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Holiday Gift Guide 2011: 32 great gifts under $30

Holiday Gift Guide 2011

By Fraser Abe, Karolyne Ellacott, Kevin Naulls and Mark Teo | Photography by Carlo Mendoza

Little treats are perfect for host and hostess gifts and stocking stuffers, so we’ve picked some presents under $30 to help with the stress of sticking to a holiday budget (and, really, there are always obligatory presents to buy for people we know nothing about). We have everything from a space-age travel toothbrush for that friend you used to have eight years ago who just came home from teaching in Korea (and is likely to depart again) to a baguette carrier for when someone chooses bread as their item for a potluck (it doubles as a wine carrier, if that’s more their style) to various smile-building knick-knacks. Check out our gifts under $30 in our gallery after the jump »

The Goods

Buyer's Market

November 21, 2011 | 5:00 am

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Holiday Gift Guide 2011: 27 impressive mid-range presents from $100 to $499

Holiday Gift Guide 2011

By Fraser Abe, Karolyne Ellacott, Kevin Naulls and Mark Teo | Photography by Carlo Mendoza

Sometimes it is hard to stick to a limit, because sometimes the gifts over $100 really are the perfect presents. We’ve found a touchably soft mink fur bear (don’t knock it till you’ve touched it) that will win the heart of any child or, really, human being, as well as a humidor for the lady or gentleman who subscribes to Cigar Aficionado, a pelt rug, an intoxicating men’s fragrance from Eau d’Italie and everything in between. Check out 27 higher-end gifts between $100 and $499 in a gallery after the jump »

The Goods

Buyer's Market

November 21, 2011 | 5:00 am

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Holiday Gift Guide 2011: 19 festive finds from $31 to $99

Holiday Gift Guide 2011

By Fraser Abe, Karolyne Ellacott, Kevin Naulls and Mark Teo | Photography by Carlo Mendoza

It’s the jolliest time of the year for some, and for many, mulled wine, cider or anything, really, are the social lubricants that make life a little cheerier (as well as cookies, big turkey dinners and spiced coffee drinks), so we’ve found a mid-range carafe for the special merrymaker in your life. For a little young lady, we’ve found an adorable toy tea set, which will go perfectly with a tray of cucumber finger sandwiches and, for the wee lad, a plastic toy tool set (but hey, don’t conform to gender stereotypes if you don’t want to—mix and match). Money is required for the purchase of all of these things, and since money goes into a wallet, we’ve found a great one. Check out all 19 gifts between $31 and $99 in a gallery after the jump »

The Goods

Buyer's Market

November 21, 2011 | 5:00 am

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Holiday Gift Guide 2011: 11 top-tier treats for over $500

Holiday Gift Guide 2011

By Fraser Abe, Karolyne Ellacott, Kevin Naulls and Mark Teo | Photography by Carlo Mendoza

The big-ticket items are what we’re all hoping to get for the holidays, and sometimes we’re special enough to be the recipient of one or two. So in the spirit of giving, we take a look at the high end of giving (no boats or cars to be found): a beautiful handbag for a fashionista, a great shoreman’s jacket for a stylish dude and a synth keyboard for an aspiring (or professional) musician. Check out our selection of 11 gifts that are $500 and more in a gallery after the jump »

The Goods

Buyer's Market

October 14, 2011 | 3:59 pm

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The Drake’s annual fall market promises chocolate and bacon cookies, handmade products and vintage records

People buying things (Image: The Drake)

The Drake holds a fall market every year with handmade goods from local artisans—think of it as a flea market or a church bazaar, but one that caters to the people who might frequent the Drake Underground or drink caesars for brunch over chicken and waffles. In place of the 100 per cent geriatric vendors you may find at a church craft sale, The Drake brings in students, local collectors and purveyors of soaps, mustards and bacon-filled baked goods (there will be chocolate and bacon cookies, in case your arteries still require some abuse after Thanksgiving). The annual event takes place Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include handmade books and kaleidoscopes from Charline Wang, natural mustards from Guy Rawlings, vintage and handmade textiles and ceramics made by Rachel Tremaine, illustrations, designs and fine art from Courtney Wotherspoon, handmade body care products from Scott Robinson, handmade clothing, collars and bow ties from Danielle Bartlett, jewellery from Edilou Woo and a substantial collection of records from Natalie Petozzi and Nomi Malik. We recommend starting with some mustard tasting, followed by a bacon and chocolate palate cleanser—maybe grab a couple of records for the road and create a fun Sex and the City movie montage or arrange for a sexy striptease with all of your new collars and bow ties (just like in the movies).

