Dolce Summer 2014

SINCE 1996

THE MAN WHO © Iconic Images / Terry O’Neill / Courtesy of Izzy Gallery

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’60s SHOT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

TERRY O’NEILL

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FLEURIER AMADEO ® VIRTUOSO III 5 - DAY TO U R B I L L O N W I T H R E T R O G R A D E P E R P E T U A L CA L E N DA R AND REVERSED HAND-FITTING

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F U L LY I N T E G R AT E D C O N V E R T I B L E CA S E

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©2014 Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. Porsche recommends seatbelt usage and observance of all traffic laws at all times.

The all-new Porsche Macan. Life, intensified.

The new Macan - built for an intensive life in which the thirst for experience and thrills and spills are everpresent, and in which new challenges are a permanent driving force. Built for a life that refuses to be hemmed in by conventions and feels all the more authentic for it. Direct and intimate. A Sports Car that gives us what we’re looking for: that feeling of being alive. The all-new Porsche Macan. Life, intensified.

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*Macan S MSRP including Freight/PDI and fees. Licensing and HST extra. Macan Turbo model with extra cost options shown. Vehiclemay may require require factory factory order. order.

CHLOE ROGERS Honor Student. Fashion Model. Style Maker.

Portrait by BRYAN ADAMS

Celebrate. Style. Ever-fashionable, always inspiring, unforgettable. Yorkdale marks its 50th anniversary with a celebration of Toronto’s Style Makers. Each with their own unique brand of style – and every one captured by photographer Bryan Adams – visit Yorkdale.com and see them all.

In recognition of Chloe Rogers’ involvement a donation has been made to SickKids Foundation. www.dolcemag.com

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PUBLISHER’S Note

Living is like tearing through a museum.

Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering — because you can’t take it in all at once — Audrey Hepburn time and era gone by, when celebrities welcomed photographers to capture their most intimate of moments. There was a balance in understanding when a photographer should or should not take a shot. Unlike today, when paparazzi are out to take that shot for the tabloids that could make their career yet ruin someone else’s career, or life, for that matter. Some might argue that it’s because society has a short attention span, and therefore people want to see shocking portraits or else it will not be “newsy.” We beg to differ. Life is full of beauty and grace. There is no need to shock or rock the finer things in life such as proper etiquette and class for the sake of fame and fortune. So, with this issue, we invite you to look closer for that balance in life.

It was when we visited Larry Mogelonsky’s home that Audrey Hepburn’s above quote became ever so evident. So many art and eclectic pieces juxtaposed yet offset by a tranquil garden

Dolce Magazine The Honey of Life Sin

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ce 1996

just outside rooms filled with masks and paintings staring back at you — all in one place and impossible for one to absorb in just one visit. Read story on page 40.

Finding balance in one’s life is important. But being a catalyst that creates balance in others’ lives is even more admirable. (Read “Dolce Was There” starting on page 16.) These are the people that have made it a point to become that change for the sake of others. Each one of these events proves time and time again that the best way to enjoy life à la dolce vita is to be able to share yours with others. Take note as you too can be inspired to find beauty, balance and grace in your life by reading this issue of Dolce Magazine.

Michelle Zerillo-Sosa Publisher/Editor-In-Chief

@dolcetweets | michelle@dolce.ca

PHOTO TAKEN BY MY SWEET SIX-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, ANGELICA

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his is how I felt after meeting Izzy Sulejmani, owner of Izzy Gallery, when he shared the news that the incredibly talented Terry O’Neill was coming to Toronto as he ripped open yet another package containing a large-format print, which would be part of this muchawaited exhibition.

O’Neill is the famous photographer who shot celebrities in the ’60s. My favourite image, of course, is that of Audrey Hepburn. Her beauty and grace on the cover of our summer issue is the perfect opening to an edition that is filled with grace and beauty. How else can one truly describe such a magical moment captured by O’Neill as the white dove landed on her shoulder? In an era where Photoshop was not the norm, this was truly a divine intervention. Read story on page 30.

The picture of life’s perfect balance is the same balance or lack thereof that O’Neill speaks of in his interview. A

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CELEBRA ATIN NG OUR NIV VERSARY ANN

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SUMMER 2014 • VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 2 Publisher/Editor-In-Chief MICHELLE ZERILLO-SOSA michelle@dolce.ca Director of Editorial SIMONA PANETTA simona@dolce.ca Director of Operations ANGELA PALMIERI-ZERILLO angela@dolce.ca

ART DEPARTMENT Co-Founder/Creative Director FERNANDO ZERILLO fernando@dolce.ca Web Project Manager STEVE BRUNO Senior Graphic Designers CHRISTINA BAN, LUAY SAIG Graphic Designers ALYSSA MACLEOD, CASSANDRA SAVARINO

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Copy Editor SIMONA PANETTA Fashion & Home Décor Editor MICHELLE ZERILLO-SOSA Beauty & Travel Editor ANGELA PALMIERI-ZERILLO Proofreaders THE EDITING COMPANY, TORONTO; SIMONA PANETTA Writers MICHAEL HILL, AMANDA STOREY Contributing Writers REBECCA ALBERICO, NOLAN BRYANT, JUSTIN MASTINE-FROST, PAMELA JACOBS, PERRY LEFKO, LUAY SAIG Contributing Photographers ALEX CHAN, CLAUDIUS HOLZMANN, JEN KIABA, BILL KWAN, JESSE MILNS, TERRY O’NEILL, JOHN PACKMAN, SAL PASQUA, GEORGE PIMENTEL, SHANNON ROSS, MARIE SCHMIDT, GIL TAMIN

VIDEO DEPARTMENT Videographers DANIEL A. COOPER, THOMAS NAGY

ADVERTISING Director of New Business Development SUSAN BHATIA (Maternity Leave) susan@dolce.ca Director of Marketing ANGELA PALMIERI-ZERILLO angela@dolce.ca Account Managers MARIO BALACEANU, LINA MUASHER

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES T: 905-264-6789 Toll-Free: 1-888-68-DOLCE info@dolce.ca • www.dolcemag.com Front Cover AUDREY HEPBURN WITH DOVE, SAINT-TROPEZ, 1967 © Iconic Images / Terry O’Neill / Courtesy of Izzy Gallery

Dolce Vita Magazine is published quarterly by Dolce Publishing Inc. 111 Zenway Blvd., Suite 30, Vaughan, Ont. L4H 3H9 T: 905-264-6789, Toll-Free: 1-888-68-DOLCE, F: 905-264-3787, info@dolce.ca, www.dolcemediagroup.ca Publication Mail Agreement No. 40026675. All rights reserved. Any reproduction is strictly prohibited without written consent from the publisher.

Dolce Vita Magazine reaches over 900,000 affluent readers annually through household distribution and newsstand sales across Canada and selected Barnes & Noble stores in the United States.

Inquiries about where Dolce Vita Magazine is available for sale should be directed to Disticor Magazine Distribution Services: 905-619-6565.

The yearly subscription fee is $16.80. Send cheque or money order to Dolce Publishing Inc., 111 Zenway Blvd., Suite 30, Vaughan, Ont., Canada L4H 3H9 The opinions expressed in Dolce Vita Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or advertisers.

Dolce Publishing Inc. does not assume liability for content. The material in this magazine is intended for information purposes only and is no way intended to supersede professional advice.

We are proud to be a Canadian company that has successfully published magazines for the past 18 years without any government funding or financial assistance of programs to cover editorial costs. It has all been possible thanks to the wonderful support of our readers and advertisers.

ISSN 1206-17780 Next Issue: Fall 2014 ©2014 Dolce Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada Printed in Canada

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This magazine is printed on Recycled Paper.

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CONTENTS ISSUE 2 / VOLUME 18 DOLCE SUMMER 2014

ALFA ROMEO 4C The Italian automotive brand returns to North America with a two-seat sports car

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© Iconic Images / Terry O’Neill / Courtesy of Izzy Gallery

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THEY DON’T MAKE ’EM LIKE THEY USED TO Legendary photographer Terry O’Neill — “The Man Who Shot the Sixties” — brings his coveted work to Toronto

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FIT FOR A GODDESS Jewelry for women with divine taste

THE ISLAND OF SPICE Turn up the heat at Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa

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SHORESIDE IN A SUMMER DAZE Floral beachwear blossoms for 2014

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THE PORTRAIT OF LARRY MOGELONSKY Exploring the eclectic compendium of a Toronto art collector

ON THE COVER Audrey Hepburn With Dove, Saint-Tropez, 1967 © Iconic Images / Terry O’Neill / Courtesy of Izzy Gallery 80 FRIDAY HARBOUR: WHERE THE VACATION NEVER ENDS The groundbreaking resort community that melds urban amenities with life on Lake Simcoe 56 LIFE CRANKED UP The Voice winner Tessanne Chin rocks Toronto 58 Q&A WITH SIMON SINEK The leadership expert discusses his new book 61 LA CONFIANCE Summer fashion fit for a fairy tale More stories inside ...

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DOLCE WAS THERE

SCRUBS IN THE CITY: SOIREE UNDER THE STARS

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1. Michelle Zerillo-Sosa, co-founder of Dolce Media Group; Edward Rogers, deputy chairman of Rogers Communications Inc.; and Sylvia Mantella, Scrubs in the City committee member and director of brand development at Mantella Corporation 2. Fernando Zerillo, co-founder of Dolce Media Group; Stephan Macricostas, secretary for the board of directors at 1500 Ocean Drive Condominium in Miami Beach; David Pulley, Miami Beach-based real estate agent; and Giancarlo Milazzo, interior designer 3. Vonna Bitove, executive director of the Bitove Foundation; Jenna Bitove Naumovich, stylist at The Room; and Sylvia Mantella | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

PHOTOS BY GEORGE PIMENTEL

Always one of the most talked-about bashes about town, the annual Scrubs in the City social event returned to Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works for its 13th year on June 12. Over 800 guests donned their chicest white ensembles for the event, which this year was themed “Soiree Under the Stars: Into the Night Dressed in White.” Ample musical and dance performances wowed the audience and guests were kept on their toes until the announcement of the raffle prize winners, who scored luxurious purses from Holt Renfrew, a custom ring and the grand prize of a flight and accommodation courtesy of Etihad Airways. Over $450,000 was raised from the event in support of the SickKids Operating Suites Redevelopment Project, which exists to help expand and update the vital operating suites. www.sickkidsfoundation.com/scrubs

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An intimate cocktail reception was held on May 6, 2014, to raise support for the Ignite the Spark Fund, an arm of the Children’s Aid Foundation that helps children who can’t afford, or have no access to, sports, arts and recreation.

The event took place at the York Mills home of Mark Daniels and Andrea Weissman-Daniels, cofounders of the Fund. Over 75 guests were treated to the wise words of inspirational speakers such as Olympic freestyle skiing gold medallist Dara Howell, as well as a violin performance from a child who has benefitted from the Ignite the Spark Fund. Among the attendees were Valerie McMurtry, president and CEO of the Children’s Aid Foundation, and Joe Canavan, chairman of the Children’s Aid Foundation. www.cafdn.org/spark

1. Andrea Weissman-Daniels and Mark Daniels, co-founders of Ignite the Spark Fund, with Olympic gold medallist Dara Howell (middle) 2. Moe Razi, interior designer, and Tim Mulcahy, CEO of Truestar Health | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

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PHOTOS BY GEORGE PIMENTEL

IGNITE THE SPARK FUND COCKTAIL PARTY

DOLCE WAS THERE

WONDERFUL WOMEN

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PHOTOS BY GEORGE PIMENTEL

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Weizmann Canada’s Women and Science Committee hosted its inaugural Wonderful Women event at Casa Loma in the late spring. Over 200 guests were welcomed to the scenic venue, where a panel of inspiring and accomplished women spoke to the crowd, including event moderator Patricia Lovett-Reid, CTV News’ chief

financial commentator; Dr. Naama Geva-Zatorsky, who completed both her PhD and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Weizmann Institute of Science; Dr. Sherry Cooper, speaker, writer and advisor; Karen Kain, acclaimed former classical dancer and advocate for the arts; and Jennifer Weiner, a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author.

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The funds raised will benefit the Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine at the Weizmann Institute of Science. www.weizmann.ca

Catch our coverage of the Wonderful Women event at:

1. Guest speakers Patricia Lovett-Reid, Jennifer Weiner, Karen Kain, Dr. Sherry Cooper and Dr. Naama Geva-Zatorsky 2. Ella Segal, Alisha Punjani and Simona Shnaider 3. Andrea Weissman-Daniels | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

PHOTOS BY GEORGE PIMENTEL

19TH ANNUAL STARLIGHT CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION GALA What do you get when you gather London-themed live and silent auctions, an Austin Powers impersonator, a Spice Girls tribute band and 700 of the city’s finely dressed do-gooders and celebrities, all surrounded by the grooviest Union Jack-inspired décor? The 19th annual Starlight Children’s Foundation Gala, which this year was themed “London Calling.”

Held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, the event educated and inspired guests with speakers from families who have been touched by children’s illnesses. It was a smashing success, raising over $500,000 to benefit the Foundation’s mission to improve the life and health of kids and families around the world. www.starlightcanada.org

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1. Love It or List It ’s Hilary Farr 2. Maura Caruana and Vincent Caruana 3. Radio and television personality Pay Chen | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

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DOLCE WAS THERE

David Rocco and Nina Rocco

Over 250 of Toronto’s luminaries gathered at Downtown Porsche in Toronto on May 14, 2014, for the inaugural Amore Without Borders event. Held in support of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders Canada (MSF), the soiree boasted incredible amore-themed décor and hors d’oeuvres crafted by chefs David Rocco and Tony Cammalleri. Guests were inspired by multiple musical performances, including a set by Carmen Corcoz, and showed their support by bidding in the live and silent auctions, which offered a private jet vacation, a custom “Amore” Porsche 911 Carrera S, one-of-a-kind vintage medical totes and more. The brainchild of Sylvia Mantella and Michelle Zerillo-Sosa, the event raised nearly $300,000, surpassing the goal of a quarter of a million dollars to benefit MSF. www.amorewithoutborders.com

Sergio Sosa and Michelle Zerillo-Sosa

Fernando Zerillo and Angela Palmieri-Zerillo

Suzanne Rogers (second from left), Edward Rogers, Glenn Dixon and guest

Catch our coverage of the Amore Without Borders event at: Dr. Joseph Ma

Stephen Cornish (right) and guest PHOTOS BY BY JOHN PACKMAN, BILL KWAN, GIL TAMIN AND SAL PASQUA

Bruce Lampard and Rebecca Ngan

Cynthia Mulligan

Nicole Snitman and Paul Wiseman Brian Gluckstein and Gary Sarantopoulos

Sal Pasqua and Diego Sosa

Patrice Favreau

Robert Lawrie, Justin Fogarty and David Batten

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Salah Bachir (right) and guest

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Hunter Milborne and Mariana Durcikova

Conrad Freeman, Sylvia Mantella and Robert Mantella

Nick Freda and Jenna Bitove Naumovich Sarah Davidson-Gurney

Ron Baruch (right) and guest

Mike Chalut

Michelle Levy

Simona Shnaider, Robin Turack and Kelly Rosen

From left to right: Giani Tariello, Sally Laren and Robert Weir

From left to right: Lisa Corbo, Hal Isen, Andrew Bottecchia

From left to right: Tim Hogarth, Jeffrey Oke, Chris Wood and Kevin Lorenz

Ziya Tong and Noah Zatzman Anne Mroczkowski and Penny Faria

Susan Langdon and Lisa Tant Carmen Corcoz (right) and guest Vonna Bitove and Giles Elliott

Bruna Manzoli and Jo-Ann Folino

Dorothy Wuls and Dr. Ronald Wuls

Ray Mantella and Giancarlo Milazzo

Richard Cocq and Rosemary Cocq

Dr. Peter A. Kircher and Helen Ching-Kircher Alda Neves Alda Neves DubĂŠ

officaborum eatissequi

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DOLCE WAS THERE

Pick up & Delivery Available Alterations on Premises

Am re BAGS

This bag was crafted as a companion to the everadventurers at the renowned Downtown Porsche dealership in Toronto, one of the key sponsors of the Amore Without Borders event.

Designed to let them carry a dose of inspiration wherever the holder goes, it’s a tote with just as much wanderlust as the team for whom it was created. www.amorebags.ca

This bag was designed to embody the strength and wisdom carried by the team at Mantella Corporation, another generous sponsor of Amore Without Borders.

