August, 2014 - sparkleshinylove

Roxymandy August 22, 2014

Top Riding Boot Picks for Fall

The equestrian trend is going to be big this fall, and I think the easiest and most comfortable way to wear it is by having a great riding boot in your wardrobe. Not only are they extremely comfortable, but they go with basically everything. A great boot can make any outfit look a bit more polished, and so just adding them to your day to day wardrobe can dress things up a bit.

When I think of a great riding boot, images of a Tommy Hilfiger or Ralph Lauren campaign come to mind. Who doesn’t want to look like they just stepped off an upscale ranch looking impeccable for a lunch date with the girls? Well I think most people want to look as easily stylish as that, but while doing actual day-to-day errands like grabbing groceries or picking up the kids from school. It’s nice to look stylish, and feel comfortable at the same time.

Below are some of my favourite riding boots out for fall now!

Le Chateau Leather Riding Boot

Tory Burch Marlene Riding Boot

Aldo Cadani Boots

Michael Michael Kors Hamilton Stretch Boot

Call it Spring Brosseau Boots

Zara Leather Riding Boots

Steve Madden Skippur Boots

Sam Edelman Penny Boots

Payless Women’s York Riding Boots

Roxymandy August 20, 2014

Finding Something Treasured From Sweet Violet

I’m a sucker for charming boutique stores nestled into the downtown of whatever city I am visiting. When I travel make sure I make time to shop around the stores in the town or city I am in because I want to find some sort of treasure to take home. Shopping at the mall is convenient and quick, but when I want to give someone a thoughtful and unique gift, I am not going to find it at the mall.

As well I like to have things in my home that are special and meaningful, and hopefully cannot be found in everyone else’s living space. I like things to be curated and carefully put together, and it’s especially appreciated if they don’t include a set of instructions from Ikea! Don’t get me wrong, Ikea completely serves it’s purpose and I’ve been known to spend a Sunday putting together bookshelf or two from there, but when it comes to the actual décor and finishing pieces in my home, I want them to be special and meaningful.

Yesterday I ventured into Sweet Violet, located in Downtown Whitby, and not far from Michael Penney’s two other stores Penney & Co (which I have previously blogged about here) and Pineapple Street.

Sweet Violet carries all things bath, body, and baby. They have soft bamboo towel sets and unique bathmats and shower curtains, along with everything to pamper yourself from creams, lotions, and fresh soaps. The soaps and lotions not only have beautiful scents, but they are just plain pretty and make for perfect gifts.

For décor, Sweet Violet has everything from rugs, throws, pillows and complete bedding sets. You know when you are looking on Pinterest and find that perfect duvet cover with the matching pillow shams and a fabulous matching throw that looks too perfect to ever find? Sweet Violet seems to have everything you need already put together on display for the look you couldn’t figure out how to put together yourself.

Queen Comforter, $120

I loved some of the great items for children at this store. They have a selection of stuffed animals and books, and some really fun prints for a child’s nursery. There are knit blankets, mobiles, and décor pieces that would put the finishing touches on a bedroom for the most important little person in your life. I loved the hot air balloons you could hang from the ceiling – they even come in a mobile!

Small Balloons $25, Medium $39

Who’s Hiding? $8.99, What? $6.99

Large Prints $50, Small Prints $30

I have been looking for a piece of coral for my living room for quite some time, and there was a great selection of beachy décor at Sweet Violet. I could not decide between the red and the white coral, so I had to go home for a pow-wow with the husband to hear his thoughts. He said to get both, which was not very helpful.

Red Coral $17, White Coral $16 – $20

Sweet Violet is a great space to find that perfect something for your own home, or to find that fabulous gift that will make the person receiving it feel special to receive something treasured. Who doesn’t deserve to have soap direct from France? I feel like I totally do.

Paris Soap Dish $10

French Liquid Soap in Green Tea, Marine, or Verbena $25

Gift Wrap $11-$12

Sweet Violet is located at 124 Brock Street South in Whitby. Open Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 5pm, Sunday and Monday Closed. For more information on Sweet Violet click here.

Roxymandy August 19, 2014

What To Do With The Rest Of Your Summer!

