My New Title

This young aspiring journalist interviewed me (ok, so what if she's only 14) as her chosen subject for a project about immigrants. She later said I am the most interesting woman in Toronto. How can one refuse to be that? I just wish I knew what it was that I said that made her think that. I would use it to impress more people.
Here's a photo she took of me after the interview:
I guess I should have made an attempt at clearing my desk...

Merry Christmas

Happy holidays everyone.
I've had busy couple of days, which I love, and I'm very happy to have such a devoted group of customers who make a point of thinking about me at this busy time of year, coming to see me and spend some quality time and hard-earned money. Thank you.
This year has been challenging so perhaps it was a blessing that it passed so quickly. A new era is beginning next week. The future has arrived. Lets hope it's not as dismal as si-fi movies have been predicting for decades, that in fact we would be able to find the quiet simplicity which can make life more enjoyable. Here's something worth a toast. Lechayim!

Simply Fabulous

Joseph Aboud Jacket, hand knitted green sweater, white shirt to die for (details you wouldn't believe), silk bow tie, Ecco shoes, cuffed tailored wool gray pants, Fornazzetti pocket square, and that hat to finish it off. Wear this combination and you're worth being featured in the Sartorialist blog...

Motorcycle jacket with unique beaded details and very special buttons, J. Lindberg black skinny jeans, wool sweater crazy Argyle-like in pink and gray.
Embroidered white shirt, funky cotton jacket with a fun lining, classy and timeless wool scarf, belt buckle for the holidays.

Things You May Want To Buy

The shop is loaded with such great things. Yesterday a lovely woman came to do her xmas shopping for her son, and bought a beautiful Yamamoto shirt, a couple of Lacost shirts, and some other items. I love when that happens. It reaffirms my belief in what I do.
Here are some examples of what I have in stock - whoever gets these would be making a wise purchase:
Fabulous Gocci black formal suit (size 42 tall)
Harley Davidson black leather authentic jacket (XXL)
Green suade (Robin Hood green) Valentino shoes - fun and whimsical.
Oakley briefcase, olive green heavy duty nylon, with a removable shoulder strap and pouches.
Burberry trench coat
Etro raincoat
The North Face winter jacket
Classic silk house robe
Silk men's kimono
Etro ties

Ryan Larkin - Walking

Things you can stumble upon when idly surfing the net, such as this beauty - observation, exploration and admiration of the human walk, by Ryan Larkin (yes, the subject of the Oscar winning film 'Ryan').

Click on the post title to go to the NFB site.

Literary Cats

They are so smart they read the news with their eyes closed. They love the Globe and Mail.

Serge Gainsbourg

I forgot about him completely. His songs were quite popular back home in the old days. I like him better as a jazz pianist and a poet, in fact, than as a singer.
This one is quite lovely and light:



Here's another fun song of his (originally sung quite badly as a duet with Catherine Deneuve) done to perfection by Stacy Kent (a new one for me):

Lhasa de Sella, again

Warm music for a cold rainy day:

Meaghan Smith - Local and Lovely

This young woman is a great singer. She's going places, I'm sure. Last week she opened for Sophie Milman at Massey Hall. She was great, and her guitarist/husband really good. It was such a pleasant surprise. Click on the post title to go to her site.

I'm Old Fashioned

But I don't mind it. These old songs, old B&W films, bigger than life melodramas, big bands playing swing music - they do it for me in a way I can't explain. They make me swing.

New Qoute

Most of our faults are more pardonable than the means we use to conceal them.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld

French classical author who is best known for his maximes, epigrams expressing a harsh or paradoxical truth in the briefest manner possible. A cynical observer of Louis XIV's court, La Rochefoucauld mostly saw selfishness, hypocrisy, and weakness in general in human behavior.

Would he have a different view on humanity these days? have we changes much in the last 500 years? I think not. Just like our predecessors, we mostly know what's right, yet choose wrong.

Social Graces

I have come to realize there is a direct connection between the reduction in the numbers of smokers and the rise in those of cell phone users. One bad habit is replacing the other.
Just think about it - both have the same effects on a social and personal level:
Where once it was cool to smoke, now it's cool to be occupied with a cell phone.
Both are equally annoying to the observers/listeners/second hand inhalers.
Both have an effect of taking a break from life, into the other side of the phone, or into the pleasure of finishing a cigarette.
Both are incredibly addictive.

I'm abstaining.

Murdered Innocence

Two acquaintances meet in the shop, a writer and an opera singer. After the initial surprise of all of us, I talked about the break in. One asked if much was taken. I said that the thing which matters most is my lost innocence. "I knew her before she was innocent" laughed the writer. I'm still trying to understand such a concept.

Confessions

I must admit that one of my favourite things to do in the shop is listen to people talk about their love life. It makes me think about all that's good in life.
One of my lovelier customers told me he's in love with a beautiful girl, and the way he described her confirmed that: he talked about her skin, small imperfections, her gait, her art. They are very young, it's wonderful. He asked for some advice. I told him to be always kind, most of all when things start getting complicated and shadows we all carry inside are revealed.
He bought 2 items that are normally not something he would wear. Thank you, lovely girl. He looked very good wearing them.
Change is good, isn't it?

Moving On, New Quote

It takes time to recover after being violated. I'm not quite over it yet.
I think the biggest damage was done to my soul. When i started this project, I was optimistic, full of positivity and love to everyone who came into my shop. These days I feel different.
The door is now barred. The window is still in progress.
I'm made to think about security, when I don't want to. I keep thinking - what's to protect here that's so important? a few used clothes, what's the big deal. Still, keeping thieves out seems essential somehow.
This is the pipe they used to break the door. I think it's quite beautiful.

It's time for a new quote: this one is for Remembrance Day, and for violent people everywhere:

Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself.
Lao Tzu