The Informer

From the Print Edition

October 12, 2011 | 12:05 pm

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Tony Keller: How group buying sites have spawned a breed of fickle, bargain-addicted consumers that will never pay full freight again

By Tony Keller | Photo Illustration by Lindsay Page

The Price is Wrong

Late last year, Marlon Pather, owner of a midtown meat shop called The Butchers, embarked on an ambitious plan to sell thousands of online coupons. Like other merchants seized by the daily deal mania of websites such as Groupon, he thought that his deep discounting would bring in new shoppers. It did. He quickly became Canada’s biggest coupon merchant, selling 22,000 coupons, worth millions of dollars, in a few months. Pather thought the new customers would redeem the value of their coupons gradually, but they cashed in all at once. By spring, he realized that his loss leader strategy had turned into a straight loss. Customers were lined up around the block, and the fridge was constantly running out of stock. The coupon clients came for the discount—$400 worth of steaks and burgers for just $100—but every time the cash register rang, Pather lost money. And his established clients, who until then had been willing to pay full price, were having trouble even getting into the store.

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The Goods

Shop Talk

September 27, 2011 | 1:11 pm

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Inside Out pop-up shop brings Montreal flavour to Toronto

Vintage fur and hats (Image: Inside Out)

In a shocking twist, pop-up shop season has already kicked off, long before the holidays: first Philip Sparks launched his first trunk shop in the Junction earlier this week, and now Torontonians craving some unique vintage can head over to Inside Out, a pop-up from Montreal that opens on October 4 at 1040 Queen St. W. (formerly A2Zane, which we’re told has packed up and moved east) next week. Members of PETA should steer clear, since Inside Out specializes in vintage furs, but what we’re most drawn to is the assortment of vintage coats and women’s hats that may—we’re hoping—give our fall wardrobe a certain je ne sais quoi. In addition to selling one-off vintage finds from La Belle Province, the store will act as an informal gallery space to exhibit work by young Toronto artists. But like most pop-up shops, Inside Out is a limited-time offer: all pieces were hand-picked in Montreal and are one-of-a-kind, which means once they’re gone, vintage seekers are out of luck.

The Informer

Ford Focus

September 6, 2011 | 6:05 pm

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Doug Ford’s waterfront fantasy meets numbers and facts

The buzz-kills over at the Globe and Mail have thrown cold water all over Doug Ford’s plans for the Port Lands. Chief among the paper’s not-so-surprising revelations is that Ford’s plans could very well require “a significantly revised environmental assessment,” which would amount to a major speed bump (read: millions of dollars) for the project. In other words, if Ford’s ideas seemed more than a touch fanciful—they did include plans for a monorail, a mega-mall, hotels, a giant Ferris wheel and a unicorn sanctuary (unconfirmed)—this piece of reporting may just provide a pretty stern reality check.

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The Informer

A Message from Toronto Life

August 28, 2011 | 1:25 pm

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Jack Layton, fall fashion and more: the top stories from the St. Joseph Media digital network

We bring you highlights from around the St. Joseph Media network in our new weekend feature.

• Thanks Jack, We’ve Got It From Here [Torontoist]
• Jack Layton: the author [Quill and Quire]
• Fall 2011 trend report: 83 of the best bets in coast, dresses, shoes, bag and more! [Fashion Magazine]
• 15 Fabulous Back-to-School Freebies and Deals [Canadian Family]
• 5 Coffee Desserts [20 Minute Supper Club]
• SHOP TALK: The man purse (or, how big is your bag?) [Ottawa Magazine]
• Interview With Travelflix Blogger Timothy Chan [Where]
• Wedding Cakes for Every Season [Wedding Bells]

The Goods

New in Shops

August 4, 2011 | 5:00 pm

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We don’t “die,” but Rachel Zoe is still coming to Holt Renfrew in August

Rachel Zoe, stylist to the stars and subject of a Bravo show called the Rachel Zoe Project, will be in Toronto on Monday, Aug. 15 at the Bloor Street Holt Renfrew from 2 to 3:30 p.m. to launch her new collection of women’s clothing, footwear and handbags. It’s not unusual for Bravo stars to have side projects (who can forget Real Housewives of New York’s Countess von Auto-Tune Luann’s and Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Kim Zolciak’s singing “careers”?), which is why we’re not caught off guard by Zoe’s high-end debut (after all, she has already created collections for the prestigious QVC network). It remains to be seen whether people will go “bananas” for clothing exactly like Zoe’s (oversized sunglasses, wide-legged trousers, kooky chapeau, and a fur vest), but if ladies are looking to attract their very own Brad Goreski, this is as good a place as any to start.

