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Inside NKPR: All About the Art!

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Ashton

Springtime inside NKPR is all about the art!

Kicking off the art season next week, we wait (not so patiently) for the second instalment of the Love Art Fair; a simple yet inspiring environment for high-quality contemporary art.

Following the Fair, we’ll have the inside scoop on the upcoming announcement of the winner of the Scotiabank Photography Award, plus the highly anticipated CONTACT Photography Festival!

Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a seasoned vet, this year you’re sure to find inspiration for that piece you’ve been searching for!

Here are some highlights from the upcoming Love Art Fair, Scotiabank Photography Award and the CONTACT Photography Festival…

Love Art Fair

Unicorn by Marjorie Campbell
Alison Milne Gallery
On display at the Thompson Toronto Hotel, April 7-16
Available for purchase at Love Art Fair, April 17-19

This life size sculpture is made of wool, wire, glass marbles, thread, found wood, and gold leaf, by Marjorie Campbell, a fibre artist who resides in Toronto. Inspired by forest and fauna, her work is both realistic and whimsical. She explores the possibilities of felt in a soft and gentle world where life is heightened and magic exists. As wool is pulled and forms are sculpted, alluring and complex worlds emerge, and the persona of the animal reveals itself.

Scotiabank Photography Award

Self-Portrait as Edmund Precelman (Officer) b. Poland, 1890s d. Poland, early 1940s by Rafael Goldchain

Rafael Goldchain is one of the three finalists competing for the 2015 Scotiabank Photography Award, alongside Angela Grauerholz and Isabelle Hayeur. This year’s SPA winner will be announced on May 6.

This photograph is a part of Goldchain’s “I Am My Family”, a collection of digitally altered self-portrait photographs where Goldchain re-enacts familial others through genetic resemblance. Through the conventions of the portrait photograph, these self-portraits suggest that we look at family photographs in order to know ourselves through the photographic trace left by our lost ancestors.

CONTACT Photography Festival

Water Pump With Hoses on Orange by Jimmy Limit
On display at Clint Roenish Gallery from April 30-May 30, and on billboards across Canada from May 1-31.

This photograph is a part of Surplus, Jimmy Limit’s featured exhibition at CONTACT. For his compositions, Jimmy Limit selects objects based on their formal qualities, often avoiding items with clear functions. Inspired by industrial supply catalogues and store flyers, the St. Catharines, Ontario-based artist uses colourful hardware store goods and industrial or domestic wares. He lifts these common objects out of context, alters their appearance, and combines them in strange and compelling ways. His precariously-arranged scenes may only last for a moment, but his seductive images have the deceptive gloss of advertisements. Limit’s photographs conflate function, merchandising, and desire, drawing attention to the complex relationship between product and consumer.

What’s your favourite piece of art? Tweet us at @NatashaNKPR!

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NK Loves – Must-Haves for Summer 2015

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Ashton

Which products will be your summer essentials? Tweet us at @NatashaNKPR!

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Vote Now – Jack Daniel's Supporting Act Fan Choice Award

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Ashton

For the past few months, Jack Daniel’s JD Supporting Act has been making musical dreams come to life for young artists across Canada. The calibre of talent and the love for music in our country is nothing short of incredible (can we talk about Alanis Morisette at the Junos, anyone?).

In Jack Daniel’s Supporting Act’s inaugural year, over 65 Canadian artists shared their musically-driven stories in a short 60-second video outlining what they need to make their dreams a reality. Over the course of 16 weeks, the contestants were narrowed down by a panel of judges and one artist was chosen every two weeks winning everything from electronic drum sets to touring the UK! Now you have the chance to be a part of someone’s musical journey to stardom!

This week it’s up to you to vote on the finalists to decide who will be receiving the JD Supporting Act Fan Choice Award! From March 13-25 your votes will decide who the final winner is!

Watch the finalist’s videos here: http://www.jdsupportingact.com/videos

Previous JD Supporting Act Winners:

Winner 1: Tim Popek – The music teacher won an electronic drum set, recording software and a new computer, allowing him to create an online drumming school.

