Toronto Events

What They Wore: Capsule98.com Launch Party

3 December, 2019 Nelia

For the last couple of years, I’ve been obsessed with podcasts. Whenever I’m on the subway, or walking around by myself, I’m always listening to something fun, or educational, or both. The Capsule ’98 – a ’90s nostalgia podcast by a fellow Torontonian Randi Bergman, with featured guest appearances by celebs like Dan Levy and Sarah Gadon, and icons like Jeanne Beker and costume designer Mona May – is one of my personal faves and must-listens that I never skip. Which is why I was so stoked to see it expand with a fantastic new storytelling website Capsule98.com. There are Bedroom Diaries, featuring the coolest people you wish you knew, interviews about all things ’90s with celebs like Leighton Meester, and lots more. If you’re a child of the ’90s, or you simply love everything about that decade, you should definitely dive into this time capsule of pop culture, fashion, and nostalgia, I promise, you’ll love it.

Last week, Randi invited us to celebrated the launch of Capsule98.com with an epic slumber party, and most attendees certainly got the memo! From chic PJ sets, to glam boudoir lewks, this was the chicest slumber party I’ve ever attended. Despite having perfect PJs to wear to the party, I ended up throwing on my best Empire Records inspired outfit instead (silk PJs in the winter after getting over a cold was just not going to happen), complete with a fuzzy cropped sweater, mini skirt, and a vintage backpack, while my friend Anya rocked her fave Sleepshirt. We snacked on copious amounts of candy, lounged on Casper mattresses, sipped Ace Hill radlers, and posed for glamour shots by the incredible Renata Kaveh. It was a night to remember! Luckily, photographer Mauricio Calero was there to capture it all for posterity. Click through the photos below for those fab slumber party fashions, and check out Capsule98.com for all things ’90s nostalgia.

More photos after the jump!
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You Are Invited: Art Toronto 2019

25 October, 2019 Nelia

Yesterday marked my first ever visit to Art Toronto – Canada’s international contemporary and modern art fair that was founded in 2000. I am in the process of redecorating my living room and thought this would be a great place to check out some art and get inspired. And it really (REALLY) was. There were so many participating galleries and artists from all over the world, I was determined to visit every single booth. It took a while, but I think we managed to check out everything that was on display. And while I walked away empty-handed (the Picasso print I had my eye on was just a ~~tad~~ LOT out of my price range), a lot of amazing pieces I saw (and loved) were fairly affordable.

If you are looking to add a piece of beautiful art to your collection, this fair is not to be missed! And with tickets starting at $17, Art Toronto might just be the perfect way to spend your weekend.

WHAT: Art Toronto
WHERE: Metro Toronto Convention Centre
WHEN: Oct 25-27
TICKETS: https://purchase.growtix.com/eh/Art_Toronto_2019

Image #3 – Pamila Matharu

You Are Invited: Power Ball 21 Club

24 May, 2019 Nelia

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you already know that I absolutely love Power Ball. It truly is one of the most fun Toronto fundraisers, complete with intriguing art installations, incredible food, live music, and the best outfits. And I think this year is going to be one for the books! For one, the artist line up is stacked, with artist projects by Sarah Keenlyside (at the pre-party) Bruno Billio, Chelsea Culprit, and Max Streicher (at the main event). Part of the fun of Power Ball is exploring the various installations and interacting with art, and this year’s selection of artists looks to be particularly interesting. Another reason I’m extra excited for Power Ball: 21 Club is this year’s main sponsor Holt Renfrew, which can only mean even better fashion and people-watching.

One thing I’m still unsure about this year is my outfit. With less than 2 weeks to go, I don’t have too much time to decide. This year’s theme is 21 Club, a one-night-only speakeasy, and I’m thinking slinky cami dresses, loads of pearls and fringe, or a sleek double-breasted suit with equally sleek hair. The great thing about Power Ball is that it’s completely acceptable to dress over-the-top and almost costumey, so keep that in mind when figuring out your own look. This is not the party where a boring cocktail dress will suffice. Bigger is better!

Tickets are still available, so get yours before they sell out so you can experience the one-night only art installations at the most exciting party of the year! Hope to see you there!

WHEN: June 6, 2019
WHERE: The Power Plant
231 Queens Quay West
7pm-9pm – Pre-party
9pm-Late – Main party

What They Wore: Holt Renfrew H Project Uncrate Southeast Asia

8 March, 2019 Nelia

To celebrate the launch of H Project Uncrate Southeast Asia collection, Holt Renfrew threw a fab cocktail party hosted by Alexandra Weston, and complete with delicious (and almost too pretty to eat) bites by Chef Nuit Regular of Kiin, a special performance by Toronto Thai Dance Troupe, DJ Karim Olen Ash on the turntables, and some of Toronto’s best-dressed in attendance. 10% from all sales during the event was donated to Room to Read, a non-profit organization focused on girls’ education and literacy in Southeast Asia.