The lion, a symbol of power, was selected for the bag’s motif, which was hand-painted h d i t d beautifully as a token of the fortitude of the company that inspired it. www.amorebags.ca

PHOTOS BY SAL PASQUA

Designed for event sponsor Rogers Communications Inc., this bag calls on the feisty, fearless words of timeless icon Marilyn Monroe. Using bold, fun colours and two handpainted portraits of the legend herself, the tote aims to embody her inspiration, which has moved and motivated generations. www.amorebags.ca

THANKS Quality is in the details...

to these generous sponsors, we are able to raise awareness and funds for MSF/Doctors Without Borders.

Ashford cleaners offers the highest level of custom dry cleaning and shirt laundry M A G A Z I N E

535 Eglinton Ave. W.

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Ashfordcleaners.com info@ashfordcleaners.com Reputation for Excellence…

Dedication to Service

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THE ROSEN FAMILY

DOLCE WAS THERE

A NIGHT AT THE CASTLE

PHOTO BY DAVID LEE

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Over 500 guests flocked to Casa Loma on May 28, 2014, for the annual Gerry & Nancy Pencer Brain Trust Gala, which this year was themed “A Night at the Castle.” The spectacular evening 1 raised nearly $800,000 for an incredible

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cause. The not-for-profit organization is determined to make a difference in the quality of lives of people living with brain tumours. Proceeds from the gala went to support brain tumour research and fund programs and services for brain tumour

patients and their families at the Gerry & Nancy Pencer Brain Tumor Centre at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. www.pencerbraintrust.com

1. Holly Pencer Bellman, executive director of the Gerry & Nancy Pencer Brain Trust; Nancy Pencer, president of the Gerry & Nancy Pencer Brain Trust; and Stacey Cynamon, officer at the Pencer Brain Trust 2. Casa Loma serves as a luxurious venue 3. Nancy Pencer and Michelle Zerillo-Sosa, co-founder of Dolce Media Group | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

HEART OF FASHION 2014 LAUNCH PARTY

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Over 100 guests braved a wicked storm on the evening of June 17, 2014, to attend the Heart of Fashion 2014 launch party, a precursor to Heart of Fashion, a philanthropic event taking place in October in support of the BMO Financial Group Breast Diagnostic Centre at North York General Hospital. The evening of food, fashion and fun cocktails offered a thrilling preview to the official Heart of Fashion event this fall, which promises to throw an even bigger and better party than its 2013 edition. www.heartoffashion.ca

PHOTOS BY DISTINCTIVE FOTO IMAGING AND ANIL HANASOGE

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1. Erika Larva, creative director and producer at Monarch Events Group Inc., with Angela Murphy, director of campaign and major gifts at North York General Foundation, and Liz Walsh, events manager and co-coordinator at Monarch Events Group Inc. 2. Holly Miklas, event chair, with husband Paul Miklas and daughter Ashley Miklas 3. The Heart of Fashion 2014 launch party was held at the Miklas’ lavish home in Toronto 4. Rose Reisman, owner and chief executive officer of Rose Reisman Catering, with Terry Pursell, president and CEO of North York General Hospital Foundation, and Michelle Levy, owner of Michelle Levy Productions | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

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DOLCE WAS THERE

THE QUEEN’S YORK RANGERS’ TROOPING OF THE GUIDON The Queen’s York Rangers (1st American Regiment) have played a series of vital roles in making history, including being sent to serve in the Riel Rebellion in 1885 and to fight in the South African (Boer) War of 1899 — 1902, as well as on operations in Cyprus, Croatia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Somalia, Namibia and Afghanistan. On June 5, 2014, the York Rangers gathered at the Fort York Armoury in Toronto and were joined

by His Royal Highness The Duke of York as they marched to Fort York.

The march, Trooping of the Guidon, was in celebration of the award of five new battle honours, including the first commemoration of an Afghanistan honour in Canada. www.qyrang.ca

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1. Her Honour Ruth Ann Onley, His Honour Lt.–Gov. David C. Onley and His Royal Highness The Duke of York at the National Club Reception 2. Her Honour Ruth Ann Onley, His Honour Lt.-Gov. David C. Onley and Stephen Lautens, former lawyer and columnist 3. Justin Fogarty (right) and Judy Lawrie 4. The parade included a 100-man guard, re-enactors (mounted and dismounted), eight soldiers in full fighting order, the Queen’s York Rangers band and Queen’s York Ranger Cadets from their corps in Aurora and Toronto 5. Colin Keddy, managing partner at Equitable Financial Group, Inc.; guest of Colin Keddy; Karen Gilmour, chair of the Cinephile Society at the National Club; Michelle Zerillo-Sosa, co-founder of Dolce Media Group, and Sergio Sosa 6. His Royal Highness The Duke of York inspects the parade before joining its march to Fort York 7. Vanessa Harwood, Canadian ballet dancer, and Robert Lawrie, director of scholarships and student administration at the University of Edinburgh, with John and Claudine Bailey 8. Upon His Royal Highness’s inspection of the parade, the Trooping of the Guidon was conducted | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

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PHOTOS BY FERGUSON MOBBS AND MARK O’NEIL

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DOLCE WAS THERE

MOST WANTED

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Most Wanted, one of the most anticipated fashion events of the city, took over Eagles Nest Golf Club’s picturesque facilities on May 8, 2014.

This year’s rendition of the annual event was held in support of the new Immune Therapy Program supporting Gynecological Cancer Care at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and welcomed a select group of Toronto’s finest to enjoy an exclusive fashion show. Soughtafter labels Lucian Matis, Avec Plaisir presenting La Perla, Eres swimwear, Brunello Cucinelli and V Hazelton presenting Pal Zileri showcased their latest creations on the runway before a luxe Privé after-party ensued. By the end of the evening, $100,000 was raised for the incredible cause. www.mostwantedfashionevent.com

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PHOTOS BY GEORGE PIMENTEL

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11 1 1. Fabio and Sue Fata 2. Deena Pantalone, Daniela De Gasperis and Marialisa De Gasperis 3. Fernando Zerillo and Angela Palmieri-Zerillo 4. Michela Guglietti and Siglia Di Battista 5. Sonia Guglietti and Johnny Guglietti 6. Moe Razi and Ainsley Kerr 7. Mark McEwan and Roxanne McEwan 8. Jennifer Ferri and Remo Ferri 9. Deana Nastic, Marisa Rocca, Marialisa De Gasperis, Jacquie Baldassarra, Alison Fiorini, Lisa Guglietti and Enza Muzzo 10. Rita Baldassarra and Giulio Baldassarra 11. Committee members Marco and Michela Guglietti, Andrew and Teresa De Gasperis, Lina and Jim De Gasperis and Marialisa and Romeo De Gasperis | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

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DOLCE WAS THERE

MOONLIGHT GALA 2014 Summer was warmly welcomed at the third annual McMichael Moonlight Gala on June 14, 2014, where a select group of 500 of the city’s culture fanatics gathered at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg to savour an evening of art and music under the stars. Canada AM ’s Beverly Thomson, a great supporter of the Canadian arts community, emceed this year’s event, which spoiled guests with incredible award-winning Ontario wines, an irresistible menu of gourmet cuisine and a series of tantalizing live performances, including a set by international jazz sensation and Juno Award-winner Sophie Milman. The signature fundraiser raised a record-breaking sum of over $150,000 to benefit the McMichael’s ongoing work to connect with art and nature through exhibitions that explore Canada from coast to coast and programs that engage people of all ages in art and art making. moonlightgala.mcmichael.com

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1. Cynthia Mulligan, presenter on Citytv’s CityNews with1 a fellow guest and Beverly Thomson, event emcee and co-host of CTV’s Canada AM 2. Cherry Tabb, CEO and co-founder of the Herzig Eye Institute and a fellow guest 3. Daniel Eidan, Liz Taylor-Edmonds, Rachel Burner and Joe Gorecki 4. Beverly Thomson and Jeanne Beker, Canadian fashion icon 5. Culinary delights ensured that all five of the guests’ senses were inspired 6. Alana Bridgewater and The Collective performed beautifully for a star-struck crowd 7. A scrumptious sweets table by Kleinburg-based Dolcini by Joseph wowed the crowd | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

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PHOTOS BY LUCA VIOREL, LINDA MORITA AND TOM SANDLER

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DOLCE WAS THERE

STFX NATIONAL DINNER

PHOTOS BY BLAISE MACMULLIN

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The Fairmont Royal York played host to St. Francis Xavier University’s National Dinner on April 15, 2014. Over 400 leaders in business, government and the community attended the affair, which focuses on the value of strong leadership and the influence that post-secondary education makes on the country. Hosted

by CBC’s senior business correspondent Amanda Lang, the night welcomed the likes of Minister of Justice Peter MacKay, president of StFX Dr. Sean Riley, chairman of the board for BMO Robert Prichard and chief financial officer of TD Bank Group Colleen Johnston. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney gave the keynote address and in a one-on-one interview with Dolce beforehand explained his pride of being an StFX alumni. “It’s now a leading university; it has been, for the last five years, Canada’s No. 1 undergraduate university, so it’s become a very special place with a high reputation, great achievements and so I’m honoured to be associated with it.” The evening also paid special tribute to Dr. Riley in recognition of his 18 years as president of StFX. www.stfx.ca

1. Comedian Gerry Dee, Heather Donoghue, the Right Hon. Brian Mulroney and Ben Mulroney, host of CTV’s Etalk 2. Incoming StFX president Dr. Kent MacDonald, Minister of Justice Peter MacKay and current StFX president Dr. Sean Riley 3. CBC’s senior business correspondent and host of StFX’s 2014 National Dinner Amanda Lang | For our interview with former prime minister Brian Mulroney, please visit www.dolcemag.com

PHOTOS BY TOM SANDLER

AN EVENING WITH … DAN RATHER The Women’s College Hospital Foundation (WCHF) in Toronto hosted An Evening With … Dan Rather at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel on June 2, 2014, during which the legendary journalist took part in a one-on-one interview with Canadian broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi.

Rather, an Emmy Award-winner, regaled the 565 guests with gripping conversation, charming them with stories from his 40 years of experience and sharing his thoughts on the state and direction of modern journalism, touching on the topics of Russia’s territorial expansion and global politics. The event raised a total of $560,000 in support of the vital research at the Women’s College Hospital Foundation. www.womenscollegehospitalfoundation.com

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1. Emmy Award-winning journalist Dan Rather and Canadian broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi 2. Jim Treliving, Canadian businessman and Dragons’ Den personality, with wife Sandi | For additional photos from the event, please visit www.dolcemag.com

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| LONDON

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With Kiki McDonough’s designs capturing both the traditional allure and contemporary style of today’s royals, it’s no wonder they’ve fallen for her collections

1. Grace White Topaz and Diamond Stud Earrings 2. Kiki Classic Green Amethyst and Diamond Oval Drop Earrings 3. Eternal Blue Topaz Oval Stacking Ring 4. Eternal Cushion Multi-Gemstone Necklace

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THE CROWN JEWEL Meet the London-based jewelry designer who’s making royals shine

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ou’ve probably heard Kiki McDonough’s name mentioned alongside words like “gems” and “jewelry,” or seen her sparkling creations circling the necks, fingers and wrists of royalty. As a thirdgeneration jeweler whose parents owned the esteemed 1723 Harvey & Gore — one of London’s oldest privately owned antique jewelers and diamond dealers — McDonough’s talent runs deep in her genes.

“I grew up unafraid of the hush, bell and burgundy velvet of the jewelry shop,” says the designer from her 26

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own London-based premises, where she creates pieces that have attracted affluent eyes from around the world — most notably Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

But McDonough’s taste for bright colours in small, poignant pops against fine metallics is a combination that works for women of all walks of life — not only those who walk the red carpet on a regular basis. And when asked what things she couldn’t live without (the ballet, her iPod, coffee cake and the Liverpool Football Club), it becomes clear where the universality of her www.dolcemag.com

collections comes from.

Next on McDonough’s agenda is to open more wholesale accounts in England and internationally, as well as a second shop in the UK. But for those who won’t be jet-setting to Britain anytime soon, her adored designs are available in select Holt Renfrew stores across Canada, including Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal.

“The jewelry is smart — it’s not bling,” says McDonough. “Never underestimate what a pretty pair of earrings can do. If they are the right colours, they light up your face.” www.kiki.co.uk

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KIKI MCDONOUGH

WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY

| TORONTO

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Caspar Haydar in his Bathurst Street office, a party planner’s paradise

1. Since opening up shop in 2013, Caspar Haydar Design has created events for some of the hottest names in town 2. It’s not all events: Haydar also specializes in home design, florals, sweets and more 3. Haydar reveals that sourcing materials for his events is one of the most important elements of his work

THE PARTY ARTIST Trust the words of a man whose full-time job is partying: Keep calm and hire an event designer WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN PACKMAN

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licking through the online portfolio of Australianborn event designer Caspar Haydar is like devouring chapters of a Roald Dahl novel. One is instantly pulled into an eyepopping, graffiti-themed bat mitzvah before being whisked off to a ballerinainspired birthday party, complete with pink-and-white everything and ballet dancers. From the rainbow-hued décor of a nail bar and lounge designed for cosmetics giant Essie, to the lush party atmosphere of the inaugural Amore Without Borders event in Toronto this past spring, Haydar’s dream-come-true creations have characterized him as a modern-day Willy Wonka.

“I love the rush of it all — I thrive on it,” says Haydar, who’s charmed

Toronto’s community of party-throwers since he landed on our soil nine years ago. “I think I’d get bored doing the same thing all the time.”

After being launched into nationwide fame as a star on the Food Network’s 2012 smash series SugarStars, Haydar left the small screen to give life to his solo event planning project, Caspar Haydar Design.

The firm’s downtown Bathurst Street headquarters is where all the magic happens, but Haydar thanks his extensive globetrotting for his party planning finesse. Having seen, tasted and designed his way through Sydney, London, Paris and New York all before turning 25, it’s no wonder that Haydar has Toronto transfixed. Stirring together the understated elegance of European www.dolcemag.com

style with a wow factor that’s signature to North American design, Haydar has come up with the perfect recipe to satisfy the cravings of the city’s most prestigious partiers and create mindblowing, front-page-worthy events for them to sink their teeth into.

“We’re not just throwing a party — we’re capturing a special moment,” says Haydar, whose dream project is designing Oprah Winfrey’s three-day Legends Ball. “Whether it’s a product launch, a charity fundraiser or that sixteenth birthday, these are moments that are never going to happen again.”

It’s this no-limits approach that has international luminaries and labels alike falling hard for Haydar’s craftsmanship: A bride requests a flower wall à la Kim and Kanye, and Haydar delivers. You ask him to construct a chocolate river for the city’s next big bash, and he asks, “Milk or dark?”

“Design is about your personal style and spirit,” says Haydar. “And don’t forget to have fun with your events.

It’s about having a really good time — because after all, an event is a party.” www.casparhaydardesign.com DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE

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| PALM BEACH

BICYCLES, FRAGRANCES AND DESIGNER TOOTHPASTE As if Florida wasn’t hot enough, a sizzling new retail concept has touched down on the state’s sandy shores. Based in Miami and with a new location in Palm Beach, Babalu is a luxury convenience store that welcomes elite travellers and locals into a treasure trove of must-have knick-knacks, all of which are sourced from design destinations all over the world. Dolce chatted with the jet-setting co-owner and brand architect Greg Melvin about the feisty flair of Babalu, its spectrum of exclusive wares (which range from “designer” toothpaste to fine fragrances) and how the high-energy boutique is redefining the art of the shopping spree

Dreamed up by imaginative pair Paolo Ambu and Greg Melvin, Babalu boasts everything from a perfume bar to elite pet accessories

INTERVIEW BY AMANDA STOREY

Q: Who is the Babalu customer?

A: The Babalu customer is someone who wants to avoid the complications of a department store, yet drop-in to find one of our many prestige brands. Our return customers come back to us to restock on their favourite perfumes and beauty items, often available exclusively through Babalu, and to find the perfect last-minute gift. For first-time visitors, we often see the element of surprise and delight as they realize the depth and excitement of our offering.

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The eclectic wares of Babalu can now be experienced at its two locations: Miami and Palm Beach

Babalu designed in order to achieve these?

A: Elemental to our philosophy is that price must become secondary to the product in the shopping experience, and the customer must leave the store feeling more enriched than before they arrived.

This is the ultimate satisfaction for us.

Europe regularly in search of the most significant independent fragrances created by the world’s most renowned perfumers, from Carner Barcelona to Humiecki & Graef. We are very fortunate to have established a place in this special world.

Q: Most unique objects in-store right now?

A: A hand-cut, life-size decorative crystal skull; the sunglasses from the Yves Klein International Klein Blue Collection at Etnia Barcelona; and our signature Babalu bicycle.

Q: Of all the places where your designs are from, which do you find the most creatively charged?

