Canada

The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, the Brand's First Canadian Hotel, Opens

Welcome to Toronto! The Ritz-Carlton today announced the opening of their first Canadian property, The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto. Featuring 267 guestrooms, the new hotel is a 53 story addition to the city skyline. After numerous delays (the hotel was originally slated to open last fall) the brand has finally made their infiltration into what many have called the world's most international city.

Want to watch the opening ceremonies, starting at 11:30 AM on Wednesday? The hotel is streaming it all on Facebook, further cementing our view that the Ritz-Carlton is one of the top luxury brand in the social media space.

With unimpeded North or South facing views of the city or Lake Ontario, each guestroom or suite at features floor-to-ceiling windows with heated perimeters, African Anigre wood and Portuguese Estremoz marble, as well as spacious bathrooms with heated marble flooring, dual vanities embedded with 22" HD television screens, private rain showers and soaker tubs.

Opt for a room on the Club Level and enjoy access to the 20th floor Club Lounge, offering spectacular water views as well as complimentary food and beverage presentations and private concierge service.

Gallery: Ritz-Carlton Toronto

Tags: canada, new hotel, ritz-carlton, ritz-carlton toronto, toronto

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Dunning Sportswear - Ironman Meets Savile Row

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Sports, Men's Style

Dunning Sportswear - Ironman Meets Savile Row

The famed Ironman Triathlon meets Savile Row in Dunning Sportswear, a burgeoning Canadian label making waves up North with its first two Toronto boutiques and plans to conquer the U.S. in the new year. The label's designer Ralph Dunning is a former Ironman competitor and son of a Savile Row tailor who used to design for the likes of Reebok and Saucony. His eponymous label fuses his athletic expertise with traditional menswear and high-tech fabrics, so that athletes don't need to sacrifice style for premium performance. Dunning has partnered with the best mills and facilities to ensure strict quality control; items are made by hand in Canada, not overseas, and everything is designed for year-round versatility and a wide variety of activities. The high caliber of the garments is evident in the softness and durability of the fabrics, attention to detail and perfectly tailored fit.

Their technical fabrics are engineered "from the yarn up", meaning that performance is built-in and won't wash or wear out after repeated use. The brand was founded by Toronto native and lifelong athlete Ralph Dunning, an Ironman competitor who garnered widespread acclaim in the '90s for his Rip 'n Hammer line of premium technical clothing for triathletes and cyclists. Dunning's distinctive designs featuring clean, athletic silhouettes without unnecessary embellishment are field tested and worn by famed athletes such as Craig Alexander (above), two time Ironman World Champion. "The clothes are so clearly created from an athlete's perspective," Alexander notes. "They've got the classic look with built-in performance, as well as some great cotton and wool pieces which are often what I really want after a race or training session."

Gallery: Dunning Sportswear

Tags: athlete, athletes, Canada, Craig Alexander, Ironman, Ironman Triathlon, mens style, Ralph Dunning, Savile Row, sports, Toronto, triathlon

Luxist Giveaway: Linnea Lights Candles

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Ever buy a holiday gift that's so great you want to keep it for yourself? That's how I'm feeling about today's giveaway. I've had a box of Linnea candles in my home for a week now waiting to give them away to you and even wrapped up and unlit they have been contributing a lovely scent to the house. Perhaps that's because these candles are triple scented for maximum fragrance potential. The Linnea Lights candles are hand crafted and mindfully packaged in recycled materials, printed with soy inks and hand stamped. Best of all, a little box of matches is thoughtfully tucked up into the lid.

The all natural soy candles are offered in two sizes, the 60 hour candle with a double wick and the 15 hour mini votive. The large candles (nine ounces) are $29 each while a three votive set is $32. We've got three of their amazing fall-friendly limited edition scents in large candle form to give away to one lucky reader.

The scents are:
Fireside-- a blend of tobacco, clove, pine and sensual woods
Winter-- a sweet mix of spruce and mint with cranberry and cinnamon notes
Forest Fir-- so close to a real tree you'll think you are still at the Christmas tree lot

Each candle is nice enough to give as a holiday gift or hostess gift for parties but one sniff and you might not be able to be so generous. To enter the giveaway share your favorite holiday scent memory in the comments below.

More details:
* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before December 6, 2010 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive the three Linnea Lights candles in Fireside, Forest Fir and Fireside, a total value of $87.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete giveaway rules here.

