hkskyline
March 15th, 2010, 05:00 PM
By caltrane74 from urbantoronto.ca :
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View Full Version : TORONTO | Ritz-Carlton Toronto | 213m | 53 fl | Com Pages :
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hkskyline March 15th, 2010, 05:00 PM By caltrane74 from urbantoronto.ca : http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/1276/sany0118c.jpg Chadoh25 March 16th, 2010, 06:22 AM Looking good! hkskyline March 18th, 2010, 02:34 PM By digitalis from urbantoronto.ca March 17: http://www.thebuildingdatabase.com/ut_pics/ritz/2010_03_17a.jpg http://www.thebuildingdatabase.com/ut_pics/ritz/2010_03_17b.jpg hkskyline March 28th, 2010, 08:03 PM By Hypnotoad from urbantoronto.ca : March 27 http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4468350112_1f3a297d51_b.jpg Febo March 29th, 2010, 02:44 AM It's looking great! An elegant building in such an elegant skyline:) hkskyline March 30th, 2010, 08:25 AM New Chef in town; New York's Scott Conant brings Scarpetta to Toronto Toronto Star 16 March 2010 Scott Conant sure keeps his cards close to his black chef's jacket. Famous for his tender roast baby goat and truffled polenta, New York-based Conant is poised to bring his Italian restaurant Scarpetta to the new Thompson Toronto hotel on Wellington St. W. late in May. But he won't say what's on the menu. "We need to sit inside the space, throw some opening parties and see what people want," he says. Certain dishes will be on offer, like the simple spaghetti al pomodoro called "pure Mediterranean bliss" by New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni. There will also be crudi, Italian-style raw seafood. Conant promises everything will be "modest, humble and approachable." "I never want to be that person who says, 'I'm here, I've arrived,'" he says. The original Scarpetta is in New York's Meatpacking District, while a second sits in Miami Beach's Fontainebleau Hotel. The name colloquially means "little shoe," the piece of bread you use to sop up every last bit of sauce. Conant, 39, is Toronto's newest celebrity chef, albeit one without local name recognition. He's got the cookbooks (two); the cookware line (non-stick); the kudos (everyone from Food & Wine to the James Beard Foundation); even his ancestry is stellar: his mother's side is Italian and his father's goes back to the Mayflower. So what draws a chef so busy that he hasn't yet dined here - last month, he opened Faustina in Manhattan two days before his wife bore their first child - to Toronto? "It's uncharted territory," he says. "Plus it's a short commute." Thompson Toronto co-developer Peter Freed says he and partner Tony Cohen were "flying all over the place, to Los Angeles, to France," looking for a signature restaurant. "We wanted something that wasn't just trendy, someplace to go to seven days a week. When the Pomeranc brothers (co-owners of the Thompson Hotels) took us to Scarpetta, we were blown away by the food, the service and the atmosphere," Freed says. Thompson Toronto, the first of the city's five new luxury hotels, sought the cachet of a famous New York chef. Not all the new projects will follow suit, although the Shangri-La (opening 2012) might turn again to Jean-Georges Vongerichten, whose Market restaurant anchors its Vancouver property. The Ritz-Carlton, opening this summer on Wellington St. W., has hired Tom Brodi (ex-Canoe) as chef de cuisine of its as-yet unnamed, 120-seat feature restaurant to be open breakfast, lunch and dinner. "We could've worked with someone like Eric Ripert or Daniel Boulud or Laurent Tourondel, but we felt that Toronto has such wonderful talent that we want to showcase," says Ritz-Carlton Toronto general manager Tim Terceira. The Four Seasons, opening in 2012, promises a "locally relevant restaurant" in its new Yorkville property. No word on restaurant plans for Trump International Hotel & Tower, opening in 2011. "I'm pleased Conant is coming. The more good restaurants here, the better," says Carl Korte, co-owner of Scaramouche, who's eaten at Scarpetta in New York. Conant has a multi-year management contract with the Toronto Scarpetta, a 150-seat dining room designed by Studio Gaia of New York. It'll be open for lunch and dinner, with unclothed tables and brass accents. The hotel will also have a 24-hour diner designed by Brenda Bent to look like a classic rail car. Conant might install Toronto-born Ryan Morrison, his chef de cuisine at Faustina, in Scarpetta's kitchen. The hotel is close to Buca on King St. W., another rustic-but-refined Italian restaurant. The potential competition doesn't faze Conant. "Chefs always look out for each other," says the one-time Top Chef judge. apataki @ thestar.ca caltrane74 April 7th, 2010, 12:19 PM by me: http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/113/sany0365.jpg by me lXJJ25-uIIE hkskyline April 8th, 2010, 05:16 PM Taking a five-star leap with few reservations More than 1,000 luxury hotel rooms are slated to open in Toronto and Vancouver over the next 12 months. But these hoteliers aren't worried about oversupply. They insist the market is underserved 6 April 2010 The Globe and Mail During the darkest days of the recession, one thought kept going through Tony Cohen's mind: Better to be building a luxury hotel through the downturn than to be opening one. Mr. Cohen, who with partner Peter Freed is putting the finishing touches on the 102-room Thompson hotel in the western part of downtown Toronto, isn't worried any more about filling rooms when the doors open in May. The economy is recovering, business travellers are slowing returning, and the market is far from saturated. Toronto and Vancouver, Mr. Cohen believes, have long suffered from a lack of luxury in the hotel sector. That's about to change. Within the next 12 months, more than 1,000 luxury hotel rooms are slated to open in each of those cities – a huge expansion that was planned before the recession hit, and one with uncertain consequences for an industry hammered during the downturn. “This all may be happening at a crazy time, given what's been happening in the economy over the last couple of years, but I maintain this market has been underserved,” said Mr. Cohen, who also operates a boutique hotel in Toronto called Le Germaine. “This is a long time coming, and we really feel it's all coming together at the right time.” The past couple of years have been anything but the right time for Canada's hotel industry. Revenue per available room, a key measure of the sector's financial health, plunged 12 per cent, according Colliers International. Insiders suggest that even that number flatters the truth, because many chains have kept room rates stable but offered free nights and other upgrades to attract guests. PKF Canada, a market research firm, estimated that profitability at the nation's hotels declined by 33 per cent in 2009. But there are hopeful signs emerging. Figures from STR Global, which tracks occupancy and rates week-by-week, show that life is slowly returning to the market. The average daily rate was up 0.3 per cent at the end of March, to $118.77. Occupancy rates climbed 1.7 per cent to 58.2 per cent. Hotels such as the Thompson, Trump, Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton in Toronto and the Shangri-La, Fairmont Pacific Rim and Hotel Rosewood Georgia in Vancouver could help drive a renaissance for the embattled industry, said analyst Lyle Hall, managing director of HLT Advisory Inc. in Toronto. “There is still some ugliness out there as the convention and meetings markets see softness,” Mr. Hall said. “But these brands have certain standards and price thresholds. Having them come in and push rates up should help. It's the thing about rising tides lifting all boats.” There are 12,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of Toronto's Union Station, while the Olympic-fuelled boom in Vancouver has pushed the number of rooms in its downtown to 13,000. But both markets have been short on truly high-end offerings, industry analysts say. There is no formal definition of what constitutes a five-star hotel. It generally refers to properties with a high staff-to-patron ratio and luxury amenities. Colliers International executive managing director Bill Stone said the lack of such inventory has cost the cities financially, as large trade shows and upscale events opt for markets with higher-end facilities. “You are going to see new business coming to these cities because they haven't had this calibre of offerings before,” Mr. Stone said. “This