That’s right! The Holiday season is now upon us and we can’t help but embrace it with all of the fun upcoming events to help us get in the festive spirit!
What better way to kick-off the holiday season than with Swarovski at one of Canada’s most iconic heritage buildings? Join us at Union Station for the official unveiling of this year’s Swarovski Holiday Tree on Friday, November 16th starting at 5:00 pm. Liz Trinnear will be hosting an official lighting countdown ceremony, holiday mingle AND a special live performance from TD Music!
BONUS: Snap a pic of the iconic holiday tree and tag @Swarovski@TorontoUnion and #BrillianceForAll #UnionHoliday – the best post will win a $1,000 shopping spree. Download full contest rules and regulations here.
The amazing Spanish shoe designer, Manolo Blahnik, is now in Toronto for his final stop of the travelling exhibiton, Manolo Blahnik: The Art of Shoes! After visits in Milan, Saint Petersburg, Prague and Madrid, the retrospective exhibit is making its only North American stop at the Bata Shoe Museum. The exhibition opened to the public on May 16th, 2018 and runs through until January 6th, 2019.
For over 45 years, Manolo Blahnik’s creativity has labeled his inventions as somewhere between fashion and art. Mr. Blahnik will be showcasing his designs from the early 1970’s to modern day. The exhibit explores 200 of Mr. Blahnik’s famed, elegant designs, including the heels he created for the 2006 film, Marie Antoinette. The show will also include 80 original drawings, video footage of Mr. Blahnik at work, and a glimpse into his creative process.
In the lead up to the opening, a press preview was held on May 15th to introduce Mr. Blahnik and his exhibition to Canadian media, providing interviews and a sneak peak into the gallery. A gala was also held that evening to celebrate the opening of the retrospective in Toronto and the end of its global tour. Mr. Blahnik arrived with his sister, Evangeline Blahnik, and his niece, Kristina Blahnik.
The Bata Shoe Museum also hosted a talk with Manolo Blahnik on May 16, 2018. In Conversation with Manolo Blahnik gave visitors a chance to listen to Mr. Blahnik discuss his thoughts on what truly inspires him, his views on the fashion industry today, and any and all details about the stunning exhibit.
Have you bought your tickets yet? Purchase them here.
Did you forget to make plans for the weekend? No worries! There are tons of great events that you can check out. We’ve put together a little Weekend Guide for you, so take a look and call your friends!
Need a ride? Make sure you download the Beck Taxi app for a quick way to get around the city!
This weekend stop by TNT Fashion in Yorkville Village for their trunk show featuring Toronto jewelry designers,J.Y.Gao and Monoxide! Shop the collection and stock up on some spectacular pieces for your spring looks.
In the mood for some good food? Momofuku Toronto has joined Pusateri’s Champagne Bar in Saks Food Hall in the Toronto Eaton Centre! Open for a limited-time (until Momofuku finishes their third floor renos), the pop up will feature a new exclusive and DELICIOUS menu created by chef Paula Navarrete and team.
Watch the JUNOs this Sunday! The Canadian Grammys are taking place this weekend in Vancouver, hosted by the wonderful Michael Buble! There will be some amazing performances so grab some snacks and invite your friends over for fun night in. Tune in to CBC Sunday at 8PM EST!
What will you do this weekend? Comment or tweet us (@natashankpr) and let us know!
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! If you haven’t already, now is the time to plan your date… with your girlfriends! Whether you’re single or just want to celebrate your LOVE for your best friends, Valentine’s Day is an excuse to get together and do something fun. We’ve curated some of our favourite date alternatives below:
Night Out
You don’t need to do anything fancy to celebrate Valentine’s Day, just grab your girlfriends and spend the evening out on the town!
From galleries to nightclubs, Bloor-Yorkville is a fantastic neighbourhood to explore with friends, no matter what you’re feeling like doing. Stop by Yorkville Village for some shopping (TNT Fashion, anyone?), or get pampered at the Windsor Arms spa (yes, please!).
Feeling like venturing to the downtown core? Make sure you swing by the Thompson Hotel on Wellington St. West to get a drink at the lobby bar, or grab a bite at the Thompson Diner!
Night In
Host a girl’s night in! Some of the best nights are spent in the comforts of your own home, so invite your best gals over for dinner, a movie, and facials.
Nothing says romance like a classic bowl of spaghetti. Pick up a box of Barilla Spaghetti and try out this delicious recipe! I mean, who doesn’t want to channel Lady and the Tramp on Valentine’s Day?
After dinner, relax with tea and a movie! Get a selection of your favourite DAVIDs TEA flavours, or pick up a tin of one of their Valentine’s inspired blends, like the Sweet Tartblend with notes of apple, sour cherries, and sweet hearts!
Of course, girl’s night in wouldn’t be complete without snacks! Pusateris has an incredible selection of desserts. From cakes, chocolates, to even cannolis- there’s a treat for everyone’s taste buds. I promise you won’t come back empty handed!
26 Hours of Kindness
Looking for other alternatives? A great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day is to show and give LOVE in the ultimate way- by giving back to those in need! On February 14th, we’re teaming up with some local charities for our annual 26 Hours of Kindness initiative. Want to help out? Grab the gals and join us! Read more about how you can participate here.
2018 is just around the corner and with each new year comes the new found motivation to fulfill newly realized (or sadly forgotten) goals. Although many resolutions are disregarded by Valentines Day, we gladly share some of our own with you!
NATASHA:
“Cut back on sugar and keep looking forward.”
REBECCA:
“Better prioritize my time – that it’s just as important to carve out time for myself as it is to say ‘yes’ to everything I’m asked of, and that that’s not me being selfish, but me understanding what I need to be a properly functioning human!”
ALLISON:
“Stop buying coffee and drink more water!”
