Year: 2013

geekiviews: Sodastream

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Believe the hype. The Sodastream is an amazing kitchen appliance. The Sodastream system allows you to carbonate plain old tap water at home. Pair this carbonated water with many of the different flavours of sodamix and you have an alternative to buying pre-packaged bottled and cans. Most Sodastream systems carbonates tap water without electricity or batteries. It uses an exchangeable CO2 carbonator that can be refilled with beverage-grade CO2 drawn from the air. The company also makes flavoured syrups so you can make your own drinks like cola, root beer and even tonic. The flavours have less calories and carbs than traditional sode and the major bonus of no awful aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup. Weeks before I got my hands on a Sodastream system I heard nothing but praise. “It’s a game changer” is something I’ve heard from more than one person when describing the Sodastream. These incredible endorsements from people I trust peaked my interest, perhaps I should invest in a Sodastream. I love pop and my local convenience store can attest to …

Hi-Tec Urban Hike

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Hi-Tec and NKPR teamed up to take media on a Toronto Urban Hike in order to discover the new collection of walking and hiking shoes built with the fashion lover in mind. Each participant was given a choice between a number of different casual but functional shoe styles to try out. I went with the Sierra Lite Original high tops in pink. Thanks Hi-Tec! The Sierra Lite Original is Hi-Tec’s original suede and mesh walking boot. The shoe has the qualities of a hiking boot with a high fashion look. We gathered at the NKPR offices in our best urban hiking street style outfits and put on our shoes. It was interesting to see what styles everyone picked. Pink was very popular with the women but only two of us went for the high top Sierra Lite Originals. I was very impressed that they came with a second set of pink laces and I immediately began to switch out the white pair. They really wanted to show us that you don’t need to break in …

geekiviews: Tickled Pink Foundation Garment by Saxton Chayse

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Foundation garments are a staple in my wardrobe. The use slips, camisole and tshirts are a common practice in my fashion world. I’ve added a new must have item to my foundational garment roster, the Tickled Pink undershirt. It’s the perfect garment as it works as an undershirt and prevents sweat marks and pit stains without resorting to using those underarm adhesive pads. Saxton Chayse sent me a Tickled Pink undershirt to test drive last summer. It wasn’t something that I thought of using during that season so I didn’t look at it until the fall. I was in love after our first outing, it was a miracle worker. I tend to sweat a lot and avoid wearing long sleeves some days because of embarrassing sweat stains. With Tickled Pink I no longer worry about it because of the triple layered pad sewn into the armpits. It’s not bulky which surprised me as that was one of my initial concerns. The deep v neckline and short sleeves accommodates all kinds of outfits. The synthetic fabric …

Isabel Marant x H&M

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H&M just announced their latest designer collaboration will be with Isabel Marant. I think this collaboration has the potential to be the biggest one yet. It will be interesting to see Isabel Marant doing H&M instead of the usual H&M doing Isabel Marant. The collection will hit stores November 14, 2013 and will feature clothing and accessories for women and teenagers. For the first time ever, Isabel will designer a menswear collection. The collection should hit the usual suspect of Eaton Centre, Yorkdale and Bloor Street but watch this space for updates. “I am flattered by this collaboration. H&M works with the best designers, and this invitation is an exciting honour. I aim at creating something real – something women want to wear in their everyday lives, with a certain carefree style. I think this is very Parisian: you dress up, but don’t pay too much attention to it, and you still look sexy. The collection is infused with this kind of easiness and attitude. Everything can be combined following one’s own instincts, and my …

I want – I got’s Luminato Festival 2013 Top Picks

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The Luminato Festival is upon us once again. There are so many things to see and do during the festival. Toronto is lucky to have a few Marina Abramovic’s works to take in also. Here are I want – I got’s top picks of the festival to get your started on your festival planning. The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic Unfortunately this is sold out. I was lucky enough to see the show on June 14. It was haunting, beautiful and random. I loved it completely and shamelessly. Willam Dafoe (who I love even more now) and Antony were perfection. It’s a performance that will stick with me for a very long time. I hope to be able to see it again in the future. Marina Abramovic – The Past, The Present, and The Future of Performance Art: A Lecture – June 18, 2013 – 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. — No Intermission.. $25 Winter Garden Theatre A Symphonic Birthday Party – June 21, 2013, 8:00 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. Free. The Hub at …

geekiviews: Microsoft SurfaceRT

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I’m a Microsoft Girl. It’s not sexy and probably not cool but Windows is my operating system of choice since the DOS days. Now while I might be a windows junkie, I’m also very, very slow to adopt new versions. I ran Windows 2k and XP till the bitter end. I skipped everything in between XP and 7 and only reluctantly started using Windows 7 when it came pre-installed on a Dell laptop. So just as I’m getting comfortable with 7 here comes Windows 8. My aversion was at high alert again. I read about how differences in the OS, including the moaning of the missing Start button. I started thinking about how long I could put off upgrading again. The Start button is life on a Windows platform. A constant reassuring feature that every Windows user understands. Now that I’ve tried a flavour of Windows 8 I don’t have the same extreme aversion I used too. I got over myself a bit. I don’t do well touch devices. I’m a staunch Blackberry lover. I …

I want – I got x Microsoft Canada – Work Your Game the Final Round

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I’m a Microsoft girl. It’s my OS of choice since the DOS days. I was excited when they contacted me to join their Influencer Program a few weeks ago. The first event is called Work Your Game with Windows 8. Microsoft Canada invited six people (Amber MacArthur, Carl Edwin-Michel, Sharad Mohan, Steve Dangle and Tyrone Edwards) to play two rounds of golf with a swing clinic in between at the prestigious Glen Abbey Golf Club. It’s a competition with the most improved player winning $8000 for the charity of their choice. Along with golf we learned about the new Windows 8 operating system. I received a SurfaceRT from Microsoft in order to experience Windows 8 on a touch screen device. So the first round of golf and the MAT-T swing clinic are complete and we moved on to the final round. I felt really good after the swing clinic so the competition was on. Before golfing we had lunch at Glen Abbey and learned more about the Windows 8 operation systems and we got more …

I want – I got x Microsoft Canada – Work Your Game with MAT-T

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Each participant in the Work Your Game program received a complementary club fitting and swing analysis experience at the TaylorMade Performance Lab located at Glen Abbey. The lab uses MAT-T (Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade) technology that generates a 3D avatar of the golfer. The comprehensive three hour fitting experience covers all 14 clubs in the bag, from driver to putter, ensuring a perfectly fit set of custom clubs and offering the individual a deeper understanding of the golf swing. The MAT-T system (Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade) utilizes 3D motion reality via 6 high speed cameras to transform the golfer into an avatar – a digital rendering of the golfer and their swing that can be viewed from any angle. It is a process and system similar to those used by video game and computer developers to capture 3D motion in a high speed environment. This analysis is exactly the same as the pros use to get their clubs to match their swing perfectly. I was really excited about this session as I have …

I want – I got x Shrimpton Couture: The Anita Edit

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On my birthday last week, I had the pleasure of dressing up in some amazing, amazing designer vintage finds from Shrimpton Couture. Cheri Federau, owner,  invited me to her gorgeous Toronto condo to play dress up and take some photos. It was awesome! Biba Forever!! The photoshoot wasn’t just for fun, it was part of my stint as a guest editor on Shrimpton Couture where I’ve chosen a selection of my favourite vintage items available on the site. You can see the complete Anita Edit on Shrimpton Couture here. Readers can save 10% by using the code Anita at checkout. Check out all the photos at the I want – I got x Shrimpton Couture Editorial Page. images: courtesy of Shrimpton Couture