A: Bali holds the most special place in our hearts. The Balinese have the ability to realize the most special design creations of your vision through their special handicraft techniques that are unique to the world. And Bali chose us for its magnetic attraction, not the other way around. www.ilovebabalu.com

Q: What is your favourite international find that you brought to Babalu?

A: Our Perfume Bar is a distinguishing factor for us. We travel throughout www.dolcemag.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BABALU

Q: Describe Babalu in four sentences.

A: Babalu is the perfect intersect of convenience and luxury. Our small floor space and convenient locations make it easy to drop into the store for ease of purchase. The brand and product highlights are niche and aspirational, yet we strive to have a variety of products and prices that appeal to every customer.

Babalu is a point-of-discovery with new ideas and products being introduced on an evolving basis; we are conceptual, experimental and trend-focused, yet with a grounded European sensibility.

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Sophia Loren in bed, Switzerland, 1978

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O NEILL: THEY DON’T MAKE ’EM LIKE THEY USED TO REMEMBERING THE REBELS, THE GROUNDBREAKERS AND THE GREATS WITH THE DOYEN OF ’60s PHOTOGRAPHY WRITTEN BY SIMONA PANETTA

© Iconic Images / Terry O’Neill / Courtesy of Izzy Gallery

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ike most great British success stories, Terry O’Neill’s was born from being at the right place at the right time. It was sometime in 1967, in the glitz of Saint-Tropez, and Audrey Hepburn, ever eminent since her Roman Holiday fame, is on the set of the marital dramedy Two for the Road, her penultimate film before a break from the spotlight. When out of the sky and onto her shoulder a fluttering dove perches, cooing submission to the doe-eyed star. This gives O’Neill an idea. Like a hovering bee moving ever so fast to stay still, the photographer puts his 35mm camera to work, the light of the image flooding the film plane before he advances from one frame to the next. Click. Click. Click. A flash of bashfulness, a muted weakness; a corporeal transformation of an actress habitually sheltered in pearls and little black dress couture. The captured moment is rare and candid, revealing a slip of vulnerability before vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

Again, with cliché abandon, the right place at the right time. But maybe there’s more to it than just that.

It’s the start of the week and I’m dialing up O’Neill, kind of like how the Beatles and the Rolling Stones did back when celebrities and photographers were cool with each other and getting your picture in the paper was the most important thing in the world.

But there’s no answer on the other line, just the busy tone of an international call and the bated breath of a writer on a deadline about a story of a noted photographer to rock stars, royals, politicos and on-screen greats; a prolific documenter of the go-go days and the shadowing years, a man whose photographic career spans five decades.

And so I sit tight. Think about leaving a few voicemails. A ring soon jolts me into focus. “So, sorry,” apologizes O’Neill from his home in the London area. “I just went out and came back.” No one knows better than O’Neill how a missed call might have

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meant the difference between catching Jimmy Page in a haze strumming a Les Paul and watching your career go up in smoke.

Recognized as one of the greatest British photographers of the 20th century, O’Neill easily slips back to his glory days, when work swung open the doors to Elizabeth Taylor’s dressing room and the boudoirs of Sophia Loren and Raquel Welch; when the grind had him chancing upon Clint Eastwood, who he met through Paul Newman, reading a newspaper in his trailer on the set of a John Sturges western; or the time by the pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel with Faye Dunaway on a chaise lounge the morning after winning an Academy Award for Network. “I feel so fortunate to have even been around at the time, I can’t believe all the people I’ve ever met and photographed. I’m staggered today, it’s weird but I am,” says O’Neill, his iconic Faye and Oscar print now hung in the National Portrait Gallery in London. A lad who once dreamed of becoming a jazz musician before a serendipitous encounter with photography led to him capturing the zeitgeist of the Swing Days, the blueeyed amateur was soon swept up by a cultural shift that had music and fashion

I COULDN’T HAVE BEEN BORN IN

A MORE

BRILLIANT TIME THAN TO

GROW UP

IN THE SIXTIES — Terry O’Neill and opportunity transforming how people thought and lived. “I couldn’t have been born in a more brilliant time than to grow up in the Sixties,” he says.

Today, his confounding photographic collection is reflected in a weighty, self-titled tome, with perhaps his most famous image — Brigitte Bardot on the set of The Legend of Frenchie

King — gracing the cover. For three years, O’Neill and his team pored over an extensive library of prints, judiciously plucking buried images from among two million negatives. Mick Jagger and Mia Farrow, Fred Astaire and Steve McQueen, to Winston Churchill, Muhammad Ali and the late Princess of Wales, to Charlton Heston, Marlene Dietrich and his backstage reportage photography of Elton John and David Bowie, Terry O’Neill simultaneously exposes the unguarded moments of legends on the rise or at their peaks and the work of a photojournalist transcending formal portraiture on set and on stage. His voluminous book also includes the aforementioned Audrey Hepburn With Dove, taken a year before the vintage fashion darling with those big magic eyes divorced her first husband. “The secret of photography was knowing how to use light — that’s what made you stand out from a nobody,” says O’Neill. It’s a resounding quality that assuredly played a hand at making him a star in his own right, but when you press him further on the cause of his success or how his intimate, natural portraits that continue to fetch top dollar came to be, a humbled O’Neill sees no other way to explain it than to

© Iconic Images / Terry O’Neill / Courtesy of Izzy Gallery

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5 1. Frank Sinatra on the boardwalk, Miami, 1968, walking from The Fontainebleau hotel to the set of Lady in Cement 2. Terry O’Neill on a photo shoot at the White House, 2001 3. Hung in the National Portrait Gallery, Brigitte Bardot, Spain, 1971, is perhaps Terry O’Neill’s most famous portrait 4. Terry O’Neill’s muse and longtime friend, Raquel Welch, “Hair” 5. The Rolling Stones, Hanover Square, London, 1963

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© Iconic Images / Terry O’Neill / Courtesy of Izzy Gallery

credit divine intervention. “I think I was over the field, says O’Neill. That’s why than any other woman. I guess that’s born and God pointed a finger down you would sooner see a tiger make nice why he was so accommodating to me, and in his wisdom said, ‘Make him the with a deer than an Anne Hathaway because he wanted me to go back to photographer of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s,’” in a silk robe in a bed in a Swiss hotel her and say, ‘He was good to me.’” For quips O’Neill. But still, “I have no idea; it room today, unless it’s manufactured in O’Neill, the “My Way” singer remains must be something in my personality. I a studio somewhere in Hollywood. But the defining emblem of a massive star, was just so pleased to be there that I kept not back then, not when being friends living a life so grandly and gifted there’s my mouth shut.” with Michael Caine who knew Terence few he feels compelled to photograph While his photography speaks Stamp who knew Tom Jones who knew today. “Nobody can sing like him for itself, O’Neill is rather outspoken Elvis Presley meant they were your and they never will be like him because on the deception wrought by modernfriends, too. That’s just the way things they won’t live the life Frank Sinatra day photo manipulation and the went. “They were really, really nice lived. He was up and down and over and disintegration of relationships between people, none of them thought they out three times in his life but he came photographers and celebrities. Back were the world’s greatest for a second. back every time. He was like a great then, playboys and starlets weren’t They just enjoyed the work and the life boxer; a fantastic character — you could hear it in his voice.” They don’t make searching for doors to hide behind or they had, and they greatly respected it ’em like they used to. erecting walls of inaccessibility. There and they worked at being stars, which Over the past 50 years, O’Neill’s was no power differential, he explains; people, I think, don’t do anymore.” enduring presence and the significant in fact, they felt privileged when their One such friendship culminated in an cultural influence of his subjects photos were taken. That gave O’Neill, opportunity for O’Neill to photograph reflect a storied career that began as who treasured his friendships with the 11-time Grammy Award-winner Frank big as it ended. From rich and famous, a snug first photographing every James class ticket to the ride of a Bond actor to the first lifetime. “Every beautiful supermodel of the world, woman I’ve photographed, O’Neill, with just 36 shots from Ava Gardner to on a roll, was everywhere Michelle Pfeiffer — all said, ‘Don’t be stupid, I’m with everyone who not beautiful.’ They didn’t mattered. But the apex of realize what they had, his career didn’t materialize and that was charming. until the tail end of it. “My Nowadays, everyone biggest accomplishment is retouched.” Whether has to be when Nelson in colour or his preferred Mandela turned 90. I was method of journalistic black hired by his people to be and white, an O’Neill photo his birthday present,” says is untainted by Photoshop O’Neill of the photography and very often strays from assignment in London. scandal, revealing nothing “After the week was over more than a subject steeped and we said goodbye, in glory. O’Neill’s only Mandela gave me a little regret is when he found wave from the car. I cried Rolling Stones founder because I realized that I was Brian Jones in a heap on in the presence of a great an airport floor, leaving human being.”

Faye Dunaway, Beverly Hills Hotel, Los Angeles, 1977. Her faraway look behind an untaken photo It’s been about five and sense of disorientation captures the loneliness of celebrity after winning an Academy Award for her role in Network that could have helped years since O’Neill hung highlight the effects of up his 35mm, his days drug use. In the Terry O’Neill foreword, now replaced with signing prints, Sinatra over a span of 30 years, thanks to author Dylan Jones explains: “He going through negatives, running a a sealed letter from his pal Ava Gardner. isn’t in the business of shattering egos photography competition and finding When O’Neill handed him her message and, unlike a lot of modern portrait new pictures to showcase at galleries on the set of Lady in Cement, Ol’ Blue photographers, never sets out to around the world. “A typical day in Eyes promptly opened up his glamorous demean his subjects. ‘What’s the point?’ the ’60s for me was photographing the world to him. “He was very kind, very he says … ‘A lot of photographers have Rolling Stones and then a movie star generous, a total, utter gentleman with an ulterior motive, but I’ve never been like Sophia Loren. Life is a bit boring the ladies. I can understand why every like that.’” compared to what I used to do,” he woman in the world would fall in love Nowadays, that all-access pass to laughs. For now, he’s excited to touch with him,” remembers O’Neill. While he concerts and recording studios and down in Canada this summer. His never read Gardner’s note, he believes hanging out with pop stars like Twiggy exhibition, “Terry O’Neill: The Man that it spoke of his trustworthiness and at London’s Ad-Lib Club are now Who Shot the Sixties,” featuring mostly good intentions. “Their marriage was replaced with controlling publicists and large-format pieces of his dazzling over but he was still clearly in love with bloodthirsty paparazzi casting a pall work and some never-published images her. He just had a thing about her more 34

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© Iconic Images / Terry O’Neill / Courtesy of Izzy Gallery

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YOUR TRUSTED TEAM FOR LUXURY REAL ESTATE IN YORK John Lennon takes a break during rehearsal with the Beatles, Twickenham Studios, London, 1963

like a Frank Sinatra contact sheet, will debut for the first time in Toronto at the photography-focused Izzy Gallery.

“When the artist knows the subject, he shoots them differently. And [O’Neill] knew everybody he shot,” says Izzy Sulejmani, founder of the contemporary gallery. “He knew Sinatra, he was married to Faye Dunaway — he had relationships with all his subjects, and that shows in his photographs. It’s not like today when you have a photo shoot for a couple of hours and the photographer never sees his subjects again.”

Awarded in 2011 the Royal Photographic Society’s centenary medal for his contributions to photography, O’Neill, now 76, finds it all still surreal.

“The first job I had was with the

Beatles, so I started at the top and never really looked back. If I would have known the fame and success this all would have brought me, I would have worked doubly hard,” says O’Neill, who regrettably missed out on photographing Marilyn Monroe to appease a love interest that was her publicist. “We all thought it was going to end and we’d one day have to go out and find a proper job. I was just so pleased that the phone rang.” www.terryo.co.uk

416 925-9191 Kim Nichols

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Terry O’Neill’s “The Man Who Shot the Sixties” exhibition will run from June 27 to Aug. 24, 2014, at Izzy Gallery, located at 106 Yorkville Ave., Toronto. izzygallery.com www.dolcemag.com

Stefani Konidis

DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE Sales Representative

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AT HOME WITH

NATASHA KOIFMAN THE PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF NKPR WELCOMES DOLCE INTO HER SANCTUARY WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANNON ROSS

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Natasha Koifman stands in front of the fireplace in her master bedroom; the photo

by Roberto Dutesco is from his collection “The Wild Horses of Sable Island”

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atasha Koifman’s home has always been “the cool house.” Tucked down an unobtrusive lane in midtown Toronto, her Connie Braemer-designed residence melds the area’s classic sophistication with sharp, contemporary details. The light form of modern furniture combined with the presence of avantgarde photography offsets prominent crown mouldings and deep hardwood floors. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows that lead to the backyard pool contrast with the cobblestone driveway and red-brick facade. The clean lines and smooth, glossy surfaces of her kitchen receive a shot of life from elegant, homey desserts: vivid macaroons, marshmallow concoctions and chocolate tarts. “My little niece always says, ‘It’s like a hotel here,’” Koifman explains. “I always want people to feel welcome and I feel that sweets and flowers always give that sort of warm sensibility.” She’s ushered this classic abode into a new age, taken its strengths and refashioned them for the modern world — which, it would seem, is her calling in life.

It’s early on a sunny Friday morning as Koifman discusses revitalizing her home. “I like that in life you can take those fixer-uppers and make them beautiful,” she says, “and that’s kind of what we do for a living, anyway. It was just natural to do that.” The president and founder of the public relations firm NKPR tours the walk-in closet of her master bedroom, flipping through various pieces of her wardrobe: Valentino jumpers, an Ann Demeulemeester dress, Rick Owens caftans, Louboutin heels and Golden Goose sneakers. There’s a warm glow to her personality, a confident kindness that makes you feel at ease. You’d never guess that she lives at the centre of a tempest of activity.

In a couple hours she’s meeting with LCBO to discuss opportunities for a new client — a super-premium tequila that’s making its Canadian debut. She has two offices to run, one in Toronto and the other in New York City, and splits her time between both. In a few weeks she’s launching her Los Angeles-

FOR ME, IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT WANTING TO BE HAPPY AND WORKING ON PROJECTS THAT I AM EXCITED ABOUT

Modern art and furnishing accent the classic facade of Koifman’s home, which was orchestrated by Toronto designer Connie Braemer

A photo of Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s hangs in her kitchen, adding a timeless touch to the modern décor

This Bert Stern photo hanging in Koifman’s living room was taken at the last photo shoot Marilyn Monroe ever did, six weeks before her death www.dolcemag.com

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based talent division, NK Artists, which already represents fashion designer and founder of The Coveteur Erin Kleinberg, celebrity photographer David Drebin and the Canadian interview king, George Stroumboulopoulos. Yesterday’s dawn-to-dusk schedule was even more frantic: six meetings, a charity luncheon for Erdem and the opening night of the Love Art Fair. “Every day is almost like that,” she says of her oftenclaustrophobic schedule. Such are the demands on the head of one of Canada’s leading PR firms.

In just 12 years, Koifman has rapidly grown NKPR from a one-person basement operation to a multinational firm that represents dozens of highprofile clients — Jones New York, Kiehl’s, RW & Co. and Skyy Vodka are just a handful of the brands that she counts among her clientele. She believes they’ve landed these accounts, helping to launch campaigns and shape their image, because “we do more listening than we do talking,” she says. “We understand what it is they want from PR, so that we can deliver on that.” But, interestingly enough, it was never the plan to take her company to such heights.

“For me, it was always about wanting to be happy and working on projects that I am excited about,” she says, nestled against the chocolate brown couch in her living room. She acknowledges that, yes, it’s difficult to know exactly what you’ll be doing in, say, five years — because you just don’t — but, “you have some sensibility of where you want your life to be, how you want to feel. You can picture it.” In a way, it’s instinctive, and she’s learned to trust her gut.

“I think that my entire career, and probably my personal life, too, much of it has all been instinctual. I think I feel my way through much of life. I think that’s a good thing. Because you pay attention to that feeling.”

Koifman uses an “integrated approach” to life, incorporating passions into her routine and connecting them with complementing initiatives. She

I THINK THAT MY ENTIRE CAREER, AND PROBABLY MY PERSONAL LIFE, TOO, MUCH OF IT HAS ALL BEEN INSTINCTUAL

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designed, for example, a line of ring-to-wrist bracelets with Toronto’s !Xam Diamonds that helped raise money for Artists for Peace and Justice, which she is the chair of in Canada. A former journalist, she also loves writing and contributes regularly to the Huffington Post.

An avid lover of art, especially photography, Koifman adorns her home with bold, eye-catching photos, many of iconic female figures. In the morning she eats with Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Marilyn Monroe from Some Like It Hot. In her living room, an Ellen von Unwerth photo of Victoria Beckham faces off against a second Monroe, a Bert Stern piece taken only six weeks before Monroe’s death. A hastily applied orange X slices across the actress’s face and Koifman finds beauty in that imperfection. “I choose images that I feel I connect with, but also have a bit of flaw in them,” she says. “I think www.dolcemag.com

Koifman poses in a black caftan by her backyard pool

that [Monroe] was beautifully flawed.”

