WaySpa Blog

Need a last-minute present for your colleague, friend or therapist? Avoid mall madness by shopping from home. Log onto www.wayspa.com - an innovative site that offers discounts of up to 50 percent off exclusive spa packages culled from more than 30 premium spas across the Greater Toronto Area, Vancouver and New York City.

Not sure which services to select? Check out the handy search tools for treatment descriptions and prices. If you’re still stumped, gift certificates are the safest bet. - D. F.

eTalk Daily embarks on one of its most ambitious projects ever and unveils its most luxurious celebrity gift bag yet!

Lights! Camera! Action! CTV’s eTalk Daily Covers the Toronto International Film Festival Like No Others Starting Tonight

Toronto, ON (September 8, 2005) - Canada’s leading entertainment newsmagazine begins its all-new fourth season today with TV’s biggest and best coverage from the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). From its studio headquarters and VIP lounge to Red Carpets and afterparties, CTV’s eTalk Daily has a fleet of producers, cameras, reporters and volunteers on hand to make this year’s coverage one of its most ambitious projects ever.

And eTalk Daily will provide their most luxurious gift bag yet to festival celebs following their exclusive interviews in the eTalk Daily lounge at Yorkville’s Intercontinental Hotel. eTalk Daily’s TIFF coverage continues Monday-Friday at 7 p.m. ET and 12:30 a.m. ET (check local listings) on CTV.

** Note - Photography of etalk Daily’s Toronto International Film Festival gift bag is available on-line at www.ctvmedia.ca.

As the undisputed Red Carpet leader (eTalk Daily has covered over 150 Red Carpet events since 2002), eTalk Daily will have unprecedented access and extensive coverage of the festival, beginning today and running through Sept. 17. With all hands on deck, eTalk Daily will once again provide viewers with around the clock TIFF coverage as hundreds of stars descend upon Toronto.

To kick off the festivities, Ben Mulroney is front and centre with all the action at tonight’s opening night gala. Reporting from the eTalk Daily lounge, David Giammarco provides in-depth interviews with Hollywood A-listers while Susie Wall catches up with the stars at the Red Carpet galas. Anna Cyzon, Susie Wall and eTalk celebrity reporter Jully Black are on the night-beat with exclusive access to the hottest parties in Toronto. eTalk Daily’s newest member of the family, Quebec Correspondent Sophie Gr?goire, will also be on TIFF assignment with special one-on-one interviews. Aside from the galas, the parties and the lounge, eTalk co-host Tanya Kim will also anchor the daily show from the eTalk Daily headquarters at Toronto’s historic Masonic Temple.

“The eTalk Daily team will cover all corners of Toronto at this year’s Film Festival,” said Jordan Schwartz, Executive Producer and Vice-President of Daytime Programming for CTV. “From the premieres, galas and red carpets; to the lounges, afterparties and restaurants, viewers will feel like they are attending the Festival themselves.”

In addition to covering the hottest parties at the festival, eTalk Daily will sponsor a few of their own. A steadfast supporter of Canadian Film, eTalk Daily was the official media sponsor for Celebrating Canada: Canadian Films in TIFF 2005, an industry party last week that saluted the Canadian films in the festival. eTalk Daily is also a media sponsor for the Presenting Our Vision party, a partnership between macIDeas, Trails Youth Initiatives and Serve Canada Youth Organization that helps send underprivileged kids to film camp in 2006. Finally, eTalk Daily is the official media sponsor of the Sony Pictures Classics party featuring the likes of Keanu Reeves, Benjamin Bratt and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

In addition to the TIFF parties, eTalk Daily is also the official broadcast sponsor for the Tastemakers Lounge (a celebrity lounge at Yorkville’s Intercontinental Hotel featuring high-end and emerging brands from Canadian designers) and the official media sponsor for The Ultimate Sweet Spot at Polish Beauty Bar (a beauty salon and lounge where celebs will find the latest of what’s cool in Toronto).

