ELEVATORS GO UP, ELEVATORS GO DOWN, @ 201 ELEVATORS GO NOWHERE

My top priority with this blog is to highlight vintage fashion and the stores where I have found my most precious vintage clothing.  On a serious note, I also want to take readers inside the reality of living in the non-gentrified neighbourhood of Moss Park. 

The biggest headache in our Moss Park location is the elevator situation in our high rise apartment building.  Since I moved here in January, the elevators have been an on-going problem for all tenants here @ 201.  There are 3 elevators in the building and there have been constant problems with all of them.  Our most temperamental elevator #3 was out of service for over 3 months this summer.    

I have spoken with the elevator repair company and they informed me the building’s owners were told over 20 years ago the elevators need to be replaced.  Since that time the building’s owners have ignored their professional advice and have chosen to have the repair company come out to the building, sometimes on a daily basis, to try and fix these outdated and ancient elevators.  At this point, they are so old the repair company told me  is almost impossible to even find the parts to repair them correctly.

I am encouraging tenants @ 201/191 to contribute/comment to these postings to increase awareness of this frustrating and potentially dangerous problem. 

CHERRY COLAS - NO ROCK N ROLLA?

What is happening in the Toronto nightclub scene these days?  Since returning to Toronto, my absolute favourite nightclub has been Cherry Cola’s on Bathurst @ Queen St West.  It was one of the few clubs left in town where one could go out and enjoy the pleasure of an evening with a DJ who features classic rock n roll.  Not house music, not hip hop, not top 40, not dance but actual hard core, old school Rock Classics.  The vibe, the scensters and most definitely the tunes brought back fond memories of Rock N Roll Heaven in its heyday.

For the last two weekends running Terry & I have gone to Cherry Colas’ in anticipation of dancing the night away to our favourite rock classics.  What an absolute shock and disappointment to find they have a new DJ who is spinning nothing but the standard Queen St West, bridge & tunnel, dance schlock.  I strongly advise they take time to change the names of the club to Cherry Cola’s:  the same old dance schlockolla.  Cherry Colas: Rock N Rollas is just plain false advertising these days.

On both occasions, I wore my vintage cherry hat as a tribute to Cherry Colas.

Terry & MaryLenore's Moss Park View

FASHION CREDITS:

On MaryLenore

Custom made silk Edwardian themed blouse by Rosie in Nashville, TN.

Custom silk corset skirt by Karen Von Oppen, @  KVO Designs.

Custom brocade waist cincher by Karen Von Oppen @ KOV Designs.

Vintage hot pink felt hat with cherry trim @ Ephemera Too, St Lawrence Market Antiques, Toronto, ON

Vintage necklace & earrings set @ Goodlettsville Antique Market, Goodlettsville, TN

On Terry:

Black dress shirt, Michael Kors @ Saks Off 5^th

Black stretch f**king jeans @ Lip Service

Shoes, Mercanti Fiorentini @ DSW Warehouse, Nashville, TN

FASHION CREDITS:

On Terry:

Vintage tuxedo jacket @ Flashback Vintage, Nashville, TN

Vintage tuxedo shirt @ Flashback Vintage, Nashville, TN

Vintage lace pocket square, @ Goodlettsville Antique Market, Goodlettsville, TN

Shoes, J. Murphy @ DSW Warehouse, Nashville, TN

On MaryLenore

Custom made linen/silk skirt by Karen Von Oppen @ KVO Designs.

Black lace blouse, @  Cat’s Cradle, Toronto, ON

Pink tulle & satin rose trimmed shawl, @ Cat’s Cradle, Toronto, ON

Vintage hot pink felt hat with cherry trim @ Ephemera Too, St Lawrence Market Antiques, Toronto, ON

Vintage necklace & earrings set @ Goodlettsville Antique Market, Goodlettsville, TN

Black leather boots, @ Aldo

On a positive note, the evening highlight was a performance from one of my favourite Toronto indie bands, Crooked Valentine.  The band continues to impress me whenever I get the opportunity to check out a show.  The band were tight, the new guitarist was very good and lead singer Lindsay Valentine gave another electrifying, entertaining show.  Ms. Valentine could teach this new Cherry Cola’s weekend DJ a few things about kick-ass rock n roll.  The lady has an unequalled attitude not to mention, fabulous, fabulous rock n roll style. 

Crooked Valentine @ Cherry Colas

Vintage Edwardian on Bloor Street West

The Location:  The Piston, Bloor & Dovercourt, 09-11-11

The Occasion:  Openhearts Society weekend residency.  Celebrations for the Toronto release of Openheart Society’s debut CD Love in Time continued with another awesome show @ The Piston.  A special shout out to guest performer, Miss Emily Fennell.

On Terry:

Shirt, Calvin Klein @ Saks Off 5th

Shoes, J. Murphy @ DSW Warehouse, Nashville, TN

Vintage tuxedo jacket @ Flashback Vintage, Nashville, TN

Pocket square @ Model Citizen, Toronto, ON

Black stretch f**king jeans @ Lip Service.

On MaryLenore:

Black turtleneck body suit, Wolford hosiery @ Designer Finds, Nashville, TN

* Vintage 1890’s capelet and bustle skirt @ Lebanon Square Antiques, Lebanon, TN

Black lace waist cincher by Karen Von Oppen, KVO Designs.

