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Diary | Happily Sipping my Way Through the Kelowna Wine Trails

Oooooooh boy. I can barely contain my excitement. A few weeks ago I trekked to BC’s Okanagan to host a series for Tourism Kelowna and Vitamin Daily. (You’ll find a behind-the-scenes recap here.)

My task? To sip my way along the Kelowna Wine Trails.

First stop: Summerhill Pyramid Winery where I wined and dined with the best of them. (Despite what it looks like, I’m not blowing a kiss to the chef.) Take a look…

Thanks for having me, Tourism Kelowna, Vitamin Daily and Summerhill Pyramid Winery! Thanks again, Bent Matter Productions! Can’t wait for the next instalment!

P.S. Follow along on Facebook and Twitter.

July 26, 2012 by

Bookmark | Intelligent Clashing

In The Anthology’s Bookmark column we explore some of the most inspiring places on the wild, wild web.

Scrolling through Intelligent Clashing feels a lot like scrolling through Pinterest — the images are wild and surprising. But Intelligent Clashing takes the randomness down a notch and ties together seemingly unrelated images by a colour, texture or pattern.

Sometimes the connection is abstract, sometimes it’s dead obvious.

But this virtual visual essay is fun to get lost in. So bookmark Intelligent Clashing already and bookmark The Anthology while you’re at it.

[Images from Intelligent Clashing, obviously.]

July 25, 2012 by

A-List | Must-See Summer Flicks (nope, not the superhero ones…)

In The Anthology’s A-list column (“A” stands for Anthology, in case you haven’t had your coffee yet) we tabulate a few of the very best things in life. Here, writer and actress Katie Burnett shares her favourite summer films…

I love the beach as much as the next person but I can’t do it every day (unless I was in Hawaii. Then I could do it every day. If you’re in Hawaii, go back to enjoying the beach). But when it’s boiling hot and you need an alternative, there’s nothing I love more than an afternoon at the movies. Thanks to crazy publicity and marketing, we know the usual ones that are coming out – Spiderman, Batman, Avengers but let’s not forget there are some brilliant indie movies out in theatres and on the horizon that are also worth your $10.

And hey, they’re usually only two hours, so you can still catch some rays after!

Moonrise Kingdom

Wes Anderson delivers another classic film that is so beautiful, so entertaining, so heartfelt, so funny it is not to be missed. If you haven’t seen it, go now. Like right now. It’s a wonderful story of two 12 year olds who run away together, but it is so much more than that. If you know Wes Anderson, you know all his films are so detailed and artistic you want nothing more than to climb in and be a part of one. I’d personally like to climb into this one and hug Edward Norton. Just saying.

Need more Wes Anderson after seeing Moonrise Kingdom? Check out “The Darjeeling Limited”, “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “The Life Aquatic!”

The Intouchables

Straight from France is The Intouchables. Based on a true story, it tells the tale of a paraplegic man and the unexpected friendship he forges with his live-in carer. Francois Cluzet, one of my French crushes (he joins Jean Dujardin, Guillaume Canet and Gilles Lellouche!) stars alongside Omar Sy (who beat out Jean Dujardin at last year’s prestigious Cesar awards) in this unforgettable film that is one of France’s most popular and most successful. You gotta trust a country that can give us Brie, L’aduree and Marion Cotillard, right?

Looking for more French cinema? Try “Tell No One”, “Little White Lies” or “2 Days in Paris!”

Celeste and Jesse Forever

Come August, I’m really looking forward to seeing Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg as a divorcing couple who try to maintain their friendship while dating other people. Looks messy, looks funny, and it had great reviews coming out of Sundance. Who’s coming with me?

Magic Mike

Okay, so it’s not an indie movie, but have you seen Magic Mike yet? Why not? Come on. Seriously. No, like go right now. DROP EVERYTHING AND GO RIGHT NOW. (And tell your boyfriend it’s because you love Steven Soderbergh.)

P.S. Catch up on Katie Burnett’s earlier dispatches, like her favourite spots in Paris, her list of must-reads, her East Coast nostalgia and her favourite ways to spend time in London —  Sundays on Brick Lane, Saturdays in Camden Town, and Friday nights at the theatre.

July 19, 2012 by

Pinstagram | The lion, the loft and the location

Pinstagram is a mashup of Kelsey Dundon’s Pinterest and Instagram feeds. In other words, the dream and the reality.

Sand on sand on sand & my trip to the beach in White Rock, just outside Vancouver (I was location scouting, which technically makes this work).

Smizing with Melissa Knight and Alicia Quan at the London Drugs Fall Beauty Preview + beautiful, beautiful nail polish polka dots.

A stunning all-white loft & lovely letters at Gastown’s new L’Atelier Home (which I wrote about right here).

My friend Nadia’s garden decor (these things really need to make a comeback) & a colourful little planter box.

The king of the jungle & the queen of my house, who just discovered my desk drawers.

