I wish you an incredibly fun New Year’s Eve tonight and a wonderfully relaxing New Year’s Day tomorrow! I’ll be spending January 1 with my husband, pots of tea and piles of movies (also, possibly piles of Advil). I’ve put together my dream screening list and asked some members of the ELLE Canada team to share their favourite stylish movies. Happy New Year!

My suggested screening list:

1. In Vogue: The Editor’s Eye. A fascinating glimpse at the world of Vogue through its fashion editors, including Polly Mellen, Camilla Nickerson and Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, who gets my vote for person I’d least like to be stuck with in an elevator.

2. Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The opening scene—where Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) ambles down Fifth Avenue at dawn—is so incredibly beautiful.

3. Girls. I rewatched season 1 over the holidays, and episode 3—starring Booth Jonathan, HPV and Robyn’s “Dancing on my Own”—inspired me to text “masterpiece yo” to my sister. Season 2 premieres January 13 on HBO Canada. Watch for our recaps.

4. Rear Window. Grace Kelly is astonishingly beautiful in this classic Hitchcock film, embodying ladylike elegance with nipped in waists and full skirts. Supporting star: the Hermès Birkin.

5. Clueless. The most quotable movie of the ’90s. “That was way harsh, Tai.” Amazing.

More New Year’s Day movie suggestions from the ELLE Canada team:

“A Single Man.”
—Ciara Rickard, production editor

“A Single Man. Kill Bill. Dolls by Takeshi Kitano. How to Steal a Million.”
—Elena Viltovskaia, associate art director

“Empire Records (Happy Rex Manning Day!) and Now & Then.”
—Alannah O’Neill, associate editor

“Roman Holiday. I used to imagine everyone in Italy to be like Audrey Hepburn—effortlessly riding around on Vespas with their perfectly tied silk scarves blowing in the wind. Then I went to Rome and saw that this is actually 100 per cent true. Not fair.”
—Ava Baccari, web writer

OVER TO YOU!

What’s on your fashionable movie list?

E11even restaurant may have one of the most fashionable clienteles in the entire city—so we couldn’t resist asking this Toronto hotspot to create a custom concoction for ELLE Canada. We caught up with E11even’s sommelier extraordinaire, Jonathan MacCalder, who made us a killer cocktail.

Here’s what you need for the “Bootlegger’s Passion,” created by MacCalder for ELLE Canada.

1.5 oz Seagram’s VO (Crown Royal also works well, says MacCalder)
1 oz fresh passionfruit juice
0.5 oz cane sugar syrup (1:1 ratio of raw, unrefined sugarcane crystals to water, stir until fully absorbed)
1 oz egg white (far superior than without it, MacCalder assures us, as it adds texture)

Read more on the E11even cocktail on the next page and Q&A with McCalder…

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Sure, Moët and Chandon is divine simply on it’s own—but if you’re looking to add a bit of flair to a classic, why not try ELLE Canada’s signature Elder Bubble cocktail? Bonus: It’s not exactly ingredient intensive!

Click through to see how to make the “Elder Bubble” cocktail…
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Photo of Andrew Lovesey. Image by Patrick Lacsina.

Just remember that when you’re reaching for that second (or fifth) chocolate macaron over the next few days, so are we. And so too are your favourite Canadian fashion personalities reaching for their signature festive treats and cocktails. Raise a double-chocolate dipped biscotti and celebrate the seasonal indulgence – workout starts next year.

What’s your favourite holiday treat?

“My mother’s homemade shortbread cookies, with Christmas-coloured sugar sprinkles.”
—Andrew Lovesey, Toronto-based editor and ELLE Canada contributor

“I’m a chocolate fanatic. I’ll be treating myself….and my guests of course with chocolate shortbread and milk chocolate caramels dusted with sea salt.”
—Lisa Tant, VP fashion editor, Holt Renfrew

“My favorite holiday treat is a dessert from Eastern Europe called Bombice. It’s cookie dough mixed with ground nuts and sprinkled with coconut. Google it, they’re amazing!”
—Dajana, model, Elmer Olsen

“Champagne! Like the rest of the year in fact!”
—Denis Gagnon, designer

Click through to read more of the favourite holiday sweets of top Canadian fashion personalities here!

