Shopping in Canada Just got Better

Two retail favourites among the arts and decor crowd will soon be opening stores in Canada. Anthropologie and Crate & Barrel are opening new stores in the Toronto area later this fall.

Crate & Barrel's 35,000-square-foot, two-level store at the Yorkdale Mall is the furniture/home merchandise retailer's 163rd location and the first outside the United States. The Globe & Mail described it as "a study in easy living, from its quality merchandise at easy-to-swallow prices to its well thought out displays and attractive vignettes." C&B is known for its minimalist but sturdy look, with clean lines, simple designs and natural neutrals that work in all kinds of settings.

From Crate & Barrel

Not to be outdone, Anthropolgie, one of C&B's top US competitors, is also opening a store in Yorkdale later this fall, and a second location in Don Mills in spring, 2009. Anyone who knows Anthropologie knows about its alluring window displays and lush catalogs, filled with creative, visionary home/lifestyle products, fabrics, fashions and linens. Artfully inspired, Anthropologie will keep you in its stores for hours!

A typical window display at an Anthropologie store.

Heart Day Reading

Here's the perfect example of books I will buy solely for their cover designs - Penguin's Great Loves series, with cover illustrations by London designer David Pearson. Also perfect considering Valentine's Day is only 4 days away. 20 to choose from; $10.99 each.

Martha at Macy's

The new Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's is one to behold. It is the largest collection by a designer ever to be featured at Macy's (over 2000 individual products) and it has been one of the most anticipated. The product design was headed up by Hillary Blumberg, who has designed seven collections for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia since 1997. For the roll-out in September '07, Macy's gave Martha all 36 windows of the deapartment store in Manhattan, along with all 26 awnings. Each display featured elaborately arranged Collection merchandise. The line is a few steps up from the Everyday line she has at Kmart, both in terms of quality and price, but it is accessible enough to make its way into just about anyone's home.

I've selected a few pieces below that I find particularly irresistible.

Who couldn't perfectly ream a lemon wearing a bright-red apron emblazoned with the Martha Stewart logo? No one. Absolutely no one. And that cute little tea kettle just tickles me.

Sleek stainless-steel mixing bowls with rubber bases ensure a sturdy stirring experience. A nice bar of kitchen soap, strong enough to remove onion and garlic odors, comes in handy after meal prep.

I just love the colours of this collection: plastic mixing bowls in cool blues and vintage-style collanders in lime green.

Among the products are some pre-packaged food items (gasp!) including various cake mixes, shown at left. An adorable tin recipe holder in signature aqua is a must-have.

Coral patterned sheets and faux-bois patterned towels are among the most alluring things I've seen all year. Based on elements found at Martha's seaside home in Maine, they speak only of luxury.

The Ralph Lauren Book

Ralph Lauren has released a gargantuan tome about his life and legacy to mark the 40th anniversary of his company. The hardcover book is about two feet tall and a foot-and-a-half wide with 480 glossy pages, most of which are printed with full-colour photographs of his designs. It weighs about 25 pounds and comes in a sturdy box for storage.

The first part of the book tells his life story through photographs and brief personal reflections on his childhood dreams of becoming famous. He spent his youth at the movies, something he says deeply influenced his desire to replicate the glamour he saw on screen in every day life. The book is a lovely retrospective of some of his best collections and most memorable designs, from the runway to the furniture showroom. And it is not without sentiment: his memory of hand-stitching the labels to his first collection of ties in the late 1960s with his wife and mother-in-law is poignant. The book comes highly recommended for anyone who loves this designer or has a thorough interest in fashion.

Incidentally, a written speech by Audrey Hepburn about Ralph Lauren's designs is featured in the foreword.

The Ralph Lauren book: $145.00

Going Green

Through no fault of my own, green is now my favourite colour - at least in the kitchen cupboard. A series of random finds at houseware departments around town (and around the world!), a few inheritances and some gifts have stocked my kitchen cupboards with an assortment of verdant treasures that I cherish.

Green has been declared the most soothing colour in the spectrum, evoking grassy meadows, swaying trees and overall luxuriance. It's no wonder more and more people are choosing it for their interiors.

Below are some examples of my random green collection, which will no doubt grow over time.

I love these green bowls by Isaac Mizrahi. They also come in solid yellow, solid red, striped red, cream and blue.

These handmade spoons were a find on a trip to Scotland last year. They were made in a town called The Bridge of Allen at a shop called "Village Glass." The bases are made of glass, obviously.

My parents gave me these "Dom Cafe" goblets. The restaurant has long since closed, but I love their emerald solidity. Red wine tastes divine in them, especially when served with pasta.



Another inheritance. My grandmother gave me this pair of Wedgwood drabware mugs. They were made in England, circa 1962.

There were dishes, too, in that Clovelly pattern by Wood & Son.

The Clovelly pattern.

To Market

We’re all trying to save the planet, but reusable designer shopping totes run as high as $900 and make going green a pretty expensive undertaking. Luckily, summer is around the corner and beach totes are everywhere. Ikea, Old Navy and H&M offer affordable options for as little as $10. Take your next stroll to the market with this cheap and chic find.
{Old Navy Bright Bordeaux Printed Beach Tote, about $20}

It's okay to be PC

As if milk and cereal weren't enough to get you into Loblaws... The store has stocked its shelves with its latest home and garden goods, including a great many outdoor/patio offerings. Among the deluge I zeroed in on these enormous, luxurious 40cm x 40cm dinner napkins that come in various nautical themes. (Coral and Sea Shell are pictured above.) They are $3.99 for a package of 50, and these are top grade. They also come in shades of red, yellow and robin's egg blue. Now all I need is a canapé!

While you're out and about, filling your grocery cart with this and that, stop in at the LCBO and pick up the latest issue of "Food & Drink." Inside you'll find fast and easy (and delicious) recipes for seasonal treats, the best cocktails and summer drinks and even a few home and lifestyle goodies to keep your eyes peeled for. Best of all, it's free!