The 2005 TIFF eTalk Daily Gift Bag is the best yet, an ultra-exclusive assortment of hot ticket items valued at more than $2,000. Extravagant but fun, the gift bag contains an impressive roster of uniquely Canadian merchandise and several top-of-the-line items from the likes of Chanel, Logitech, Cargo Cosmetics, Dermalogica, Atlantic Luggage, Godiva and more.

Product Highlights - 2005 TIFF eTalk Daily Gift Bag:

• Atlantic Luggage - The most obvious component of the bag is - the bag! With futuristic style, a push button locking handle and quiet inline skate wheels, the Galaxy is the perfect travel piece for any star.
• Logitech - It’s the new gadget stars can’t live without: the ultimate digital video remote control. Each gift bag includes the Harmony 880 remote, a universal remote control that can command 15 different electronic devices.
• CHANEL - Nicole Kidman was paid millions as the spokesperson for CHANEL. Now, stars that come to the eTalk Daily lounge will have their chance to smell like the diva herself. Tailored packages for both men and women are filled with this season’s must-have products: Allure Homme Sport for men and CHANCE for women.
• Converse - Stars can hit the street in the comfort of a pair of stylish Converse running shoes. The gift bags include the Chuck Taylor All Star Slip for women and the Jack Purcell OTR Mid for men.
• GAP - The styles of Sarah Jessica Parker and Lenny Kravitz become mainstream when celebs in the eTalk Daily lounge get a pair of GAP jeans. The women’s pair fit low on waist, with a bootcut leg opening and a sandblasted authentic wash. The men’s pair fit low on the waist, have a boot cut leg, zip fly, and dark vintage wash.
• Dr. Trevor Born - Stars in the mood for a little nip and tuck can visit Dr. Trevor M. Born, one of Toronto’s most respected Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons. The package provides a consultation and $350.00 towards a treatment with Dr. Born.
• WaySpa.com - WaySpa.com’s online search tools help stars find discounted spa packages at a number of spas across North America. Finding the right package could not be any simpler.
• Totum Lifescience - Stars who want to stay in shape while they are in Toronto can get a quick Totum-style ego boost from one of Toronto’s best Personal Trainers. Stars can also come to the studio after the festival to work out a week’s worth of champagne and hors d’oeuvres!
• Dermalogica - Hollywood A-listers can stay fresh while in Toronto with the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and the Multivitamin Powerpack. A must have for any person who walks the red carpet.
• CARGO - Stars can get ready for the red carpet with a special gift pack from CARGO. The package includes Madagascar eyeliner, SupersEyes mascara and the Casablanca lip-gloss quad.
• GODIVA - The next generation of chocolate is here with an all-new line of signature creations called the Platinum Collection.  Names such as Gingevere, Iconique and Nocturne represent the seductive and decadent chocolates included in this collection.
• T- Box - This whimsical fashion and accessory line is shrink-wrapped into ice cream cones, lollipops, cubes, wheels and hearts, which open to reveal seasonless ? la mode basics for men and women.
• Redken - Tailored packages for both men and women are filled with this season’s must-have products. The men’s portion includes a daily invigorating shampoo, weightless conditioner, firm hold gel and a defining pomade. The women’s portion includes Body Full Shampoo, Body Full Conditioner, Body Full Weightlifter and Body Full Pump Treat.
• F.L.A.G Accessories - The stars that support PETA need not worry about this product. The trendy “faux-fur” covered hot water bottle is perfect for any star who wants to relax.
• Hoopla - Although the stars won’t be lonely during this festival, they still might find the time to play Cranium Hoopla. It has the soul of a party game and the spontaneity of a card game.
• Indigo - Every star writes a book about something at one time or another. Celebs in the eTalk Daiyl lounge will get a gift certificate from Indigo so they can swing by the nearest store and pick up a copy of their own book. Also included are novels from four unique authors.
• Random House of Canada - Stars in the mood for some home cooking will get Bonnie Stern’s cookbook, Essentials of Home Cooking. The book is filled with five-star recipies to for Caramelized Onion Tarts with Gorgonzola, Lemon Meringue Pavlova Rolls and Thai Shrimp Dumplings with Orange Chili Sauce.
• Esacpulariol - David Beckham wore it and it was the talk of the town. Now, stars that visit the eTalk Daily lounge will also have the infamous Khaki Rosary and the long black beaded black cross necklace.
• Silks Hoisery - When the lights go down, the sensual self is revealed. Stars slip on their little black dresses, glide on their lipstick, but don’t stop there. Stars can indulge in Silks Sexy All-in-One Garter Hose, by Phantom.
• Smart Ass Thong - A Smart Ass Thong is the ultimate underwear design for discerning, style-conscious, urbanites that feel a little cheeky. The Smart Ass thong appeals to women who love fashion and are confident enough to wear some sass on their backsides. The hottest Smart Ass Thong is the one that reads “Desperate Housewife.”