is going to be better than people anticipate – people like to be at these places in a way that is different than more traditional hotels, and that attracts the corporate clientele.” For the Ritz, the results are already evident. Though it won't open until midsummer, bookings are already in place for weddings and bar mitzvahs. Site tours have been available for a year, and most of its 400 employees have been hired. “Having these hotels will attract groups that would otherwise go to Chicago or San Francisco that already have them in the market. That is a certainty,” general manager Tim Terceira said. While paying guests are the cornerstone of survival for any hotel, several developments have another advantage built into their business plans – they aren't only hotels, they are also condominiums. With property owners sharing the same space as vacationers, amenities such as restaurants and cleaning services have a built-in source of alternative revenue. At the Ritz, for example, 135 condos will share the downtown Toronto location with 267 hotel rooms. The suites range from $700,000 for a standard condo up to an estimated $11-million for the penthouse. “They've offered condo buyers a high level of services that don't normally come with an independent building,” Mr. Stone said. “This helps with financing out of the gate, and the hotels also like it because it creates a feel that goes beyond the scope of a traditional offering.” caltrane74 April 9th, 2010, 10:36 PM by me http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2952/sany0362.jpg jfMAlUdi23I CharlotteJ April 9th, 2010, 11:06 PM what a beautiful blue sky...wow hkskyline April 17th, 2010, 07:22 PM By wyliepoon from urbantoronto.ca : April 15 (Thursday) http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4527411278_753fa292fb_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4527425646_c30b778566_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4526790765_285944c7ff_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4527426332_6bdab54948_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4527423370_09a7c6be34_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4527421714_6d014cff4c_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4526787819_8b1534b7d1_b.jpg caltrane74 April 19th, 2010, 01:09 PM by me http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1580/sany0625z.jpg hkskyline April 19th, 2010, 04:35 PM The skyline is filling in quite nicely! Skybean April 19th, 2010, 09:41 PM From Jasonzed in the Toronto forums http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Mississauga-3a/20100417a147.jpg http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Mississauga-3a/20100417a138.jpg http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Mississauga-3a/20100417a128.jpg caltrane74 April 20th, 2010, 02:43 AM ha! http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/6853/sany0647.jpg by me CanadianSkyScraper April 22nd, 2010, 05:55 AM http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2117/4542553042_03799d33f8.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4541918273_9b3d172331.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4542550174_56baba4c16.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2688/4542548846_8cffa5d00f.jpg hkskyline April 23rd, 2010, 05:45 PM By interchange42 from urbantoronto.ca : Welcome to the patio behind the SkyLobby, and under the canopy. It looks surprisingly closed-in for a two-floor high space 22 storeys in the air... but then you notice that there is a line of skylights along the edge of the building, covered up for the time being until construction is finished above. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4544431215_7897e47661_b.jpg Back inside, we've climbed to the mezzanine level of the SkyLobby... but not on the sweeping staircase which, as you can see, is not there yet. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4544442833_b5ae14420f_b.jpg Look, back patio again, now from above... http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4544444783_4d588a147e_b.jpg and if we tilt up, we get a better look at the skylight which is to be uncovered upon completion. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4544447515_096bca721b_b.jpg Here's a better idea of the local context for the back patio. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2175/4544450795_d1c22459ca_b.jpg Aw heck, let's give you an actual view this time (what are we, monsters?), so, looking south from here, Ritz-Carltonians will have an excellent vista of the new Roundhouse Heritage Railway Museum. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4545088624_d713b25f68_b.jpg Of course, you may also elect to look up from the balcony for this everyday view. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4544457419_65179e5cdb_b.jpg Jasonzed April 24th, 2010, 05:25 AM http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Mississauga-3a/20100423a003.jpg http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Mississauga-3a/20100423a012.jpg Nouvellecosse April 24th, 2010, 05:54 AM by me http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/1580/sany0625z.jpgVery good! The skyline definitely looking a bit heftier as of late. MLS and Success seem to be making the biggest contribution, but Ritz definitely helps as well. hkskyline April 28th, 2010, 05:05 PM From the penthouse / roof by interchange42's from urbantoronto.ca : http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzViewsIMG_2144.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzViewsIMG_2152.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzViewsIMG_2156.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzViewsIMG_2160%201.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzViewsIMG_2177.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzViewsIMG_2178.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzViewsIMG_2217.jpg hkskyline May 23rd, 2010, 05:35 PM First posted by drum118 from urbantoronto.ca : May 19 Click for full size http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/may/2010_05_19/IMG_05-19-10-0044.jpg (http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/may/2010_05_19/IMG_30847.JPG) http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/may/2010_05_19/IMG_05-19-10-0045.jpg (http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/may/2010_05_19/IMG_30848.JPG) caltrane74 May 28th, 2010, 01:36 AM by me eB5qDb0SZW4 caltrane74 May 28th, 2010, 02:02 AM by me 9k_DV2dUsf4 nature's message May 28th, 2010, 04:39 AM What a nice hotel. :) hkskyline May 29th, 2010, 06:18 AM Prior posted by interchange from urbantoronto.ca : Time for another photo update of the Ritz's upper reaches, with new details seen below: http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzRoofworkMay26.jpg Note that opaque panels are now being put in place on the slanted roof of the north fin. Also note the vertically ribbed cladding at the top of the zipper. I am not certain that it is as high now as it will eventually go, but I believe so as it hides the mechanical floor, and provides a parapet wall for the window washing equipment level... and I hope it stays that way as I think it looks quite good. I also hope the see-through portion of the north fin will remain too - it looks very cool from below! 