Winner 2: Kink the Band – The duo, who strives to promote female empowerment in rock and roll, won funds to record their first album with local Toronto producer Jason Pierce.

Winner 3: Young Running – The folk rock group won funds towards a Western Canada Tour. The band just returned home after three weeks living out their dream playing music in the Rocky Mountains.

Winner 4: Stone Iris – After winning Indie Week Canada, the band from Alberta had the opportunity to play Indie Week UK. Jack Daniel’s gave them the means to tour the UK before their headlining experience.

Winner 5: Sidney York – The indie avant-pop duo from Calgary received funds to produce and market their new album release, showcasing their talent for playing instruments seldom seen beyond the orchestra pit.

Winner 6: Bathurst Station – The up and coming Toronto band was the second to win an opportunity to tour the UK.

Winner 7: The Elwins – Hailing from Keswick, Ontario, this group of long-time friends received funds to purchase new instruments to complete their world-wide tour, aiming to sound better than ever on stage.

Winner 8: JD Supporting Act Fan Choice

Which musical act is your favourite? Tweet us at @NatashaNKPR!

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Vote Now – Jack Daniel’s Supporting Act Fan Choice Award

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Ashton

This week it’s up to you to vote on the finalists to decide who will be receiving the JD Supporting Act Fan Choice Award! From March 13-25 your votes will decide who the final winner is!

Watch the finalist’s videos here: http://www.jdsupportingact.com/videos

Previous JD Supporting Act Winners:

Winner 1: Tim Popek – The music teacher won an electronic drum set, recording software and a new computer, allowing him to create an online drumming school.

Winner 2: Kink the Band – The duo, who strives to promote female empowerment in rock and roll, won funds to record their first album with local Toronto producer Jason Pierce.

Winner 3: Young Running – The folk rock group won funds towards a Western Canada Tour. The band just returned home after three weeks living out their dream playing music in the Rocky Mountains.

Winner 6: Bathurst Station – The up and coming Toronto band was the second to win an opportunity to tour the UK.

Winner 8: JD Supporting Act Fan Choice

Which musical act is your favourite? Tweet us at @NatashaNKPR!

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Nastia Liukin – Competing on Dancing With The Stars

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Ashton

We are so proud and excited for our very own NK Artist and Olympic gold medalist, Nastia Liukin, to compete on this season of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars (DWTS)! In its tenth year and twentieth season (wow!), we can’t wait to watch Nastia bring her grace, strength, and undeniable beauty to the DWTS dance floor and inevitably to Mirror Ball victory!

Nastia never shies away from a busy schedule. As a full-time student at New York University, a Subway sandwich ambassador, NBC analyst and creator of Supergirl by Nastia, she manages it all with a natural ease only an Olympic champion can relate to.

A true match made in heaven, Nastia has been paired with five time Dancing With The Stars Champion, Derek Hough. With Nastia balancing classes at NYU and Derek busy with Move Live Tour, “Team Houghkin” is the only DWTS pair to rehearse in NYC (one of our favourite cities) and is already deemed the crowd favourite and pair to watch!

Watch the premiere episode Monday, March 16th at 8:00pm EST. Stay tuned for details on how to vote for Team Houghkin!

Unknown-6 — Image via ABC Dancing With the Stars

Follow @NatashaNKPR for an inside look at Nastia and Derek’s Dancing With The Stars journey!

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Winter Wonderland with HotelTonight

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Ashton

Winter isn’t always so bad…especially when something this cool comes along!

This March, HotelTonight will be the first hotel booking application to offer rooms at Quebec City’s incomparable Hôtel de Glace, Canada’s first, and the only true ice hotel in all of North America. This unique hotel will be offered for booking up to 7 days in advance of your stay.

The special Hôtel de Glace stay, which generally books months in advance and upwards of $400 a night, will be offered exclusively to HotelTonight users at a significantly reduced price.

As an overnight guest bundling up in winter camping gear for the night, there’s no shortage of activities for Hôtel de Glace patrons: indulging in a drink on the rocks at the ice bar, dogsled rides, ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and visiting nearby saunas/spas.

