We LOVE: A R C H I V E S

If you haven’t heard about A R C H I V E S – it is a luxury, designer jewellery store located adjacent to the new flagship Four Seasons in Yorkville at 1275 Bay Street, Toronto.

Afternoon Tea at  A R C H I V E S

The one-of-a-kind jewellery boutique brings together unique and beautiful pieces from designers all over the world. The owner and designer, Jaleh Farhadpour, is a true visionary and has compiled a collection of pieces that bridge classic opulence and contemporary style in a unique urban space. Farhadpour’s collections in A R C H I V E S are inspired by her time abroad. Not only has she lived in several countries including Dubai, France, England and the United States, before moving to Toronto in 1988 but she travels all around the world to find stunning pieces and along the way, found inspiration herself.

Farhadpour journeyed to Sri Lanka in 2005 to aid in the humanitarian effort after the devasting tsunami. While staying in an ashram, she spotted locals working with gems and stones to fashion jewellery. Farhadpour then began to research the healing powers ascribed to each stone before purchasing a large bulk of them that would eventually be reimagined into her luxurious and striking collection now available at A R C H I V E S.

Three stunning rings by Jaleh Farhadpour- top of my Christmas list!

In addition to the owner’s design, the store showcases a variety of international designers, many of whom are only available in Canada at this location. As most girls do, I swoon at the sight of diamonds and gems and A R C H I V E S  provides an avid Canadian jewellery lover with access to a finely curated collection that would be otherwise inaccessible. I attended their champagne drop in a few weeks ago and have been raving about it ever since. Luckily, on Saturday I was invited back for a civilized afternoon tea to try on some of the exquisite pieces and take some photos. Here are a few of my favourite pieces from the store:

Favourite Bag

Les Petits Joueurs //  Italy

This playful contemporary clutch is designed by Les Petits Joueurs.The modern design, eclectic style and colourful hues couple to make Les Petits Joueurs’ bags playful yet refined. The Grace Lolita bag, pictured above, is handcrafted by Florentine aritsans from plexi and real LEGO pieces.

Favourite Hat

High Spirits // Toronto

A R C H I V E S showcases local hat designs by High Spirits. The Toronto based designers opt for subtle delicate accents, like the amethyst attached to the one above, that make a statement.

Favourite Ring

Delfina Delettrez // Italy

The one-of-a kind Delfina Delettrez diamond encrusted stingray ring is just breathtaking, an exclusive to A R C H I V E S. Delettrez, a member of the Fendi family, is a young designer sweeping the world with her modern and “kinetic” pieces. With fans from Beyonce to Katy Perry, it is no wonder that Delettrez is the youngest designer included in the permanent collection of fine jewellery at the Louvre’s Musée des Arts Decoratifs.

Favourite Earcuff 

Cristina Oritz // Spain

Cristina Oritz’ fantastical designs are reminiscent of a coupling of femininity and power. They are strong, metal accented with diamonds, and highlight the natural silhouettes of the areas they adorn. Oritz, previously Design Director at Prada and Creative Director at Salvatore Ferragamo, has a long history with the fashion industry but only recently branched out on her own as a jewellery designer. This ear cuff, worn by Blake Lively and Alessandra Ambrosio, is a part of Oritz’ premier jewellery collection and is definitely one of my favourite pieces in A R C H I V E S.

Favourite Necklace 

Iradj Moini // America

Persian designer Iradj Moini has been designing pieces in New York since 1989. This particular statement necklace has been fashioned to mimic a snake embracing the neck. Several of Moini’s designs utilize the figure of a snake, I find the colours of this piece particularly encapsulating.

Favourite Eyewear

Illesteva // Italy

I’ll tell you what “i” wanna wear, this Illesteva eyewear! This particular pair of mirrored sunglasses by Illesteva caught my eye. All of the designs are functional but stylish and handmade in France and Italy. A R C H I V E S carries a broad range of sunglasses and eyewear and often there is only one pair of each, so if you make the purchase you know that you have something unique to Toronto. And you can rest easy, the price points are comparable to many other designer sunglasses brands as well!

