Volume 18 Winter 2004
The Sipping Point King Street West’s Fine Wine Reserve a place to store and taste your best bottles. Photo by Tony Whibley
By Yvan Marston
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arc Russell is concerned with about five percent of the wine out there. He estimates that 95 percent of what is available to consumers can be drunk right away, leaving five percent in need of decent conditions in which to age. Enter the Fine Wine Reserve, a professional storage facility for wine collectors, investors and serious enthusiasts. The 5,500-square-foot space at 439 King Street West, just next to Interior Elements is specifically designed to meet a niche public’s need for wine storage. The first facility of its kind operating in Ontario, The Reserve uses specialized cooling, heating and humidifying equipment to create an environment that meets professional wine cellaring specifications. Within this space are a series of wine lockers and walk-in wine cellars that clients use to preserve and age their fine wines. These units can be leased for periods ranging from three months to over ten years. All units are private, locked and alarmed. Each unit is furnished according to the specific needs of the client, from simple shelving arrangements to more elaborate racking systems. Units can hold from eight to 576+ cases of wine, and access is 24/7 using a special card access system and biometric fingerprint technology. In total, the space has seen about $400,000 in leasehold improvements, and Russell says, very little has to do with aesthetics. Continued on page 2.
OWNER MARC RUSSELL PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL CELLARING AT THE FINE WINE RESERVE.
Wine Storage Tips Most of the wine bought off the shelf is ready for drinking the day the money leaves your wallet. In fact, keeping an everyday bottle of plonk won’t improve it. If anything, says Marc Russell of The Fine Wine Reserve, it may be detrimental to hold onto a bottle for more than a few months if it’s not properly stored. Given the wrong conditions, a bottle can go bad in a month. Here are five things you should know about wine storage: 1. Most wines are safe at 4º to 18ºC (40º to 65ºF) for the short term, but ideally these should be stored at 13º to 14ºC (55º to 57ºF). 2. The temperature cannot fluctuate more than 2° to 3°C (5°F), once annually because these fluctuations cause the wine and the air in the bottle to expand and contract. Repeated “cycling” brings in new oxygen through the cork’s pores – and that new air will spoil your drink. 3. 50-80 percent humidity is best otherwise the cork may dry out and let in more oxygen. 4. Don’t store it with items that have strong odors as these can lend themselves to the wine. Some odours to look out for include solvents (i.e. fresh paint, cleaning solutions), or various aromatic food products like onions and garlic. 5. Keep it away from sunlight – ultraviolet light can break down some of the molecules, changing the taste. A note on vibrations: The jury is still out regarding the effect of vibrations on wine, says Russell. Some purists insist that vibrations affect flavour and bouquet, but there’s no clear evidence to suggest that this is important for wines that do not throw off a sediment. “If they do throw sediment,” he advises, “just let the wine sit somewhere quiet for a few weeks before serving it.”
Inside... CACHÉ IQ PARTNERS NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH FITNESS ON KING WEST
Front & Central
CACHÉ AROUND THE CORNER New lounge with an easy vibe and a French flavour opens to King West Central
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espite its French name, George Keroglidis describes Caché as a New York-style loft bar and lounge – “lots of couches and lots of candles.” Keroglidis, along with partners Gerry Katis and Peter Aroukatos opened Caché on December 3rd. Tucked into the courtyard at 469 King Street West (between Rodney’s “Oyster Garden” and Brassaii), the bar has an extensive list of martinis and champagne cocktails for the discerning client as well as a bottle service for VIP tables. As for the music, Keroglidis says it’s anything but commercial, ranging from Buddha Bar to the trip lounge featured in some of Paris’ hottest nightspots. “We went through to great lengths to search out the best lounge music in the world to create an unmistakably original vibe,” he says, explaining that the
Fine Wine Reserve continued from page 1. Feat of Insulation About $100,000 was spent on the customized engineering system that ensures temperatures in the space won’t fluctuate by more than 2°F. In addition, another $150,000 was spent simply on insulating the space (windows are blocked with concrete, walls and ceilings vapour-barriered and backed with mineral wool insulation). “Trying to get absolute stability 365 days a year in a place that goes from 98 F to –25 F, is a real engineering feat,” he sighs. An exploration geologist for 20 years (the last ten spent in Central America and U.S.), Russell suddenly felt the need to settle down and came home to The King West Central Community Chronicle
Set in the courtyard at 469 King Street West, relaxed Caché spins everything from Buddha Bar to Parisian trip lounge.
