift set for them will be both thoughtful and well-received. This luxurious CHANEL N°5 L’EAU Gift Box ($214) from Holt Renfrew is definitely top of my list, as is this adorable Miu Miu Mini Duo Set ($95) from Sephora.

TIFF 2017: #Cumberbrunch with Grey Goose Canada and Deadline

12 September, 2017 Nelia

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.

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!

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.

More after the jump!
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TIFF 2017: Favourite Moments

10 September, 2017 Nelia

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

1 August, 2017 Nelia

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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Holidays 2014: Gift Guide

17 November, 2014 Nelia

For some reason, this year, I am woefully unprepared for winter’s arrival, but since it’s practically end of November and there’s snow on the ground, I guess it’s time to snap out of my denial and start shopping. Full disclosure: I have yet to buy any presents, but I do have some ideas as to what I’ll be picking up for my loved ones this holiday season. And just in case you’re in the same boat, I thought I’d share some of my fave holiday gift ideas with you.

I glimpsed most of these back in July, during the annual holiday previews, and I have to say that this year in particular, those previews came in super handy. I got to learn about the existence of cool adult onesies, played with the Big Love Ball, and tried on the gorgeous Thomas Sabo infinity ring; I self-medicated with the all-natural Saje Pocket Pharmacy, and sipped on Inniskillin sparkling icewine. In short, I got to preview and test out a lot of the picks below, and I hope that this gift guide gives you some ideas for your holiday shopping this season. If you’re looking for stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and presents for him, her, and the kids, then this is a great place to start! Happy Shopping!