@TARYNPOTASKY

Art.

My sister and I took a trip to the Art Gallery of Ontario last week just for something to do. The gallery is free every Wednesday between 6:00pm and 8:30pm to everyone! It's nice to just look around at all the art and take a few cool shots along the way ;) 

Thompson Diner

I wore this all white ensemble this weekend to go to dinner with a friend at the Thompson Diner in the Thompson Hotel. What I like most about the diner is the decor inside - it has a 1960's/1970's look to it as do the rooms in the hotel which all have a mid-century modern design. 

I would say if you're in the King West area go eat at somewhere on King West don't look else where! All the food on King is amazing! 

AGO - Jean-Michel Basquiat

Today I went to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) to see the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit. I went into the exhibit not really know what to expect. Basquiat's style is very different from most other well known artists. Basquiat's style was dark and modern, painting in a graffiti street art style. His art is the kind of art that you question while looking at it because it is definitely not strikingly beautiful like a Monet or Van Gogh, You wonder why there is even an art exhibit dedicated to him. The reason why Basquiat is an important artist is because his art is interesting and has a message. As mentioned above he isn't like most of the artists we've heard of. Most of the works I saw today at the exhibit were focused around racism and police brutality which allows his art from the late 1970's and 1980's to remain current. 

A few of the things I found most interesting about Jean-Michel Basquiat are 1. He and Andy Warhol were good friends and 2. He was assigned to paint at a gallery where he was supplied heroin to help spark his creativity 3. He died at his studio in 1988 of a heroin overdose shortly after Andy Warhol's death which pushed Basquiat into severe isolation and depression.  

Jean-Michael Basquiat, 1983

Mass Exodus

I had the pleasure of attending Ryeron University's annual fashion show, Mass Exodus. The fashion show is put on every year by the fashion design and communications student. Design students are assigned to design a small collection for their personal brand including five looks. The show is also North America's largest student run fashion show. This years curator, Jeanne Becker had the difficult job to choose the top few mini collections to be shown in the Mass Exodus press only show. Whether you like each designers collections or not, you cannot deny that each design student has great talent.  

Canadian Art and Fashion Awards

This past Saturday night played host to the second annual Canadian Art and Fashion Awards (CAFA) at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. CAFA is meant to honor Canadian talent in the fashion industry as well as emerging Canadian talent. The host for the evening was Joe Zee, editor in chief of Yahoo Style. Some of the winners of the evening include Anais Pouliot for Model of the Year, Erdem for International Canadian Designer of the Year, and Mikhael Kale for Womenswear designer of the year. 

I had the pleasure of being at this years awards ceremony and was lucky to have the opportunity to meet some of Canada's most important names in fashion. 

From Me to You

I got the idea for this segment which I'm going to call 'From Me to You' from lifestyle blogger Emily Schuman. Every week on her blog she posts a few of her favourite links that she discovered that week. 

For Dying in Dior I think it's a nice break from Fashion once a week where I can share with you things that made me laugh, find interesting, or just generally love. It can be anything really. 

Here are this weeks links from me to you: 

A Guide to Yorkville

I would say that the two most fashionable Toronto neighborhoods are Yorkville and the West Queen West area which Vogue magazine listed as the second coolest neighborhood in the world. Yorkville is more posh while West Queen West is more hipster. I prefer Yorkville but both areas have their perks. Yorkville offers a good mix of high end and low(er) end stores as well as great restaurants.  

Here is a list of places to shop and eat while in Yorkville 

Distillery District Take Two

I went to the Distillery District Christmas Market again this weekend but this time with my family and at night. The market is so much prettier at night and it was the perfect night to go because it wasn't cold at all. Clearly everyone else knew it was a perfect night also because there was a huge line to get into the market and every restaurant had a two to three hour wait. 

Crazy, but so pretty. 

Distillery District

Today I had the pleasure of going on a school trip to the Distillery District in Downtown Toronto. The Distillery is definitely one of my favourite Toronto neighborhoods. It's a piece of the past with old industrial buildings and cobble stone roads stuck right in the middle of booming modern day Toronto. I'm not sure how long ago this started but every year for Christmas there is an old time Christmas market set up in the Distillery with food vendors with grilled cheese, schnitzel, apple cider etc. There is also a Ferris Wheel and carousel. Another thing so appealing about Christmas in the Distillery is that all the shops, many art gallery's, and restaurants are decorated for Christmas while Christmas music plays in the background. There is so much spirit in the Distillery District this time of year. I love it there and for anyone who has not been I highly recommend going but at night to get the full experience ! 

Got Style

TIFF

Best Looks 

Abigail Spencer

Grand Electric

Lately I have been really into food. Well restaurants in particular; I've always been into food. I tend to eat out more than the average person probably does so I figure if I'm going to be eating out I may as well eat somewhere good, right? So I've been spending a lot of my time researching and reading about where the best places to eat are in my city, and cities I visit. Among many of the lists I looked at of the best restaurants in Toronto Grand Electric on Queen Street West (a very hipster area of the city) appeared several times...soooo I HAD to try it. The other night my mom, sister, and family friends of ours went to Grand Electric and gave it a try. It's Mexican and I am a new fan of Mexican food. If anyone decides to go to Grand Electric I recommend the chips and guacamole.    

Bag: Marc Jacobs
Shirt: American Eagle
Jeans: Gap
Shoes: Nine West
Leather Jacket: Forever 21

I'm Back....!

So it's been a while. If you follow me on Instagram (@tarynpotasky) then you most likely already know why I have not posted in a few weeks; and if you don't already know then it was because I was travelling. At the end of June I went to California with my Dad where we visited both Los Angeles, San Francisco and minor cities in between. When I got back from California on the night of July 7th I stayed in Toronto for a few hours and then I was off again this time to Mexico with family and friends. Both trips were great experiences, especially California since I had never been before.

L A

Birthday Weekend

This past Friday marked my 17th birthday. Friday night as I said in my last post I went out for dinner with family. Saturday I went to an Italian restaurant with a few friends. It's safe to say Strada 241 (the name of the restaurant) may have the best pizza I have ever had. I highly recommend it. Sunday my Aunt treated me to High Tea and my Grandmother came along. We went to T-buds....best scones. 

The Weekend

Top: Talula
Jeans: Abercrombie & Fitch
Shoes: Steve Madden
Outfit worn Saturday morning for breakfast with family