music, in fact, is mostly from France, thus inspiring the choice of a French name (Caché means “hidden” in French). The space is spread out over two floors. A 30-foot stone bar highlights the main floor, whose exposed brick walls exhibit a tasteful collection of black and white nudes. Upstairs you’ll find a cozy space well stocked with low-lying couches. The entire space inherits a warm relaxing mood compliments of all the hidden amber lighting. “The atmosphere is ideal lounge,” says Keroglidis. “It’s relaxing on weekdays when we get a lot of industry friends who come and chill and unwind, and a little more upbeat on the weekends.” “Unlike a lot of other places in the city, the last thing we want is people packed in on top of one another,” he adds. “The crowd we cater to is somewhat older and has outplayed the club thing a while ago.” Given the limited size of the space and the cozy-withoutbeing-crowded –type atmosphere the owners are trying to create, Caché reaches capacity quickly on weekends. So, advises Keroglidis, try to get there early.
Toronto intent on being an entrepreneur. While looking for a business idea, he thought of the case of wine sitting under the sink in his condo’s kitchen. A little research yielded that there were hundreds of successful wine storage companies throughout the U.S. and very few, if any such operations, here. “And there’s 1 billion dollars a year being spent on wine in Ontario,” he adds.
Tasting Room The Fine Wine Reserve has an 11,000 case capacity with the smallest unit designed to hold eight. “It’s less expensive as you get more space,” says Russell, explaining that prices start at about $35 a month for an eight-case locker, but
depending on how much you store, it could end up costing as little as $2 a case. Access to individual collections is 24/7 given that everything is protected with biometric security measures. “It’s designed so that clients can come anytime to get the bottle they want,” says Russell. And if they choose to stick around, for a small membership fee, wine aficionados can have access to The Reserve’s tasting room, a cozy nook downtown where members can hold private wine tastings or just relax with a glass of wine after taking in a show. For more information, visit www.FineWineReserve.com.
Street Smart HR service provider, IQ Partners, connects with the energy and intelligence of King West Central By Yvan Marston
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ruce Powell has always been a devotee of the King and Spadina neighbourhood. In 2001, he and Randy Quarin seized the spirit of the times and set up an HR services company, IQ Partners, in the former local “incubator” TechSpace. “In the dot.com boom,” he explains,
IQ Partners’ Top Ten Tips to a Killer Resume 1. Design it to generate a response. Make it easy for the reader to decide who you are. 2. Make it legible, credible and structure it properly. 99% of resumes are now saved digitally so the content is way more important than the paper you put it on. 3. What makes you unique? Deliver a clear message right off the top. (Tip: Who you are, isn't always what you've done.) 4. Create a profile vs. stating an objective. Answer the question "Why should I hire you?" 5. Be who you are. Use authentic words, genuine wording - not clichés. And be specific. 6. Chronological over functional, so that people are clear on where you've been, when, and for how long. 7 Less Is More. 8. List "what you did" and "where" before "when". 9. Balance your responsibilities with your accomplishments. Prove your success by using numbers, or demonstrate before and after results. 10. Bookend your resume with personality. People hire the people they best 'relate' to. Finish with something that piques curiosity, interest or indicates playfulness - get people to remember you.
IQ Partners’ Karen Schaffer and Bruce Powell help entrepreneurial companies manage their people resources.
“this was the place to be. Marketing and communication agencies were moving down here very quickly and there was a real enthusiasm in the air.” Powell, IQ Partners’ managing partner, co-founded the firm shortly after leading the Internet & Emerging Technology Practice at Mandrake Management Consultants through a period of rapid growth. Driven by a passion to improve what the search industry offered, he established IQ Partners as an integrated HR Services company, a new type of firm providing a broader range of services to help entrepreneurial companies better manage their people resources. “Our services range from Executive Search to HR Consulting and Services –
including employee assessment, team development, compensation planning, employee retention and succession strategies,” Powell says, explaining that their work is done on a project basis, flexible contract or retainer. In addition, IQ Partners can also provide contract HR services to early-stage and evolving companies. Occupying 2,200 square feet of 99 Spadina’s sixth floor (with a 70-square-foot outdoor deck!), IQ Partners space is modern and open-concept. “Operating in an open-office environment is not typical for an HR services firm, but we find the exchange of information creative and productive, and all our interviews and client meetings are conducted in private rooms with complete discretion.” added Powell. IQ Partners has a staff of 10, many of whom come from media, marketing, communications and technology backgrounds. As more companies set up shop in the area, Powell sees opportunities for his firm to grow. “I think there’s an energy and intelligence to this neighbourhood that perhaps carried over from the dot.com days when people were re-inventing the world,” says Powell. “And that’s the kind of energy we like to be around.”
