Mia Kirshner came into Toronto Antiques on King before Christmas (our hearts have not yet returned to a normal pulse). In addition to being a classic beauty, Kirshner is modest, understated and unassuming. She seemed full of wonderful paradoxes that only made us like her more—In spite of her endorsement from Maxim and many other main-stream publications as one of the sexiest women alive, Mia was too modest to let us take her picture (She thought she was having a bad hair day…If my bad hair days could only be so good…). She did, however, generously encourage us to blog about her visit.
Kirshner admired “modest” jewellery preferring workmanship to gems, quality to quantity. She didn’t like any piece of jewellery that she deemed “noisy” and instead preferred our collection of delicate Georgian and Victorian rings. She settled on a lovely Edwardian ring that featured white-gold filigree work. She also loved this Georgian garnet ring. Like Kirshner, this ring is paradoxically delicate and bold.
In addition to being an exquisite example of period jewellery (circa 1850), this ring is special because it features January’s birthstone, garnet (also Kirshner’s birthstone). Although garnet comes in all the colours, deep burgundy is most common. Mythically, the garnet is the stone of protection. Many courageous discoverers wore garnets because of their purported protection against disease and predators. Today, people believe that garnets ward against diseases ranging from arthritis to toenail trouble. Perhaps the most famous 20th century garnet was Jaqueline Kennedy-Onassis’ cabochon garnet flower brooch that sold at Sotheby’s for $145,000.
Soon the Cynthia Findlay Collection will have a sample of its garnet selection online. Check it out at www.cynthiafindlay.com
McCain Family Donates $1 million to the Metropolitan Community Church: and other “small world” musings
Growing up in New Brunswick, I knew the McCain family well. Aside from my mother’s hand-cut french fries, McCain frozen fries were my absolute favourite snack. When I married my boyfriend, best friend and future business partner, we were honoured that Margaret McCain agreed to play the organ at our wedding. New Brunswick is a small world, but so is my new home of thirty-five years, Toronto. Toronto feels the McCain family’s generosity just as much as New Brunswick does.
I want to extend a big congratulations to Wallace and Margaret McCain for their generous donation to the Metropolitan Community Church, Toronto’s premier gay-rights church. This donation coincides with the 10th anniversary of a controversial same-sex wedding ceremony at the Metropolitan Community Church. Just as Margaret made my wedding special, so will this donation continue to make meaningful and special moments for members the Metropolitan.
A special contribution from Cynthia Findlay, owner of Toronto Antiques on King
About to tie the knot? Check out our selection of engagement rings at www.cynthiafindlay.com/engagement-rings