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You Are Invited: Power Ball XIX – Stereo Vision

26 May, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

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

25 May, 2017 Nelia 2 Comments

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

18 April, 2017 Nelia 4 Comments

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.

More after the jump!
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You Are Invited: CHANEL COCO CAFÉ at Holt Renfrew in Toronto

2 March, 2017 Nelia 2 Comments

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.

More after the jump!
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You Are Invited: TIFF Cinematheque Presents Volcano: The Films of Anna Magnani

18 January, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

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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You Are Invited: Best Buy Life & Wearable Tech Expo and Fashion Show

23 August, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

Sponsored Post
Do you remember The Jetsons? I used to watch that cartoon as a kid, dreaming of flying cars and helpful robots, thinking that it was all just a far-fetched fantasy. Well, in many ways, the future is here. Though we still don’t have flying cars, and only some people have robots in their houses, wearable tech is everywhere from smartwatches to wearable cameras, to virtual reality headsets – there are gadgets out there that we could only dream of just a decade ago. And if wearable tech is something that interests you (and if you live in Toronto), you should definitely stop by the Best Buy Life & Wearable Tech Expo and Fashion Show at Yonge and Dundas Square this Thursday. The expo is a full day interactive event, showcasing the latest wearable tech available at Best Buy.

I’m already a huge fan of Fitbit Alta, but I can’t wait to learn more about gadgets like Muse Brain-Sensing Headband, iON SnapCam, and Smart Rope! The event will include demos, panel discussions, a fashion show, and some cool surprises. If you can’t attend in person, make sure to follow hashtag #LifeandTech on Twitter. See you on Thursday!

EVENT: Best Buy Life & Wearable Tech Expo and Fashion Show
WHERE: Yonge and Dundas Square, Toronto
WHEN: August 25th, 2016 11am-9pm

Photo Credits: Best Buy Plug In Blog

You Are Invited: Power Ball 2016 – Pleasure Principle

26 May, 2016 Nelia 1 Comment

We are less than a week away from Power Ball XVIII: Pleasure Principle aka one of the best art parties of the year in support of The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery. If you know me, you know that I do not enjoy most galas, but Power Ball definitely falls into the DO NOT MISS category. Last year’s Power Ball XVII: Appetite for Excess was ridiculously fun – with over-the-top food displays (think story-high pastry towers, humongous loafs of bread, octopus chandeliers, and white-gloved hands popping up from tables to feed the attendees), colourful ball pits, and so many more exciting art installations. This year’s theme invites guests to explore their desires through various art-filled spaces at the gallery.

“VIP ticket holders start the evening at 7 p.m. with modernist cocktails prepared by BarChef, and a special production by New York-based artist Ryan McNamara. Remaining spaces open at 9 p.m., showcasing work by several Canadian artists including an opium den installation by Karen Tam and an exploration of (over)stimulation and sensuality by Laura Kikauka, among many other works. Chicago house music pioneer DJ Mark Farina and two of Toronto’s most talked about DJs, Teo Nio and CRSB, will provide musical entertainment throughout the evening. Max Mara will also have an on-site presence throughout the event with visual installations that represent the brand’s heritage, as well as performances by contemporary ballet dancer and choreographer Javon Jones, winner of the Max Mara Young Visionary Award for the National Young Arts Foundation.” Sounds pretty amazing, non?

Considering this year’s theme, I feel like I can probably get away with wearing the same dress I wore last year…and while I am certainly tempted, I am still on the hunt for something else to wear. Right now, I am thinking feathers, velvet, chokers, body chains and sexy heels. If you’re stumped for ideas, I put together a list of my fave Power Ball-inspired pieces below.

Tickets are still available HERE, and if you’ve never been to Power Ball before, I highly recommend this event as a date night, girls night out, or just a fun and fancy outing on a Thursday night. Pro tip: make sure to take Friday off, because going home early is not an option. See you there?

WHAT: Power Ball XVIII: Pleasure Principle
WHEN: June 2nd, 2016 at 7pm (VIP), 9pm (General)
WHERE: The Power Plant, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto
TICKETS: www.thepowerplant.org