Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

Come From Away – the Musical

Newfoundlanders are a little different from the rest of us Canadians – in the best possible way.

They even speak their own poetic version of English. “Stay where you’re to ‘til I comes where you’re at.” (Translation: Wait right there until I get there.) So if you “come from away,” you might only understand half of what they say…but their actions speak louder than words.

I just went to opening night of the Arts Club Theatre Company’s extraordinary musical Come From Away – now extended for three more weeks at the Stanley in Vancouver. This Tony‑nominated show tells the true story of 7,000 stranded passengers (mostly American and a handful from around the world) diverted to Gander, Newfoundland on 9/11, and the people who welcomed them by opening their hearts and their homes.

Cast of “Come From Away” – taken from website.

Gander, Newfoundland (aka The Rock): “You are here at the start of a moment, on the edge of the world, where the river meets the sea.” It was not what anyone expected. In many ways, it exceeded every expectation of how powerful kindness and community can be.

This musical is now at the top of my list. The cast is exceptional, the story is real and heartfelt, and the music is pure joy. There was even a live orchestra.

One detail that really stayed with me: the animals stranded in the cargo holds – two rare bonobos (similar to chimps), nine cats, and eight dogs, all cared for by local SPCA volunteer Bonnie Harris throughout the five‑day ordeal. The female bonobo even gave birth while in Gander, though the baby did not survive (possibly because of the stress). The audience was later relieved to learn that the female bonobo had a second baby that survived when it was re routed to the Columbus Zoo. Harris’s compassion left such a mark that the Columbus Zoo named the baby bonobo “Gander” in honour of the town. A beautiful reminder of humanity at its best.

Vancouver, go see this.

Come From Away is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). In Partnership with The Citadel Theatre, Edmonton

Book, Music, and Lyrics by
Irene Sankoff & David Hein

The extended run is until August 16 at the Stanley BFL CANADA Stage, 2750 Granville Street, Vancouver. Tickets for the added dates go on sale June 8. Tickets are available from $39 through the Box Office Call Centre at 604.687.1644 or at ArtsClub.com.

Art & Culture

The Perfect Wife – an unexpected expectation

How can you pass by a window that displays the words “The Perfect Wife” and not wonder what story sits behind it? It certainly got my attention.

Someone noticed me lingering, opened the door, and welcomed me into what turned out to be a surprisingly intriguing exhibit. One that dives into the complexity of the human condition while challenging social stereotypes and cultural norms we’ve all been handed. That someone, as it turned out, was the artist.

I loved the display and the humorous captions that accompanied them – especially now, when so many women are saying, “I want to be neither a Nurse nor a Purse.”

The Perfect Wife is a narrative-driven project that examines traditional heterosexual marriage through satire, exposing the cultural expectations placed on women through the nostalgic visual language of mid-century editorials.

Through exaggeration and irony, familiar stereotypes of devotion and obedience are pushed to their limits, revealing the social structures that sustain them. The result is not parody for its own sake, but satire with precision.

The Perfect Wife does not argue against marriage itself. Instead, it questions the conditions under which it is entered and the silent contracts it often contains. Beneath it lies a simple truth: choice is not universal.

Created through an all-female artistic collaboration, the exhibition combines photography, short film, installations, and art performance. Together, these elements construct a dysfunctional domestic environment that encourages viewers to reflect on tradition, identity, and the gender expectations that continue to shape women’s lives.

The story unfolds across familiar chapters – roles women are expected to perform when stepping into “tradition.” A Mother. A Cook. A Housekeeper. A Hen. A Personal Assistant. A Lover. A catalogue of emotional labour, domestic management and care work, absorbed into a single role, often without acknowledgment.

Within marriage, these imbalances often remain invisible, operating quietly behind closed doors where tradition can function as a form of control.

