Trick or Treat

All across the globe, millions of kids will be trick or treating on Sunday night, and millions of party will be held throughout the weekend to hosts ghouls, ghosts and vampires.

Not a lot of people take Halloween as seriously as Heidi Klum; since 2000, she has been hosting her annual party on October 31st, and she has rarely disappointed with her costumes!

As Betty Boop in 2002

As an alien in 2003

As the goddess Kali in 2008

However you are celebrating this weekend - going door-to-door with your kids or going out with friends to a party - have a safe and fun Halloween!

Trick or Treat

Your Fare Share

While in Toronto for a few days on business, I had the opportunity to have dinner at Fare Bistro, in the Leslieville area of Toronto.



Foie gras terrine followed by duck confit, with a nice bottle of Bordeaux - decently priced, excellent food, friendly service. Exactly what a restaurant experience should be all about!

Check their website at www.farebistro.com, or even better, visit them at 1097 Queen Street in Toronto.

Your Fare Share

No More Kate

After 4 years and 14 collections, Kate Moss and Topshop's collaboration is coming to an end. She will continue to work on special projects with the British retail giant, but come Spring, gone are the affordable top model looks from Kate.

Sequined dresses, hotpants, tweed capes with faux fur - one thing's for sure, Miss Moss is going out with a bang!

Have a glimpse at the upcoming, final collection:

Launched next week on November 2nd, it will be available at Topshop's retail store and online at www.topshop.com.

No More Kate

Quote of the week

If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere. - Marilyn Monroe

Quote of the week

Weekend Suggestion: Tiefschwarz

Alexander and Sebastian Schwarz: brothers, friends, but also great producers. Their remixes of Madonna, Depeche Mode, Missy Elliot turned heads across the globe in the past ten years, and they're back for more!



On their latest album, Chocolate, the German duo has come full circle - while you can still find many minimal and tech house tracks, it's a delight to hear the deep house sound that launched their career at the beginning of the 90s.

The dancefloor-oriented effort has been hailed by NME as 'a refreshing change to the screeds of bloated ‘artist albums’ the world has suffered', and URB gave 4 stars out of 5, adding that 'their new album is highly dynamic, and their genre blending aesthetics and diversity works without turning it in to a soup of sounds'



Check out their MySpace for tracks, and visit their label's website for a full bio at www.souvenir-music.com.

Weekend Suggestion: Tiefschwarz

Tropical Escapade

With the temperature dipping below the freezing point tonight, and rain in the forecast for the whole weekend, I'm yearning for sun, heat and coconuts.

If I could leave right now, the Punta Caracol Acqua Lounge in Bocas del Toro, Panama, would be my prefered destination.




When you're not relaxing in your water bungalow or being gently rocked by the Carribean wind, you can jump in the complimetary sea kayak or grab your mask, tube and fins, and snorkel with the fishes... why am I here again?

Visit their website, have a look at their (very reasonably priced) suites and start dreaming at www.puntacaracol.com.

Tropical Escapade

Hotel Tycoon

Always dreamed of having your own hotel? Well, for one night, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Tokyo can be yours!

For the modest sum of 671 800$ CAN, you and your friends (up to 500 of them) will have exclusive access to the rooms, spa, and restaurants from 3 p.m. to noon the following day. And to top it off, the dessert offered at dinner will be created by the winners of the 2010 World Pastry Championship.




Got the funds? Visit www.mandarinoriental.com to make it happen! (and don't forget to invite me!)

Hotel Tycoon

The Golden Touch

French fashion house Balmain's current Fall/Winter collection is French-revolution-meets-70s-disco, and somehow, current head designer Christophe Decarnin makes it work beautifully.

Rich gold embroidery on tight pants, adjusted shiny blazers, textured blouses and tops - it's bold to go gold!




See the complete collection at www.balmain.com.

The Golden Touch

The Great Pumpkin

October means it's time for everything pumpkin - pumpkin pie, pumpkin decorations, even pumpkin costumes!

Check out my Pumpkin Gala treasury on Etsy, and discover some great items for Halloween and a few delectable snacks!





And it's impossible to talk about pumpkins and not mention the classic 1966 Charlie Brown 'The Great Pumpkin' episode!

The Great Pumpkin

Quote of the week

"Being happy is something you have to learn. I often surprise myself by saying "Wow, this is it. I guess I'm happy. I got a home I love. A career that I love. I'm even feeling more and more at peace with myself. If there's something else to happiness, let me know. I'm ambitious for that, too." - Harrison Ford

Quote of the week

Weekend Suggestion: Maximum Balloon

Though is sounds like an kids amusement park, Maximum Balloon is actually the solo project of TV on the Radio's David Sitek.



