Nothing quite compares to a summer house party.
Especially one that’s hosted by Toronto “it” PR girl, NKPR founder Natasha Koifman.
Which is why last night even the rain couldn’t stop 200 of the city’s finest from flocking to Koifman’s sprawling home (complete with a gorgeous backyard) for the NKPR + Rudsak Festival Countdown.
Here’s what made #NKPRIT14 so epic:
The live music.
Sure, a well curated playlist helps, but nothing adds to the vibe of a house party like a little live music – whether a five-piece band or solo performer. As the rain poured down, guests were treated to a stunning poolside performance by Jill Godin, who wowed the crowd and inspired ample video taking with her powerful voice (despite getting slightly soaked in the process).
The specialized drinks.
As opposed to the typical booze and mix offerings (so frat party), house parties are made memorable with signature cocktails. In addition to offering the beer on its own, a Stiegl beverage bar served up the Stiegl Grapefruit Radler, a crowd-pleasing concoction of beer, grapefruit juice, and tequila (among other ingredients). Another perk was a Pommies Dry Cider station. In a seriously refreshing departure from sweet and acidic ciders, the Ontario-made cider (which we first discovered as a top pick at the Good Food and Drink Festival) is made with 100 per cent heritage apples (actually). For those who wanted to toast the festival sans alcohol, refreshing Bottlegreen Sparkling pressés in Elderflower and Elderflower & Pomegranate were enjoyed.
The shameless comfort food.
If you can’t indulge at a party, then we don’t know when you can. Food stations served up things like Fancy Franks gourmet hotdogs complete with all the fixings (even chili). Right beside it was a Kernels popcorn station, offering four varieties of the popcorn we all have known and loved since childhood. There was also a fully stocked dessert station by Cakes by Yolanda (of The Food Network’s SugarStars) which even featured a custom TIFF countdown cake that remained un-cut until the end simply because it was too pretty to eat.
The fashion.
As expected, there was no shortage of stylish ladies and gents at this influencer-filled party. It wasn’t just the people that looked good, though – mannequins dressed in Rudsak donned some amazing leather jackets that got us pretty excited for fall. A backyard focal point was a large screen that featured a runway show of Rudsak’s Capsule collection + FW14.
The frozen yogurt truck.
If you can pull it off, food trucks are never a bad idea. There was no chasing the ice cream truck down the street at this party thanks to a Yogurtys Froyo truck that greeted guests upon arrival. This meant a self-serve froyo bar, with all the always necessary colourful candy toppings.
The oysters.
Oysters are always welcome at the party. The oyster bar by The Portside Shucker – a new Toronto oyster-specific catering company -remained as frequented as the bar all evening, dishing up Hardy’s Malpeque from Elerslie PEI and Acadian Gold from Richibucto NB. As an added bonus, they were served up by Mark Moore, a Nova Scotia Oyster Shucking champion and multiple top-10 finalist in the Canadian Oyster Shucking Championships.
The kitchen.
Most house parties inevitably end up in the kitchen (even when it’s not raining). That’s why Koifman’s counters were covered with all kinds of offerings from Vertical Restaurant. This meant constantly replenished platters of salami and cheese, vegetable crudité, and zucchini ‘cannelloni’ filled with goat cheese and herbs (perfect for the picker-type of eaters).
When it comes down to it, it was all about the details, talking points, and elements of discovery. And planning for rain was essential. Luckily, Koifman’s cabana-lined backyard offered ample covering from the pouring rain, as did a tent, conveniently located right near the hotdog stand.
One thing’s for sure; it definitely got us into the #TIFF14 spirit.
#NOTABLE
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