Story of the Day - Page 49 of 56

The Perfect White Shirt? We’ve Found It!

October 5, 2010/2 Comments/in CANADIAN CONTENT, Classics & Trends, FASHION, Fashion & Beauty, Shops & Shopping, View All Fashion Stories /by carolannrule

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.

BUY 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

Save Big At Obakki’s Killer Warehouse Sale

October 4, 2010/0 Comments/in CANADIAN CONTENT, FASHION, Fashion & Beauty /by carolannrule

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

SALES 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

Put A Little Zip.ca In Your Movie Night

October 1, 2010/2 Comments/in Culture & Leisure /by carolannrule

With bricks-n-mortar video stores in steady decline, this movies-by-mail company is a solid alternative.

SPEND SMART | With Blockbuster gone and Netflix now in Canada but without new releases, what’s the best, most expedient, well-priced yet legal way to get both new releases and back-catalogue movies these days?

Though mom-n-pop video stores are one option, they are getting fewer and farther between. Another is getting movies by mail, and while this service lacks the instant gratification of streaming offered by Netflix, once you set up an account and get into the rhythm of the system, you can have batches of the movies you want to watch coming in and out of your house on a regular basis. Read more

How To Save Your Damaged Soles

September 30, 2010/3 Comments/in CANADIAN CONTENT, FASHION, Fashion & Beauty, Goods & Services, Styling Tips /by carolannrule

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

DARE 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

Garden Lover’s Ground Cover: Pea Gravel

September 29, 2010/6 Comments/in GARDEN, Home & Garden, View All Garden Stories /by carolannrule

The beauty of this inexpensive ground cover is that it complements whatever style of garden you have.

CHEAP + FABULOUS | Hardscape is pretty much everything in the garden that isn’t plants or water. It is the palette of materials a designer uses to create pathways and patios, arbors and decks; it is woodwork and metalwork and masonry. Hardscape elements are always best when they are linked together by a stylistic theme that is made better still when it is tied into the architecture of the residence.

One of my favorite hardscape materials is gravel. Read more

Is It Smart To Sign Up For Netflix Or Not?

September 28, 2010/4 Comments/in Culture & Leisure /by carolannrule

Streaming free movies for a month is good thing, but what about paying for the service after that?

SPEND SMART | Last Wednesday Bob Kronbauer over at Vancouver Is Awesome (a great website about everything that makes Vancouver the wonderful place it is) told me that Netflix had just launched in Canada and that anyone could instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed to their computers for free the first month and then just $7.99 a month after that. I was pretty jazzed. “That feels like a Frugalbits story,” I told him. “I thought you might like to know,” he replied.

So I signed up immediately. And then straight away stopped to think. I know lots of teens and twentysomethings who think nothing of watching movies on their computers, but I stare a computer screen all day anyway, and even if I didn’t I wouldn’t want to watch movies on one when I have a decent-size television in my family room. Read more

One Of These Mustards Is Not Like The Others

September 27, 2010/1 Comment/in Brand X, FOOD, Food & Drink, View All Food Stories /by Glenys Morgan

Which of these Dijons cuts the mustard with chef Glenys Morgan: French’s, President’s Choice or Western Family?

Chef Robert Belcham Dines, Shops, Splashes

September 24, 2010/2 Comments/in CANADIAN CONTENT, Columns, My5 Finds /by carolannrule

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

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

There’s More Than One Way To Do A Marathon

September 23, 2010/2 Comments/in Exercise, FITNESS, Fitness & Health, HEALTH, View All Fitness Stories, View All Health Stories /by carolannrule

There’s more than one way to do a marathon—and every kind of victory is sweet.

JUST DO IT | Marathon walking is a pretty big deal right now, and it’s getting bigger because fitness fanatics who’ve been jogging their shins off are finding that while finishing a 42-km race may be an accomplishment, it isn’t necessarily the best thing for the body. Read more

The Museum Of Vancouver Administrative Team

Truck & Moo With MOV’s Culture Crew

September 18, 2010/6 Comments/in CANADIAN CONTENT, Culture & Leisure, My5 Finds /by carolannrule

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

The 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.