Jack o’ lanterns.

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

Thoughts of Halloween wouldn’t be complete without images of the weird-shaped, orange gourd.  All of those holiday pumpkin pies and goodies offer so much more than just window dressing and an excuse to indulge in forbidden treats.

They hold enough anti-aging magic to dazzle even a broomstick-riding witch, especially when applied externally.

How’s that for a Halloween mask?

They’re loaded with beta-carotene, and because of their antioxidant content, including vitamin A and active enzymes, they’re often a main ingredient in peels to brighten and nourish your skin with a natural chemical exfoliation.  And thanks  to its ... Read More »]]>

Pumpkin pie.

Jack o’ lanterns.

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

Thoughts of Halloween wouldn’t be complete without images of the weird-shaped, orange gourd.  All of those holiday pumpkin pies and goodies offer so much more than just window dressing and an excuse to indulge in forbidden treats.

They hold enough anti-aging magic to dazzle even a broomstick-riding witch, especially when applied externally.

How’s that for a Halloween mask?

They’re loaded with beta-carotene, and because of their antioxidant content, including vitamin A and active enzymes, they’re often a main ingredient in peels to brighten and nourish your skin with a natural chemical exfoliation.  And thanks  to its natural soothing ability, pumpkin is also a superb choice for all skin types, even sensitive, reactive skin.

DIY Pumpkin Facial:

Step 1: Take 1 medium slice of fresh pumpkin and remove the skin.

Step 2: Cut up into small chunks and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Step 3: Add 1 egg yolk and 2/3 cup milk. Blend again until egg is well incorporated.

Step 4: Apply the mixture to cleansed face and neck, keeping away from the eye area. Leave this mask on for 20 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water.

But beyond all that sciencey stuff, seasonal pumpkiny-scented products are just fun to have around in the fall!

For me, Demeter Pumpkin Pie fragrance is a fall favorite; I spray it on myself and all over my house.  It is a sweet yet tart fragrance and it truly conjures up visions of a perfect pie leaving a hot oven, or better yet, a fork coming toward your open mouth with a big bite of pumpkin pie on it (topped with a dollop of whip cream, of course).

Of course, there are plenty of pumpkiny beauty products to choose from.  There are pumpkin-scented soaps, pumpkiny body washes and lotions, pumpkin lip gloss–even pumpkin-flavored toothpaste, to scent yourself with the lush, delicious scent of the season.

Check ‘em out:

(The Great) Pumpkin Soap, Lush ($5.95)

This limited edition pumpkin-colored and shaped soap is with a devilishly spicy scent. It’s only around for Halloween so get yours before All Hallows Eve.

Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Peel, Sephora.com ($44)

Detoxifying peel with a yummy pumpkin scent for the face and neck with pumpkin enzymes, age-fighting anti-oxidants and vitamin A to stimulate cell turnover.

Simple Pleasures Pumpkin & Spice Gift Set, Kohls.com ($7.20)

Pumpkin and spice and everything nice!  Scented hand lotion and hand soap with coordinating shower caddy.

Ulta Pumpkin Spice Shower Gel, Ulta.com ($8.00)

A spicy shower scent that’s the perfect way to make a warm shower on a cold fall day feel extra-cozy.

Philosophy Pumpkin Spice Muffin Flavored Lip Gloss, Sephora.com ($12)

Smooches! Delicious, kissable, high-gloss lips with great taste without the calories.  Feel free to encourage a second helping or three or more!

Pumpkin Pudding #30 Toothpaste, Smallflower.com ($4.95)

Forget the regular old mint toothpaste! This tooth whitener bursts with pumpkin flavor.

Have you ever tried pumpkiny beauty products?  Do you think the scent is yummy, too much of a muchness or “I’ll just stick with my Starbucks pumpkin lattes, thank you very much?”

Chloe, an erotic thriller directed by Atom Egoyan and starring Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore, was shot, in part, at the famed landmark. Another high profile TIFF entry, the film biography of Amelia Earhardt called Amelia (starring Hilary Swank, Ewan McGregor and Richard Gere) was also ... Read More »]]>

With an IMDb-worthy resume, the Royal York Hotel was one of the most famous leading ladies at the just-concluded Toronto International Film Festival.  Having starred in numerous Hollywood films and television shows, the historic luxury hotel gets top billing in Chloe, which was among the more than 300 films screened at the 10-day cinematic fete.

Chloe, an erotic thriller directed by Atom Egoyan and starring Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore, was shot, in part, at the famed landmark. Another high profile TIFF entry, the film biography of Amelia Earhardt called Amelia (starring Hilary Swank, Ewan McGregor and Richard Gere) was also shot at the Royal York Hotel, as was Ron Howard’s big budget boxing flick Cinderella Man with Russell Crowe, who used the hotel’s interior and exterior.

In fact, everyone from Jackie Chan to Drew Barrymore to the Olsen Twins to Ben Affleck to Dustin Hoffman has used the Royal York Hotel as a shooting location or backdrop. With its authentic antique glory, the hotel is positively perfect for period piece recreations.

The hotel has a storied tradition of exquisite attention to detail and grand hospitality. With a few nips and tucks over the years, the Royal York remains a majestic presence that commands attention over an entire city block in downtown Toronto.

This is a hotel that has witnessed everything from royalty to every major entertainer and celebrity known to man strolling through its magnificent lobby. Marlene Detreich played the legendary Imperial Room in the Royal York as did Tony Bennett and Peggy Lee, and many other stars of a by-gone era.

Featuring opulent hand-painted ceilings, Travertine pillars, ornate furnishings, wall hangings and crystal chandeliers, guests are transported to the glory days  when men and women dressed for dinner in floor-length frocks and coattails.

When it was built in 1929, the hotel was the tallest building in the British Empire. There were 28 floors, 10 passenger elevators and 1,048 rooms, each with radios, private showers and bathtubs.  It also claimed the largest hotel kitchen in Canada with a bakery that could produce over 15,000 French rolls a day, its own bank, golf course and a 66-foot-long switchboard staffed by 35 telephone operators.

Notables from my visit included a complimentary tour of the hotel’s rooftop garden and bee hives with Chef Ryan Gustafson. There are about 20,000 bees hanging out in the wooden boxed hives that produce wildflower honey used in the hotel restaurants. From high atop the Royal York, you can stop and smell the incredible pineapple sage and mint, and taste the edible violets and marigolds, which I sampled as a garnish on top of a sublime crème brulee at EPIC, one of the hotels five on-site restaurants.

Beyond its size, location, the elegance and class of the establishment, and the Royal York’s ability to co-star in a film set in the 1920s or the 2010s, there is one other important reason why filmmakers favor the hotel: film concierge Kolene Elliott.

Elliott, who started working at the hotel as an intern before creating her own position, is responsible for cultivating relationships with film and TV producers with the goal of bringing their production on-site to the Royal York.

“The movie business has opened up a new revenue stream for us,” says Elliott.

Movie careers may come and go (cough *Megan Fox*) but the Royal York will continue to draw moviemakers with its grand architecture, lush interiors and rich history for many years to come.

The Fairmont Royal York Hotel

100 Front Street West

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

TOLL FREE: 1(866) 540-4489

E-MAIL royalyorkhotel@fairmont.com

www.fairmont.com/royalyork

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[Photos: Courtesy of Paige Muller, Fairmont Royal York Hotel & Toronto Tourism]