Bay Street Bull Magazine Summer 2010

VOL.7 NO.3

SIMPLY SICILIAN Italy’s spa destination

COACH TOURS

THEBAYSTREETBULL.CA $7.95

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Bus travel goes deluxe

COLLINGWOOD AREA: Life on the bay

IN THE ISSUE:

fe a t u re s

A PUTT ABOVE 8 The GTA is home to incredible private golf clubs.

departments

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GET ON THE BUS Executive coach tours raise the bar with luxurious services.

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SIMPLY SICILIAN Verdura Golf & Spa Resort is a hidden gem.

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BULL REVIEW Style and speed define the turbocharged 2010 Audi TTS.

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WINE + SPIRITS Cocktails get a new lease on life with premium ingredients.

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LIFE ON THE BAY Collingwood Area advertising supplement.

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ON THE SHELF Delve into mystery and intrigue with the summer's hottest fiction.

UP FRONT 6 A race-inspired car, an art book reprint, a floral tequila and more.

TECH TOYS 44 Boldness fuels the latest high-tech objets d'art.

FILM REVIEW 48 Up-and-coming star Jennifer Lawrence shines in Winter’s Bone.

Cover photo courtesy of Verdura Golf & Spa Resort

Photo Credits on page 50.

THE BAY STREET BULL | 3

BAY STREET PUBLISHING Photo: Ruslan Sarkisian

Vol. 7, No. 3 VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHER Fred Sanders EDITOR Catherine Roberts ART DIRECTOR Mark Tzerelshtein CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Cara Smusiak CONTRIBUTORS Sharon Aschaiek Mike Dojc Katherine Griggs Marc Phillips Chris Powell Ben Stone PHOTOGRAPHER Ruslan Sarkisian DIRECTOR, ADVERTISING SALES Bill Percy advertising@thebaystreetbull.ca HOSPITALITY DEVELOPMENT Mark Waxer ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christophe Boilley COMMUNICATIONS FACILITATOR David Rees The Bay Street Bull is published six times yearly and distributed in Toronto’s financial and business districts.

Distribution method: hand-delivered, inserted, mailed and retail. Editorial + subscription + retail advertising enquiries to 305 Evans Ave., Etobicoke, Ont., M8Z 1K2. info@thebaystreetbull.ca WWW.THEBAYSTREETBULL.CA

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ollingwood and Blue Mountains in the South Georgian Bay area comprise

one of the most diverse and interesting regions in Ontario. A part of the Niagara Escarpment, Blue Mountain has long been known for the best

skiing in Ontario, but the area has become a true four-season destination and a preferred summer locale for those seeking the beauty of a mountain view, fantastic golf courses, beaches, spas, fine dining and boating on the deep blue waters of Georgian Bay. When visiting Collingwood, a walk along the main street will treat you to interesting local shops, art galleries and a huge selection of restaurants to suit every taste.

Just outside town, you absolutely can’t miss the Village at the base of Blue Mountain, a pedestrian area where you will find more great restaurants, pubs and bars, local art, endless activity including live music and festivals, and a unique shopping experience.

Falling in love with the region is a distinct possibility, but the good news is there are a variety of real estate offerings available—everything from mountain villas and golf course homes to condos with awesome views of the mountains.

If wanderlust has you itching to head overseas, an escorted coach tour may be just the ticket. Katherine Griggs takes a look at the benefits of these increasingly popular tours, including no-hassle planning, door-to-door service, inclusive meals, big savings, and local guides who have the scoop on the best shopping, dining and attractions for your down time.

While tours have plenty to offer, sometimes a luxury resort is exactly the type of vacation you’re looking for, and Marc Phillips takes you to the five-star Verdura Golf & Spa Resort in Sicily. With two 18-hole golf courses, a nine-hole course, a spa, modern accommodations, a bevy of services, and all the Sicilian culture you can soak up, it’s an impressive resort property—not to mention one of the largest in Europe.

For those who are spending the summer in the city, writer Sharon Aschaiek takes you on a tour of the GTA’s private golf clubs—which offer a lot more than golf. From St. George’s Golf and Country Club’s history and tradition to Bayview Golf & Country Club’s family-friendly focus, there’s a private club nearby to fit your lifestyle.

On those summer days when you just want to sit outside sipping a cold drink, we have four premium summer cocktails that are sure to be a hit among family and friends in our Wine+Spirits section, and if a summer read is what your heart desires, take a look at our picks for this season’s hottest fiction in On the Shelf.

We always love to hear what you think of the magazine. If you’d like to send us a letter about this issue, or have an idea you think we should explore in the magazine, please address your letter to The Publisher, The Bay Street Bull, 305 Evans Avenue, Etobicoke, Ontario, M8Z 1K2, or e-mail me at publisher@thebaystreetbull.ca.

Fred Sanders, Publisher 4 | THE BAY STREET BULL

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UPFRONT

Spirit of Le Mans American race-car manufacturer Panoz Auto Development has produced only a handful of road legal sports cars. The latest, the Abruzzi “Spirit of Le Mans,” is packed with all the know-how culled from years on the Le Mans racing circuit. The 600horsepower engine sits low down and behind the front axle for optimal balance, and it’s made with a recyclable composite material that Panoz says is stronger and lighter than carbon fibre (it’s also bulletproof). While there’s no word yet on the cost, only 81 will be made over the next three years, and each buyer will be given professional instruction on how to handle the car and be invited to see the famous Le Mans race live. panozauto.com

BMW Golfsport Collection BMW has teamed up with sports bag specialist OGIO to create the BMW Golfsport Collection. This stylish yet practical line includes: a nylon golf bag in white or black with white and silver accents, golf caps, fashionable umbrellas, a couple of polo shirts, a golf shoe bag, a lightweight aluminum water bottle with a capacity of 0.75 litres, a golf set with three Titleist ProV1 golf balls, tees, pitch fork, ball marker and a towel, and a cart bag with rain hood, an insulated compartment for beverages and an interior cell phone pocket. The only thing this collection doesn’t come with is clubs. bmw-shop.com

A Tequila Treat Gran Centenario’s Rosangel tequila is made from a decade-old, 100 percent blue agave that is baked in clay ovens and rested in new French Limousin white oak barrels for a minimum of 10 months before being blended with a small amount of older tequila reserves for balance and character. To achieve its pink hue, it ages for another two months in port barrels before it is infused with hibiscus blossoms. The result: a complex, light, floral tequila. For a simple summer delight, New York mixologist Julie Reiner suggests muddling strawberries in Rosangel and adding some sparkling wine. rosangel.com

Magritte’s Museum

To celebrate the recent opening of the Magritte Museum in Brussels, publishers Abrams and Mercator Fonds joined forces to produce a new edition of Magritte, the masterful monograph from David Sylvester, considered the world’s foremost expert on the work of Surrealist painter René Magritte. Out of print for over a decade, this edition has been brought up to date by the museum’s director, Michel Draguet, and includes 40 chapters of critical insights to Magritte’s puzzling paintings and more than 500 full-colour illustrations. Magritte’s bizarre flights of fancy blended horror, comedy and mysticism and contained reoccurring images of the sea, wide skies, the female torso and the bourgeois “little man” in a bowler hat.

During the ’60s and ’70s, he influenced many Pop artists including Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns and Ed Ruscha, and his work was frequently adapted or plagiarized in advertisements, posters and book covers. mercatorfonds.be

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Ojai Valley Inn & Spa

An hour-and-a-half north of Los Angeles sits the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, a sprawling 88-hectare property with 308 newly renovated rooms. Ojai’s spa offers a communal experience not found anywhere else in the U.S. Kuyam (pronounced “Koo-Yahm”) is their signature mud treatment that combines the therapeutic effects of cleansing desert clay, dry heat and inhalation therapy, with traditional Chumash mediation. The Chumash are Native American and were the original inhabitants of the Ojai Valley, and “Kuyam” is a Chumash word that means “a place to rest together.” The Kuyam Chamber is a beautifully tiled private room offering built-in seating, including chaise lounge chairs. The room can accommodate up to eight per session and is a great way to escape from life’s pressures with a group of friends or family. ojairesort.com

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1217 North Muldrew Lake Road, Gravenhurst, Ontario info@muskokabayclub.com Call 705.687.7900 muskokabayclub.com Prices, sizes and specifications subject to change without notice. E. & O.E. Illustration is artist’s impression.