42[/QUOTE] Chad May 29th, 2010, 10:47 AM Getting way too sexy to resist. loganlambe1155 May 29th, 2010, 12:58 PM Thats Great, Myself never seen these kind of Toronto before.Its awesome sharing by members. Thanks for doing some extraordinary Here. caltrane74 May 29th, 2010, 08:00 PM by me http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4002/sany1088b.jpg http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/4750/sany1080.jpg whitefordj May 30th, 2010, 12:48 AM very nice tower. i am usure about the setback at the top though. nature's message May 30th, 2010, 03:33 AM The base looks amazing. hkskyline May 31st, 2010, 05:31 PM By wmedia from urbantoronto.ca : http://www.liquidstairs.com/images/Ritz.jpg CharlotteJ May 31st, 2010, 09:34 PM Thank God for CN Tower not made out of blue glass! isaidso June 3rd, 2010, 03:30 AM I know! Enough with the blue/green glass. Some colour and use of different materials would do wonders for this area. CharlotteJ June 4th, 2010, 09:15 AM They create a new ozon layer really these days everywhere on this planet. All that glass sure does for a part reflect the sun ray back into the sky/space and can cool down the temp locally instead of obsorbing it, I was thinking though. LOL Adamina June 4th, 2010, 01:50 PM she is 18 (which is legal age) so she should be able to rent an appartment. its not all that hard if u budget your money. there are cheap appartments available but i will warn u, u will get what u pay for and they may be basement appartments. check out local listings in the Toronto Star and Sun newspapers (they are available online as well). there is a transit system (subway and busses) that can get u nearly any where u want to go and if u live in the city everthing will be pretty close, some things with in walking distance. Nr. 2 June 4th, 2010, 08:34 PM ^^ Where is the button to report spam bots? hkskyline June 14th, 2010, 05:13 PM By drum118 from urbantoronto.ca : Click for full size: You can see in the last photo framing been install for the other haft of the roof with glass in place on the other section. http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/june/2010_06_11/IMG_06-11-10-0071.JPG (http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/june/2010_06_11/IMG_31489.JPG) http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/june/2010_06_11/IMG_06-11-10-0072.JPG (http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/june/2010_06_11/IMG_31490.JPG) http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/june/2010_06_11/IMG_06-11-10-0073.JPG (http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/june/2010_06_11/IMG_31491.JPG) http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/june/2010_06_11/IMG_06-11-10-0074.JPG (http://davidfisher.biz/photo/2010/june/2010_06_11/IMG_31492.JPG) italiano_pellicano June 15th, 2010, 05:16 AM Amazing Project Skybean June 17th, 2010, 08:13 AM Taken by me http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/6622/img0065u.jpg http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7711/img0066n.jpg http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/6320/img0012gl.jpg http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9601/img0011ja.jpg http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/6250/img0032eq.jpg http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2557/img0034z.jpg http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/5395/img0037l.jpg mclancer June 17th, 2010, 09:20 AM Hey Skybean, you have been very busy. Lots of pictures on more than one thread, thanks! JP Duminy June 17th, 2010, 10:43 AM I did live at 140 Carlton....i also got mugged in the parking lot behind the complex...i hope this doesn't stop you from moving there!Other than that,it's a great location....you are right in the center to it all!Good luck...but watch your back and stay out of alleyways and parking lots at night! CharlotteJ June 17th, 2010, 12:06 PM what does " getting mugged " mean? Dzwonsson June 17th, 2010, 12:18 PM ^^ Lol, that means someone has stuck you up, in other words, someone has robed you... ;) CharlotteJ June 17th, 2010, 01:31 PM ^^ Lol, that means someone has stuck you up, in other words, someone has robed you... ;) Ah Ok. thanks for the lessons. I 'd say being robbed but now I know I can use other words too. Getting mugged. :lol: (not much fun though) Febo June 17th, 2010, 11:13 PM Beautiful!! Love the upper part. isaidso June 18th, 2010, 06:10 AM ^^ Lol, that means someone has stuck you up, in other words, someone has robed you... ;) I think you mean robbed. Charlotte rarely walks around naked. CharlotteJ June 18th, 2010, 10:42 AM I think you mean robbed. Charlotte rarely walks around naked. OMG!!! now I get the picture, he was " put on a stick" meaning he lost his virginity in that area. :lol: No, I never walk naked. If I do, people will all have another " black out" !:nuts: isaidso June 18th, 2010, 11:39 AM That could cause millions of dollars in lost productivity. hkskyline June 23rd, 2010, 03:48 PM By interchange42 from urbantoronto.ca : http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/PanoramaViewRitz.jpg Elkhanan1 July 10th, 2010, 08:55 AM By CML on urbantoronto.ca http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4769317097_2692a50fc2_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4769320517_a2d5a5569c_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4769318863_42492dba85_b.jpg By Mo-tage on urbantoronto.ca http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4778491866_7bd9c203de_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4777858823_03d260ccbb_b.jpg hkskyline July 11th, 2010, 04:27 PM By Jasonzed and previously posted in the Toronto section : http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Mississauga/20100710148.jpg http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Mississauga/20100710123.jpg http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii108/jasonzedd/Mississauga/20100710137.jpg hkskyline July 19th, 2010, 06:31 PM By Mo-tage from urbantoronto.ca : http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4808213677_bd87de9aba_b.jpg CharlotteJ July 20th, 2010, 12:07 AM yeahhhhh almost finished!!!! and soon will be lit beautifully at night Innsertnamehere July 20th, 2010, 04:22 AM Update: http://i899.photobucket.com/albums/ac197/innsertnamehere/toronto%20july%202010/SSPX0128.jpg http://i899.photobucket.com/albums/ac197/innsertnamehere/toronto%20july%202010/SSPX0129.jpg like the CN towers reflection???? (its the only reason i posted it) http://i899.photobucket.com/albums/ac197/innsertnamehere/toronto%20july%202010/SSPX0139.jpg crappy quality is because main camera was out of batteries, so i had to resort to my phone camera :( all pictures by me, today :) hkskyline July 25th, 2010, 04:42 PM By steveve from urbantoronto.ca - Ritz Photos from July 22, 2010 : http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4820137170_50bbd9e382_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4819514649_7d2ca99867_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4819513135_45ba0394c4_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4819512499_4372b78e2f_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4819510747_705ec70cbf_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4819508087_0f0452e44c_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4819506727_c368593894_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4819503475_48564d0861_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4820112466_2852fa8f60_b.jpg Blue Flame July 26th, 2010, 04:47 PM Nice pictures! :banana: Toronto is spectacular! hkskyline July 28th, 2010, 05:16 PM By steveve from urbantoronto.ca - Ritz/RBC/Festival/others from the 68th floor of FCP by me (today, july 27, 2010): ***Forgive the glare, it was really annoying at the time!!! http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4835891539_ecde6cce33_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/4835895255_cee774e402_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4836506572_6665340949_b.jpg SimsPlanet2 July 30th, 2010, 12:07 AM Perfect shape! Love this one. Elkhanan1 July 31st, 2010, 11:16 AM By Mo-tage on UT. http://i29.tinypic.com/2u8wcjb.jpg Mike in TO on UT. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4800223974_f87e6262c4_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4799596417_9851a94eb8_b.jpg CharlotteJ July 31st, 2010, 04:05 PM I so love the pink colors on CN Tower :) MysticMcGoo August 1st, 2010, 07:58 PM I wonder what kind of lighting the ritz will have when its done. I hope it stands out at night. Marcanadian August 1st, 2010, 08:42 PM I hope to see lighting up the 'zipper' portion. That would look fantastic. hkskyline August 8th, 2010, 05:56 PM By udo from urbantoronto.ca The non-HDR version for Khristopher (60 second exposure) ... http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4861195725_eb93462819_b.jpg ... and the HDR version for the rest of us. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4861811954_f78c02ddb9_b.jpg To mix it up a little here is also a HDR version in B&W ... http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4861193191_c9da238a6b_b.jpg The HDR version by the way is made from 5 source images with varying exposure times of 8, 15, 30, 60 and 120 seconds at an aperture setting of f/22.0. hkskyline August 20th, 2010, 06:33 PM By Mo-tage from urbantoronto.ca : Crane will be coming down any day now. Also cladding is being finished quickly up the west side. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4908469879_30c07dac2d_b.