Montreal tennis beauty Eugenie Bouchard might only be 23 but her experience on the courts is unparalleled. Now repping smartwater, Bouchard was the first Canadian at Wimbledon to make it to the Grand Slam singles finals in 2014. She recently lost her Rogers Cup opening match to Croatia's Donna Vekic.
Keeping her head above smartwater, as the other guests drank in sight of her: tennis stunner, Eugenie Bouchard.
The city was swept up in Rogers Cup hype, and, like the rest of us here, she was scoping out the Bruce Wayne-worthy party-pad penthouse that we’d found ourselves in, on the upper fangs of Yorkville.
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she cried, coming across me at the nattiest noon-hour party held this summer in Toronto. Going on to tell me that she’s been in heavy prep-mode for the Rogers Cup, which wrapped up Sunday, I asked her what music she’s been listening to, knowing that she often uses music to get pumped up. “Mostly Latin music,” the Canadian athlete told me.
So, you haven’t been listening to the new Lana Del Rey? I had to ask.
“No,” she laughed, adding, “maybe after the Rogers Cup.” We both decided that Lana’s brand of melancholia might not be the game-enabling music she’s in the racquet-market for.
The Yorkville home listed on Airbnb as an “it spot” to some hot parties and other glamourous curtain calls as of late was the talk of the bash, with revellers looking to compliment the host, who was a no-show to his own party.
We hopped around a bit after that, conversationally. The woman who broke out as a media darling a few years back — with a Vogue spread to prove it — told me her twin sister was doing well (the one who has said she took an “early retirement” at age 7 from tennis!) and that her selfie resume not long ago expanded to Prime Minister Trudeau (adding to the selfie that Eugenie got with Pope Francis a couple years ago during a Women’s Tennis Association stop in Rome).
Of course, we couldn't not also talk H20, considering it was what had brought us here, the leggy water-brand ambassador telling me that she doesn’t leave home without her SmartWater. Quote: “I might even start bathing in it.”
Dunk!
Party host Sangita Patel of ET Canada joined a list of well-known party-goers, including Real Housewife Kara Alloway and socialite Jake Mossop.
For a good sampling of guests gathered this day — most of whom who knew the consolations of youth, and have been around more than LinkedIn — the event was not only an opportunity to gawk at Bouchard, but also some primo real estate. This party pad, if there ever was — located beyond a discreet veneer on New Street — the crib we’d found ourselves in is made up of Gizmo-sharp corners, and a bright airy touch, leading out to an elevated, lush exterior complete with Japanese-style pool.
“Who lives here?” was the question heard most often at the event, held to launch SmartWater Sparkling in Canada.
Who, indeed? Turns out the dude — an entrepreneur-type with exacting taste — wasn’t even there. Kind of a Gatsby move. A ghost of honour, if you will!
Toronto celebrity chef Cory Vitiello, of Flock, Harbord Room, and Meghan Markle ex fame.
Not to mention, the elusive dude behind a space that’s very much become a pssssssst hot spot of late: it’s the house where model of the moment Gigi Hadid had a shoot, and where the TV series Suits filmed some scenes, and was even the backdrop for a Chanel-hosted bash. Add to this: it’s the place where Airbnb itself hosted a press cocktail just a few months back that I attended because ... well ... if you have $5,000 a night to spare, you, too, can play house there — via Airbnb, of course.
(“Enjoy the luxurious Hastens beds, high ceilings, killer views, Bang & Olufsen speakers, theatre, spa, and privacy,” reads the primer on the Airbnb site, with a shout-out to the private elevator in the house too.)
I could get used to this. That was the look on everyone’s face along for the afternoon ride, a group that ranged from sculpture artist Harley Valentine to Real Housewife Kara Alloway to boy-about-town Jake Mossop to celebrity chef Cory Vitiello to Saks Fifth Avenue flack Shayne Stephens. ET Canada’s Sangita Patel was, by the way, hosting the party.
Water, water, everywhere. Plus some pretty fine sightlines, too.