Vintage 1920’s black crochet fingerless gloves.  @ La Rosa Vintage, San Francisco, CA

 * The history behind both the skirt and capelet – I bought it from an antiques store in Lebanon, TN.  The store owners discovered the outfit  in an attic in Mississippi.  It was owned by a travelling companion for a lady of leisure.  The skirt originally had a waistline of around 16 or 18”.  The back of the skirt was cut to wear a bustle.  The detailing and beadwork on both the skirt and capelet is the eptimay of luxury.   If this is the lavishness  for clothes for a simple travelling companion I can only imagine what the ‘lady of leisure’ would wear.  A special thanks to Joan Durand for her alteration expertise on both the length and the waist line of the skirt.

OPENHEARTS SOCIETY, "LOVE IN TIME" TORONTO LAUNCH

LOCATION:  The Piston, Toronto, ON 09-04-11

 

MaryLenore Arsenault, Be-Bop Communications Inc/Openhearts Society Publicist & Terry Nichols.

FASHION CREDITS

On MaryLenore

• Black feathered  felt hat.  @ Fleur De Paris, New Orleans, LA
• Vintage Sequin sheer blouse.  One of my first primo vintage buys ever.  @ - gosh, a great Vintage shop, on Queen West (south side between John & ??, 2^nd story in theearly-80’s when great oscure vintage could afford retail on the strip).  They’ve probably moved to West Queen West – the best location for current vintage options.
• Black motorcycle pants, @ Mendocino, Toronto, ON
• Vintage 1920’s black crochet fingerless gloves.  @ La Rosa Vintage, San Francisco, CA
• Purse.   Betsey Johnson

On Terry:

• Vintage1970’s  tuxedo shirt. @ Flashbacks, Nashville, TN
• Black “stretch f**king jeans.  @ Lip Service
• Jack Skellington belt.  @ Hot Topic
• Black onyx & silver cuff links. @ One of A Kind Craft Show

Carolyn Brown, Beloved mom of Chris Brown & Chris Brown, Openhearts Society

FASHION CREDITS

On Carolyn:

• Vintage linen jacket. Basco Sportswear
• Top.  Non Fiction by Tiger Brand
• Vintage skirt.  Southern Comfort

On Chris:

• Vintage 1960’s seersucker blazer @ Salvation Army Store, Picton, ON
• Vintage purple dress shirt, Christian Dior @ Clingnancourt Flea Market, Paris
• Vintage 1960’s psychedelic tie, Pucci @ La Rosa Vintage, San Francisco, CA

MaryLenore Arsenault & Carolyn Brown

BEACH BLANKET BINGO @ 201

Location:  St Lawrence Market, Toronto, ON

FASHION CREDITS:

Vintage 1950’s Bathing Suit, Beach Party @ Cheap Thrills Vintage, Tulsa, OK

Shoes/Purse:  Aldo

Vintage 1950’s Earrings,Goodlettsville Antique Market, Goodlettsville, TN

It was great to make the acquaintance of Barbara Griffin, proprietor of Ephemera Heirlooms and Antiques at St Lawrence Market.  Loved, loved the pink felt vintage ‘cherry hat’.  I am planning to wear it to Cherry Cola's this weekend.

Welcome to My Blog

This ain't Rosedale. This definitely ain't Yorkville. This ain't even Riverdale. Welcome to Moss Park, Toronto, ON.

My name is MaryLenore Arsenault and I have owned the public relations company Be-Bop Communications Inc. for going on 23 years. Most of my clients have encompassed the entertainment sector ranging from music to theater to entertainment venues to award shows to children's entertainers. During these 23 years, I have been based in Toronto, New York City, Nashville and have just returned back to Toronto. I was honoured to receive the Independent Publicist of the Year Award at Canadian Music Week, March 2001.

One of my all-time favourite past times is checking out vintage stores. Where most people pick a vacation spot they want to check out the local list of tourist attractions. The first thing I do is compile a list of local vintage shops to visit.

My style combines vintage with contemporary and (mostly) second-hand designer finds. I am constantly stopped on the street with people commenting on my unusual style and asking where I have purchased certain wardrobe items. I want this blog would combine my love for vintage fashion plus let people know the brand/designer and more importantly, the source of that specific clothing item. Since my professional schedule includes attending various weekly entertainment events this blog will cover where I went and what I wore.

Moss Park is the neighbourhood where my partner, Terry Nichols & I currently reside. Politicians keep talking about the gentrification of Moss Park & Regent Park. That gentrification is starting to happen but the neighbourhood still lives up to its past reputation. . I hope this blog will also provide a new insight to the population, gentrified, and more importantly, non-gentrified living in this downtown community.

With our vintage and eclectic wardrobes, Terry & I definitely stand out in the hood. We've had compliments on our attire from just about everyone:

• the local drug dealer on the corner (evening ma'am) – which I give full credit to my Grandma's 1950's vintage mink coat, or was it Terry's black leather motorcycle jacket?
• the homeless man hanging out in Sam's Food Store parking lot (you two look most elegant this evening – let me get the door for you and I won't even be asking you for any money)
• the professional ladies working the neighbourhood (gosh ma'am you look so nice and dressed up) – this was part of a conversation where I supported her on her statement "No glove – no love" to a perspective client
• to the regular working folk waiting for the streetcar (I love that hat, where did you get it?). – the hat was from a small church shop in Alabama

 

•Here’s a photo of the Toronto skyline from our balcony @ Dundas/Sherbourne.  We think we have a million dollar view.  We wouldn’t give it up for anything.