A geometric terrarium at Old Faithful Shop & the coolest way to house an air plant.

P.S. Follow Kelsey Dundon on Pinterest and Instagram.

July 4, 2012 by

Art & Design | Jason Young’s 2054

Artist Jason Young’s vision of the future is idyllic: no wars, no global warming, just peace, love and curling. Yes, curling. The kicker? He envisions this utopia in the not-so-distant future; the year 2054 to be exact.

“People feel it’s a little ambitious – that we would so soon have evolved so far,” says the Vancouver-born, New York-based painter and performance artist. “But we’re being asked to sacrifice so many things for our future and yet there’s no positive vision being provided — it’s always drowning polar bears and doom and gloom. Enough with the stick, what about the carrot?”

The carrot is Young’s ‘2054’, a performance that resembles a curling match played by actors on the roof of Soho House (which many non-New Yorkers will remember from the Sex and the City episode in which Samantha impersonates a club member to gain access to the rooftop pool).

Instead of playing the game to win, the teams played to paint. Each illuminated stone was filled with coloured resin so it left streaks of colour as it glided across the “sheet,” which was actually a 50-foot lightbox that would later be divided into ten pieces and parcelled off for collectors.

This short film shows how it all went down.

So why, of all sports, did Young chose curling as the one played in his utopian future? Well, he’s Canadian. But there’s more to it than that; Young chose the game of stones partly because it’s built on collaboration and communication, partly because of its visual interest, and partly because of its obscurity.

“In the States people don’t really know the rules so it gives me a lot of artistic license. If I were to try doing this with baseball or football people would be up in arms,” he says.

Instead, they embraced it. Now there’s talk of taking ‘2054’ to cities like Sao Paolo and London and maybe, possibly, hopefully one day in the not-so-distant future, Vancouver.

[Supplied photos]

May 16, 2012 by

The A-list | Great Reads

In The Anthology’s A-list column (“A” stands for Anthology, in case you haven’t had your coffee yet) we tabulate a few of the very best things in life. This list of must-reads is compiled by Katie Burnett, a friend, actress and writer living in London. Now you’ll know what to crack open when you’re done reading The Hunger Games…

Is it time for summer yet? I am very ready for some sun, and while I always get into a panic when my TV shows go on hiatus for a few months, it means I can finally pay attention to my very, very large pile of books all begging for my attention. So if you’re looking for some books for the plane, the pool or for fun, here are my picks for summer reading.

1. Just Kids by Patti Smith

I am beyond obsessed with this book about the early beginnings of the “godmother of punk”, Patti Smith. It is a detailed account of her pre-fame life with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe, littered with stories of life in the iconic Chelsea Hotel, nights spent in proximity to Andy Warhol, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and the struggles an artist faces. It is a beautiful, sad, poetic and fascinating book that is not to be missed.

2. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

Here’s the thing – some people love to run, others hate it. I love to run but it took me years before I could proudly declare it, and I still wake up very sure I should stay in bed instead of lacing up and going outside. But when I’m in my Lululemons, with the right music in my ears, I can go forever. Or, like, an hour. Christopher McDougall’s book is a breathtaking look at the evolution of running, of ultra-marathons, and the people who run them. The author goes down to find a deeply hidden tribe of people in Mexico who are the fastest long distance runners in the world, for whom running is not just recreational but is what shapes their lives. Every chapter is an intriguing feast for the senses, and a constant reminder and inspiration to get on the running shoes and run not just because we can, but because we were born to do so.

3. The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald

If you’re mine and Kelsey’s age then Leonardo DiCaprio was your first and potentially favourite boyfriend, thanks to Romeo and Juliet and Titanic. I am a massive fan of The Great Gatsby and can’t wait to see Leo as the great Jay, but since that’s not coming out till Christmas 2012, why not revisit Fitzgerald’s other classic novels in the meantime? I love The Beautiful and Damned, and how it portrays life in the Jazz Age and the enigmatic world of the elite in 1920’s. If you can’t get anywhere this summer, might as well escape to another era with Anthony and Gloria Patch.

Fun fact – this book has long been thought to be based on Fitzgerald’s marriage to Zelda. Why not check out Woody Allen’s glorious Midnight in Paris and see Allison Pill and Tom Hiddleston recreate Scott and Zelda?

4. Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis

Bret Easton Ellis books are not for the faint hearted, and you’ll understand if you’ve read American Psycho or The Rules of Attraction (or seen the films!) Glamorama is no exception, as it dives into the world of a 90’s supermodel and is a totally satirical look at celebrity. Victor Ward is a vapid model and wannabe actor who gets involved in a dangerous international model terrorists….sounds nutty, yes, but thoroughly entertaining, especially as Ellis’s attention to detail is amazing to the point of unnerving.

P.S. Catch up on Katie Burnett’s earlier dispatches and add to your “When I’m in London” list: Sundays on Brick Lane, Saturdays in Camden Town, Friday nights at the theatre, and East Coast nostalgia.