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Neighbourhood Watch
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What’s New Near You
Cossette Finishes 2003 With A Bang For some local businesses, 2003 was a year to forget. With SARS and the infamous blackout, many were eagerly hoping for brighter prospects in 2004. For Cossette Communication Group, Canada’s largest marketing communication agency, and a tenant of King West since April 2002, the end of 2003 was also a cause for celebration, but for a different reason. It brought the company new clients, a global mandate from an existing client, and two corporate acquisitions. In October, Cossette was selected by BMO Financial Group as its agency of record for Canada. And, in early December, McDonald’s
Corporation selected Cossette to develop and help execute a global restaurant promotion for its world famous French fries. “We are very fortunate to work with some of the most well-known companies in Canada,” said Dom Caruso, President, Cossette Toronto. “Our formula for success is based on developing convergent communications solutions for our clients using the strategic minds from our specialized business units - each representing various leading-edge communication services.” Cossette added more firepower to its arsenal in early November when the company purchased Toronto’s Strateco Strategic Communications Group, a marketing commu-
Greg Masse of Strateco Strategic Communications (left) with Cossette’s Dom Caruso. nication services company with expertise in promotional marketing. In December, Cossette entered the European market by acquiring Identica of London (U.K.), one of the world's leading brand consultancies. Win an award? Finish a good year? Hired the best? Made the press? Let your KWC peers in on the news. Send announcements and press releases to wjacobs@alliedproperties.com
The King West Central Community Chronicle
Fitness on King West Local health clubs offer a cool atmosphere and hot activities to fight the February fitness fumble By Yvan Marston Totum's warm-up space adjacent to the Thai Boxing ring (far left) and Pilates Rack (left).
Muay Thai Boxing
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o you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to get into shape, but now it’s February and that promise seems small and weak and so long ago. Well, maybe it’s time to mix things up a bit. King West Central has two fitness clubs, Diesel Fitness and Totum Life Science, each with an extensive array of programs, classes, and equipment, and each ready to help “Resolutionnaires” ward off the inevitable February fitness fumble.
Fireside Yoga Variety is key to staying motivated, says Josh Feuer who, along with
Totum Life Science at 445 King Street West also maintains a space designed for club-like comfort in a typical King West Central brick and beam setting. A fitness mainstay of the neighbourhood, Totum’s curriculum is dictated by its membership, and lately, Salsa dancing and Muay Thai Boxing have proven particularly popular. Tim Irvine, Totum president, agrees that variety is key to creating a successful fitness plan. “That’s what Thai boxing has done,” he says, explaining that some clients have joined expressly to do Muay Thai. “For a lot of people, it’s opened the door to doing something in a physical way that is different from what they’ve done before.” Of course, it helps that Totum’s Muay Thai instructor, Clifton Brown, is a world champion. “That lends depth to the experience,” admits Irvine.
Pilates Also popular are Totum’s Pilates courses. This form of strength training, originally conceived for dancers, works abdominal and back muscles, and Totum features a full complement of Pilates equipment. When it comes to keeping clients motivated, Irvine says his team uses a few different strategies. They’ve had a good partner George Chaker, started Diesel response to the Totum Challenge, where Fitness a year and a half ago. “People get members elect to undergo seven different stuck in a routine, that’s when they get challenges and then, eight weeks later, are bored and fall off the wagon,” he says. re-tested to see a marked improvement in Diesel schedules nearly 50 classes and is performance. workshopping different types of Yoga – Another strategy is the training camp Diesel Fitness’ freeweight area (left) and main including it’s own brand of hot yoga approach. When following an exercise studio with resistance machines (above). called Fireside Yoga, which Feuer explains, routine, people often complain of meetis practised in a studio equipped with ing a plateau, says Irvine, and the trainthree fireplaces to heat the room to a sweaty 90°F. ing camp is a short (one to two weeks) and intense period The Diesel environment offers everything a typical gym where one trains twice as hard, eats well and cuts out a few enthusiast seeks, but it also endeavours to foster a clubbad habits. After a short period, results are gained and enthulike atmosphere where members can relax in lounge chairs siasm for fitness is renewed. or grab a healthy bite to eat from the Fuel Bar – a fully Whether its yoga, freeweights, aerobics, or any one of the wired Internet café. specialized training methods you can find, the key here seems Spread out over two floors, Diesel’s 99 Spadina location has to be change, seeing change and making change. And if your a top floor dedicated to high-energy activity - a place with a gym isn’t doing it for you, perhaps it’s time to change. One live DJ as well as freeweights and resistance machines. thing is certain, there are a few options to explore on King Downstairs is a bit mellower. That’s where the three yoga stuWest Central. Drop by in person or visit these online at dios are as well as the spa services and change rooms. www.totum.ca and www.dieselfitness.ca
The King West Central Community Chronicle
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