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TIFF 2014: Favourite Moments

17 September, 2014 Nelia

Another TIFF came and went, and while I was only here to catch the first few days of the festival, this year’s celeb sightings were pretty memorable to say the least. Below are my top 5 TIFF experiences this year. Grab some snacks, it’s going to be a long one.

Variety Studio Presented By Moroccanoil At Holt Renfrew - Day 4 - 2014 Toronto International Film Festival

1. Variety Studio Presented By Moroccanoil At Holt Renfrew

Last year, Variety Studio was definitely a highlight, but this year…oh, this year was juicy! After enjoying my amazing Moroccanoil hand/arm massage just like the one celebs were getting (hey, Jemy!), I settled down on the couch to people celeb-watch, and let me tell you, being a fly on the wall at one of these things can be very insightful. While there was no Fassbender action this year, I did find myself in the eye of the Cumberbatch-Redmayne-Worthington-Goode-Knightley-Jones-Leech tornado…the Brits taking over the room in a loud, accented storm of hugs, compliments, and camaraderie. You could just tell that all those actors are truly fond of each other, and are definitely not “over it” all just yet.

For all the Cumberbatch fans out there, your beloved did seem to be genuinely nice and funny. Upon arrival, he checked out the Moroccanoil station, trying a bit of cream on his hands, before joining the rest of his group for a lively chat. Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch were hugging right above me as I shrinked back into the leather couch, trying not to trip anyone with my feet and knees. That’s when I overheard Redmayne exclaiming post-hug “You smell…delicious!” to Cumberbatch. Must’ve been the Moroccanoil. Redmayne’s fiance Hannah Bagshaw was in the room too, looking lovely and normal, sharing a hug with Cumberbatch, not stuck to Eddie’s side, navigating the room on her own. But back to Cumberbatch…at one point, when the cameras were rolling for a Sam Worthington interview, and a Variety staffer yelled out: “WE ARE ROLLING! QUIET, PLEASE!”, Benedict cheekily and loudly quipped: “Rolling with Sam Worthington? Let’s talk louder then!”, before peeking behind the interview curtain to wink at Worthington.

Variety Studio Presented By Moroccanoil At Holt Renfrew - Day 3 - 2014 Toronto International Film Festival

Out of all the hot Brits in the room, Keira Knightley was actually the one I wanted to get close to (not in a creepy way, I promise!). She’s one of my favourite young actresses, and I was most definitely starstruck. I tried to summon the courage to ask her for a photo, but she was never alone – either chumming it up with her co-stars, or chatting with her hair and makeup people. She wore a beautiful Chanel dress, and I tried to inconspicuously sneak a few shots for my Instagram. She smiled a lot, laughed a lot, shared that she was tired, but definitely didn’t look it. She looked happy, thin, but not frail, healthy, and so very beautiful. Can you tell I have a bit of a crush?

Other notable moments at the Variety Studio included: grabbing a photo with the delightful Bill Nighy, who was walking around with an apple in his hand, never having the moment to himself to actually take a bite, and who made eye contact with everyone in the room, instead of ducking his head and avoiding the normals; watching Richard Gere chatting up the hot tequila girls; realizing that the woman on the couch next to me is Elizabeth Banks, who changed out of her white pumps and into some Birkenstocks for comfort; observing the insanely handsome Matthew Goode and super-stylish Jena Malone light up the room with their larger than life personalities (on two different days) – definitely not wallflower types; sitting on the couch next to Downton Abbey’s Branson’s publicist, before Branson Allen Leech himself leaned over me to talk to her; sharing a serendipitous moment with Mark Ruffalo outside the Variety Studio’s bathroom – if life was a movie, that would’ve been our meet-cute.

