Siamun executive desk blends tech with beauty

Unlike the hip and cool Mac workstations, this exquisite wooden office desk called thr “Siamun executive desk” appeals with its classic looks and neat design. But just before you dismiss it in favor of a hi-tech workstation, you should know it hides a 22” LCD monitor within, hidden from view until you are ready to use it with the simple push of a remote control button. [Read more]

Financial Core Patio Guide – Toronto

BlogTO put this great list together. Personally, I like Jack Astor’s at Yonge and Dundas.

Here’s a roundup of 10 of the best patios in Toronto’s Financial District.

Bymark
At the south end of the TD Bank Tower overlooking Wellington (and across from Tory’s), one of Bay Street’s swankiest restaurants emerges from the PATH with a heated patio that’s partly covered with plenty of shade. An outdoor bar provides easy access to libations to wash down indulgent eats like the foie gras BLT or $35 burger.

Duke of Devon
Just east of Bymark near the corner of Bay and Wellington, the Duke of Devon offers a more casual, pub-like setting with a still Bay Street-ish menu featuring mini burgers, lobster caesar salad and watermelon mojitos. It’s the closest patio to the Design Exchange but something tells me that’s not really the draw.

Jump
Just as the name suggests, this bar and restaurant is really jumping come the late afternoon and early evening. The west facing patio in the courtyard of Commerce Court is large, attractive and comes complete with an outdoor bar and plenty of seating options. It’s more casual than Bymark but still sophisticated enough to inebriate clients with apple pie martinis and beer battered onion rings.

Ki
At the south-east corner of Wellington and Bay, this Brookfield Place destination serves up some of the freshest (if not priciest) sashimi in the city. The patio is perfect for couples or large groups and like most of the options in this part of town has an outdoor bar, heaters and comfy seating that’s a far cry from your typical plastic table and chairs setup.

Debut Cafe and Bar (121 King St. West)
What was that about plastic tables and chairs? For cheap suds in cheaper looking digs, the Debut Cafe and Bar is the place. Your’re much more likely to find temps here than traders but with a $3.99 all day breakfast and domestic bottled beer for under four bucks I don’t hear too many people complaining.

The Keg
One of Bay Street’s favourite hangouts, the Keg on York St. between Richmond and Adelaide has a small, covered street-side patio and a much larger one in the back. This is the patio to take large groups where fast and efficient service is made easy with a dedicated outside kitchen and bar area.

Reds Bistro & Wine Bar
At the north end of First Canadian Place where Adelaide meets Sheppard St., this high end wine bar draws an older crowd who come to its streamlined patio for housemade charcuterie, a 3,000 bottle wine cellar and a ridiculously large selection of cheese. With this large a wine list, it should be no surprise that Reds offers Toronto’s largest selection of by the glass wine options (currently 88).

Duke of Westminster
Located right next to Reds, this sister pub of the Duke of Devon (they have the same menu) has two small patio areas directly outside the north entrance of First Canadian Place. Green Moosehead umbrellas provide more than enough shade. Have a pint and then stop in and say hi to the friendly receptionists at the nearby Toronto Board of Trade.

Schezuan Schezuan
This Chinese restaurant makes for a good but greasy lunch-hour option on the second floor of the First Canadian Place. The south-facing patio overlooks King St. and is a nice alternative to the nearby food-court. Best during the noon-hour (read: don’t go after work).

Vertical
Also on the second floor of First Canadian Place, Vertical restaurant provides a stark contrast to its Chinese neighbour with white tablecloth service at its larger outdoor space where there’s slightly better views of the action on King St. below. The setting is much more elegant and attracts a well dressed executive-level crowd who rendezvous for mini meatball sandwiches and stiff margaritas.

BlackBerry Bold 9800 – Real Estate Weapons

OfficePod – perfect solution for the entrepenuers back yard?

An OfficePOD provides a working environment that is separate to home life. The hassle free OfficePOD service deals with everything from site survey and installation through to customer services and POD relocation in the case of moving house or employer.

The OfficePOD is 2.1m x 2.1m space to create a self contained office that exceeds all standard office accommodation regulations & requirements. Its modular design enables speedy construction, even in gardens with the most difficult access. The POD has been designed to provide appropriate security when empty or occupied. Power is provided via a discrete and protected connection to the house or garage; IT and phone connectivity is generally wireless but can be similarly cabled. The POD is provided with a secure locking system of the highest quality.
“The OfficePOD cares for the environment also, thanks to its low energy consumption level, high levels of insulation and innovative cooling system. Recycled and recyclable products have been used wherever possible. The OfficePOD is being claimed to deliver savings of at least £9,000 per employee per year and reduce CO2 emissions per employee by between 46 percent and 67 percent.In nutshell, the OfficePOD is an office away from office designed to change the way people work. ”

Finding Cheap Artwork For Your Office

Great list of sites to find office artwork.  Full article.

blockposters.com. Their site lets you create any size wall poster from any size image.

Overstock.com

Posters.com

Gallerydirect.com

Art.com

Poster Gods

Wholesaleartsframes.com

Wholesaleartmall.com

Postercheckout.com

Is this the new Blackberry Slider?

By now most people know that the BlackBerry Slider is no longer a myth and is in fact a real device. The first images were a bit blurry and hard to make out. Now you can end the squinting and look at these new higher resolution images of the first ever full QWERTY keyboard slider BlackBerry. Full Story.

Royal Bank Plaza – Leed Gold Marketing Piece

Oxford Properties has done a mailer outlining some of the great Leed Gold features of the Royal Bank building.  The only problem I have with it is it doesn’t motivate me to be there so what’s the point?

Impressions, thoughts on this market piece?

Evolution of the Call Center Cubical?

Just a thought, if you’re going to stack employees on top of one another do it in style!

Unplggd

Everchanging Wallnado

Original article via Yanko Design

That’s another name for this product that I just made up! I mean the name, that is, this concept was designed by the incomparable Amirko, and it’s real name is “Change It!” Ohh scoop it! It’s one big wall of turn-triangles. Each of these triangles has different colors on them – white – black – and a slightly unique rainbow shade. As you can see in the first picture here, when the color is on full blast, it makes a mural all it’s own.

What combination of madness can be made? Choose your own adventure!

For now it’s the colors as explained above. In the future it might have any number of different choices for the sides – lights, materials, typography, body parts, animal fur, whatever!

Designer: Amirko aka Amirkhan Abdurakhmanov

[Read more]

Commercial Real Estate Map – Downtown Toronto

I use this map daily with clients looking for space Downtown Toronto.  Now you can use it too.

Click here. [Read more]

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