Cajun Food Counteracts Crazy Cold

12 / 12 / 1312 / 13 / 13

The Lodge at Whitefish Lake is full of photo opportunities. Including this spot on the second floor, giving you a wonderful view of the main lobby. If I wasn’t so obsessed about getting the right shot of this shirt from Forever 21 (with Victoria Secret’s leopard print peeking through) I’d probably take a sneak peek at that moose smiling on the wall downstairs.If you’re worried that I won’t survive the record-breaking frigid temperatures in a sequin mini skirt, fishnets and a see-through shirt, don’t. (Mom, I’m talking to you.) These Michael Kors boots come with detachable sheepskin. Very sensible for this weather.And with the Lodge’s valet keeping my car warm by a roaring fire, the temperature just isn’t an issue…… although after admiring the Christmas decorations for, oh, 30 seconds or so, I was ready to hustle inside to dinner. I’m told that -2 Fahrenheit (-19 Celsius) is unusual for Whitefish, but it couldn’t freeze the charm of the lights overhead, which are nothing compared to what they’ll be on December 13, when the cars clear out of Central Avenue for the annual Christmas Stroll and tree lighting ceremony.Inside Tupelo Grille, the art almost distracted me from my rumbling tummy. Call me a populist, but I love me some Blue Dog. I first discovered George Rodrigue’s cute canine in a Carmel, California gallery and have been hooked ever since. The Cajun connection (George is from Louisiana) makes sense at a restaurant known for its New Orleans cuisine.The room itself has nooks and crannies character, including a back booth you have to shimmy along the bench to get to the end. And oh — the food was fab. The shrimp and crawfish cakes were my fave delish dish of the night. And fyi, if you want skinny fries to be part of your steak frites experience, the waiter will make it happen.Finally, if you still have an ounce (have I ever mentioned how anti-metric I am?) of strength left after Day 1 on your Whitefish Winter Weekend that includes a multi-national road trip to get here, make a stop at the Ultimate Safeway. I wish they had a Safeway this deluxe in Calgary. Just a few blocks south of Montana’s vintage village on US 93, this gourmet haven is open 24/7. More importantly, it has a wonderful vino selection to stock that duo-temperature-zone wine cellar back in your room at the Lodge.

Next up: opening day at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Blue Besos Goes To Whitefish!

12 / 11 / 1312 / 11 / 13

Driving into Whitefish, Montana in December is like driving into a ski town postcard from the Seventies, as long as you substitute cowboy hats for toques and save the melted fromage for cheeseburgers instead of fondue.Nestled in the Northern Montana Rockies just 25 miles from Glacier National Park, Whitefish is a destination that keeps adrenalin junkies sated year-round. But even if you don’t come to Whitefish for an Official Activity, you could happily while away the hours in the town center, brimming with independently owned shops, untouched by McDonalds, Starbucks or Walmart. This particular weekend, the weather is more winter than wonderland, so window-shopping isn’t the most comfortable option……unless you have a natural fur coat, like this guy loitering on Central Avenue in front of Montana Coffee Traders. He’s onto something, though, because a mocha stop here will help you power through any weather. And the warmth of Whitefish residents melts away any remaining frosty residue.The view is a constant reminder of why we drove six hours from Calgary to be here (the winter roads added an hour to the travel time, but the border was a breeze). Look at those untouched runs on Big Mountain. Tomorrow is the opening day of the season at Whitefish Mountain Resort.Even from the less scenic side, the Lodge at Whitefish Lake looks good. And so does the hotel’s white Suburban, which comes in handy for chauffeur-driven 3-minute jaunts to town and 10-minute drives to the hill.Inside, the lobby of the Lodge is like Christmas morning — if your Christmas morning includes a 99 room waterfront mansion. Still, it feels homey… probably because the Lodge is owned and operated by a fourth generation Montana family, the Averills.Sculptures and paintings don’t detract from the cozy feel, even though there’s enough to fill a small museum. All are discreetly for sale.The Averills take their art so seriously that even the main floor ATM blends into the aesthetic. As someone who is obsessed with aesthetic, I fully support this attention to detail. Next up: details on Whitefish at night!

AERIN Fragrance Collection

12 / 9 / 1312 / 9 / 13

With the unexpected pairing of rose and cognac, AERIN Evening Rose is not an innocent daytime dalliance for a fresh, girlish mood. It conveys a feminine knowing. Seduction. Capital W for scent of a Woman. My scent for December.Not content to rest on the Lauder family laurels, Aerin Lauder launched her own luxury lifestyle brand in 2012. Now she pushes her petal to the metal, taking her collection up a fragrant notch. AERIN introduced five perfumes in November, packaged in a bottle adorned with a gem-like stone. I’ve been wearing Evening Rose, a blend of voluptuous Rose Centifolia and Bulgarian Rose Absolute, with hints of blackberry and cognac. Deliciously decadent.

The AERIN Fragrance Collection can be found at Holt Renfrew in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

Twas The Night

12 / 3 / 132 / 9 / 14

‘Twas the night to begin Christmas shopping, and all through CORE mall,

Many creatures were stirring: hundreds of deal-seekers, big and small.

First a performance by the Calgary Philharmonic and Choir,

Underneath a tree with soon-to-be lit star on tallest spire.

Host Dan Levy, formerly of MTV’s the After Show,

Braved the red carpet, which being inside, had no snow.

Jann Arden played to a massive crowd,

In the name of 5 charities, everyone got loud.

Even the 2014 Stampede Royalty were on the go,

Western riding and jumping may be fun, but how about polo?

Media types like myself were invited to see the sight,

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

That Little Blue Box

11 / 26 / 132 / 9 / 14

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.

A Gentleman’s Drink

11 / 21 / 1311 / 20 / 15

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

11 / 19 / 1311 / 20 / 13

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

11 / 15 / 132 / 9 / 14

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

11 / 11 / 1311 / 11 / 13

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

11 / 2 / 1311 / 4 / 13

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.