| Life is boring without a little FABULOUS

The Missing Crisp

Posted on May 23, 2013 by immrfabulous

On a recent trip to Las Vegas, as I was strolling up and down the strip I came upon a massive 4 floor M&M store.

Never one to turn down a veritable buffet of candy, I decided it best to stop in.

Clothing, toys, and office supplies, they had it all… But I was there for the sweet goodness, so I was up to the 4th floor to capture the sugary booty!

As the escalator carted me up to the heavens, I saw this on the wall.

A Crispy M&M!?

How had I never heard of this before? Perhaps they were a store exclusive and I was eager for a taste!

I quickly recruited the help of an employee to find the goods, but my dreams where quickly dashed; the Crispy M&M’s were indeed fugitives and had fled from the Americas.

But the story of the MIA M&M wasn’t about to stop this chubby kid!

With friends and readers all over the world, I sent out an SOS and lucky for me, Germany answered!

They had the Crispy and thanks to a reader named Chloe, they were en-route to Canada!

So were these little colourful dandies worth the world-wide manhunt?

YES!

At first I imagined they would be similar to the Pretzel M&M’s but they are not even comparable!

The shell and the chocolate are the same, but the insides…. almost deliciously indescribable!

It slightly resembles sponge toffee and tastes the closest to the crispy edges on a very buttery sugar cookie!

In short, it’s the best M&M I have ever tried!

Which begs the question….

Why are these not in North America?

Mr. Fab & M

Posted in Eat | Leave a comment

Marry Me Ross Menuez

Posted on May 22, 2013 by immrfabulous

Like most people, I have a secret love for Cats & Dogs but the thoughts of Muffy scratching up the legs or arms of my occasional chairs have kept me pet free… Until now!

A gay man’s perfect marrige of style and function have been made available in a variety of throw pillows!

Finally I can have my house looking like a pet store without smelling like one too!

These fabulous cushions designed by Ross Menuez and sold under the name Fauna Pillows for AREAWEAR are my new favourite way to add whimsy and colour to my very white-washed color sceme.

And the price point on these brilliant home accessories?…

LOW!

Prices range from $28 to my newest prized pup possession at $45.

Seriously, no drool and still a happy face greeting me when I get home, how could I go wrong!

I love the screen printing technique used; visually interesting from afar, and up close!

So if the cutsie little furballs send you itching, time to pick up a litter of these delightful fella’s!

Thanks for keeping my home poop free and beautiful!

Mr. Fab ark bark

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A Fabulous Night of SMUT with Lainey Gossip!

Posted on May 21, 2013 by immrfabulous

Life in the Fab lane comes with very important responsibilities.

I must be able to cocktail, gossip like a ‘Real Housewife’ and hang with celebrities. And now, I want to train a little fab’ling on how to do just that!

A night filled with delicious sweet wine from Jacob’s Creek Moscato, along with large servings of all of the hottest tabloid gossip… All hosted by my celebrity ‘pose’ mentor and the queen of the dish,

Lainey Gossip!

On June 5th in Calgary, this one of a kind, pop-culture celebrity gossip panel discussion hosted by Lainey Gossip will be the talk of the town… And I want my readers there!

On behalf of Jacob’s Creek Moscato, the official wine sponsor of the SMUT Soiree, one lucky FAB reader and guest will be walking the red carpet, experiencing the step & repeat, and getting all the celebrity juice they can handle.

And heck, at the end of the evening I’ll even send you home with a bottle of Moscato and a set of stemless chalk-note glasses… because you and I might need to continue dishing the dirt late into the night!

I can’t think of a better way to start developing my little army of FAB’lings than getting you to jump in with both feet!

To win you’ll have 2 ways to enter!

#1 Tweet the Following:

I want to sip & dish the gossip with @immrfabulous & @LaineyGossip. We’ll call it a #SMUTsoiree http://wp.me/p1mskh-2ys
and/or

#2 Comment Below;

Tell me, “Which celebritiy do you want to dish on?”

Lately I’ve been obsessed with the Amanda Bynes train wreck!

I’ll randomly select a winner at the end of the week and we must get a FAB photo together on the red carpet!

Mr. Fab soiree

Posted in Famous Fridays, Giveaway, My Life | 6 Comments

The Faces of Regina

Posted on May 17, 2013 by immrfabulous

Something was said about the models during Saskatchewan Fashion Week that was totally on the money…

“Our beautiful faces grow here in the prairies just like our wheat” and I couldn’t agree more. Some of the most fabulous faces can be found in Saskatchewan!

