Two words: style and comfort. I like them for their stylishly modern and comfortable lounge at the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Porter put attention to details. Usually, flying one trip with them will convince you.

Their brand identity is superb. But for them, it does not stopped with their advertising and their in-flight magazine. The same level of details and attention is integrated in their services.

It is not surprising that Porter looks so hip and different from other airlines when you know that the agency who developed their image is Winkreative, the agency of Tyler Brûlé. He is the Canadian guy who started Wallpaper* magazine.

To give you an idea of what I mean, I took a photo at the free dinner box they served yesterday on the flight from Toronto to Montreal. We had one piece of chicken sandwich. This were made with big chunks of grilled breast chicken cooked with green peppers. The salad was an apple and potato salad. Wine and beer are complimentary. We had a Lindt Milk Caramel Chew for dessert. In a time where airlines are inventing for more and more extra charges, I welcome the old-fashioned way passengers were served on an airplane.

If you wish to know more about their mascot, Mr. Porter and how the raccoon image is completely integrated within the brand, read this excellent interview that Grace of design*sponge did with the illustrator Neal Whittington. He is the guy who created the character.

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I met Bev Hisey at the IDS last January. She is a talented home decor designer. I was in awe with her latest creation before I sat in her bag chair made of 3mm 100% wool felt. I went to heaven when I sat down.

It is truly one of most comfortable chairs I had the chance to sit on. If you sat on the Sumo bean bag chairs, forget about it. The experience is miles miles away. Bev Hisey is taking luxury to the next level. She filled her bag chair with chip foam that are produced by recycling foam off-cuts from upholstery manufacturers. The seating is firm, and there is no sinking down to the floor.

Her Butterfly Bag Chair makes a top-notch reading chair with or without the smaller triangular butterfly bag as a foot stool. If you have kids, know that kids love to play with the triangular butterfly bag. When comes the time to romance, you will be happy that the chair is big enough for 2 persons.

I wish I did not mind spending over $3000 for a Valentine’s Day gift because I still dreaming about it. In the meantime, you could be happy with one of her superb butterfly cushions.

SOURCING:
+ Butterfly Bag Chair by Bev Hisey
+ Canary Yellow Butterfly Cushion $144 for 11×18 inch
+ Pebble Grey Butterfly Cushion $156 CAD for 18×18 inch

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I was extremely busy with many work-related tasks over the last few weeks. Therefore, a weekend getaway in Toronto to visit the IDS 2010 and to attend a Spanish tasting dinner in honor of the birthday of a foodie friend was more than welcomed.

I am sitting on the train right now. This post is simply to give you a quick glimpse at stuff I like from the exhibit. I will give you the details later this week as I release my coverage of the Interior Design Show.

Sunday’s Design Talks

For people that are on Twitter, I tweeted the last two design talks of the show. Brian Gluckstein and Suzanne Dimma shared practical design tips for enduring design. The top 3 tips from the talk are, in my view:

• classic does not means traditional. It means refined. Therefore, classic could apply to modern style;
• comfort is as important as the look. Brian Gluckstein tries any chairs and sofas that he used in his design;
• before investing in new fixtures, install dimmers on pendants and lamps. Create moods by lowering the light. I add to put bulbs that are less than the maximum written on your lamp.

I filmed Mark Challen’s style talk with my iPhone because I did not want to miss anything.

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I am looking for a place to eat breakfast this morning before we head to the IDS. The current issue of Where Toronto that I found in my hotel room featured a Best of Brunch article. Cool!  Sadly, one suggestion that interested me, the Brassaii Bistro Lounge is closed for renovations. The Drake’s Corner Café seems like a good option that feels hip.

+ Finds more restaurants on the Best of Brunch from Where Toronto

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I am so glad that Alexa Clark accepted to participate in my top 5 Toronto places for a weekend Toronto. Alexa writes for CheapEats Toronto and has a blog called Unsweetened. I ask her to tell us the best places to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Three of her suggestions qualify as cheap eats. To have eaten at Kultura, I can attest that this is a worthy indulgence.

Where to Eat in Toronto this weekend?