When I was married, I naturally took on the role of the cook – not out of obligation, but out of joy. I loved experimenting in the kitchen, and my late husband was the kind of appreciative audience who made every meal feel like a small celebration. I was equally lucky that he was a self-sufficient unicorn who handled laundry and cleanup without hesitation. That kind of mutual contribution is rarer than it should be, and only in hindsight do I see how much it shaped the harmony in our home.

But personal experience doesn’t erase the broader truth: millions of women worldwide are still denied basic rights. Progress is fragile, and history has shown us how easily it can be undone.

Presented as an immersive experience, the work invites viewers to consider a simple question: “If the image has evolved, but the structure has not – has anything truly changed.”

Walking through the exhibit, I couldn’t help noticing how much of this “perfect wife” mythology still lingers in subtle ways. It made me think about the roles we inherit without ever agreeing to them, and how important it is to name them before we can change them. The “perfect wife” may be a relic, but the pressure to perform her still exists – and seeing it exposed so clearly felt like a small act of liberation.

The exhibit is on until June 4th, 2025. Some editorial taken from the website. Photos (of photos) d. king

About the Artist:

Valeriia Polishchuk is a Ukrainian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker. Her bio says that she was raised by a single mother in a small town in Ukraine, she developed an early understanding of independence and the importance of a strong female voice.

Working primarily with photography and film, her visual language blends fashion elements, bold colours, striking patterns, and cinematic framing.

About the Gallery:

ADDITION (also known as Addition Agency) is a contemporary art and design gallery housed in a landmark building – located in Vancouver’s Armoury and Design District – a neighborhood shaped by architecture studios, design showrooms, and leading creative practices. The ground-floor gallery, originally conceived by Niels Bendtsen, has been reimagined as a spacious, light-filled environment dedicated to contemporary art, collectible design, and spatial storytelling.

Visitors are invited to explore a rotating selection of artworks, sculptural objects, and installations from Canadian, Peruvian, Mexican, and Pacific Northwest artists and makers.

https://www.addition.agency/

THINKAboutit

Musings on Mindfulness

Mindfulness is everywhere right now – apps, watches, workshops, corporate trainings, even casual conversations. But its popularity says far more about our culture than our spirituality. If anything, the trend reveals how overwhelmed we’ve become.Shouldn’t paying attention to what’s right and what’s not be a natural part of daily life? Do we really need to train ourselves to be thoughtful? Has the world gone that mad? Maybe so. For those of us who consider ourselves reasonably grounded, the whole thing can feel a little surreal – as if our normal instincts have been put on steroids.

This hit me recently when a friend mentioned that his son is “practicing self‑care and mindfulness.” He’s not alone. It’s as if people are suddenly discovering that being self‑aware and trying to do the right thing is… good. There’s even a spiritual layer emerging. I overheard one man ask another who his “spiritual advisor” is. And I suppose if people need life coaches now, spiritual coaches were bound to appear too – said with a wink, not agreement.

But I don’t think people are becoming more spiritually curious. I think they’re becoming more overstimulated, digitally exhausted, and emotionally threadbare.

Recent analyses show that mindfulness has shifted from a niche wellness practice to a mainstream coping mechanism. The global mindfulness market is projected to exceed $9 billion by 2027, driven by stress, digital overload, and workplace burnout. Mindfulness is becoming less about enlightenment and more about surviving overstimulation.

Meditation apps now analyze stress patterns, sleep cycles, and biometrics to deliver personalized sessions. This is mindfulness as a tech‑driven commodity, not an organic practice. Think about it: Apple Watches nudging you to breathe. Meditation apps sending push notifications. Mindfulness with metrics.

Is it a practice or a product?

It’s strange to think that something meant to slow us down now comes packaged with data, dashboards, and market value. This trend reflects a culture that can’t pause long enough to breathe, so it tries to wedge mindfulness into the cracks of an already chaotic day.

The truth is simple: Mindfulness isn’t trending because we’re becoming enlightened – it’s trending because we’re exhausted because we’ve built a world that constantly pulls us out of the present.

