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Gala Photos from Scotiabank Buskerball 2013

  • August 26, 2013
  • charity, gala
  • Comments Off on Gala Photos from Scotiabank Buskerball 2013

In the 5th annual gala kicking off this year’s Scotiabank Buskerfest, the Scotiabank Buskerball 2013 gala dazzled with awe-inspiring performances and spectacles by talented street performers from around the world. There was much excitement to discover that evening at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (formerly the Maple Leaf Gardens).

From the superb wines supplied by 20 Bees to the delectable food stations including Vagabondo, Salad King, Barberian’s Steak House, Sultan’s Tent and many more, there was no shortage of tastes to discover. Guests delighted in the prizes to be won at the silent auctions with funds raised going to support Epilepsy Toronto not to mention the live auction items and raffle prizes.

Among the 600 guests in attendance at Buskerball, there was the host, Andria Case (CTV News Anchor) and former Toronto Maple Leafs, Darcy Tucker. There was also Luba Goy (Royal Canadian Air Farce) and Michael “Pinball” Clemons.

One in every 100 people live with epilepsy, the world’s most common neurological disorder. Proceeds from the Buskerball gala and Buskerfest weekend festival go to the non-profit organization, Epilepsy Toronto. For more info visit epilepsytoronto.org

View of the Mattamy Athletic Centre, formerly Maple Leaf Gardens

View of the Mattamy Athletic Centre, formerly Maple Leaf Gardens

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Dr. Draw

Dr. Draw

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middle: Darcy Tucker

middle: Darcy Tucker

Michael "Pinball" Williams

Michael “Pinball” Williams

One of the raffle prizes

One of the raffle prizes

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Natalie Deane, Kevin Carroll

Natalie Deane, Kevin Carroll

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Photo of the looks from Buskerball by Tiffany Leigh:

More event photos by Nick Lee

ABOUT SCOTIABANK BUSKERFEST
Since its inception in 2000, Scotiabank BuskerFest has featured hundreds of the best street performers from around the world, hosted millions of amazed spectators and helped raise much-needed funds for Epilepsy Toronto. Scotiabank BuskerFest is the largest street performers’ festival in North America and is the largest Epilepsy awareness-raising event in the world.

Harry Rosen Fall 2013 Preview: Bold Colours, More Collections

Versace in pink
  • August 24, 2013
  • fashion
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Versace in pink

Versace in bold pink

right: Julio Reyes (Fashionights)

right: Julio Reyes (Fashionights)

As we must inevitably head towards the fall season, it doesn’t necessarily mean men need to go back to wearing dark and drab colours. “Fall and winter tend to be darker seasons but our buying team really worked the collections to create a lot of colour that we think men are really going to respond to,” says Harry Rosen’s head buyer, Shannon Stewart. “this may be the boldest fall season we’ve ever seen in terms of rich colour and dynamic patterns.”

We can look forward to fresh colours in every Harry Rosen section including sportswear, suits, accessories and even outerwear featuring rich jewel tones, wines, burgundy and royal blue.

There’s an expanded variety of premium collections to see at Harry Rosen including Polo by Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, Lanvin, Maison Martin Margiela, Versace, Just Cavalli, and Dolce & Gabanna.

“In the old days we had 3 or 4 brands that really represented us,” says Larry osen, CEO of Harry rosen inc. “today we showcase a virtual smorgasbord of style. the fun is in mixing and matching. the modern man isn’t married to one brand or designer. He wants to create a look that is uniquely his own.”

The Kiton Collection
In the realm of ultimate made-to-measure labels where money is no object, there’s the Kiton collection, including shirts, that are completely hand-sewn by apprenticing Kiton tailors. “Every Kiton jacket requires a minimum of 25 man-hours to make and passes through the hands of up to 45 specialist tailors”, says David Gorick, Harry Rosen’s buyer for the brand. The Kiton collection is a new addition to the Harry Rosen Bloor West store. Made to measure suit service starts at around $9,000.

Harry Rosen Future
Harry Rosen continues to move forward and grow. Following their makeover at the Eaton Centre, the Yorkdale Mall branch is set to double in size this November to more than 32,000 square feet including an expanded footwear section and boasting Canada’s first Tateossian shop-in-a-shop, specializing in accessories and cufflinks. More growth for Harry Rosen includes Quebec and Edmonton as well as renovations at our own Sherway Gardens.

Check out the photos below from the recent pop-up Harry Rosen Fall 2013 Preview held at Jazz Bistro on Victoria Street. For more info visit www.harryrosen.com

The textures of Tom Ford

The textures of Tom Ford

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Pocket circles in Harry Rosen shot glasses

Pocket circles in Harry Rosen shot glasses

left: Glen Baxter

left: Glen Baxter

The Bison Boot made by Sorel. Made from durable, American Bison featuring full grain leather and a removable genuine shearling inner boot with sheep shearling cuff.  The entire boot is waterproof insulating the boot from the ground cold. $450

The Bison Boot made by Sorel. Made from durable, American Bison featuring full grain leather and a removable genuine shearling inner boot with sheep shearling cuff. The entire boot is waterproof insulating the boot from the ground cold. $450

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Kiton and Brunello Cucinelli

Kiton and Brunello Cucinelli

Jack Layton statue and the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal unveiled

The unveiling of the Jack Layton statue with his widow, MP Olivia Chow
  • August 22, 2013
  • culture
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The unveiling of the Jack Layton statue with his widow, MP Olivia Chow

The unveiling of the Jack Layton statue with his widow, MP Olivia Chow

This morning it was a celebration of the former NDP leader Jack Layton on the 2 year anniversary of his death after his bout with cancer.

