Hey everyone,
Check out the Style North blog (link on the left) to read all about my new store (and to see a not so bad picture of me as well!) We're gearing up for our launch party so things have been pretty hectic around here. For those of you in the Toronto area, we hope to see you Thursday night at Holiday Wanderlust!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
New logo for my store
Hey everyone,
Here is my new logo for my store
You like?
Here is a picture of the store as it looks now.
That's the original logo which I have to repaint. Anyone know any good sign painters?
Here is my new logo for my store
You like?
Here is a picture of the store as it looks now.
That's the original logo which I have to repaint. Anyone know any good sign painters?
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Ethel is reborn!
Ok, here's the big news.
I am the new owner of the well known Leslieville store, Ethel - 20th Century Living.
I was originally going to open my own store, but three months ago, after a conversation with one of the founders of Ethel, they made me an offer, and as they say, I couldn't refuse. The store has been getting a facelift over the past few weeks (new lighting, new paint and most importantly, new merchandise!) and we're having our official grand opening on November 19th, during the annual Leslieville Holiday Wanderlust party (where all the stores stay open late, have events like DJs, Karaoke and food and stuff) to kick off the Christmas season. We're going to do a MadMen theme complete with cocktails and vintage Christmas trees. It's been a rollercoaster these past three months, but it's been an adventure and now the doors are open, I'm starting to see results.
So if you're in the neighborhood, come on down to Ethel and we'll see what we can do about the lack of Danish Teak in your life!
I am the new owner of the well known Leslieville store, Ethel - 20th Century Living.
I was originally going to open my own store, but three months ago, after a conversation with one of the founders of Ethel, they made me an offer, and as they say, I couldn't refuse. The store has been getting a facelift over the past few weeks (new lighting, new paint and most importantly, new merchandise!) and we're having our official grand opening on November 19th, during the annual Leslieville Holiday Wanderlust party (where all the stores stay open late, have events like DJs, Karaoke and food and stuff) to kick off the Christmas season. We're going to do a MadMen theme complete with cocktails and vintage Christmas trees. It's been a rollercoaster these past three months, but it's been an adventure and now the doors are open, I'm starting to see results.
So if you're in the neighborhood, come on down to Ethel and we'll see what we can do about the lack of Danish Teak in your life!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Danish Modern Kitty
I promise, this blog won't morph into a "how cute is my cat!" blog. I just had to post these pictures of Isaac, our swingin' 70's cat, as we've had many readers ask for more Isaac. I took these yesterday afternoon while he was napping on the orange footstool and I was watching General Hospital (one of my guilty pleasures!). This footstool was a cheapo Value Village find, and we think it might be a homemade jobbie, but we love the bright orange fabric as it's oh so Danish Modern looking. He's adopted this footstool as his favourite napping place, as well as his scratching post, which we're very happy about as we were worried he'd get too frisky with the couch one day and we'd be looking at another reupholstery job. The footstool cost eight bucks. You don't want to know what our couch cost to get reupholstered!
This is Isaac covering his eyes while napping. I guess he's afraid of the boogeyman.
This is Isaac sticking his tongue out at me. Nice manners eh?
This is Isaac giving me the "where's my treats, dammit!" look. Again, nice manners!
It is fun having a cat around the house again. Although he has yet to make us any drinks at the bar.
This is Isaac covering his eyes while napping. I guess he's afraid of the boogeyman.
This is Isaac sticking his tongue out at me. Nice manners eh?
This is Isaac giving me the "where's my treats, dammit!" look. Again, nice manners!
It is fun having a cat around the house again. Although he has yet to make us any drinks at the bar.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Revving up for the big reveal!!
Things are heating up around here at the Atomic Playhouse, and I don't mean our sorry excuse for a summer!
I'm almost ready to reveal to the world the big business news, but not until the ink is dry on the oh so important documents, and there are many of those! Suffice it to say, we've been playing a lot of hurry up and wait, meaning I'm only moving ahead on stuff that I know I can, and not moving ahead on stuff until the aforementioned ink is dry.