And for the most part, the talent stomping the runway have been found by and/or are represented by the Edge Agency

Lisa Marie has been digging up the gems all over the province since 1994, and has been training her army of models to be the best in the industry!

And this year’s girls strutting the catwalks were exceptionally unique and interesting!

Here are the top 2 girls I couldn’t take my eyes off of:

Meghan Priest

Her beauty is haunting!

Her big eyes told the story of fashion as her tall and slight body carried the clothes down the runway. She was a book of fashion and I was reading every last word!

Railin Knaus

Like a doll plucked from the very expensive shelves of FAO Schwartz I was glued to her every move!

Her look, similar to that of top model Devon Aoki , was ever changing. When I saw her off stage later that night she had morphed like a chameleon into another phase of gorgeous-ness

Now the paid working models were not the only beautiful faces I saw that evening; some of the local residents who showed up to watch the show also had me intrigued.

Tara Osipoff

A stylish fashionista and blogger, (taramarierose.com), worked the pre-party into a frenzy with her looks and her style!

A white tuxedo with tiny shorts, when asked where she picked up her look, she responded by saying, “Nothing from here!”

A bold or a bitchy move, who’s to say. But when you look that good, you don’t need to explain yourself!

And it wasn’t just the people watching the show that were amazingly dressed… So were the photographers and videographers shooting the show.

Sherona

A Film Maker, (Crushed Rockets), had an amazing sense of style with colour washed hair, a fabulous bowed straw hat, and to complete her look: 1 circular pearl earring and one pearl encrusted skull earing on the other side.

I couldn’t help but realize after seeing these beautifully dressed people that I really need to start upping my anti when touring around Canada.

Now there was one last person whom I took note of sitting in the crowds during the show. A beautiful girl who seemed to go unnoticed.

Sadly I have no idea who she was. I hope I might have found her later in the evening to take a photograph but, like Cinderella, with the strike of the clock she disappeared into the night.

Watching a video shot by Crushed Rockets, I saw her face again and was able to pull the image.

For anyone reading this that might know who this face is, please let her know that even though she was not on the runway, she is still is still one of my Saskatchewan Fashion Week muses.

To all the wonderful people of Saskatchewan and to the amazing team of Fashion Week who puts this show together:

Thank you for bring so much culture to the prairies!

I have left impressed by your beauty and your style!

Mr. Fab face face face

 Most photos by FAB. Photo credits upon request.

Posted in Travel | 1 Comment

My Top Designer Pick from Sask Fashion Week

Posted on May 16, 2013 by immrfabulous

This past weekend during Saskatchewan Fashion Week, a total of 15 Emerging Designers and 8 Established Designers sent their heart and souls down the runway.

Hundreds of looks stomped down the catwalk and the audience feasted on a buffet of impeccable fashions.

But there was one designer who had me from the first look through to the last:

Lisa Wicklund, the creator of SEED eco-fashion design label.

The high stepping dramatics of her runway show had me equally in love with her product and production.

The entire Fall/Winter 2013 collection had me wanting to pile it on an curl up in a log cabin while I watched the snow fall.

This designer knows how to work with a multitude of fabrics and represents them very well!

Lisa’s collection was thoughtful, and captivating.

Seed says their focus is to create ‘wearable art’ and I think Lisa Wicklund’s designs are exactly that.

I can’t wait to see more!

Mr. Fab show

Posted in Shop | 1 Comment

He Said, She Said: A Sask Fashion Week Review

Posted on May 15, 2013 by immrfabulous

This week I was fortunate enough to travel from the mountains of Alberta to prairies of Saskatchewan with one of Canada’s talented actors Ksenia Thurgood for an exciting week of fashion during Saskatchewan Fashion Week.

Gone was the carpeted runway and the outdated Birkenstocks. This year’s Saskatchewan Fashion Week kicked off with their models glossy and their tent towering in the picturesque Victoria Park.

With two of us in attendance at SFW, we formulated a lot of opinions, and are excited to share them with you in a ‘he said she said’ formatted review. Let’s start with:

The Venue

Fab says - The white tent, which seemed to have grown 10 times bigger since last year’s event had an event runway as large as a resurrected Titanic. Endless rows of seats surrounded the ship like waves on the ocean. The entire city seemed to be in attendance.

Ksenia says- What first caught my eye was the front row of chairs: white textile against the gilded gold – Marie Antoinette meets Anna Wintour. I had to subdue my inner mademoiselle from galloping over to my seat, but as I perched awaiting the show to commence I imagined a tiara on my head.