What can we do?

Start by removing distractions. Spend less time on your phone. I personally leave my phone at home when taking my dogs for their first walk of the day, preferring to focus only on them. Turn off non‑essential notifications. Put your device in another room during meals and sleep. Create “no‑scroll zones” in the bedroom, bathroom, and at the dinner table. Presence becomes easier when your brain isn’t being hijacked every few minutes.

In the end, mindfulness isn’t popular because we’ve suddenly become wiser or more spiritually attuned. It’s popular because the world has become so loud, so fast, and so relentlessly demanding that we’re grasping for anything that helps us feel human again.

Maybe the real goal isn’t to perfect mindfulness – but to build a life that doesn’t constantly pull us away from it.

Until then, we’ll keep breathing, pausing, and being present – not because it’s fashionable, but because it’s the only way to stay sane in a world that never stops moving.

Mindfulness isn’t the cure — it’s the symptom.

Thoughts?

Food + Drink

Midday Mood Menu

First of my new A Moment, A Mood and a Meal series.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve become accustomed to having two meals a day for quite some time now. Usually, it’s breakfast and dinner. It’s not necessary to have three meals a day anymore – maybe it never was. As you get older you tend to eat less.

But sometimes, my mood calls for a midday meal, which ends up being the only meal of the day because it’s too late for breakfast and too early for dinner. It becomes a lingering late lunch. Lately I’ve been discovering the exotic sample tasting menu.

I haven’t travelled anywhere International for a number of years now. It’s my choice to not be away from my dogs for maybe no more than two weeks a year. Those two weeks have been spent going to Toronto for TIFF (film festival) and Montreal to visit family. Other than that, I have to live vicariously through other people’s adventures. At least for now. One of the things I miss the most about travelling other than the sight seeing, is the food.

So I’ve decided to indulge my desire for foodie adventures through various tasting menus from exotic restaurants around Vancouver. A journey through food so to speak.

I just had a wonderful tasting experience at Banana Leaf restaurant. Their Malaysian roots take inspiration from Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, China, and India. They offer unique dishes you won’t find elsewhere.

Sitting on their outside patio with my dogs was like being on a little adventure. It was a six-course tasting for one (for two people they serve everything individually) which started with a bright pineapple papaya Asian salad (papaya, pineapple, green leaves, capsicum vinaigrette, tomato, fish sauce, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, brown shallot)….

Then came a platter with:

Roti Canai (handmade flaky flatbread with vegetarian coconut curry sauce), Chicken Satay with a spicy peanut dip, an aromatic Rendang Beef curry (an iconic slow-cooked lean beef, coconut milk, turmeric, coriander, galangal, lemongrass, curry spices & herbs), breaded wild Sablefish (malay black sweet sauce, garlic, caramelized ginger, shallot, chinese wine) with ginger garlic rice. All served on top of a banana leaf.

Dessert was coconut panna cotta (pandanus juice, cooked coconut cream, mango puree & gula Melaka). So delicious.

They also have an amazing refreshment menu featuring everything from young coconut water to pineapple, cucumber + ginger smoothies and passionfruit, mango mocktails.

Their cocktail list includes lychee mojitos, Thai lemongrass basil margaritas, and a house signature “Leaf Me Up,” made with lemongrass‑infused tequila, banana liqueur, lime juice, pandan syrup, Thai chili, and your choice of aquafaba or egg white.

Something about that meal reminded me that I don’t have to board a plane to feel transported. For an hour or two, those flavours took me somewhere warm, bright, and far away – and that was exactly the escape my midday mood was craving.

There’s a whole world of flavour in this city, and I’m ready to explore it one midday mood at a time. But not every day of course.