The 2005 TIFF eTalk Daily gift bag was created by Scott Winechuk of SKOT-E Productions Inc.

eTalk Daily viewers also have the chance to win the eTalk Daily TIFF gift bag by visiting www.ctv.ca/entertainment and filling out the online contest form. The contest is open from until Sept. 18 and the winner will announced Sept. 23 on eTalk Daily.

eTalk Daily airs Monday-Friday at 7 p.m. ET and 12:30 a.m. ET on CTV (check local listings).

Hosted by Ben Mulroney and Tanya Kim, eTalk Daily is CTV’s flagship entertainment vehicle and Canada’s number one source for everything entertainment. From the Oscars and the Emmys to the JUNOS and Live 8, eTalk Daily is front-and-centre delivering up-to-the minute news in film, television, music and more. eTalk Daily also provides extensive coverage of The 2005 Toronto International Film Festival with around-the-clock reports from red carpet galas and celebrity-soaked afterparties. Celebrating both homegrown talent and international stars, eTalk Daily has quickly established itself as the premiere entertainment show in Canada. eTalk Daily is produced by Agincourt Productions. Brent Paszt is Senior Producer, eTalk Specials. Darren Solomon is Senior Producer. Morley Nirenberg is Co-Executive Producer. Jordan Schwartz is Executive Producer and Vice-President, Daytime Programming for CTV. Susanne Boyce is President of Programming for CTV. Ed Robinson is Senior Vice-President, Comedy and Variety Programming for CTV.

by Deborah Fulsang

Just imagine: Your 10-hour workday is done, the kids are in bed, and there you are, sipping a little Prosecco. Time for some pampering.

So you head to wayspa.com. It’s a site made for today’s time-strapped but luxury-loving consumer: a clearing house for spa services and specialty packages at 60 different locations in the Toronto and Vancouver areas (Victoria, Montreal and Ottawa are coming soon). And it takes credit cards.

It’s the FTD florist meets the Avon lady. But it’s not so retro-minded. Thanks to a flurry of sites such as WaySpa launched in the past year, the Canadian on-line shopping scene is finally getting fashion-forward.

That might be because, while Canadian households spend more than $3-billion annually on-line, the bulk of the shopping is done by women. According to Toronto-based Sequentia Communications, a boutique marketing communications firm specializing in women and technology, the favoured sites are shopping, home/family, health and beauty-related.

“Consumers initially shopped in categories that they were comfortable with: books, music, electronics. As they got more confident, they turned to fashion,” says Emmie Fukuchi, the general manager of http://www.yourshops.ca, a new on-line department store. She expects the apparel and accessories market to grow 50 per cent over the next few years, on-line commerce as a whole just 30 per cent.

Fukuchi’s own closet is about 50 per cent on-line acquired. “It’s so easy. You click and it arrives at your door. And you get access to brands you might not be able to get otherwise.”

The Internet has long worked for large companies such as Sephora — often dubbed the behemoth of beauty with its 250 different brands — as well as highly specialized and hard-to-find vendors. What’s unique is the appearance of sites that are like stores that carry a few designers: It’s the boutiquing of on-line shopping.

“We always say that design/style sites for women need to follow ‘the little black dress’ mantra,” explains Denise Shortt, vice-president of Sequentia Communications. “One size fits all.”