While he produces the tracks and plays most of the instruments, he lets the vocal assignments to his guests - most notably David Byrne (of Talking Heads) and Karen O (of Yeah Yeah Yeahs).

It's an interesting mix of electronica, rock and r&b - and with a lot of diversity; if you don't like one track, you can skip to the next one and be pleasantly surprised. As Drowned In Sound highlights in its critic, 'it's a dizzyingly good pop record'.

Video for the second single of the album, Tiger, featuring Aku Orraca-Tetteh of Dragons of Zynth.

Listen to the music on MySpace, and get the complete story at www.maximumballoon.com.

Weekend Suggestion: Maximum Balloon

Italian Marvel

Modern, sleek and poetic - the Italian countryside has been redesigned!

With plenty of open spaces (over 6,000 sq. ft.!), the Casa X5 from MZC Architettura is gorgeous combination of light-colored wood, smooth white surfaces and rough concrete slabs.

I can definitely picture myself sipping a glass of red wine while eating a bowl of spaghetti a la bolognesa on that patio!

Italian Marvel

Quote of the week

"A picture is a poem without words." - Horace

Quote of the week

Thanksgiving Rest

While my husband Erik and his friend Raphael were enjoying the warm weather in Dallas, I had the whole house to myself, and I took the opportunity to clean up my act. Got a new fabulous 'do (thanks to Erum at York Street Spa), dusted the house, worked in the garden, watched movies, took care of an overdue closet reorganization, and most importantly, rested.



I also spent a fair amount of time in the kitchen, preparing healthy meals from Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook. Recipies I tried include: the Breakfast Corn Pouding (yum!), Chicken Picadillo (amazing), the Roasted Plum Tomatoes (spectacular), Hazelnut Expresso Cookies (disaster, probably too much or not enough of something).



To top if off, I did my very 1st Yoga class following Jillian Micheals' energetic Yoga Meltdown DVD. I could feel the burn all over my body the next day which helped in making me feel less guilty for indulding on gravy during our annual family Thanksgiving dinner.

Hope your Canadian Thanksgiving was awesome too! Feel free to share your story!

Thanksgiving Rest

Coco's Delight

From style.com, a look at Chanel's 2011 Spring Summer collection, in the sublime setting of the Grand Palais.

An epic 18-minute show in a monochrome ornamental garden, and complete with fountains, Karl Lagerfeld's event has been hailed by many as the best of Paris Fashion Week 2010.

Coco's Delight

Super Sweet Sequin Shoes!

The Studio 54 crowd would've approved of these disco-fabulous, Italian made sequined boots. Derek Lam's creation has a leather sole, 4" heels, and a VIP area on the dancefloor!

Gold and sequins - you just can't go wrong!


View Derek Lam's entire collection at dereklam.com.

Super Sweet Sequin Shoes!

Mizdragonfly Joins Freedom Clothing Collective

Following a meeting with Yelena at the Toronto Clothing Show in September, Mizdragonfly's jewelry is now sold at Freedom Collective Clothing!

Located in Toronto’s Bloorcourt neighborhood, this non-profit volunteer run cooperative is committed to supporting local and eco-friendly artists and designers.

I'm very happy to join the coop, and looking forward to a long and prosperous collaboration!



Check out their website at www.freedomclothingcollective.com.

Mizdragonfly Joins Freedom Clothing Collective

Quote of the week

"A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life." - Charles Darwin

Quote of the week

Weekend Suggestion: We Are Wolves

Coming off an amazing performance at Pop Montreal (going on until Sunday October 3rd, don't miss out!) last Wednesday, and hand picked by Damon Albarn to open for Gorillaz on Sunday October 3rd in Montreal, We Are Wolves is showing its teeth!



This indie rock/elctro Montreal trio success relies on driving momentum and risky harshness. Their tracks range from spacey-blipey-electro-ish ambient to scream-'til-the-paint-comes-off madness. While it can make for an inconsistent rollercoaster ride, it's a wildly entertaining one!

With three studio albums since 2005, the band is constantly touring Canada, the US and Europe; maybe soon, the wolves will be roaming your neighborhood!

Video for Fight and Kiss, off their 2007 album Total Magique.

Listen to the music on thier MySpace, and check out their blog at www.wearewolves.net.

Weekend Suggestion: We Are Wolves