BULLGOLF

Above Private Clubs to Groom Your Game

BY SHARON ASCHAIEK

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KING VALLEY GOLF CLUB Almost a millennia old and boasting courses that have been played on for centuries, the game of golf is rich in old-world history and culture—making it challenging for new courses to become contenders. But 20-year-old King Valley Golf club is doing just that, scoring well below par with its classic golf course and clubhouse design, appeal to pro golfers, and stunning natural beauty.

The club’s 18-hole, par-72 course is the brainchild of two greats: two-time U.S. Open and Canadian Open champion Curtis Strange, and Doug Carrick, who turned to the game’s golden age, the early-20th century, for inspiration to create a layout that exudes the nobility of North America’s greatest parkland courses. The course features tall pine trees framing holes that dip, rise and roll across some of the loveliest countryside in Ontario.

But don’t let the beauty distract you—the course is challenging enough to require complete concentration, even for the most experienced golfers. With double-cut putting surfaces (making them very fast), sloped greens that demand precision, 53 strategically placed bunkers, and the demanding 585-yard, par-5 18th—which features a tough-to-hit, tree-lined landing area with a large water hazard protecting the front of the green—the course is sure to test your mettle.

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anada’s brief summer months are finally here, and many Ontarians are poised, clubs ready, to get into the swing of golf season. Thankfully, the GTA’s abundance of beautifully sculpted greens and variety of clubhouse environments mean it’s easy for both scratch and recreational golfers to find their hole-inone place to tee off.

Whether you prefer to putt in a refined environment steeped in rich tradition, are a fan of family-friendly golfing to accommodate your entire clan, or are just focused on improving your game and advancing from bogeys to birdies, you’re sure to find a course among the offerings that’s up to par.

THE BAY STREET BULL | 9

After a round on the green, King Valley offers a very dignified setting in which to unwind, enjoy a drink and share game highlights. The opulent clubhouse is modelled after the classic English baronial manor, with a cedar-shake roof, brick and limestone façade and copper flashings.

The course’s 6,905 yards have been the site of some noteworthy Canadian golfing, including the 1993 Canadian Tours Players Championship—Mike Weir’s first win as a pro, and the springboard for his PGA Tour career.

ST. GEORGE’S GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB It’s perhaps no surprise that St. George’s Golf and Country Club is widely considered to be one of the best courses in the world; history, design and size are all on its side.

The 81-year-old club’s rich pedigree dates back to its roots in the early 1900s, when the Canadian Pacific Railway was building the Royal York Hotel and seeking to provide special amenities for guests.

The magic touches of renowned Canadian golf course and country club architect Stanley Thompson, known for his philosophy of preserving the natural lay and flow of the land, and later, leading Thompson protégé and Canadian Golf Hall of Fame architect Robbie Robinson, are evident in the meandering fairways, difficult greens and inventive elevated bunkers that characterize this 18-hole course.

As a top-three course in Canada that consistently ranks among the top 100 in the world, St. George’s is favoured as a leading venue for professional and amateur tournaments. This year, it will host its fifth Canadian Open—taking place July 19 to 25—and it has been the site of five LPGA events, a PGA Tour Champions event and a Canadian Seniors Open.

The genteel culture of St. George's is evident in the sophisticated environs of its country club, where well-attired patrons—a conservative dress code is in effect—can enjoy the Stanley Thompson Room, a traditional space with its impressive mouldings and detailed woodwork, brass chandeliers and sconces, brocade curtains tied back with thick gold tassels, gold- and red-patterned carpeting, reproductions of 18th-century R & J Adam chairs, and a large, stone fireplace that set the scene for intimate gatherings. The club also boasts the Founders Room, an elegantly appointed ballroom for large affairs, and four other event spaces. On the culinary front, modern flavours and classic fare are concocted and served up by the club’s executive chef and his team, while wine pairing suggestions to accompany chosen cuisine are provided by a seasoned sommelier.

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The 1,300 members of St. George’s also enjoy year-round access to a superior curling facility, with six sheets of ice and its own lounge, dining room and bar, as well as bridge groups and a variety of social activities.

Finally, St. George’s outperforms many of its contemporaries with its size: its impressive 7,145 yards of green make this par-71 course (par 72 for ladies) a great walking course that offers ample playing space. While five tee-off areas are available to suit golfers of all abilities, its tricky par-5 fourth hole that approaches an elevated green, the hilly terrain through holes 12 to 15, and multiple downhill sand shots above greens that slope away from you can challenge even the gifted golfer.

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THORNHILL GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB If getting great at golf is your goal, you’d be hard pressed to find a club more focused on skill-building than Thornhill Golf & Country Club.

Established in 1922 and host of the Canadian Open in 1945, Thornhill embraces an “Improve Your Game” philosophy that focuses on enabling members to maximize their abilities on its two Stanley Thompson-designed courses. The par-72 18-hole Long Course and nine-hole Valley Course feature skill-testing elements such as strategic bunkering, the illusion of distance, dramatic variations in hole length and fairway width, intricate mounding, subtly breaking greens and elevated tees. Helping players lower their handicaps is a team of golf pros led by Tim Moore, a level-five PGA TCCP instructor with 16 years of industry experience. During summer, a CPGA professional is on the practice range for eight hours a day, most days of the week, to help players bone up on swing mechanics, club fitting, putting, bunker play, chipping and pitching, and mental approach. Other game-boosting facilities and services include video analysis for pre- and postround tune-up, an uneven lie hitting area for practising uphill, downhill and sidehill shots, and three sheltered ball-striking stations available for all-weather use. During winter, members can hone their abilities through private lessons, with packages available at a variety of price points.

The same commitment to cultivating superior performance pervades other sports activities at Thornhill. The club’s six-sheet curling facility features instructional, recreational and competitive programs, clinics for new curlers and private lessons, all overseen by Dave Dalton, a 40-year curler with Level 2 Curl Canada certification. Likewise, tennis for players of all levels un-

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folds on four top-quality, well-lit courts, with events and lessons led by veteran player and teacher Dale Power, a former Canadian National Singles and Doubles champion who’s a member of the Hall of Fame of Canadian Tennis. All sports at Thornhill feature junior programming, ranging from camps to clinics to group classes to private lessons.

While Thornhill is serious about game improvement, it’s also good at fun and games, featuring casual and competitive bridge, no fewer than seven dining spaces catering to a variety of small and large occasions, and plenty of themed social events such as jazz nights and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

CREDIT VALLEY GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB History, beauty, accessibility and design excellence all contribute to the unique character and enduring appeal of Credit Valley Golf and Country Club.

This 6,737-yard, par-72 course traces its esteemed heritage back to the province’s elite: in 1930, Ontario Lieutenant-Governor W.D. Ross commissioned Stanley Thompson to design a six-hole layout on The Willows, his family’s summer residence property, intended for play by visiting family and friends. The original property was located where the club’s driving range and parking lot now stand.

Over the next 25 years, the club underwent a few transformations, expanding into a nine-hole course available to the public, and by 1954, an 18-hole course that had as its first golf pro Al Balding, a Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and one of Canada’s most respected players. In the late 1960s, Robbie Robinson was recruited to design the course of today, which features his hallmark tiled greens, gentle bunkers with interesting shapes, naturally sculpted fairways with plateaus, neck openings to the greens, and of course, preservation of nature. The club’s current architect is Graham Cooke, one of the country’s premier course architects whose company has designed and overseen the construction of more than 100 golf courses.

Location, location, location is the name of the game here: the club is located in the heart of Mississauga, making it easily accessible to locals and just a short drive away for most in the GTA. But the benefits of location extend far beyond convenience. The club is carved out of the gorgeous Credit River watershed, a natural oasis in the GTA that is rich in biodiversity and strategically placed at the meeting point of the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Niagara Escarpment. The serene, all-surrounding nature, with the river running through the course on eight holes, provides breathtaking views and shelters players from urban noise and distractions.

