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Community Events, Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Family Vacations in Toronto, Food & Recipes

Our Top New Places to Eat in Toronto Now

June 18, 2015

Over the past 8 years, Toronto has rapidly risen its reputation as one of the best cities in the world in which to live, mainly in part due to becoming a destination for a variety of quality restaurants that range in tastes, cultures, and flavours. The best part? They are in short distance of your furnished rental in the metropolis. 2015 has been an exceptional year for many anticipated openings. Here are our favourite eateries and places to eat in Toronto this year, thus far.

1. Bar Raval
Following his success at one of our top ten favourite restaurants, Bar Isabel, Chef Grant van Gameren’s Bar Raval was most anticipated opening of the year and it has not disappointed his loyal following. Those who have ever had to wait for a seat at Bar Isabel can now chow down on Gameren’s pinxtos at his stand up bar, morning, noon, and night. The shrimp and cream pinxtos and the Galician octopus are standout dishes. As much as the bar is adored for the food, the architecture by the firm, Partisans, is just as much of a highlight with its all encompassing wooden curves, bars, and peek-a-boo hideouts.

2. La Carnita Eastside
The neighbourhood of Leslieville has embraced La Carnita’s second location in the east and it’s a quick streetcar ride over the bridge across the Don River from your furnished apartment in Toronto. The funky Mexican eatery is serving up the classics like their fish tacos and feature daily specials which range from arctic char and chicken tostadas to shrimp tacos.

3. Dailo
Easily walkable from our downtown furnished suites, Dailo is the perfect restaurant for a special occasion. The Asian-American infused menu bursts with flavour and texture. Try the fried watermelon, the shrimp and the crispy Argentenian red shrimp served with kimchi grits, and tom yum buerre blanc. The 90 day aged rib eye from Oliffe butchers is served with bok choy, radish, soy pickled mushroom, and Asian chimichurri. It is great to share with a group and well worth the indulgence.

4. R&D
This brand new restaurant on Spadina from Masterchef Canada winner, Eric Chong and his mentor, Alvin Leung, is breathing new life for experimentation in the old Strada 241.You’ll be hungry after a short walk from our properties such as the Icon, 300 Front St. and the Element. The Peking duck and lobster chow mein were some of the twists on Chong’s dishes he made for the competition show and getting rave reviews.

What are your favourite new restaurants and places to eat in Toronto? What are your favourite places near your DelSuites home away from home?

Business Travel, Community Events, Customer Service Experience, Downtown Toronto Condos, Family Vacations in Toronto, Fitness and Health, Lifestyle talk

Advantages to Living in a Furnished Condo

June 12, 2015

Moving into a new place or city can elicit both emotions of excitement and anxiety, especially if it is unfurnished. There can be an additional consideration given to decorating your own place. This transition can be fraught with feeling overwhelmed, especially if you are relocating to Toronto or if you have been displaced from your home due to a fire or flood. The advantage of staying with DelSuites is that our apartments and townhomes are furnished in modern decor as with an efficient and practical layout. Here are a few more advantages of living in a furnished condo and what you can expect from our award-winning services:

1. No worries. Having a furnished rental means you are relieved of the worries associated with furnishing. No moving. No worrying about decor or dimensions. No moving costs or having to figure out who will help you move. From airport pick up and drop off to taking care of your family needs, Delsuites makes you feel at home, stress free!

2. Everything is set up for you. Delsuites furnished suites are all designed with modern decor. Everything is set up according to the dimensions of the apartment. This way, if you’re not of a design mindset, we’ve hired the experts to make sure where you live is comfortable, easy, stylishing and relaxed. You also don’t have to worry about buying anything else because it’s already been done! (Not to mention that your bed is already made for you!)

3. Housekeeping included. One of the big advantages of living in a furnished condo is that if you are busy and on the go, whether you’re an executive or traveling for leisure, is our housekeeping services. Once a week, at a scheduled time, your apartment will be cleaned and tidy. Another bonus is that you don’t have to do your laundry anywhere either. It’s ensuite!

