This story category covers information of interest to Canadian readers, particularly those living in Vancouver.

Alda Pereira

Shop With Alda Pereira, Designer Of The Year

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Frugalbits goes shopping with Alda Pereira, western Canada’s 2010 interior designer of the year.

Alda PereiraAlready considered one of Canada’s top interior designers with many awards and plenty of ink in glossy publications to her credit, Alda Pereira added another feather to her cap last month when a jury of her peers recognized her as Western Living magazine’s 2010 interior designer of the year.

While her private residential projects and multi-unit development interiors are always a delight to the eye, Pereira is no “shrinking wallflower looking to please multitudes,” commented Western Living editor Anicka Quin, who appreciates Pereira’s “knack for pairing the unusual with the well tailored.”

We love Pereira’s talent too—and her personality, which despite her early and prolonged success, is refreshingly unaffected. Pereira admits she loves to shop “Unabashedly. Period,” she says, “especially window-shopping. Did I mention that it’s free?” Here she shares a few of her favourite haunts. Read more

Coreen and Heike - Martin Tessler

Heike and Coreen Do YVR On The Green Side

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Top casting directors Heike Brandstatter and Coreen Mayrs explore Vancouver (and Bowen Island) on the green side.

Coreen and Heike - Martin TesslerEmmy Award-winning casting directors Coreen Mayrs and Heike Brandstatter spend most of their days casting feature film and television shows, having worked on such past projects as Juno, Battlestar Galactica, Capote and Diary of A Wimpy Kid. Their current projects include This Means War (starring Reese Witherspoon), Hellcats, Smallville and the soon-to-be-released Tron: Legacy. In their spare time they can be found exploring sustainable design, green building and cooking with organic ingredients.

Heike and Coreen’s 5 free, cheap or worth it things to see, do or buy in Vancouver (or beyond) Read more
Joe Fresh Style Store

Move Over H&M: Joe Fresh Style is In Town

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Joe Fresh Style, Joe Mimran’s bright, fun, fashion destination for the cheap-chic crowd, opens today—with great deals for inaugural shoppers.

Joe Fresh Style StoreCheap + Chic | If the French cult clothing labels A.P.C. and agnes b. hooked up and produced a cheap-chic North American love child, the clothing resulting from this sweet fashion union might look like pieces from Canada’s very own Joe Fresh Style line. Read more

Brooks Brothers White Shirt

The Perfect White Shirt? We’ve Found It!

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Both on trend and timeless, a classic top-quality white shirt belongs in every woman’s wardrobe. Here’s the best one we’ve found.

Brooks Brothers White ShirtBUY RIGHT | The fashion media everywhere is reporting that “a great white shirt” is a must-have item this fall. This fall? A great white shirt is a fashion basic that always belongs in every woman’s wardrobe. It’s a constant (like a perfect pair of black pumps), a fashion equalizer that does not reflect a particular age or generation. And while it may be “in fashion” right now, it’s definitely not a trend item but a staple.

Which explains why beautiful menswear-inspired white shirts are a perennial with Ralph Lauren, a designer who does not follow trends. In his current collection, Lauren’s elegant black label white shirt Antonia is priced at around $400 (U.S.); his Curt boyfriend shirt, part of the Lauren line, is around $70 (U.S.).

“I have a Ralph Lauren black label white shirt in my closet,” says my fashionable friend Amelia, “but I won’t buy another one. These shirts are fabulous, but they’re an unnecessary extravagance when you can have a of shirt of black label quality—at least I think so—for a quarter of the price.” Read more

Obakki Retail Store In Gastown

Save Big At Obakki’s Killer Warehouse Sale

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When one of Vancouver’s luxury fashion brands has a deep discount warehouse sale, you can bet we’re ready to stand in line.

Obakki Retail Store In GastownSALES WE LOVE | Frugalbits loves fashion at every price point when the clothing offers great value for money spent, but unless an upmarket item grabs us by the carotid, we are likely to wait for higher-end apparel to drop in price. This is why a great luxury brand warehouse sale will always get us pumped: make us rise early, even stand in line for a chance at the pick of the discounted stock. By the time you read this today, we’ll be down at Suite 201, 141 West 7th Avenue in Vancouver, where Obakki’s always-anticipated annual blowout begins at 11 a.m. We’ll be hoping to pick up a few fine pieces from the stylish collection for a fraction of the original price. Read more

Leather Boots - C. Phaisalakani

How To Save Your Damaged Soles

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Here’s a great place in Vancouver to resurrect your downtrodden footwear.