She’s often on the hunt for new pieces to add to her collection, especially when she’s in New York. “I love being able to discover new artists and walking through galleries there,” she says of the Big Apple. Oddly enough, Koifman, a self-described introvert, also finds peace in the hustle and bustle of the City that Never Sleeps. Her SoHo apartment is right on Hudson Street and she enjoys walking the village and becoming lost in the crowd. “I love the anonymity of it,” she says. “In New York, as strange as it sounds, you’re surrounded by a lot of people but you’re nobody. It’s absolutely amazing because you can get lost and I love that feeling.”

And what does the future hold for this PR maven? “As long as I continue to work on projects and work with people that I’m really excited about and passionate about then I’m happy.” www.nkpr.net

POLO

FEVER

T

he excitement and passion that continues to herald the “Sport of Kings” was on full display at the annual equestrian charity Polo for Heart, held at the picturesque Toronto Polo Club in Richmond Hill on June 20, 21 and 22, 2014. As thoroughbred polo ponies and players of the sport from across Canada, the U.S. and Argentina vied for victory at the three-day event, a variety of prestigious guests came together to enjoy daily international polo matches, the traditional champagne divot stomp and to champion support for the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s Centre for Stroke Recovery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation. Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Polo for Heart has raised more than $5 million for heart and stroke-related charities since its inception. Sponsors for this event include Dolce Magazine, Bank of Montreal, The Ritz-Carlton, Cadillac Fairview Corp. and Mercedes-Benz Downtown, to name a few. www.poloforheart.org 3

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PHOTOS BY LEONI STUDIOS, EXCLUDING 1, 2, 3 & 5

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1. Vonna Bitove and Giles Elliott 2. Stefano Guizzetti, president of Guizzetti Corporation 3. The annual Polo for Heart celebrates its 35th anniversary this year 4. Spectators enjoy the view at the Toronto Polo Club 5. Lunch was served in the Ritz-Carlton Pavilion and in the Lions Club Mallet Lounge 6. A guest wears his love for polo on his sleeve 7. Closing presentations cap the spectacular equestrian charity event www.dolcemag.com

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E COLL

CTOR

THE PORTRAIT OF

LARRY

MOGELONSKY A TORONTO COLLECTOR REFLECTS ON HOW ART IS IN EVERYTHING WE DO WRITTEN BY PERRY LEFKO PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE MILNS

It’s

10:30 a.m. on a Monday, and normally Larry Mogelonsky would be at his Toronto-based company, LMA Communications, which he founded 23 years ago and has developed into a global business that has been particularly influential in helping hotel and hospitality industries better serve their customers. On this day, Mogelonsky, who is in the business of promoting and public relations, is offering some guests a rare glimpse into his personal and private life, revealing the 6,200-square-foot home he and his wife, Maureen, to whom he has been married for 33 years, own in the upscale Bridle Path area.

The house is one of several built in 1989 by Shane Baghai. Mogelonsky and his wife, who heads up the public relations team at LMA, bought the one-acre property 10 years ago when the original owner passed away. The Mogelonskys were attracted to the backyard, which is sprawling and undulating and will be part of the grand tour once Mogelonsky has shown off the interior. He is a lean and lanky sixfoot-4½ individual whose clothes are custom made because of his size.

Mogelonsky and Maureen, a Sydney, Australia native who met her future husband 37 years ago when invited by a mutual friend to a party at his apartment, share a love for art and have an impressive, eclectic collection. There are about 250 pieces that are catalogued — and that does not include the 40

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numerous sculptures inside and outside the house — almost all of which have been purchased by the Mogelonskys.

They’re world travellers and enjoy buying something in each new city they visit to remind them of where they’ve been. Each of the items is an original.

The Mogelonskys have two children, Samantha and Adam, who both work in the family business and like to say they grew up in a home that was more like an art gallery. “We collect art, lots of it,” Mogelonsky says. “It’s crazy, isn’t it? It’s a lot of stuff. I could never downsize. I don’t know where I’d put everything.”

Each room has works that don’t have any common theme, purposely designed that way by Mogelonsky to capture the viewing eye. There are Inuit whalebone sculptures, little Russian lacquer boxes and native masks that are among the various pieces shown in the early part of the tour. Of all the pieces he owns, his favourite one is Boys in the Graveyard by highly acclaimed artist Fred Ross of Saint John, N.B. The piece was bequeathed to Mogelonsky by his late father, Alex, who bought the painting in 1958 for a mere $200. The companion piece sold two years later for the same amount, but his father passed on it because he could not afford it and also have money to take his family out for a lobster dinner. The companion piece may now have a value of $70,000, he guesses, and while he suspects his father never spent more than $500 on a painting, Mogelonsky hasn’t completely ruled out buying it. www.dolcemag.com

As impressive as the interior is, the backyard is something to behold because it’s a creation of nature and man. There are remnants from the original owner, including a bridge and a creek underneath it that has become a haven for loons. The property includes a pool, a tennis court and a gazebo where he writes, including a column, “The Hotel Mogel,” for Hotels magazine.

The backyard is his personal oasis in the centre of the city, with ultra highspeed Wi-Fi coverage. Smack dab in the middle of the sloped landscape is a tree stump that has a Roman column sitting on it and a massive silver cube on top of that. Because of wiring issues, the stump could not be removed, so Mogelonsky decided to use it to create art. “I created something really odd by putting three pieces together,” he says. “It’s not what you see the first time around, it’s what you see the second time around. We like to create art in little areas where [it is] not expected.” Although the December 2013 ice storm in Toronto forced the Mogelonskys out of their home for 10 days and gutted the backyard, you wouldn’t know it on this day. The lawn, trees and shrubs are expertly groomed.

“What attracted us to the house was the yard,” Mogelonsky says. He takes a few more steps and jokingly adds, “Most people have a 70-foot bridge in the middle of their property. It’s very common. It’s all designed to be inviting to the eye to draw people in and focus.

“It’s pretty awesome,” he exclaims.

“We just sit in the backyard and enjoy

Toronto collector Larry Mogelonsky, who has a penchant for works by Canadian artist Miller Brittain, takes a seat in his Bridle Path area home www.dolcemag.com

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QA

& WITH LARRY MOGELONSKY

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1. Larry Mogelonsky’s mask collection boasts a Japan Kabuki Theatre (circa 1950), an Iroquois False Face Society Mask and a Balinese Theatre Mask 2. His avid collection of Inuit art includes this undated piece titled Hunter by Canadian Inuk sculptor John Tiktak 3. An assortment of sculptures dot his eclectic living room, as well as art pieces by Miller Brittain (left) and Fred Ross (centre) 4. Russian lacquer boxes, mostly from the 1960s and part of an Expo 67 purchase, are one of several art forms Mogelonsky enjoys collecting 5. A Canadian Haida West Coast chief's ceremonial headdress

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Q How would friends describe you?

A Unreserved, humorous, excitable, overtly enthusiastic … all with a very short fuse Q Favourite book and/or quote?

A Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell (one of his lesser-known works). I think it was Steve Jobs who said, “I want to put a ding in the universe.” The concept of that sentence is incredible Q If you could have any art piece, what would it be?

A Several years ago, I bid on Miller Brittain’s only self-portrait. I lost to the National Gallery of Canada Q Favourite artist?

A Miller Brittain. He was an abstract impressionist in the later part of his life. My dad wrote a book on him entitled In Focus. It was an edition of 500 and quite rare. I remember visiting the artist when I was a child. It was kind of scary as his house was in total disrepair. When he died, it mysteriously burned to the ground; it was thought to be haunted. I will bid on anything that comes up on auction of his work that complements my collection Q What destination should be on everyone’s bucket list?

A In Canada, the two coasts: Tofino, B.C., Peggy’s Cove, N.S. and St. John’s, N.L. In Europe, the town of Mougins in France, Venice in winter (with no tourists) and the old city of Jerusalem (with any religious belief) Q What does la dolce vita mean to you?

A It means living life to the fullest. Don’t wait for others. Do what you need to do. Stop watching sports on TV — that’s someone else’s profession Q What do you know today that you did not know in your 20s?

A How important friends are, how short life is the scenery. It’s our private domain. Do you know anyone else who has a bridge in their yard?”

“At night you get a different view because it’s all illuminated,” Maureen says, adding that lights and handrails were added to the original structure, which was in need of an upgrade.

In a few minutes, Maureen is about to take the family’s dog, a 10-year-old Bouvier des Flandres named Caesar, to the vet. He is a robust 115 pounds and is as much of an attraction as all the artistry because of his black, bushy hair and the gentle way in which he walks.

The Mogelonskys rescued the dog when he was three because he was considered a dangerous dog. “The only danger is getting in the way between him and

his food bowl,” Mogelonsky says with Resorts as well as several other servicea laugh. sector businesses. Twenty-three years Once the tour is over, Mogelonsky ago he started LMA, and it has since returns to the house and sits down to talk won 67 awards from the Hotel Sales and a little about his life. The conversation Marketing Association International, is far less whimsical because it’s not more than any other agency in Canada. about wealth and material possessions, He has two published books on hotel but more about life. He grew up in management, with a third coming out Montreal in a 1,200-square-foot home this fall. that housed his parents; his two sisters, His passions include playing duplicate Ronna and Marcia; his grandfather, bridge, occasionally competing against who worked as a news agent; and his his mentor, Isadore Sharp, the founder father’s graphic artist business in the and chairman of the Four Seasons chain. basement. As a hobby, his father wrote Both play at the same club. Mogelonsky’s 17 books on art education. His mother, goal is to become a life master at the Lila, who studied art under Fred Ross game. He also enjoys concerts, wine at Saint John Vocational Art School, tasting and collecting, and photography. raised the kids as a stay-at-home mother and then helped her husband when he began his business in 1967.

“Needless to say, growing up in a house with all of this was quite an eye-opener,” Mogelonsky says. “I don’t want to say it’s a rags-to-riches situation, but we never even owned a car until I was about 13 or 14. We didn’t have enough money to buy a car, if you can believe that, so we took buses everywhere.”

The family did not have the financial resources to go on holidays, so they spent summers in Saint John.

His mother’s parents ran a small — Larry Mogelonsky accounting and insurance brokerage firm. “They were proud, middle class and very much into the local Saint John community,” he says.

Mogelonsky’s parents sent him to an art summer school, where he was taught by Arthur Lismer, a member of the Group of Seven. By his own admission, Mogelonsky was a “dismal failure” as an artist. “There was never any intention of becoming or working as an artist,” he says. “My skills are Maureen and Larry Mogelonsky relax in the backyard, math, but where I got that from is their one-acre private oasis anybody’s guess.”

He is also actively involved in helping Mogelonsky had a goal growing up new, young artists develop by purchasing to become a civil engineer. He has an their works. “In many cases, I’ve bought honours bachelor of civil engineering that first piece of work that that artist has with distinction from Concordia ever come up with to get them started,” University, and is a registered he says. “That first sale of a piece of art professional engineer in the province is so motivational for a young artist. It of Ontario. But engineering became a really is.” mismatch because Mogelonsky had a In the last three years, he’s begun a limited interest in it. He furthered his plan to match high-end, luxury hotels education with an MBA, completed at with works of art from their local McMaster University in Hamilton. communities. It is the community spirit His entry into the business world and ethos that is a part of his upbringing. began with nine years in brand “We have one Picasso, and it’s in our marketing, and then he switched to bathroom,” he notes. “I just want to advertising. He became a management imprint upon you that art is everywhere supervisor for Four Seasons Hotels and

WE HAVE ONE PICASSO, AND IT’S IN OUR BATHROOM

www.dolcemag.com

and just because someone has the name Picasso attached to him doesn’t mean that art has to be in your living room over the mantelpiece. Art is in everything we do and art is not the exclusive domain of [those whose names are] represented by Sotheby’s or Christie’s.”

His daughter grew up surrounded by art, becoming a fine artist with her own studio, but her parents aren’t ready for her to work solely as an artist, even though that is ideally what she wants. “I said, ‘When you can make a living as a fine artist, you can be a fine artist. Until then, I’ve got a job for you here and you’ve got half a dozen people in the studio that report to you just to make it happen.’” He marvels at his son’s sixth sense for hotels, even though he did not study for that business or have any experience working in one.

At age 61 and in good health — notwithstanding some aches and pains he experiences from a motorcycle accident more than 45 years ago — Mogelonsky, who credits his wife with being a key to his success, is living the good life.

The couple gives back by annually supporting charities and providing art scholarships.

Collectively, the portrait of Larry Mogelonsky is one that has been cultivated from the environment in which he was raised and taken to a new level by what he has done in business, notably in the hotel and hospitality industry. He enjoys each day, never taking it for granted.

Although there is one moment he’d dearly love to have back. It happened back in 1964 when he was only 11 and his path in life was wide open. He was riding his bike and failed to stop when his grandfather, who was sitting on the balcony of his apartment, waved to him to come up and join him. “I was too busy with my friends. He died that night in his sleep.”

It is a rare moment of sombre reflection for someone whose friends would describe as humorous, excitable and overly enthusiastic. On this day, he displays all of those personality traits.

Overall, it has been a good life, and he has come to understand the importance of cherishing it every day, knowing it can end at any time. “My dad died at 74, my mom at 72,” he says. “My grandparents lived to their 80s and 90s. If I only have 11, 12 or 13 years left, I’m going to get the most I can out of it.” www.larrymogelonsky.com DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE

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Carlton’s New Yorker suite

Carlton’s Corner Pocket penthouse suite

STAYING

POWER

THE CARLTON HOTEL AN HEIRLOOM OF A NEW YORK CITY PAST enovations may often be synonymous with modernization, but for New York City’s cherished, circa-1904 Carlton Hotel, its fresh revamps have taken it a step back in time.

The historic lodging and its collection of four-star suites underwent a major facelift in 2012 — a move that’s still a conversation-starter throughout the city’s design circles. Reimagined to “blend old-world luxury and beaux arts

A warm and inspiring two-storey lobby

flourishes with stylish modernism,” says Jill Lieblein, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing, the Carlton created four specialty suites that have left travellers and design fanatics alike smitten with the hotel all over again.

“Our whimsical new suites give guests a chance to enjoy the opulence and craftsmanship of the Carlton’s past, as well as all the comforts of today,” says Lieblein. Elite wanderlusters can take their pick from the leading-lady “Broadway Diva Suite,” the Prohibition

era “Speakeasy Suite,” the beyondstylish penthouse “Carlton’s Corner Pocket” and the art-infused “Carlton’s New Yorker Suite.”

Topped with a world-famous lobby, the award-winning restaurant Millesime, a new wine bar, Bar Bordeaux, and an infatuation with New York City’s days of old, the Carlton is a testament to the enduring elegance of the City that Never Sleeps. www.carltonhotelny.com

Condé Nast Traveler “Gold List” , 2014 TripAdvisor “Traveller’s Choice - Luxury Category” , 2014 Travel & Leisure Magazine “World’s Best Awards” 2013

Exceptional Dining

z

Live Entertainment Nightly

z Luxurious Spa

Downtown Vancouver, B.C. www.wedgewoodhotel.com 1.800.663.0666

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CARLTON HOTEL

R

WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY

A DV E R TO R I A L

YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE WHERE TOP RETAILERS LIVE

PHOTO PHOT P PH HOTO BY B JAG AG GUNDY GU DY GUN DY

Canada’s most profitable shopping centre continues to satisfy consumers thanks to a growing roster of high-end retailers and leading brands, including a forthcoming Nordstrom

Y

orkdale has been changing Canada’s retail landscape since it first opened its doors 50 years ago in 1964.

It was the largest shopping centre in the country at the time. Today, Yorkdale continues to stun fashion enthusiasts with its expanding portfolio of some of the world’s leading brands.

“We offer a retail collection that rivals international shopping destinations such as New York, London and Paris,” says Claire Santamaria, Yorkdale’s general manager. “We are the No. 1 destination for international brands coming to Canada for the first time, including many of our shoppers’ favourites like J.Crew and Apple, and more recently, Mulberry, AllSaints, Ted Baker London and Tory Burch.”

Boasting the largest number of firstto-Canada brands, Yorkdale rivals most shopping centres and high streets with

its sheer size and diversity of retailers.

John Varvatos, Tesla, Microsoft, Kate Spade New York, Zara Home and more chose Yorkdale as their first Canadian locations because of the shopper demand for leading brands.

In fact, the management at Yorkdale has become a virtual counsellor to brands because, simply, no other retail centre has Yorkdale’s experience in guiding retailers as they plot their Canadian launches.