4. Ease of Meeting Neighbours. Since you are located in a property with various amenities like a fitness centre, outdoor deck and swimming pool, or party/billiards room, it is quite easy to encounter and befriend your neighbours. Many of our clients may be in similar situations such as relocation or displacement so it will be easier to bond over these shared situations.

5. All Inclusive Rates. Delsuites has all-inclusive rates so you’ll also get other amenities included in your rental including 24/hour security, an exercise/party room, and with many properties, an outdoor pool or lounge (not to mention being located in central and accessible locations, as per our above points).

Do you like living in a furnished condo, or rental? Why?

Announcements, Business Travel, Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Events, Lifestyle talk, Toronto Family Travel, Vacation Travel

Upcoming June and July Toronto Events, 2015

June 8, 2015

The summer of 2015 is going to be an exciting one in Toronto with a number of special events this year. Many of these events are located in downtown Toronto, centrally located and not too far from your furnished apartment. This is an ideal time to be in the city for your short-term stay or an extended stay. Here are a few of our favourite June and July Toronto events happening this year.

1. North By Northeast Festival (NXNE) (June 17-21, 2015). This festival has gone beyond just music to converge creatives artists into five different event-packed streams: Music, Film, Interactive, Comedy, and Art. Toronto will be a buzz with shows (and secret shows) at concert venues littered across town as well as free concerts at Yonge and Dundas Square. Discover your favourite shows and plan in advance so you can use your pass well.

2. The Toronto Jazz Festival (June 18-27, 2015). If you’re a fan of jazz, you’ll get a choice to hear over 1,500 musicians

Photo Credit: Mark Watmough

and 350 performances in over 40 locations around Toronto. This year, the festival will celebrate Oscar Peterson’s 90th birthday and welcome back Jamie Cullum to the stage. Festival headquarters are at Nathan Phillips Square, which features a fully licensed Mainstage Marquee and outdoor stage, where you can see some performances for free. It’s always a great way to introduce the summer!

3. Luminato (June 19-28, 2015). Luminato celebrates Toronto’s vibrant arts and culture scene in Toronto, via this 9 day festival across the downtown core and at the festival hub in David Pecault Square. See performers like Jason Collett revive his basement revue; view the imaginary rose garden, a visual arts display; or dance the day away at a Brazilian block party! There are many events everyday, so do check the website to see which one appeals to you.

Photo Credit: US Embassy Canada

4. Taste of Toronto (July 2-5, 2015). This food event takes over the grounds of Fort York in its second year. Food enthusiasts are drawn to sample dishes from some of the best eateries in the city, including Montecito, Barque, THR & Co., Splendido, Bosk, and Richmond Station. Exciting food events will be on offer, as well, including the Toronto Life Chef’s Table, a series of interactive discussions with chefs; and the Metro Masterclass, a hands-on cooking session from the popular chefs (and a visiting chefs, including Christina Tosi, of Momofuku Milk Bar). The best part? You can walk home from your food coma! June and July Toronto Events

5. Fringe Festival (July 1-12, 2015). This is the best way to see theatre for cheap with over 150 shows at over 30 venues in the city. The shows are performed at unexpected places in the city, as well, from waiting rooms to the back parking lot of Honest Ed’s. Now that there’s Fringe Kids in place, this is also a great way to introduce grassroots theatre to your children.

6. Pan Am/Parapan Am Games (July 10-26, 2015). The most anticipated event for this year, the Pan Am and Para Pan Am games will bring in over 7,000 athletes from the Americas and the Caribbean to compete in 36 Pan Am sports and 15 Parapan sports all over Toronto and within Ontario. If you’ve never gone to the Olympics, this is your chance to see some sports of that caliber as well as many athletic facilities being upgraded in time for the games. Many events surrounding the games are forthcoming, including Panamania, a 35-day arts and cultural festival. Many exciting musicians will be performing for free at Nathan Phillips Square including Janelle Monae, The Flaming Lips, The Roots, and Tanya Tadaq.

What June and July Toronto events are you looking most forward to?

Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk, Relocation, Toronto Family Travel, Vacation Travel

5 Benefits of Travelling Light While on Business

June 3, 2015

As the cost of travelling continues to rise (especially in air-travel), it becomes more essential to pack light and smart, especially if you are on a business trip and on-the-go. Whether you are staying with us for a short-term stay in our furnished apartments in Toronto, we’ve come up with five benefits of why travelling light will help you.