BAYVIEW GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Bayview Golf & Country Club promotes itself as a place “where friends and families come to play,” and with good reason: as a full-service facility catering to 1,000 member families, it’s a club where parents and children enjoy equal opportunities to groom their golf game, socialize and stay active through extensive fitness facilities.

If your child is a budding Tiger or Serena, or just wants to know how to swing a club like mom or dad, they’ll be in good hands at Junior Golf, which offers a variety of training programs for kids as young as age five. Given that kids of adult Bayview members enjoy preferential membership rates and payment alternatives as they grow up, they’ll have extra motivation to work on their game.

For adults, golfing at Bayview is far from kids’ play. An 18-

hole, par-72 championship golf course with five sets of tees ranging from 5,400 to 7,100 yards, the course is ideal for players of all skill levels. Designed by Robbie Robinson and renovated by internationally recognized and award-winning Canadian designer Doug Carrick, the course winds through gently rolling, tree-lined fairways and water features that lead to large, subtly challenging greens.

Those seeking to hone their game can access a comprehensive practice facility, a well-stocked, full-service pro shop featuring the latest equipment, and most importantly, a team of pros led by Warren Crosbie, a 40-year golf professional and former president of the Canadian PGA. Indeed, excellence is an integral part of Bayview’s culture, as over its 50-year history, the course has hosted events such as the Ontario Open, CPGA Championship, Ontario PGA Seniors and the CPGA Ladies’ Championship, the last of which it will host again next year.

Living up to its reputation as a prime fitness facility, Bayview also offers adult and youth members superb tennis facilities, including: six well-maintained Har-Tru clay courts, three of which are bubbledomed in winter to allow for year-round play; a 148-square-metre Fitness and Wellness Conditioning Room that includes yoga and pilates classes, massage, acupuncture and personal training; a sixsheet curling facility; and a large, outdoor swimming pool.

Where the “play” part of Bayview comes into full effect is in its extensive social activities for members, including themed celebrations, regular pub nights, sport-related parties, a bridge club, and a variety of dining spaces ranging from casual to formal. Beyond-borders play is also a highlight at Bayview, which, as one of only two Ontario golf clubs affiliated with International Associate Clubs, allows members to enjoy dining and golf privileges at private clubs worldwide. 

THE BAY STREET BULL | 13

GET ON THE BUS EXECUTIVE COACH TOURS ARE RAISING THE BAR

BY KATHERINE GRIGGS

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icture it: One day you’re relaxing in a gondola travelling through the canals of Venice, the next, you’re dining with a family in their Tuscan vineyard—all without ever having to carry a backpack or sleep in a lumpy hostel bed.

Welcome to the world of coach travel, where peace of mind rules the day.

Buses tend to inspire memories of miserable trips, broken armrests, seedy terminals and sketchy characters. While guided tours seem to be the haven of the annoying, snap-happy tourist, today, coach tours have something for every type of traveller.

Escorted coach tours are becoming an increasingly popular way to travel, meet interesting people and see a variety of destinations, all while costing about 40 percent less than if you had planned the same vacation on your own.

One of the benefits of coach tours is that the companies book thousands of rooms and meals year-round and can, with their tremendous economic clout, get prices that no individual tourist can match. For instance, a basic tour with a larger company, excluding airfare, gets you fine rooms with private baths, breakfast and dinner, bus transportation, and the services of a guide for about $100 a day. Considering that many hotel rooms start at $100 a night, that all-inclusive tour price is great. And for many travellers, knowing that the bulk of their trip is fixed allows them to spend money on what matters to them: art, rare books, wine or fashions.

George Silars, a semi-retired marketing consultant, prefers coach tours because “there are no surprises—everything is planned for you, and you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride.”

George and his wife Ursula once rented cars and mapped out their journeys, but they now swear by coach travel.

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The Silarses took their first coach tour more than 20 years ago and have been repeat customers ever since, travelling with companies such as Trafalgar Tours, Insight Vacations and Globus Escoted Tours. “Travelling with an escorted tour, you don’t have to worry about details such as gas, getting lost and finding a hotel with a vacancy,” says George.

The best coach tours offer a variety of options when it comes to creating a perfect vacation package. There are weeklong tours focusing on one particular city, three-week tours that can cover a country, and everything in between. Cris David, president of Insight Vacations, notes there is a 98 percent satisfaction rating from guests, and more than 50 percent return year after year. “Once people have experienced the benefits of a luxury coach tour, it’s hard for them to travel any other way.”

The Ride Coach tours are leisurely paced, so you will never have to spend more than a couple of hours on the coach when travelling from location to location. To make the ride more enjoyable, companies have cut the seating capacity, giving travellers added legroom. The coaches are smokefree, air conditioned and fitted with washrooms.

THE BAY STREET BULL | 15

"THERE ARE NO SURPRISES—EVERYTHING IS PLANNED FOR YOU, AND YOU JUST HAVE TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE RIDE.” worry about trying to find a place to eat breakfast each morning, as breakfast is included every day. With most escorted tours, about half of all the meals are included in the price. The rest of the time, you can dine separately, or make plans with the many people you are sure to have made friends with along the way.

The real beauty of these trips lies in having a knowledgeable tour guide close at hand. If you are ever in doubt of where to dine, your tour guide is bound to know a local treasure.

The Oberammergau The best part is that when you wake up, your coach will be waiting right outside your hotel, ready to take you to on your next adventure. And when you arrive at your next hotel, your bags will be waiting in your room—the ultimate in door-to-door service.

The Guide Along with your official guide, who is with you for the duration of the trip, there are usually town guides for each stop you make. These guides are typically residents of the particular city or town you’re visiting, and they’ll be able to point you in the direction of the best gelato, most decadent croissants and premier shopping.

The Hotels On European tours that include key cities, hotels are generally centrally located, and as such, close to major shopping areas, entertainment venues and historic sites. Many tours include short jaunts into the countryside, where you can experience natural beauty like the Norwegian Fjords, France’s Provence and Italy’s Tuscany. For the history buff, a castle or English manor stay may be just what you’re looking for. All of the hotels are chosen from premium brands and most come loaded with amenities such as spa services, gyms and in-suite wireless internet.

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The Dining Sipping coffee in the best cafés in Paris, or sitting down to dine on fresh, handmade pasta paired with superb wine in Italy is an everyday occurrence on a luxury coach tour. You don’t have to

One of the most sought-after tours this season will include the Oberammergau.

This epic Passion Play, portraying the story of Jesus and originally staged to give thanks to the end of the Plague, has been performed every 10 years in the Bavarian village of Oberammergau since 1634. All of the actors and musicians are citizens of the mountain town, and in the year leading up to this event, those performing in the play aren’t allowed to cut their hair after Ash Wednesday. Tradition holds that fake beards and wigs are strictly verboten on onstage, so if you visit, be prepared for ta bevy of bearded policemen and long-haired bankers. However, in a break with tradition, the townspeople voted to shift the timing of the play to allow Christ to be crucified and die as night falls. Previously, the five-hour play took place in the morning and afternoon with a break for lunch. This year, the play starts in the afternoon and finishes at night, and includes a break for dinner.

Until Oct. 3, the play will echo through the village, running five days a week for a total of 102 times, with no performances on Mondays or Wednesdays.

Each performance begins in the afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and runs until 5 p.m.

Dinner is served at hotels and then the final act of the play starts at 8 p.m. and ends at around 10:30 p.m.

Tickets for the performances this season have already been sold out— largely to tour operators. 

SIMPLY Sicilian

SIR ROCCO FORTE COMBINES MODERN STYLE AND CLASSIC MOTIFS AT VERDURA GOLF & SPA RESORT 18 | THE BAY STREET BULL

n the rugged, lesser-known southwestern coast of Sicily sits the latest luxury property from Sir Rocco Forte, ‘the king of cozy minimalism.’ At 4,000 square metres, Verdura Golf & Spa Resort is one of the largest resorts in Europe, and its amenities are a match for the grand scale of its architecture and property.

The resort is quite a departure for the British hotelier, whose portfolio has previously focused on transforming grand old

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BY MARC PHILLIPS

hotels, such as Edinburgh’s Balmoral, into chic urban haunts. But this sprawling resort has been built from scratch on 228 hectares of deserted beachfront, and it is located far from the better-known sunny spots.

