When champagne, fine art and blue boxes appear in the same frame, there can only be one culprit: Tiffany & Co… The Xmas Party Edition.Audrey Hepburn’s favorite store spiced up the Christine Klassen Gallery with a bunch of media types. Even a hallway can be festive fabulous when filled with style bloggers.Moody ring (a steal at $22,000) with moody image by Michael Levin (under 10k). Both of which I’d always be in the mood for. But even the background drove my Palovian instinct into overdrive. Black Suede by Behr, fyi, paint and primer in one. Gallery Director Christine Klassen says she took the wall from white to black in 2 coats. You’re welcome, Behr.Christine seen here counseling Janelle Gillespie on her next art investment, the last consumer therapy she’ll offer in this space. She’s off to new digs on 50th Avenue SE, with the opening soiree in February.Ahi Tuna Sliders from Nicole Gourmet Catering. Delicioso.Tiffany & Co Calgary Director Elizabeth Hellebrand wears a sapphire, diamond and platinum pendant and earrings from the Cobblestone Collection. Elizabeth has a knack of placing Tiffany jewels in front of amazing backdrops… as I learned earlier this year when the Gatsby jewels toured North America.And what exactly was yours truly obsessing about here?The Atlas Collection. I tend to go for bracelets, not bangles, but these are magnificent.Tiffany must have read my mind, because look what was in the gift bag’s little blue box? Those sleek, elongated Roman numerals incorporated into the Atlas Bar Bracelet — a bangle and bracelet combined. Muchas gracias, Tiffany. Takes one to know one.
Month: November 2013
A Gentleman’s Drink
According to Frank Sinatra, whiskey is a gentleman’s drink. Frank was such a fan, his legacy guardians agreed to lend his namesake to a new offering from Jack Daniels.Tennessee’s best was on the tip of everyone’s tongues Tuesday night in Calgary, the city of choice for the Canadian debut of Sinatra Select. Thus the selected gentlemen swarming Teatro’s Opera Room. Many of them declined to refer to themselves that way, but at least they looked the part.Ryan Atkins, Alex Orlando and Scott Watson.Dan Wright of WAX and Kevin Gordon.Let’s get a side view of those super-cool specs, Dan!Mark Burkart of McKinley Burkart and Jay Cowles of Spriza.Norm Bogner of Spriza and Ryan Jennings of Jennings Wealth.In case you were wondering how to accessorize a black wedding band (sapphire with diamond) Norm prefers a Panerai timepiece. And you can never go wrong with a fistful of sour mash.Frank couldn’t make it in person, but the evening was not without crooning, thanks to V. Williams.I felt a little like ol’ Blue Eyes himself, getting hustled through the Teatro kitchen for an intimate lecture … … on the fine art of single barrel aging. Jack Daniels looked right at home in Teatro’s 10,000 bottle wine cellar.And despite the original 1911 Dominion bank vault looming behind me, I felt right at home. but I suppose 45% alcohol content accelerates that emotion. However, my Jack Daniel’s Country Club badge is 90-proof that I’ve arrived.
Fairmont Cow Wow
Fairmont Cows roamed the Oak Room tonight seeking greener pastures at the Palliser. No greenbacks here, but luckily these multi-colored mammals aren’t adverse to multi-colored money. After grazing the globe with celeb bloggers like Mr. Fab and Binzento, as well as Fairmont Chef Herbert Gradeur, they’re back home in Calgary to raise money for Ronald McDonald House of Southern Alberta. Silent auction success!
Paul Hardy’s Fashion Fete
Is that the Maharaja or designer Paul Hardy?Held at his Calgary studio, where he toils on creations for celebrity clients like Bette Midler, Sarah McLachlan and Carrie Fisher, his Halloween Fashion Fete came with a strict dress code: come as your favorite fashion icon.So it was no surprise to see Lady Gaga, James Dean and Katy Perry on the guest list.Along with Princess Diana and Sir Elton John.It made sense that Boy George would be here to DJ — not to be confused with Nathan Hedley of Formula Promotions.Kim is glowing, but Kayne looks a little pale, thanks to my flash. Please don’t get mad, Mr. West.Jenavive’s singing pipes rocked the dance floor in zebra stripes. Jean Paul Gaultier and a stylist I didn’t recognize jetted in from Vancouver for the soiree. When Stylist Guy showed me a photo of the real Stylist Dude, I realized he nailed it!But no one got my costume either. It took a lot of explaining and pointing at my now monolingual Hello sticker. But that’s the fun of Halloween: it’s the best conversation starter ever. What ARE you? Turns out magic assistant Gwyn Auger was a bunny in a top hat. Meanwhile, Mr. Hardy gives us his best side on the left. His secret two-way mirror overlooking the front door is on the right. Umm… am I not supposed to mention that, Paul?Upstairs, Mandy Stobo came as an artist.Recently of Scuba Nenshi fame, the Bad Portrait painter has been known to mix media.I couldn’t resist the ultimate party favor. Good to know that style icon Hello Kitty will be immortalized in watercolor forever… … since party pix tend to get blurry as the lights trip fantastic. Especially when you’re hanging with Gianni Versace.
Stila Inspiration
I’ve been feeling artsy lately… painting the walls, hanging pictures. Although sometimes the art ends up on the furniture. Unlike Craig Mooney, whose beautiful blue woman is lounging here, I don’t have much talent with a brush on canvas. But Stila’s new holiday collection allows me to unleash my inner artist…… makeup artist, that is.Stila’s perfectly packaged palettes dare us to color outside the lines, while keeping us prepared for any random rainstorm aiming for our eyelids. You can pencil a fine line easily with these eyeliners. Or if you happen to have the shakes (too much coffee, too much morning after the night before — it happens) go ahead and smudge it for a sexy come-hither effect.This glossy lip gloss set comes chock full of 3 separate trio packs, in Reds, Pinks and Neutrals. So many that you can give some as stocking stuffers. Or keep them all for your own personal multi gloss pout.And in case the cover art on this lip and cheek palette (top photo) didn’t inspire, flip the lid to prose up and color yourself pretty.
TopShopTopia
The first TOPSHOP in Alberta has arrived.300+ people patiently waited their turn to pour through the newly opened doors this morning. But even with the most enthusiastic response to a TOPSHOP debut in Canada, the senior events and marketing manager tells me they still need to create more brand awareness.Steph Hoff whisks me away to the personal shopping room so we can chat.”We’re not really in-your-face billboard advertising,” she says. “It’s more organic, through social media and word of mouth.” Besides prepping for the opening event, the marketing team spent nine days partying in YYC — in the name of research. “To understand what the environment is like, understand what the people are like.”Like the flagship stores in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, the Calgary location will feature premium collections, collaborations and limited edition products. And that super VIP-yet-free personal shopping room. Which, I should mention, has a good-sized stash of cupcakes.In the denim dreams department: my hunt for the ultimate classic jean jacket may be over. You can find TOPSHOP in all its two-story glory attached to Hudson’s Bay, at the south end of the mall.