To honour his memory, a bronze statue was unveiled with Jack Layton riding a tandem bicycle in the back seat allowing people to sit on the front seat and pose for photos. The statue is called “Jack’s Got Your Back”. The incredible part is that the sculpture was made in part by his widow, MP Olivia Chow. There was much media fanfare and also hundreds of general public in attendance (estimated at over 500 people). There were speeches made and celebrations including a musical adaptation of his last letter to Canada entitled “Dear Friends”.

Also, the Toronto Island Ferry Terminal is now called the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Mayor Rob Ford was also in attendance.
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Check out the video from the Toronto Star about the making of the statue.
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2013/08/19/jack_layton_memorial_comes_to_life.html

The New Executive Suite at One King West: The Fifteen Hundred

The Fifteen Hundred executive suite
  • August 21, 2013
  • launch, venue
  • Comments Off on The New Executive Suite at One King West: The Fifteen Hundred

The centrally located One King West at the prestigious intersection of King and Yonge stands as a designated Ontario Heritage Building. At the time of its construction in 1914 it was one of the tallest buildings in Toronto at 12 storeys tall. And then in 2006 it reopened as a hotel and condominium residence with 51 storeys and over 300 suites.

Last week One King West unveiled their new executive hospitality suite, the Fifteen Hundred on the 15th floor. As soon as you walk in to this modern space you immediately notice the vast, open layout with the south-facing floor-to-ceiling glass wall that can be fully retracted. The wrap-around terrace is very large and inviting with sweeping views of downtown. I could spend many relaxing hours with friends out here. This is a unique, versatile space equipped for entertaining with a wireless touchpad controlling the lighting, drapery, wall-mounted TVs and audio.

One floor directly below there is also a new Fourteen Hundred suite that is well-equipped to be used as an off-site executive boardroom or for corporate training or as a dynamic party space.

And here’s the interesting thing: there’s a hidden staircase that directly connects these two suites, making this pair a unique and versatile two-storey space for entertaining, executive retreats, product launches and wedding receptions.

Also stay tuned with us as One King West Hotel & Residence celebrates their centennial anniversary in 2014 with an interactive “I Love Toronto” mural, weekly hotel prize packages culminating into a grand gala dinner at the Grand Banking Hall.

For more info visit their facebook page www.facebook.com/onekingwest and www.onekingwest.com

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Full photo gallery here:

Splinter Cell: Blacklist Launch Party with Ubisoft Toronto

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Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the sixth installment of the popular game series, but this is the first that is wholly produced by the young Ubisoft Toronto studio. With three years of hard work behind them and already very solid reviews of the game, the Toronto team had a lot to celebrate. And celebrate they did, and we were fortunate enough to be part of it.

We were greeted at the door by the hostess and immediately handed very cool USB key dog tags to commemorate the launch. What’s the USB key for you ask? Well it’s to store your pictures with the one and only Sam Fisher, the main character in the game! There was an area set up where you can pose with a real, live actor playing Sam Fisher, using props such as night vision goggles, an assault rifle, and a knife. You were encouraged to be as creative or action-oriented as you can be. A photographer then took your photo, which were then transferred to your USB key dog tags. What an awesomely unique and personalized souvenir!

The venue itself, Metropolis Factory, was a dimly-lit, multi-level warehouse that only served to immerse you in an almost game-like environment. From the second floor the game’s producer, Jade Raymond, made a rousing speech to the cheers and applause from the team below. It was clear that the Toronto team was proud of its accomplishments, which was made even more evident after talking to some of the editors, animators, engineers, and others who contributed to the game. Food was aplenty and drinks were flowing all night long.

Several Xbox 360 stations and gamer couches were available for everyone to try out the game ahead of its launch. With control innovations using Xbox 360’s Kinect motion sensor and Wii U’s controller touchscreen, the reintroduction of the popular “Spies vs Mercs” multiplayer mode, and most importantly the return to the series’ stealth roots, gamers have a lot to look forward to. Splinter Cell: Blacklist will be released on August 20th on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, and PC.

Watch for more exciting projects to come out from Ubisoft Toronto!

Words by John Tan. Photos by Nick Lee
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Jade Raymond, Managing Director, Ubisoft Toronto

Jade Raymond, Managing Director, Ubisoft Toronto

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Here’s a great video by Ubisoft Toronto of the launch party

Ubisoft’s trailer for Splinter Cell: Blacklist

About Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist
In Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist, players take on the role of lethal operative Sam Fisher who must stop an international terrorist group behind The Blacklist, a series of escalating attacks on US assets. Operating under the newly formed Fourth Echelon unit, Sam Fisher and his team will use any means necessary to prevent the next deadly assault.

Delivering a gripping modern-day storyline, the game brings back core elements of the franchise and incorporates a new level of technical innovation and design to create the biggest Splinter Cell to date. Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist will push the series to even greater heights by offering a complete package where single-player, co-op and multiplayer are tied to a universal economy system supporting a wide variety of play styles. Ghost players want to remain undetected; they analyze and plan the best way to go unseen. Panther players look for lethality in the most efficient and silent way. Assault players rely on instincts and are about open fire.

For more information on the game, please visit: splintercell.com and follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/splintercell

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