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

Beauty, Celebrity Fashion, Events, Fashion Armani, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bill Murray, Bill Nighy, Celebrity Fashion, Ceramic Glaze, Chloe Moretz, Essentials Lounge, Events, Holt Renfrew, Keira Knightley, Kevin Kline, Mark Ruffalo, MoroccanOil, NKPR IT Lounge, Sally Hershberger, Shoppers Drug Mart, Stila, TIFF, TIFF 2014, Variety Studio

TIFF 2013: Inside TIFF Gifting Lounges

15 September, 2013 Nelia

mila-kunis-variety-studio-tiff-2013

Toronto International Film Festival is a tricky time for those who cover the festivities. On the one hand it’s incredibly thrilling to have so many talented people descend upon our hometown, but on the other…running around from film to film, from one interview to another, having to submit articles, and then having the energy to attend late-night parties is not for the faint of heart. But then again…some people would kill for the opportunity to experience it all. So instead of complaining, both media and industry types buck up and survive it all. What definitely helps year after year are the amazing TIFF Gifting Lounges, which offer both celebs and industry insiders a chance to pop in for much-needed hair and make-up touch-ups, mini manis, mini massages, delectable bites and of course, freebies!

Each year, it seems like more and more lounges pop up in Toronto, so even hopping from one to another in an attempt to cover them all may seem like a gruelling task all on its own…but hey, someone’s gotta do it! Below are the highlights from the lounges I got to visit during this year’s TIFF!

1. Esther Garnick PR’s Essentials Lounge

AMM_7863

Essentials Lounge is a much-needed media haven year after year. Its sole existence is to arm the press with the essentials necessary to “survive” TIFF and “recover” once the festival is over. At this year’s lounge, we were gifted with face-savers like Elizabeth Grant’s Essence of Torricelumn treatment to repair and renew tired skin, and Collagen Re-Inforce Rejuvenating Gel Eye Pads to practically erase any evidence of sleepless nights and fatigue. Both worked their magic on my skin all week long! Magic, I’m telling you.

AMM_7850

Our amazing Essentials gift bags also contained hair products from Aveda (smells so good!), makeup from Hard Candy Cosmetics (fun colours to play with), Calvin Klein underwear, Centrum Vitamins (TIFF flu is a thing, people!), Ethical Bean Coffee (for that extra boost of energy), Nike+ Fuelband (to count how many calories one can burn running from one premiere to another), HP Slate 7 tablet (because it’s much easier to carry than a laptop, and just as useful for blogging on the go), and lots more. Needless to say, with thoughtful gift bag contents that are actually helpful during TIFF, Essentials Lounge was a lifesaver for many bloggers and media types covering the festival this year.

2. Variety Studio

susan-sarandon-tiff-2013-moroccanoil

While Variety Studio, hosted by Holt Renfrew and sponsored by brands like MoroccanOil and British Airways isn’t a gifting lounge per se, it was definitely a place to be during the festival. Where else could you watch Susan Sarandon get an intense MoroccanOil hand massage (smells and feels amazing) while holding her dog Penny in her lap, Michael Fassbender (whom I actually missed AGAIN!) getting his flirt on, Jude Law eating brownies on the couch, Matthew McConaughey storming into the room and greeting everyone in his thick Texan drawl, Abigail Breslin talking about her “guy” and looking all grown up while also enjoying a MoroccanOil treatment…I mean, the room was swimming with celebs for days, and I was super lucky to have been able to get a glimpse at what goes on behind the scenes. Plus, Jared Leto smiled at me and I chatted with Demian Bichir, so there’s that.

TIFF-2013-Michael-Fassbender-Variety-Studio-Holt-Renfrew-MoroccanOil

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

Events, Fashion Alicia Cox Thompson, Andrew Lovesey, Debra Goldblatt-Sadowsi, Elizabeth Grant, Essentials Lounge, Esther Garnick PR, HP, Leesa Butler, Michael Fassbender, Mila Kunis, MoroccanOil, NKPR, NKPR IT Lounge, Sally Hershberger, Shoppers Drug Mart, Stylist Box, Susan Sarandon, Tastemakers Lounge, The Suite, TIFF, TIFF 2013, TIFF Suite 2013, Variety Studio

TIFF 2012: Inside TIFF Gifting Lounges

19 September, 2012 Nelia

tiff-tastemakers-lounge

As promised, here’s a little insider’s look into the world of TIFF gifting lounges! And let me tell you, it’s good to be a celebrity, visiting Toronto, and being showered with gifts and pampered to the max! And sometimes other lucky lounge guests enjoy the perks…and then blog all about it! Enjoy!