The Show

Fab says – The evening’s events were split into 3 sections: Current Retail, Upcoming Designers, and Advanced Designers.

As the retailers sent impeccably styled look after look down the runway, I began to feel exhausted and over-whelmed.

I was there to see something new, and although the looks were well paired, I felt I could have accomplished that same task during a shopping filled Saturday. This would be best suited to an afternoon show, which would then also serve as a teaser to the evening’s festivities and may get a mainstream audience more excited to attend… (trunk shows should also occur at this hypothetical afternoon show).

As the Upcoming Designers hit the runway, I was for the most part: delightfully impressed.

85% of the designs blew me away, while the remaining 15% I would have left on the sewing room floor.

Then as the Advanced Designers hit the stage, I saw a complete tornado of concepts

Bag, hat, jewelry… and oddly enough floral bouquet designers were sent out to debut their newest collections.

It was a unique and exciting format to keep me alive and focused during each evening’s 2 hour + affair.

Ksenia says – Independent boutiques, newcomer designers and established artisans were all led through the evening by the beautiful host Amy Matysio (creator of InSayshable).

She not only entertained the crowd with her dazzling quick wit, but was also a delightful piece of cotton candy for the eye. A veritable chameleon, why hello Linda Evangelista, Ms. Matysio graced the SFW audience with 3 beautiful looks thanks to Nadia Williamson (NWL) and Fallon Maz (Queen V). Glowing akin to J-lo, Amy introduced the audience to fashion with a beautiful modern take on a Victorian black lace dress with Fleetwood Mac inspired earrings.

Next, she sashayed the runway in a backless green number accompanied with a bouteille of wine in hand, which she chugged onstage.

And to close the week, she rocked a hoodie (Fresh 22) over a Swarovski encrusted evening gown swinging a baseball bat.

Need I say more? Amy has the gift of being down-to-earth no matter how outstandingly stunning she is; she goes out of her way to put an audience at ease. Think Audrey Hepburn meets Chelsea Handler.

Besides the Fresh 22 hoodie, I was confused as to why she wasn’t dressed head to toe by a designer from each evening. She has such a killer sense of fashion savoire faire, it would have been great for the crowd to see how the same ensemble can come to life differently on another individual apart from the runway. Judging from the 3 nights, Amy could rock any look and those designers unfortunately missed out on having her special flare. Note to self: never attend same event as Miss. Matysio or be prepared to be fashion owned.

Of course with so much to see and do during Sask Fashion Week, Ksenia and I will be back tomorrow to share our thoughts on the models and our top designer picks!

Stay tuned, there are some stunners!

Mr. Fab & Ksenia

Posted in My Life, Shop, Travel, VIP | 2 Comments

Kitty Clothing

Posted on May 14, 2013 by immrfabulous

I love cats, and for the longest time I have been dreaming of owning a shirt with a fancy feline on it.

But where would I get one?

Then, like getting my first ‘My Little Pony’ when I was 9, my prayers were answered!

An email in my inbox from The Mountain: the greenest t-shirt company that houses my dream wardrobe!

Cats, dogs, bats and every safari animal you could imagine, all on a t-shirt! And they’re green because The Mountain works with water based inks and PVC-free operations. They’ve even invented a new dye oxidation system that cleans their dye waste water without the use of any chemicals

All I knew was that I needed one… and I needed one BAD!

After hours selecting the perfect one for me, I filled out the order form… And in no time I was looking extra fabulous with the dream cat on my chest!

And I could think of no better place than a Fashion Week Red Carpet to debut my puss!

Since my order, I’ve seen couple of these incredible shirts up for sale at Urban Outfitters, and now I realize it’s all just a matter of time before we all look fabulous together!

Thanks to The Mountain for making my fashion dreams come true!

Mr. Fab lue eyed kitty

Posted in My Life, Shop, VIP, What to Wear Wednesdays | 2 Comments

A Stunning Heritage Hotel

Posted on May 13, 2013 by immrfabulous

Over the last 10 years of my travels, I have stayed an immeasurable number of nights in hotels.

Some good, some bad and some unforgettable!

I’ve found everything from stray hairs to stray bullets left by the past guests; whether the story has been good or bad, I’ve seen it all.

Nothing seems to surprise me anymore.

This past weekend during Sask Fashion Week, I had the opportunity to check-in to one of the 14 heritage properties built during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway back in 1927.

