Andrew Grinton

We received a tip the other day from a reader named Wilson regarding the photography of Torontonian Andrew Grinton. I am shocked we have not blogged his work before because it's fantastic. Wilson's comment was that Andrew is a cross between 2 of my favourite photographers, Ditte Isager and Anders Schonnemann. His still life portfolio is exquisite, and my favourites are below along with some interiors. Thanks Wilson!

UPDATE: I discovered that the first photo and a couple others below are being featured in an upcoming issue of one of my favourite new online mags (Canadian!) Covet Garden. Be sure to check out this special second issue for December when it goes live on the 15th!!!!!!

  
  

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Modern Light

It seems I've been a bit busy around the city these days, despite the fact that I'm about ready to hibernate from yet another dreadful Ottawa winter. First there was the Third World Bazaar that I visited (a couple of times) last week where I scored some awesome finds, and then this week there was an opening of a lighting store that I was SO excited about and an annual fabric flea market (to benefit the Cambridge Street Community School) that I anxiously await each year. Let me start off with the lighting store. 

There once was a store called Found Design. It sold mainly vintage mid-century furnishings and lighting and I loved to visit this store whenever I was shopping around Bank Street. I of course made some purchases there every now and then (a Panton-esque lamp, a repro Componibili storage unit, a vintage Eames shell chair, some retro fabric and a Witco wooden cat, and a bamboo screen). Sadly Found Design is now only a web-based shop BUT in it's place is Modern Light! They carry all sorts of brands I've always admired and drooled over such as Modernica, Flos, Jonathan Adler, Lotte, Luceplan, Studio Italia, Moooi and others. They don't just carry lighting but furniture, accessories and artwork (much from local Ottawa artists which is really cool). Modern Light's grand opening was Thursday night and I had a great time attempting to take photos of lights in a artificially-lit store at night. (LOL) So you'll have to excuse the mess of some of the photos below but I had no clue how to deal with the lighting situation. So here are a ton of photos from the opening of what is now the absolute coolest lighting shop in Ottawa.

**Many more photos of Modern Light and my fabric finds after the jump.

  
  
  

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Third World Bazaar

I am still a bit uncertain as to what to post on Sundays, but today I thought I'd do something different because I visited a very interesting place on Friday that I thought I'd share, since I took a ton of photos. It's called the Third World Bazaar. This bazaar happens every weekend (Fridays - Sundays) in autumn for 7 weeks, beginning Thanksgiving weekend (which is this weekend here in Canada) and ending November 21st. I've been trying to go yearly for a few years now and it's amazing. It's a huge barn filled with thousands of items from countries all over the world - clothing, purses, furniture, knick-knacks, carpets, jewelry, Christmas decor and much more. The owners buy the majority of the products directly from the artisans and craftsmen in the source countries. This means they get to travel the world seeking out these beautiful hand-crafted products including Morocco, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, Guatemala, Indonesia, Cuba, Thailand and India. I always leave the bazaar with a car full of goodies, and this year was no different. Below are a few photos of my purchases and many photos taken inside the bazaar. If you're in the Ottawa area, you really must head out to Manotick and visit the Third World Bazaar....and make sure to go with an empty trunk!

I have a thing for punched tin - and Jo does too so I think some of these pieces above will be going in her parcel that I wanted to send out months ago...and maybe that Asian wall art...

I bought these on my second trip out to the bazaar. Yep, I went twice. The first time was too overwhelming and I spent most of the time snapping photos. I think the dragon will be a Christmas present for my nephew. I love the punched tin inlay in the wood vase. PRETTY!

This thing is SO RAD! It's huge, and made out of recycled tires. It's from Thailand I think, and in Thailand these bins are used to store garbage. It has holes in the bottom so it could be kept outside and used as a planter. I've heard this is also great for storing firewood. I may use mine (when I have space for it indoors) to store blankets. And now for the photos from the bazaar (which are not that great because we arrived at about 6:30/7 pm so there was no natural light)....

  
  
  

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Covet Garden

There's another new online magazine in town folks! And this one is CANADIAN!! We received an email from Jessica, the art director, who with Lynda Felton (stylist) and Rhonda Riche (writer), decided to create an online mag joining all of the experience they had in the Canadian magazine industry (the likes of Canadian Living, Chatelaine, Flare, Style at Home, Canadian House & Home....). They say Covet Garden is for folks who are curious about real spaces. It's a peek into the homes and lives of some of Toronto's most interesting people - but the kicker is they are spaces that have not been styled by interior decorators. Love that! I grabbed a bunch of photos from their first 2 issues. The first several are of the Leslieville home of teachers Shelley and Brendon and their daughter Clover.

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LLoyd Ralphs

Casual yet stylish. Relaxed yet elegant. Modern and glamorous. White on white mixed with textural naturals. It's resort style for everyday living and chic city home as retreat by Christine Ralphs and Michelle LLoyd of LLoyd Ralphs Design. Gorgeous work.

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