As this is Forte’s first resort venture, he went to great lengths to achieve a golf getaway that will rival the best. His first challenge was to create a links course suitable for Sicily’s stunning coastline. To do this, leading golf architect Kyle Phillips,

renowned for his championship courses at Kingsbarns in Scotland and The Grove in England, has designed two championship 18-hole courses and a nine-hole course set amid olive and orange groves and offering unobstructed views of the azure Mediterranean Sea. With both larger courses measuring in excess of 7,200 yards, it’s a safe bet that they have been created with hopes of hosting tournaments.

But a golf resort is much more than its fairways. Forte commissioned famed Italian architect Flavio Albanese to design the striking stone-and-wood buildings that house 203 guest rooms. For the warm

interiors, furnished with deconstructed baldachin beds, custom rattan furniture and printed fabrics in burnt orange and red, Forte turned to his younger sister, Olga Polizzi.

The largest room, the Presidential Suite, measures 175 square metres and is positioned for maximum privacy, space and views. Located in the Landscape Villas, close to the sea, the suite features three private terraces and a private swimming pool. It also boasts a very large separate living room, dining area, kitchenette, guest washroom and a spacious bedroom featuring a king-sized bed and seating

The RF Collection The Rocco Forte Collection is the largest ultra-luxury lodging operator in Europe, with 13 five-star properties, including Geneva’s Le Richemond. Owned by Sir Rocco Forte, son of the late British hotel magnate Charles Forte, all RF establishments are members of The Leading Hotels of the World, meaning they have passed a rigorous, anonymous inspection with more than 800 criteria.

THE BAY STREET BULL | 19

area. There’s also a private internal courtyard area with outdoor seating, individually controlled air conditioning, a spacious working desk, two telephone lines and Broadband Internet connection, CD and DVD players, iPod dock, yoga mats and a beach bag and towels.

Guests will enjoy the private dining menu, well-stocked in-room bar and satellite television.

For breakfast you can head to the buffet at the Buon Giorna, a casual restaurant, while Liola, a typical Sicilian trattoria serving informal meals with beautiful cliff side views, is a must for lunch. For a more sophisticated dining experience, there’s La Zagara, which serves fine Mediterranean cuisine prepared with local ingredients. A ‘smart casual’ dress code applies at all restaurants in the evenings. Men are required to wear trousers and shirts. Shorts, men’s sleeveless shirts and flip-flops are an absolute no-no.

For an afternoon drink, evening cocktail or a light meal, there are four bars (including one pool-side), as well as a gelato parlor offering a wide assortment of delicious homemade ice cream, refreshing sorbets, coffee drinks and pastries.

No resort would be complete without a spa. Housed in pavilions grouped around an open-air courtyard, the Verdura spa has treatment rooms, a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, a large hammam, saunas, a state of the art gym and a beauty salon. The spa 20 | THE BAY STREET BULL

also has its own health bar and restaurant, where light meals, fruit juices, vegetable juices and healing teas can be had. Outside, there are four Thalasso pools, heated between 25°C and 37°C, with varying salt densities, minerals and organisms added to tone the skin, and they each have a waterfall and a whirlpool.

If the six tennis courts, eight swimming pools, nine restaurants and bars, 70 bicycles, 80 electric golf carts, three golf courses and spa aren’t enough to satisfy you, a 40-minute drive south will put you beside one the best-preserved Greek temples in the world.

The Temple of Concordia in Agrigento is almost exactly as it was 2,500 years ago. And 95 kilometres to the north lies the lovely coastal village of Scopello. There are also many small islands off the coast of Sicily that can be accessed by hydrofoil or ferry. Each has individual characteristics and are well worth a visit. For instance, local artists on Ustica have for a number of years embarked on a unique initiative to paint the walls of homes with portraits, still lives and trompe-l’oeil scenes. And Marettimo, one the most isolated islands, contains unique flora and is an ornithologist’s dream, as it’s a great place to study the migration of birds to and from Africa.

Whether you’re hoping for a rare bird sighting or a few birdies on the fairways, Verdura Golf & Spa Resort is the perfect setting for an extraordinary vacation. 

BULLREVIEW

2010 AUDI TTS DELIVERS THE GOODS Devour the blacktop in a coupe or roadster Sleek and stylish, the 2010 Audi TTS delivers on all levels. Available as a coupe or roadster, the standard coupe comes with a new, ultra-efficient turbocharged, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, 265 horsepower engine that can propel the TTS from 0 to 100 kilometres in only 5.1 seconds. After a fast acceleration, the gear changes are smooth and swift. Weighing in at less than 1.5 tonnes, it’s lightweight, agile and easy to control. Around corners and along curves, the tire grip is amazing. And whether you choose the standard race-bred Alcantara and leather sport seats or the optional Silk Nappa leather 10-way power adjustable sport seats, both are low-to-the-ground and bolstered to keep you firmly in place.

A major plus of the three-spoke steering wheel is its easy access to audio volume, navigation voice prompts and the telephone and voice control system. The roadster is equally impressive. It rockets to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds. It’s cloth top is lighter than a folding steel roof and a breeze to use—pull one button to open or close in all of 12 seconds. Top up or down, the roadster creates a stunning silhouette: A single-frame grille, Audi’s trademark rings, large air intakes and bi-xenon headlamps with 12 LED daytime running lights form the package. The only noticeable difference is the new chrome shift lever for the six-speed, dual-clutch DGS automatic transmission and that the Quattro all-wheel drive is now standard.

But then again, why mess with perfection?

— MARC PHILLIPS

Yesterday’s futuristic car is here “If I would have met you five years ago and told you I will launch a sports car that’ll hit 0-100 in [only a few] seconds with [such low] fuel consumption, you would have said go to the doctor! Today, you can buy such a car.”

Stephan Reil, head of technology development at Audi

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WINE+SPIRITS

4

CLASSIC SUMMER COCKTAILS

Mixed drinks get redeemed with premium ingredients In the world of wine and spirits, no beverage has received such short shift as the cocktail. And no wonder: with goofy garnishes and rainbow colours, there was always an air of tacky festivity. But now, bartenders are combining some of the world’s best alcohol with some of the rarest mixers. Take for instance, the ultimate girly drink, the Platinum Passion.

Offered at New York’s Duvet nightclub, it is a blend of L’ésprit de Courvoisier (a $6,000 bottle of Cognac), Ruinart champagne, and specially crafted syrup of forest berries, passion fruit, wildflower honey and brown sugar. It’s served in a frosted champagne flute and garnished with a single white orchid. Or how about the $500 Ritz Sidecar? Served at the Bar Hemingway in the Paris Ritz, the cocktail combines lemon juice, Cointreau and a rare 1865 Cognac. Today, says mixologist Robert Plotkin, “ingredients have to scream the finest lineage possible.”

Blended, shaken or stirred, these cocktail recipes offer the perfect summer respite.

D'Artagnan

Pimm’s Cup

SupreMojito

The Bramble

5 ml Armagnac 5 ml Grand Marnier 15 ml chilled orange juice 2.5 ml simple syrup champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

50 ml Pimm’s No. 1 20 ml fresh lemon juice 10 ml cane syrup 1 coin fresh root ginger seltzer, chilled

5 ml sugar 10 ml fresh lime juice 10 fresh mint leaves 70 ml Havana Club Anejo Blanco 50 ml soda water

45 ml Plymouth gin 20 ml fresh lemon juice 15 ml simple syrup 20 ml crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur)

Combine ingredients, except champagne, in a mixing glass with ice and shake. Strain into a champagne flute. Top with champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange twist.

Muddle ginger, then add all ingredients except seltzer. Shake hard and strain into an ice-filled glass.

Top with seltzer.

Muddle mint with sugar and juice.

Add crushed ice and rum, and stir well. Top with soda. Garnish with lime wedge and mint sprig.

Build gin, juice and syrup over crushed ice in a glass. Stir, then pour liqueur overtop. Garnish with a lemon slice and two raspberries.

This version of Pimm’s Cup has a complex and very refreshing taste with a great palate of sour ginger and herbs.