Favourite Earrings

Jaleh Farhadpour // Canada

I couldn’t pick just one! All of these earrings have interchangeable tops and bottoms so the options are everlasting. If I ever open my own jewellery drawer and it looks like this, I will likely perish from happiness. Jaleh Farhadpour’s collection is a breathtaking composition of colour, texture and functional architectural design. BRAVO!

Now that you all know where to head (or send your most generous family members) for your Christmas shopping, I’ll leave you with some other photos to peruse from the champagne drop-in and afternoon tea.

PS, big thanks to Kate Nishida, A R C H I V E S assistant manager and PR aficionado, for all the info and photo opportunities. Also, my gorgeous dark haired Deanna for modelling in some of these pics!

     

            

      You can also see more photos and check out additional content from A R C H I V E S online on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram- @archivestoronto
And check out their website here!

Love

WE LOVE: Tiffany and Co. Holiday Campaign

With Christmas coming up just around the corner I’m hoping you all are saving your naughty till the new year.

The end of November marks the mad dash for everything holiday, your favourite coffee joints change their cups, Christmas music hits the airwaves (anyone else replaying The OC: Have a Very Merry Chrismukkah?) and window displays impart festive cheer/ impending got-to-shop stress on passerbys.

In two weeks we will bring you our gift guide, featuring the most coveted items we want under the christmas tree this year. BUT, for now we’ll just wet your appetite with a close look at what every girl wants this year… Besides Taylor Swift’s wardrobe in the new Blank Space music video.

The facade of the Tiffany’s fifth avenue flagship, inspired by an exhibit created for the Tiffany Diamond at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.
Source: Instagram

#ATIFFANYHOLIDAY

Tiffany and Co., the quintessential jewellery store based in New York City, has launched a new holiday campaign. Yes, Tiffany’s just got a whole lot cuter.

Source: Twitter

This years campaign features images of Tiffany’s jewelry juxtaposed with cartoon videos by creative design firm Ogilvy and Mathers. The videos and pictures feature iconic New York scenes, like the flagship Tiffany’s store and yellow taxi cabs and skating at the Rockefeller centre.

Source: Instagram

OUR FAVOURITE is an ad for Tiffany’s mens wallet that features two men and their son sitting around the fire and drinking hot chocolate. The caption reads, “The merrier the gentlemen, the better.” Kudos to Tiffany’s for striking hot with contemporary advertising geared towards same sex couples- we love.

Source: Twitter

So be good, because we all know good things come in blue boxes.

x

Source: Instagram

Outerwear Trends F ’14

Now that fall is fully underway, it’s evident that there is some serious variety in outerwear this season. Luckily, no matter what your style inclinations or budget there are trendy options.

1) EDGY- Leather

Mackage
$690

NOISY MAY
$105

2) CONTEMPORARY- Sherpa

Wilfred
 $275

MEXX
 $170

3) BOYFRIEND FIT – Wool

Wilfred
$325

Zara
$149

4) LUXE – Faux Fur

MARELLA
$725

Zara
$169

5) STATEMENT- Leopard Print

Dianne Von Furstenburg
$860

Topshop
$160

Now get out and enjoy the city streets and brisk weather in style.
Try to not blow your rent money to get all of these pieces into your wardrobe!

A Downtown Girl’s Guide: Grocery Shopping Tips

Call me crazy, but I absolutely love going grocery shopping. Granted, this could have something to do with the fact that I shop at Loblaw’s which happens to be conveniently connected to a massive Joe Fresh store, but I digress. There’s something about the anticipation of looking into a baron, stark white fridge, and allowing your mind to wander with the possibilities of what you could fill it with.

http://firstwefeast.com/laugh/horrors-of-empty-fridge-told-by-twitter/

There are a few small hiccups in my current situation. Firstly, I haven’t quite yet figured out the concept of budgets. Given that I’m a full time student and only working part-time, I often find myself living paycheque to paycheque, leaving little money left over for frivolous things such as food and shelter…(jokes jokes)
Secondly, I live in the very heart of downtown Toronto, with no vehicle. The closest supermarket is a solid 15 minute walk, which is fine because I like cardio just as much as the next gal. HOWEVER, it becomes a slight issue on the way home, when you have 7 bags filled with heavy food.