“We have to tell first-to-market retailers to be prepared for strong sales,” says Santamaria. “Canadian shoppers are keenly aware of international brands opening here. We want our new retailers to meet shopper demand by having sufficient inventory the day they open their doors.

“Everything at Yorkdale has been curated to deliver the best shopping experience possible from the range of www.dolcemag.com

PHOTO BY YVES LEFEBVRE

Throughout its 50-year history, Yorkdale has remained the No. 1 Canadian destination for a diverse range of leading high-end brands. A curated experience awaits the discerning shopper at Yorkdale, where an extensive collection of shops, boutiques and a curbside valet add a touch of luxury and ease

retailers to exceptional guest services, from our curbside valet to our Food Collection concierge and more,” she adds.

In early 2014, Yorkdale broke ground on its newest expansion. Slated to open in fall 2016, the $331-million expansion will create an additional 300,000-squarefeet of retail space that will be anchored by a 191,000-sq.-ft. Nordstrom.

www.yorkdale.com 3401 Dufferin St. Toronto, Ont. 416-789-3261 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE

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Michelin-star restaurants, and plucking fresh porcini mushrooms on the grounds of a 15th-century church. Taking on the role of corporate chef for Pusateri’s Fine Foods in 2011, Cammalleri — who often receives requests to provide specialty high-end airline food for private jet passengers — continues to blend his background and experience for results that are nothing short of spectacular.

Whether it’s a high-end affair or prestigious fête, intimate dinner gathering or a milestone party, Cammalleri’s special touch and attention to detail is transforming the way Toronto celebrates. “When I build a menu, I look at the whole experience, from the venue and theme to our clients’ tastes, to the logistics of building an on-site kitchen,” says Cammalleri, who recently helped launch Pusateri’s new 15,000 square-

CATERING

I

A visionary of all things spectacular, Pusateri’s Fine Foods’ corporate chef Tony Cammalleri is transforming how we eat, love and celebrate

rresistible gourmet bites of butter poached lobster, pulled porchetta sliders and a truffle and demi poutine are making their way through a well-dressed, hungry crowd. It’s that magical time of day when dusk starts to settle, falling across a well-lit, beautiful backyard party and a pool transformed into a dazzling dance floor. The vibe is strumming to the beat of good times and good friends coming together to enjoy deliciously crafted appetizers, specialty cocktails and those indelible moments made on a soft summer’s night.

For Pusateri’s Fine Foods’ corporate chef Tony Cammalleri, this storybook event is one of many he and his catering, kitchen and event teams have produced over the years. Dazzling imaginations and concocting eclectic menus all tailored to specific tastes and desires, Cammalleri proves that his proverbial plate is always brimming with fresh ideas.

“We’re not just a luxury supermarket catering to a niche clientele,” explains 46

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the seasoned chef, who once helmed a full-staff restaurant kitchen before joining the high-end grocer eight years ago. “We’re a cutting-edge team always ahead of the trend, delivering total startto-finish catering, event coordination and execution for events big or small.”

As a graduate of Humber and George Brown colleges’ culinary schools, Cammalleri’s knowledge of food extends far beyond the confines of a classroom.

Growing up on a farm, he learned how to raise animals, tend to tomato and vegetable gardens, and fire up his first wood-oven pizza when he was just nine.

And while the homegrown, organic trend may be all the rage now, Cammalleri has been reaping the benefits of living off the earth since he was a child. By the age of 15, he was determined to pursue a chef ’s career in a way that would have him stand out from the rest. After completing his education in Toronto, an inspired Cammalleri ventured off to Europe and enrolled in a training program that had him making handmade pastas at two www.dolcemag.com

CASUAL-TRENDY Mojitos, margaritas and other specialty party drinks paired with sizzling tacos and fresh summer salads served up by bartenders and waiters stationed in your backyard ELEVATED COMFORT A range of craft beer alongside gourmet burgers and grilled spicy sausage MODERN ELEGANCE Amarone and Chianti wines complemented by juicy steak and lamb cuts; light spritzers and Negroni cocktails alongside elegant Italian hors d’oeuvres foot-production kitchen in Toronto. The catering department is now based in the impressive commissary, which has the capacity to feed parties of 10 to 1,000 people in one night.

While he defines his broader cuisine style as modern Italian, and admits to his love of braising and slow cooking meals, Cammalleri is leading the way by staying ahead and fusing dishes with a variety of gastronomies. It’s no wonder the chef and his blue-ribbon catering and event team are tantalizing palates with its eclectic and global approach.

“I love mixing delicacies from various cuisines, like tuna carpaccio alongside butter chicken. I want people to get excited about food again.” www.pusateris.com

PHOTO BY JOHN PACKMAN

THE CUTTING EDGE OF

CORPORATE CHEF TONY CAMMALLERI LETS US IN ON HIS FAVOURITE BACKYARD PARTY IDEAS, JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER

SATURDAY

VIP EXPERIENCE

SHOPS AT DON MILLS

All packages include access to the exclusive Heart of Fashion VIP Reception

OCT 25

Proceeds to benefit the BMO Financial Group Breast Diagnostic Centre Tickets starting at $250 HeartofFashion.ca 416 756 6851 IN SUPPORT OF

PACKAGES $2,500 2 VIP tickets Reserved table seating $5,000 4 VIP tickets Reserved table seating $10,000 6 VIP tickets Reserved table seating by the runway

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THAT OLD

FLORIDA CHARM

ONE OF ONLY FOUR HOTELS LOCATED RIGHT ON FORT LAUDERDALE’S BEACH, THE PELICAN GRAND BEACH RESORT PROVIDES A RELAXED AND ROMANTIC GETAWAY WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL

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he car moves with the stopand-go of traffic along North Ocean Boulevard, past crowds of sunbathers and beachgoers searching for a piece of paradise between the sand, surf and palm trees. It’s mid-April, the tail end of peak season in the tourist haven of Fort Lauderdale. There’s plenty of 48

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excitement and energy felt from the upscale dining, shopping, and the odd dive bar along the strip — which is cool, if that’s your thing. But not for the wife and I. We’re looking for a bit for privacy, maybe a little romance. We’re heading to the Pelican Grand Beach Resort, one of only four full-service hotels in the area situated right on the beach. www.dolcemag.com

Because what the Pelican Grand has is what realtors champion year after year: location.

Only about a 20-minute cab ride from the airport, the Pelican Grand is considered one of the city’s premier hotels. With 156 rooms and suites, the cream-yellow structure isn’t one of the biggest, especially when compared

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PELICAN GRAND BEACH RESORT

The Pelican Grand Beach Resort boasts multiple AAA Four Diamond Awards

to the 300-plus-room behemoths just south along the A1A, but that’s all part of the draw. There’s a welcomed exclusivity to it: warm and homey, with an unmistakable, classic charm pulsing through its walls, even though it’s only a decade old. Our driver Malcolm describes its esthetic as “Old Florida,” and you feel that vibe throughout: under the coffered ceiling and on the plush armchairs of the lobby, along the oceanfront veranda and within the island-feeling O2K Lounge.

It’s like Humphrey Bogart or Ernest Hemingway could be relaxing with a chilled martini just around the corner.

We’re lucky enough to snag a premium oceanfront suite with a single king-size bed (dual queens are available as well).

This is the option you’ll want. Beyond the bedroom and adjoining seating area, the mighty Atlantic ebbs and flows beneath our private balcony. It’s an incredible view, one that’s the perfect backdrop for room-service breakfast or sunset cocktails. But, it seems, my wife is more enamoured by the toiletries. “This is good quality stuff,” she says of the Spa Terre Coconut Mango shampoo and conditioner. “It smells like summer.”

Fort Lauderdale’s economy is heavily based on tourism. The “Venice of America” (as it’s known due to its over 480 kilometres of waterways) is bathed in 3,000 hours of sunlight each year and these tropical conditions draw millions of vacationers — over 13 million in 2013.

It’s not a wild party town like Miami, instead attracting more affluent business types, older couples and middle-aged families. From the rooftop terrace of the 11-storey Pelican Grand, it’s easy to see the contrast between the crowded main beach and the Pelican Grand’s more open shoreline. And that’s one of its advantages.

At the north end of the main drag of Fort Lauderdale’s over 11 km of beach, the Pelican Grand is removed from the city’s busyness. Even this weekend, with a fully booked hotel and a wedding, there’s plenty of room on its 500-feet of sand. Just ask the helpful staff to set up chaise lounges and an umbrella for a calm afternoon in the sun and shade.

They’ll even take food and drink orders.

My wife goes with the Anti-Oxidant Mojito with pomegranate juice and fresh berries, one of the Pelican Grand’s specialty handmade cocktails (no syrups here), while I can’t resist the amusingly named local beer, Funky Buddha.

There’s also a zero-entry pool, Fort Lauderdale’s only lazy river, and an old-

style emporium, where you can grab ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, coffee, espresso, snacks and the rest, if you want a break from the sand. Sign the wee ones up for Funky Fish, the resort’s children’s day camp, for some private time, too.

Renovations begin this summer to add a spa to the rooftop terrace, making the Pelican Grand 12 storeys, as well as a pavilion to host conventions, banquets and weddings on the main floor.

Despite its relative seclusion, the award-winning Pelican Grand is only five minutes by cab from the main drag.

It’s easy to swing down and walk the boardwalk; shop at the boutiques on Las Olas; charter a boat and go snorkelling, scuba diving or deep sea fishing; or cruise the canals via the Water Taxi and gawk at the massive mansions of glitterati and business magnates (and their equally as gigantic yachts).

For breakfast and lunch, we opt to dine on the Pelican Grand’s charming veranda. There are staples such as omelettes and waffles in the morning, but we choose the elevated specialties, the Huevos Santa Fe (eggs with a Latin twist) and Smoke Salmon & Egg White Omelette. (Freshly squeezed Florida orange juice is also a must.) The Fish Tacos, Chipotle Turkey Club and O2K Burger were great midday meals. The resort’s brunch, featuring a seafood bar,

waffle and omelette stations, all-you-candrink mimosas, Bloody Marys and more, was voted best in Broward County two years in a row, and should not be missed.

But be sure to make reservations.

For romantic dining, the Pelican Grand’s waterfront restaurant, OCEAN2000 is considered one of Fort Lauderdale’s best. After ordering a glass of Layer Cake, a California Cab Sauv, we open with the delicious Asian Seared Scallops. For our mains, my wife eyes the Filet Mignon and I’m leaning toward our waiter’s recommendation: the Florida Yellowtail Snapper. The filet is top-notch, tender and moist with a smoky barbecue taste, while the snapper balances fresh fish flavour with a zest of lemon and the sweetness of roasted tomato. For dessert, we go with our waiter’s suggestion a second time: the Pumpkin Amaretto Cheese Cake. It’s served over cranberry ginger compote, delivering a creamy and sweet, slightly spicy waltz across our tongues.

With bellies full, we drift back to our room for one more glass of wine on our private balcony. A pair of windsurfers bounces across the water as the champagne glow of the last light of day clings to silver clouds. With hands held tight I can’t help but think that, yes, this really is the perfect spot. www.pelicanbeach.com

Every year, the Pelican Grand hosts a number of banquets and destination weddings mere steps from the beach

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Catch video coverage of our summer fashion shoot in Germany, at

SHORESIDE IN A SUMMER DAZE

BIG, BEAUTIFUL BOTANICALS — THERE IS NOTHING ITSY BITSY ABOUT THIS SEASON’S STUNNING SWIMWEAR WRITTEN BY REBECCA ALBERICO

The New Black Orange Cafè Noir heels add the perfect accent of colour to a brightly patterned Miranda Konstantinidou tunic; lobster accessories by Konplott add playfulness to the ensemble www.mirandakonstantinidou.com www.konplott.de www.cafenoiroutlet.com Bikini Naturana Tunic Miranda Konstantinidou Accessoires Konplott Heels Cafè Noir

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Botanical Beauty Enter the garden of glamour in this stunning Ralph Lauren two-piece with matching Hermès kerchief and adorable Armani sunglasses www.ralphlauren.com www.hermes.com www.armani.com Bikini Ralph Lauren Kerchief Hermès Sunglasses Armani

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Vibrant Vacay Rock a ruffled bandeau bikini with this floral Tommy Hilfiger set.

Accented with Kenzo blouse and bold Konplott jewels www.tommy.com www.kenzo.com www.konplott.de Bikini Tommy Hilfiger Blouson Kenzo Earring + Ring Konplott

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PHOTOGRAPHY Marie Schmidt www.marieschmidt.com STYLING Petra Tielmann www.petratielmann-styling.de HAIR & MAKEUP Eva Mittmann www.evamittmann.de using MAC Cosmetics PRODUCTION Carsten Drochner @ DOPAMIN www.dopaminmanagement.com MODEL Johanna @ Place www.placemodels.com PHOTO ASSISTANTS Arya Shirazi & Salomé Razaq

Fruity Frills Feel sexy in this Seafolly bustier bikini top, paired with fruity art-deco necklace by Konplott www.seafolly.com www.konplott.de

Bikini Seafolly Necklace Konplott

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GLAMOROUS GREEN

&

THE REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL OFFERINGS AT HUSK ARE A THOUGHTFUL MIX OF BEAUTY AND NUTRITION

WRITTEN BY NOLAN BRYANT

W

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Husk founder Stephanie De Gasperis

a way of life that she’s studied, adapted and now shares with her growing list of devoted Toronto clients.

Making the change to a more conscious approach to living is no small feat. De Gasperis can attest to the commitment required to live a more healthful lifestyle. “It’s gradual and it’s a process. I don’t think anybody can or should do it overnight, it’s important to be easy on yourself … it’s a process that doesn’t always have instant results.”

She goes on to say, “That’s the beauty of it; you get to see things evolve through the journey.” De Gasperis studied history and languages in university and after graduation got into the family business of real estate and development. www.dolcemag.com

She is the next generation of the powerful De Gasperis construction family, whose roots go back to Italy. It’s this link to Europe and the Italian sensibility that she says influenced her early on and would eventually inspire what she did with Husk. “That natural style of living and living in balance, not having things in excess, was always very close to me.”

After a stint in the family business, which De Gasperis says “wasn’t something that I was innately passionate about,” she began to develop other interests, eventually pursuing holistic nutrition.

“It’s about looking at your health in a whole form, it’s essentially a balance of mind, body and spirit and, instead of treating a condition by addressing

PHOTOS BY JESSE MILNS

ithin moments of entering Husk, a quaint shop on Scollard Street in Toronto, my preconceived perception on all things green is crushed. Green, holistic, organic, natural, eco-friendly — these are words that are thrown around all too often and that have made their way into our everyday vocabulary. They conjure up an image of a granola-eating-hempwearing individual that isn’t commonly associated with a life of beauty and glamour. Husk founder Stephanie De Gasperis is changing that; she is putting the glam into green with a thoughtful mix of beauty and nutrition products that support the body inside and out. The Yorkville row house that is home to Husk and its range of 30 brands was completely remodelled before opening last September, the space now seamlessly merging contemporary design elements with environmentally responsible materials. For De Gasperis, it’s this type of awareness that is at the core of her existence. “It was important that sustainability be translated into every aspect of construction,” she tells me as we make our way to the sun-filled second-floor office, adding, “all the floors are reclaimed wood and stained with flaxseed oil.” Her environment, the products she uses and the food she eats play an essential role in achieving overall balance of the mind, body and spirit —

PHOTO BY SAL PASQUA

symptoms and covering them up, it’s really about getting to the root of a problem.” She goes on to tell me that “it’s about figuring out what is causing the problem as opposed to covering it up through conventional means of treatment … nourishment inside and out,” she says, is the basis of the teaching.

After receiving her degree in holistic nutrition, De Gasperis travelled extensively to the pockets of North America and Europe where wellness was flourishing. What she discovered and brought back would eventually serve as the basis of Husk’s product range. Products like The Body Deli, that De Gasperis has long been devoted to, are made in Palm Desert and contain ingredients such as Coachella Valley Medjool dates. “It’s the reason I opened the store,” she says. “The products are really superfoods for the skin.” Josh Rosebrook’s line of hair and skin care from Los Angeles is another favourite.

“He has a serum for the face that is great.

I can use it on my face or in my hair. It’s really amazing.” Adaptability, she goes on to explain, is one of the many benefits of green beauty. “Natural products are really universal, a lip stain from RMS Beauty, for example, you can use on your cheeks or eyes … it’s coconut-oil based.” The RMS line is out of New York and is a celebrity favourite. Founder Rose-Marie Swift visited Toronto last year and the Diabolique shade of her lip2cheek product that model Miranda

Offering a variety of beauty and nutrition products, Stephanie De Gasperis and her team raise the bar in wellness at Husk in Yorkville

THAT NATURAL STYLE OF LIVING AND LIVING IN BALANCE, NOT HAVING THINGS IN EXCESS, WAS ALWAYS VERY CLOSE TO ME — Stephanie De Gasperis Kerr wore to the Met Gala has become a top seller at Husk.