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4908467629_e93f49908b_b.jpg hkskyline August 23rd, 2010, 07:58 PM By caltrane74 from urbantoronto.ca : http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1886/sany2399.jpg hkskyline August 23rd, 2010, 07:59 PM By caltrane74 from urbantoronto.ca : http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1886/sany2399.jpg hkskyline September 21st, 2010, 06:13 PM By urbandreamer from urbantoronto.ca : 12 September 2010: http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/2332/dsc00447u.jpg hkskyline October 2nd, 2010, 02:24 PM Luxury Living: Sweet suites await you -- but not for long 1 October 2010 Canwest News Service Toronto's prospective condo buyers are perched in the proverbial lap of luxury. Whether they're downsizing from a large home and seeking an equally extravagant dwelling or moving up to a bigger and better space, luxurious abodes are available in high-end developments throughout the city. "The condo market is fantastic. We've seen near-record highs in the market overall during the past year and there's great opportunity in the luxury market," says Ben Myers, executive vice-president of Urbanation, which tracks Toronto's high-rise condo market. Barry Lyon, president of N. Barry Lyon Consultants, a Toronto real estate consulting firm, also gives a nod to luxury developments. "Choice is abundant, and quality and design standards are excellent," Mr. Lyon says. "Luxury condos are all about ease of lifestyle and the ultimate in convenience." Impressive developments are under construction around the city and, while many units have sold, many lavish suites and penthouses are still available. THE RITZ-CARLTON By Graywood Developments Wellington and John streets theresidencestoronto.com The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton are located in the heart of the city and scheduled for first occupancy next month. More than 75% of the units are sold, including the penthouse, but incredible suites are still available. The Valencia is a $9.617-million, 6,000-square-foot dream home with a spacious terrace, 12-ft. ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glass on three sides and private elevator entrance. "The Valencia is the type of space a client moving from a large luxury home would look to acquire," says Graywood's chief operating officer Stephen Price. Also available is the Monte Carlo, a one-bedroom 1,500-sq.-ft. unit starting at $2.985-million and featured in the presentation centre at Front and Simcoe streets. "A buyer looking at the Monte Carlo could move in as earlier as fall 2010," Mr. Price says. The Residences are connected to Toronto's underground PATH network and located steps from Roy Thompson Hall, theatres, restaurants and the waterfront. Hoogfriesland October 2nd, 2010, 05:38 PM Lovely tower! Many tall buildings under construction in Toronto. hkskyline October 11th, 2010, 03:00 PM Previously posted on urbantoronto.ca by interchange42 : Last week, Urban Toronto had occasion to get an update on construction progress inside the Ritz-Carlton (http://www.theresidencestoronto.com/) courtesy of Garnet Watchorn, president of Graywood Developments Ltd., and facilitated by David Eisenstadt of The Communications Group (http://www.tcgpr.com/). Slowly but surely, the true opulence of the building is being uncovered, revealing what promises to be among the most luxurious hotel-residences in the Ritz-Carlton (http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Default.htm) family. Text by Doug Convoy, Photos by Interchange42 A view across the granite-surfaced porte-cochère toward the hotel lobby entrance. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1180967.jpg Spanish anigre wood panelling in the hotel lobby. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1180969.jpg Other finishes in the hotel lobby include cherry wood, anodized steel, and Alicante marble. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190067.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190065.jpg The future TOCA restaurant with double-vaulted ceilings on the second floor of the hotel lobby. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190062.jpg Looking toward the private dining room (left) and wine-tasting room (right) inside the restaurant. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzTocaIntpano.jpg The restaurant also contains a cheese-aging room. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190057.jpg The restaurant kitchen, which includes a chef's table for invited guests. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190060.jpg The second level of the podium just outside the grand ballroom. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190051.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190053.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190056.jpg A view inside the immense grand ballroom, here divided into three sections by sliding partitions. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190043.jpg The specially-commissioned carpet in the grand ballroom was created, delivered, and installed in one piece. It depicts the riverbed of the Don. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzBallroomThirdpano.jpg The mechanical room on the third level of the podium, one of two in the building, with the other located below grade and powered by Deep Lake Water Cooling (http://www.toronto.ca/environment/initiatives/cooling.htm). http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190040.jpg Laundry facilities on the third floor of the podium. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190042.jpg The fourth level of the podium just outside the junior ballroom. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190020.jpg The junior ballroom. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190015.jpg Boardroom on the fourth level of the podium. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190018.jpg Inside the 23,000 sq ft spa encompassing the entire fifth level of the podium. The spa features a retail boutique, beauty salon, fitness centre, swimming area, co-ed relaxation room, men's and women's relaxation lounges, sixteen treatment rooms, grooming stations, vitality pools, saunas, and steam rooms. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190025.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190027.jpg The swimming area inside the spa. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzPoolpano.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzPool2pano.jpg The outdoor lounge terrace for residents with rough-granite decking and under-floor heating on the 21st floor, which also houses the residents-only Sky Lobby, lounge, bar, fitness studio, screening room, games room, meeting room, and private guest suite. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190012.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzResidentPatiopano.jpg http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1190011.jpg A peek inside the 10,800 sq ft private penthouse on the 52nd floor, which can be accessed by two reserved residential elevators and one service elevator. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1180970.jpg The 2,000 sq ft penthouse terrace under scaffolding due a construction accident a few weeks ago. http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzP1180972.jpg And that marks the end of our tour of The Ritz-Carlton, which is sure to set a new standard for luxurious living in this country. Urban Toronto will continue to visit and report on the building as construction advances toward its official opening early next year. CharlotteJ October 14th, 2010, 02:17 AM Oh lovely ... getting shape and soon will be the grand opening, perhaps before X-mas. I hope once these are finished that Starwood will start building a new Sheraton and a new Westin and a new Le Meridien and hopefully a St. Regis in this city ... and all with at least 48 stories ;) hkskyline October 25th, 2010, 06:42 PM Downtown suites spell hip, urban, personal Developer is releasing nearly 1,400 units in second half of 2010 23 October 2010 The Toronto Star Even if you haven't heard of Graywood Developments, you've likely heard the catchy radio ads for two of their condo projects. There's the tuneful twist on Marvin Gaye's classic "Mercy Mercy Me" for the Mercer ("Mercer Mercer Me") in Toronto's Entertainment District and the jubilant "Hands Up" promoting the Ocean Club on Etobicoke's waterfront. But Graywood itself has flown quietly under the radar despite being a fixture on the city's condo scene for more than two decades. It doesn't even have a website. But between June 1 and the end of the year, the company will have released almost 1,400 condo units in