{"id":15700,"date":"2018-11-22T13:51:31","date_gmt":"2018-11-22T18:51:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/?p=15700"},"modified":"2018-11-22T13:51:31","modified_gmt":"2018-11-22T18:51:31","slug":"hopson-grace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/","title":{"rendered":"Hopson Grace Owners Share Favourite Hotspots"},"content":{"rendered":"

Life\u2019s best moments are around the table,\u201d says Martha Grace McKimm, one-half of elegant tableware purveyor Hopson Grace, in Toronto\u2019s tony Summerhill neighbourhood in Rosedale. When this PR powerhouse decided she was ready for a totally different career challenge, she knew she wanted to open a shop connected to the foodie-entertaining world. \u201cThe idea was ruminating for quite some time in my head,\u201d she explains, \u201cbut I couldn\u2019t move it forward because I didn\u2019t have the retail experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

McKimm\u2019s aha moment came in the dark of night, and it included veteran luxury exec Andrea Hopson, formerly VP of Canada for Tiffany & Co. \u201cI woke up and said, \u2018Oh my God, it\u2019s Andrea! I need her.\u2019 \u201d The duo had met two decades ago, when McKimm worked at the PR agency that repped Tiffany, and stayed in touch as friends. Over lunch at Holts Caf\u00e9, in midtown Toronto, McKimm pitched Hopson on \u201cthis crazy idea\u201d and found a kindred business partner.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe felt committed to doing whatever it took, including selling our homes, in order to realize our dreams,\u201d says Hopson. Their shop opened in 2015, stocking tableware, d\u00e9cor and kitchen accessories with exquisite form and function. You\u2019ll find designs both traditional (William Yeoward\u2019s 19th-century-style crystal salt dish) and contemporary (Dede Johnston\u2019s whimsical china with tiny illustrations of skiers), and prices both high and low. But what everything has in common is a sense of joyfulness. \u201cFrom the table setting to the food and wine, it\u2019s not about perfection or formality,\u201d explains McKimm. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the warmth you bring, making people feel comfortable and creating a shared memory.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"Hopson Grace<\/a><\/div>\n

01 Hopson Grace<\/strong><\/p>\n

Everything you\u2019d want to throw the most chic dinner party is at this boutique. Among the founders\u2019 favourites \u2014 a salted-maple salad bowl by Jim Lorriman (\u201cIt\u2019s a piece of art on my table,\u201d notes McKimm.) and bird-themed porcelain dishware from Richard Ginori (\u201cIt makes me very happy,\u201d says Hopson.). New launches include Richard Brendon\u2019s The 1 Collection, a collab with wine critic Jancis Robinson. The line offers just one wineglass option, designed to be the only shape you\u2019ll ever need for any type of vino. 1120 Yonge Street, Toronto; 416-926-1120; hopsongrace.com <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"Villa La Rotonda<\/a><\/div>\n

02 Villa La Rotonda<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cVenice holds a great deal of my heart,\u201d says Hopson, who studied art and architecture there in her early 20s and became enamoured with la dolce vita. <\/em>\u201cOne of my biggest thrills was visiting Villa La Rotonda,\u201d she recalls of the Renaissance estate located just outside Venice and designed by one of her favourite architects, Andrea Palladio. \u201cIt\u2019s the most perfect example of symmetry and beauty in a single building.\u201d Via della Rotonda, 45, Venice; villalarotonda.it <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"The River Cafe<\/a><\/div>\n

03 Le Bon Marche<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe go there on every buying trip. They\u2019re incredibly curated and thoughtful about what they bring in,\u201d McKimm says of the quintessential Parisian department store. The Hopson Grace duo appreciate the impeccable assortment, in particular the German bone china by Dibbern and linens from the likes of Lisa Corti and Le Jacquard Fran\u00e7ais. \u201cWe always find something new and inspiring there,\u201d adds Hopson. 24, rue de S\u00e8vres, Paris; +33 (0) 1 44 39 82 80; 24sevres.com<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"The River Cafe<\/a><\/div>\n

04 The River Cafe<\/strong><\/p>\n

Still as beloved as ever after more than three decades, this London institution is famous as the training ground for scores of acclaimed chefs. It\u2019s credited with defining Italian cuisine for Brit palates, prioritizing fresh ingredients. \u201cI\u2019ve had one of the best meals of my life there,\u201d enthuses McKimm. \u201cThey re-create and perfect Tuscan cooking outside Tuscany, and no one\u2019s done it better in the world.\u201d Given that she spent a year in Italy, guiding bicycle tours in Tuscany, that\u2019s high praise indeed. Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London; +44 (0) 20 7386 4200; rivercafe.co.uk<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"The Hess Collection<\/a><\/div>\n