Le Petit Dejeuner

Still one of my favorite brunch spots in town and based on the weekend crowds around 11:30, I’m not alone. However if you sneak into Le Petit Dejeuner before 11pm or after 1pm chances are good you’ll be delighted by the funky space and wonderfully prepared meals. The menu is exclusively breakfast and brunch items including grilled sandwiches, but it’s nothing like a greasy spoon. The Toast Champignon is a great savory way to start your weekend, but I often go with the sweeter Eggy Fried Bread – which is a caramalized French Toast served with fresh fruit. The Apple Pancakes are also lovely and I usually add a side of peameal bacon just to round them out. They also make excellent coffee, one of the ways I measure the quality of a brunch spot.
Le Petit Dejeuner 191 King St. E

The Fish Store & Sandwich

This tiny little store front makes the best fish sandwiches in town. By far!  I’ve even had a long conversation with someone from the James Beard Foundation about how it’s one of his go-to places to eat when he comes to town.  It is not, however, fine dining.  In fact, there are only 4 seats and the tiny spot is decorated a bit like a shoreside blue tiki hut.  But it is so very worth it to get such fresh fish, prepared with a very gentle hand and wonderful seasoning on fresh panini from an Italian bakery across the street. There is a different fish sandwich special everyday and that’s usually what I order since these guys aren’t going to steer you wrong.  However many of my friends go for the tuna every time. That’s tuna steak not tuna salad.
The Fish Store & Sandwich,  657 College Street.

Granowska’s Bakery and Cafe

With great perogie, sandwiches and lunch specials you can get a bit of a feel of the traditional Roncesvalles neighborhood when it was almost exclusively Eastern European families. Walking into Granowska’s feels more like walking into bakery than a restaurant, but that is part of the charm. And the steady stream of customers popping in to buy pączki provide a great people-watching opportunity. No matter what you get for lunch, finish up with a pączek – a traditional Polish filled-doughnut (pączki is the plural, pączek singular). The rosehip are my favorite and they have mini-pączki too if you are worried you won’t have room after lunch.
Granowska’s 175 Roncesvalles Avenue

Cava

Cava is open and beautiful, with accents of the Spanish taverna to keep us in the mood.  It’s just north of St. Clair, tucked into a little courtyard on, but almost hidden from, Yonge Street. It’s a fantastic spot for a casually romantic meal, or an evening with a good group of friends. The primarily Tapas-style menu allows for sharing and great conversation especially if you are just starting your exploration of Spanish food. Chef Chris McDonald obviously has a lot of fun in the kitchen and it shows both on the menu and the plate, for example, his Chipotle-caramel popcorn is a playful and flavorful way to start your meal. The Charcuteria plate is one of their most popular dishes, and pairing that with a selection of tapas makes for a great group meal. My favorite option is to leave my meal up to the kitchen. While Chef’s-choice is often an exclusive offering for VIPs or special guests, at Cava this is a standard offering to everyone and you can get it with or without wine pairings.  Make sure to check out Xococava next door, it’s Chef Chris’ sweet playground – an adult candy store – where he adds unusual flavors to chocolate truffles and ice creams.
Cava, 1560 Yonge Street

Kultura

Just east of King and Jarvis, Kultura has made one of the many historic buildings in this neighborhood warm and exotic without losing the old stone charm. There is a lounge-style bar on the ground floor, and upstairs there are 2 floors of dining.  The menu is an exploration of cuisines with some items reinvented and all reinterpreted like the Indian Samosas with truffled paneer and Mushroom Orecchiettie with a pear chutney. I always order something new when I am there, mainly because there is always something new on the menu or the specials which tempts me away from what I planned to order.  Everything is prepared and plated beautifully and the service has always been a delight. The food, space and decor all meld together to create an intimate dining experience, even when you are with a group.
Kultura, 169 King St East

Thanks Alexa for participating. Your recommendations inspire me. I went to Kultura in 2008 and I still remember the great meal I had there. Remember that you can read Alexa on Unsweetened and follow her on Twitter.

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Since I will be in Toronto this weekend to visit the IDS, I asked two popular Torontonians, which happen to my friends, for advices on what to do this weekend.

I started with Ali de Bold, co-founder of Chick Advisor. Ali answered with a fun tour of the city.

1. Start Saturday morning with Brunch at School
School Bakery & Cafe is a new hot spot in up and coming neighborhood, Liberty Village.  French Toast fans might want to try their Nirvana French Toast with strawberries, pistachos and chocolate drizzle.  After breakfast, walk it off by heading over to West Elm for design inspiration from this chic yet affordable furniture and design store or get a latte to go from Balzacs.