Leanter BootsDARE TO REPAIR | Wellies are the footwear of choice in Vancouver, but I also like luscious leather boots—fashion forward over a pair of skinny jeans or under a sexy skirt. I thought I was safe taking mine on a trip to NYC, but after a sudden downpour found myself wading through giant lakes that formed at the clogged storm drains at every intersection.

Undone and unglued, my beautiful leather boots were unwearable. A curmudgeonly cobbler on the West Side (who shall remain nameless) chided me for splashing around in puddles in my “cheap boots” and advised me to throw them in the bin. Undeterred, I hobbled over to Both Feet on Main Street. The hip young man there took them in hand, and, $15 and one week later, they were good as new. Read more

Robert Belcham, Executive Chef, Refuel Restuarant, Vancouver, B.C.

Chef Robert Belcham Dines, Shops, Splashes

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Dine out, walk, shop and splash with uber chef Robert Belcham of the illustrious Campagnolo and refuel restaurants.

Robert Belcham, Executive Chef, Refuel Restuarant, Vancouver, B.C.Spending the frigid Saturday afternoons of his childhood in Edmonton and Peace River eating fresh-from-the-oven cookies and watching PBS cooking programs, chef Robert Belcham was interested in cooking from a young age.

Starting out as a line cook at Rebar, an innovative vegetarian restaurant in Victoria, followed by as stint at The Aerie Resort on Vancouver Island, Robert eventually received a call from star chef Thomas Keller, offering him a chef de partie position at his famous Yountville restaurant, The French Laundry. He then became a private chef in the Silicon Valley, where, he says, “I became much more aware of what the guests feel, what they want and what they need. I know I’m a better chef because of it.” Read more

The Museum Of Vancouver Administrative Team

Truck & Moo With MOV’s Culture Crew

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Where to bike, truck, cheep and moo—from the Museum of Vancouver’s innovative culture crew.

The Museum Of Vancouver Administrative TeamThe most vibrant and exciting cultural institution in our city right now is one that’s old as the hills: the Museum of Vancouver, a.k.a. MOV, which has been around since 1894. Over the past few years, the team pictured here has transformed MOV into a local light by celebrating what is original about our town, with exhibitions covering everything from our very own rock stars of footwear to barbecue duels fought local Iron Chef style. This year, MOV’s innovation led to a Canadian Museums Association award for  “Re-Envisioning.”

Nancy Noble, CEO (pictured right), is a longtime museum professional and the driving force behind the recent changes at MOV. Joan Seidl, Director of Collections and Exhibitions (pictured left), has worked in museums since she was 14 years old and has curated dozens of exhibits. Amanda Gibbs, Director of Audience Engagement (pictured in the middle), is a specialist in branding, community engagement and new forms of storytelling.

Nancy, Amanda and Joan’s 5 free, cheap or worth it things to see, do or buy in Vancouver (and beyond). Read more
Maureen Welton - Philippe Martin-Morice

Maureen Welton Shops Vancouver Like A Pro

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18Karat’s Maureen Welton shares her favourite home products and great advice on how to shop like a pro.

Maureen Welton - Philippe Martin-MoriceMaureen Welton, the president and creative director of 18Karat, Vancouver’s most original home décor store, shops for a living, so in her down time the last thing she wants to do is shop more. In fact, she avoids personal shopping if at all possible, power shopping when she needs to, typically doing a six-month shop in a single day. Read more

Moon Overcoat by Alfred Sung - C. Phaisalakani

3 Star Pieces From The New Moon Fashion Line

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A fashionista identifies 3 stars among Alfred Sung’s new Moon fashion basics.

Moon Overcoat by Alfred Sung - C. PhaisalakaniBACK TO BASICS “What have you got for Canadian labels?” my American cousin asked last weekend when she was up from Portland, Oregon. Hannah works at Nordstrom and has a closet full of very nice clothing including some statement pieces. “I’m thinking inexpensive basics,” she said.  “Gap, Banana: a lot of countries have well-priced basics lines; what’s the Canadian version of these?” Read more