One of the things we are doing is stocking up on inventory (you can probably guess that the business is retail based and mid-century design based). We headed out this morning to hit a few garage sales and ended up stopping after the first one as we blew the wad at that one. It was actually a content sale and we scored a lovely teak dining set (table w/ leaves, and four chairs) a groovy chrome pedestal table with a white laminate top with an exploding grid pattern (hard to describe but very 2001), a Danish Modern style arm chair and ottoman (original upholstery and in great shape), a teak end table and a pair of teak candlesticks. None of this would fit in our car, except for the candlesticks, so there was a mad scramble to rent a van (Thank you U-Haul!), and bring that load home. It's all safely ensconced in the crawlspace, waiting to be moved to the new store when the time comes.
I've also been stocking up on small stuff too, and I did a thrift run yesterday. I found a hobnail amber glass Italian style decanter (not sure if it'll end up at the store or with our collection in the lounge), a big boat shaped teak tray with handles, not Dansk but close, and a big baby blue Pyrex mixing bowl with a funny pattern of circus balloons and oldfashioned planes.
Hubby and I love that nod to the roaring twenties that was a big style element in the 70's (think flapper style, movies like The Boyfriend starring Twiggy, and anything circus inspired) and we sing the line "that's what the did in the 20's" from the SNL parody of a 70's variety show (The Lundford Twins Feel Good Variety Hour) when we see something from that era. I'm still a mid-century gal, but the 70's can look good too, if done right.
Speaking of the 70's, our cat Isaac is fitting right in here at the playhouse, although he has yet to mix us one drink! He was a little freaked out by all the furniture coming through the front door (new smells for him but also a lot of cursing and swearing by us trying to fit it in the crawlspace). Right now he's meowing at hubby who's making dinner. I better go make sure he's not using the new Pyrex bowl!
I'm almost ready to reveal to the world the big business news, but not until the ink is dry on the oh so important documents, and there are many of those! Suffice it to say, we've been playing a lot of hurry up and wait, meaning I'm only moving ahead on stuff that I know I can, and not moving ahead on stuff until the aforementioned ink is dry.
One of the things we are doing is stocking up on inventory (you can probably guess that the business is retail based and mid-century design based). We headed out this morning to hit a few garage sales and ended up stopping after the first one as we blew the wad at that one. It was actually a content sale and we scored a lovely teak dining set (table w/ leaves, and four chairs) a groovy chrome pedestal table with a white laminate top with an exploding grid pattern (hard to describe but very 2001), a Danish Modern style arm chair and ottoman (original upholstery and in great shape), a teak end table and a pair of teak candlesticks. None of this would fit in our car, except for the candlesticks, so there was a mad scramble to rent a van (Thank you U-Haul!), and bring that load home. It's all safely ensconced in the crawlspace, waiting to be moved to the new store when the time comes.
I've also been stocking up on small stuff too, and I did a thrift run yesterday. I found a hobnail amber glass Italian style decanter (not sure if it'll end up at the store or with our collection in the lounge), a big boat shaped teak tray with handles, not Dansk but close, and a big baby blue Pyrex mixing bowl with a funny pattern of circus balloons and oldfashioned planes.
Hubby and I love that nod to the roaring twenties that was a big style element in the 70's (think flapper style, movies like The Boyfriend starring Twiggy, and anything circus inspired) and we sing the line "that's what the did in the 20's" from the SNL parody of a 70's variety show (The Lundford Twins Feel Good Variety Hour) when we see something from that era. I'm still a mid-century gal, but the 70's can look good too, if done right.