This contest is now closed. Thank you for your participation.

Tags: canada, linnea candles, linnea lights, luxist giveaway, scented candles

The Aurora Escape Offers Prime Northern Lights Viewing

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Viewing the Northern Lights in Canada should probably be on everyone's "bucket list." The Aurora Borealis is a truly spectacular display of otherworldly streaks of shimmering multi-colored light . And next year it is expected to be even more vivid than usual because it's the start peak of the solar cycle. "The Aurora Escape" is a getaway package offered by The Great Canadian Travel Company that is designed for prime viewing of this natural wonder. The trip provides a five-day/four-night itinerary with departures scheduled between February 17 and April 14, as well as August 11 to September 29, 2011.

The trip takes adventurers to the town of Yellowknife in Canada's Northwest Territories. From there you head to Blachford Lake Lodge, a 20-minute charter flight away where you can watch the lights reflect off the calm mirror-like surface. The hand-crafted log lodge offers a blend of rustic charm and modern comfort with gourmet meals and a cozy lounge. The trip includes guided tours onto the Canadian taiga either by snowshoe or on a dog-sled adventure.

The package includes two nights' accommodation in Yellowknife, round-trip on float plane from Yellowknife to Blachford, and two nights' all inclusive accommodation at Blachford Lodge. Also included are gourmet meals and snacks, two interpretive tours per day, use of lodge facilities and gratuities. Cost is $1,840 Canadian (based on double occupancy).

Tags: Aurora Borealis, canada, Northern Lights, yellowknife

Rare Jaguar D-Type Added to RM's Monterey Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

A rare and highly-desirable 1955 Jaguar D-Type, XKD558 (above) has been added to RM Auctions' stunning Sports & Classics of Monterey sale slated for August, which as we reported previously is being headlined by a wicked 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa. XKD558 boasts a continuous chain of ownership from new, with some early racing history in Canada, and is presented in excellent running and driving condition. Finished in classic British Racing Green, it features its original monocoque and chassis, and is accompanied by its correct, original numbers-matching engine. The star among a magnificent selection of Jaguars from the noted Jaguar collection of Kathy Nell appearing in the sale, it's estimated at $2 million $2.5 million but could easily hit $4 million or more.

Gallery: 1955 Jaguar D-Type

Tags: Canada, Ferrari, Jaguar, Jaguar D-Type, RM Auctions

Yellowknife Travel Package Offers Extra-Long Summer Days

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Wish summer would never end? Then why not extend it by traveling to a place where the sun shines nearly all day during the summer months? Yellowknife, capital of Canada's Northwest Territories, is not only the land of the midnight sun but also a place with its own spirited culture. Plenty to explore from the Old Town to local artwork, shops and cafes to lots of scenic beauty, and nearly endless light-filled hours.

The Great Canadian Travel Company is offering a unique "Arctic Discovery" package to Yellowknife and other points in the great north. The seven day/six night adventure includes a fish fry and dinner cruise on Great Slave Lake, the ninth largest lake in the world. On one day you'll take a flight from Yellowknife to Rankin Inlet, on the northwestern coast of Hudson Bay in Canada's Nunavut Territory. Another day sends you off on a guided boat tour to Marble Island the place where the ill-fated James Knight expedition of 1721 met its end. The remains Knight's island home and ancient graves can still be seen. The journey winds up with a day in Winnipeg. "Arctic Discovery" is available June-September, with departures on Fridays and Sundays. Cost is $2650 per person based on double occupancy not including flights.

Tags: arctic, arctic circle, canada, canadian travel, yellowknife

"WickaNimmo" Vacation Package

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Two luxury wilderness resorts in British Columbia have teamed up to offer the ultimate getaway with the ultimate name. The "WickaNimmo" vacation package includes stays at both Nimmo Bay's Heli Ventures floating lodge in the Great Bear Rain Forest and cliffside at the Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino. The package includes 7 days and 6 nights of your choice of adventures and indulgences, including helicopter transfers, rain forest massages, and waterfall hot tubs. You can choose to go salmon fly fishing, white water rafting, or heli-hiking, or simply use the helicopter at your discretion to go touring by air. There's also white sand picnics with gourmet cuisine, killer whale watching, and spa treatments at Ancient Cedars Spa on the menu of options for having the ultimate British Columbian experience. The WickaNimmo vacation package is priced at $27,000.

