You Are Invited

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

You Are Invited: TIFF Oscars Viewing Party 2019

22 February, 2019 Nelia

This year’s Academy Awards seem especially unpredictable. First, Kevin Hart was cancelled as the host, then several categories weren’t going to be presented on TV, before the Academy re-instated them back to prime time, not to mention all of the controversy surrounding audience faves Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody. For the first time in 30 years, the Oscars will go on without a host, and to mark such a historical occasion, why not join other cinephiles at the TIFF Oscars Viewing Party?! With plenty of Oscars-themed drinks and award-worthy snacks, an Oscars pool, and an occasion to dress up on Oscars night…it’s going to be a night to remember. Sadly, I am out of town, and won’t be able to attend, but you still can!

WHEN: Sunday, February 24
Pre-show: 6:30pm
Telecast: 8pm–12am
TIFF Bell Lightbox

Photo Credits: Time Magazine

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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You Are Invited: Hermès Toronto Sale 2018

26 April, 2018 Nelia

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

15 March, 2018 Nelia

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!

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

2 March, 2018 Nelia

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

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!

You Are Invited: Power Ball XIX – Stereo Vision

26 May, 2017 Nelia

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

18 January, 2017 Nelia

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

11 October, 2016 Nelia

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?