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You Are Invited: Power Ball XX – Carousal


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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You Are Invited: Hermès Toronto Sale 2018

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If you’re a fan of Hermès, do I have good news for you!!! After skipping a few years, the Hermès Canada Silk and Accessories charity sale is finally going to happen next month! With proceeds going to support the Ross Tilley Burn Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital, this highly-anticipated sale is sure to be an event you won’t want to miss. Considering that this used to be a biennial event, and more than two years have passed since the last sale, my hope is that the selection is going to be even better than in prior years. If you haven’t been to an Hermès charity sale before, you can read some of my “been-there-done-that” tips and more details after the jump. You will want to come prepared, trust me!
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You Are Invited: CHANEL Coco Game Center at Holt Renfrew in Toronto

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If you live in Toronto, I have great news for you! The new CHANEL Coco Game Center has arrived at Holt Renfrew Bloor Street and will be open until April 15th. This amazing CHANEL Beauty pop-up features actual arcade games you can play, while getting acquainted with the brand’s latest beauty launches like the new Rouge Coco Lip Blush ($37) – a versatile product that you can use on your lips and your cheeks for a pop of colour and hydration, and available in 6 covetable shades.

While at the Coco Game Center, you can play The Bubble Game for a chance to win Hydra Beauty skincare samples, express services, and one-of-a-kind gifts, take The Beauty Ride in the Coco Car, take a break at The CHANCE Lounge to discover the various facets of CHANCE fragrances (my personal fave is Eau Vive!), and of course, play Rouge Coco – The Game where you can win prizes and get a lippie touch-up while you’re at it.

Coco Game Center was inspired by the playful arcades of Japan, and so far, only Tokyo and Toronto get to experience everything Coco Game Center has to offer. How cool is that?! Along with the fun games and installations, you can get personalized consultations, touch-ups, and beauty recommendations from the CHANEL beauty experts, and of course everything in the beautiful pop-up is extremely photogenic and instagrammable.

Coco Game Center will be open until April 15th, so you have less than a month to enjoy this amazing CHANEL Beauty experience! Game on!

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More after the jump!
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You Are Invited: H&R Block Twitter Chat


For someone who runs her own business (this little blog right here) and has a full time job, tax season can be a great source of stress and anxiety. How do I maximize my savings? Can I expense certain things? Do I have enough time to file? There are so many things to consider, and even though I actually work in accounting (not tax accounting), I still turn to experts at H&R Block to help me with my taxes and put my mind at ease.

If you’re a freelancer, a small business owner, or just a person who needs help with their taxes, then I invite you to join me and the tax-superstars from H&R Block on Tuesday, March 6th at 7pm EST for a Twitter Chat about tax prep options, changes to Canadian tax rules, and all things tax-related. If you have questions for H&R Block tax experts, then this is your chance to clear up any tax confusion, and maybe win some cool prizes while you’re at it. That’s right, we will be giving away five $100 gift cards, and one $250 gift card to our lucky Twitter Chat participants. All you have to do is join the conversation on March 6th between 7pm-8pm EST with hashtag #GetWhatsYours, and you’ll be automatically entered to win. Make sure to mark your calendars, you won’t want to miss out on free tax advice and awesome prizes!

WHAT: H&R Block Twitter Chat
WHEN: March 6th at 7pm-8pm EST
DETAILS: Use #GetWhatsYours to be entered to win one of 5 $100 gift cards, or a grand prize of 1 $250 gift card.

Official Rules after the jump!
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Do Not Miss – Sofia Coppola: A Name of Her Own


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!



You Are Invited: Power Ball XIX – Stereo Vision



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

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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What I Wore: Cat’s Pajamas

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As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ve been obsessed with this Drake’s for J.Crew pajama outfit for a while now, so, of course, as soon as the collection landed in stores, I snapped it up. And while most people wouldn’t consider wearing silk pajamas to a fancy party, I wore mine to the Nordstrom Eaton Centre store opening, and spent the night saying “thank you”, because this outfit was a huge hit. Props to J.Crew for making a comfy outfit look and feel so exquisite.