SupreMojito has a bright and very fresh taste of mint and rum. It is a very smooth and light cocktail.

The Bramble Cocktail is a sweet but refreshing drink with a great blackberry and gin palate.

D’artagnan is a classic champagne cocktail with nice balance.

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SUMMER in

Collingwood Area Life on the Bay

HEAD for the Hills COLLINGWOOD’S CAPTIVATING COURSES ARE CALLING

BY SHARON ASCHAIEK ith its abundance of all-season leisure and sports activities, scenic natural beauty and close proximity to Toronto, Collingwood has established itself as a prime recreational destination—and much of its appeal has to do with golf.

Several top-notch private, semi-private and public clubs operating in and around the area attract golfers from across the GTA for the variety of playing experiences they provide, with courses that suit novices and veterans alike. But any in-depth talk about golfing in Collingwood must begin with its most compelling factor, one prized in the real estate world, and almost as important in golf: location.

Collingwood is ideally located near Georgian Bay, the Niagara Escarpment (a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve), and first-class ski resort Blue Mountain.

Beautiful ski hills, versatile mountain biking trails, water sports and eco-tourism adventures can all be enjoyed here. As well, 40 hectares of scenic parkland and extensive walking and hiking trails, including the Bruce Trail, allow exploration of the area’s rolling mountains, sprawling forests and valleys, tranquil streams and sun-dappled bay waters, and a bounty of flora and fauna.

This natural splendour acts as the perfect backdrop for a day on the green, particularly at the town’s granddaddy of golfing, the 46-year-old Blue Mountain Golf and Country Club, a semi-private facility that affords a variety of spectacular views

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of the escarpment and the bay. The well-maintained fairways, greens and gardens of this club’s 18-hole course are enjoyed by golfers of all stripes, who can take advantage of four sets of tees that can be played at between 4,383 and 6,432 yards. Its well-thought-out layout, conceived by top Canadian designer John F. Robinson (a 40-year industry veteran), makes it an excellent walking course, with both the ninth and 18th holes returning to the clubhouse.

A past host of the Ontario Junior Ladies Championship, Ontario Senior Ladies Championship and numerous amateur qualifying events, the Club has as its head pro Rob Weiss, a certified Class A teaching professional with 27 years of experience. Also available to help members improve their game is an excellent practice facility with a driving range, and specialized programming for men, women and youths. While open to the public, members enjoy perks, including: being able to book tee times seven days in advance, as opposed to THE BAY STREET BULL | 27

STAY AND PLAY PACKAGES

If you’re seeking a GTA golfing getaway, you’ll want to check out the packages and summer specials available at Collingwood’s golf-inclusive resorts.

Available until Sept. 24 at Cranberry Golf Resort is a package for two that starts at $295 and includes one night of hotel accommodation, 18 holes of golf each with a power cart, a $30 dining voucher at one of three of its restaurants, and a hot buffet breakfast.

Monterra Golf, meanwhile, offers three different specials for the summer season that vary in price according to the accommodation you choose. Packages for two are available for midweek and weekend play, with the premiere option being Ultimate Golf, which includes a round of golf at Monterra and another at Raven Golf Club (both including cart), two nights accommodation and breakfast daily.

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three days for non-members; access to popular social events such as Friday night dinner buffets and dances; and automatic entry into the Privileged Member Golf Program, which allows them to play at 34 other participating Ontario clubs at reduced fees.

Also nestled in the Blue Mountains is the Raven Golf Club at Lora Bay, a semi-private facility in Thornbury that’s an integral part of the planned Lora Bay Community. Collaboratively designed by PGA Tour professional Tom Lehman and premier Canadian golf course architect Thomas McBroom, the 18hole, par-72 course’s classic 7,105-yard layout drifts along Nipissing Ridge and wildlife preserves, and purposefully protected elements such as hundred-yearold barns and apple orchards line the fairways, paying tribute to historic rural Ontario. One of the most visually stunning par-3 holes in the province can be found at the 15th, which dramatically drops more than 60 metres into forest, providing a panoramic view of the sailboats on Georgian Bay. Open since July 2006 and ranked sixth among the top 10 new courses in the world that year by Travel & Golf Magazine, Raven has already hosted the Telus World Skins Game, and will co-host this year its third PGA Nationwide Tour, the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic celebrity pro-am event, which will take place July 5 to 9. Helping to build its credentials as a contender course is the club’s new head golf professional, Nate Clingersmith, formerly of The National Golf Club of Canada, who, along with his team of CPGA professionals, provides clinics and group and private classes, as well as specialized programs for junior golfers. Players hone their skills in a world-class practice facility that includes an 1,800-square-metre bent grass tee, 60 linear metres of artificial tee surface, eight target greens, and a chipping green surrounded by a practice bunker.

Accessible to all golfers is the intimate and inviting clubhouse, with its combined stone and timber beams, high ceilings, expansive windows and naturallyinspired interiors. Inside, the quaint and well-stocked Golf Shop stocks the latest and greatest golf products and apparel, and the Raven Grill offers cuisine for both casual and discerning appetites, as well as an extensive wine list.

Offering a more exclusive playing experience is the Georgian Bay Club, the heart of a luxury residential development that blends elegance with summer cottage-community friendliness. Located in Clarksburg, just west of Collingwood on the rolling end of the Niagara Escarpment where it meets Georgian Bay, the club emerged in 2004 under the expert influence of award-winning golf architectural firm Hurdzan/Fry, which focused on making the best use of the area’s natural waterways, dramatic rises and plunging valleys to create a course that would be the centrepiece of a new housing development. The firm exceeded expectations, crafting a layout recognized as the best new private course in Canada for 2005 by Golf Digest magazine.

Unfolding over 92 hectares, this 7,108-yard, par-71, 18-hole course is a challenge, and stuns golfers with its natural beauty.

When it comes to brushing up on your game, it’s hard to beat The Golf Academy, the club’s industry-leading performance centre for coaching and club-fitting services, available to Georgian Bay’s approximately 500 members as well as the public. Led by Laird White, a CPGA professional and top Canadian golf coach, the academy features a state-of-the-art practice and learning centre with a generous double-ended driving range, practice bunkers, short game area with an expansive, 378-square-metre putting green and chipping and pitching areas, and an additional 630-square-metre putting green overlooking the 18th fairway.

Catering to corporate giants, young NHL players and everyone in between—some of whom live in the surrounding area’s 41-home residential community—Georgian Bay Club is

a breath of fresh air among private clubs. While conventional rules and dress codes are in effect on the course, off the course, the club shuns the stuffiness of old-school golf establishments in favour of a more relaxed cottage-style clubhouse environment. Unwinding and socializing is made easy at the Founders’ Lounge, which features two plasma TVs, luxurious leather furniture and a stone fireplace, and at the octagonal-shaped Grill Room, with its two stone fireplaces, 10-metre vaulted timberframe ceiling, and walk-outs to a pretty covered terrace with cosy dining areas and expansive lower patio overlooking the back nine and the bay.

sometimes you get more than you paid for... a premium course at an affordable price Play Monterra Golf$ Monday - Thursday & after 12 pm Sunday

All Season

*

59

*Cart rental and applicable taxes extra. Offer excludes Holiday long weekends where rounds can be played Monday after 12 pm - Thursday. Offer subject to change without notice.

www.bluemountain.ca

877.445.0231

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GOLF GOES GREEN AND HERITAGE-FRIENDLY

Golf is a sport that’s intimately connected to the landscape in which it’s played, and one Collingwood course has been especially committed to preserving both its natural environment and cultural heritage.

Designed by Graham Cooke & Associates, a firm that places a premium on ecologically sound courses, OslerBrook was developed in close consultation with government regulatory agencies to ensure minimum impact on the environment, and during construction, wetland acreage on the property was increased. Wild flowers, wet meadows, bird habitats and many other wildlife corridors abound throughout the five-year-old, private, 18-hole course. OslerBrook has actively embraced the environmental principals and requirements of the Audubon Society, and in 2008, was designated a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary golf course.