There are great products from local artisans, too. “The wellness industry is really growing here [in Yorkville]. Of course, [there’s] Whole Foods but across from us is Dr. John Dempster, a wellknown naturopath … The Good Press Juice is opening up on Yorkville Avenue … there really is a community here,” she explains. Beauty products represent 70 per cent of the store and the rest is www.dolcemag.com

devoted to nutrition. One brand that De Gasperis supports is Giddy Yoyo, a company based in Orangeville, Ont. that produces organic superfoods like raw cacao beans and maca powder.

“They spend half of their year in South and Central America with farmers extracting the ingredients; it’s really the highest quality,” she adds. De Gasperis is committed to promoting these local entrepreneurs in her store and through Husk’s social media channels. Instagram in particular has been “crazy powerful,” she says, and she has established a dialogue with customers and the international wellness community. It’s a platform that De Gasperis regularly updates with vibrant photos of Husk’s regional and international offerings and, once they hit Instagram, they sell out.

When I mention the hesitation many feel about the idea of going green, De Gasperis responds, “I think that’s what made me so passionate about opening the store — shedding light on the cool brands … Buyers want pretty pigments and nice colours for the runway or everyday life. It doesn’t all have to be granola,” she says with a smile. “Going green can be sexy and cool.” www.lovehusk.com DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE

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Jamaican singer and winner of Season 5 of The Voice Tessanne Chin

LIFE CRANKED UP

RISING STAR TESSANNE CHIN DISCUSSES WINNING THE VOICE, AUTHENTICITY AND KARAOKE

A

sure way to make Tessanne Chin laugh is to “sing” one of her favourite karaoke songs: “Black Velvet.”

“Yes! You know it!” she exclaims as I butcher the chorus of the Billboard No. 1 hit that netted Canadian Alannah Myles a Grammy back in 1990.

She’s chuckling from her seat in a room at the Ritz-Carlton Toronto, where she’ll be accepting a Luminary Award as an honouree of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Benefit Gala tonight. I had asked the singer if she liked karaoke as an indirect way of finding out about her taste in music: which songs resonate with her, which artists influenced her sound, and so on.

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just a pasttime for this rising star. It’s how she got her start.

“People don’t know this about me,” explains Chin, the winner of Season 5 of The Voice, “but offstage I’m kind of shy.

I’m kind of reserved.” Her father, Richard, former drummer of the (almost) all-girl Jamaican ska band The Carnations, encouraged young Tess to face her fears by grabbing the mike and singing classics such as “Proud Mary” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” “I’d be so scared to do it,” she says. “He got me, through the karaoke, to come out of my shell.”

You’d never guess that there was a timid bone in Chin’s body by the way she roared in front of the over 14 million people who tuned in each night for the fifth season of The Voice. Like harmonious www.dolcemag.com

Jamaican thunder, Chin’s powerful pipes, soulful sound and untameable hair won over the voting public, crowning her as the first non-American contestant to win NBC’s reality singing competition.

Since then, her life’s been cranked to 11 with TV and radio interviews and performances across North America.

Earlier in March she was even invited to sing at the White House. On top of all that, she’s been finalizing her first major label album, Count On My Love, and gearing up for a summer tour.

That all seems pretty intense.

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t overwhelming sometimes — it is,” she says.

But this is what she’s been working her entire life for, and she’s not about

PHOTO BY JOHN PACKMAN

WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL

audition for The Voice in 2013. It was a great medium to showcase her talents on the American stage and potentially jumpstart her career. Which it did.

She wowed Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine with P!nk’s “Try;” Levine even told her that she could “easily win” the competition. Chin sided with Levine.

The Maroon 5 frontman taught her that performing is about creating a moment with the audience, one that they won’t forget. He also selected her songs, despite her apprehension. Songs like Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing,” and each of those renditions reached No. 1 on the iTunes chart. “I’m so glad I listened to him,” she laughs.

I APPRECIATE WOMEN WHO ARE ABLE TO CARVE OUT FOR THEMSELVES A SPACE THAT IS JUST AUTHENTICALLY THEIRS — Tessanne Chin Chin’s new album, Count On My Love, is set to drop July 1st. Performing on The Voice allowed her to see the world through new eyes and she feels like “there’s a big well that’s opened up.”

There’s definitely that “island swag” to the new record (there has to be, “It’s my blood”), but there’s also a mixture of influences. She’ll always love reggae, but she wants to be seen as a vocalist and not just a reggae singer — there’s just so much more to her range. She grew up on the likes of Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and Celine Dion (“Celine is my girl,” she says) and is fond of modern vocalists like Lana Del Ray, Emeli Sandé, Beyoncé and Adele, who all sound anything but standard.

“They’re very organic,” she says of those artists. “I like people who are www.dolcemag.com

THE VOICE OF TESSANNE

Chin belted out powerful and soulful renditions of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” The Beatles’ “Let It Be” and Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing,” to become the first non-American winner of The Voice

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CTV

to walk away from the opportunities her newfound fame affords. Opportunities like working with songwriter Toby Gab, who’s written hits for the likes of Beyoncé and John Legend; and Grammy Award-winner Diane Warren, who wrote Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me” and Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” “So I’m loving it,” she says. “I could only dream of working with people like that before.” And it’s a dream, you could say, she was born to fulfil.

In 1985, Richard and Christine Chin gave birth to their second daughter, Tessanne Amanda, in Kingston, Jamaica.

Richard and Christine played together in The Carnations and music was very much part of the family culture. It wasn’t just Chin’s parents, either: “It was my aunties, my uncles, my cousins — they were all involved in this band.” The whole family would gather for rehearsals and Chin watched as they jammed. It was during these sessions that she decided she wanted to walk the same path. “I remember it like it was yesterday,” she says. She began ad-libbing Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me,” her aunt Marie backing her up on guitar, and that was it. “I was five. That was probably one of my first memories.”

When she was 12, Chin’s family moved to England, but she would return to Jamaica and pursue performing full time. She joined the rock-reggae band Mile High before becoming a backup singer for the legendary Jimmy Cliff, who is also receiving a Luminary Award at this year’s UWI Gala. “He’s my boss,” she says. The three years under his tutelage was like her “university.”

What was the most important lesson he taught you, then?

“No matter if it’s thousands and thousands of people or just hundreds or one or whatever, he’s going to go out there and give you the show of a lifetime, no matter what. And I really appreciated that.”

Chin eventually broke out on her own, releasing her first single, “Hideaway,” in 2006. In Between Words, her debut independent album, came out in 2010 and Chin was performing at festivals across the Caribbean. Despite this progress, Chin’s career hit a wall. It was like running on a treadmill: you’re doing plenty of work but getting nowhere.

“That’s the most frustrating feeling,” she says.

It was Chin’s friend and musical colleague Shaggy who suggested she

undeniably themselves, and I don’t think any of those ladies are cut from the same cloth. They are their own women and I appreciate that, because I don’t think that I can fit into a cookie cutter, either.

I have to find my own path, too. So I appreciate women who are able to carve out for themselves a space that is just authentically theirs.”

There’s certainly an air of relaxed authenticity resonating off Chin, an effortless playfulness, a Caribbean breeze. She laughs often and doesn’t mind having a bit of fun, like busting out the robot during our photo shoot. She acknowledges that many people expect fame to change you, but she disagrees: “I think it reveals who you are.”

It shows your true side?

“I think it’s something that you’re born with. I don’t think you choose music, it chooses you.”

So, there’s no going back?

“Even if I wanted to put up my musical gloves, some way, somehow, they’d come back. You just have to do it.

You have to do it.”

And it may never have happened if it wasn’t for that little girl grabbing the mike and singing with all her heart as the words “Black velvet and that little boy’s smile” scrolled across the screen. @Tessanne DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE

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Author and acclaimed leadership expert Simon Sinek

QA &

WITH SIMON SINEK Author and acclaimed leadership expert Simon Sinek breaks down what it takes to create a great work environment and why the best leaders are those who sacrifice for their team

At

the small TEDxPugetSound event in the fall of 2009, Simon Sinek gave a presentation that challenged audience members to re-examine their approach to leadership, suggesting it’s not about what you do but why you do it. That talk now has over 16.5 million views and is the third most-watched video on ted.com today.

Following his bestselling Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, Sinek recently released his second book, Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t. We caught up with 58

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the leadership expert to find out why being last in line can be the best way to lead.

Q The title of this new book, Leaders Eat Last, comes from a conversation you had with retired U.S. lieutenant-general George Flynn about the dining habits of the Marine Corps. Could you tell me a bit about how the title came about?

A I had a meeting with Lt.-Gen. Flynn as part of the work I was doing to try and learn about the Marine Corps, because at the time he was responsible for all the Marine Corps training. When I asked what makes the Marines so good at what www.dolcemag.com

they do, he replied simply, “Officers eat last.” And if you visit any chow hall in any Marine base anywhere in the world, what you see is that at chow time Marines line up from most junior at the front of the line to the most senior person at the back of the line. It’s not in any rulebook and no one tells them they have to. They do so because of the way they view the concept of leadership — which is they view leadership not simply as a rank but as a responsibility.

It’s a remarkable thing.

Q Early in the book you bring up the idea of the “circle of safety,” which is the environment created

PHOTO BY JEN KIABA

WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL

people. So, they call themselves leaders, but they’re not leading people.

by leaders that allows employees to feel safe in the organization. What are the repercussions of not utilizing the circle of safety, and, in contrast, what are the benefits of adopting it?

A When there is no circle of safety, when the people believe that the leaders would sooner sacrifice them to save the numbers than they would sacrifice the numbers to save them, when they believe that if they make a mistake or if performance suffers that it could cost them their job, there’s this underlying sense of anxiety, or even fear, that comes along with that. It adds stress to the workplace. It gives the people no choice but to expend too much time and too much energy to protect themselves.

This is why in lots of offices there’s a culture of CYA [cover your ass], where everybody has to send an email to make sure it’s on the record that they didn’t do anything wrong. It’s distracting.

What ultimately it does is it wastes time, it wastes energy, and it reduces the strength of the organization as a whole, because people are not thinking about the problem, they’re thinking about themselves. That’s not because the people are bad. That’s because of the conditions created within the company.

The advantage of providing a circle of safety, the advantage of giving people the confidence that if they make a mistake they’ll be helped, or they’ll be offered to try again or sat down and told, “OK, how could you have done that differently?”; that if they have performance issues, then someone will come to their aid; that if the numbers suffer in one year, no one’s going to lose their job — all of these things mean that people will start redirecting their energy for the advancement of the company and the help of each other rather than putting themselves first. It biologically creates a sense of trust and cooperation, as opposed to selfishness.

Q One example of great leadership that you use is Bob Chapman, CEO and chairman of BarryWehmiller. What makes him a great leader?

LEADERS VERY OFTEN SEE THEMSELVES AS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESULTS. THIS IS NOT TRUE. LEADERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE; THE PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RESULTS

responsible for the results. This is not true. Leaders are responsible for the people; the people are responsible for the results. The problem we have today is a complete misunderstanding of what a leader does. Too many of our leaders think that they’re leading companies.

You can’t lead a company; you can only run a company. You can only lead

single person in this company is the son or daughter of someone else. Every single one is a precious life that he’s been given responsibility for. So, he doesn’t believe in head counts. Bob believes in heart counts. He sees his people not as workers, not as labourers, not as line items — he sees them as human beings.

He feels an intense responsibility to protect the precious lives of the human beings who work in his company. It’s an amazing thing. When you spend time with him, the way he talks, he’s like a parent talking about his child. And by the way, his company does exceptionally well. This is not some ooey-gooey, hippie-dippie thing where the company doesn’t perform but everybody likes coming to work. This is a very, very high-performing organization with 20 per cent year-to-year growth over the past 20 years.

Q You end the book with, “Let us all be the leaders we wish we had.” What are some things that readers can do to become the leaders they wish they had?

Q What are the biggest mistakes that leaders make today?

A Leaders very often see themselves as

A Bob Chapman understands that every

Sinek’s latest book Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t explores the social, psychological and biological behaviour of employees and management, and how great leaders bring the best out of their team

A Leadership is a practice. It’s something we have to do every day. You don’t just have a big reorder, or take a class or have an off-site and all of a sudden you’re a better leader. That’s not how it works.

It’s a daily practice, and so we must conduct the daily practice of leadership.

In other words, we must practise putting others before ourselves. For example, if you’re running late for a meeting and you see someone running for the elevator, instead of looking the other way, hold the elevator for them, even if that means you’ll arrive two minutes late.

That’s sacrificing something of yourself for the good of another. If instead of asking somebody, “Let me know when you need help,” we just get up and go and help them, this is the practice of leadership. So, we get in the practice and habit of making these little sacrifices, and over the course of time, when we get good at those, we take bigger and bigger and bigger risks to do bigger and bigger and bigger things. It’s a daily practice. www.startwithwhy.com

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DOES YOUR BAG grab attention? make you stylish? help cure malaria?

BAGS

amorebags.ca In Support of

TOM* is Toronto’s first ever official Men’s Fashion Week. TOM* will be a celebration of the best in menswear design showcasing established and pioneering Canadian and international designers and brands.

TOMFW.COM | TOM* HOTLINE 416-467-6676

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Catch our video coverage of this shoot, on location in Germany, at

LA CONFIANCE WRITTEN BY REBECCA ALBERICO

SILK CHIFFON RULES THE RUNWAY AND MAJESTIC ELEGANCE REIGNS SUPREME IN BREATHTAKING SUMMER COUTURE www.dolcemag.com

FLORAL FANTASY Andrea Schelling Couture wows with this delicate floral-inspired evening gown www.andreaschelling.com DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE

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SITTING PRETTY This soft-pink Andrea Schelling Couture number with plunging neckline embodies all that is classic femme chic www.andreaschelling.com

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FRESH FLOWING GARMENTS THAT GENTLY KISS THE CURVES — SURELY A WARDROBE READY FOR WHIMSY AND ROMANCE

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ANGELIC ENSEMBLE Bipone Couture has women on Cloud 9 with this precious pink evening gown www.bipone.com

A ROSE-HUED GOWN CARRIES THE ESSENCE OF A RUNAWAY PRINCESS

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OFF TO THE RACES A crisp Eduard Dressler suit pairs impeccably with a white Baldessarini shirt and bow tie www.baldessarini.com www.eduard-dressler.com

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PATTERNED PRINCE This dotted Baldessarini shirt offers the perfect contrast underneath a classic Eduard Dressler suit www.baldessarini.com www.eduard-dressler.com

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FANCY FEMME An awe-inspiring floorlength Andrea Schelling Couture evening gown www.andreaschelling.com

LUXURIOUS PASTEL PINKS SOFTEN REFINED SILHOUETTES ON THE RUNWAY THIS SEASON

PHOTOGRAPHY Claudius Holzmann www.claudius-holzmann.de STYLING Claudia Melzer www.claudia-melzer.de HAIR Yves Bubert www.bubert.de MAKEUP Dagmar Schwarz using Shiseido, Maria Galland & Bobbi Brown www.dagmar-schwarz.com CD & PRODUCTION Verena Holzmann @ cream pictures www.creampictures.com Carsten Drochner @ DOPAMIN www.dopaminmanagement.com MODELS Zazoe @ New Madison Paris & Stars Model Management www.newmadison.fr & www.stars-models.de Melanie P @ Modelwerk www.modelwerk.de Flemming @ DOPAMIN www.dopaminmodels.com

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2014

ALFA ROMEO 4C ALFA ROMEO MAKES ITS NORTH AMERICAN RETURN WITH THE STYLISH 4C WRITTEN BY JUSTIN MASTINE-FROST

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STYLE

We

all love a good comeback story, so when Alfa Romeo announced it would be returning to the Canadian market with its new 4C sports car, you could almost hear the collective cheer erupt across the country. Alfa Romeo has maintained a solid cult following since its departure from the North American market in 1996, and the idea of a lightweight, two-seater sports coupe from the Italian firm for less than $100k makes it a solid competitor for the likes of the Porsche Cayman and Lotus Elise. Alfa Romeo has just announced that dealerships will be popping up in Vaughn, Ont., Vancouver, B.C., and two locations in Quebec, but before cars start arriving on our shores, here are the important details surrounding the stunning coupe.

PERFORMANCE Those of you that are obsessed with horsepower stats might not be overly impressed with the 4C at first. By modern standards, 237-horsepower really isn’t all that much, but when that power and the 258 lb-ft of torque that comes with it is packed into a car that weighs only 2,300 pounds, suddenly this thing becomes pretty quick. According to Alfa Romeo, the 4C is expected to rocket from 0-100 km/h in a mere 4.5 seconds. The other impressive part of the equation is the engine that power comes from. Rather than going for a moderate displacement motor, the 4C is powered by a 1.7-Litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine.

