RW & Co. – 20% off coupon (September 14, 2008)

Print off the below coupon to use in-store at any RW&CO. location to recieve 20% off the last ticketed price (before taxes). Offer only valid on Sunday September 14, 2008.

ARITZIA – Wilfred Clothing gets its own website!

I love Wilfred Clothing! – my favorite in-house brand at Aritzia, aimed between women ages 23 to 35, which debuted in February 2006. I am super excited that it got its own website and I wanted to share the link with the rest of Vancouver: www.wilfred.com. Their current layout features styles and clothing items from Fall 2008. From my observations – lots of dark colors and layering pieces. Enjoy!

While you’re clicking around…why not join the Modern Mix Vancouver Facebook Group!

SPEND ON TREND – on this weekend (Sept. 5th to 7th)

This entry is co-authored by Miranda Sam of Style By Fire and Vanessa Choot, Editor-in-Chief, of Modern Mix Vancouver with photographs by Grace Lau

Leather-bound notebooks by Fiveleft Leather

Spend on Trend is a fashion and jewelry trade show featuring Canadian designers. The show is run by Jody Phillips, who wore a kimono style meets Vancouver asymmetrical pattern top by TOGS. Like Jody, you too can support local designers! Spend on Trend runs until Sunday, September the 7th. Some of the stand out designer booths include:

• Catalyst Reaction – Leather cuffs and belts imprinted with silkscreened designs, co-owner Kate Bachmeier describes her accessories as an eclectic mix of nature and urban street.
• Fiveleft Leather – Beautiful leather bags, wallets, and more by Lincoln Heller. Clasps are made from reclaimed hood ornaments and bike spokes.
• Shi – Stained glass Chinese & Indian silk pendants, hand made in Victoria. Designer Cory Judge describes them as pieces, “encased in a moment in time.”
• Tala – Delicate gold jewelry designs by Bahar Taheri that’s classic enough to be worn through the day but stylish enough to transition into the night.
• Toodlebunny – You can expect only the best from designer Trudy Wynans. She’s so meticulous, she bubble wraps each piece in individual containers, and packs them “Jenga style”.

Pendants by Shi Studio

There’s still time for you to meet the designers of these great Canadian brands and check out their goodies at Spend on Trend this weekend from September 5th to 7th at Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie Street). Times are as follows:

September 6th: 10am to 9pm
September 7th: 11am to 6pm

Stay tuned until next week for a full review of Spend on Trend and lots more photos from the event!

Matt & Nat – Fall 2008 Collection

A while back, I posted an entry on Modern Mix Vancouver about the Matt & Nat schoolbag contest. Now that it has been a month and the 10 winners have been chosen (not me), all of the runner-ups were offered a consolation prize of 50% off selected Matt & Nat bags in the new Fall 2008 Collection! I have until September 30th to decide whether I want to take them up on this offer. These are the styles and colors I can choose from with their regular price

Portishead $220

Moz $250

Ando $230

Kali $210

Jorja Lg $250

SPEND ON TREND – fall show and sale (Sept. 5 to 7, 2008)

The fall season is almost upon us and what better way to kick it off than SPENDing your time at SPEND ON TREND at the Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie Street). This is a great opportunity to see the autumn lines of Canadian designers and support the local economy. As an added bonus, the first 25 people through the door every morning will receive a $50 gift bag. Be sure to line up early: with over 3500 shoppers every year the loot bags go fast. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. $1 from every ticket benefits the St. Elizabeth Home Emergency Shelter for Women and Children.

Spend on Trend will be a fantastically Canadian event with a fresh mix of new and returning participants.  What are some of the expectations for Spend on Trend?  For returning vetrans like Trudy Wynans of Toodlebunny Designs:

I like the mix of designers, from clothing, to home decor, jewellery, bags & accessories, etc, as well as the smaller scale of the show.  I also like the fact that it showcases only 20 to 30 designers with only a select few to represent the different categories.   I’m looking forward to SOT 2008 in the new location, can’t wait!

 As for first-time participant Amrita Sondhi of Movement Global:

I am excited.  It seems like there will be a great “mix” of “modern” products for the customer. Movement will be in good company.

What’s the Modern Mix Pick? How about this trench coat from Elroy Apparel? Everyone needs a trench coat in their closet and Elroy Apparel puts an edgy twist on the Burberry classic with its asymmetrical neckline and collar.

• In addition, be sure to read previous MMV interviews and articles on designers who will be participating in Spend on Trend: Toodlebunny and Movement Global.

I will definitely be visiting Spend on Trend so stay tuned for updates, event reviews, great buys, and photos by Modern Mix Vancouver!

 

Movement Global

Aligning with a typical Westcoast lifestyle, laid-back outdoor activities lead to the need for comfortable yet stylish fashion pieces.  For Movement Global, this company provides the opportunity for environmentally-concious people to make an active contribution to a social movement.  Not only are the pieces streamlined and comfortable but according to designer Amrita Sondhi:

Women of all ages can wear the pieces to the gym or on the street, feel good that they are made from sustainable fabrics, and appreciate that part of the proceeds are helping my foundation, pamoja.org.

