It’s no secret that the cold winter months bring many of us into hibernation, avoiding the shivering club line-ups, the layers and layers of clothing, and the slippery sidewalks that turn a strut into a struggle. All things considered, it can be easy to convince yourself that the warmth of home is truly where it’s at on a Saturday night. But us Toronto nuts, and two-time guest nut Carry, recently took to the tea room for some Saturday night hangs…
Conceived by interior designer Jacques Dinel, the space is upscale yet comfortable, with a strong and tasteful British influence. Throughout, a series of living-room groupings feature oversized chesterfields, leather wingback chairs and elegant leather sofas clustered around occasional tables and area rugs. Original print art from the U.K. adorns the walls.
Legend has it that one day in 2737 BC, Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was boiling drinking water over an open fire when leaves from a nearby tea plant fell into the pot. The emperor drank the water and declared that it gave him vigour, contentment of mind and determination of purpose.
A few days ago I skipped through Yorkville to enjoy lunch at Toronto’s favourite luxury boutique hotel The Windsor Arms. The city was truly blessed with glorious weather in October. Every day seemed as though Summer were blowing us a kiss.
I enjoyed sips and nibbles at the hotels famous Tea Room this past Spring as well as a steak centric feast in the Winter of 2012 in their elegant Prime dining room. This summer the team at The Windsor Arms enthusiastically refreshed and rebranded Prime, announcing their new concept as The Living Room.
The focus of this installation is a rare cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse) drawing, a remarkable new AGO acquisition made collaboratively by several major Surrealist artists. The creation of cadavre exquis drawings began in the 1920s as a parlour game.