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Tags: canada, canadian ravel, nimmo bay

Lamborghini Opens Third Boutique in Vancouver

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Luxury Cars & Autos, Men's Style

Lamborghini has been chasing after Ferrari for decades. If it's not on the street, it's on the race track, or in this case in the shopping mall. The Italian automaker has just opened its third boutique, the new Vancouver location following those opened last year in Los Angeles and Beijing.

Though a few were on display for the store's opening, the boutiques don't sell the company's exotic sportscars. Instead they serve as retail locations for the company's fashion line, called the Collezione Automobili Lamborghini. The Raging Bull brand's raking president Stephan Winkelmann was on hand for the opening. Given the Canadian climes, we hope the line includes parkas and ear muffs. But if your travel plans don't include the West Coast city in the near future, you can check out the collection at http://store.lamborghini.com.

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Tags: Automobili Lamborghini, automobili lamborghini boutique, AutomobiliLamborghini, AutomobiliLamborghiniBoutique, bc, british columbia, BritishColumbia, canada, collezione automobili lamborghini, CollezioneAutomobiliLamborghini, lamborghini, vancouver

Fly Fishing's Finest Destinations, Courtesy of Orvis

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports, Books

When it comes to fly fishing, legendary Vermont-based sporting outfitters Orvis is the recognized authority. The company celebrates nearly 50 Orvis-endorsed fly-fishing lodges across the U.S. and Canada in a nifty new book for the armchair angler, Great Fishing Lodges of North America. The perfect tool for planning your next outing as well as a rich visual feast for anyone interested in sport fishing or the lodge lifestyle, the book highlights the best destinations from Alaska to Florida, Montana to Maine, and across Canada.

Each lodge is profiled and portrayed along with detailed information on the local waters and its game fish, the lodge, amenities and activities, landscape, and game species and wildlife in the area. Featured lodges in include the Alaska Sportsman's Lodge (Lake Iliamna, AK); The Essex, Vermont's Culinary Resort & Spa (Burlington, VT); Lake Placid Lodge (Lake Placid, NY); Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock (Blowing Rock, NC; The Blue Damsel Lodge (Clinton, MT); North Fork Ranch (Shawnee, CO); Cow Creek Ranch (Pecos, New Mexico); Moose Lake Lodge (Anahim Lake, British Columbia); and more.

Gallery: Great Fishing Lodges

Alaska Sportsman's Lodge, Lake Iliamna, AK

Morrison's Rogue River Lodge, Merlin, OR

Tags: Alaska, books, British Columbia, Canada, coffee table books, fishing, fly fishing, fly-fishing, Lake Placid, Montana, Orvis, outdoors, sporting, sporting goods, Vermont

Massive Casino Complex Planned For Vancouver

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

The Olympics may be over but Vancouver has a new way to generate excitement. B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell has revealed plans for a destination casino-hotel complex to be built next to the renovated B.C. Place stadium. The $450 million Canadian project will have both a luxury hotel and a mid-range hotel and a casino that is open 24 hours a day. The Edgewater Casino will be relocated to the new center. Paragon Development of Las Vegas, the owner of the Edgewater Casino, will build the new project. The project will create thousands of jobs both through construction and through jobs at the complex.

It is estimated that the casino could make as much as $130 million Canadian in gaming revenues for the provincial government in its first year of operation. If the City of Vancouver grants a rezoning application, construction could begin early next year. The main building will have a massive rooftop that will connect the two hotels and provide meeting spaces, a pool area and an entertainment destination. The hotels will have five restaurants between them. The project may completed by mid-2013.

Tags: canada, casino, gambling, gaming, hotel, vancouver

Beverly Hills Cigar Club to Hockey Haters: Light(en) Up!

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Events

Much ado has been made of the cigars ignited by the Canadian Women's Hockey Team in celebration of the gold medal they had earned. Of course, they are not the first to light cigars following a victory, and despite much of the criticism being levied these days, they are unlikely to be the last. Vin Lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club, wants the team to know that they have his support.

In addition to decrying the International Olympic Committee's suggestion that an investigation may be necessary, he said in a statement:

Every other sport – from the Stanley Cup, the World Cup of Soccer, NASCAR to the Super Bowl -- supports celebrating victories with a bottle of champagne and a great cigar," points out Lee. "The moment is emotional; in the case of the Olympics, it often is the reward of years of hard work and sacrifice. The Canadian Women's Hockey Team should not be chastised for wanting to mark their victory on the ice. They are national heroes.