The Hotel Saskatchewan.

With my booking already made, a few days prior to my stay I decided to go online to check out their accommodations

Horror and dread filled my mind;
the photos looked old and dusty and based on those, I feared this was going to be a horrible repeat of my stay at the Fairmont Winnipeg.

Too late to figure out alternate accommodation, I was on my way.

After a long prairie drive I pulled up in front of my hotel Thursday morning, ready for the worst.

But from the first friendly welcome, I knew the imagery was about to be proved very wrong!

This hotel was not dusty at all… In fact, I can honestly say, I have never seen such a clean heritage property: such immaculate condition and good repair!

With their last renovation taking place in the early 90s, they have managed to show little wear from the last 20 years.

The carpets are clean, fresh and bouncy soft.

And the thousands of meters of wallpaper used throughout the hotel is wear and tear free!

The decadent chandeliers, which grace nearly every common space in the hotel, are so sparkling clean I questioned if they had just been installed new for my stay.

And my room; everything old felt new!

As I pulled back the curtains to take in the view of the fashion week tent located right across the street, not a speckle of dust floated through the air.

A fresh flower as a welcome, I felt comfortable and at home!

They say you can only make a first impression once. I saw the photos online and had my opinion, but seeing it all in person… My ‘second’ first impression will be ever lasting.

Thank you Hotel Sask for your amazing hospitality and for sharing your stunning property with me.

You’re gorgeous!

Mr. Fab & fresh

Posted in Travel, VIP | 1 Comment

A Royal Baby Shower Tea Party Giveaway

Posted on May 10, 2013 by immrfabulous

It’s a BOY!!! (or is it a girl?)
That’s the question the world is waiting to have answered.

With the Duchess of Cambridge serving up a ‘couture’ pregnancy, what better way to celebrate the popping of the piñata than with a Royal Baby Shower?!

And like any good Brit, high tea must be involved!

On Sunday May 19th at 1pm, Fairmont Palliser Calgary will be throwing the shower to end all baby showers.

A glamorous, exiting soirée complete with Moët & Chandon and tiered towers of mini-sandwiches, pasties and scones.

But the best part?… They want a set of my fabulous readers there!!!

Tickets for this delightful afternoon, which will feature baby shower games, themed food, and all the decadence of a Lynn Fletcher designed event, will have you and your fascinator feeling like a second cousin of Kate (sans the scandalous dishing mother).

So how will you be the couple sipping tea and celebrating all things baby?

As always you’ll have two ways to enter!

#1 Tweet the Following:

Will @immrfabulous be rocking a fascinator during the #RoyalBabyShower at @Fairmont_PAL? http://wp.me/p1mskh-2wh I want to know!

and/or

#2 Comment Below:

Tell me, “Boy or Girl and what do you think they’ll name him/her?”

I think they’ll name her ‘English Breakfast’

And lastly, if you been dying to shop for a little bundle of joy, a Hudson’s Bay baby gift registry has been created. Feel free to purchase an essential baby item, which will be donated it to the Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta and you will be entered to win an extra special fabulous prize at the party!

Winner will be randomly selected this Monday

Mr. Fab aby bumb

Posted in Eat, Giveaway, VIP | 17 Comments

Behind the Museum Walls with Pivot

Posted on May 9, 2013 by immrfabulous

I’m a lover of the arts, and as such, spending the day touring open galleries or visiting museums is one of my favourite affairs.

And last week, thanks to Pivot, I received a wildly exciting invite to go behind the walls of the Glenbow Museum and tour the archives with museum curators.

Did you know that the Glenbow, for the most part, stores all of their artifacts in their own building scattered over several hidden floors?

Doesn’t seem like a big deal until I tell you that on one floor alone, the shelves are home to 100,000+ artifacts owned by the gallery.

In total, amongst all the secret storage space, close to 1 million pieces can be found in their collection!

My first tour through artifacts was lead by Aimee, to whom I asked: “Do you have 1 piece you wish you could take home?“. But with so many to choose from, she told us that depending on the day her coveted item changes.

Shelves carefully arranged and catalogued had me feeling like I was shopping through a very un-affordable garage sale.

Then, with a quick flip of our curators… We joined up with Melanie and headed into the art stacks!

Hanging and stacked, the collection seemed to go on for miles.

And Melanie had some really amazing and interesting stories for us about the largest collection in the world of works by Carl Rungius, that the Glenbow owns!

I could have listened to her for hours and I had so many questions!