05 The Hess Collection <\/strong><\/p>\n

Sip cab sauv and chardonnay, this acclaimed Napa Valley winery\u2019s best-known varietals, as your preview to lunching on farm-to-table fare while overlooking Mount Veeder. Before you go, explore the on-site modern-art museum curated by winery founder (and passionate art collector) Donald Hess. His featured artists include photo-realist painter Franz Gertsch, abstract expressionist Robert Motherwell and sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz. \u201cIt\u2019s a rich cultural experience and a spectacular setting,\u201d says McKimm, \u201cand they produce unbelievable wines.\u201d 4411 Redwood Road, Napa; 707-255-1144; hesscollection.com <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n

By Wing Sze Tang –  *This article originally appeared in INSIGHT: The Art of Living | Winter 2018<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Life\u2019s best moments are around the table,\u201d says Martha Grace McKimm, one-half of elegant tableware purveyor Hopson Grace, in Toronto\u2019s tony Summerhill neighbourhood in Rosedale. When this PR powerhouse decided she was ready for a totally different career challenge, she knew she wanted to open a shop connected to the foodie-entertaining world. \u201cThe idea was ruminating for quite some time in my head,\u201d she explains, \u201cbut I couldn\u2019t move it forward because I didn\u2019t have the retail experience.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":15701,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[394],"tags":[214,409,1043,1078,1079,1080,1081,1082,1083,1084,1085],"class_list":["post-15700","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insight-magazine","tag-restaurants","tag-insight-magazine","tag-insight-winter-2018","tag-hopson-grace","tag-martha-grace-mckimm","tag-andrew-hopson","tag-gastronomy","tag-villa-la-rotonda","tag-river-cafe","tag-le-bon-marche","tag-the-hess-collection"],"yoast_head":"\nHopson Grace Owners Share Favourite Hotspots - Insight Magazine - Sotheby's International Realty Canada<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The gracious duo behind Hopson Grace \u2014 Martha Grace McKimm and Andrea Hopson \u2014 dish on their favourite hotspots.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hopson Grace Owners Share Favourite Hotspots - Insight Magazine - Sotheby's International Realty Canada\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The gracious duo behind Hopson Grace \u2014 Martha Grace McKimm and Andrea Hopson \u2014 dish on their favourite hotspots.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15700\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sotheby's International Realty Canada\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-11-22T18:51:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/cover-13.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"570\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"SIRC\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"SIRC\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hopson Grace Owners Share Favourite Hotspots - Insight Magazine - Sotheby's International Realty Canada","description":"The gracious duo behind Hopson Grace \u2014 Martha Grace McKimm and Andrea Hopson \u2014 dish on their favourite hotspots.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hopson Grace Owners Share Favourite Hotspots - Insight Magazine - Sotheby's International Realty Canada","og_description":"The gracious duo behind Hopson Grace \u2014 Martha Grace McKimm and Andrea Hopson \u2014 dish on their favourite hotspots.","og_url":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15700","og_site_name":"Sotheby's International Realty Canada","article_published_time":"2018-11-22T18:51:31+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1440,"height":570,"url":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/cover-13.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"SIRC","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"SIRC","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/"},"author":{"name":"SIRC","@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/23efd124483948cf5ddb8b3ca55812a2"},"headline":"Hopson Grace Owners Share Favourite Hotspots","datePublished":"2018-11-22T18:51:31+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/"},"wordCount":750,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/cover-13.jpg","keywords":["restaurants","Insight Magazine","Insight Winter 2018","Hopson Grace","Martha Grace McKimm","Andrew Hopson","gastronomy","villa la rotonda","river cafe","le bon marche","the hess collection"],"articleSection":["Insight Magazine"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/","url":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/","name":"Hopson Grace Owners Share Favourite Hotspots - Insight Magazine - Sotheby's International Realty Canada","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/cover-13.jpg","datePublished":"2018-11-22T18:51:31+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/23efd124483948cf5ddb8b3ca55812a2"},"description":"The gracious duo behind Hopson Grace \u2014 Martha Grace McKimm and Andrea Hopson \u2014 dish on their favourite hotspots.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":[["https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/"]]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/cover-13.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/cover-13.jpg","width":1440,"height":570},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/2018\/11\/22\/hopson-grace\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hopson Grace Owners Share Favourite Hotspots"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/","name":"Sotheby's International Realty Canada","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/23efd124483948cf5ddb8b3ca55812a2","name":"SIRC","url":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/author\/sirc\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15700","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15700"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15700\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15724,"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15700\/revisions\/15724"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15700"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15700"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15700"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}