Banana Leaf Malaysian Cuisine operates five locations across Metro Vancouver. I was at the one in Kits on Broadway. Here is the main website for all five:

https://www.bananaleaf-vancouver.com

FUN

Confessions of a Childless Dog Mom

The childless dog mom is a special breed unto her own – a powerful force of nature, unhinged in the best way, and capable of turning a casual Sunday into a full‑scale canine festival with nothing but two dogs, a credit card, a theme, and a dream.

It’s our birthday and we’ll bark if we want to!

My two Shelties, blissfully unaware of their own celebrity status, awoke to discover they were the guests of honour at what can only be described as a fur‑covered social event of the season. It wasn’t exactly a pet gala (although what a great idea – maybe next season?), but it was their 10th birthday, which is basically a canine milestone.

We let our favourite pet store Benni & Co take care of the paw-ty details – the goody bags, the treats, the special cake, the presents – the whole curated canine experience.

Meanwhile, the proud, childless dog moms hovered like stage parents at a toddler pageant, adjusting flower crowns, fixing bandanas, and saying things like “Smile for Mommy!”to creatures who were actively trying to lick the floor. It was chaos. It was adorable. It was everything. But overall, it was a statement.

My point being…we may not have human children, but we will throw elaborate celebrations for our four‑legged creatures. And we will do it with gusto, glitter, and absolutely no shame.

Some of the guests:

Daisy checking out her loot bag. She was on point for the pink floral themed party.

The goody bags had stickers that looked like Layla & Adele. The cups were bennicinnos (like ice cream) for the pups.

Sangita (the lovely owner) sharing a box of presents from Benni & Co.

Some childless dog moms:

Call it excessive if you want – we prefer the term canine cultural enrichment.

Birthday parties now on at BENNI & CO. pet store:

https://www.instagram.com/benni.and.co/

Cake provided by LumiiPaws Pet Bakery:

https://www.instagram.com/lumii_paws/

Food-inspired toys provided by Chompurr:

https://www.instagram.com/chompurr/

https://www.instagram.com/chompurr/

Art & Culture

Vancouver Opera: Puccini’s La Bohème

I caught the opening night performance as Vancouver Opera is closing its 2025–2026 season with Puccini’s La Bohème – and it’s already on track to become the highest‑grossing opera in the company’s 66‑year history, beating last season’s Carmen. Not bad for a story about starving artists who can’t afford heat.

Vancouver Opera’s 2026 production of La Bohème. Photo by Emily Cooper.

Jonelle Sills as Mimì and Matthew White as Rodolfo in Vancouver Opera’s 2026 production of La Bohème. Photo by Emily Cooper.

This Bohème delivered all the essentials: broke poets, freezing apartments, instant chemistry, dramatic breakups, and of course… a tragic death. Because it’s opera, and opera never lets anyone just live happily ever after.

We meet Rodolfo (a writer) and his roommates, who are so poor they literally burn a manuscript to stay warm. Enter Mimì, the sweet neighbour whose candle goes out, and suddenly we’re in a full‑blown love story. And because it’s opera, everything happens at lightning speed. Meanwhile, Musetta and Marcello continue their iconic on‑again, off‑again chaos – the kind of couple you pretend to judge but secretly root for.

Alex Halliday as Colline, Justin Welsh as Schaunard, Matthew White as Rodolfo, Thomas Goerz as Benoit, and Gregory Dahl as Marcello. Vancouver Opera’s 2026 production of La Bohème. Photo by Emily Cooper.

The whole thing is funny, romantic, messy, and heartbreaking – basically a prestige TV season condensed into two hours, but with soaring music that hits you right in the chest. Suddenly, your own life feels refreshingly uncomplicated.

Act II was a standout, transforming the Queen Elizabeth Theatre into a bustling Latin Quarter packed with vendors, children, and a full chorus that made the scene feel alive and electric. It was one of those moments where the stage feels bigger than the building it’s in.

And if the story feels familiar, it’s because it inspired the long‑running musical Rent, which reimagines La Bohème as a modern rock opera while keeping the emotional core intact – love, art, friendship, and the reality that youth doesn’t last forever.