To achieve such a low-curb weight, Alfa Romeo relied on the extensive use of carbon fibre when it came to the car’s superstructure, and a lightweight steel alloy for many of the car’s exterior panels. Thanks to this clever use of materials, the 4C’s designers were also able to maintain a perfect 50/50 weight distribution to ensure that it could handle as well or better than its competition.

Having seen the pre-production car last summer, let me assure you that the 4C is one of the sexiest cars to come out of Italy in a number of years. Alfa is quick to reference the relationship between the 4C’s styling and that of its classic 33 Stradale, and I must admit it isn’t far off the mark. The coupe’s curves flow perfectly from front to rear, and its flared fenders and bold-nose profile give it just enough of an aggressive edge without trying too hard. Here’s the best part of the 4C’s exterior design — there is absolutely no mistaking it for anything else on the road. Whether you choose the classic Alfa Romeo red, or a slightly more subtle white or black model, there will be no shortage of people stopping you to ask, “What is that thing?”

LIMITED PRODUCTION (FOR NOW) So we have established that the 4C will be an absolute riot to drive and it looks drop-dead gorgeous, but as with many things there’s something really special about driving a car that you won’t be seeing all over the road. Alfa Romeo has slated its initial “Launch Edition” production run to 500 units for all of North America, and although there’s likely plenty more to come, buyers who manage to secure a pre-order will be able to enjoy that feeling of exclusivity for a little while at least. Even if Alfa eventually opens the floodgates and announces 10,000 more 4Cs destined for our market, I don’t think many of us will be too quick to complain. Pricing starts at $61,995. Deliveries are expected to start later in the summer of 2014. www.alfaromeo.com

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The Alfa Romeo 4C’s driver-focused cabin exudes the Italian brand’s racing heritage

GENERAL SPECS Engine: 1.7-L, 4-cylinder turbocharged Horsepower: 237 Torque: 258 lb-ft 0-100 km/h: 4.5 seconds MSRP: $61,995 With flowing curves and aggressive angles, the 4C embraces design cues from the classic 33 Stradale and definitely stands out amongst the crowd

The 4C’s 1.7-L, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine produces 237-hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, and thanks to its light weight, rips from 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds

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HERE’S WHAT’S FILLING OUR JEWELRY BOX THIS SEASON — COLLECTED FROM DECADES PAST AND PRESENT-DAY, THESE GLITTERING TREASURES COULD HAVE BEEN DROPPED FROM THE HEAVENS WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY

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MODEL: MARISOL MAGANA I MAKEUP BY ANGELICA GODINO

FIT FOR A GODDESS

BULGARI JEWELRY SET Try on all of summer’s favourite hues without overwhelming your ensemble with this platinum and natural coloured sapphire and diamond set. Crafted by Italy’s Bulgari, the 88 carats of fine sapphire give “eye candy” an entirely new meaning. www.pierrefamille.com

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1 TIFFANY & CO. BANGLE A love affair between bold, bright blue and classic gold is exuded by this circa-1980s Tiffany & Co. bangle. The hushed elegance of the yellow gold mingles with the brilliant inlaid lapis lazuli to create a look that’s a bit truth and a bit dare. www.antichitasturni.it

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BULGARI EARRINGS Consider this pair your “goes-withanything” accessory. Bring the shimmer to your next sizzling summer soiree by donning these contemporary earrings, boasting 18-karat yellow gold and 1.60 carats of diamonds to keep you, and the party, sparkling. www.fourtane.com

ATELIER MINYON CUFF Break some rules with the 18-carat Pink Sapphire Skull Stingray Cuff.

Designed by SoHo-based Atelier Minyon, an edgy jeweler with its origins in Turkey, this piece will make you unstoppable this summer. www.atelierminyon.com

GOLD AND DIAMOND CORAL RING We found the perfect pop of colour for any outfit: Whether you’re day-tripping or party-hopping, the coral, diamond and 14-karat gold of this ring will keep the warmth of the season at your fingertips. www.demesy.com

LAWRENCE JEFFREY RING What looks like a souvenir from an underwater journey is a handcrafted statement piece that is sure to cause a splash in your summer style.

Refresh your look with this playful yet extravagant 18-karat gold, ruby, diamond and opal ring. www.lawrencejeffrey.com

All of these pieces are also available on www.1stdibs.com

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THE BASKING IN THE FLAVOURFUL LUXURY OF SANDALS LASOURCE GRENADA RESORT & SPA WRITTEN BY LUAY SAIG

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ocated between the southeastern Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean is the 340-squarekilometre island country of Grenada, home to the new and magnificent Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa. A five-minute minibus ride from the Maurice Bishop International Airport, this luxurious, 17acre all-inclusive resort is built along the southernmost shore of the island on the resplendent Pink Gin Beach, facing the Devil’s Bay and Caribbean Sea. With over 220 luxurious rooms and suites — 69 of which are with butler service — the resort is divided into three distinct complexes, or “villages”: Pink Gin, South Seas and Italian.

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myriad of deluxe in-room amenities.

Starting from the beginning of the lavish resort, the South Seas Village is the most private sanctuary of the three, offering room accommodations from secluded suites to full villas. Here, guests can enjoy a private plunge in their infinity edge pool or a shared waterfall river pool — both with and without butler service.

Resting on a hill and overlooking the resort with a great view of the stunning Pink Gin Beach and surrounding scenery stands the newly built five-storey Italian Village. The suites of the first three floors of this complex are characterized by two large river pools at ground level, spacious bathrooms, flat screen televisions and luxurious soaking tubs, while the fourth and penthouse floors feature exquisite and spacious suites with large living www.dolcemag.com

rooms; bedrooms; stand-up showers; indoor bathtub; balcony with veranda tranquillity soaking tub; dressing rooms; ensuite wet bar with a variety of premium liquor, wine and champagne; and a private infinity edge pool located on the balcony with bedroom slidingdoor access.

Closest to the beachfront shore with an open view of the Caribbean Sea lies the last of the three villages: the Pink Gin. Consisting of two building complexes — one having 70 oceanfront rooms and the other 30 magnificent junior suites — the Pink Gin Village features contemporary furniture, an infinity pool and other opulent amenities, and has the easiest access to the resort’s spread of white-sand beach. Here you can relax to the soothing sounds of the sea waves gently crashing onto the island shore, all

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANDALS RESORTS

Infinity edge Skypool Suite at the Italian Village

PHOTOS 1 & 2 COURTESY OF SANDALS RESORTS. PHOTOS 3 & 5 COURTESY OF ALEX TAMARGO / GETTY IMAGES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PHOTO 4 BY LUAY SAIG

from the comfort of your beachfront suite.

Dining at Sandals LaSource is nothing short of exceptional. Nine fabulous restaurants are readily available throughout various times of the day, each offering a unique dining experience with indoor and outdoor seating. These restaurants include à la carte options in a variety of cuisines, from Pan-Caribbean and Mediterranean to Italian and Japanese, as well as steak and sushi houses and a French patisserie. For those who prefer to indulge in room service, a full menu is readily available at selected suites across the three villages.

There are also a host of both land and water sports activities you can participate in, including table tennis, basketball, beach volleyball, snorkelling, windsurfing, scuba diving and more. A state-of-the-art fitness centre is available during the day, as well as outdoor yoga classes and water aerobics at the Caribbean Village’s pool bar.

After receiving its first visitors in December of 2013, Sandals LaSource Grenada held a grand opening ribboncutting ceremony on April 28, 2014.

This marked the official introduction of the resort to all its guests, where the chairman of Sandals Resorts Gordon (Butch) Stewart, alongside other key personnel, held an entertaining evening filled with food, fireworks and live musical performances by America’s Got Talent’s William Close and The Earth Harp Collective.

Commonly referred to as the “Spice Island” for its abundance of more than 20 local spices, mainly nutmeg and mace, which are the island’s most notable exports, the term “spice” transcends the notion of plants. Rather, it extends to the culture and personality of the people of Grenada. After a four-hour group tour of the capital city of St. George’s, the unique culture of the people of Grenada comes alive. Warm and friendly, the island locals greet tourists with genuine congeniality as they speak in their native Grenadian Creole English, which is a reflection of the African, Indian and European heritage of the nation.

Their conviction of speech and attitude is polite yet also direct and convincing.

In a nutmeg-shell, the island of Grenada is a one-of-a-kind destination for tourists who want to experience a place full of Caribbean culture, and Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa, more specifically, is an exquisite sanctuary that is sure to live up to and far surpass high expectations. www.sandals.com/grenada

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1. Italian Village complex located in the heart of Sandals LaSource Grenada 2. Walkout Junior Suite with Veranda Tranquility Soaking Tub in the South Seas Village 3. William Close performing on his “Earth Harp” at the grand opening celebration 4. A Mediterranean-style Fattoush salad served at Neptunes restaurant 5. Adam Stewart, Peter Fraser, Joseph Cinque, resort employee, Gordon (Butch) Stewart and Karen Lynn Dixon pose during the grand opening celebration

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THE WORLD’S

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he culinary landscape is a universe of its own, a revolving and evolving vista dotted with flavour-filled havens that keep our taste buds honed, our minds blown and our travels well seasoned. After embarking on its 12th annual hunt for the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Britain’s Restaurant Magazine — the Holy Bible of fine diners and restaurateurs worldwide — has released its list of 2014’s mostadored eateries.

More than 900 voters from across the globe devoured their way through hundreds of candidates and tossed in their seven ballots to cultivate this year’s 50 Best. The list, which includes famed, familiar rankers and a handful of talkedabout newcomers alike, is serving up applause and bewilderment in foodie communities everywhere, motivating elite restaurant hoppers to map out their next culinary excursions. Perhaps a stop off at seventh-placeholder D.O.M. Restaurant in São Paulo to experience the deliciously oxymoronic relationship between wild chef Alex Atala and the refinement of his restaurant; or a trip to fourth-placeholder Eleven Madison Park in New York for a Swiss chef ’s luxurious take on Big Apple cuisine (think smoked sturgeon on, as the waiters describe it, “their take on an everything bagel”).

The roster was announced at the awards ceremony this spring at Guildhall in London, causing a stir as Copenhagen-based Noma returned to the No. 1 spot. Headed by chef René Redzepi, Noma claimed first place in 2010, 2011 and 2012, but swapped with

50 RESTAURANTS

CUISINE IS AN ADVENTURE WAITING TO BE EMBARKED ON — CONSIDER THIS YOUR NAVIGATOR THROUGH 2014’S MOST SAVOURY RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE GLOBE WRITTEN BY AMANDA STOREY

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Noma in Denmark returns to first place this year with its cool, raw Nordic cuisine; runnerup El Celler de Can Roca in Spain wows with its experimental menu; and Italy’s Osteria Francescana’s storytelling dishes take third

Co-sponsor S. Pellegrino provides an eye-catching display at the celebration

Girona-based El Celler de Can Roca in 2013, taking second place while the Spanish eatery stole first. “I don’t think it was expected at all, by anybody,” says William Drew, editor of Restaurant Magazine, of the comeback. “The list rankings go up and down. It’s dynamic — it changes every year, and that’s the nature of it. But there’s also a strong sense of continuity through it.”

Straying from this continuity was the introduction of a new award this year, World’s Best Pastry Chef, which was presented to El Celler’s Jodi Roca. “He deals a lot in aroma, recreating edible fragrances from famous perfumes, and he’s played around with movement in desserts,” says Drew. “These things are almost off-the-wall crazy, but he has the skill to make them delicious.”

Also recognized this year was the Lima, Peru-based restaurant Central with the Highest Climber award, having rocketed up 35 places since last year’s rendition. The 2014 Highest New Ranking for having placed 17th in its first year entering went to Gaggan, a unique destination restaurant in Bangkok serving revamped Indian snacks and street food.

Regardless of the country, these chefs are storytellers, sharing their tales via the stovetop and chopping block — with a brush of fermented grasshopper sauce, too. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants presents a conveniently pre-navigated multi-sensory adventure waiting to be tapped into by those who can stomach the fearless eccentricity of each jawdropping dish. www.theworlds50best.com

RESTAURANT MAGAZINE ’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS 1. Noma - Copenhagen, Denmark 2. El Celler de Can Roca - Girona, Spain 3. Osteria Francescana - Modena, Italy 4. Eleven Madison Park - New York, USA 5. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal - London, UK 6. Mugaritz - San Sebastián, Spain 7. D.O.M. - Sao Paulo, Brazil 8. Arzak - San Sebastián, Spain 9. Alinea - Chicago, USA 10. The Ledbury - London, UK 11. Mirazur - Menton, France 12. Vendôme - Bergisch Gladbach, Germany 13. Nahm - Bangkok, Thailand 74

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14. Narisawa - Tokyo, Japan 15. Central - Lima, Peru 16. Steirereck - Vienna, Austria 17. Gaggan - Bangkok, Thailand 18. Astrid y Gastón - Lima, Peru 19. Fäviken - Järpen, Sweden 20. Pujol - Mexico City, Mexico 21. Le Bernardin - New York, USA 22. Vila Joya - Albufeira, Portugal 23. Restaurant Frantzén - Stockholm, Sweden 24. Amber - Hong Kong, China 25. L’Arpége - Paris, France 26. Azurmendi - Larrabetzu, Spain summer 2014

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27. Le Chateaubriand - Paris, France 28. Aqua - Wolfsburg, Germany 29. De Librije - Zwolle, Netherlands 30. Per Se - New York, USA 31. L’Atelier Saint - Germain De Joël Robuchon, Paris, France 32. Attica - Melbourne, Australia 33. Nihonryori Ryugin - Tokyo, Japan 34. Asador Etxebarri - Atxondo, Spain 35. Martín Berasategui - San Sebastián, Spain 36. Mani - Saõ Paulo, Brazil 37. Restaurant Andre - Singapore 38. L’Astrance - Paris, France

39. Piazza Duomo - Alba, Italy 40. Daniel - New York, USA 41. Quique Dacosta - Dénia, Spain 42. Geranium - Copenhagen, Denmark 43. Schloss Schauenstein - Fürstenau, Switzerland 44. The French Laundry - Yountville, USA 45. Hof van Cleve - Kruishoutem, Belgium 46. Le Calandre - Rubano, Italy 47. The Fat Duck - Bray, UK 48. The Test Kitchen - Cape Town, South Africa 49. Coi - San Francisco, USA 50. Waku Ghin - Singapore

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ONE EDITION PHOTOGRAPHY

London’s Guildhall was the luxurious venue for this year’s event

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. . . a t i V e c l a Do L g n i v i l ! e a m o We' r l a P to La

we' r e going

TORONTO Corso Italia

WOODBRIDGE Piazza Del Sole

1357 St. Clair Avenue West

200 Windflower Gate, Unit 1

416-656-9900

www.dolcemag.com 905-851-5151

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The view from the Four Seasons Private Residences

LUXURIOUS CONDOMINIUMS AND GRAND, SWEEPING ESTATES — THESE HOMES AND HIGH-RISES TAKE THINGS TO NEW HEIGHTS

LIVING IT UP WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL

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he GTA housing market is hotter than a firecracker lit on both ends. New developments break ground and stretch skyward seemingly every day and immaculate manors periodically pop up and take our collective breath away. To make house hunting a little easier, we’ve searched through Toronto’s most prestigious neighbourhoods and up among the private estates north of the city to bring you the properties that are making waves. From the luxuries of sky-scraping condos to characterfilled country estates, this collection of edifices caters to diverse yet refined tastes.

BEACON The Sorbara Development Group’s latest project, Beacon, signals to chic urbanites craving elevated city living. Standing 35 storeys above Yonge Street in North York’s happening city centre, Beacon places residents within walking distance of hot restaurants, trendy boutiques and the subway. With lavish finishes, fantastic views and amenities that cater to a balanced lifestyle, this uniquely designed high-rise delivers both location and luxury. www.beaconcondos.ca

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FOUR SEASONS PRIVATE RESIDENCES When the class and sophistication of Yorkville meets the service and standards of the Four Seasons, the result is nothing short of spectacular.