But enough about my amazing PJs, let’s talk about Nordstrom! That store is a joy to shop in, and I’m really excited about its arrival in Toronto (they carry Madewell, y’all!). With a stunning shoe department full of both high-end and more affordable designer names, several fancy boutiques like Miu Miu and Loewe, a monogramming station (something I’ll surely be using come Christmas shopping season), an Alexander Wang shop-in-shop, and my new obsession – Sugarfina candy (the Jamaican Rum Snowballs are thebomb.com), this store has become my must-visit in the city, and pretty soon, there’s going to be a second location at Yorkdale Shopping Centre!

If you’d like to celebrate the opening of Nordstrom’s second Toronto location, make sure to grab your tickets before they sell out! The Nordstrom Yorkdale Shopping Centre Gala will take place on October 19th at 7pm, and gala proceeds will be donated to several charitable foundations. More details can be found here. See you there?

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More after the jump!
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You Are Invited: TIFF Soirée with Michael Fassbender

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TIFF time is the best time to be in Toronto, and what better way to kick off the festival than at TIFF Soirée on September 7th with actor extraordinaire Michael Fassbender as the guest of honour?! In case you’re not familiar with what TIFF Soirée is all about, I asked maxine bailey, the Vice-President of Advancement for TIFF, to share her thoughts on what to wear to this gala and why TIFF Soirée is a not-to-be-missed event this September.

TIFFSummerSoiree4_ Courtesy of Georgia Esporlas for TIFF
Q: What is your inspiration for this year’s TIFF Soirée Outfit?
A: Comfortable Glamour. Is that a thing? If it is, I’m going for it. TIFF Soirée is ALL about dressing up, but making sure my feet comfortably make it through the following 11 days. Lashes, big hair, sparkles and glitter, AND, comfy shoes. After all, this is the launch of our 41st Toronto International Film Festival and a fundraising gala to support our year-round outreach activities the other 354 days.
Q: Does the choice of a special guest influence your style decisions for the event?
A: I believe, most of the men and women in attendance, will be dressing for our fabulous guest of honour, Mr. Michael Fassbender. I mean, who wouldn’t. Mr. Fassbender makes you want to up the ante!

Q: What makes TIFF Soirée one of the best galas of the festival?
A: It’s a fantastic kick-off to the Festival, it gives you a sense of all that is to come for the next 11 days! And, much more importantly, funds raised from this event enable TIFF to reach out to youth in under-served communities and provide access to high-quality opportunities to learn about and engage with film, bringing film screenings, director discussions and workshops to community partners across the city FREE of charge through our outreach programmes. Our core outreach programs (Pocket Fund, Special Delivery, Reel Comfort) emphasize access, inclusion and diversity.
Q: Is it important for you to incorporate Canadian-designed clothes into your TIFF Soirée look?
A: Absolutely. For the 7th year in a row, I’m working closely with my lovely co-designer, Susan Dicks, who makes the bulk of my Festival clothing. It’s important for me to feel and look good as we race through those 11 action-packed days so leading up to the Festival, I scour fabric stores and land on the doorstep of Susan’s studio with ideas, Pinterest pics, and tons of ambition.

And there you have it, if you love Michael Fassbender, would like to contribute to future TIFF initiatives, and can’t wait to dress up to celebrate the 41st Toronto International Film Festival, then you should definitely attend the TIFF Soirée on September 7th. The evening will start with an exclusive onstage conversation at TIFF Bell Lightbox, followed by a rooftop cocktail party…and of course, Michael Fassbender will be there too. Tickets are still available and can be purchased HERE. See you there?

TIFF SOIREE 09-09-2015_credit_Tara Noelle for TIFF
More photos from past TIFF Soirées after the jump!
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You Are Invited: Best Buy Life & Wearable Tech Expo and Fashion Show

best buy life and wearable tech expo 2016
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

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