If you have not yet paid a visit to Toronto’s newest attraction -The Trump Tower, then now is the time!
Plan your next corporate dinner at Stock restaurant and enjoy truffles from their in house chocolate lab.
http://www.stockrestaurant.com/
Need accommodations? The Trump Hotel is luxury to the maximum and will definitely satisfy those who choose to stay the night…
http://www.trumphotelcollection.com/toronto/
Or if it is just some vino after work, Suits, the Lobby bar is the place to be.
After a long work week ordering something savoury to enjoy in the comfort of your own home is ideal. Here are two of my favourites:
1. Vesuvio Pizzeria & Spaghetti House (Located in The Junction, near High Park)
- I recommend the Pizza and be sure to have a good bottle of red to compliment!
2. Lenny’s (Located Dundas West & The Kingsway, Etobicoke) -This family eatery brings real Italian to your home whether you crave pasta, pizza, lasagna etc!
Italian is probably one of my favourite meals to really enjoy, but to enjoy it outside of your home it must be perfection! Here are my recommendations that compliment food, wine and atmosphere. You leave with a complete experience!
1. Quanto Basta -Rosedale
http://www.quantobasta.ca/home
2. Lunita -Yorkville
http://www.lunita.ca/our_story
3. Malena -Yorkville
Barbados Fine Dining
The Cliff: http://www.thecliffbarbados.com/CR/Default.asp
Cin Cin By The Sea: http://www.cincinbarbados.com/
Champers: http://www.champersbarbados.com/
The Tides: http://www.tidesbarbados.com/restaurant.html
Daphne’s: http://www.daphnesbarbados.com/index.cfm
Resorts
West Coast
Coral Reef Club: http://coralreefbarbados.com/
Little Good Harbour: http://www.littlegoodharbourbarbados.com/index.html
Restaurant: Fish Pot
East Coast
The Crane: http://www.thecrane.com/
Restaurants: Zen, L’Azure, The Carriage House
Laguna Beach California is one of my favourite vacation spots.
Splashes restaurant is an oasis all on its own. The coastal cuisine is accompanied by a stunning ocean view that will keep you indulging all night long.
Splashes is home to The Surf & Sand Resort: http://www.surfandsandresort.com/restaurant.html
I recommend for a romantic getaway or destination wedding.
The cake trend is still cupcakes this year. Here is my new find!
If you are looking for cupcakes that can create a theme, Eini delivers with beautiful and intricate designs.
BLD is a quaint bistro located just East of the financial district. Its modern/retro interior is cheek and fun. I personally love how it creates that “city” feel.
The menu favourite is BLD’s cappuccino and biscotti duo. Enjoy at the bar with friends!
Also a great place for weekday breakfast and lunch.
Location:
36 Toronto St. (corner of Adelaide St East)
The fall season brings warmth and comfort especially when it comes to food and wine. Here are my top 3 restaurants to check out this season that will deliver some of the city’s best fine dining experiences:
Jacob’s Steakhouse located in the heart of King West. Featuring a piano bar Thursday through Saturday. I recommend for dinner or just drinks to experience live music by Sean Bellaviti.
http://www.jacobssteakhouse.com
Oliver and Bonacini’s Canoe, over looking the city in TD Tower creates an exquisite atmosphere. This is one of my favourite locations to host company socials and dinners for all occasions.
http://www.oliverbonacini.com/Canoe.aspx
Opus is one of Yorkville’s finest with an award winning wine list. Whether business or pleasure the culinary experience is pure satisfaction.
Blowfish on King is the place for locals on Friday and Saturday evenings, when tourists flood Toronto for the weekend nightlife. Late night dinner, DJ, and probably the best sake martinis in the city are what keep neighborhood guests like myself coming back for more.
Chris Humphrey’s was spotted here last Saturday night night keeping a low profile with friends.
The cupcake demand has hit advertising agencies as the weekly morale kick! Celebrations for clients and staff are also reason to order in.
Dlish, just located on Queen St West offers a variety of flavours that have your mouth watering just from the sight and smell.
Check them out online to order for your next office celebration, birthday, baby shower, or just because you love cupcakes.
A new trendy neighborhood in our city with great eats and entertainment!
From out of town? Stay at Le Germain’s newest location; 75 Bremner Boulevard
http://germainmapleleafsquare.com/en/home.
There are three restaurant hot spots I reccomend, each with its own unique look and feel:
Real Sports Bar & Grill -the ultimate sports bar to watch a game or just hang out with friends/colleagues. http://www.realsports.ca/bar
Elleven - upscale dining that mixes casual and cheek into one! http://www.e11even.ca/
Aria -Italian cuisine in a contemporary environment. Great for lunch or dinner. http://ariaristorante.ca/about/
Keep the day/evening rolling with a client event at the ACC. Booking tickets or box seats for a sports game and/or concert is an incentive most won’t turn down!
A relaxing weekend at Blue Mountain is more than just a place to spend with family and friends. It has everything you need to plan a great retreat for corporate meetings/conferences and team building exercises.
The resort offers a conference centre and a variety of activities and restaurants. Creating meetings off-site is a refreshing change from the everyday office environment. Golf, the scenic caves, water sports are just a few of the summer activities that can be enjoyed.
Restaurant suggestions:
http://3guysandastove.com/blue-mountain.html
http://www.twistmartinilounge.com/
http://www.oliverbonacini.com/Blue-Mountain.aspx
The tranquil Scandinavian Spa is another great escape. Spa gift certificates make great employee/client gifts for any celebration.
Muskoka has much to offer aswell for planning your corporate retreat or conference:
Yorkville is taking in the French culture with brand new Bistro -La Societe. http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/opening-daily-dish/2011/06/21/introducing-la-societe/
This traditional style bistro is perfect for any time of the day. A great patio overlooking Bloor street or stay inside where the atmosphere takes you to France the minute you walk in the door. Located just East of Avenue Road on Bloor.
If you are feeling adventurous -Check out the real La Societe in Paris, France.
Birthdays, new business, new hires, anniversaries…..These are all reasons to make a celebration happen at work.
Today at OgilvyOne we decided to skip the balloons and bring in the cupcakes! A millennium food trend that gets everyone excited.
My pick in the downtown core is the newly opened Prairie Girl Bakery, located at 18 King Street with their entrance just off of Victoria Street.
Long story short these cupcakes had the 13th floor buzzing. With strong merit and taste these cupcakes come in both small and large. Of course we opted for the large!
So many flavours and not one disappointed us. Red velvet, vanilla and chocolate…the list goes on.
The next time you are looking to plan a celebration Prairie Girl cupcakes are a must. They add that special touch. http://prairiegirlbakery.com/
After dining at Harvest Cafe & Fine Foods I can now say I have found my favourite gem in the beach.
Located on Queen Street East just West of Woodbine, Harvest Cafe offers a quaint patio perfect for people watching and catching rays on a sunny morning or afternoon.
Although I suggest picking Harvest as your brunch spot they also sell organic fine foods to take home. Also conveniently next door to a fresh food market.
The food is delicious, not a crumb left on any plate. To those walking by that should be enough incentive to stop in for a quick bite!
Your resource to scope venues to plan meetings and events. Consumers and businesses -An acquired taste for Toronto's best.
As a planner I love to experience and discover in all aspects. I invite you to share in my journey of the good, the bad, and more importantly the exceptional:
Events/venues/restaurants/cafes/spas/shopping etc.
