Tastastic @ Terroni's a Thirty Year Celebration

Once every decade or so there comes a person or two who inspires, encourages and delights. Last wednesday I had the pleasure of sitting down with both of them for a V.I.P dining experience thirty years in the making.

Honoree of the night and FF boy to boot, Jeff Kirkwood chose Terroni's newest, elegant destination to play host to his 30th, offering guests a seat at his upstairs exclusive table. Cheeky-geeky we arrived at Terroni's to already chilled glasses of the FF favorite, champagne. With no gondolier in sight and our accordionist gone awol, we toasted the next best thing this side of the pond. Terroni's (www.terroni.ca) first opened its doors in ninety two with little more than an espresso machine. Fifteen years later  Paolo Scoppio and Cosimo Mammoliti, friends and co-owners swung open the brass gilded doors to their newest location (and our table for the night) at 57a Adelaide St. E.

Delicious thin crust pizzas topped with luxury cheeses, designer deli meats, endless glasses of red wine and the most decadent flour-less dark chocolate cake (reason alone to visit the restaurant) were only a few items partaken of by those in attendance. With an intimate guest list and food fit for a king, one's attire must certainly be called into question- especially when dining with fashion royalty. Kirkwood's dynamic sense of personal style has always, for this FF boy, been finished so cleverly and sometimes not so subtly by his choice of accessories. I have often spent hours pining over the seemingly endless boxes of mouthwatering finds; indian inspired turquoise, pins and pendants propagated from his beginning in the bermudian paradise. 

Our choices for the night were based in the recent "frame" craze that has had everyone running to vintage paradise in search of 50's Raybans. The fad has even top eye-wear designers cranking the vintage inspired specs in record numbers. Frames which can be worn lens optional are great non-piercing options to accessorizing the face. Combined for the occasion with a fantastic suede Miu Miu broach and a tissue paper pocket square the outfit came together with a shirtless paired belted blazer. 

Man cleavage, fashion risk and fantastic food aside the evening could most certainly not be complete without the most fabulous accessory of all- amazing friends. So here is to you my dear friends and fashion brothers Jeff Kirkwood and Jeff Rustia who have given me the unmistakable answer to the question: "Whats in a name?"

       Cheers

                  ~J

Haute Koko minus the Marshmallows in Montreal, PQ

Caution!! the beverage your about to consume is extremely hot- a warning most of us brush aside when read on the side of our morning Starbucks americano.  Guarded by a ten foot black steel horse the caution is implied for all lounge hoppers  at Montreal boutique hotel the Opus's hot new haute spot Koko.

Montreal, PQ a variable playground of night time pleasures, it boasts the highest concentration of club, bar and lounges in Canada. Not more than a mere four hour trip by car or under an hour by plane the french canadian city is an ideal weekend get-to for those who "love the nightlife" and want to boogie. While staying in Mtl we found minimal sanctuary and a place to hang our clothes at the Opus hotel (www.opushotel.com) but we also found "the" place to get our drinks- Koko. Hanging black chandeliers, turn of the century artwork and electric green runway were the first clues that we had found the place to be. 

Dressing for a night of dancing and drinks is certainly a different creature all together from piecing for an event. In the summer you don't want to be too hot and in winter- there is coat check. Its always easy to just throw on an H&M over produced tee and some dark denim, but with hundreds of others throwing in the towel and doing the same- you would be trendier just to electrical tape the word sheep on a white low American Apparel V-neck and call it a night. If you find yourself a little lazy the easiest thing to do is go back to basics with an anti-graphic treatment combo topped with a great accessory. Short shorts in an interesting and exciting punch color, light loose cardi's sans shirt and skinny strapped tanks are all great suggestions for the man looking to take risks.

Whatever you decide I strongly suggest pairing it with a smoldering hot sip of Koko before the place cools off and the crowd moves on.

Cheers,

                ~j

Inside E! @ Spice Route

In the land of Oz Dorothy discovered that the guaranteed path to happiness happened to be yellow and comprised of carefully laid brick. In Toronto, around this time of year the paths to happiness are being rolled out all over the city in a much more passionate shade of red.

No tornado necessary we arrived at the 2008 Inside E Canada party in classic Toronto style- the cab. Stepping out onto the burgundy shag, lightly misted in dew from what can only be described as one of the cities dampest summers it was more than clear that TIFF (Toronto International Film Fest) was in the air. Fashionably early, which has undoubtedly become the new fashionably late, the FF boys mingled outside the King west local Spice Route (499 King St. W). The venue, a mix of combined talents from chic club gods, Charles Khabouth and Nick Di Donato is the closest thing to Shangri-La in this hemisphere. A paradise of great fashion finds as well, the crowd delivered and was an appropriate mix of understated glam. With so many drab tuxedos dragging themselves down red carpets from here to the Oscars the FF boys were pleased to catch guys stepping up their game. Tips from the night that most certainly should inspire your next red carpet look include paying attention to detail in the lapel of your jacket and wearing the bow tie out of context. With the return to the bow tie, a formal staple, we are seeing many lads embracing the old-school relic in great new ways, and designers in fantastic new colors and fabrics.