Then myself and one of the girls in the group came up with an amazing idea for an exhibit!

The secrets & stories behind the art!

Where did it come from and how did you aquire it?
Better yet, were there any surprising finds when pieces were de-framed? Love notes, hidden messages… We were hungry for their stories!

All these pieces had a past, and we wanted to know what it was!

Then as the tour wrapped we returned to the gallery for wine and canapés; an amazing close to a perfectly unique and special evening!

Now people always wonder how they can get invited to some of the amazing and exclusive events I do and sometimes the answer is as simple as ‘becoming a member’.

This very exclusive evening was part of Pivot’s member program!

4 private events per year, an all inclusive pass for 2 to the Glenbow and a museum reciprocal agreement which includes admission to 100′s of other galleries across North America.

So if you love art & culture and you’re looking for something special; check out Pivot.

Thanks P for the amazing evening, it has been one if the most enriching events I’ve been to in the past few years!

Mr. Fab ehind the scenes

Posted in VIP | Leave a comment

Wallpaper Wednesday

Posted on May 8, 2013 by immrfabulous

I recently listed my condo for sale in preparation for a move I’ll be making to a new one that’s still under construction.

Not wanting to leave things till the last moment, I decided to list with a relator months in advance and prior to a confirmed possession date just in case it took a while to receive an offer and close the sale.

And with 1 day on the market and 1 showing, the place I’ve called home for the last 7 years has been sold!

And what will I miss most?

My wallpaper!

While on a trip to Europe I found myself drooling over the enchanted forest in a boutique hotel.

Clean and modern, I knew I had to take what I saw home with me and redesign my guest room.

However, finding the wallpaper was no easy task.

The vendor, Cole & Son, located overseas was the solo carrier of the paper.

So after a ridiculously laboured process, my paper was on its way.

When it arrived I squealed like a 12 year old getting a pony for her birthday; the paper was perfect!

And with the services of an amazing wallpaper installer, I had finally created the modern forest I had coveted in London!

Sadly what has been the back drop for so many of my personal photo shoots will now be coming to an end.

And now, for the next 4-6 months, homeless Fab will be using the alley he’ll be living in as the new backdrop.

Dear Fancy Wallpaper, I’ll miss you!

Mr. Fab ackdrop

Posted in My Life, Shop | Leave a comment

Interesting Eats with Great Events

Posted on May 7, 2013 by immrfabulous

Whenever I go to an event and I see that Great Events is going to be the caterer, I know I’m in for some good eats and some very interesting presentation.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to their shop for an annual event to taste their new wares!

What stuck with me from the delicious things I ate were some of the interesting and creative ways they offered up the food!

A salmon candelabra…

Of course food tastes better when it’s perched high and dripping with crystals!

Pop art pastries…

A colourful and playful desert table had everything from petite fours to cake pops.

The attractive tables had me feeling like I was one of the kids in the Wonka factory.

A Graffiti Sushi Wall…

A fun way to collect your food. It was like window shopping for eats!

And lastly

The personal smokers…

Individual domes and a ingenious smoker device allows for each plate to be scented with the perfect infusion of taste and smell.

And when the glass lid is removed…

The perfect dramatic reveal that will have all your guests oohing and aahing!

That afternoon my guest and I washed down the amazing food with equally delicious tea infused cocktails.

It was a perfect combination of taste and flair that reminded me why I get excited every time I see Great Events out and about!

Mr. Fab its and bites

Posted in Eat | 1 Comment

Barre Giveaway

Posted on May 3, 2013 by immrfabulous

After the holiday season most ‘sane‘ people jump onto the bandwagon of eating heathy and working out.

For me, I must have missed the bandwagon as it rolled on by.

“Butter butter butter” has been my motto since December and as such, my juicy body has paid the price.

But the time has come and thanks to a new sheriff in town, my ass has been getting a real good whooping!

Barre Body Studio… Or better know to me as the “it must be jelly, cause jam don’t shake like that” workout.

But it didn’t start out that way.

As soon as I stepped foot into their entrance this place had me convinced I was in for more of a spa treatment than a workout.

And even the beautifully designed and decorated co-ed change room had me believing I was in for an evening of relaxation!

The fresh flowers and serene color palette had me feeling calm cool and collected.

And as I peeked around the 2 roomed studio, I felt like I was shopping at a high-end design shop.

I was in love with everything, from the floor all the way up to the light fixtures.

As I came to rest in the larger of the 2 studios I couldn’t help but notice I was surrounded by 24 gorgeous women… I was the only guy.

