Archive for February, 2010
23 Feb 2010 | News
The Cross recently sat down with Kasondra Cohen for an interview about her charity event that is being held this Saturday February, 27th entitled ‘Face of Today’. Kasondra is a favourite customer of ours at The Cross, and she is also making a name for herself in the fundraising community. Her mother Jaqui Cohen is well known in Vancouver for her fabulous charity event FACE THE WORLD foundation held every year drawing celebrity names such as, Goldie Hawn, Rod Stewart and Tom Jones. Kasondra is quickly following in her mother’s footsteps and we are so proud to feature her on our blog, she is truly an inspiration! Keep reading to learn more about Kasondra’s wonderful charity event…
THE CROSS ASKS KASONDRA COHEN~
1. What is your Favourite Website/Blog? My favorite website is www.faceoftoday.ca
2. Last Purchase from The Cross? Well…I can’t fully remember because I love everything but to my recollection it was Gorgeous Decadent Pillow.
3. Holiday Destination? I enjoy traveling to Wailea during Christmas with my Mother
4. Fave Fashion Accessory? I would have to say Purses
5. Personal Style Mantra? Trendy but chic
6. Best thing about your Job? Being able to aspire under privileged youthful leaders by providing them opportunities locally and globally to reach their full potential.
7. Morning Drink? Non-Fat Chi Tea Late
8. Favorite Restaurant? That is a hard question but I would have to say Gotham Steakhouse
9. Fave Magazine? Vogue
10. I never miss an episode of… I am not much of a TV watcher but I enjoy Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy
11. Top Shops? I enjoy shopping many places but my favorites are The Cross, Holt Renfrew, Blue Bird, Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co and of course Army & Navy
12. Weekly Indulgence? I love indulging in many things but sometimes there is nothing like an extravagant dessert. Warm apple pie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
13. I need, I want, I can’t live without… I cannot live without my iPhone, you could almost say we are involved in a serious relationship.
14. How do you spend your free time? I usually enjoy spending my free time by walking with my friends, working out, shopping and enjoying quality time with the ones I love.
15. Greatest inspiration… My greatest inspiration is my Mother. She is constantly reminding me how important it is to cherish your family and the ones you love. We believe charity starts at home and my grandmother, mother and I all believe that generosity is the key to success.
Why did you start this Organization? I started Face of Today because I am a privileged young leader and I have been blessed with so many amazing opportunities in my life. Watching my mother with her organization Face The World Foundation and seeing how many lives they have impacted it inspired me to do something on my own. I realized we are the next generation and there is nothing in place to create a focus for charity with our demographic. So I decided that I needed to step up and make charity history through starting my own foundation for the next generation. Sometimes we take what we have for granted and if I wasn’t as fortunate as I am, I wouldn’t have the ability to lead the life I do. My dream has always been to help others and I wanted to start an organization to provide underprivileged aspiring youth with the opportunity to “Turn their dreams into a reality.”
What is your advice for someone who would like to start a fundraiser? My biggest advice is don’t try and re invent the wheel when it comes to charity. Partner with ones that already exist and work on making what is in place better by being creative and adding your own branding through diversity.
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned while starting up your business? The biggest lesson that I have learned is that nothing comes easy know matter who you are and what you have. We all have hurdles to face but it is how you conquer them that gets you through.
Who is your role model or mentor? My role model is my mother but my mentor is Doris Olafson. At Face of Today we have a motto you must be mentored in order to me a Mentor. It is important that everyone seeks someone that they can look up to for advice. No one knows everything and it is very crucial to have people in your life that can inspire and motivate you to aspire to your full potential. I am a strong believer that you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with, it is important to find people who will challenge you in your ideas. We all need someone who can be the devils advocate and allow us to dig deeper in our thoughts to become more creative and initiate new ideas.
GET your tickets to FACE OF TODAY here !!
Thank you Kasondra! And we wish you the BEST of luck with your event this Saturday and in the years to come!
Photos: Jonathan Cruz www.jonathancruz.com
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17 Feb 2010 | News
The Cross’ own in house designer Peter Wilds’ work is featured in this months (February) issue of Style at Home magazine. Read our interview with Peter at the end of the article!
We chatted with Peter about his design work…
~What were your favourite design elements in the Neyestani home?