The Informer

From the Print Edition

August 4, 2011 | 1:00 pm

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Best of the City 2011: Our picks for Toronto’s top services—from beard trimming to doggie fitness

(Image: Liam Mogan)

Spray paint removal Beard maintenance Canine workout Bedbug exterminator Personal shopper Tattoo removal Artful mani Cleaver care Bicycle repair tips Sole saviour De-clutter

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The Goods

The Find

July 22, 2011 | 11:30 am

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The Find: an Alexander Wang bag that could protect a fragile ego (and an actual person)

Black is always in style, but espresso is the colour for handbags this fall (that means there’s a brown undertone, like hair with lowlights). We know it isn’t fall yet (we’ve been outside), but during our endless hours of shopping, it has become clear that fall and pre-fall items are slowly creeping into stores, like the worst kind of autumnal tease (oh, and since we’re still sweating the summer, there’s a good chance a 50 to 70 per cent off summer sale is within throwing distance).

A store’s first shipment is always the strongest, showcasing the season’s hottest trends that won’t stay on the shelves for long, so those stressed out about not having an “it bag” should go now, while others can wait until a cold shower starts to feel cold again. While in search of a Popsicle, we walked by Ossington’s Jonathan and Olivia and found this Alexander Wang deep brown “Robyn” hobo/bucket bag; we love the meticulous construction, the hand feel of the soft, thick leather and the chunky chrome hardware finishing each corner. We also like how it could be a weapon on those lonely nights walking down Ossington after a few drinks. $1,095.

Jonathan and Olivia, 49 Ossington Ave., 416-849-5956, jonathanandolivia.com.

The Goods

The Find

May 26, 2011 | 12:16 pm

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The Find: a set of ice cream cups that are 100 per cent carb-free

American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale) once scolded his secretary, Jean, for nearly placing her spoon on his coffee table, instead of inside an empty Haägen Dazs carton. We’ve used coasters and remained cautious about drips at dinner parties ever since. But now we no longer have to worry about angering potentially homicidal clean freaks—or even the meticulously tidy people in our lives—because we found these Japanese art deco–inspired ice cream sets at the Drake General Store, with cups that perfectly fit their matching spoons, preventing unexpected spills. The cups are sold as a set of five, each with its own unique pattern, which kind of reminds us of wine-glass charms that help us ensure we’re drinking our own malbec and not someone’s inferior merlot. Only now, five people can enjoy their favourite ice cream without the extra carbs from a cone or the shame from eating out of the tub over the sink. $85 for a set of five.

Drake General Store, 1011 Yonge St., 416.966.0553, drakegeneralstore.myshopify.com.

The Goods

The Find

May 11, 2011 | 12:19 pm

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The Find: Henry Holland and Linda Farrow sunglasses that are as bright as the sun

Henry Holland is known for dressing London’s Geldolf girls and model-friend Agyness Deyn, and season after season he’s attracted trendy girls worldwide seeking the London look (when Rimmel isn’t enough) with an assortment of vibrant garments and playful street-inspired accessories. So when we saw a pair of sunglasses he made in collaboration with Linda Farrow —who gained notoriety for her Mickeys collaboration with Jeremy Scott—at Ruins on Queen Street West, we inwardly drummed up hackneyed green-with-envy comments, and then almost immediately decided we had to have them. The green Plexiglas sunglasses, featuring lenses that unite with the frame in one piece, look like a 2-D version of a classic ’80s shape (they’re also not another pair of Ray-Bans, which is part of their appeal). Since it’s spring, and summer isn’t far behind, we think it’s about time we coloured our world. $225.

Ruins, 960 Queen St. W., 647-351-0960, ruinstoronto.com.

The Goods

Buyer's Market

May 4, 2011 | 1:31 pm

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Stressing about Mother’s Day? Check out our 20 amazing gift ideas for Mom

Help a mother out on Mother’s Day (Image: Saturday Night Live)

Buying something for Mom can be fairly difficult, since our instincts usually tell us she really needs one more silk scarf. For the kids who can’t shake this habit, we’ve found some good neckwear, but scouring some of Toronto’s shopping ’hoods, we also took stock of other great picks for cool and conservative moms alike (unsurprisingly, the tourist-heavy Queen Street West produced several perfect options). We think our guide to the top 20 Mother’s Day gifts will inspire an end to mom jeans, dead-after-a-day flowers and that pen we thought she’d use, but she just threw out (we remember). See our choices in a gallery below.