Pfffft, a room full of girls… I was definitely in for an easy work out!

The music started and I was up on my balls.

Up, down, up, down. I was 33 seconds in and I had already started to bust a sweat!

Warp ahead 12 minutes…

The sweat is pouring from my forehead and my legs are jiggling faster than an electric mixer hitting a bowl of cake batter!

I contemplate starting a small fire to force an emergency evacuation… But with the encouragement of my new-found friend Kendra, I keep the pyro at bay.

What I can only image is 8 hours and 47 minutes later, (45 minutes), we are on cool down.

As I look around the room I quickly realize why I am the only guy in the class…

Men are weak!

The following day when I awake, I feel great; a little stiff but for the most part I’m fairly mobile.

Maybe I was over reacting?

So I attempt another class that day.

And the next day…

That’s when I had to crawl from my bed to the shower.

My muscles decided to pay me back from all the ‘lazy days’ since December.

These saucy little ham hocks were down for the count!

2 days and I could already tell that the Barre Body Fit was working; giving me ‘Buns of Steel’!

So the following week I went back… And ever since, things have gotten a little bit easier!

The classes now seem to fly by and the flab has started to turn fab!

So you think you got what it takes to become a fabulous ‘Barre Star’ like myself?

Well I’m giving away a 10 pass punch card so you can firm up too!
Use this pass for you, or double your punch and take a friend!

So if you live in Calgary you’ll have 2 ways to enter.

#1 Tweet the Following;

I wanna have rockin #barrestar buns like @immrfabulous! So send me to @BarreBodyStudio

And/or

#2 Comment Below and tell me;

“What’s your best asset?”

Mine’s my strong calves.

I could put someone into a sleeper hold with them!

Thanks Barre Body Fit for the ‘ball-busting’ workout!

Mr. Fab arre star

Posted in Giveaway, VIP | 28 Comments

Pallis(er) in Wonderland

Posted on May 2, 2013 by immrfabulous

This past Tuesday night, a wonder-ous event took place at the Fairmont Palliser Hotel, and the only way to access the party was to drink a special elixir.

And shrink enough to journey down the Rabbit Hole.

A magical world awaited me on the other side of the door…

Mystical characters and delightful cocktails: it was a Mad Hatters tea party and I was in Wonderland!

And this party had it all!

First stop, a room filled with all the fixings to make a stunning hat that would impress the Queen of Hearts.

With no advanced background in hat making, I enlisted help from the White Rabbit. A quick tie of tulle into what appeared to be bunny ears and we snapped a few photos before he was on his way… Late for something!

For me, it was time for the food!… Or more specifically… The sweets!

And there were plenty of those!
From a 3 tier Cheshire Cat themed cake topped with a mini chocolate tea party

To trays and trays of endless treats and sweets topped with whimsical characters and signs encouraging me to ‘eat’ them.

And the best part: A giant chocolate fountain that allowed me to chocolate coat EVERYTHING!

It was a night filled with royal parades and quirky characters all in the name of Wonderland, at an amazing heritage hotel!

A time spent with delicious food and amazing friends!

Thanks for the invite to this very merry un-birthday!

Long live the Queen of Hearts!

Mr. Fab in wonderland

Posted in Eat, My Life, VIP | Leave a comment

The Glass Forest (for charity)

Posted on April 30, 2013 by immrfabulous

I can never say no to charity, so a few months ago when I received a pretty snazzy charitable request in the mail, I was more than happy to jump on board!

Southcentre Mall Designer Mirror Auction

The opportunity to design a mirror which reflects a part of my life and put it up for auction, with the proceeds going to the charity of my choice.

When I take on these projects, a lot of the work goes into the concept or design.

It’s important for me to have it reflect not only myself but the charity I’m representing…. And at the end of the day, it’s gotta look good and bring home the bacon!

And my charity of choice?

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary

With the charity picked, I now had to figure out what I was going to do with the very large mirror sitting in front of my fire-place.

And then it came to me, reflect upon my childhood!

“Raised in a prairie city with my brother, we spent most of our summers on the farm. I always wondered if the stork had dropped me off in the wrong place, for I was certain my life was to be filled by the surroundings of modern opulence. If it wasn’t for my brother who helped me build stick forts and swing over the garbage pit, and who never made fun of me when I said I could fly, I don’t know what I would have done. My mirror is a modern take on the trees from our farm which surrounded me when I was a kid; the modern aesthetic of the world I dreamt of living in. As such, I donate my ‘Glass Forest’ to Big Brothers, Big Sisters and to the mentors who help kids realize that anything is possible!”