the city market, including 159 residential units at the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton, 493 suites at Five Condos at 5 St. Joseph, 415 at the Mercer and 461 at the Ocean Club. The luxurious five-star Ritz, developed in partnership with Cadillac Fairview at 181 Wellington St. W., has established a new standard for Graywood. "The hotel is set to open beginning of next year and the proof is in the delivery of that building," says Stephen Price, chief operating officer for Graywood. "We have learned a lot from that and are able to transfer it to all our projects." Although each of Graywood's current projects has a distinct personality, there are themes common to all of them, says Price. "First of all is the location. Then the design detail, not just in the esthetic of the building but in its functionality. And the value proposition we're offering customers," says Price, who points out that Graywood seeks out "triple A" locations for its projects. "Good sites are fewer and harder to find, but we've always been able to find enough for us," he says. "We are not a production developer-builder. We build as we find sites that fit our criteria, and we will wait until we can find those that suit us. "Then we seek out an architect that will capture the vision we have and find an interior designer who will complement the architecture, then a landscape architect. Those are our three primary partners." Five, a modern 45-storey glass tower with undulating balconies, is slated to rise along tree-lined St. Joseph St. Just steps from Yonge and Bloor Sts., this joint venture with MOD Developments will incorporate a four-storey Gothic Revival warehouse into its façade and a series of small heritage storefronts along Yonge St. The model suite, designed by Anna Simone of Cecconi Simone, is a sophisticated bohemian style, mixing dark chocolate wood, modern white leather, metal and glass. More than two-thirds of the Five suites have been sold. "What you'll see in all our buildings is that our kitchens are all highly designed," says Price as he stands in the pristine white Euro-style model kitchen in Five. "We design not just for the esthetic, but for the pragmatic, so they are functional and the kitchens are integrated with the living area. "We particularly focus on the kitchen because that's where people like to spend a lot of time. Our second priority is the bathroom." Five will likely draw people with a hip urban personal sense of style (they may work at the University of Toronto or nearby hospitals). The Mercer, near King and St. John Sts. in the Entertainment District, which will be launched later this year in partnership with Beaverhall Homes, is expected to draw a different crowd. "The Mercer is for the downtown person," says Price. "We know that area very well because of the Ritz. We were pioneers to build a five-star project in an area that hadn't yet proven itself as a residential location. But it seems the whole city is evolving around there, with the Toronto International Film Festival (Bell Lightbox/Festival Tower) and all the amenities that are here." At the Ritz, Price says people get large suites and "incredible hotel services." "Mercer is catering to a different buyer. We are expecting to get an interesting group of downtown professionals. It's across the street from the entrance to the PATH system at Metro Hall. It's going to appeal to the younger, hipper audience," he predicts. "Maybe not quite as hip as Five. Mercer is like New York's Soho, Five is the Lower East Side." The 33-storey tower, designed by BBB Architects, will have a brick treatment that ties into the street's history yet will be modern in design. "We are targeting people who appreciate a contemporary, hip building," explains Price. "We are identifying the 'me' in Mercer, not in a selfish way but in an individual way. These are people who are successful, know who they are and what they want. They appreciate architecture, they appreciate quality design and, most of all, they appreciate the location." The Design Agency (whose principals are in HGTV's The Designer Guys) came up with the suites, lobby and amenity spaces. The lobby will feature a spectacular granite concierge desk and metal screenings to give an urban feel. There will be a living wall to add warmth and depth, as well as a sculptural sofa imported from Italy. "The most significant amenity of this project is its rooftop terrace with a dining area, outdoor screen and misters," says Price. "It will have a very contemporary look and feel with green elements. We try to ensure as much as we can there is a strong green presence in our projects." The Ocean Club on the Humber Bayshores (also a collaboration with Beaverhall), also to be launched later this fall, will have a much different flavour. It is perhaps no coincidence that the "Hands Up" music used in its commercials and on its website is also Club Med's theme song. "Once you turn off Lake Shore Blvd. and on to Park Lawn Ave. to where we front on the lake on Marine Parade, you enter a whole different world," says Price. "There's a butterfly sanctuary, green space, the lake, the Martin Goodman Trail and unobstructed views of the city skyline. It's transformative down there. It has a getaway feeling." He says people don't need to be sold on the location: "It's a matter of us having the right product." The two 37-storey and eight-storey towers, designed by Page + Steel/IBI Group, will be sold and operate together but will have independent amenities. The point tower has a sloped, mast-like roof and is inspired by the oceanfront condos of Miami and Vancouver. "Most suites have wonderful views of city or to the west and we've articulated a number of balconies so the views are available to most residents," says Price. "We'd argue that this is the best location on Lake Shore, given our proximity to lake, and being able to put a point tower so close to lake, the views will be outstanding." Interior designer Tomas Pearce has created a three-storey resort-style lobby with commissioned sculptures, glass walls and detailed light fixtures. Amenities will reflect the club atmosphere. There will be a saltwater pool and cascading hot tub. On the eighth floor will be "essentially a large outdoor lounge" with barbecues where residents can watch the sailboats and cyclists. There will also be a restaurant in the base of the tower, where people can have a drink and enjoy the lake views or have a meal. It will round out the resort-type environment, says Price. With the growing roster of unique projects, isn't it time for Graywood to establish an online presence to bolster its public profile? "We don't have a website because there hasn't been a need, as our business is not sourced that way," says Price. "But we're thinking about it. We want to be a little more progressive in how we communicate." Stephen Price, chief operating officer of Graywood Developments, describes how the Ocean Club condo on the lake has "a getaway feeling." Vince Talotta Toronto Star CharlotteJ October 26th, 2010, 05:51 AM Good ... finally a real good hotel in this town, so much needed really. hkskyline October 29th, 2010, 05:24 PM By caltrane74 from urbantoronto.ca : http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/7080/sany0014r.jpg hkskyline November 3rd, 2010, 06:51 PM By Mo-tage from urbantoronto.ca : http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5133651326_3ee3d031d4_b.jpg hkskyline November 14th, 2010, 06:35 AM By caltrane74 from urbantoronto.ca : http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9550/sany0089b.jpg AndrewJM3D November 14th, 2010, 10:27 PM It will be nice to see it come alive in the next few months. hkskyline November 17th, 2010, 06:29 PM By androiduk from urbantoronto.ca : http://andrewfare.com/UTB/mytoronto11/ritzv.jpg IrishMan2010 November 17th, 2010, 06:34 PM ^^I like it. Very nice design. MattToronto November 18th, 2010, 06:11 AM I was checking out some floorplans today. Pretty decent sq/ft considering its starting at 1.2 million. Unfortunately you're pretty low down if you're only spending that much. Gosh, to think if I had the money. hkskyline November 26th, 2010, 03:46 PM By sodapop from urbantoronto.ca : http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx296/sodapop_19/everything/mapleleafgardens023-Copy.jpg http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx296/sodapop_19/everything/mapleleafgardens022-Copy.jpg Axelferis November 26th, 2010, 04:28 PM Fantastic! hkskyline November 30th, 2010, 03:58 PM By caltrane74 from urbantoronto.ca : http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/6723/sany0337.jpg CharlotteJ December 1st, 2010, 06:23 PM I wonder how I can apply for "any" job at the Ritz, maybe a front desk employeer or reservation repr. or I don't know ... I couldn't find their HR dept using google! Minna December 2nd, 2010, 08:47 AM I wonder how I can apply for "any" job at the Ritz, maybe a front desk employeer or reservation repr. or I don't know ... I couldn't find their HR dept using google! The RC homepage has a careers section. http://corporate.ritzcarlton.com/en/Careers/Default.htm CharlotteJ December 3rd, 2010, 03:15 AM The RC homepage has a careers section. http://corporate.ritzcarlton.com/en/Careers/Default.htm Thank you... :) hkskyline December 16th, 2010, 10:13 AM The strait-laced city loosens up With its striking architecture, thriving arts culture and dynamic dining scene, 'Toronto the Good' fully deserves its new 'good time' label, Sarah Barrell 30 October 2010 The Daily Telegraph Everywhere you look in downtown Toronto skyscrapers are rising. This new landscape of chrome and glass, unrecognisable from a couple of years ago, disorientates me as I try to find the ferry terminal. When I eventually make it across to leafy Toronto Island, I'm rewarded with a view back to the mainland of the perfect North American pop-up city, seemingly growing before my eyes. Canada's largest city is developing fast, yet it has been quite slow to shake off the pall of Presbyterianism that has, since colonial times, earned it the label "Toronto the Good". Briefly in the Sixties it had a tantalising brush with Bohemia as a hub for draft dodgers, but it's only in the past few years that the place has let its creative communities lead the way. This new confidence can be seen everywhere: in a crop of new luxury hotels, an innovative dining scene, and pioneering art galleries and design studios. Toronto these days is not so much good as "good-time". The recent rise in profile of the Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) has helped. A permanent home for the festival, the Bell Lightbox, has just opened, housing five cinemas, screening rooms and exhibition space that will attract stars yearround. The Art Gallery of Ontario has been redesigned by the architect Frank Gehry, a native of the city, in one of his rare home-grown projects; and the state museum has had a makeover by Daniel Libeskind. Just across the border, America's cities may be stagnating, but in Toronto the appetite for upgrading thrives. The "Mink Mile" designer shopping district has been given a C$25 million (£15.3 million) facelift. In the heart of downtown, dowdy Union Station is undergoing a C$200million renovation that should allow this Beaux Arts building to bask in the sort of glory enjoyed by Grand Central in New York. Economic crisis? What economic crisis? Five luxury hotels will open here in the next two years, including a Trump, a Four Seasons and, already doing business, the latest branch of New York's Thompson group; the first outside America. Film is only one highlight of the city's arts scene. From now until May, the World Stage Festival (www.harbourfrontcentre.com) will be bringing international names in theatre, dance and music to the city's lakefront. Also downtown until this weekend is the annual Art Toronto (www.tiafair.com), Canada's leading international art fair, where more than 1,000 contemporary artists exhibit their work. But probably the most dynamic thing in Toronto right now is the dining scene, dominated by maverick chefs such as Jamie Kennedy, Susur Lee and Mark McEwan. "Toronto is a very diverse city, known for its ethnic cuisine," says Bonnie Stern, grande dame of a local cookery school. "We also have very sophisticated chefs with upscale restaurants. But the emerging local-food movement sees younger chefs opening creative, neighbourhood restaurants that Torontonians are travelling across the city to experience." These chefs may share something in style with Anthony Bourdain - all leather jackets and rock 'n' roll hair - but they are driven by a "farm to fork" ethic that's more Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. There's perhaps no better time for foodies to explore Toronto than now, when trees are turning fiery colours and food markets are packed with autumn pumpkins - with chefs hunting the best seasonal veg. Neighbourhood watch Downtown Get the best out of Toronto's fastest-changing district on a walking tour with Bruce Bell (www.brucebelltours.ca). There might not be much left of the "old town", but the city's most colourful historian does a great job of interpreting every remaining cobble, plaque and colonial church. Distillery District Art galleries, bars and design shops are housed in cathedral-like Victorian brick warehouses, some of which still have distillery workings incorporated into their design. Clark & Faria (www.monteclarkgallery.com) and the Corkin Gallery (www.kingallery.com) show mixed-media, contemporary art from names such as Nan Goldin and Herb Ritz. Soma Chocolate (www.somachocolate.com) is a laboratory-like boutique for the finest cacao-based products, while Lileo (www.lileo.ca) sells books, art, clothes and great coffee in a mannequin-free emporium. Queen Street West Many of the bars, galleries and boutiques for which Toronto is included on hot (or cool) lists are in Queen Street West and nearby Ossington Street. Here you find everything from custom-made cufflinks to fair-trade yarn, modern photography to bijoux bakeries. Explore this bohemian enclave with Betty Anne Jordan (www.artinsite.net), an arts writer who hosts excellent free walking tours. Yorkville Oversized sunglasses and wallets dominate Toronto's smartest neighbourhood. Mink Mile (Bloor Street's designer retail row) and Holt Renfrew, a department store, are the shopping landmarks for those with big bucks. New boutiques such as Rac (www.racboutique.com) sell clothes from up-and-coming Canadian designers, while the Guild Shop has rotating works from the Ontario Crafts Council (www.theguildshop.ca). Revive yourself with a coffee at Zaza Espresso Bar (75 Yorkville Ave) and a stroll around Yorkville Park - which has a 650-ton granite rock carved out of the billionyear-old Canadian Shield. Toronto Islands Hire a bike from the ferry terminal and explore this 570-acre archipelago (10 minutes from downtown). It has two private marinas, a sandy beach and several hamlets whose residents are as individual as the colourful wooden houses they occupy. Hip hotels The Thompson (www.thompsonhotels.com) It doesn't quite have the views of Toronto's CN Tower (the tallest free-standing structure in the Americas), but this rooftop is definitely more exclusive and has a near vertigo-inducing infinity pool. Rooms have the high design and laid-back style characteristic of this playful American franchise. Doubles from C$245 a night. The Hazelton (www.hazeltonhotel.com) This 77-room, all-suite hotel in the heart of Yorkville is Toronto's most exclusive tourist address (until the Four Seasons opens its property nearby in 2012). The Hazelton's restaurant, One, is run by Mark McEwan, one of Canada's best-loved television chefs, and its bar is a favourite with the movie industry during the film festival. Doubles from C$525 per night. The Drake (www.thedrakehotel.ca) Alongside the neighbouring Gladstone, this artsy hotel - a former dosshouse - was credited with reviving Queen Street West when it opened in 2004. A roaring success with both locals and visitors, it seems to be ever expanding, this summer opening an ice-cream parlour. Seventeen compact rooms are each individually designed with a Fifties spirit. From C$189 per night. Ritz Carlton (www.ritzcarlton.com) The newest of Toronto's luxury hotel crop, this 267-room skyscraper will open in the heart of the city's financial district in January. The glass-and-limestone structure gently widens as it reaches the sky and has the CN Tower reflected perfectly in its façade. From C$500 per night. Cultural highs The Art Gallery of Ontario (www.ago.net) has filled its new space, designed by Frank Gehry, with almost 600 new works. Don't miss Art and Film, the major retrospective from the American art powerhouse Julian Schnabel (until January 2). Daniel Libeskind's expansion of the Royal Ontario Museum (www.rom.on.ca) looks like crystal growing out of rock, the perfect home for Canada's natural history treasures, which include 80ft totem poles, rare Jurassic dinosaur skeletons and Benjamin West's painting, The Death of General Wolfe, depicting