As well, OslerBrook has taken steps to respect the area’s aboriginal heritage. Within the boundaries of the property lie the remains of a Petun Indian Ossuary and village dating back to the early-17th century, and OslerBrook has preserved both, as well as added a cairn that includes compartments for time capsules and historical items gifted from descendants of the village’s original inhabitants.

OslerBrook’s stewardship of the history of the land led to it being presented in 2006 with the Ontario Archaeological Society’s Heritage Conservation Award.

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A major benefit of golfing in Collingwood is the opportunity to stay and play—something at which Cranberry Golf Resort excels. The only waterfront resort property in the area, Cranberry successfully blends 18-hole golfing with a variety of upscale accommodations and resort amenities and activities.

Guests may choose from living spaces ranging from a comfortable, wellappointed hotel room, to a spacious, five-star waterfront condo suite, to well-appointed town homes that sleep up to eight people and include a full kitchen, gas fireplace, deep-soaking Jacuzzi tubs and in-room coffee service.

Summer activities available at Cranberry include swimming, tennis, basketball and volleyball, exercise classes, aqua fitness, guided mountain bike tours, fitness walks and runs, and a playground and camp programs for the little ones.

Visitors can also retreat to the resort’s spa to indulge in relaxing and rejuvenating treatments for women and men, ranging from a Thai Hot Steam Massage to a European Pedicure to an Oxygenating Facial. When it comes to dining, guests may choose from an array of casual and formal options, including, at the upper end, the classic and nouvelle cuisine and international wine list of Memories Restaurant. Just outside the resort is the Cranberry Marina, a full-service boater’s paradise that also features access to watercraft rentals and boat cruises.

Even with this abundance of recreational activities, Cranberry still stands out for its golf. The 18-hole, 6,750-yard, semi-private course designed by Thomas McBroom unfolds across a natural forest and wetland environment, so it’s not uncommon to see deer or rabbits roaming the natural vegetation. Expansive fairways, strategic bunkers and meticulously manicured greens define this generally flat walking course, which was Canada’s first Audubon-certified golf course. A cutting-edge practice facility, the Golf School staffed by experienced pros, a fully equipped pro shop, individual and group instruction, a junior golf camp, and a newly constructed driving range with chipping and putting green round out the golf services and amenities at Cranberry.

Another resort hitting the right note with fans of the game is Monterra Golf, an 18-hole public course located at Blue Mountain Resort, Ontario’s largest mountain resort. Designed in 1989 by Thomas McBroom, this 6,581-yard traditional links course features a layout that plays away from the mountain toward Georgian Bay, and then back again. Encompassing rolling bent grass fairways, razorback mounding, 86 bunkers, seven lakes, ravines, creeks and spectacular elevated tee shots, this popular par-72 course offers a rewarding experience to golfers of all levels.

Golfing at Monterra allows for the perfect weekend or midweek getaway, with the ability to choose from Blue Mountain’s more than 900 lodging units, ranging from old-Ontario-styled Historic Snowbridge Mountain Homes on the golf course to the sophisticated suites of the Westin Trillium House. Staying at Blue Mountain means being right in the thick of the action at the Village at Blue, a bustling plaza with an eclectic mix of boutiques, gourmet and casual restaurants, happening bars and live entertainment. As well, visitors have easy access to ample recreational activities that in summer include tennis, gondola rides up and down the escarpment, hiking trails, mountain biking and a water park.

No matter how you like to play golf, Collingwood’s wide range of options that cater to every ability and personal preference make it very easy to decide where to tee off this summer. 

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SUMMER d o o ’W

in the

LEISURE AND ADVENTURE ABOUND IN COLLINGWOOD

BY CHRIS POWELL ituated between the indigo waters of Georgian Bay and the modest but picturesque peaks of Blue Mountain, Collingwood could be described as the Vancouver of eastern Canada.

Any similarities between this extraordinarily quaint town of 24,600 and its West Coast counterpart end there, however. Life here is tranquil and stress-free.

Once home to a thriving shipbuilding industry—some 231 vessels were built at its shipyard between the late 1800s and its closure in 1986—Collingwood has been transformed over the past two decades into one of Ontario’s premiere four-season tourist destinations.

It is a mere two-hour drive from Toronto, although if you’re in no hurry, it can be reached (eventually) by meandering along some of the scenic back roads that criss-cross the area. These gently undulating roads pass through idyllic towns and villages, with the Niagara Escarpment as a constant backdrop.

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BLUE MOUNTAIN

No visit to Collingwood would be complete without spending some time at its leading tourist destination, Blue Mountain Resort.

Conceived by Czechoslovakian-born Jozo Weider, Blue Mountain opened in 1941 with three trails (Schuss, Granny and Kandahar) serviced by a lift consisting of two sleds drawn by a cable and powered by an old truck engine.

Nearly 70 years and millions of dollars in investments later, Blue Mountain has grown into a four-season facility that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. Its features include 100 hectares of ski terrain serviced by state-of-the-art lifts, the Telus Park snowboarding facility, luxury accommodation including mountainside condo units, spas, a championship golf course, an indoor tennis facility, the largest downhill mountain biking facility in the province, a rock climbing wall and an aquatic centre.

For visitors seeking a more sedate experience, the Village at Blue Mountain offers more than 25 stores, restaurants and bars. And when you’ve finished shopping, you can take a leisurely ride to the top of the Niagara Escarpment on the Blue Mountain Summer Gondola, enjoying unparalleled views of nearby Georgian Bay and the surrounding countryside on the way up.

And while dad is tackling the championship Monterra Golf Course and mom is getting pampered at one of the two onsite spas, kids can choose between several day camp packages, including adventure, tennis and aquatic camps.

Visitors can also choose between seven different types of accommodation, ranging from the Blue Mountain Inn to the luxurious Rivergrass Mountain Homes. The latter are spacious two- and three-bedroom homes located within walking distance of the Village at Blue, all equipped with a full kitchen, multiple baths, and cable and a DVD player.

For more information, visit bluemountain.ca.

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Surrounded by some of Ontario’s most spectacular natural beauty, Collingwood has become a beacon for outdoor enthusiasts, food lovers and adventure seekers.

For those who prefer more sedate activities, there’s also summer theatre courtesy of Theatre Collingwood, where the 2010 season is built around the theme “fantasy, fame and deadly games,” with three productions: The Love List (July 12-17), Sweet Dreams: A Tribute to Patsy Cline (Aug. 1621) and Sleuth (Sept. 13-18). The group has also partnered with local hotels, spas and restaurants to offer a series of themed packages. More information can be found at theatrecollingwood.com.

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Every July, thousands of Elvis fans and over a 100 tribute artists flock to the town for the annual Elvis Festival.

Should you require some respite after the four-day affair, Collingwood offers some 60 kilometres of hiking and biking for you to enjoy.

The Sunset Point trail offers visitors unrivalled views of the Nottawasaga Bay and, appropriately, world-class sunsets, but if you’re feeling particularly energetic, the three-hour, 19.2-kilometre Town Circle Route provides a comprehensive tour of the town. Complete trail information can be found at collingwoodtrails.ca.

You’ll need to keep those pounds off if you’re going to try to pass through “Fat Man’s Misery,” one of the signature attractions at the popular Scenic Caves Nature Adventures. A rib-crushing 36 centimetres at its narrowest point, the crevice is immensely popular with kids and adventurous adults.

First opened in 1932, Scenic Caves Nature Adventures has received numerous tourism awards, including a Canadian Tourism Excellence Award in 2004. Recent upgrades include the construction of a 126-metre suspension bridge (the longest in Ontario), and the introduction

Leave No Stone Unturned.

Go to mycollingwood.ca and discover everything to see and do in the Collingwood area.

Like great spots for a family meal or intimate dinner for two. Live theatre, the latest films and places to dance the night away. Fabulous shopping from fashion and footwear, to arts and antiques. Beautiful courses to tee it up on, thrilling runs to ski down on. You can even check out where to stay with our Stay by the Bay online booking service. Do yourself a good turn, go to mycollingwood.ca...the most popular web site in Collingwood and Surrounds.

mycollingwood.ca

TM

the place to be in Southern Georgian Bay

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of a popular EcoAdventure Tour that offers a treetop walk through 200-year-old oak trees followed by a exhilarating 305-metre zip line down.