With my friend Rosa who knows a lot about opera.

La Bohème runs until Sunday, May 3. For showtimes and tickets, visit Vancouver Opera. If you’ve never been to an opera, it’s time to go.

https://www.vancouveropera.ca/whats-on/la-boheme/

Art & Culture

Reflections of Glamour

If you’re even remotely into glamour, camp, or show-stopping fashion, the Reflections of Glamour: Bob Mackie presentation at the Palm Springs Art Museum is basically a must‑see.

It’s not a giant retrospective, and honestly, that’s part of the charm. It feels intimate, almost like you’ve slipped backstage into Mackie’s world for a moment.

I was lucky to have met Mackie on three separate occasions here in Palm Springs. I’m a huge fan of his work, obviously. He was very pleasant in person.

The museum has pulled together five original gowns and costumes, plus a curated selection of sketches spanning the 1970s through the 2000s. It’s a tight edit, but every piece hits.

You get that unmistakable Mackie blend of humor, theatricality, and pure sparkle – the kind of work that made Cher, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Carol Burnett, Elton John, and so many others look larger than life.

One of the funniest skits I’ve yet to see was when Carol Burnett wore this for “Went With The Wind.” “*Just a little something I saw in the window.”*

One of the undeniable stars of the show is the “Scarlett O’Hara” gown from Carol Burnett’s legendary Went With the Wind parody – yes, the one with the actual curtain rod across the shoulders. Seeing the sketch next to the real gown is a delight, especially if you grew up watching that moment and laughing every single time. I did. I used to watch the show with my grandparents.

Because it’s housed in the Jorgensen Gallery on the ground floor, the whole thing feels focused and jewel-box-like – a little shrine to the art of making people gasp.

The presentation runs January 26 – March 30, 2026, and it was created to coincide with the museum’s annual Art Party gala, where Mackie himself was honored – with Carol Burnett presenting, naturally.

The Female Form

Over in the Female Form exhibition, the mood shifts from theatrical sparkle to something almost startlingly intimate. The sculptures are so hyper‑realistic you catch yourself slowing down, leaning in, trying to figure out where the artist’s hand ends and the illusion begins.

There’s a quiet power in seeing the body rendered with that much precision – every fold, freckle, and gesture captured with a kind of reverence that feels both modern and timeless. It’s one of those shows where you think you’re just popping in for a look, and suddenly you’re standing there longer than you meant to, completely absorbed.

Female Form: Tom Wesselmann & Mickalene Thomas from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation

Reflections of Glamour: All works are courtesy of Bob Mackie. Special thanks to Joe McFate, Design Director for Bob Mackie. Exhibition support is provided by Revivals and DAP Health.

Photos: d. king

Art & Culture

AmDocs: Something to Entertain You

Where Art, Love and Magic Meet

What can I tell you about this artful documentary I just saw at the Palm Springs Cultural Centre? On the city’s largest screen, I attended the world premiere of Something to Entertain You, part of AmDocs – the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival, one of the largest and most respected documentary festivals in the country, featuring independent films and Academy Award-qualifying screenings.

The film celebrates the life and work of Karen and Tony Barone, two unforgettable creative forces here in the Coachella Valley. Their whimsical, larger‑than‑life sculptures are scattered along Hwy 111, on El Paseo (Palm Desert’s answer to Rodeo Drive), outside private homes, and even at the Palm Springs Animal Shelter. Even if you don’t know their names, you’ve seen their art. And once you meet them, you never forget them.

Filmmakers Jon and Mary Orlin spent years getting to know the Barones, and their documentary captures the couple’s world with so much heart. They reveal just enough of the mystery while still preserving the magic – a rare balance.

Mary & Jon Orlin outside the PS Cultural Center (used to be called The Camelot). Photo taken by Carla DeLuca.

