We're so pleased that Canadian Interiors has featured Saskatoon's James Hotel in its November/December issue. This gorgeous boutique hotel has us longing for sunny prairie skies.

In their Winter issue, the ever-gorgeous MONTECRISTO magazine has a piece on 2nd Century Rug Company's MOV Collection.

20th Century Rug Company's MOV Rug Collection just keeps getting attention. Check out the coverage in Western Living and Look magazine.

JOEY Executive Chef Chris Mills was honoured to be selected as one of the National Post's Worthy 30 over the weekend - check out the feature here!  

One of Vancouver's landmark buildings is getting a whole new look!  This past week Elettra helped Harbour Centre unveil their major redevelopment plans for the iconic complex, which includes upgrading the food court, bringing in more natural light, and revitalizing the streetscape.

Check out what 24 Hours and Business in Vancouver had to say about the project, or have a read of the release detailing the project below:

Harbour Centre Unveils Redevelopment Plans 

Vancouver, B.C.; November 30, 2012 – Harbour Centre Complex Limited announced today plans for a significant redevelopment of its landmark complex in downtown Vancouver.  In the spring of 2013, extensive construction work will begin to expand and upgrade the food court and revitalize the complex’s streetscape.

“The changes are designed to enhance the complex, making it brighter, more welcoming, and easier to navigate,” says Norman Pearl, Senior Vice President of Polaris Realty Canada Limited, the company which manages Harbour Centre. “Our vision is to retain the heritage of the building but to offer an improved shopping and dining experience for our customers.”

The core of the redevelopment is the food court expansion. A portion of the existing second level floor will be removed to accommodate a two-story galleria. Approximately 17,000 square feet of eating and common area with more than 600 seats will be served by 14 contemporary food vendors offering healthy food options and a selection of world cuisines.

Interior upgrades will include higher ceilings, open-concept lounge spaces, and a fresh colour palette. Increased natural light will brighten the lower common and retail areas. Other additions include complimentary Wi-Fi zones, larger washroom facilities, and digital directories.

The building’s exterior façade will also see improvements. The Cordova Street entrance will be enlarged to offer clear sightlines into the Centre. Wider entryways, new canopies, and improved signage will add colour and light to the building, improving street presence for pedestrians. Custom-designed architectural light fixtures, inspired by the Observation Deck’s iconic shape, will be added to the Centre’s perimeter.

The multi-million dollar redevelopment was designed by SSDG Interiors Inc. in conjunction with project architects, DA Architects + Planners. Construction will begin in the spring, with completion expected in late 2013.

Today Elettra Communications bids a fond farewell and says a big "thank you" to our Tour Guides for the YVR School Tour Program. For the past few months, Jake Sobrenpena, Annalisa Pareja, and Breanna Kato (all Co-op students from SFU) have been leading more than 2,100 grade five students on tours of the airport. The review from teachers have been excellent!

For a Tour Guide's take on the program you can read Jake's recent post on the YVR blog here.

On October 29, the Elettra team was on hand to join in celebrating the first graduating class of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Culinary Arts Program.  Guests at the showcase luncheon had an opportunity to dine on delicious dishes prepared by students and Lead Instructor Chef Andrew George while learning about the innovative training program. This event received a great response from the media in attendance! Click on the images below to check out the articles from the Vancouver Sun and the North Shore News.

The Vancouver Sun featured two page story on MOV's Retail Collection and 2nd Century Rugs. Read the whole story here.

Check out our friends Harvey Burritt and Keith Donegani in The Province! The story  is about the line of rugs that 2nd Century Rug Company created for the Museum of Vancouver's new Retail Collection. Read the full story here.

We're so honoured to be working with Harvey Burritt's 2nd Century Rug Company on the launch of their line of rugs in the Museum of Vancouver's Retail Collection. The release announcing the project is below and will also post some of the coverage. MOV Takes its Collection to Main Street

Vancouver, BC; November 7, 2012 – The Museum of Vancouver (MOV) and Harvey Burritt’s 2nd Century Rug Company today unveiled a line of graphic area rugs inspired by artifacts from the MOV. The rugs are part of MOV’s new merchandising initiative that sees it working directly with local retailers to both stock and produce merchandise inspired by the collection.

Five rugs are part of the initial launch: a 1950’s streetcar scroll, a 1950’s bus scroll, a 1930’s map of Vancouver, a collage of corporate seals, and a message board signed by Vancouverites following the Stanley Cup Final riots in 2011. Each rug has a specific catalogue number which can be used to view the original artifact at http://openmov.museumofvancouver.ca. 2nd Century Rug Company will add to the line over time, exploring the museum’s collection to unearth impactful images and items.

“This new model is a great way to take the MOV brand and our array of historical artifacts out to the city,” says Kate Follington, Director of Development, Museum of Vancouver. “Given that we can only ever display a fraction of our collection, it is a way for us to breathe new life into artifacts and raise funds to continue our work.”

The rugs are produced by 2nd Century Rug Company and available at Burritt Bros. Carpets, a family-run business that has been supplying Vancouver homes with premium carpet and flooring for more than 100 years. Each rug is individually hand-knotted in Nepal.

“When the MOV approached us to be part of the program, we jumped at the opportunity,” says Harvey Burritt, 2nd Century Rug Company. “We are known for our ability to create high quality, custom area rugs inspired by items that are meaningful to our clients. We have applied this ability MOV’s treasure trove of artifacts. I can’t think of a better way for my family to support one of our city’s cultural institutions.”

A number of other retailers have also joined the initiative. The Cascade Room Restaurant & Bar, Country Furniture, London Drugs, Make Vancouver, Vancouver Special, and Walrus are all stocking products. Items include keychains, coasters, T-shirts, pillows, and beer glasses.

Funds raised through the retail initiative will benefit MOV’s special exhibitions and its school programs that annually teach 10,000 elementary school students about history.

“We hope that these products will help give Vancouverites a sense of ownership of their history and allow them to share their pride in the city,” continues Follington. “We also want to draw visitors to the museum where some of the city’s most fascinating historical objects are on display.”

Femme Quebec has reviewed the Holiday offerings from Jelly Belly and Guylian chocolates. Click here and here to check it out.

It seems Christmas shopping season has officially kicked off!

It was one heck of a busy summer at Elettra Communications. So busy, in fact, that we're only now announcing some exciting news - the addition of Cassandra Parsons as Account Executive on our team. We first met Cassandra back in 2010 when she interned for us. Cassandra knocked our socks off way back then, and we've been keeping our fingers crossed that some day we could welcome her back to our team.

Since her time at Elettra in 2010, Cassandra returned to school to complete a Certificate in Public Relations from Simon Fraser University, worked with Citizen Relations Cossette, and worked in corporate communications and investor relations for several Vancouver-based TSX-V listed companies.

Cassandra also holds Bachelor of Arts from the University of Victoria, and a Certificate in Entertainment and Events Marketing from New York University.

We're so thrilled that Cassandra is back, and can't to wait for all our clients to meet her!

A busy few days at Elettra as Cadillac Fairview officially unveiled the plans and renderings for their Pacific Centre redevelopment.  Media were excited to share the details of the upcoming makeover at one of Vancouver's most iconic buildings, and the announcement sparked lots of great conversation on social media. Here are some of the highlights from the extensive media coverage the story received – including the front page of the Vancouver Sun!