NATHAN:
“Brush up on my Italian!”
YULIA:
“Pet more dogs.”
TIFFANY:
“Use my entire Class Pass each month. I have 10 classes that I pay for per month, and I get lazy, don’t use them and they expire, which is a waste.”
JESSICA:
“Learn a new language — I really want to learn Spanish!”
BUNMI:
“Take dance lessons and have more fun!”
VICTORIA:
“Change my morning routine so I don’t push snooze on average 10 times.”
KATHLEEN:
“Try a new spot (food/bar/etc) once a week with my friends. That’s probably not realistic, or good for my wallet, so maybe once a month is a better starting point.”
MELISSA:
“Stay present and work towards living in the moment more.”
TYLER:
“Cut-out sugar (following the holiday chocolate binge) and to take a class on digital marketing.”
What are your resolutions? Comment or tweet us (@natashankpr) and let us know! 🙂
With Love Art Fair kicking off this weekend, and both Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival and Scotiabank Photography Award on the horizon, we’re in full art mode inside NKPR.
While we daydream about our favourite pieces, here are this week’s art highlights…
Love Art Fair
Calling all friends of NKPR: We invite you to join us at the advance private view of Love Art Fair. Be the first to view hundreds of original artworks, enjoy a drink by Gentleman Jack, and experience a live performance by Opera Atelier.
Date: Thursday, April 16 Time: 7:00PM – 10:00PM Location: Heritage Court, Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place (entrance off Nunavut Road) RSVP: denise@nkpr.net
Scotiabank Photography Award
Angela Grauerholz is one of the three finalists competing for the 2015 Scotiabank Photography Award, alongside Rafael Goldchain and Isabelle Hayeur. This year’s SPA winner will be announced on May 6.
This photograph by Grauerholz is a gelatin silver print on RC paper. Grauerholz is known for her dense, dreamlike black and white photographs, her iconic images and more recently, her coloured images and alternate methods of photographic production.
Le Bateau 1986 by Angela Grauerholz
Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival
The New Gods is a collaboration between Montreal-based Josée Pedneault and Mexico City-based Alejandro Garcia Contreras. Through a series of striking large-scale photographs, their project examines fantastical rites of spring that have emerged spontaneously within an isolated village in the mountains of southern Mexico.
The New Gods by Josée Pedneault and Alejandro Garcia Contreras; On display at Typology Projects from May 7 – June 14
What inspires you to buy art? Tweet us at @NatashaNKPR!
Although it’s sunny and warm outside, this week we brought some festive, holiday joy to Toronto giving media a sneak-peek into holiday gift guides. From jewelry to fashion, skincare to cosmetics, we’ve got something for everyone with these incredible holiday gifting ideas…
Let us know what’s on your wish list – tweet us at @natashankpr!
bottlegreen Sparkling PresséDAVIDsTEAZwilling cookwareZwilling cookwareSaje WellnessSaje WellnessJessica Desjardins (Beautezine) smelling Saje Wellness essential oilsRacinne skincareRacinne skincareStella & DotStella & DotOrganix BeautyHi-Tec CanadaJacqueline PironJacqueline PironXam DiamondsTweezerman CanadaRudsak CanadaRudsak CanadaLiu Jo CanadaLiu Jo CanadaLiu Jo CanadaAnne KleinJones New York/Anne Klein
From an inspiring performance by two-artist music group The Shoe to a fashion presentation by Italian fashion label LIU JO, the Thompson Toronto has been the hot spot this week! In just 12 short hours, the trendy hotel hosted two big events creating buzz across the city!
On Tuesday, Thompson Toronto hosted The Shoe for their Summer Tour featuring The Hunger Games star Jena Malone. The duo performed for the public in the Lobby Bar, followed by an intimate performance on the Rooftop Lounge overlooking the city skyline.
The following morning the hotel’s screening room hosted the Canadian debut of contemporary Italian fashion label LIU JO to their Fall/Winter 2014/15 collection!
We can’t wait for more summer events at Thompson Toronto, we hear the Rooftop Lounge has a fabulous cocktail selection!
From an inspiring performance by two-artist music group The Shoe to a fashion presentation by Italian fashion label LIU JO, the Thompson Toronto has been the hot spot this week! In just 12 short hours, the trendy hotel hosted two big events creating buzz across the city!
On Tuesday, Thompson Toronto hosted The Shoe for their Summer Tour featuring The Hunger Games star Jena Malone. The duo performed for the public in the Lobby Bar, followed by an intimate performance on the Rooftop Lounge overlooking the city skyline.
The following morning the hotel’s screening room hosted the Canadian debut of contemporary Italian fashion label LIU JO to their Fall/Winter 2014/15 collection!
We can’t wait for more summer events at Thompson Toronto, we hear the Rooftop Lounge has a fabulous cocktail selection!
We are so excited for the opening of Love Art Fairthis week! Launching in Toronto on May 7-11 at the Direct Energy Centre, this is the first showcase of its kind in Canada offering a simple yet inspiring environment for high-quality contemporary art. Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned vet, you’re sure to find the piece you’ve been searching for…
Starting in London, England back in 1999, Love Art began as an opportunity to make art more accessible to the general public (not just for millionaires and art experts). With art from over 50 local, national, and international galleries, the four-day event offers a variety of original contemporary pieces including fascinating workshops, discussions and of course, cocktails and gourmet bites! Love Art Fair celebrates the idea that art is for everyone. All under one roof, visitors can view thousands of paintings, photographs, prints and sculptures with pricing ranging from $100-$10,000 (with over half of the prices under $5,000).
NKPR wants to share in the excitement by giving you exclusive access to the private viewing this Wednesday May 6th at 6:00p.m. How to get access: Tweet us at @natashankpr telling us your favourite artist using the hashtag #NKLoveArt.