A One Stop Shop for Valentine's Day

It’s Valentines day, and if you’re single, like me, the pressure to shop for "someone special" is officially off.

Or is it?

Just because you're not waiting around for Cupid this year doesn’t mean you can’t spread the love. We've all got "special" people in our lives - so why not spoil them all?

Ever thought about honoring one of the lovely ladies in your life with a little Single's Appreciation Day gift? Better than roses that die, or cards that waste paper, why not spoil a friend, or yourself, with something truly beautiful, all in the name of the four-letter "L" word we use way too much.

Paper hearts hang in storefronts like sticky-note reminders of the 14th, and what it's come to stand for.

However, one store amid the mess of tissue paper and Hallmark propaganda stands out this year - Rue Pigalle.

Located on the second floor of 104 Yorkville Avenue, Rue Pigalle offers accessories for women, hand-selected by one of our own.

The Rue Pigalle collection—which carries everything from umbrellas, to handbags, to ornaments for the home—represents years of tradition in jewelry and decor, all mixed with a modern style and sensibility. The store carries sought-after designer names like Oyuna, FdC, Margo Selby and more, each item boasting a one-of-a-kind kinda quality, with a distinguishable elegance to match.

The only element of the boutique more charming than the treasures within it is owner and curator Isabelle Fish, who divides her time between tending shop and scouting trends and trinkets in Paris and London. Fish grew up in Grenoble, the capital of the French Alps, where she was raised on a steady diet of culture and art. She’d always wanted a space to showcase her tastes and share them with the public, and now, with Rue Pigalle, she’s realized her dream.

At the top of the stairs, the colourful boutique stands alone, and still stands out. Fish, who is always on hand, welcomes customers in with a warm smile and irresistible accent. Like a walk-in closet from our wildest and most indulgent day-dreams, her shop is spotless and sparkling, each item shining brighter than the text. This hidden gem, tucked away above Yorkville's main shopping strip, is slowly but surely becoming a destination shop for anyone browsing the block.

The walls are lined with beautiful items that you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else. If you want to spoil me, a stunning umbrella by Guy de Jean will do the trick. These hand-crafted masterpieces seem too delicate, and too beautiful to be water resistant—but they are! De Jean was named one of W Magazine’s favorite designers for January—and it’s no surprise; de Jean’s pieces are a tripple-threat: fashionable, feminine and totally functional.

So maybe this Valentine’s Day you don’t have a special someone to shop for, or be shopped for by - but never forget that love is all around us, and each relationship is totally unique. Celebrate those unique relationships with a unique gift, and save the cinnamon hearts for Cupid - if he ever turns up at all.

Amanda Cosco
		About the author:
		Amanda Cosco is a freelance writer. The city is her muse.  After completing a master’s degree in English Literature at Ryerson University in Toronto, Amanda packed up her life and moved to the city in pursuit of jazz, sex, and soup. Amanda completed her bachelor of arts at York University, where she had one foot in literary studies and one foot in journalism, earning her a double-major in English and professional writing. Amanda has presented her scholarly work at academic at conferences across Toronto, and her research on the metaphor of hunger in women’s fiction has received over $30,000 in grants and prizes. With her pen name, Lady Medusa, Amanda has left her digital footprints all over the internet. Currently, she’s blogging for several social media websites, and composing her first book of poetry, entitled "Autobiography of Skin. Follow her on Twitter @ladymspeaks
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