It feels like summer is ending fast! It’s been so cold this week and September is fast approaching, so I’ve been thinking about what I need to fit in before the end of the summer. I’m going to be having as many BBQ’s as possible, and trying to do everything outdoors, and I absolutely want to take advantage of all the fun events in and around Toronto at this time of year. There are a few on my list I want to make sure I fit in during these last couple weeks, and I have added them below for you to see as well!

Twilight Tuesday Mini Night Market – Tuesday’s in August from 5pm – 9pm

Held at the York Street parkette (Richmond Street and Adelaide Street), the event features summertime snacks and live entertainment.

Tickets are $5 and can be traded for one food item or one drink item from restaurants such as Momofuku, Drake One Fifty, Richmond Station and Gabaradine.

The Drake One Fifty

These restaurants will serving up snacks and street food with live music. More information on the event can be found here.

Scotiabank® presents Summer Cinema at Fort York – Tuesday’s in August & September

Starting at Dusk on Tuesday’s, Ford York is hosting a family friendly free outdoor movie for the month of August. This event is free, and all you need to bring is a blanket or lawnchair for seating. The first 300 people will receive free popcorn and the first 50 SCENE debit and VISA cardholders to show their cards will receive a VIP seat. Check out www.scotiabank.com/outdoormovies for more details.

August Movies: •August 19th – Ghostbusters (8:15pm)
•August 26th – The Amazing Spiderman 2 (8:05pm)

Chill Ice House – open year round!

The best time to visit a frozen bar and lounge is in the summer, right?

Located at King Street West and Bathurst Street, Chill Ice House is left at a temperature of -5 C. There is a $15 cover charge which includes your use of a made-in-Toronto cape (red or blue – your choice!) and gloves. You are also provided a wristband which tracks your purchases so you don’t need to worry about the money you can’t get out of your pocket because it is too cold.

Photo Courtesy of Chill Ice House

There is a 1200 square-foot chilled space, plus a 1500 square-foot speakeasy which is warmed in the back if you need a break. Every thing is frozen including the chandelier and cups, but the bathroom is not frozen luckily.

Photo Courtesy of Chill Ice House

At night it’s a bar, but during the day families and school trips visit and tour the Ice House.

More details at http://chillicehouse.com

Oshawa Centre Fashion Never Sleeps – Friday September 5th

Photo Courtesy of the Oshawa Centre

The mall will be open for extended hours on this night from 9pm until 11pm. There will be giveaways, live music, and the latest in fall fashions.

Photo Courtesty of The EX

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) – August 15th – September 1st

It’s one of North America’s largest annual fairs, and it signals the end of summer for Torontonians. There are 18 days of amusement park rides, parades, live entertainment, food and more.

Photo Courtesy of The Ex

The Canadian International Air Show will be on the last weekend of the summer, and there are lots of concerts and events which coincide with the fair. $16, Seniors: $12, Children (13 and under): $12, Children 4 and under: Free

www.theex.com

Photo Courtesy of Scotiabank Buskerfest

Toronto’s 2014 Scotiabank BuskerFest 2014 – August 21st – 24th

This festival takes over the Yonge Street from Queen to College and throughout the neighbourhood including Yonge-Dundas Square, Trinity Square Park and Gould St on the Ryerson Campus.

Street performers take over the city with appearances by magicians, circus acts, musicians, clowns, contortionists, acrobats aerialists, puppets, silent comedians and more.

Photo Courtesy of Scotiabank Buskerfest

There is no actual schedule for the performances – you just have to walk the streets of this festival and see what pops up. It’s the last major festival of the summer, and for more details check out http://www.torontobuskerfest.com/

Roxymandy August 18, 2014

Joseph Altuzarra for Target Lookbook Released

The Joseph Altuzarra for Target lookbook has finally been released ahead of the designer’s launch in stores and online on September 14th. Prices range from $17.99 all the way up to $89.99, and there are lots of skirts, animal print, and silky blouses.

