For TIFF 2012, View the Vibe will be documenting our gallivanting around town with – surprise, surprise – videos, pictures, and words our own. We’ll also be keeping you up-to-date with a series of pieces about what’s transpiring around the TIFF scene, from the parties you wish you could crash to the events at which your name appearing on the list is fathomable, the best bets for celebrity spotting over cocktails to where you might find a star side dish with your meal. And thus, we begin our series with Part One: The Predicted Parties…
Can you smell it? TIFF is nigh, dear friends, and the wafting of eau de celeb and parfum de party is in the air. It’s an exciting time of year for Toronto: Our humble hoods rampant with the call of stardom for a 10-day transplant of all things Hollywood; our fair city donning her sexy black dress to become the most-talked about celeb slut in North America, playing promiscuous with galas, red carpets, and parties alike. And we – the fine, upstanding (if not mildly snooty) citizens of this fair metropolis – feel our livelihoods are legitimized by the flash of cameras.
While we’ve got word on some devilishly delightful parties and events that have the seal of the Gossip Guarantor (coming at you very soon), we decided to start our TIFF series on a different note: The Predicted Parties. These are the ones we know have a likelihood to pop up, but thus far haven’t heard any confirmed dates…
SOHO House
The 10,000 sq. ft. Canadian outpost of the members-only SOHO House is launching just in time for TIFF 2012. Last year, this exclusivity-exuding brand partnered with Grey Goose, and held a pop-up series of cast parties and events at the Storys building, with celebs in attendance ranging from Emily Blunt to Ewan MacGregor, Olivia Wilde to George Clooney. The Toronto SOHO House will undoubtedly be a top spot during this year’s TIFF.
TORO (After Dark, again?)
Top online men’s magazine TORO – remember when they used to print their gorgeous editions? – held a couple TIFF parties last year at the now-defunct AME. Branded ‘After Dark’, the first was in conjunction with Artists for Peace and Justice (Paul Haggis’ NFP), and saw Haggis and Gerard Butler working the room at the fundraiser. The second was just a kick-ass time. We’re guessing TORO has something in the works for TIFF this year, and it likely won’t disappoint.
Gansevoort
Boutique hotel chain Gansevoort came north of the border for TIFF 2011, hosting Goodnight Gansevoort at, appropriately, Goodnight Bar (also now defunct). This one saw actors like Jon Hamm and Oliver Platt drinking Mad Men style cocktails. Chances are, they’ll TIFF it up again.
George Strombo’s ‘Takeover’
Last year it was at Hazelton Hotel, and a slew of celebs and socialites attended thanks to the charm and allure of quite arguably Canada’s best interviewer, George Stromboulopoulos. It’ll be no surprise if we see his name on the TIFF Party docket.
Hello! Canada
The Ritz-Carlton was a sexy place last year during TIFF. The hotel’s new digs and close proximity to Festival Tower had it pumping from Day One. Hello! Canada’s Red Carpet Gala was there, and though we’ve yet to hear its announcement for TIFF 2012, it’s not a long shot to guess that with new Publisher Lisa Tant at the helm, Hello! will have a sweet soiree.
Bungalow 8
Amy Sacco’s acclaimed Bungalow 8 – in partnership with SmartWater – held a ditty of a pop-up for the Toronto International Film Festival’s 2011 season. Perched at The Burroughes Building, starlets like Jessica Chastain mingled with movie hunks ranging from Colin Farrell to Michael Fassbender. Will it be back this year? Who knows, but we’re hoping…
Alliance Films Studio Party
This was a big one at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Held at South of Temperance (and a rather large tent in the neighbouring courtyard), everyone from George Clooney to Ryan Gosling, Gus Van Sant to Marisa Tomei, and Paul Giamatti to Evan Rachel Wood showed up. We heard about 1,000 guests made their way in throughout the night. So, if it’s here again, it’s likely to be a hot ticket for TIFF 2012.
Vanity Fair’s Party
Last year it was at Scarpetta. This year…who knows? (Except insiders of course.) But Vanity Fair’s TIFF party is most definitely one to watch for. Celebs flock to this fancy to-do the way paparazzi flock to, well, celebs. Bono and Clooney, Franco and Dunst, and many in between arrived for TIFF ’11’s affair. The star power of Vanity Fair is near-unparalleled to be sure.
InStyle Magazine and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Gala
Last year at the Windsor Arms, InStyle Magazine and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association held their classy shindig. It saw stars like Jennifer Garner, Geoffrey Rush, Katie Couric, Chace Crawford and Olivia Wilde to name just a few. As is par for the course for the big publications, InStyle can draw a crowd to rival any Toronto International Film Festival red carpet.
PS For TIFF 2012’s star power, click here to check out the complete – if not visually cacophonous and eye-straining – list of those whose first-class plane seats will carry them to Toronto come September, courtesy The National Post.