I want you – my dear reader – to be much more savvy than I have been. Below are my top five tips for how to survive grocery shopping downtown in the city:

#1 – If your situation is like mine and you don’t have a vehicle to use, take advantage of the public transit in your area! I used to try to tough it out, and never bothered utilizing the streetcar to get me home, but then I realized that it was definitely the best option.
– Another tip is to carpool with friends! My cousin lives across the street from me, and has kindly offered to bring me with her when she goes grocery shopping.
– Finally, you could get a different kind of wheels… in the form of a cart! My mother bought me one of these, thinking it was a great option for me to use while living downtown. She has a great point, however I feel a little like a bag lady when I’m dragging a metal cart on wheels behind me for 6 blocks.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/18378305@N00/2801885108/?rb=1

#2 – MAKE A BUDGET. I cannot stress this enough. Even if you are making very little money you need to designate it out to the different aspects of life where you will need it. For example, $110 a month for a metro pass, $80 a week on groceries, $80 monthly for cell-phone bill, $100 monthly to entertainment expenses, etc. Your budget can be whatever you wish, but it needs to exist, and be accurate. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself broke at the end of the month with absolutely no idea what you’ve spent all your hard earned money on.

http://bestfinancenetwork.com/5-tips-for-saving-money-on-grocery.html

#3 – Find one grocery store that you like, and stick with it. Make sure you take advantage of your store’s reward points/loyalty program, as most stores have these nowadays. Loblaw’s has a thing called the PC Plus card. It tracks your most frequent purchases, and offers you points if you continue to buy those things. Once you have accumulated a certain number of points it allows you to use them towards a discount on your groceries. It also has a handy-dandy app, which allows you to see your grocery list and current offers – right from your smart phone!
No matter which grocery store you shop at, make sure you have one of these cards.

http://smartcanucks.ca/loblaws-introduces-a-new-loyalty-program-pc-plus/

#4 – Don’t go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. Seriously. I know you’ve heard this time and time again, but it could not be more accurate. Studies have actually shown that buying groceries while hungry not only leads to buying more, but also encourages unhealthy food choices such as fattening, processed foods. Make a smoothie, or eat a granola bar before you go – anything to satisfy your tummy for the time being.

http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/threads/228869-Dwell-Time

#5 – While were on the subject of healthy eating – Stick to the perimeter of the store while shopping, as the foods you’ll find there are the healthiest for you! The healthiest foods are foods that are fresh, and thus, they need to be refrigerated! Refrigerators are always found on the outside of the store. Think of an upside down U shape. The middle of the store is where you’ll find processed foods, starches, etc. Foods containing preservatives that do not need to be kept fresh.

http://jaydawg808.hubpages.com/hub/Making-Smart-Choices-when-Grocery-Shopping

BONUS TIP: I often find myself buying way more fruits and vegetables than one person could possible consume. A helpful tip that I have, is to freeze fruit! When I notice that berries or bananas are a little too soft/ripe for me to want to eat, I pop them in the freezer. That way i preserve them before they go bad, and then I can use them for smoothies!

Happy & Healthy grocery shopping, friends!

Monochrome Movement

Black and white fashion is the basis of street style. Blogs, Tumblrs and coverage of fashion week show a distinct focus on monochromatic schemes. It’s easy to wear, contemporary style that is kind of badass.

Take a peek:

Source: Instagram – Vydia

Source: queenofclassy.com

Source: Tumblr

It’s easy to incorporate this trend into your style profile, try reworking a staple tee-shirt with edgy accessories.

This is my take:

L-R:  Socks, Urban Outfitters | Boots- BCBG | Lipstick – MAC Media | Skirt- H&M | Glasses – ALDO | Wallet- N/A | Shirt- Zara

    

This trend is great to rock in the city. Try it for a night out or TO A BRAND NEW RESTAURANT OPENING!