I have to admit that some of it is not really my style. There are definitely pieces I want like the military trench coat, the peplum blazer, and the ankle strap heels (only $39.99!). I just don’t wear a lot of pencil skirts and floor length gowns, so not all of it is my style. It is definitely worth checking out since normally Joseph Altuzarra’s designs fetch up to $2775.00 on NET-A-PORTER!

Altuzarra for Target will be available Sept. 14, at most Target stores and Target.com. A curated assortment will be available via NET-A-PORTER.COM.

Here are all 14 looks below!

Roxymandy August 14, 2014

The Drake Devonshire in Prince Edward Country set to Open September 15th!

I love hanging out at the Drake Hotel in Toronto. There is so much do to there that you could have a completely different experience each time you go. There is the Café which serves what I think are the city’s best chicken and waffles, the Sky Yard where you can enjoy a meal or just drinks under the stars, the Underground where you can catch a concert, a comedy show, or even a film screening, and a main restaurant with just some really good food.

The Drake Hotel is just a fun place to hang out, and usually has something to do whatever your mood is. It’s a fun, cozy spot that is always buzzing with something exciting happening.

After a two year restoration of a late 1800 year old building, the Drake Devonshire located in Prince Edward Country is set to open it’s doors on September 15th, and I’m kind of excited about it!

Prince Edward County is two hours away from Toronto, and all I have heard lately is buzz about the amazing wine and atmosphere this area has to offer. Twice a year I head down to Niagara-on-the-Lake for wine tours, and I have been itching to switch it up and head to Prince Edward County. Now that the Drake Devonshire is opening, this is totally happening sooner than later!

The Drake Devonshire will be open for business September 15th, but the actual grand opening will be in Spring 2015. By that time you will find a the Creekside Deck built, and cabanas situated near the water.

Until then you will find the Drake Devonshire is ready to host you with eleven rooms, and two suites. One of the suites will be a two bedroom loft-like space, while the other will be called the Owner’s Suite and will sit above the beach with a custom brick fireplace. How cozy does this sound? The rooms will feature Malin + Goetz toiletry products, free Wi-fi, and the Drake Pleasure Menu.

On site you will find the Glass Box ping pong room with beautiful glass walls overlooking the lake, a Pavilion where special events, fall markets and wine tastings will take place, a covered bar and deck, an expansive outdoor patio, and a fire pit.

Some of the cocktail creations from the Drake Devonshire

The lobby of the Devonshire will features a micro Drake General Store. I love checking out the Drake General store in Toronto for fun and original gifts. I always seem to find some strange item that I’ve never seen before, but wonder how I have survived this far without it.

One of the things I associate the most with the Drake Hotel is the food, and it seems like the Drake Devonshire won’t disappoint!

Seafood Chowder:
Shrimp, scallops, fish, crab + grilled corn
$22

Farmer’s Lunch:
Assorted house made charcuterie with traditional garnishes
$17

Beef on Weck:
Slow braised tri-tip of beef, pepperonata, gruyere, caramelized onions, horseradish & mustard on a soft caraway bun
$20

Chef Matt DeMille has created a farm- and lake-to-table menu with all-time Drake favourites alongside new Devonshire dishes. Local wines will be featured on the menus as well.

Drake Breakfast:
Fried eggs, hash browns, roasted tomatoes, banger, baked beans
$12.95

Cobb Salad:
Rotisserie chicken, blue cheese, apple, tarragon dressing, Vicki’s arugula + crispy bacon
$15

Highline Mushroom’s on toast:
With pickled eggplant & herbs
$15 + add smoked trout $4

I’m excited to visit this hotel, and it seems like it doesn’t matter which season I go because there will be something to do. I love visiting wineries in the fall because they are less busy than the summer months, and Prince Edward Country offers excursions like fishing, cross-country skiing, art tours, and of course wine tasting! Drinking is luckily a year-round activity.

The Drake Devonshire is located at 24 Wharf St., Wellington, Prince Edward County. Rates start at $229. Reservation requests are now being accepted for October 1 onward, and can be made at www.drakedevonshire.ca or by calling 1-844-898-3338. Dining is available for guests from 7:30 a.m. through to midnight, from opening day.

For more information, visit www.thedrakehotel.ca