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Joseph Ziegler and Anton Gillis-Adelman in Soulpepper Theatre Company’s A Christmas Carol. Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

TORONTO: THEATRICAL MIRACLE
Status: Closes this weekend
What: The ghost of Great Theatre Past descends once again on Toronto’s Young Centre for the Performing Arts with Joseph Ziegler and an immaculate cast in Soulpepper Theatre’s haunting and heartwarming production of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.
When: Dec. 26 to 29, 7:30PM; additional performances at 1:30PM on Dec. 28 and 29.
Where: Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane,
Distillery Historic District, Toronto.
Buzzworthy notes: Ziegler’s “Bah! Humbug!”, those adorable Cratchit kids, and the beautifully rendered Victorian set, which parallels the the cobblestone streets and Dickensian feel of the Distillery Historic District itself, will be all the holiday magic you need this season.

TORONTO: POST-HOLIDAY SHOPPING
Status: Boxing day only
What: After all the festive gift-giving this year, stock up on the pieces Santa may have missed at the Philip Sparks Tailored Goods Inc Boxing day sale.
When: Wednesday Dec. 26, 2012, 11AM to 6PM.
Where: Phillip Sparks, 162 Ossington Ave., Toronto.
Buzzworthy notes: Your favourite tailored pieces at 50 to 90 per cent off their regular price.

Read on for more fashionable events taking place across Canada this week!

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Creating a really good drink is an art form—and no one knows this better than Moses McIntee from Toronto’s Museum Tavern. McIntee’s take on the classic Tom Collins is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Here’s what you need for McIntee’s Miss Collins cocktail, created specially for ELLE Canada.

Miss Collins
2oz Eristoff Vodka
1/2 lemon, squeezed and dropped into a Collins glass
3/4 oz simple syrup
12 mint leaves
4 dashes of Scrappy’s lavender bitters
1 spoon full of violet pearls

Read more on the Miss Collins cocktail on the next page and Q&A with McIntee…

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Photography by Barbora Simek

Cynthia Wong, snapped in Toronto

Style: Girly chic

Wearing: J Crew jacket, Club Monaco chiffon dress, Zara scarf, tights and shoes from China and a Christian Dior purse

Style inspiration: “I always dress with different inspiration, sometimes it is very casual sometimes very formal so my inspiration is always different.”

Click through to see our Montreal street style pic of the day!

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Canadian model Dajana. Image courtesy of Elmer Olsen Model Management.

There’s something about this time of year that takes us back to the good times of holidays passed (and not in a foreboding, Ebenezer Scrooge kind of way). So this week we’re indulging in a little festive nostalgia by asking top Canadian fashion personalities to share their warmest holiday memories. For maximum holiday spirit, best served with a candy cane hot chocolate (or cocktail).

What’s your best holiday memory?

“My best memory of the holidays would have to be when my late dog was still around. There’s no better memory than those of watching and playing with him in the snow during the holidays. Also, letting him have all the leftovers! How did he still stay in great shape?!”
—Dajana, model, Elmer Olsen

“I always treasure the quiet time with my family once the presents have been opened and turkey eaten. That’s when we dig into new books or watch new DVDs and just enjoy each other’s company.”
—Lisa Tant, VP fashion editor, Holt Renfrew

“One of my favorite Christmas memories was in grade eight when I was chosen to sing solo in my school’s Christmas concert. Christmas carols always make me feel so festive and I love to sing, so it was one of the best experiences. I’ll never forget singing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” in front of all the kids and parents!!”
—Dauphine, model, Elmer Olsen

“Last Christmas – it was a very joyful one with family, a very happy night.”
—Denis Gagnon, designer

Click through to read more of favourite holiday traditions of top Canadian fashion personalities here!

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Hanji Handmade Paper and Gifts is the type of place where you could easily spend an afternoon, lost in the trinkets and treasures that have been lovingly curated by husband and wife duo Catherine Choi and Hyun Suk.

On a recent visit, I became smitten with the homemade notebooks that Choi binds in house and decorates with charms and dried flowers. I’ll be sure to stock up before I head to fashion week, since they’re small enough to fit in a clutch and stylish enough to whip out at the shows.

Homemade notebooks ($29.50) at Hanji Handmade Paper and Gifts, 619 Bloor St. West, Toronto

Photography by Barbora Simek

Winnie Chui, snapped in Toronto

Style: Casually nautical

Wearing: J Crew jacket, Kate Spade sweater, blouse from Mendocino, pants from China, Michael Kors shoes and Miu Miu purse

Style philosophy: “I like to try different styles of dressing like a character sometimes I dress more girlish sometimes more formal, but I always try to do new things.”

Click through to see our Montreal street style pic of the day!

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