Canada's military and colonial history. The Bell Lightbox (www.tiff.net), the new permanent home for Tiff, has a museum-like gravitas and a rotating programme of film, featuring guest speakers such as David Cronenberg and Peter Bogdanovich. The Tim Burton exhibit that wowed New York's MoMa opens on November 26, a major exhibition of his drawings, sculptures, maquettes and videos. The Toronto Railway Heritage Centre (www.trha.ca), in the recently renovated Canadian Pacific Railway Round House, shows the locomotives of the early railways. David LaChapelle's mural of Naomi Campbell as Venus at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (www.mocca.ca) is about the only permanent work at this gallery, which aims to show Canadian art as quickly as it is made. Where to eat Lee (www.susur.com) serves small plates with Asian and international flavours. This informal dining room has deep-red, silk-screened walls and pink Lucite tables at which guests share dishes such as Angus burger and spiced fries, caramelised blackened cod, and Singapore slaw with salmon sashimi. Dinner for two with wine is about C$100. Gilead (www.jamiekennedy.ca) is the newest offering from Jamie Kennedy, Toronto's original "locovore", who brings only local food to the tables of this relaxed café/deli. Seasonal dishes, such as squash ravioli in mushroom broth and Moroccan spiced lamb poutine with sheep's milk cheese, make this simple bistro shine. Two courses for about C$30 per person. Canoe (www.oliverbonacini.com), the smartest outpost of Toronto's Oliver & Bonnacini restaurant empire, is one of Canada's hottest meal tickets. Located on top of the TD Bank Tower, it has the best view in town. Book well in advance to try its Canadian take on French cuisine: seared foie gras with Niagara stone fruit or Arctic char with baby turnips. Five-course tasting menus with wine C$150 per person. C5 (www.c5restaurant.ca). Dine in the "crystal", Libeskind's addition to the Royal Ontario Museum, which serves what the chef, Ted Corrado, calls "edible exhibits". Try the multicourse afternoon tea, currently Asian themed to complement the Terracotta Warrior show. From C$59 including museum entry. The great outdoors Niagara Falls, the sophisticated hamlet of Niagara on the Lake and the surrounding wine country are all within two hours' drive or train journey from Toronto. From November 11, Niagara Falls shines with nearly two million lights during its Winter Festival (until January 11). Prince Edward County An hour south-east of the city, it juts out into Lake Ontario, and is renowned for its artisan food producers and excellent local restaurants. Algonquin One of Canada's bestknown provincial parks is about two hours from the city. It has thousands of forest-fringed lakes, is home to moose and bear, and offers excellent river canoeing day-trips and overnight camping. Sarah Barrell travelled as a guest of the Canadian Tourism Commission (http://uk.canada.travel/) and Canadian Affair (020 7616 9933; www.canadianaffair.com), which flies from seven British airports to Toronto from £278 return. More information: seetorontonow.com; www.travelontario.co.uk Tim Burton's exhibition, which wowed New York, is coming to the Bell Lightbox 'Toronto is a very diverse city, known for its ethnic cuisine' The Skywalk, which takes you from Union Station to Rogers Centre; the chic boutiques of Yorkville; and diners at Lee restaurant The architect Frank Gehry, a native of the city, redesigned the Art Gallery of Ontario, left; and Toronto's skyline seen from Centre Island hkskyline December 18th, 2010, 06:30 PM By caltrane74 from urbantoronto.ca : http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/7503/sany0518h.jpg http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/4310/sany0517.jpg hkskyline December 22nd, 2010, 06:25 PM http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/ritz-carlton-toronto-to-open-in-february Ritz-Carlton Toronto to open in February Published: 01/12/2010 http://www.businesstraveller.com/files/News-images/Ritz-Carlton/Ritz-Carlton-Toronto-ext-web.jpg Luxury hotel group Ritz-Carlton is to open a 267-room property in Toronto in February. Housed in a new 53-floor tower on Wellington Street, between the city’s financial and entertainment districts, the hotel will take up the first 20 floors while the remaining levels will be given over to Ritz-Carlton residences. Rooms will start from 42 sqm and will be contemporary in décor, with floor-to-ceiling windows providing either city or lake views. They will come equipped with 42-inch flatscreen TVs, Bose stereos with an iPod dock, DVD players, and marble bathrooms with a separate tub and rainshower and a TV built into the mirror. The five-floor Podium part of the building, which juts out from the main tower, will house a 2,100 sqm spa on its top level. This will have 16 treatment rooms, a pool, 24-hour gym, yoga studio, men’s and women’s relaxation areas, sauna and steam rooms, and an outdoor terrace. The Podium will also be home to a restaurant offering Canadian cuisine, a bar, lounge and 1,900 sqm of meeting space, including two ballrooms. A 24-hour business centre will feature a boarding pass machine. The Club floor will be on the 20th level and include a 24-hour lounge offering five food and drink presentations a day, free wifi and a dedicated concierge. To upgrade to the Club floor will cost about CA$100 (£63) extra per night, with standard room rates starting from CA$495 (£311). The hotel will also be offering a free chauffeur drop-off service within a 3km radius. Ritz-Carlton will add two other properties to its portfolio early next year – in January it will open a 341-room hotel next to Dubai’s International Financial Centre, while March will see the launch of a 312-room hotel in Hong Kong’s Kowloon. The group recently launched a new loyalty scheme, Ritz-Carlton Rewards (see online news September 15), offering members ten points or two airline miles for every US dollar spent on room rates at Ritz-Carlton and Marriott properties. Visit ritzcarlton.com for more information. caltrane74 January 2nd, 2011, 05:03 PM QID3dWQSyt4 ritz hotel CharlotteJ January 4th, 2011, 06:05 PM HUH? ... what is that!! Scam? ACT7 January 17th, 2011, 04:02 AM With the Rtiz opening in February, anyone have an update or hear any rumours as to what retail will be going into the hotel? hkskyline January 19th, 2011, 04:19 PM By interchange42 from urbantoronto.ca : http://urbantoronto.ca/picoftheday/images/RitzPodiumByNight.jpg CharlotteJ January 20th, 2011, 02:26 AM I applied for jobs at Ritz. hkskyline January 20th, 2011, 03:09 AM Which schools offer travel and tourism degrees in Eastern Canada? I'm wondering what kind of credentials Ritz is looking for in their hiring? hkskyline January 27th, 2011, 06:21 PM By drum118 from urbantoronto.ca : Jan 19 http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5243/5372469169_5c24867baf_b.jpg http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5288/5372471355_f327d9c083_b.jpg http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5246/5373093552_e265a62150_b.jpg http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5007/5373094672_2715b5d27c_b.jpg http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5128/5373209284_9d1a135b77_b.jpg http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5161/5373210336_c3ab0d9186_b.jpg CharlotteJ January 28th, 2011, 03:53 AM I had a job interview at Ritz and it looks beautiful from inside and they really truly are the number one as they always were, the trend setters, no followers! And the SPA simply looks amazing. Gosh I hope they will call me and tell me: Charlotte, congratulations, you got the job at the Spa! :) I will then throw a big party ... yeahhhhh timo9 January 28th, 2011, 05:09 AM it will become a reference in Toronto ;) CharlotteJ January 28th, 2011, 05:57 AM Don't forget the best restaurant in entire Canada soon to be opened in Ritz!!!! TOCA McEwen1 January 28th, 2011, 06:32 AM Congratulations CharlotteJ! That's absolutely brilliant. Wow, what a coup. The people you're gonna be rubbin' elbows with, especially during TIFF. Connections, connections. Once again, congratulations. McEwen1 January 28th, 2011, 06:53 AM Quick question too... when's the logo supposed to go up? That's still gonna happen, right? Anyone know the answer to this? CharlotteJ January 28th, 2011, 03:22 PM Congratulations CharlotteJ! That's absolutely brilliant. Wow, what a coup. The people you're gonna be rubbin' elbows with, especially during TIFF. Connections, connections. Once