So not only will you feel good while wearing Movement Global, you’ll also know that partial proceeds are contributed to a worthy cause.  10% of the profits goes to the Pamoja Foundation that supports grass roots entrepreneurs in Africa who do not qualify for loans in the normal banking system.  The method of support is through micro financing, which is the fastest proven way out of poverty in the world today with a 98% success rate.  And it is a sustainable practise too, as the loans are typically repaid in 6 month periods when the borrower moves to the next level of loan.  Ideally, within two years, the borrower ends up in the conventional banking system.

In the meantime, MMV asked Amrita about the benfits of using Eco and Bamboo materials in her fashion line:

In my estimation it feels like vegetable cashmere.  Washes well and thermally regulates. It is also antibacterial and grows using very little land mass compared to many other fibers (cotton) and needs no pesticides.

So what now?  For a full list of shops carrying Movement Global items around Vancouver, BC and North America, click here.  Movement Global will also be at Spend on Trend, a Canadian fashion event, from September 5th to 7th at the Scotia Bank Dance Centre (677 Davie Street).

Canadian Cheese Rolling Festival – August 16th

I often get asked by visitors to BC, “What’s there to do up at Whistler in the summer?”  Besides luging, mini-golfing, hiking, biking and all that typical outdoorsy stuff – here’s something out of the ordinary (or crazy) that is going on this weekend.  The first annual Canadian Cheese Rolling Contest is happening at the base of Blackcomb Mountain at 1pm on Saturday August 16th! 

So what exactly is cheese rolling anyway?  Basically, a gigantic cheese wheel is thrown down a hill and everyone chases it. On the way down, racers lose their footing and end up tumbling, rolling, sliding and bumping down the hill – providing spectators great entertainment value. 

Traditionally, the first person to get down the hill to the finish line wins the race.  The weirdest thing is, the winner of the races gets to take home as a trophy, the edible 11-lb wheel of cheese that they were chasing!  (Oh and also Whistler Blackcomb season passes).

If you can’t attend the event but want to be kept posted on the Canadian Cheese Rolling Festival, click here to become a Facebook Fan.

O.B. Promotion – “mighty small”

**comic from asofterworld.com.

Speaking of tampons…this entry is for the ladies!
Not too long ago, I was contacted through Modern Mix Vancouver by Matchstick, a Toronto “word of mouth” company with O.B. as one of its clients.  After answering a few preliminary questions, I was postal-mailed a huge (as in the-length-of-my-arm) trial kit with a ton of goodies, aka a comfort pack which included a bottle of EXTRA STRENGTH TYLENOL, a hot water bottle, the newest issue of Elle Canada, and a ton of tampon samples with cutesy, stylish case packaging (see picture on left – my friend and I were joking about reusing them for mints or gum), and an aluminum water bottle branded with the words “mighty small”.

You may or may not have seen the recent O.B. advertisements in magazines, but I believe they are trying to promote the company’s sustainability measures.  I’ve scoured the internet, but I can’t seem to find the one I’m thinking of so I will try my best to describe it to you instead.  Basically, it’s a full page magazine print for O.B. but only 58% of the page is utilized for the advertisement, demonstrating the brand’s commitment to less waste in their products – aka no applicator.

Take this feedback survey, please!
For your own O.B. Samples, click here!

Ecojot – 100% recycled stationary

**Cutesy MMV banner doodle by Carolyn Gavin, Designer, Ecojot

Who hasn’t noticed the green initiatives springing up throughout Vancouver? From bamboo towels to hemp clothing to supporting a thriving local artist community, many companies have added it to their business strategy to set an example in corporate social responsibility by moving forth with a sustainability model.

Bursting with color and a commitment to be good to the environment, the Canadian company Ecojot began in 2007 with a search for recycled paper. The company, with its environmentally friendly initiatives, wanted 100% post-consumer paper – meaning that no new trees would be used in the process of creating Ecojot products.

With the chance to correspond with Carolyn Gavin, the former designer for Mirage Paper Co. and current Ecojot designer, and reading her musings on her blog, I’ve learned that the ideas for her bubbly designs come from simple inspiration. The flapping of a butterfly’s wings, the drawings of her six-year old daughter…

With the new addition of non-wire bound books, Ecojot has relased new workbooks to their expanding product line. In 3 different sizes – 4×6 – 3 pack, 6×9 – 2 pack and 8.5×11 single, going back to school will be something to look forward to! I have already spotted these new designs at Chapters on the corner of Robson and Howe Street in Downtown, Vancouver. To shop locally in Vancouver, visit Paper Ya in Net Loft on Granville Island.

Lucky Loonie Exchange (July 29, 2008)

Legend has it, at the Olympic Games at Salt Lake City, a superstitious Canadian icemaker laid a loonie under the hockey ice and both of our teams won GOLD! With that in mind, the Royal Canadian Mint has commissioned a special Lucky Loonie as a symbolic token of cheering on our athletes!