May 13, 2012 by

Trippin’ | Spring Break in Whistler

Technically, I don’t get spring break any more. But spending the weekend in Whistler with my ladyfriends is a very spring break thing to do. The highlight? Snowshoeing along the trails that weave around Lost Lake to Scandinave Spa.

Nestled in the forest (though still reachable by car), it’s a series of hot and cold (like, really, really cold) pools that you jump in and out of like you’re a native Finlander.

Sounds delightful, right? And we sound pretty hardcore for trekking there on snowshoes, don’t we?

Well, we’re not. I was on the trails for all of four minutes before I fell in a tree well. And this is hardly a vigorous sport. I mean, really.

That’s why I wore my Nibz bandana — so I at least looked like I know what I’m doing. Made in Vancouver, these triple-layered bandanas were designed by snowboard cross athlete/Whistler local Sara Niblock. They gave me one to test out (love it! Thank you!) and now that they’ve seen how hardcore I really am, they’ll probably take it right back.

[Second photo found here.]

P.S. Tweet like you mean it. Follow @TheAnthology.

March 21, 2012 by

Style | The Heart Truth Fashion Show

Gabrielle Rose has appeared on the silver screen, the small screen and the stage. But she’d never walked the runway until last night. The actress was one of a handful of Canadian women, including Gene Simmons’ wife Shannon Tweed (in Arthur Mendonça) and my favourite redhead Jessi Cruickshank (in Adrian Wu), who rocked crimson at the Heart Truth Fashion Show in Toronto.

Before she left for T.O., I attended the final fitting of Rose’s off-shoulder, origami-influenced gown.

“When I put it on today and it was almost finished, I burst into tears. I think it makes me look stunning, like a screen siren,” she said.

The dress was designed by Heather Lewis and Jija Park of Something Blue, who were the only Vancouver-based designers to participate in this year’s show.

“Red represents passion and strength and we were looking for a gown that mirrored that feeling,” said Lewis.

While they’re best known for designing bridal gowns, Something Blue launched an eveningwear line in January (it’s all but sold out) and will be expanding into a line of resort wear (honeymoon wear!) once they move from their Yaletown shop to a studio near Granville Island this spring.

Will they recreate Rose’s Heart Truth gown for the masses? Nope. It is a one-of-a-kind piece designed just for the actress’ walk down the runway in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

The cause is very personal for Rose: she lost both her parents to heart disease.

“I lost my mother to a stroke two years ago and I started to think — were there risk factors that we should have been aware of?” she said. “I began to investigate and the statistics are frightening; heart disease takes more women than any other illness out there, including cancer. I was shocked by that. There’s a misperception that heart attacks are something that men have.”

You’ll find more information about heart disease (and tips for reducing your risk, ladies) right here.

If you missed the Heart Truth fashion show, take a look at the photos and video here. If you’re in Vancouver, catch Rose in the Arts Club Theatre’s presentation of Scar Tissue April 5-28.

[Photos in the first collage by George Pimentel]

March 9, 2012 by

Diary | Cupcake Girls and Mobilicity

I have two addictions — sugar and my phone. (Actually, if you count vintage clothes, Twitter and my iPod, I have way more than two addictions, but we’ll ignore those for the moment.)

Last week, Mobilicity hosted me at the Cupcake Girls set/bakery for a delicious little cupcake-icing demo, which we shot on Mobilicity’s smart phones. “It’s as easy as getting a cupcake,” said Mobilicity’s general manager Matthew Gould.

And waaaaaay easier than icing a cupcake.

The Cupcake Girls Lori Joyce and Heather White (pictured with yours truly and Matthew Gould) are about to resume filming their third season of their hugely popular show.

And with cupcake-icing skills like these, I’m expecting an invitation to be a guest on their show…any day now.

[I’m wearing a vintage dress and a vintage YSL belt.]

P.S. Feed your Twitter addiction — follow The Anthology!

November 14, 2011 by

Style | Lauren Elaine

By Erika Renfrew

As a natural brunette, I could argue that blondes don’t always have more fun. I can’t, however, say the same when it comes to those California girls.

LA-based designer Lauren Elaine presented her S/S 2012 Swimwear collection at Vancouver Fashion Week. The designer also happens to be a model/actress and in true Hollywood style, the show opened with a short video featuring flirty blondes, flashy cars and some kick-ass music (excuse my French), followed by models blowing kisses to the cameras as they shimmied down the runway.

Lauren Elaine featured itsy-bitsy, metallic bikinis adorned with chains and lacing. For those of us who are a wee bit more modest, sheer tunics and street-worthy cover-ups completed the collection.  My favourites were the maxi dresses with elasticated tops and playful patterns; sort of LA cool meets Vancouver ease.

Having toted an umbrella and mittens to the show, I was disappointed that I didn’t walk outside into the California heat.

November 11, 2011 by