“This property is a true gem,” says owner Rob Thorburn. “It has natural, geological and historical features you won’t find anywhere else in the province. It has everything the outdoor tourist is looking for. By enhancing the activities, we’re opening up a whole world of light adventure to those who want something a little more exciting and unique.”

If you’re more interested in crushing tennis balls than your ribcage, the Thomson Tennis School should be a must on your itinerary. Established in 1981 by former Davis Cup captain Richard Thomson, the school offers both adult programs and a highly regarded junior camp.

Perhaps your kids (or you) are more attracted by halfpipes than half volleys? If so, the Collingwood Skateboard and BMX Park will provide an afternoon of thrills. According to skateboardparks.com, which provides detailed information on skateboard parks throughout North America, the Collingwood facility offers a “crashup derby factor” of two on a scale of one to 10—good news if you want to avoid a trip to the least desirable summer destination: the hospital.

By now, your muscles are probably screaming from an afternoon spent traipsing through interesting, hitting volleys or performing nose grinds. Fortunately, you can work out the kinks at one of the area’s numerous spas.

Situated in a natural forest setting, the Scandinave Spa—close to Blue Mountain Resort—offers visitors hot baths, cold plunges and abundant relaxation areas. The

spa’s $199 Ultimate Comfort Package gets you a 60-minute Swedish massage, all-day access to the Scandinavian Baths, a Scandinave Spa robe, sandals and lunch at the Spa Bistro.

Elsewhere, the Utopian Spa & Salon at The Georgian Manor Resort (motto: “Love life, live well”) offers services ranging from massage therapy and body treatments to facials and tanning. The $250 Shangri-La package includes a full-

body seaweed wrap, spa pedicure and manicure, and a facial.

Now feeling relaxed but hungry, you can choose from several dining options within the expansive Village at Blue Mountain, ranging from Oliver & Bonacini in the upscale Westin Trillium House hotel, to the more casual Copper Blues, the first restaurant in the Village now celebrating its 8th year in operation.

If you choose to venture into town, the Brunello at 27 on Fourth Restaurant (27th Fourth St.) is the recipient of the Collingwood Readers Choice Awards’ Best Fine Dining award two years in a row. Meanwhile, over at Azzurra (100 Pine St.), chef Leona Nyman—whose professional career has included stints at the Four Seasons and renowned Toronto bakery Bonjour Brioche—offers rustic Italian cuisine. As an added bonus, Azzurra’s wine list features bottles from Niagara-area wineries, including Chateau des Charmes and Hidden Bench. 

THE BAY STREET BULL | 39

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By the VISIONARY PLANNED COMMUNITIES MAKE COLLINGWOOD HOME

BY BEN STONE ollingwood is getting a bit of a facelift. With more people looking to enjoy the beauty of the region year-round, visionary developers are responding to demand, designing not just dwellings, but niche communities—everything from a modern waterfront village with shops and cafés, to homes on the golf course.

Inspired by the vibrant waterside communities of Europe, The Shipyards is transforming Collingwood’s waterfront into a lushly landscaped haven of low-rise condos, charming bungalows and stylish townhomes. This award-winning residential community is the brainchild of the FRAM Building Group and the Slokker Real Estate Group. Both family-owned businesses, FRAM was founded more than 28 years ago by John Gianonne—who has built premier residential communities throughout North America, including the acclaimed Port Credit Village on Lake Ontario—and Slokker was founded in 1935 in the Netherlands and has built more than 75,000 homes around the globe. Low-rise, one- to three-bedroom condos start from $264,900, while three- and four-bedroom townhomes start in the low-$300,000s. With pedestrian pathways, bike lanes, and the new promenade conveniently connecting every area of The Shipyards, this truly is lakeside living with an edge.

For the golfer who just can’t get enough, Collingwood has a number of fairways and some great golf communities. When Jim Wilkinson purchased six cottages along the Georgian Bay waterfront in 1977, he thought he had found the perfect retirement spot—but he was wrong. What he found was the future home of one of Canada’s most successful planned residential golf communities, Lora Bay. This stunning residential community is situated on 232 hectares skirting the shores of Georgian Bay, just minutes from the picturesque towns of Meaford and Thornbury. More than half of the land at Lora Bay is dedicated to green space for wildlife, nature preserves and parkland.

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YACHTING FOR A FRACTION The world of fractional ownership has expanded over the years from aircraft to residential properties, and now, to recreational toys. The dream of owning a yacht is often overshadow by the responsibility and costs. “But it doesn’t have to be that way,” says Tom Kaufman, owner of Hutton Yacht Group.

Through Kaufman’s company, yacht ownership is not daunting at all. The HYG program allows a person or company to own shares in a yacht. Each shareholder has a choice of quarter, half or three-quarter ownership, which entitles them to use the yacht a proportional period of time during the boating season, which runs about 22 weeks.

There are never more than four coowners, and after four years, the yacht is sold and the net proceeds are divided proportionally. A monthly fee covers expenses such as maintenance, mooring fees and insurance. But it’s HYG’s “concierge service” that clients really enjoy. Need a pick-up from the airport or want to reserve a table at your favourite local restaurant? Or how about departing from a different port of call?

HYG will do it. In fact, they’ll ensure your special items like CDs, fishing equipment and snorkeling gear are all on board before you arrive. And if you don’t want to clean the yacht, they’ll do that too. Choosing the yacht that works for you is easy. If you have a special boat in mind, you can put up half the cost and HYG will finance the rest. And if you already own a yacht but would like to share the expenses, HYG will enroll it in the program, provided it meets their standards. Currently on offer is the Four Winns V338, 35-foot, fully-loaded cruiser with a cockpit that has plenty of room to move around or mingle with guests. For more information, visit huttonyachtinggroup.com.

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COLLINGWOOD, ONTARIO

Patrick Coulter

Lora Bay offers numerous recreational amenities, including The Raven Golf Club and its world-renowned golf course. The 7,105-yard championship layout was co-designed by PGA tour professional and Ryder Cup Captain Tom Lehman and Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrated golf course architect, Thomas McBroom. The Raven is the venue for numerous prestigious tournaments, including the PGAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nationwide Tour Wayne Gretzky Classic.

Reidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heritage Homes, which has been building dream homes in Southwestern Ontario since 1978, was chosen to design and build the residences at Lora Bay. Edging The Raven Golf Club, the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s single-family homes and attached villas range in price from the low-$300,000s to mid-$700,000s.

Owners at Lora Bay have the opportunity to purchase a golf membership at The Raven Golf Club, with full use of the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facilities and amenities. As a resident at Lora Bay, you are also entitled to membership at The Lodge, a focal point for residents offering a myriad of activities from book clubs to hiking groups.

For those wanting both town and country living, Pretty River on Georgian Bay, a master planned community on the south side of Collingwood, borders woodlands and is just minutes from banks, the hospital, theatres, drug stores and the library. A mix of 180 single-family and semi-detached residences, the properties start at $307,990 for a 117-square-metre home on a 13.5-metre lot, and top out at $468,990 for a 271-square-metre home with five bedrooms on a 15-metre lot.

Blending stylish living with proximity to town, fairways and ski hills, Collingwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest communities have plenty to offerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the only problem will be choosing the right one for you. ď&#x201A;˘

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Collingwood is one of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best kept secrets. The Town and surrounding area offer the amenities of a world-class, four season resort.The community was built and continues to prosper through cooperative municipal government and great respect for family values.

Our business designs and builds commercial store fixtures and information kiosks which we ship across North America.

All of this is located within 40 minutes of the Trans-Canada highway and one hour and 40 minutes from Toronto International Airport.â&#x20AC;?

Let Collingwood show you the ideal place to grow your business ...and your family.

beautiful, challenging public, semi-private and private clubs.

Skiing and après ski: Blue Mountain Village.

Theatre: professional and live performances produced by Theatre Collingwood.

