Vive la France

As a treat, I took a few hours off last week and drove up to Aurora to see what’s new in store at JacKryn France , a lovely little French-themed boutique. As always, I drooled over the fabulous selection of  table and bed linens. As a matter of fact, if I wasn’t in the middle of putting the third of four kids through University, I would have treated myself to a wonderful blue-grey linen cloth for my holiday table. Alas, my loss is your gain. I'd always advise buying the very best linen you can afford - I think it's definitely worth it.

I also was really impressed with the stain-resistant tablecloths owner Rita Theil showed me. These are nothing like the rubbery, too-shiny versions you so often see. That's because the fibres they're made from are coated with Teflon before being woven, rather than having a coating of Teflon spread over the finished product (cheaper, yes, but nowhere near as nice or long-lasting.) Look for these in an upcoming Hot Home Products column.

The other thing I loved were the furniture pieces in grey with hand-painted motifs that are inspired by the famous Toile du Jouy designs (for which I've always had a weakness).

Next week is a good time to visit JacKryn France. On November 4th, the store will hold its sixth annual Holiday Open House. You’ll see exquisite decorations, glass and tableware and all sorts of holiday décor. But you do have to register by emailing Rita at rita@jackryn.com

So pencil it a "treat trip" for yourself. While you're there, ask about the news draperies from Faab. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out the website, especially the Clearance Centre. Oh la la!