I’ve been lucky to meet Karen and Tony several times over the years. I remember spotting them at Tropicale or at the Modernism Week Opening Party, long before I knew who they were. Karen, in particular, is impossible to ignore – a living work of art, effortlessly so.

The premiere exceeded every expectation. The theatre was packed with friends, fans, and familiar faces, and the film delivered more than a few surprises. I had no idea they once designed restaurants or created a one‑of‑a‑kind makeup line so unique that when Oprah walked into their SoHo store, she bought one of everything. Or that Andy Warhol invited them to lunch and couldn’t stop photographing Karen. To be honest, most people want to photograph her.

This was taken at the after-party at Il Corso – Palm Springs.

And then there’s Tony’s love for Karen – one of the most beautiful parts of the film. His admiration for her is deep, steady, and unwavering. He’s an extraordinary artist in his own right, yet he lets her shine without hesitation. It’s rare to witness a partnership like theirs.

Their life has been eclectic, bold, and endlessly creative…and it still is.

Something to Entertain You captures that spirit perfectly. The film just had a second screening here in the desert, and I can’t wait to see where it plays next. If you get the chance to watch it, don’t miss it. It’s absolutely worth seeing.

Here’s a previous Art + Fashion Blog Post I did on the Barone’s – it ties everything together:

https://girlwhowouldbeking.com/2023/03/06/monday-mood-art-fashion-with-the-barones/

STYLE

MAXimum Impact

Inside the Rise of Fashion’s Youngest Breakout Designer

Max Alexander told his parents he was a dressmaker at age four. At seven, he broke a Guinness World Record. At ten, he became the youngest designer ever to debut at Paris Fashion Week, showing at the iconic Palais Garnier.

Lindsay Jay wearing Max Alexander at Palais Garnier.

By now, many have heard of the boy barely tall enough to reach a cutting table yet bold enough to turn the fashion world on its heels.

At just ten, Max Alexander isn’t playing dress‑up – he’s drafting patterns, sculpting silhouettes, and constructing garments with the instinct and precision of someone decades deeper into the craft. His studio is a whirl of fabric, sketches, and ambition, where childhood imagination meets couture‑level discipline. What he’s creating isn’t just clothing; it’s a glimpse of a future designer whose vision arrived early and fully formed, leaving an imprint far larger than his years.

Max didn’t come from a family of fashion designers, but he grew up in a home where creativity was encouraged. Surrounded by art supplies and room to explore, he gravitated toward making things long before he understood what fashion design was. While other kids were stacking blocks, Max was shaping scraps and tape into early versions of garments. What looked like play quickly revealed itself as something more intentional – a fascination with how clothing is built and how ideas become real.

His parents recognized the spark and gave him the tools to follow it, but the drive was entirely his.

He showed 15 dresses at Paris Fashion Week on March 3, with 90% of the collection made from biodegradable, recyclable, or dead stock materials – leftover fabric companies would normally discard. His newest bag sold out in 24 hours. He has nearly six million Instagram followers.

The daughter of a friend here in Palm Springs happens to be Max’s muse. Gorgeous Lindsay Jay closed the show in Paris wearing a corset that took Max more than ten hours to construct, crafted from an upcycled French luxury-brand duster bag. The skirt was made from a vintage French military parachute he’d saved for just the right moment. Lindsay’s mother, Lynn, told me the two share an incredible bond. Sensing their similar spirits, she introduced them three years ago, when Max was only seven.

I asked Lynn how she first met Max. She had interviewed him on her radio show, The Coach Lynn Show – a program syndicated in more than 100 countries, with podcast versions on iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Deezer, and all major streaming platforms. “He reminded me so much of my own kids,” she said. “I mentioned that my daughter was a model in L.A., and they invited her to a photo shoot. As they say, the rest is history.”

Photos of Lindsay wearing this dress have been used in Vogue (in 3 countries) Cosmopolitan, Allure, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and many more.