2. Consider a 1 hour road trip to Niagara on the Lake to indulge in the Niagara Ice Wine Festival.  Ontario Ice Wine is a Canadian specialty, and $30 gets you a pass to 6 local wineries that will treat you to complimentary ice wine samples with food pairings.

3. Head over to the historic Distillery District to indulge in a collection of great restaurants, cafes and boutiques in a cobblestone setting.  This weekend, there is a Chip & Pepper pop up shop happening at Lileo.

4. A romantic dinner at Nota Bene or molecular cocktails at Barchef are a great way to spend Saturday evening.  At Barchef, I highly recommend the Sour Sake: igori sake, cardamom cumin syrup, fresh lime, egg white, apricot bitters and coconut rum, served with a Thai basil sugar rim.  The top is a sugary crust like creme brulée and it tastes like roasted marshmallows. If you are feeling more adventurous, try the Vanilla Hickory Smoked Manhattan that is served in a cloud of smoke under a glass dome.

5. Sunday afternoon, check out the King Tut exhibition at the AGO.  Adult tickets are $32.50, or if you got a sparkling engagement ring for Christmas you might want to visit the National Bridal Show for inspiration!

By the way, I had brunch at School last year. It was awesome! I was impressed by the food and the decor. And a drink topped with creme brulée is certainly an experience that I would like to try.

Thanks a lot, Ali. Your photo collage looks great and your plan sounds great.

Chick Advisor is a women community on which the members determine the hottest trends, the best local services, and the coolest products in beauty, fashion, restaurants, shopping and wellness.

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I enjoy shortbread cookies because they are not too sweet. I bake my own but I also like to try gourmet shortbread cookies. After all, they come handy when you are in a hurry. My latest find is the Matcha Shortbread cookies from Tea Aura, a small brand located in Toronto. I could not stop eating these leaf shaped cookies with my herbal tea the other night.

Susan Ho, the owner of Tea Aura, created 5 flavors up-to-date. Her shortbread cookies are made with butter, premium loose-leaf teas and without added artificial colors or flavors. Besides Matcha Green teas, the other flavors are Earl Grey, Rooibos Chai, Chocolate Mint and Lavender Currant. The latter is supposed to be popular.

To save time, I would stock a few since bringing two or three boxes make a delicious hostess gift. You can find the tea Aura’s cookies at selected grocers and specialty shops across Canada and at selected places in the United States. Check here to find a retailer near you.

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Just a quick note to talk about the next Interior Design Show in Toronto. They have planned good things for us including 11 featured exhibits, Pecha Kucha (during trade day), design talks, free consultations plus the exhibitors. I am looking forward to this edition; their tenth.

On Saturday, January 23rd, 2010, Ingrid Abramovitch will talks about decorating and renovating an older home. They will be a panel discussion on defining luxury. On sunday, the Editor of Canadian House & Home Suzanne Dimma will talk about the decor trends for 2010. Then, a panel will explore timeless design. The design talks will close with style commentator Mark Challen who will review the most remarkable film sets from the past decade.

Visit the IDS Web site to know everything that is going on. Follow them on Twitter as you could win weekend tickets to the show; this is a daily giveaway that runs until the show.

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I went to Toronto for two days last week to research stories for my blog, to attend a social media event and to meet people. One thing on my list was having a formal tea service. When I saw that Windsor Arms starts serving their tea service at 1 pm, I jumped at the occasion. Some people find it old-fashioned but I like the luxurious feeling of sitting in a classical tea room. For me, the more formal style is part of the pleasure.

I went with Ian Barr and Brenna Flynn of Rocket XL, the firm that planned the Pillsbury Baking Challenge for which I am a judge. Since we only communicated by email or on Twitter before that day, I wanted to actually meet them. The tea service experience was enhanced by our lively conversation.

What comes with the Full Tea Menu at Windsor Arms?

We each chose a tea blend. I opted for the Earl Grey tea with blue flowers. The lavender adds an exquisite touch to the classic Earl Grey blend. Brenna enjoyed her Earl Grey tea with roses. Since they had to go back to the office after, they ordered the Full Tea menu. I indulged by ordering the Complete Tea menu, which added a sparkling wine (or a sherry) to the full tea menu.