1. Tastemakers Lounge

The first lounge I visited this year was rock-it promotion’s Tastemakers Lounge. And I was definitely in good company! This year, celebs like Emily Blunt, Kristen Stewart, Adrian Grenier, and Eli Roth stopped by to check out the goodies and get refreshed.

tiff-tastemakers-lounge-adrian-grenier

And there was no shortage of goodies…from sexy La Senza underthings, to stylish Yorkdale offerings (Tiffany’s, anyone?), to yummy Popchips, to even yummier Demeter Fragrances, we could hardly keep up!

tiff-tastemakers-lounge

There were also fun and useful Bobble bottles with built-in filters, sweets from Le Dolci, skin rescue from Indeed Labs (yes, please!), and manpering (man pampering) from John Allan’s! Just like interior designer Hilary Farr, I got my nails did, courtesy of imPRESS, grabbed a hot tea from the Tea Emporium, and went back to work, weighed down by a heavy swag bag. Wish I had an entourage to help me out.

tiff-tastemakers-lounge

Read on for more TIFF swag!

[Read more…]

Beauty, Events, Fashion, Freebies, Shopping Adrian Grenier, Agyness Deyn, Beauty, CANFAR, EGPR, Essentials Lounge, Events, Freebies, Good Cause, Hilary Farr, Milos Raonic, NKPR, NKPR IT Lounge, Patrick Demarchelier, rock-it promotions, Shopping, Tastemakers Lounge, TDot TV Lounge, TIFF, TIFF 2012, Yasmin Warsame, Yorkdale

TIFF 2012: Patrick Demarchelier at the NKPR IT Lounge!

8 August, 2012 Nelia

patrick-demarchelier-BazaarUS-1992-09

After weeks of rumours, it has finally been confirmed! Iconic French photographer Patrick Demarchelier is going to set up a photo studio at the NKPR IT Lounge during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival! Having been lucky enough to check out the awesome lounge last year, and knowing how cozy and intimate it is, I can’t help but get super excited at even the remote possibility of being shot by Patrick-freaking-Demarchelier!

Will this crazy dream come true? I guess we’ll find out in September!

Photo Credits: Patrick Demarchelier for Harper’s Bazaar

Events, Fashion NKPR, NKPR IT Lounge, Patrick Demarchelier, TIFF, TIFF 2012

Shopping: Kobo Wi-Fi Touch

7 October, 2011 Nelia

The other day, as I was passing through The Bay, I noticed…Christmas ornaments peeking out from behind the curtain! GASP! It feels like summer just packed up its bags, and already there’s Halloween-a-palooza all over the place, and apparently Christmas on its heels.

While browsing NKPR TIFF IT Lounge offerings back in September, I walked away with an amazing gift – Kobo Wi Fi Touch! If, like me, you want to get your Christmas shopping done sooner rather than later, I want to make sure that you check out the Kobo Wi Fi Touch ($139), and consider giving it to a book lover in your life. They really might not know what they are missing!

Though originally, I balked at the idea of owning any type of e-reader. I cannot express how much love I have for my new Kobo! I still love the smell, feel, and look of real books, and I definitely own my fair share. But living in the city, though has its privileges, leaves very little room for an extensive personal library. Kobo solves that problem! My 2GB version has room for around 1000 books on it. That’s right. ONE THOUSAND BOOKS in one tiny little reader! Which also is quite a relief…because I hate lugging heavy books in my bag!

Kobo is stylish, lightweight, super-portable, easy to use, and it will actually make you read more. How? Well, simply because e-books are much cheaper than regular books. Had it not been for Kobo, I would never have discovered The Maze Runner trilogy by James Dashner! If you loved The Hunger Games, you will LOVE The Maze Runner! I tore through the first two books (The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials) in days on my Kobo, and finished reading the advanced copy of The Death Cure soon after. Fast-paced, thrilling, full of mysteries, and downright scary at times – The Maze Runner trilogy was an awesome read, that I did not want to put down, and with the final book coming out on October 11th – you really should get reading. You won’t have to suffer the painful wait for the next book to come out – you can read them back to back!

More after the jump!

[Read more…]

Gadgets, Shopping books, Daniel H. Wilson, Gadgets, James Dashner, Kobo, NKPR, NKPR IT Lounge, Robopocalypse, Shopping, The Death Cure, The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials

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WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…

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