again, congratulations. Thank you McEwen. :) But I still have not heard if I get the job or not. Besides, working there, doesn't mean you make connections, as confidentiality and integrity is one of the main issues why they hire somebody. If I get hired there, all I will do is to do my job as I am supposed to: Excellently! and expect not much and believe me, I will always stay in the family and never leave them.:) hkskyline January 30th, 2011, 04:46 PM By androiduk from urbantoronto.ca : http://andrewfare.com/UTB/mytoronto12/ritzscaffold.jpg CharlotteJ January 30th, 2011, 09:11 PM OMG!!!! they got gutssssss MattToronto January 30th, 2011, 09:28 PM I would be shaking! CharlotteJ January 31st, 2011, 03:51 AM :cry:I am still waiting for a phone call from Ritz! ... Wish at least I knew if I am hired :nocrook:or simply rejected.:cry: McEwen1 January 31st, 2011, 08:02 AM Anyone have an idea what's going on in that picture? I want that logo up! CharlotteJ January 31st, 2011, 11:45 PM They put my name on top of the building! being the luckiest girl in Canada! ;) hkskyline February 10th, 2011, 03:52 PM Source : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeinto/5423315446 http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/5423315446_0def708c75_z.jpg smarne February 10th, 2011, 07:02 PM :okay: hkskyline February 18th, 2011, 06:57 PM By Mo-tage from urbantoronto.ca : http://www.flickr.com/photos/45281726@N08/5456252958/ http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5051/5456252958_7e1e636515_b.jpg hkskyline March 19th, 2011, 06:16 PM $6,000 a night in Toronto Toronto Star March 17, 2011 Like a lot of people, I wondered who would rent it. At $6,000 a night, the Ritz-Carlton Suite at the luxury brand’s new Wellington St. location sounds outrageous and out of step with these times, when wounds of the recession remain fresh. The suite is intended for political dignitaries as well as business executives and celebrities who want to show off. So, when I was offered the opportunity to be the first person to spend a night in the suite, I first pondered what I would do with it, and then I thought of “Risky Business” and Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll,” the film’s signature song whose first few chords evoke musings of mischief behind closed doors. I concluded that I should test the 2,500-square-foot space by using it for a party — one without Hollywood-inspired shenanigans. The suite has a full kitchen, dining room for eight and living room with a 50-inch LG HDTV. A handful of guests from different walks of life joined me. The Ritz is exquisite, of course. Chef Tom Brodi, whose restaurant Toca (the name stands for Toronto, Canada) is on the second floor of the hotel, and his team prepared canapes that included bite-size bison tartar topped with a sunnyside-up quail’s egg and tasty portobello carpaccio with pinenuts, argula and parmesan. Wine director Taylor Thompson displayed his know-how during a tasting of velvety 2007 Pinot Noir from Le Clos Jordanne, a winery in Jordan Station that gained notoriety in 2005 after its Chardonnay won a blind-tasting against global heavyweights in Montreal. General manager Tim Terceira has assembled a staff of dignified professionals who converse affably with guests and marvel themselves at the Ritz’s décor, views and ambience. “It’s understated elegance,” says Terry O’Neill, a world traveller and party guest that night. “I thought it would be in your face with over-the-top opulence, but it’s not. You feel very at home, very human here.” That is the real dazzle. You might think Ritz-Carlton — a century-old hotel empire known for its collection of five-star ratings and high-profile roster of guests — would be so full of itself it would import its luxury trappings from abroad to this market, home to its 74th property. The biggest surprise, though, is the immense effort the hotel and its restaurants have made to celebrate things local, whether it be artwork featuring Ontario’s windswept landscape, wine from Prince Edward County, or fine cuisine using ingredients from the GTA and Niagara region. “Luxury is now about personalizing the experience,” says Terceira. “People have to feel comfortable being themselves.” The Ritz is known for mixing local flavours with luxury flair from elsewhere. So, you’ll also find Italian-designed glass light fixtures and stylish Anigre wood from Africa along with floral arrangements from Toronto’s Jackie O and spa treatments declared to be “Proudly Canadian.” No matter where it comes from, it’s refined, and that goes extra for the showcase unit. Check-in for the Ritz-Carlton Suite takes place in the suite itself, with Toca-branded sparkling wine handed to you before you receive the keycard to the premises. The suite features an elliptical machine, a second bathroom for visitors, a Bose sound system with MP3 dock, and an impeccably decorated study with an iPad and library collection that suitably carries a volume of “The Best Poems in the English Language.” The suite’s evening turndown service includes the laying out of sea salt and a soothing bottle of specially made bath oil, displayed amid candle light. The walls and heated floor of the immense master bath resemble a museum hall. Its mirrors feature embedded HDTVs and the shelves are saturated with Bulgari bottles. When someone says “five-star”, this is tangible evidence of the term. Guests of the suite have use of the Club lounge, which features five food settings a day, including a large breakfast with some of the best pastries in town and a decadent dessert service that starts at 8 p.m. In-room dining can be provided by Toca or Deq, the hotel’s casual bar that is sure to be home to one of the hottest patios in the city. It can hold 100, features an open-air firepit for pizza-making and a view of the CN Tower that will no doubt make many necks ache. Once Bay St. discovers it, Deq will overflow. The amenities are superb, but the suite isn’t faultless. It could use a doorbell, for sure. Parties often wind up in the dining room or kitchen and when ours did it was impossible to hear a knock on the suite’s front door. We received a phone call telling us a hospitality worker was outside waiting to bring in a room service order. And the entertainment unit, with a series of remotes, is confounding. To fully enjoy it, you would have to spend too many minutes to figure it out, and you wouldn’t want to do that during a short stay. I can see the suite being rented for business meetings, small cocktail parties similar to ours, special family occasions and weddings, whether it be a place for the bridal party to assemble before or after a reception or as the spot for an intimate ceremony. “Everything is very tasteful. It’s incredibly high end, from the art to the food to the furniture, but you don’t get the sense they’re trying so hard to impress you,” says Joya Paul, an artist at the Distillery District. “It’s class, on a level everyone can appreciate and feel welcome in, even if a suite like this is beyond what you can afford.” Full disclosure: The Ritz-Carlton (181 Wellington St. W.) supplied the suite and two-hour cocktail service. I paid for additional dining and in-room charges. JUST THE FACTS WINING: The Toca-branded bottles come from four different Ontario vineyards. Niagara region’s Cave Spring serves the Cabernet-style red, Flat Rock provides the Chardonnay-style white, and Stratus Vineyards delivers a Riesling-rich icewine; Huff Estates from Bloomfield bottles the sparkling wine. Huff will display Ritz-Carlton flags on the rows of grapes that produce the wine for Toca. DINING: The delicious bison carpaccio ($18) at Deq will be a hit. FRATERNIZING: The Ritz’s executives are adamant they aim for the hotel to be more than just a skyline presence in Toronto and a draw for rich out-of-towners. “We want to be part of the community, we want to involve the community,” says Rainer Zinngrebe, the hotel’s director of food and beverage. “It’s important for us to make that connection. We can’t be something that feels at arm’s length for people who live here.” WEB SURFING: For all of what’s included in the Ritz-Carlton Suite, see the hotel's website. Follow @AdrianBrijbassi (www.adrianbrijbassi.com) hkskyline March 21st, 2011, 04:54 PM By androiduk from urbantoronto.ca : http://andrewfare.com/UTB/mytoronto13/ritzlong.jpg hkskyline April 14th, 2011, 07:13 PM Source : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqxeILXuBQk&feature=player_embedded oqxeILXuBQk dutchsnookerfan April 14th, 2011, 07:26 PM Nice video. |