We got to check out the impressive newly-renovated H Project space on the third floor of the Bloor Street flagship, and of course, shop the new arrivals from the Uncrate Southeast Asia capsule. There were so many things to love – from stunning Kalita dresses, to chic Angelys Balek swimsuits, to adorable plush toys by Cambodia Knits. The Uncrate Southeast Asia collection highlights almost 20 brands like Beachgold, Kayu, Kandila Co, The Brave Collection, Girlfriend Collective and many more, with socially responsible products that are made with sustainable materials, produced by local artisans and communities. Beautiful products that create positive change in the world? What’s not to love?!

You can now shop Holt Renfrew’s Uncrate Southeast Asia collection in store at Bloor Street, Yorkdale, Square One, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and online until mid-summer.

More after the jump!
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You Are Invited: Hermès Carré Club in Toronto

27 September, 2018 Nelia

Having just returned from the Hermès Carré Club media preview, I have to say…you’re in for a treat! This weekend, you too can experience the unforgettable Hermès pop-up, celebrating its infamous square silk scarves. From the awe-inspiring Carré Studio where you can watch the scarf designers at work, to the Carré Café where you can grab a coffee at one of the chic square tables, to Carrémania where you can discover the Hermès Carré Club capsule collection with limited edition scarves, there’s so much to do and explore, you won’t want to leave. And the best thing is…it’s absolutely free to attend! But don’t sleep on this one, the pop-up will be open to the public for 2 days only. Go ahead, get carré’d away!

WHEN: Sep 28-30, 2018
11am-7pm
WHERE: 151 Bloor St W., Toronto

What They Wore: YSL Beauty Hotel Party

19 September, 2018 Nelia

YSL Beauty Hotel opened its chic doors in Toronto last week for two days of instagrammable installations, beauty discoveries, and a digital pop-up shop. With previous stops in Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul and New York, Toronto was chosen as the second North American location for this cool experience, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Guests were treated to makeup touch-ups, YSL temporary tattoos, fun photobooth, lipstick engraving station, and even a claw machine. Sadly, I am terrible at claw machines, and didn’t end up winning anything, but I did have fun with the digital pop-up shop. With just a few clicks, guests were able to virtually try the latest YSL Beauty launches through YouCam makeup app, with looks ranging from subtle to bold. With both floors packed with beauty lovers, the rest of the night was a bit of a blur. But thankfully, I have my newly-engraved Rogue Pur Couture The Slim to remember this cool event by.

Did you visit the YSL Beauty Hotel in Toronto or in another city? What did you think? Share in the comments.

More photos after the jump!
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You Are Invited: Louis Vuitton Time Capsule Exhibition in Toronto

6 September, 2018 Nelia

If you’re a fan of Louis Vuitton, then you cannot miss the brand’s beautiful Time Capsule exhibition at Toronto’s Union Station. Running from Sep 7th and until Sep 30th, Time Capsule revisits the brand’s history of design innovation from 1854 to the present, showcasing a curated selection of old and new objects from the Louis Vuitton archive. Once you’ve traveled in time, you can shop a variety of Louis Vuitton items – from books to perfume – at the small Louis Vuitton pop-up located inside Union station.

The exhibition has traveled to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Berlin, Singapore, Dubai, Shanghai, Melbourne, Madrid, Osaka and Los Angeles. The Toronto exhibition commemorates Louis Vuitton’s 35th anniversary in the city.

When:
09.07.18 – 09.30.18
Monday – Friday 9am – 9pm
Saturday – Sunday 11am – 9pm

Where:
Union Station
Sir John A. Macdonald Plaza
65 Front St W, Toronto

Free Admission

#LVTimecapsule

You Are Invited: Power Ball XX – Carousal

10 May, 2018 Nelia

Now that we’ve covered the amazingness that was the Met Gala, let’s talk about a party we can all attend without needing to shell out $30,000 per ticket (!!!), one of Toronto’s most fun/fab/artsy fundraisers – Power Ball! Power Ball, presented by Max Mara is truly a not-to-be-missed fundraiser, with interactive art, an abundance of delicious food, and some great outfit-watching. Over the years I’ve seen some outrageously well-dressed attendees at Power Ball, with the best-dressed usually embracing the year’s theme with enthusiasm and creativity. Here’s hoping this year is no exception.

