Backyard Escapes with Gib-San Pool & Landscape Creations

Have you always wanted to spend your summer days in a lush tropical lagoon instead of an ordinary backyard? This longing need not remain a mere fantasy – you can transform your yard into a sultry oasis with a breathtaking pool as the focal point.

“It’s like having your own waterfront property,” says Ed Gibbs, president of Gib-San Pool & Landscape Creations. The world’s first ISO-certified pool company and a member of the coveted Master Pools Guild, Gib-San is more than just a pool-builder. For over 40 years, it has been designing and creating pristine properties, renovating backyards into little pieces of paradise. “You really have to have designers and architects involved if you want to achieve something more than an average backyard and pool,” he adds. Read more

Life in Our City — Vaughan

Sweet and stylish summer offerings from across the municipality

We LOVE Cappuccino
Warm your heart with the rich blends of Ionia … il Caffè and fall in love with coffee all over again.  www.alfacappuccino.ca

We Scream for Ice Cream
Renowned for its cakes, pastries and breads, St. Phillips Bakery also scoops out soft and creamy ice cream for a refreshing mouthful. www.stphillipsbakery.com

Hitting the Jackpot
Light and breezy, this flowing white top is a soft contrast to the vivid pink of these casual shorts from Jackpot. Read more

Wood Staining Tips with Claudio Grisolia of Steeles Paint

If there’s one thing that can tarnish your backyard’s good name, it’s a poor-looking deck and fence. Over time, sun and moisture can damage exposed decks and fences, giving an undesirable weathered look. To ensure the longevity and durability of your wooden deck and fence, applying a good quality wood stain is a must. But before the brushing begins, there are a few important points to consider.

First and foremost, the wood must be prepared. If your deck and fence has seen a few winters and you’re looking to recoat the lumber, cleaning is crucial. “It removes any mould, grime and dirt from the wood, and gives the finished product a more pristine look,” says Claudio Grisolia, owner of Steeles Paint.

If this is the first season for your timber, you’re in luck: no cleaning is required. However, if you just recently built Read more

Designer Diva — Sabrina Albanese, Interior Designer

Creativity isn’t born out of someone who plays it safe. “If I’m not scared when I’m doing something, I’m not doing it right,” says interior designer Sabrina Albanese.

Graduating from Ryerson University’s School of Fashion in Toronto and Central Saint Martins University of the Arts in London, England, Albanese went on to co-own a clothing label called Wolves. After living in New York to pursue her fashion career, Albanese eventually moved back to Toronto where she realized her true calling. Now, she is a successful businesswoman and interior designer, who lends her talent to anything from commercial projects to vacation homes. “One thing about me is that I love design in general, so I embrace every discipline,” says Albanese. Describing her style as eclectic, this multi-dimensional individual loves antique shopping and watching old movies for décor inspiration. “I like finding unusual things.” Read more

Designer Diva — Roula Thalassinos, Stagedfx

“I can’t live without my imagination,” says Roula Thalassinos, the owner and visionary behind Stagedfx. With a presence and passion for the home staging and interior decorating business, she doesn’t have to.

Growing up, Thalassinos always had a love of beautiful things. “My mother was a custom dressmaker and I would always see luxurious fabrics and one-of-a-kind pieces.” Following in her mother’s footsteps, this businesswoman first started as a fashion designer for her own successful line of children’s clothing. After years of compliments on the look of her home, it was time to apply her knack for decorating and creative vision to yet another endeavour.

Thalassinos soon became an expert in the home staging industry and a successful interior decorator. “When staging Read more

Designer Diva — Elika Gibbs, Practical Princess

The day of the Royal Wedding was fitting to interview a princess – a practical princess, that is. “I am probably the most boring person in the whole-wide-world,” says the sweet English voice on the phone. “I promise you darling, I am.” With years of experience in the fashion industry and elite clients Kate Moss and Jimmy Choo co-founder Tamara Mellon, wardrobe guru Elika Gibbs is far from lacklustre.

Her personal shopping and wardrobe organizing company Practical Princess gives women the help they need to feel confident in their clothes and happy in their closets. The knowledge Gibbs has been sharing with celebrities is now available for everyone to enjoy. Her new book, Practical Princess Perfect Wardrobe hands us her winning formula on a silver platter. With posh closets and designer clothes spread across the pages, Gibbs makes it an easy, if not indulgent, read. “Clothes do hold memories and we do sort of Read more

Summer Books & Music

Summer inspiration is at your fingertips, with pages that bring out your creativity and lyrics that bring you around the world.

1. Preserves and Pickles There’s nothing like homemade jam in the summertime. Turn to Gloria Nicol’s cookbook for 25 mouth-watering spreads. Read more

2011 Mayor’s Gala

The city of Vaughan is marking a special occasion this year as it celebrates its 20th anniversary. In honour of this historical milestone, the Vaughan business and professional community, along with the community at large, are invited to join Mayor of Vaughan Maurizio Bevilacqua and members of council at the 2011 Mayor’s Gala. This event is taking place on June 22, 2011, at the Paramount Conference and Event Venue, 222 Rowntree Dairy Road in Vaughan at 6 p.m. For additional information, visit www.vaughan.ca

« Previous Page