Max has designed for Sharon Stone, spoken at the United Nations about fashion waste, and shown collections in New York, Denver, and Aspen.

Fern Mallis, the creator of New York Fashion Week, sat front row in Paris. “He’s one of a kind. I think anything is possible.”

Max is a fourth grader from Los Angeles who plays pickleball and piano. He dabbles in Robotics. His dream: becoming a couturier in Paris. His dream became a reality earlier than most people can figure out what they want to dream about becoming.

So dream on – and dream bigger. Max Alexander is proof that sometimes the future arrives early.

STYLE

The Ultimate Ballet Flat

Foldable, Flexible, and Fashionable

My mom used to have these amazing pairs of fold-up ballet slippers. I remember borrowing them on occasion because they fit into a purse – and because I never wore flats, they came in handy to be slipped on after taking off my heels at the end of a long night of dancing.

They were also really cute and came in a few colors including gold and silver. The only down side was that they were not very well made and you couldn’t count on walking in them for long.

I often wondered what became of them as I became more sensible with shoes. They probably fell apart. But I do remember how convenient and comfortable they were and I’ve never come across anything like it again.

Until recently when I discovered a website for a company that makes ballet flats called Tieks.

First off, I couldn’t believe how many styles and colors they have – over 70 Prints, Patents, Classics, and more. It made it hard to choose only one pair to find out if all the hype on their website was real.

What sold me is that Tieks are considered the most versatile flats in the world. Made of the finest Italian leathers that are foldable and wearable all day, every day. Excellent for traveling. I’m definitely taking them on my next trip as they take up virtually no extra space in a suitcase or carry-on bag. They go with everything from jeans to dresses and even office wear.

The company was founded in 2008 by Kfir Gavrieli in Los Angeles, now based in Beverly Hills. The manufacturing process of every single pair involves three days of a highly detailed process with over 150 steps, resulting in a flat with unparalleled comfort, flexibility, durability and style. They feature a unique split‑sole and flexible midsole that molds to your foot and moves with you as you walk.

The shoes start at $210 for adults. While they’re an investment, buyers find them worth it because of their durability, versatility, and long‑term comfort. The reviews I’ve read are excellent.

I noticed that the back is cushioned rather than elasticized to ensure they’re not too tight on the heel. The advanced foam cushioning makes it comfortable for long-term wear. They have a thick non-skid rubber outsole to provide traction and shock absorption.

Another thing that sets them apart is the hand-stitched turquoise‑blue stripe running up the heel and the matching blue rubber patches on the sole. It’s similar to the iconic Prada red line (especially on the America’s Cup sneakers and some accessories). These color accents act like a visual logo that you can spot from across a room. Gives them an extra oomph.

Overall, ballet flats are a timeless wardrobe staple, rather than a fleeting fashion moment. I don’t expect that they’ll ever go out of style.

The last thing I want to mention about the company is that they have a foundation dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs around the world.

The women they support come from all kinds of backgrounds and industries, and the website even shows photos and stories of each one – where they’re from, what they do, and how their businesses are growing.

Tieks partners with a non-profit micro‑lending platform called Kiva to fund these entrepreneurs. Kiva allows everyday people to lend small amounts of money to women who don’t have access to traditional banking. Loans can be as little as $25, and when they’re repaid, the money can be lent again. It’s not charity – it’s zero‑interest lending that helps women build businesses, pay school fees, buy equipment, or stabilize their households.

Since its inception, The Gavrieli Foundation has become the single largest lender on Kiva worldwide, contributing over $10,000,000 to more than 55,000 women in over 70 countries, including the U.S.

Knowing that Tieks supports women entrepreneurs around the world made me love the brand even more. It’s rare to find a company that not only makes a great product but also invests in helping women build their futures.

I chose these which I’m wearing in Palm Springs and taking back to Vancouver.

Click here for the little flat that fits everywhere and goes with everything:

https://tieks.com/boutiek