It would be nice for the IOC to lighten up on this issue ... having already missed the opportunity to light up in support of the Canadian women's team.

And, congratulations on a victory that was certainly earned!

Tags: beverly hills, BeverlyHills, canada, canadian womens hockey team, CanadianWomensHockeyTeam, cigar, cigars, hockey, ice hockey, IceHockey, OlympicGames, olympics

Jasmine's Cove, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

I'm not usually a fan of nautical. I grew up in a resort town, ship's wheels and rope decor generally make me itch. Today's estate in Lake Country, British Columbia could change my mind. This home combines a nautical theme with modern architecture and the overall effect is worlds away from the local fish shack. This six-bedroom home has a great room with a huge round window, a canoe seems poised to smash through the center. A curved bar continues the nautical theme and a shower enclosure is designed to mimic the ocean floor, complete with fish. The property also has a beachside cabana, water features, bridges of stepping stones and an outdoor kitchen. It is listed at $10 million Canadian.

Gallery: Jasmine's Cove

Tags: british columbia, BritishColumbia, canada, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay

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The $360,000 Carbon Fiber Canadian Supercar

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

We've seen exotic motors from all over the world, so why not a carbon fiber French Canadian supercar? For $360,000 HTT Technologies, brainchild of Quebec-based Luc Chartrand, will sell you a limited edition Pléthore LC-750 (above), which has a unique three seat configuration with a central driving position. Powered by a 750 hp 6.2-liter V8 engine its light weight of only 1149 kg gives it an impressive power-to-weight ratio. Somewhat similar in styling to the SSC Ultimate Aero the Pléthore sports gullwing doors and massive air intakes on the front and sides; the fairly restrained interior has some carbon fiber elements as well and two-tone orange and black leather upholstery. The car will be presented at the upcoming Top Marques Monaco show.

Tags: Canada, carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, Quebec, supercar

The Ultimate Luxury Gift Crate for Men - Cognac & Cuban Cigars

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars, Spirits, Books, Men's Style

King's Crate, a new company based in Toronto, has launched a line of luxurious new gift crates created specifically for men of refined tastes. The collection is crowned by the Havana crate (above), which includes a stylish humidor, ashtray and cigar cutter, three Cuban cigars (Cohiba, Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta), your choice of Havana Club rum from Cuba, Courvoisier cognac or Johnnie Walker Black Label Scotch, Pastiglie Leone Italian candies in a nostalgic pinup girl tin, cashews and roasted peanuts, and a copy of Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany. The price ranges from $196 - $270 Canadian depending on which booze you choose. Of course, the Cuban cigars and rum are only available in Canada (which has no Cuban embargo) and alcohol is limited to customers in Ontario at the moment, but the company has other crates filled with gourmet goodies and stylish accessories which can be sent anywhere. Each gift arrangement comes packaged in a handcrafted, reusable cedar crate.

Tags: Canada, cigars, Cuba, Cuban cigars, CubanCigars, gift basket, GiftBasket, gifts, humidor, Kings Crate, KingsCrate, Ontario, rum, Toronto

Your Second, Winter Olympic Home is Ready

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

Admit it, the biathlon has always fascinated you: skiing, spandex, and guns -- what's not to make a heart flutter? Vancouver, Canada isn't so bad either. With the Winter Olympics headed that way in sixty days you can add Granville Street and massive natural beauty to that fetching, dual-sport combination -- if only you had a place to stay...

Enter Evolution Whistler, a mountain home development just over a year old in the away-from-it-all Whistler Creekside. Evolution houses seventy residences from 590 sq. ft. up to 1,630 sq. ft., with 1 bed/ba units at the low end and 3 bed/ba units at the high. Some of them will be available during the Olympics, so when you're not slopeside at the ski jump or hoisting a nostalgic Jamaican flag at the bobsled, you can enjoy Evolution's own exercise facilities, outdoor sauna and hot tubs, or the eucalyptus steam room.

And if you decide you just can't get enough of Evolution or Vancouver, you can take a quarter ownership in one of Evolution's offerings -- there are 280 on offer -- with serious discounts from last year's The-Gods-Must-Be-Crazy prices. What better way could there be to remember the city where you jilted the biathlon and fell in love with the luge? (Don't worry, you will...)

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Tags: canada, evolution, olympic, vancouver, whistler, whistler blackcomb, WhistlerBlackcomb, winter olympics, WinterOlympics