The Royal Canadian Mint and RBC is inviting the general public to obtain their very own 2008 Lucky Loonie by attending official coin exchanges to be held on Tuesday July 29, 2008 from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at various RBC branches across the country. For us here in Vancouver, head downtown to the Royal Centre Branch at 1025 West Georgia Street.

Athletes in attendance will include Kristi Richards (Freestyle Skiing), Crispin Lipscomb (Snowboard – halfpipe), Donovan Tildesley (Paralympic Swimming) and Andrew Holmes (Paralympic Athletics).

 

Beijing-Bound Olympics Rally – Monday July 14, 2008

On Monday July 14, 2008, the Canadian Sport Centre Pacific will be hosting a “Beijing Bound Rally” event to celebrate the Canadian athletes and coaches that will soon be competing at the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.  With their pursuit of excellence and vigorous training schedules, these athletes have proven themselves worthy of representing our country.  These hometown heroes – over 70 expected to be in attendance, will be publicly recognized for their discipline, determination and dedication in a festive public celebration.

Where: The Waterfront Granville Square Plaza (200 Granville Street)
When: 11:45am – 12:30pm

Athletes will be signing autographs from 12:30 – 1:00pm.

All You Need is Cheese

Cheese.  The perfect example of a diet staple which can be used as a convenient ingredient for sandwiches and crackers, or for gourment dishes in fondue and pastas.  Who would have known that the humble Canadian cheese has enough of a fan-base gather to be the star of its very own website All You Need is Cheese?!  Get great, easy-to-follow recipes with cheese as the “star of the show”.
 
Hear interviews with artisans, experts and cheese lovers from across Canada;
Discover local artisanal cheeses and local culture;
Try new pairings and recipes;
Meet foodies from coast to coast;
Link to informative cheese websites;
Learn about unique promotions, events and more;
Download a new episode every month.

The All You Need Is Cheese Podcast is updated monthly and they already have quite a few archived episodes. Listen to interviews of cheese lovers, artisanal cheese makers, restaurant owners and visits epicurean events. Each show has it’s own archive page recipes, tourist info, blog links, etc. If you love good cheese, you have to check out the All You Need is Cheese Podcast !

**CONTEST: Listen to the Pursuit of Pleasure Podcast for your chance to win an iPod touch (until July 19th)!  Creative ad for the contest there on the right eh?

On a side note, if you’re ever craving cheese fondue, you must visit Soma Cafe (151 East 8th Avenue) by Main Street in Vancouver.  Grapes, apples, bread and crackers drizzled with a soft caramel sauce with a melted cheese dip.  It’s usually only on their dinner menu, but when we went last month they took our special request and served it to us as a lunchtime dish!  The portion is fairly big so be prepared to share!

Students: Buy a Mac, get a free iPod (before September 15, 2008)

This happens every year but I thought I should post it anyway.  If you buy a Mac with your Apple education discount (if you’re a post-secondary student, you have that discount) you get a full mail-in rebate for an iPod Touch or iPod Nano purchased at the same time.  

From my two posts in the past week on Apple products, you can probably guess what kind of laptop I use. I did this deal two summers ago when I bought my Macbook – my baby!  I remember everyone wanted to touch it when I brought it to summer school because it was so sleek and the black was so black… Anyway, I will tell you firsthand that it was not a complicated, frustrating event trying to get my rebate.  The whole process was very straightforward and simple and worth the (up to) $319 rebate.

 Click here for more information. 

Project Runway Canada – Accepting Applications (deadline: June 20, 2008)

HEY to all the (aspiring) fashion designers out there. The 2nd season of Project Runway Canada will be airing in Winter 2009. If you think you have the creativity and talent to be on the show, APPLY here. But make up your mind sooner rather than later because the deadline is on Friday, June 20th at 6:00PM ET.

So what’s Project Runway? It’s basically a reality TV series; each episode features a themed challenge (ie. design a dress inspired by the word “hope” for a charity auction with proceeds to fund aids research in Africa) and the competitors have a limited amount of time to complete the challenge. At the end of the episode, their model partner walks down the catwalk in their fashion creation and a panel of judges decide on who gets eliminated!

iPhone – coming to Canada on July 11, 2008

So the Apple iPhone will officially be available in Canada in exactly one month on July 11th…although I know a whole bunch of you have already been getting your goods prematurely by heading down to the states and subsequently unlocking your prize back here in Vancouver.  Lucky for the rest of you, the Apple store conveniently opened last month at Pacific Centre. 

Anyway, I don’t claim to be an expert on electronic matters such as this – to me, if it looks pretty, it goes in the shopping cart. In fact, for the very first time in my cellphone history – I paid for a new phone last week: the Ericsson 580i which retails at $300 from Rogers but I got it for $30 because I had racked up enough brownie points with my carrier to get a hefty discount.  Oh, and for the record, it’s the pretty dark grey sliding phone with blue highlights – not that hideous orange one.