I’ll be checking out WILBUR MEXICANA opening this week at King and Brant (so YES, I’m not posting a picture of me in this outfit because it’s too hot out today- like what is this weather? It’s basically October. BUT I’ll be wearing this to Wilbur.)
http://www.wilburmexicana.com/

 Hope your Monday’s not sucking too much!

A weekend with ‘The Weeknd’: King of the Fall Tour concert review

As Torontonians, we have seen our fair share of musical talent emerge from our city’s streets. From the likes of Justin Bieber, to K-OS, Kardinal Offishall and Drake, we are lucky to live in a metropolis brimming with such musical talent.
Currently, one of my favourites has to be Abel Tesfaye (better known by his stage name as The Weeknd), a Scarborough born R&B artist and record producer.

In 2010, Abel uploaded three songs to YouTube under the name “The Weeknd”, but remained anonymous. The songs garnered attention online through word of mouth, and caught the attention of fellow Toronto rapper Drake, who helped generate hype for the newcomer.

On Sunday, Sept. 21st 2014, The Weeknd performed for a sold-out crowd in his home town, closing out the Molson Amphitheatre’s summer season with his King Of The Fall mini-tour; and let me tell you, it was one heck of a show. His energy was amazing, you could tell he was incredibly humbled to be performing for such a big crowd in the city he was born and raised in. For over two hours he performed many of his biggest hits, along with some new music too.

As amazing as The Weeknd was, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the two opening acts that stole the show. Kicking off the night was the beautiful and talented Jhené Aiko. Jhené is an up-and-coming R&B singer, who just released her second studio album, to critical acclaim. She is perhaps best known for her collaborations with other popular R&B stars such as Big Sean, Drake, Childish Gambino, & Lil Wayne. I had the pleasure of seeing her perform live at Coachella music festival this past year, so I was very excited about seeing her again. The second performance did not disappoint.

The final opening act of the night was Schoolboy Q. He performed wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs Phil Kessel jersey, and completely blew the fans away. His fast-paced beats and skilled rhyming captivated the crowd and got everyone pumped up for the show to begin.

(Jhené rocking the stage)

Overall I would absolutely give this concert a 10/10. All three of these performers are individuals who are genuinely talented up and coming artists, with miles of potential. If you haven’t heard of them, I urge you to check them out soon, because they will be the next thing.

                                 

 (rain? what rain?…….)                                             (me & a few girls at the concert)

Stay classy Toronto!

TIFF 2014: The Volunteer’s Views

From September 4^th-14^th a spotlight of arts and culture shines down on our city. TIFF has grown from its humble beginning in 1976 to become the most recognized film festival in the world, second only to Cannes. Each year thousands of locals, celebrities,directors and film buffs flock to Toronto’s downtown core for the festival. From this years new introduction of “festival street” in front of TIFF Bell Lightbox, to red carpet premiers at the Elgin Theatre and late night after parties at the Thompson Hotel- TIFF does it all.

TIFF is a not-for profit organization that seeks to promote and preserve Toronto’s arts and cultural scene. The volunteers and staff at TIFF work year round to bring the community a variety of programs including: festivals, film education and preservation, exhibitions and community outreach initiatives.

This year I became part of the festival experience when I volunteered with the marketing department. Here are 3 reasons why you should do the same next year:

• The energy is amazing! Each volunteer, industry member and guest is excited about the festival and all it has to offer.
• The films are unique. TIFF is a great chance to see a new movie or even a genre of film you might not normally be exposed to.
• The celebrities. It’s definitely cool getting to see Channing Tatum hanging at the Calvin or Jennifer Aniston stopping into Holt’s on Bloor, but ushering Martin Scorcese into a premiere tops the list.

TIFF is definitely one of the coolest things Toronto has to offer, so if you have the time during next year’s festival (or throughout the year!) I would highly recommend getting involved.

Volunteer online here:
http://www.tiff.net/join/volunteer/applyonline

Happy Saturday!