Not that everyman is ready to start draping himself in lace but classically feminine fabrics are being spun into sexy masculine structured garments for guys. Silk blazers, shirts and even pants are making a return to the gentleman’s closet. Prada’s fall collection is saturated with the sheened lux fiber. Following in suit are other top menswear designers Dolce and Gabbana, Armani, and labels such as D&G, which was pulled off flawlessly by FF’s, own Jeff Rustia at the Inside E party.

The festival continues for a week or so more boasting many more parties to attend, and several outfits to wheel out. Umbrella in hand, martini in the other we will bring you inside the fashion of the fest and prove that thanks to the TIFF there really is no place like home.



Cheers,

~J

Not So Naked @ Nyood.

Located Queen West west west, somewhere between trendy and trying too hard, there is a new hot spot driving the fashion masses to point of frustration. Nyood, the latest installation from the restauranteur that brought us such culinary couture hot spots like Blowfish and Kultura has the FF crowd selling their shirts just to get in.

Birthday suit optional and draped in and industrial ambiance, Nyood sets the mood for a dining experience like no other. Dressed to the nine and half we feasted on tappas style entrees that packed a punch and left us begging for more.

With the question  of location more than filled, the fashion minded man left the most important question for last. Our crew, decked out in layers of black sipped on champagne and floated around the signature table working this years hottest trends.  From spring Prada and Lanvin to classic Hermes luxury the FF boys  turned heads and even had fellow feasters asking " where are you guys from?"

As hot spots come and go, and trends come in and out it is important to remember that when is comes to hitting the "IT" spot it is better to add than subtract. With a meal ticket price tag that rivals a designer dig, why not spend ten minutes putting something together. 

The key to a great hotspot outfit is choosing a centerpiece. I find the best way to focus an outfit is to have one item on which the outfit is born. Based on your personal style and level of daring it can be as simple as a micro-patterned pocket square, or contrasting bow-tie. With the spring and fall collections demanding a return to layered dress try playing with volume contrast in your layers and for heavens sake do not be afraid of color.

As we travel west wester and hike all the way east in search of new haunts be sure to ask yourself "If I am spending 45 minutes in a cab just to get somewhere, shouldn't I at least spend the same getting ready."And if traveling to Nyood don't let its name fool you quite the contrary is expected.- Enjoy!!!

~J

Communication is the Key

In the highly mobile world we live in it is apparent that communication in all its varying forms is on par with oxygen. Our lives are filled with Black or Crackberry's, I-touch's, and variable other handy little devices, all making sure we can reach and be reached at all twenty-five hours of the day. 

In my highly vocal and verbal life leaving the house, without my trusted friend can mean a missed opportunity- and in my case make for a truly horrible day. The past four days I have found myself without phone, contact, or the ability to speak with anyone outside of being physically in the same room with them. It's quiet, very, very quiet. So I apologize to all those unable to reach me for the past couple of days. My phone is my transit, attached to my body- a little shadow I will not go without again. Luckily breathing can now ensue once more as oxygen is pumping directly in the room, and don't worry- its on vibrate.

Cheers, 

      J

Rain, Rain go Away!

  Despite of the summer it never seems we will get, the upside to the late rainy season is utilizing those fab three quarter length trench's and making sure to invest in a men's staple- the umbrella. We all were blown away with the S/S 08' runway collections that showcased the most electric trench's to date. Burberry Prorsum's Christopher Bailey gave the guy looking to stand out an ample amount of choice, but at a price tag of just over two grand U.S, the average pocketbook may just not be hearty enough. Other great designs include Dries van Noten, and the Calvin Klien collections. Nylon, plastic and other sheer silhouettes have been popping up in the bodies of all sorts of rainy ready jackets for spring, electrifying the streets of T.Dot. H&M and Club Monaco provide a realistic alternative to those wanting to pump the runway looks, and if nothing else there is always glad wrap...

 The ten day countdown to this summers much awaited return of SATC the movie officially begins today. Get your premiere outfits ready and be sure to slip a thermos of cosmo-goodness in a tote for the show. 

 

 Finally welcome to the blog, i had almost forgotten to thank you all for reading. This is my first post- so be sure to stay tuned for daily posts and insider scoop on the what's what.

Cheers, 

         J