We started with elegant sandwich rolls. They look so much more elegant than basic triangles. They served us three delicious sandwiches:

• Smoked Salmon and Salmon Caviar with an Oven-Roasted Tomato Cream Cheese
• Baby Greens with Asparagus, Cucumber Salsa and Chive Cream Cheese
• Grilled Chicken with Citrus Essence

The smoked salmon sandwich and the asparagus one were my favorite. The scone with raisins pleased me. I did not try the plain scone. Besides the sandwiches, the scones and the sweet desserts that I captured on photos, they served us a goat cheese and caramelized shallot tart. The finale was a small bowl of strawberries with whipped cream. As you can see there was a lot of food. Overall, I am pleased with my tea service at the Windsor Arms.

For almost any tea service, you need to make a reservation 24 hours in advance. I knew it but I didn’t reserve! Still, they have accommodated us by sitting us at a nice table.

Business and Pleasures

A while ago, I read an interview where Martha Stewart mentioned that she booked her meetings around her daily activities. For me, it a pleasant way to talk business. When I asked Ian to join me for lunch at a place that I was researching for a blog post, I made him laughed by making this reference to Martha Stewart.

+ Tea Menu at Windsor Arms

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When Juanita Koo saw on Twitter that I was going to Toronto, she decided to give me a sweet treat. She sent me 6 cupcakes that she decorated with the 2 logos of the KimVallee.com brand. It is fun to arrive after a day of meetings to your hotel room and see those waiting for you.

I tasted her chocolate sour cream and her strawberry vanilla cakes. Both were excellent. I was pleased that they taste as good as they look. The size are her cupcakes is just perfect; not too small, not too big. Plus, she does not put too much icing and her icing is not too sweet.

I like the tiny potholders and oven mitts she crafted for the Calphalon Culinary Center in Toronto.

If you are in the Toronto area, do not hesitate to contact Juanita of Sweet Things. She does cakes and cupcakes. I am glad that her business since to be doing fine.  For more inspirations, you can have a peek at her adorable baby cakes.

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In case you missed it, the November 2009 issue of Wallpaper showcased forty of the best things from ten of their favorite global destinations. You will find the best from USA, Canada, UK, Scandinavia, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Brazil and Japan.

From Canada, I discover a few names that I did not know. On the architecture front, I love the work by Süperkul in Toronto. I am fond of the cottage they designed on an island in Georgian Bay. This is my type of cottage by the lake.

The best of the SHIFT cottage by Süperkul?

The SHIFT cottage has a must have feature for a summer place. It is a bridge to link the private and public areas. One volume contains the living spaces while a second section is dedicated to sleeping and washing areas. This allows you to have friends over for the weekend but keep your privacy when you feel like it.

Another good luxury is the wood deck terraces that fold into the island on three sides. Who would not want to read a book in this living room?

I am sure that I will present you more fabulous designers from their listing over the next few weeks.

MORE:
+ SHIFT cottage by süperkul architect
+ Fab 40: Canada on Wallpaper

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Earlier this year, I told you about Maman, Bébé et Café, a coffee shop in Montreal that was more a community center for parents than a typical coffee shop. (October 4th, 2009 update: A friend told me that Maman, Bébé et Café has closed their door.)

It seems that Toronto are catching up with two new kid-friendly cafes opening in trendy neighborhoods with a good concentration of strollers. Lil’ Bean N’ Green opens this week in Leslieville with a fun play area for kids. You can read on BlogTO that Leonor Filipe opened the Gingerbread House Family Café in the Junction three months ago with a similar goal of providing not only food, but a social service for parents at loose ends.

I like the idea that moms and dads have spaces where they can hanged out with their babies and toddles while meeting other parents. I think we will see more of these places once they figured out a viable business model.

About the Play Fee at Lil Bean N’ Green

Some people complained on BlogTO about the fact that the play area is not free at Lil Bean N’ Green. As an entrepreneur, I see why they are doing it. The store owner pays to set up the area. They have to pay the rent on for a retail space in the city. They have a business to run and they can not survive on having moms with kids hanging there for hours while buying one coffee. After all, maintaining a playroom costs more than supplying Wi-Fi. Finding the right price to charge is the challenge.

I invite you to read the post on BlogTO to learn more about these 2 family-style cafes.

MORE:
+ BlogTO’s review of Gingerbread House Family Café
+ Images via BlogTo

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