Now with the story written it was time to actually figure out what this meant and how I was going to make the vision a reality.

Laser Cut acrylic!

Modern, expensive, unique and the right colour for anyone’s home. And the best part?…. Not only is my editor Rob good with words… He’s also good with a laser cutter!

So working off the design of my guest room wallpaper, the branches were traced and refined using some pretty technical software.

I planned the look and the feel of the design and then while I sat back and enjoyed a cocktail, Rob was hard at work formatting and cutting the pieces.

After all the pieces were ready, the muscled task of screwing them all onto the frame with a manual screwdriver was mine.

And with all the branches, squirrels, leaves and even a bird perched in place, the mirror was ready to take centre court in Southcentre.

Now it’s up to you!

From now, until May 19th, you can view my design and if you feel so inclined, make a bid!

100% of the proceeds will be handed over to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary.

I am so grateful for all the time and attention their volunteers give to help inspire kids, sharing with them that anything is possible!

So head to Southcentre and admire yourself in one of the mirrors up for auction and help make others dreams come true too!

Mr. Fab reflection

Posted in My Life, Shop | 2 Comments

The Secrets of National 10

Posted on April 29, 2013 by immrfabulous

You have heard of or visited National. Their first location is located on 17th Ave in Calgary, Alberta… But did you know they’ve quietly opened a second location, 7 blocks away?

But what makes National 10 so special and sets it apart from all other public eateries in Canada is more than it’s new location.

It’s the first 4-floor adult playground which will feature a 10 pin bowling alley (opening in July), game rooms and several secret and hidden rooms, you may or may never get to see… until now!

Now although the menu (for the most part) will mirror their sister location, the kitchen its prepared in is a grand area that the public will never get to see.

It’s bright, airy and reserved for the staff, but this July you’ll be able to wind your way up several staircases, past a ping-pong table…

through a private mini National floor…

and into a special area all your own: one of the largest rooftop patios in all of Calgary!

But what are the areas I claim you may never see?

Somewhere in the building there is another special feature called the Bourbon Room

Behind the curtains where no cell phones will be allowed, a private password ‘speakeasy’ that will allow selected patrons to enjoy uniquely designed cocktails and a space like no other

Who and how the invitees will be selected is as big of a mystery as the secretive location.

And just when I thought I had been wowed and seen it all, a real life game of CLUE.

A sliding door opened and behind the wall was one of the most elaborately constructed libraries I have ever seen!

A private dinning room hidden behind the walls of National. The shelves lined with hand crafted wooden books left me speechless.

The entire space of National 10 is like no other place I have seen anywhere in else in the world!

To an unsuspecting patron it’s a two-room restaurant and lounge that offers unbelievable food in a dynamic atmosphere.

But after discovering the rest of the secret spaces, I can assure National 10 is way more than meets the eye!

You’ll have to see it to believe it… if you ever get the chance!

National 10, you are beyond brilliant!

Mr. Fab spaces

Posted in Eat, VIP | 2 Comments

Backstage with Juno Winner ‘Classified’

Posted on April 26, 2013 by immrfabulous

He ain’t no Slim Shady, but he is a white rapper… And truth be told, I like this guy a lot more!

Classified

Last week I had the opportunity to see him live in concert, post win.

He had just won the Juno Award for “Rap Recording of the Year”

The singer, who’s catchy song “Inner Ninja” cemented the win, was on fire that night! Engaging and lively, he had the crowd going buck wild during the 1 hour performance.

As a Maritime boy, Classified brought the excitement and positive spirit of the east coast right on to the stage.

As he wrapped his performance, I knew I had to meet him.

So without a solid plan on how, I just decided to stroll backstage.

As I wove through the gauntlet of security personal, I even surprised myself when nobody decided to stop me.

I suppose a ‘fancy’ boy decked out in polka dots was not ‘classified’ as a threat to the artist.

Backstage as I visually realized I was out of my element, I thought it best to find Classified, snap a pic and high tail it out of dodge!

My eyes darted around and I had found my escape out of the fenced compound. As I ran for what I thought was a hole in the fence I was brought to a screeching halt for 1 more photo-op.

Famed Rapper Maestro Fresh Wes!

It was a whirlwind of excitement and a great performance that night in the ‘Gonna Get Loud’ tent!