Speaking of the 70's, our cat Isaac is fitting right in here at the playhouse, although he has yet to mix us one drink! He was a little freaked out by all the furniture coming through the front door (new smells for him but also a lot of cursing and swearing by us trying to fit it in the crawlspace). Right now he's meowing at hubby who's making dinner. I better go make sure he's not using the new Pyrex bowl!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Isaac the bartending cat
Things have been busy around here at the Atomic Playhouse, mostly to do with my new business venture. Who knew starting a business involved so much! Well, I guess other entrepreneurs out there would know. We're hoping to have everything ready by mid October, and yes, I'll take any advice you're willing to send me! Once everything is finalized (I don't want to jinx it), I'll be posting about it.
This summer has also seen a loss and a gain at the Playhouse.
Back in June, we had to say goodbye to our cat GiGi. She was 14 and had ben suffering from kidney problems for two years (yes, she was a victim of the pet food scare of 2007, although she did survive and was doing well with at home treatment), but she took a big turn for the worse in June, having developed liver problems too. I knew that morning when I took her into the vet I wouldn't be taking her home, and it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I'm so grateful that my parents were there with me (hubby had to work). We'll always remember her as GiGi the moviestar cat, a sweet loving kitty who was as dainty as Audrey Hepburn and as beautiful as Marilyn Monroe.
We thought we'd wait at least 6 months before considering getting another pet, but neighbors of ours who were going through the same thing (losing their kitty after 16 years) had adopted a kitten, and once we met him (the kitten) we knew it was time. We brought home Isaac last Friday from the Toronto Animal Shelter, after first meeting him on a preliminary visit on Monday. He's a two year old neutered brown tabby and is about as laid back as Dean Martin. He was named when we picked him out (rather, he picked us out) so we decided to roll with it and we call him Isaac the bartending cat (after Isaac on the Love Boat). He's now sporting a gold collar (very 70's) and we're trying to teach him how to mix drinks but he'd rather lounge on his chair (which also used to be GiGi's favourite chair) and just watch the world go by. Lets hope he can do that for a long long time.
This summer has also seen a loss and a gain at the Playhouse.
Back in June, we had to say goodbye to our cat GiGi. She was 14 and had ben suffering from kidney problems for two years (yes, she was a victim of the pet food scare of 2007, although she did survive and was doing well with at home treatment), but she took a big turn for the worse in June, having developed liver problems too. I knew that morning when I took her into the vet I wouldn't be taking her home, and it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I'm so grateful that my parents were there with me (hubby had to work). We'll always remember her as GiGi the moviestar cat, a sweet loving kitty who was as dainty as Audrey Hepburn and as beautiful as Marilyn Monroe.
We thought we'd wait at least 6 months before considering getting another pet, but neighbors of ours who were going through the same thing (losing their kitty after 16 years) had adopted a kitten, and once we met him (the kitten) we knew it was time. We brought home Isaac last Friday from the Toronto Animal Shelter, after first meeting him on a preliminary visit on Monday. He's a two year old neutered brown tabby and is about as laid back as Dean Martin. He was named when we picked him out (rather, he picked us out) so we decided to roll with it and we call him Isaac the bartending cat (after Isaac on the Love Boat). He's now sporting a gold collar (very 70's) and we're trying to teach him how to mix drinks but he'd rather lounge on his chair (which also used to be GiGi's favourite chair) and just watch the world go by. Lets hope he can do that for a long long time.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Logo inspiration
Things have been really busy around here at the Atomic Playhouse. It seems every weekend we're out and about, whether it's yardsales, going to someone's cottage or just enjoying the summer. I've also been busy working on my big venture. I'm not ready to reveal the name yet...although a few of you blog followers know it (this means you, Atomic Radar!). But I will share some logo inspiration.
This is an album cover for the notorious Rusty Warren, a bawdy 60's comedienne, and a rat pack era Vegas fixture. She's still performing, and as far as I know, still telling the same bad jokes. Maybe I'll invite her to perform at the store opening!
This is an album cover for the notorious Rusty Warren, a bawdy 60's comedienne, and a rat pack era Vegas fixture. She's still performing, and as far as I know, still telling the same bad jokes. Maybe I'll invite her to perform at the store opening!
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