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Blog Tour 2011

Blog Tour 2011
I’ve been extremely fortunate to have experienced both Fashion Week and Design Week in New York City this year. At the end of this month, I’ll be heading across the pond and will find myself in the midst of the London Design Festival and all because of Blog Tour 2011.

Veronika Miller of Modenus, which is a small firm built entirely on Social Media, in essence took the belief she had in the power of design bloggers and decided to create Blog Tour 2011 which would bridge the North American and UK gap and bring us all together during this incredible string of design events.

With her partners MyDeco and AD Home Design Show and alongside several distinguished sponsors such as Blanco, Samuel HeathVictoria + Albert, Du Verre Hardware, Spirit of Sports and Wallunica, myself and 14 other design and lifestyle bloggers will head to London and attend events such as 100% Design, Tent London and Origin Contemporary Craft Fair.

Blog Tour 2011Blog Tour 2011Blog Tour 2011Blog Tour 2011Blog Tour 2011Blog Tour 2011I’ve stomped the grounds of several design conferences but the London Design Festival seems different in that it knows no boundaries and literally takes design to its city streets. I am extremely excited and honoured to be part of this all and with such a fabulously charged agenda, I will be sure to have so much to show and share with you.

Images from: vorwerk, nanagyei, mostaque, ktylerconk, marie-louise’s fashion pulse, confessions of a design geek, bird in the house

Go to Blogtour2011.com as well as on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #blogtour2011 for more news and coverage.

Blog Tour 2011, London, London Design Festival, TravelComments { 2 }

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

There’s no denying how strong the call of Paris has been for me over the last few years. After living in London for a year and coming back home to settle down, Europe seemed like so far away until now.

We took a walk in Old Montreal today. Once I started snapping photos, I began to feel the essence of Paris through my lens and my heart began to flutter. I think I’ve fallen for a part of Montreal that I hadn’t visited for a while and am now really beginning to appreciate it for its true character and history.

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

After our afternoon walk, we ended our journey at Le Cartet, a resto boutique on McGill avenue. We were able to pick up some fresh cheese, a cup of fruit and a lemon San Pellegrino.

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

A little bit of Paris in Montreal

I still plan on visiting Paris one day but after really opening my eyes up to our gorgeous home town today, I think it can wait (but not for too long).

Canadian, Montreal, Paris, TravelComments { 16 }

Blogfest

Reliving Blogfest while putting together this post has made me realise how much of an incredible impression the Kravet team have left me with even weeks after this extravagant event in New York City. Magazines such as House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Town & Country, Elle Decor, Veranda, and Architectural Digest were all represented and with every discussion panel, gathering or presentation, we had the chance to really chat with and learn from their choice of speakers. Without Blogfest, I would not have heard their stories.

I’ve come home with their mantras, philosophies and opinions and have found myself, on more than one occasion, thinking about how print magazines work and fight hard to relate to the online world while still remaining true to their original form. It is not easy and they’ve all declare this in their own way. Now that I’ve met the people behind them, I understand their struggles and believe that their passion for their work coupled with their dedicated teams will be what will pull them through.


What we were also privy to during Blogfest‘s intense but highly-structured schedule, was an up close and personal meeting with Barbara Barry, interior designer and creator of several exclusive Kravet collections. Her main discussion revolved around how design and inspiration lives all around us and how travel can let our minds explore and see new things. Being in New York at the time myself, I couldn’t have agreed more.


A special event hosted by Traditional home with Thomas O’Brien, Eric Cohler, Diamond & Baratta, Suzanne Kasler, Suzanne Rheinstein and David Easton all sharing their designs with us within the Heritage Collection by Kravet was also a highlight.


Breakfast at the Condé Nast building followed by a special appearance by Margaret Russell, Editor-in-Chief of Architectural Digest, was such a momentous occasion for me. Her stories are nothing but impressive. I am a true admirer of her fearless yet genuine attitude towards her career and her commitment to design.


The Lee Jofa and Kravet offices literally open their doors and let us all in on the design process of their fabrics and rugs. From the inspirations and initial sketches, to the mood boards and test swatches, all the way through to the placement of the final products on their showroom floors across the world, I was captivated the entire time.


My final stop during design week at Blogfest, was to peruse the entire floor of 1stdibs at the New York Design Center. I was elated, excited, inspired and in awe by every square inch of their space. My design mind was definitely tired and overwhelmed but very satisfied by the end of it all. Seeing as though this is the Kravet team’s first year at putting together such a successful conference and tour, I cannot wait to see what next year will bring.

Blogfest, ICFF, Inspiration, New York, TravelComments { 9 }