Toronto architect Lisa Pasternack recently launched mememe.ca, a virtual cosmetics store of a few lines that may sound familiar to the urban spa client (Cake Beauty, Principessa), but also some that are local and less widely available (Pinkie Sweat, SweetSpot Labs). “It’s more of a boutique than the department store feel of a Sephora,” Pasternack says.

Still, she tries to satisfy the Internet’s instant-gratification profile by offering three-to-five-day shipping for most orders.

Since time-savings and accessibility are two of the key reasons consumers choose on-line shopping, the virtual mall is on the horizon, Shortt says. A woman wants “the on-line shopping experience to mimic real-life shopping experience. She doesn’t have the time to go searching all over. Give her one-stop fashion options on one webpage.”

To wit, http://www.yourshops.ca. The site is a virtual portal to more than 40 popular North American retailers — from J.Crew to Crate&Barrel. The site’s advantage is that everyone clearly ships to Canada, and can be found grouped with similar lifestyle sellers. Even the once-ghastly Shopping Channel has been having an on-line makeover: theshoppingchannel.com now carries such fashion-savvy lines as (Canadian made) Heys Luggage and Smashbox cosmetics at a discount.

And before you log off, add inhouseproducts.com to your list of favourites. The Toronto-based company’s range of designs for the home is well edited. There are lovely items from around the globe, most notably sleek Georg Jensen ice tongs and a bold stainless steel outdoor fire pit. Of course, they’re not cheap — but this site is not all things to all people. That’s the beauty of Internet shopping.

A facial at your favourite spa for 50% off the regular price?

It’s true, thanks to www.wayspa.com, a new website offering discounted spa packages in the Toronto area.

Pure & Simple and RaSunSpa are just two of the premium establishments that have signed up to offer bundled services through WaySpa.  Savings range from 28 per cent to more than 50 per cent off the regular price.  For instance, a manicure, sea salt scrub and Vichy shower treatment that normally runs $179 at Senses Spa in the Sheraton Hotel is available for $109.99, a 39 per cent saving.  There are no fees to join WaySpa and no restrictions on the hours or days that the discounted packages can be booked.  “We launched on Sept. 1 and we have 18 spas, but we’re adding two to three new ones every week,” says co-founder Jeremy Creed, a website designer who has never indulged in the spa experience.

The son of Creeds Dry Cleaners’ Jack Creed modeled WaySpa on Travelocity, which offers discounted hotel rooms to travellers.  See the website or call 1-800-929-7723.

Creed Solutions Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of the WaySpa website. WaySpa sells spa packages online for different spas throughout the southern Ontario region.

Creed Solutions developed a new ecommerce system for WaySpa that not only enhances the users’ experience by delivering dynamic, targeted content, but also helps to motivate site users into becoming purchasers through the use of Creed Solutions’ new SMART CART technology. With expansion plans to include spas from the rest of Canada and the United States, and pricing of up to 80% off regular spa prices, WaySpa is well on its way to Internet success.

Creed Solutions Inc. has also launched The Villa Passalacqua (<a href=”http://www.thevillapassalacqua.com” target=”_blank”>www.thevillapassalacqua.com</a>) website. The Villa Passalacqua is one of the most beautiful and historical villas located on Lake Como in northern Italy. The original house was built by the Oddesscalchi family and was passed on in the 1700’s to Count Andrea Passalacqua. This 30,000 + sq. ft. masterpiece is now available to rent.

To best showcase this remarkable home, Creed Solutions elected to develop the site entirely in Flash utilizing a variety of navigation techniques including an interactive map. Through clever design and beautiful photography, the elegance of The Villa Passalacqua really shines through.

Creed Solutions Inc is a full-service Internet application development company. Our on-site services include custom web-based applications, database development, network/intranet design and configuration as well as website development and management.

With more than 9 years of experience, Creed Solutions Inc has the knowledge and the skills to develop and implement your required solution. We have had the honour of being listed as a top 100 Canadian Professional Services Organization by the Branham Group for the past 4 years and are very proud of our numerous awards and recognitions.

Internet development is our business. Let us help make it part of yours.

For further information, please contact, Jeremy Creed, President - Creed Solutions Inc. (416) 482-9033