1. Travelling Light Saves You Time and Money When you only have one carry-on, you don’t have to pay the $25 + checked baggage fee nor do you have to wait at baggage claim for your carry-on (which reduces your time to transfer in destination). At check-in, you can also reduce your time in long lines by pre-checking your boarding pass and entering in your info at a kiosk rather than waiting to get your baggage tagged.

2. Lost Luggage Worries are Gone When you only have one bag or carry-on, you don’t have to worry about it getting lost, delayed, damaged (or worse, stolen). According to the L.A. Times, The total number of bags that were lost, delayed or damaged by airlines around the world were 22 million in 2013 (a 17% reduction from 2012 but there is still a long way to go).

3. Easy Navigation Within Big Cities In a large metropolis like Toronto, you can easily get to the airport via public transport. If you have a bigger bag or more than one bag, however, it will be a more difficult to navigate on a crowded bus or subway. Travelling light enables you to walk through busy train stations, airports, and downtown streets with ease. In many train stations, you also have to take the stairs, which is a simpler task than with a heavy bag or more than one bag/suitcase. Luckily, we do have complimentary airport transportation services as part of our services if you chose to stay with us.

4. You Pack the Essentials Packing light forces you to decide which items are necessary for your trip in addition to simplifying your daily routine of figuring out what to wear each day. If you are traveling on business, choose neutrals to build a base. For instance a crisp white shirt which you can easily iron in your suite, a suit, and a black pair of shoes. You can tuck socks into your shoes to save room when packing and keep your toiletry kit to one simple bag either in the corner of your bag or in an easy to find-pocket of your luggage. (Remember: any liquids in your carry-on can be no more than 100 ml.) Packing smarter also enables you to find your things more quickly. A messenger back or lap-top bag is also efficient when you have to take it out during the customs and security check.

5. Flexibility If your flight or trip gets cancelled or delayed, you don’t have to worry about where your luggage is located. You also don’t have to worry about being able to navigate somewhere nearby because you packed light. For a business traveller, you can immediately take your belongings with you if you have to go straight to the office.

Packing light enables efficiency, cost-savings and flexibility. Do you pack light? What are your favourite benefits of packing light?

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Food & Recipes, Lifestyle talk, Mid Town, Toronto History

Favourite Patios in Toronto

May 25, 2015

Hanging out on your balcony in your DelSuites furnished apartment rental in Toronto can be novel for only so long. Though it’s one of our favourite amenities, sometimes you want a change of scenery. As the summer heats up, here are our favourite patios in Toronto to grab a drink and people watch.

1. Amsterdam Brewhouse
Steps away from our downtown toronto apartments like 300 Front Street, The Icon, and The Element, Amsterdam Brewery’s patio is situated on the Harbourfront, lakeside, with a nice view of the Toronto Islands. Also named as one of our favourite craft breweries in Toronto, all you need to relax is a pint in hand in a muskoka chair to feel like you’re transported north of the city. Don’t forget you can buy some of their cans to bring home. Their bottleshop is open until 11pm!

(Photo by Tasting Toronto)

2. El Catrin
The vibrant patio, located in the Distillery District, and its Mexican details –cut outs, tiles and firepits –makes this one of the most popular outdoor spots to have brunch or lunch in the summer months. The food is just as great as the location. Try sharing some tacos or ceviche. For dinner, you could try a 7 course tasting menu with your friends. The best part? Your fellow patio-patrons surrounding you are best for people watching. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

3. Terroni (Rosedale)
This rooftop patio of the popular Italian trattoria is a more low key destination and in short distance of our mid-town properties, 173 Duplex and the Republic. Chow down on hearty pasta and many delectable pizzas under minimalist decor and a great view of the downtown landscape.

4. Speakeasy 21
This Financial District favourite –at Scotiaplaza–has a brand new 3-tier patio for after work libation. You can watch all of the drama of rush hour unfold from your perch right in the centre of things. Knock it back with a watermelon mojito or bites to share with coworkers or friends.

What are your favourite patios in Toronto?

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