Carousal
noun. 1. a noisy or drunken feast or social gathering; revelry.
The theme of Power Ball XX is Carousal, which I find to be pretty open to interpretation. The official description and the poster seem to lean into the direction of Carnival/Circus, with the image showing a mermaid, belly dancers, magicians, and acrobats, but there’s always the “arousal” part of “carousal” if you wanted to take that direction instead. Here’s the official description:

“Come celebrate Power Ball’s twenty-year standing as the art world’s unofficial adult funland Thursday, 31 May 2018 and join us under the big top of The Power Plant for a carnivalesque mashup of art, edibles, waggishness and tomfoolery.
Revel in Power Ball’s decades’ old tradition of naughtiness, titillating discoveries and mischievous provocation as the gallery is transformed into a transitory space of circusry fit for the party’s big, bacchanalian birthday bash—all in support of the ambitious exhibitions and programming at The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery.”

I still haven’t made up my mind on what exactly I’m going to wear…perhaps some Circus-inspired black and white stripes, or a nude slip dress with a ton of jewellery, or maybe something red and overtly sexy. There’s still time to decide, so I am not in panic mode just yet. I also put together a few of my fave dresses (after the jump) that could fit this year’s theme, in case you too need a bit of inspo. And in case you were curious, here’s what I wore last year to Power Ball XIX – Stereo Vision, and a couple more outfits I wore in the years before that.

Have you ever attended Power Ball? What are you going to wear? Share in the comments and see you at The Power Plant!

WHEN: May 31, 2018, 9pm-late
WHERE: The Power Plant, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto
TICKETS: $175 (Power Ball Party), $500 (Power Ball Pre-Party and Party)
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Holidays 2017: Bacardi Party Bus with Luis Fonsi in Toronto

14 December, 2017 Nelia

Thanks to my college years in Houston, I have a special fondness for Latin music, so when the Bacardi team invited me to a holiday party hosted by Luis Fonsi, I replied as quickly as I could type. And while most people probably know him as the Despacito singer, my love for Fonsi’s music goes back to 2003 and his fifth album Abrazar La Vida (give Quien Te Dijo Eso a listen if you like heart-wrenching ballads in Spanish), so I was super excited about this event.

The pre-party was held at Baro with plenty of delicious Bacardi Holiday Mojitos and Latin-inspired nibbles. Food and drinks kept on coming even after we boarded the party bus – decked out with fun Christmas decorations and stocked with yummy Coquito cocktails served in coconuts. Once Luis Fonsi joined us on the bus, the party really kicked off – people were dancing, taking photos with the Despacito singer, belting out Christmas songs, all while enjoying their cocktails and touring Toronto’s most famous landmarks. It was a little surreal to be sure – I mean how often do you find yourself sitting next to an award-winning singer on a bus?! He did seem to enjoy himself – sipping on Bacardi cocktails and singing along to *NSYNC’s Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays song (fun fact: Fonsi and Joey Fatone used to be in a musical group together back in high school).

Eventually we had to let Fonsi go, but not before one last dance with the iconic Andrea Bolley. What a fun way to celebrate the holiday season! And while we can’t have Luis Fonsi partying with us every day, we sure can make those delicious cocktails and infuse some warmth into the freezing December nights. Find the Bacardi holiday recipes after the jump (my fave is Coquito – it’s creamy and sweet, while the Holiday Mojito is nice and refreshing), and impress all of your friends with delicious cocktails at your next holiday party. Feliz Navidad!

Bacardi Holiday Recipes and more photos after the jump!
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Do Not Miss – Sofia Coppola: A Name of Her Own

12 December, 2017 Nelia

I’ve been meaning to post about TIFF’s latest program Sofia Coppola: A Name of Her Own for a while now, but December and the holidays got in the way. Thankfully, it’s not too late for you to catch 3 more Coppola films at the TIFF Bell Lightbox this weekend. Say what you will about Coppola, but the woman has a very specific vision for her films, and just like Wes Anderson’s pastel-coloured dreamland movies, Coppola’s films transport you to a highly-stylized version of the world as she imagines it.

And while my favourite movie she’s directed so far is Lost in Translation, I adore Marie Antoinette for its decadent costumes, stunning scenery, and the unexpected New Wave soundtrack – this movie is just so much fun to watch. And if you’re a fashion lover, you must watch this movie on the big screen – after all, costume designer Milena Canonero won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for creating the exquisite costumes for this film.

You can see the schedule and buy tickets for the remaining films from the Sofia Coppola: A Name of Her Own here. Share your fave Coppola movie in the comments!