Brocade Home: Romantic Design

Brocade is defined as a fabric with raised design: a heavy silk, cotton, or woolen fabric with a raised design, often in metallic threads.
A style typically associated with luxury and opulence, it is no wonder that Brocade Home, a company that started selling its fabulous, romantic baroque modern style furniture and home accessory products online and this past year opened a full store in NYC, is one of my favourite design blogs to read when I am in a dreamy, romantic, interior design like mood.  The ecommerce website is also pretty cool.

It is hard to believe that this store is owned by parent company, Restoration Hardware because its website and store do not imbue a corporate feel.  Regardless of who owns who, Brocade Home has beautiful pieces that would be an asset to any gala, event or soiree host/hostess who is looking to inject a bit of romanticism into the event vibe. 

Now only if they opened a post in Toronto, I am thinking either the Distillery District or King Street West/Liberty Village, then I could turn my dreams into reality!

Photo Via Oh Joy

photo via cococozy

photo via I heart Luxe

photo via apartment therapy

Eco Venue + Veg Menu = Fun Wedding

Nicole and Blake

I attended a wedding cocktail reception on Saturday for a friend of mine who was celebrating her return from a destination wedding ceremony.  It is the third reception-only event I have attended following a destination ceremony, and I have to say I am really enjoying the trend.  From the guest’s perspective, you are there to party and celebrate and can relax and enjoy the evening because all the stress associated with a big formal wedding is out of the picture.  Likewise, the reception only events are typically shorter than a ceremony + type event, so it is more fun for those of us who can’t sit still! 

The event I attended was held in Toronto at the eco friendly venue, The Richmond and because the bride is vegan, she went with a vegetarian cocktail reception which I thought was just great. 

Event Venue, The Richmond (photo via the richmond website)

The food was from Elite and the decadent desserts were from LPK’s Culinary Groove.  For apps there were your standard rice paper rolls, the refreshing strawberry, mint and watermelon on a stick combination, some falafel, some mini pizzas, veg dumplings and something else that tasted great but I can’t recall what it was.  On the stylish dessert table set up at the back of the venue, there was a beautiful little cupcake tower of mini cupcakes done in four flavours.  My favourite was the carrot cake mini cupcake with lime frosting and a ginger and sunflower seed candy on top (I think I got all the flavour combinations right on that one).  The chocolate truffle bites were also rich and tasty. 

LPK Culinary Groove dessert (photo via JDHowell Photography)

Wedding Cake from LPK Culinary Groove (photo via JDHowell Photography)

(photo via JDHowell Photography)

photo via JDHowell Photography

Photo Via JD Howell Photography

Overall the eco venue and veg menu were a really nice combination.  I don’t think anyone went home hungry in contrast to common belief that one must serve meat at a wedding. 

I took pictures at the wedding but unfortunately they are not loading.  I am going to request some from the bride when she receives her proofs.

photo via JDH Photography

Photo Via JDHowell Photography

Eco Friendly Event Space: Culver City’s Smog Shoppe

With the event industry and its consumers increasingly turning to eco friendly alternatives when hosting events, if you live in or around Culver City (Los Angeles), Smog Shoppe’s event space is a shoe in for fulfilling the need to find a stylish, cool, glamourous, environmentally venue.  Look at how beautifully the owners have incorporated nature, natural light and funky furniture, with the industrial feel of its former function, a smog check center in the 1980s.  You would barely event know that the place had anything to do with pollution now that it has been converted into an event space.

If you are in search of some eco friendly wedding/event resources, check out blog, Green Wedding Shoes, Jen has a lot of great content/resources/photos that will surely inspire you to do your part for the planet when planning your next event.

Photo via Green Wedding Shoes Blog

Photo via blog, green wedding shoes

Office Party Anyone?

I was reading blog, Aphrochic today and found a post about a stunning office/loft in Manhattan that belongs to designer, Michelle Smith of the clothing line, Milly.

When I saw the space I immediately thought to myself of all the event space potential Michelle’s office has!  The white walls and conversation piece furniture make an excellent venue for a cocktail party.  I also like the fact that there are so many windows in the unit so the natural light just streams in to the space.

I hope Michelle has taken advantage of her space to celebrate her brand successes-

If you want to know more about designer, Michelle Smith, there is a good interview on blog, All the Best , that I would recommend taking a glance at.

Office Pics:

Michelle Smith Studio via Aphor Chic blog

Michelle Smith Studio photo via Aphrochic blog

Moroco- Wins three “BEST” awards in my books

I had the chance to go for afternoon tea at MoRoCo in Toronto (99 Yorkville Avenue) across the street from the newly located, Teatro Verde,  a couple weekends ago. I have not one complaint or criticism about this place and for me, that says a lot.  I pride myself on being a bit of a foodie and a bit of a pastry snob.  I know good pastry  when I taste one and believe me,  I have tasted a lot of good and a lot of lousy over my travels and adventures in afternoon tea!

 In fact, MoRoCo wins several “BEST” awards from me including the following:

1. BEST macaron in Toronto.  Hands down, they got it right.  Their only rival in the city as far as I am concerned is Patachou (where I purchased the maracons for a wedding I planned in March).  What is great is that in the front of MoRoCo the restaurant, they have MoRoCo the macaron and truffle store so you can stock up on macarons and truffles until your hearts content!  Beautiful packaging- love the purple take-away purses.  Bravo on a stylish retail interior.

2. BEST overall afternoon tea offering:  There were four of us who went to tea and not one pair could finish their three tiered menu.  Not only were the bite sized sandwiches, scones and desserts flavourful and delicate, they were rich and sweet.  I so badly wanted to try a little bite of everything but I just couldn’t power through all the sugar surging through my system despite the fact that I think I drank three pots of tea.   For someone who doesn’t eat a lot of sugar, MoRoCo’s tea is a deadly sugar shock, but well worth it!

3. BEST decor:  I don’t want to botch the adjectives to describe their interior decor but what comes to mind is the space evokes a Victorian/Baroque Modern/Elegance with a touch of Goth.  So cool.  The greys, the purples, the blacks, contrasted with white.  I love it all.  A beatiful atmosphere to entertain or to dine.  Very cool vibe with the DJ spinning at the front. 

Moroco Afternoon Tea Service

The sinful desserts!

Love their little desserts (and the bee!)

Topping the creme pots are little chocolate moroco branded ovals

Moroco Interior Shot (photo via fashion magazine)

Beautiful Presentation (via dine.to