Whiskey & Cake

Eva de Viveiros is best known for her beloved Barefoot Contessa boutiques in Mount Pleasant and on Commercial Drive, but her newest venture, Whiskey & Cake, takes things a step further, expanding her focus from feminine fashions to housewares and entertaining accessories.

“Whiskey & Cake is more of an expression of where I am now in my life," Eva says of her new business venture, which opened in the spring of 2016. "Barefoot Contessa is still me and I still love it, but here I carry pieces like table settings, housewarming gifts and bar cart accessories. It incorporates rustic elements with vintage elements and more of a masculine vibe.”

The boutique's unique name highlights the juxtaposition between its feminine and masculine influences. “It’s a fanciful way of explaining I have gifts for men and for women," Eva explains. "It’s Yin and Yang, male and female, hard and soft. And also two of my favourite things."

Located on a jam-packed block near Fraser and Kingsway alongside the Bloom Room, Heartbreaker Salon and Matchstick Coffee, Whiskey & Cake's quirky aesthetic and unique collection of lifestyle goods sets the space apart. "There are lots of antique stores and lots of gift stores, but not a lot of stores that mix antique with new,” Eva notes.