With all sincerity, I have to say that the Neyestani’s themselves, they were my favourite part of the job. When it comes to particular items in the home, I love the relationship between ‘The Sky Garden’ pendant (in the kitchen) and the table and chairs. I absolutely love the Darlene Cole painting above the fireplace in the family room, I am a big fan of her work. I also love the white leather Oly ‘Hannah’chairs in the living room paired with the Designers Guild pillows. Overall, the Neyestani’s were dream clients and the house looks gorgeous.
~What is your jumping off point when you meet with a new client?
It all starts in that first conversation, I find that with everyone I work with they know what they like. They may not know how to put it together, or how to determine what goes with what…but everyone has an innate sense of what they respond to. I feel that my job is to help to realize that vision, and the bonus is to present unexpected and welcome ideas.
~What is the process like working with a designer from The Cross? Take me step by step.
We start with a consultation that can either happen at The Cross or in the clients home, it is generally an hour. One of the first things I always ask new clients is “What is it about The Cross that made you inquire about our design services?” With regards to the Neyestani’s, their answer to me was that they wanted a “classic, traditional environment with a bit of modern edge.” Based on my first meeting with a potential client, if there is a good response from the conversation, I then work on a “look book” that includes specific furniture pieces, room groupings, fabric options, paint colour, wallpaper and objects of desire. Key pieces from The Cross, are the jumping off point for all my projects. Then I work at creating a unique and personal mix for each client, by choosing pieces from other favourite retailers such as Inform, Livingspace, 18Karat, and always Ikea. To me the most interesting spaces are the ones that have that tension between high/low, elegant/edgy, masculine/feminine, light/dark.
~Where do you draw your inspiration?
Everywhere. Fashion, travel, conversations, people, food, art, nature, the list goes on…
One of the complaints I hear about working with a designer is that the client’s wishes are not heard. How do you respond to this?
Listening and responding to the clients vision is paramount. It is everything to me, it IS the relationship. I work to help them create their ideal home environment, not mine. A designer can’t be all things to all people, and finding the right fit is part of the process.
So do you think that the relationship is based on chemistry from the first meeting?
That is a good question. Sometimes, maybe…but like many relationships it is an evolving experience, and in that you are gaining trust with each other. I never forget that it is a business relationship where money is involved.
How long do your projects last?
They run from a one hour styling consultation to, like the Neyestani’s home, almost two years.
Lets talk about money.
I Love it! I Want it! LOL…I think everyone wants to have the most beautiful environment in the most cost efficient way. At the end of the day you get what you pay for. There is a reason that certain things cost a certain amount. This is where the principal of high/low comes into play. Something that is luxe and perfect and will cost a bit more and will help the inexpensive things look much better in the room. This is the tension in design that interests me most.
How does being featured in a magazine like Style at Home impact you as a designer?
It’s flattering because I am a magazine fanatic, and it’s thrilling to see my work in a magazine that I respect. Also, it gives potential clients an immediate hit of the nature of my work. I have already scheduled four consultations for the first week of March based on my work being featured in the magazine.
Thanks Peter! Amirand Laura Neyestani have said they are thrilled with their home, and the response to the article has been overwhelmingly positive. Bravo! We look forward to the next installation of your life as a designer…stay tuned!
~posted by S.V
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01 Feb 2010 | Events
Live City Yaletown is where the action is! Located at David Lam Park, just a block west of The Cross and the Yaletown/Roundhouse Skytrain station.
From the arrival of the Torch on February 11 through to the closing ceremonies on February 28, LiveCity Yaletown will light up each day and night with energy and excitement from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily.
Friday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., family programming will offer kids the chance to experience the Games in a family friendly environment.
The afternoons will feature highlights from the day’s sporting events on the giant screens followed by late afternoon live entertainment and the official medals presentations.
Vancouver House, showcasing Vancouver’s leaders in the environment, new media, green technology and creative sector. Vancouver House will tell the story of Vancouver Green Capital, our city’s powerful new economic development focus, as told by the innovative and creative Vancouverites who are bringing it to life.
By 8 p.m., there will be free concerts every night of the Games, (checkout the concert schedule HERE) followed by a spectacular nightly show looking out onto the water of Vancouver’s picturesque False Creek.
While all this is happening, The Cross will be opened from 10am to Midnight from February 12th through 28th. Stop by to say hello, catch up on scores and competitions on our specially installed TVs and celebrate the athletes with us!!
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