Though the British and the Australians have set up camp for years during “Awards Season” in Los Angeles, with their A-List magnet G’Day L.A. and BAFTA Tea Party events, Canada stepped into the ring this year with a special fundraiser benefitting the Friends of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, a brand new museum scheduled to open September 2014 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
True to form, it was also one of the friendliest Awards Season events in recent memory. Headlined by acclaimed Canadian actors Catherine O’Hara and David Steinberg, this pre-Globes party showcased Canadian entertainment, libations and cuisine, including the U.S. debut performance for 2013 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards CBC Rising Star Award-winner Bobby Wills, accompanied by Walt Aldridge and Mike Pyle. It was only appropriate that the formal nighttime party was staged on the roof of the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel.
The daytime press event, held in the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel’s Veranda Room was just as warm and welcoming as a trip to the Canadian heartland. While the Canadian designers and small businesspeople on hand were grateful to escape for a few days from the Arctic cold plaguing most of the U.S., the press were delighted to sample some lovely products made in and around Winnipeg.
While silver and gold fine jewelry from Montreal's GrisGris by Barry Richards caught your eye as you were walking in, and Boston-based physician Allan Goldstein got your attention with his booth detailing the philanthropic work of "REACH” (Research, Education, and Awareness for Children with Hirschprung’s Disease, which has strong support from a prominent Winnipeg family affected by the illness), Winnipeg, Manitoba was the center of the universe as well as the geographic center of Canada.
On the Canadian prairies, all kinds of wonderful things grow, including clever business ideas. Bead-a-Bling (www.facebook.com/brooke.mousseau/about) is a company made up of three talented Long Plain First Nation designers (Valerie Houle, Jessica Meeches and Brooke Mousseau) who meld together traditional North American Indian beading techniques with modern colors and shapes for their jewelry and barrettes. Janie Jewels (www.janiejewelscanada), specializes in "upcycled" fashion jewelry sold at Winnipeg Goodwill stores, transformed from soda cans, vintage garments and other reclaimed items. Sugar Blossom Jewelry, likewise, transforms fabric into statement jewelry. Hardmont Candles’ soy-based wax pillars (www.hartmontcandles.com) add an aromatic finish to the room.
Speaking of sugar and sweet treats, there were some fun edibles as well, from Tamara Speirs' Lilyfield Cakes (lilyfieldcakes.com) and the High Tea Bakery (highteabakery.com)to Farmery Beer (farmery.ca, which also handed out lovely soaps made from the things that make the craft beer so good alone or with food). If you wanted savory, there were Elman's Kosher Deli pickles, which were great with the giant sandwiches served by the Peninsula Hotel.
