gray monk winery, town hall brands, folioyvr, helen siwak, okanagan winery, wine tastings, vancouver, bc

BC Sips & Stories: The Legacy and Matriarchy of Gray Monk Estate Winery

High on a sun-drenched slope in Lake Country, overlooking the vast waters of Okanagan Lake, sits Gray Monk Estate Winery, a pioneer of British Columbia‘s modern wine industry. Founded in 1972 by George and Trudy Heiss, the estate’s story begins not in European vineyards or viticulture academies, but with a leap of faith: the couple...

sandhill winery, town hall brands, folioyvr, helen siwak, okanagan wineries, travel bc, vancouver, bc

BC Sips & Stories: Terroir Driven Excellence: Sandhill Wines

Located in downtown Kelowna, Sandhill Wines has long stood as a cornerstone of British Columbia‘s wine industry. Dedicated to crafting high-quality VQA wines that articulate the distinct microclimates of the region, the winery has earned a reputation for showcasing the true diversity of Okanagan vineyards. By carefully selecting fruit from some of the most respected...

MINE AND YOURS, COURTNEY WATKINS, JEANNE BEKER, ANNIVERSARY PARTY, TORONTO, HELEN SIWAK, FOLIOYVR, LUXURY LIFESTYLE, WEST COAST ENTREPRENEURS, BC, YVR

Resale Queen Courtney Watkins Celebrates Thirteen Years with One Runway, and One Very Special Guest

Hey Beauties! Mine & Yours just turned 13, and Toronto threw it a birthday party in full designer fashion. More than 200 guests packed El Mocambo for Women Who Wear the Future, a night of runway looks, philanthropy, and pure celebration hosted by founder and CEO Courtney Watkins. If you have ever scored a pre-loved...

world luxury manifesto, helen siwak, folioyvr, luxury lifestyle awards, vancouver, bc, new york, bc

The World Luxury Manifesto Gives Luxury Its Collective Voice

Luxury has never had a universal definition. Its meaning shifts across cultures, generations, and personal values, and the World Luxury Chamber of Commerce (WLCC) has addressed that reality with the inaugural World Luxury Manifesto, initiated in honour of World Luxury Day. Developed and published by WLCC, with selected contributions from the global luxury community, the...

front row, john legend, folioyvr, helen siwak, tim thom, vancouver, bc, luxury lifestyle, west coast luxury, oakridge park, retail insider

Joe Zee, John Legend, and The Front Row at Oakridge Park

Vancouver finally has a fashion night to call its own, and The Front Row at Oakridge Park arrived with all the glamour we have been craving. The development turned its North Atrium into a gleaming runway for an evening that blended a century of style, the newest luxury collections, and a headline performance that had...

The Front Row to After-Party: A Night at Oakridge Park [PHOTOS]

Here is a closer look at The Front Row at Oakridge Park, including a peek inside the VIP Pre-Show and Post-Show receptions. The Vancouver evening transformed the North Atrium into a gleaming runway for vintage luxury, new-season collections, and a headline performance by John Legend. Canadian-raised fashion editor and stylist Joe Zee, who leads The...

haywire wines, okanagan crush pad, folioyvr, helen siwak, okanagan wine tastings, town hall brands

BC Sips & Stories: Unruly by Name, Precise by Practice, Presenting Haywire Winery

Haywire Winery sits on scenic benchland in Summerland, but its origin story is anything but polished. Named for the unpredictable wire fencing that once crossed the property, the label began in 2009 as a virtual project: no winery, no crush pad, just a tiny inaugural crop harvested from the organic Switchback Vineyard. The name stuck...

canfar, hiv research, vancouver, bc, vancouver luxury lifestyle, west coast luxury, yvr, helen siwak, folioyvr

Inside Vancouver Entertains: A Night the City Will Not Forget

Vancouver’s gala season leaves little room for a newcomer to stand out, yet in only its second year, Vancouver Entertains has done exactly that, its red ribbon already speaking volumes about the mark it is leaving on HIV awareness in this city. Each guest arrived at an assigned address, one of eight simultaneous dinners hosted...

Inside Vancouver Entertains: The After Party [PHOTOS]

Once dinners concluded, every guest converged on the fifth floor of TELUS Gardens for the evening’s second act. Hazel and DESTINEAK brought the energy, and the dance floor filled quickly with black-tie lapels, sequined gowns and an array of on-trend and avant-garde looks. Oakridge Park’s portrait studio became the night’s unofficial gathering point, camera shutters...

michael kenna, kostuik gallery, jennifer kostuik, yaletown, photography exhibition, vancouver, bc, canada, west coast fine art

A Privilege He Will Never Take for Granted: Michael Kenna’s Beautiful Fukushima Opens in Vancouver

The opening reception for Beautiful Fukushima brought award-winning photographer Michael Kenna and the people who follow his work together at Kostuik Gallery in Yaletown. Beneath the gallery’s exposed brick and timber beams, the atmosphere was warm as guests moved between the framed prints and the display cases, discussing the 50 sepia-toned silver gelatin photographs that...