HotelTonight is offering unique Canadian experiences to its users, so get ready for a wild ride!

And, fret not — the rooms include toasty arctic sleeping bags and the thermostat inside the hotel hovers at a balmy –5 degrees (quite frankly, compared to the recent temperatures, -5 seems tropical!).

How the App Works

The app, available for free on iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone and Tablet, and any Android device, allows customers to book hand-picked hotels across the globe at great values. Hotel rooms can be easily booked in less than 10 seconds — just three taps and a swipe from app launch to completed booking.

So take advantage of the remaining winter months and book your stay at Hôtel de Glace with Hotel Tonight!

Have you every stayed at a ice hotel? Tweet your experience to @NatashaNKPR!

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Oscars Fashion Winners

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Yulla

Hi – Natasha here! Like many of you, my Sunday was all about the Oscars…my favourite night of fashion! I was so excited to curl up with my dogs, a curated selection of snacks and my laptop…because I was live tweeting for Square One Shopping Centre’s #SQ1takeover. It was so much fun! Last year some of my favourite red carpet moments included Olivia Wilde in Valentino, and Jennifer Lawrence and Charlize Theron both in Dior. And this year was even better…especially since our team had a chance to meet some of the 87th Academy Awards winners during TIFF at the Whiplash Premiere Party on the Thompson Hotel’s roof and at the IT Lounge Portrait Studio when Caitlin Cronenberg captured some incredible photos of Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Julianne Moore and J.K. Simmons.

Check out my top fashion picks below and be sure to follow @shopsquareone for more fashion takeovers as social influencers Sylvia Mantella, Hanneli Mustaparta and Erin Kleinberg will be live tweeting from the Milan, Paris and Toronto Fashion Weeks.

Xo
Natasha

Jerod Leto in Givenchy

Neil Patrick Harris in Valentino

Reese Witherspoon in Tom Ford, Margot Robbie in Saint Laurent and Rosamund Pike in Givenchy

A definite trend in men’s fashion…Miles Teller, Eddie Redmayne and Ansel Elgort
looking handsome in black and navy!

Julianne Moore in Chanel, Lupita Nyongo in custom Calvin Klein and Zoe Saldana in Versace

Laura Dern in Alberta Ferretti

Me and my dogs, saying goodnight…can’t wait for the next Oscars! Xo

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57th Grammy Awards: Top Red Carpet Looks

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Yulla

Music’s biggest night not only brought some epic performances (can we talk about Hozier and Annie Lennox?!), it also gave us some show-stopping fashion! Yesterday at the 57th Grammy Awards, we witnessed some impeccable outfits on the red carpet.

From the women, we saw a lot of black, some seriously sexy lace, and the most dramatic deep-v’s we’ve seen in a while. The men’s fashion didn’t disappoint either with trendy black-on-navy combos, dapper hats and accessories reminiscent of 50’s sophistication!

Although there was a fair share of “oh no’s” (we’re talking to you Lady Gaga and Rihanna!), there were certainly more “wow’s” on the red carpet!

Check out some of our favourite looks from last night…

Beyoncé in custom Proenza Schouler

Chrissy Teigen in Pucci

Gwen Stefani in Atelier Versace

Taylor Swift in Elie Saab

Jesse J in Ralph and Russo

Pharrell in Adidas (with wife Helen Lasichanh)

John Mayer

Ne-Yo in Marc Jacobs

John Legend in Dolce & Gabbana

Sam Smith in Armani

What are your favourite looks from last night’s red carpet? Tweet us @natashankpr!

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Valentine's Day Dinner Guide

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Ashton

It’s no secret that the way to anyone’s heart (male or female, let’s be honest…) is through their stomach. And what better reason to enjoy a delicious, mind-blowing feast than on Valentine’s Day?

This year, treat that special someone to one of Toronto’s best restaurants for a meal that will be as unforgettable as the time you spend together.

We’ve rounded up the best dishes from our favourite restaurants for you to enjoy this Valentine’s Day…

Montecito – 299 Adelaide St. West

Our Pick: Chef Jonathan Waxman’s JW Chicken