Thanks boys for taking the time for a few photos, not sticking your henchmen on me and letting my ‘backbone slide’!

Your fan

Mr. Fab ified

Posted in Famous Fridays, My Life, VIP | 1 Comment

Singing with Kristina Maria

Posted on April 25, 2013 by immrfabulous

During my trip to the Juno Awards, the opportunity to meet and interview many different musical artists was available.

Now although some talent like Carley Rae Jepsen (whom I would have loved to sit down with) are reserved for the larger media outlets, I was lucky to get the opportunity to meet one of my requested artists, Kristina Maria!

Now I know what you’re thinking.

“She doesn’t look familiar.”

But trust me, not only have you heard several of her chart toppers, you probably know half the words!

You do know her!

Songs like Karma & Let’s Play play all day on the radio and then for myself, all night in my head!

She’s so talented she’s even hit #1 in on the ‘Emerging Canadian Artist’ chart on Billboard.com

Now although our meeting at the Canadian Juno’s was short-lived, it was easy to tell that this was one artist that is living her passion and loving every moment of it!

It was a pleasure to meet you Kristina and I can’t wait to see you in concert!

Team ‘Duck Lips’ will re-unite again!

Mr. Fab tina maria

Posted in Famous Fridays, VIP | Leave a comment

Playing JUNO Paparazzi

Posted on April 24, 2013 by immrfabulous

This week Regina, Saskatchewan was all a-buzz with Canadian musical guests visiting the city as a part of the 2013 Juno Awards.

Marianas Trench Lead Singer Josh Ramsay & Ian Casselman

Usually the chances of meeting a celebrity are about as good as finding a needle in a haystack, but things were about to change for some lucky fans at this year’s Juno Fan Fare!

14 of some of the hottest names visiting the city for the awards were about to take to the stage for a public meet & greet with their wrist-banded fans.

Dragonette:  Martina Sorbara, Dan Kurtz & Joel Stouffer

And lucky me, the barer of an all access pass, I was able to get lens-to-face and got some pretty great shots!

Andrew 'Marty' Martino - Down With Webster

I was impressed with the well oiled machine which had fans shuttled through fenced corrals, allowing them to get up-close and personal with the artists.

Ten Second Epic

The two 1 hour meets seemed to end just as quickly as they started… And the delighted fans and I left happy!

Marianas Trench Matt Webb & Mike Ayley

Now if you’re still hungry for more artist photos, just click the photo below to see some of the pictures which I offered up exclusively to Avenue Magazine from behind the scenes!

Thanks to all the artists for being such a fun bunch to photograph!

Mr. Fab arazzi

Posted in Famous Fridays, Musical Mondays, My Life, VIP | Leave a comment

Welcome to the Juno’s

Posted on April 23, 2013 by immrfabulous

I’m really good at romancing what a party might look like in my head. Sometimes my vision is accurate and sometimes it ends up being very far from what I expected.

This was the case with the 2013 Junos Welcome Reception in Regina, Saskatchewan.

This was the city’s chance to make a great first impression, and welcome the media and talent, as a kick off to the weekend’s activities.

The event, set in the RCMP ’drill hall’, sounded like a magical venue full of burly cadets training to earn their famed bowed pants

But the venue, which was nul of decor, was missing the previously envisioned Mounties, and felt more like 1,001 people crammed into a high school gymnasium.

I was 16 again, standing on the sidelines, waiting for someone to ask me to dance.

As the DJ played, and I shuffled from side to side, I started to wonder what time my mom would be there to pick me up.

I stood awkwardly as giant trays, of what appeared to be leftover Christmas turkey on a triscuit adorned with a slice of red pepper, circulated the room.

Then the big moment came!

The musical pride of Regina hit the stage, Colin James!

Things where really picking up.

My eyes quickly darted around the room, I wasn’t about to me the last man standing; I needed a dance partner.

Then like an 80′s prom movie, the crowd parted and I was left standing face to face with ‘Best Pop Album’ nominee, Victoria Duffield!

But after 2 quick songs from Colin James, the stage was cleared and the party was over!

Now I would arguably be one of Regina’s biggest fans; I had high hopes that the city would strut their stuff a little bit more and show the rest of Canada what they’ve been missing… Sadly I think the ‘welcome’ fell a bit short.

That being said, this week I will be sharing some pretty amazing and unbelievable moments and photos from the rest of my weekend at the Junos!

What a roller coaster it was!

Mr. Fab to the Junos

Posted in Musical Mondays | 4 Comments