Pyrrha Game of Thrones Talismans

I’m an admitted pop culture junkie, and love to wax on about whatever my current binge-watch is (is anyone else feeling traumatized by this past Sunday’s The Good Wife?). But confession: I’ve never jumped into Game Of Thrones. I often wish I was one of the masses that’s become obsessive about the show (I love becoming obsessive!) but the, erm, beheading in first episode was a little too much for my squeamishness (and I know it was tame compared to, say, a wedding?). I am, however, a huge fan of the Vancouver design team (and former Western Living Designers of the Year) Pyrrha. And I absolutely love their latest project: talismans, created from wax seals, based on the sigils of the powerful houses of Westeros from Game of Thrones: Targaryen, Stark, Baratheon, Tyrell, Lannister and Greyjoy. Created using the same techniques that Pyrrha has developed for their personal wax seals, the Game series essentially become conversation pieces—right up my alley. Perhaps I’m finally ready to jump into the series.

Pyrrha Game of Thrones talismans, $226, available April 4 in Vancouver at Walrus, walrushome.com; in Calgary at Rubaiyat,rubaiyatcalgary.com

Teixidors Sisteroni throw

After a particularly rainy Sunday here this past weekend in Vancouver, I officially gave up the hope that we might see a couple more days of summer in the city, and started shifting my home (and my wardrobe) to the cozy. Many years in the magazine business means I love a throw or two on the sofa to make it feel warm (an easy way to change up the colour scheme in your room), and practically speaking, a blanket at the ready is perfect for those weekend naps I like to steal whenever I can. These Teixidors throws were a big hit a photo shoot we did recently on a rooftop patio—once the sun went down, guests quickly grabbed the soft merino wool blankets for their shoulders. The company has a great story too: it was built to provide employment for people with learning disabilities, and each blanket is handwoven from ecologically sustainable wool. And they’re just pretty enough to make me feel good about the transition to cooler weather (almost, anyway).

Teixidors Sisteroni throw, $499, available in Vancouver at Provide, providehome.com; in Calgary at Pomp and Circumstance, pompandcircumstance.ca.

Quirky E-Reader Cover

Because I’m a knitter—and handknit projects just can’t be cranked out the night before—I’m one of those irritating types that gets started on my Christmas shopping list early. (The fact that I’m a magazine editor plays into it too: we start planning our Christmas issues in the summer.) Not everyone can get (or wants to get, for that matter) a new scarf this Christmas, so for the others on my list, I’m eyeing these sweet e-reader covers from Out Of Print. Made by the oldest bookbinder in the U.S., they feel like a real book—the one thing I miss when I’m flipping through the “pages” of my Kobo. Better yet, for each book sold, one is donated to a community in need through the company’s partnership with Books in Africa. Out of Print e-reader cover and iPad case, from $55, available at Holt Renfrew, holtrenfrew.com

Special Olympics Edition: Our Editors Pick The Best of British Design!

Sophie Conran Bowl
A good friend of mine is a great plater: she knows how to present food so it looks gorgeous on the dinner table (including that final swipe with a tea towel to catch any errant sauce drips). I’m less so—love to cook, can’t wait to eat. But I have grown to appreciate how much a simple white dish does for a meal. It’s the classic bright background to your brilliant food, much like a white gallery wall. And Sophie Conran’s dinnerware series for Portmeirion adds just a little something to that neutral palette. The famous daughter of the even more famous Terrence Conran (founder of the fab UK chain, Habitat) gives her dishes a little wobble on the edges, their imperfection the perfect pairing to my imperfect plating. —Anicka Quin, Editor-in-Chief

Sophie Conran for Portmeiron bistro bowl, $22, available in Vancouver at Cookworks, cookworks.ca; in Calgary at Chintz & Co., chintz.com

Fred Perry Polo Shirt
In my job I need things that can be thrown in a bag and are equally at home with sightseeing while wearing jeans, or under a blazer having dinner with a local bigwig. There may be no such thing as the perfect polo shirt but this number from Fred Perry comes close. It’s easy, comfortable and shows you put just a little more thought into it than buying a Lacoste or Polo version. And at $85, it’s an affordable way to wear a slice of the jolly old England. —Neal McLennan, Food and Travel Editor

Fred Perry polo shirts, $85, available in Vancouver and Calgary at Harry Rosen, harryrosen.com

Established & Sons Font Clock
It’s no small feat to design a clock in the shadow of Big Ben, but British Firm Established & Sons have one-upped—in this typography nerd’s humble opinion, anyways—London’s iconic timepiece with the quirky Sebastian Wrong-designed Font clock. And just because I’m late for pretty much everything (including my own birthday party last weekend), doesn’t mean I don’t admire the twelve different font families that mix and match to count down the hours via a retro flip mechanism. A piece so beautiful that even the chronically unpunctual can appreciate it? It’s about time.—Stacey McLachlan, Assistant Editor

Established & Sons Font clock, $1,293, available in Vancouver at Inform Interiors, informinteriors.com and online at Yoox, yoox.com

 

Union Jack Dog Tag
Generally, I think women wearing men’s clothes is a trend I’d rather leave to the annals of 80s fashion (though, occasionally, bedtime in a man’s shirt is sexy as long as you’re the model from the Guess ads). But the 2012 Union Jack Ruthenium Dog Tag by the venerable Links of London is the exception to this rule. In sterling silver or Ruthenium plate, this classic line of men’s jewellery paired with jeans (not your boyfriend’s) and a t-shirt lend an effortless, sophisticated cool anytime— not just during the Olympics. —Amanda Ross, Contributing Editor

Links of London Union Jack Ruthenium dog tag, $300, available in Vancouver and Calgary at Holt Renfrew, holtrenfrew.com or online at Links of London, linksoflondon.com

Barbour Standen Jacket
The only thing more classicly British then Bond is Barbour; their jackets are a menswear essential. I own the Standen—its design is timeless, and if well-kept, it’ll last forever. —Brennan Higginbotham, Associate Art Director

Barbour Standen jacket, $350, available in Vancouver at Roden Gray, rodengray.com, or online at Barbour By Mail, barbourbymail.co.uk

My ever-handy iPhone means I’ve gone years without owning a watch—but I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic toward timepieces these days. (And frankly, digging through my handbag to find the time gets tiresome.)

I’ve just discovered these gorgeous handmade pieces from Calgary’s Barrington Griffiths Watch Company. Designed by watchmaker and industrial designer Mark Barrington Griffiths, each watch is crafted from refurbished Swiss pocket watches from the 1940s. His first collection is exclusively men’s watches, but I’ve always preferred men’s styles (go big or go home, I say): consider this cool blue piece tops on my Christmas wish list. $665 at bgwatch.com