Such is the Four Seasons Private Residences. With two towers, the 55-storey West Residence and the 25-storey East Residence, rising above the area’s renowned shopping and dining, this prestigious building combines immaculate Gluckstein Design Planning suites with five-star amenities, including an indoor pool, fitness centre, spa and 24-hour concierge, doorman and valet parking. www.yorkvilleresidences.com

66 SCOTCH VALLEY This grand estate home takes “country living” to a whole new level. Situated on 2.72 acres of land, this 20,000-sq.-ft. manor is bursting with rustic elegance. From the gorgeous wood and stone detailing of the kitchen to the rich hardwood-lined family room, there’s no shortage of character within these walls. Factor in an indoor synthetic hockey pad, a media room, a private soccer field, a 12-car garage with car washing station and a helipad, and you’ve got one unforgettable abode. www.alloveryork.com

11 WELLESLEY ON THE PARK With its clean lines and flowing geometric shapes, 11 Wellesley on the Park is contemporary urban life personified. The 60-storey tower caters to city dwellers who want it all — the downtown lifestyle and green space. There’s the pool, the party room, the alfresco lounge, the fitness centre and a spa. But 11 Wellesley will also sit atop a 1.6-acre park, providing exclusive breathing room between residences and the busy city streets. With a Walk Score of 100, and the subway right at its doorstep, 11 Wellesley on the Park is a monument to modernity. www.11wellesley.com

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Elegant details, such as a fountain, swan faucets, Roman columns and wrought iron railings give the Balding Estate a regal presence

A MODERN PALACE INSPIRED BY CLASSIC VILLA DESIGN HITS THE MARKET IN VAUGHAN

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BALDING ESTATE the crown of an extraordinary culde-sac, nestled deep inside the National Estates, the most prestigious neighbourhood in Vaughan, Ont., stands one of the most luxurious, most extraordinary homes in the city: the Balding Estate.

Recently put on the market, this stunning one-of-a-kind palace was designed in the style of a classic villa and resonates with legacy. Built in 1995, it rests on 1.64 acres that back onto the third tee of the National Golf Club of Canada, one of the country’s preeminent private golf courses. The immaculate home utilizes its remarkable scale to balance family life with the space and features for large-scale entertaining.

Upon entering the home, you’re immediately struck by its elegant and grand presence. A 26-foot-high ceiling puts new meaning to the word “soaring,” while its classic, timeless esthetic glows with old-world splendour. The finest materials, such as Italian marble, Brazilian hardwood, oak wood, silk-covered walls and Swiss-made locks, abound throughout the 20,000 square feet of living space. Custom ceiling

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mouldings and exquisite chandeliers hang over the dining room, which seats up to 20. A spacious kitchen, custommade by Downsview Kitchens, is equipped with high-grade appliances and details, including a Sub-Zero panelled fridge, Gaggenau oven, Thermador warming drawer and granite countertops.

The master bedroom is aptly named thanks to walls enriched with goldleaf detailing, a marble-and-gold gas fireplace, his-and-hers walk-in closets and an eight-piece master ensuite. Four other bedrooms (or three bedrooms and one office) also come with their own walk-in closets and private ensuites.

A massive entertainment area with built-in bar and space for tables or sofas and other seating, a games room that can easily accommodate a billiard table, and an impressive pool building with a retractable roof offer great entreating options. Further adding to the home’s grandeur and sophistication is a wine cellar, an elevator that takes you to all four floors of the home and regal entrance gates.

The Balding Estate is currently listed at $7.8 million. For more information, visit www.thebaldingestate.com

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CHESTNUT PARK REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BROKERAGE

At

WRITTEN BY MICHAEL HILL

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1. A retractable roof connects the pool building with nature 2. Elegant chandeliers hang over the dining room, which seats 20 3. Silk-covered walls, an oak wood stairway, Italian marble and a 26-foot ceiling leave an unforgettable first impression 4. The Balding Estate rests on 1.64 acres next to the third tee of the National Golf Club of Canada 5. The grand estate is designed after a classic villa

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: FRIDAY HARBOUR WHERE THE VACATION NEVER ENDS TEN YEARS IN THE MAKING, THE VILLAGE OF FRIDAY HARBOUR BRINGS A YEAR-ROUND TOUCH OF CLASS AND A NEW WAY OF LIVING TO LAKE SIMCOE

An artist’s rendering of Friday Harbour’s bustling marina

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verybody looks forward to Fridays — and when your weekend plans involve entertainment, dining, relaxation and recreation, Friday can’t come soon enough. Inspired by this fact, and by the work hard, play hard mentality, an all-year-round resort community, appropriately named Friday Harbour, is getting a lot of people more than a little excited for their weekends.

Perhaps it’s because of the location: 600 acres of pristine waterfront beauty on Big Bay Point in Innisfil, only 45 minutes away from the Greater Toronto Area. Or perhaps it’s because of the scope of this condo resort: a marina with 1,000 boat slips, up to 2,000 residences when completed, an 18-hole championship golf course, 200 acres of nature preserve and countless entertainment options, ranging from a theatre, beach volleyball, farmers’ markets and swimming pools to restaurants, bars and boutiques.

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Perhaps the excitement surrounding this residential resort also comes from the uniqueness, the immeasurable and incredibly impressive factors that make it truly one of a kind. Friday Harbour, a project that’s been over a decade in the making and a dream-turned-reality for its development team, is the first all-season resort of this scale to be directly accessible by four modes of transportation that’s so close to the GTA. It’s also the first to sculpt a 40-acre marina, moving almost 2 million cubic tons of dirt from the marina’s excavation to the site of the golf course, transforming the landscape in the process. When completed, about 5,000 Friday Harbour residents, along with a quarter of a million area residents, will have access to an entire village and community that has been created by Friday Harbour’s dream team. No wonder they’ve already sold about 150 homes, and expect to have over 250 sold by the end of 2014. www.dolcemag.com

Of course a project of this magnitude — an incredible billion-and-a-halfdollar investment that will house over 80,000-square-feet of real estate when complete — doesn’t happen overnight.

Earl Rumm, president of Geranium Corporation and Friday Harbour’s original visionary, grew up vacationing on Lake Simcoe, and later saw the need for a resort in the area. According to Rumm, there was “a great opportunity for people to have a true resort lifestyle, one that could sustain a community of people year-round.” One that could provide them with everything they wanted and needed to enjoy the beauty and bounty of the environment.

Over the years, he partnered with Optus Capital Corporation, a highly experienced real estate investment firm, the Pemberton Group, builders with over 50 years of residential experience, and ConDrain Group, specialists in infrastructure management. He then partnered with renowned architect/ designer Taylor Hannah Architect Inc. and Applied Technology & Management, world leaders in marina design, as well as Carrick Design Inc., golf course architects who’ve designed over 50 courses worldwide.

While it’s a “tremendous undertaking,” says Rumm, “there’s no other project

PHOTO COURTESY OF FRIDAY HARBOUR

WRITTEN BY PAMELA JACOBS

A scale model of the townhomes and condos of the marina village at Friday Harbour

like it in Canada, and we’re having a lot of fun doing it.”

They’ll also be collaborating with the very best retail, dining and recreation specialists, ensuring everything is topnotch, showcasing the high level of quality that’s so important to Rumm and the rest of the team. After all, every one of the partners will be purchasing a home at Friday Harbour and taking full advantage of its myriad amenities and implanting themselves in the lifestyle and community. “If our names are on it, and we’re living and entertaining here,” Rumm points out, “it all has to be the best.”

The aim is for homeowners and visitors to feel relaxed and away — despite the fact that they’re so close to the GTA. Everything guests and residents can have access to in the heart of Toronto, they’ll have at Friday Harbour, and more. They will have plenty of dining options, with the emphasis on “great quality, great service, and good prices,” according to Rumm. They’ll be able to stroll along the boardwalk and the restaurant- and shop-filled Marina Village, lounge on the beach, enjoy tennis in the morning, golf in the afternoon and live music in the evening. They’ll have boating and swimming in the summer, ice fishing in the winter and a Lake Club with a wellness spa year-round. One of the best features is that residents will have nothing to do but enjoy it all. No work, no maintenance, no worries. “They don’t have to run the show,” say Rumm.

“We’ll do it for them.”

With a wide range of residence styles, there will be something for everyone.

The boardwalk residences in the heart of the Marina Village are situated above the shops, restaurants, galleries and local businesses, and range in size from 433-sq.-ft. studios to 1,766-sq.-ft. three-bedroom suites. The four-storey Harbour Flats nestled around the harbour range from one-bedroom 523-sq.-ft. homes to three-bedroom,

1,330-sq.-ft. of luxury. All will feature high ceilings, stainless steel appliances and washer/dryers, granite/quartz countertops, porcelain tiles and other high-end amenities. Prices for the units range from the low $200s to $1 million, and occupancy will begin in 2016.

Of course, purchasing one of these homes means more than just purchasing a place to sleep — it comes with an entire social life, nightlife and sense of community. There will be everything from doctors’ offices and markets to

IF OUR NAMES ARE ON IT, AND WE’RE LIVING AND ENTERTAINING HERE, IT ALL HAS TO BE THE BEST — Earl Rumm conference centres and festivals. More than that, though, there will be a true sense of vibrancy and buzzing activity.

Thousands of residents and visitors will keep the atmosphere exclusive yet comfortable, exciting yet relaxed.

“Regardless of the home you purchase,” Rumm emphasizes, “everybody will dine at the same restaurants, participate in the same activities. It’s a real village, so different from when you have your own vacation home and have to make your own plans.”

Those who live in or visit Friday Harbour won’t be the only ones to benefit from it. Construction has already added hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue to the area, and www.dolcemag.com

PHOTO BY GIL TAMIN

PHOTO BY SAL PASQUA

Earl Rumm, president of Geranium Corporation and partner of Friday Harbour

will continue to do so on a larger scale — making Innisfil residents, including Mayor Barb Baguley, happy. In fact, Baguley “can’t remember another project of this type ever on Lake Simcoe,” and believes it will have a positive impact on the community.

There’s also the positive impact on the environment. Friday Harbour will exceed the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ requirements with extensive programs that improve water quality while creating new wildlife habitats and protecting endangered species.

Two hundred acres of nature preserve with seven kilometres of trails will simultaneously protect and preserve the land while offering hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and aimless meandering through the natural beauty of the landscape. Even the golf course, uniquely designed to be a haven of tranquility will be built to achieve Audobon International environmental standards. Finally, the completed marina will add four kilometres of new internal shoreline to the already idyllic location.

The beautiful thing about Friday Harbour, according to Rumm, is that while there are hundreds of activities, you can also just choose to relax and do nothing at all. You can rent a boat for the day, or just unwind with a good book. You can dine on excellent food with friends and family, or just enjoy the serenity of it all. You can relax knowing that everyone, from the concierge to the maintenance staff, is there to make your life easier and more enjoyable.

It’s like an eternal feeling of Friday — every day is one to look forward to. www.fridayharbourresort.com DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE

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AN AFTERNOON WITH

STEPHEN CARTER

THE CHAIRMAN OF CAMERON HOUSE HOTEL WHISKS US AWAY TO THE BONNIE BANKS OF SCOTLAND

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itting on the banks of the famed Loch Lomond in Scotland and surrounded by acres of charming woodland, a baronial mansion unites the adventuresome and amorous with a stay of grand proportions. Exuding detailed luxury and the mysterious pull of nature’s wonders, the Cameron House Hotel seems as though it was plucked from a medieval fairy tale and placed in the hands of those fortunate enough to visit. Luckily for Stephen Carter, his days begin and end at this idyllic fivestar resort.

As chairman and former managing director of Cameron House Hotel, 82

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Carter opens his mornings by striking up empowering conversations with employees and friendly chats with guests, his hearty laughter resonating across the sweeping property and its next-door luxury spa and 18-hole championship golf course. The simple yet effective exchange of niceties, explains the hotelier, helps him stay connected to visitors on a personable level, bringing their needs and wants, however infinitesimal, to the foreground.

After all, he continues, “guests are the people that we are here to look after.”

But for now, Carter’s decided to shake up his routine with a lunch break in Canada, no less. www.dolcemag.com

Touching down in Toronto for the Ignite Business Event Expo this past April, Carter manages to slip away from the hullabaloo, heading north of the city to the village of Kleinburg for an afternoon of casual fine Italian dining. It’s a welcome reprieve for the passionate hotelier, who manages to multitask as a trustee of the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HIT) and director of both Visit Scotland and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Wearing a sharp pinstriped suit and fiery-red-orange tie, Carter slides onto a seat at Avenue Cibi e Vini restaurant, sipping on red wine and basking in the rays of sunshine that beam through the enclosed terrace. “By

PHOTOS 1 AND 3 COURTESY OF CAMERON HOUSE HOTEL

WRITTEN BY SIMONA PANETTA

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1. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2015, Cameron House Hotel is a short drive from Glasgow, boasting genuine Scottish hospitality and a range of five-star amenities

GETTING THE OBE WAS A BIG ONE BECAUSE THAT WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED, TOTALLY OUT OF THE BLUE. IT WAS A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO BE PRESENTED THE AWARD

BY PRINCE CHARLES

2 2. The quintessential Scottish hotelier Stephen Carter makes a stop at Avenue Cibi e Vini restaurant in Kleinburg 3. The Great Scots Bar in the Cameron House offers an extensive range of the country’s national drink, making it the perfect place for a nightcap or a quiet sip before dinner

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the time I was 10, I knew I wanted to go into the hospitality industry. It’s been everything that I always expected about it; it’s such a great industry because it’s filled with people, welcoming people, from all different parts of the world. I think it probably came from home. My parents, but my mother in particular, was always very keen on looking after people and playing her part in the community,” says Carter. He instinctively pours me a glass of water.

A mainstay in Scotland’s hotel and hospitality industry, Carter knows all too well how to curate the perfect holiday. www.dolcemag.com

His 35 years of experience have earned him and the Cameron House, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year, top-notch accolades in the field. Most prestigiously, Carter was made an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2007 for services to the hospitality industry.

“Getting the OBE was a big one because that was totally unexpected, totally out of the blue. It was a great privilege to be presented the award by Prince Charles.”

Carter proceeds to order the grilled squid to start and linguine with mussels and tomato to follow, singing his praises as he tucks into his meal. Hailing from a country brimming with delicious delicacies, the self-described fisherman can’t help but be reminded of back home. “Scotland has such wonderful raw food. It has salmon, it has berries from Fife; it has good stock potatoes and Scotch beef — food items that make just great, great dishes.”

While the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn take hold of Scotland this summer, Carter suggests a few local must-dos: a visit to one of the many historic distilleries, a tour of Stirling Castle and dinner at Castle Terrace Restaurant in the capital city of Edinburgh. This season also highlights Scotland’s Year of the Homecoming, a government-sponsored initiative first held in 2009, which celebrates Scottish culture and heritage, the arts, food and its national drink, whisky. “I take mine with just a dash of water, no ice,” says Carter with a grin. A true believer in employing local people who know the community well, Carter continues to shape an original and authentic experience for the guests at Cameron House. “We are very blessed in Scotland to have people that are very friendly and open, that can have fun while being authentic, that can read the patron they’re looking after.” www.cameronhouse.co.uk DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE

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A RICH HISTORY IN THE INDUSTRY with a diverse portfolio of satisfied clients has earned Justin R. Fogarty Barrister & Solicitor a renowned reputation across the country. Together with his associate Pavle Masic, Mr. Fogarty utilizes unparalleled expertise, unique thinking and creative concepts to navigate businesses through the various complex issues they face in the corporate realm. With client satisfaction and comfort in mind, the trusted services provided by Mr. Fogarty and his team continues to deliver the utmost success to clients.

Counsel & Advisory • Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Restructuring Commercial Litigation • Corporate Governance Corporate Finance • Regulatory Counsel

Justin R. Fogarty BA R R I STE R & S O LI C ITO R

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416.840.8991 • 180 Bloor Street West, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON justinrfogarty.com summer 2014 www.dolcemag.com

KLEINBURG H E R I TA G E E S TAT E S

The Valley Model - Master Ensuite

There’s everything else. And then there’s Platinum.

MODELS NOW OPEN! You have never experienced anything like Platinum...until now! With two extraordinary model homes to tour, come envision what your new life will be like in a Rosehaven Platinum Home. Where your home is set in the historic Village of Kleinburg nestled in an enclave of truly outstanding estate homes on grand 60’ to 70’ lots. Rosehaven Platinum means your new home is loaded with over $400,000 in features and finishes INCLUDED AS STANDARD with your purchase, so all you have to do is move in.

KLEINBURG

3,700 sq. ft. to over 5,600 sq. ft. starting from $1.4 million.

Mon - Thursday: 1pm - 8pm Sat, Sun & Holidays: 11am - 6pm Fridays: Closed

RosehavenPlatinum.com Prices and specifications correct at press time. E. & O.E.

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THE RALPH LAUREN RL67 SAFARI COLLECTION

RL67 CHRONOMETER BLACK “AGED” STAINLESS STEEL 45MM MODEL SELF-WINDING MOVEMENT COSC-CERTIFIED CHRONOMETER 42-HOUR POWER RESERVE SWISS MADE

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RALPHLAURENWATCHES.COM