Naturally Wonderful Town of Collingwood, Economic Development â&#x20AC;˘ investcollingwood.com â&#x20AC;˘ email: ecdev@collingwood.ca Call:1.888.265.9663 or 705.445.8441(ext.3234) â&#x20AC;˘ 105 Hurontario St., Collingwood, ON L9Y3Z5

THE BAY STREET BULL | 43

TECHTOYS

RIDING THE RIPTIDE OF CHANGE

Boldness fuels the latest tech objets d’art

BY MIKE DOJC

echnological innovation has a boldness and creative fertility to it that not only tantalizes our imagination and stokes our desires, but also leads us on a voyage of discovery. French-naval-officerturned-deep-blue-explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau would have been 100 years old this year. Cousteau’s canon of gizmology mainly extended to the accoutrements of oceanographic investigation—aqualungs, underwater scooters, jet-propelled mini-subs and diving saucers—but if he were still on deck and living the life aquatic, he certainly wouldn’t object to his crew having a stash of nouveau tech objets d’art stowed aboard the Calypso to fool around with on Mai Tai Tuesdays.

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 PANASONIC PRO TWIN-LENS 3D CAMCORDER Channel your inner James Cameron and add the breadth of depth to your intergalactic epic or home movie masterpiece with this full HD 1,080p 3D recording video camera, billed as the world’s first professional quality, fully integrated, three-dimensional camcorder. It can film up to 180 minutes on a dual 32GB SD card in Panasonic’s AVCHD Pro video format. Weighing in at 2.8 kilograms, you won’t need a dolly or rig to shoot footage on this hand-held. The twin optical lenses allow you to adjust the convergence point of 3D imagery that you wish to pop out when viewing. The camcorder comes equipped with a built-in stereo microphone and XLR audio input terminal for line recording.

For living-room playback, you will need a 3D-capable set along with glasses, but the unit’s 8.1-centimetre side-mounted LCD monitor is stereoscopic, so you can view the effects on your cam itself. pro-av.panasonic.net

 STRAND CRAFT 122 YACHT The problem with most yachts is that no matter how many bells and whistles they come loaded with, there’s never enough stowage space to fit your six-figure supercar. Visionary Kurt Strand and designer Eduard Gray alleviate this nautical hiccup and even throw in the wheels. MTU Series 4,000 diesel engines and a pair of Rolls Royce jets give you 9,200 horsepower, which will propel this 38-metre luxury liner to a top speed of 55 knots. If that’s not enough zip for your tastes, when you’re back at the marina, drive straight out of the stern garage and onto the dock with the boat’s matching concept car, featuring an 880 hp twin turbo V12 engine that tops out at 375 km/h.

While not yet in production, customer interest is swelling and first deliveries are expected for 2013. strand-craft.com

 WEBER SUMMIT S-670 GRILL This outdoor kitchen is Weber’s top-ofthe-food-chain unit aimed squarely at backyard grilling gurus intent on turning out restaurant quality eats. The primary burner cranks out 60,000 BTU, and there are five other stainless steel burners to cook your feasts on.

Make Churassaco chicken on the unit’s heavy-duty rotisserie, and smoke halibut on the integrated smoker system.

There’s also a state-of-the-art searing station that can turn the heat up to 500 degrees Celsius to flash sear your next rib eye to caramelized perfection. For guys who like to grill at all hours, the Summit’s control knobs light up at night and the Grill Out handle lights tilt to illuminate the grill when the lid is opened, so you never have to fumble around in the dark again. weber.com

 HARLEY DAVIDSON XR1200X Drawing on the nostalgia-stoking stylings of Evel Knievel’s Greyhound-jumping stunt bikes, this chrome-free Harley, with gunmetal blackened exhaust, fenders and powertrain, is aimed at riders who utilize their hog time for adventures of the hair-raising variety—like growling down foreboding mountain passes, rather than leisurely and less topographically challenging stop-and-go jaunts to the corner gelato joint.

Still, if the inclination for a scoop of Dulce de Leche does hit, this frisky Sportster’s isolation-mounted XL Evolution 1,200cc V-Twin engine, Showa suspension, and dual front floating rotors for cliff-edge precise braking will certainly get you curbside in a jiffy. harley-davidson.com

THE BAY STREET BULL | 45

 V-MODA CROSSFADE LP HEADSET The cure to Apple ear-bud ubiquity and the staidness of Bose’s noise-cancelling cans is the Crossfade LP by V-Moda. Taking aesthetic cues from DJs spinning on the Ibiza club scene, the Crossfade’s comfy, hexagonal ear cradles and lightweight steel frames will appease fashionistas while still providing the fortress of auditory solitude serious listeners expect. The 50-millimetre DualDiaphragm High-Definition Drivers will sonically sate those with an appreciation for vibrant Bass-tacular low notes, V-Moda’s signature soundscape. Don’t be disconcerted if treadmill neighbors at the gym and others in earshot give you long lingering looks—the phantom chrome colourway’s mirrored finish has that effect on people. v-moda.com

 PURE POWER MOUTHGUARD The brainchild of neuromuscular dentist, Dr. Anil Makkar, the custom fit Pure Power Mouthguard aligns an individual’s jaw into its optimal resting position which enhances breathing mechanics by increasing airflow, allowing muscles to receive extra oxygen.

Commonly used in contact sports as protective equipment, and endorsed by Shaquille O’Neal and Terry Owens, the PPM is also gaining aerobic and precision sport adherents. Accuracy in golf is part the by-product of maintaining optimal alignment and balance throughout your swing. Enhanced balance and alignment leads to better mechanics, a critical factor in avoiding trouble off the tee, hitting more fairways, correcting a slice and providing consistency throughout your game for improved scores—hence the endorsement by PGA golfer Scott McCarran. makkaradvantage.com

 IPHONE 4 The next iteration of Apple’s smartphone is a giant leap forward in the annals of intelligent telephony.

Maybe the calisthenics at the cash register contributed to this jump because the iPhone managed to shed its remaining baby fat, with the redesigned model 24 percent slimmer. It also works with a fitter and faster operating system and that’s just the tip of the aluminosilicate—the gleaming scratch- and thermoshock-resistant glass protecting the iPhone’s precious innards. The screen’s 960 X 640 pixels per inch resolution with 800:1 contrast ratio has been dubbed “Retina Display” because it presents eye-candy richer than the human eye can decipher. It can also take snappier shots with a five-megapixel camera, and you can now watch HD video on the handset in 720p. Even the battery has been juiced from the previous model, with seven hours of 3G talk-time versus the previous five, and 10 hours of WiFi data-use per charge compared with nine hours on the earlier model. apple.com  RICHARD MILLE RM 027 RAFAEL NADAL WATCH Most watch enthusiasts have a timepiece for every occasion, and this beauty fits the bill for center court at Roland Garros. A personification of the Majorcan tennis marvel who has captured five French Open titles in the past six years, its movement is a spectacle to behold and is remarkably resilient, made with the same metal alloy used on an Airbus A380. Tipping the scale at 20 grams, the luxurious timepiece is barely perceptible on the wrist, which is why Nadal has sported the $525,000 watch while walloping 5,000-rpm forehand rockets. While not quite as exclusive as the five-plus French Open title club (with six, Bjorn Borg is Nadal’s only company), limited to an edition of 50 worldwide, you can be safe to assume your tourbillon treasure will serve your opponent notice whenever you change sides. richard-mille.com  NORTHFACE DOCKING STATION After a day of reaching for the summit, recharge your rock climbing party’s batteries in NorthFace’s Docking Station. The tent sleeps up to six, and if that’s not enough space for the group, the station can be supersized into a base camp that accommodates 14 with separatelysold attachable dock tent add-ons. With four convenient roll-up walls and breezy set-up, pitching this styling canopy shelter assures aprèsmarshmallow stargazing is followed up by high-grade shut-eye. The dock is available in zinc grey or sienna orange. thenorthface.com 

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FILMREVIEW

A STAR

IS BORN

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he indie circuit isn’t the goal of most aspiring starlets, but then again Jennifer Lawrence isn’t like most newbies. She’s fierce.

At the tender age of 14, and with no other jobs on the horizon, she told the president of Disney that she wasn’t, well, “very Disney”—and then she went out, got a few TV gigs and landed the part of Mariana, opposite Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger in The Burning Plain, a bleak family drama. Her performance won her an award at the 2008 Venice Film Festival, where the film premiered.

But it was Lawrence’s work in The Poker House that kick-started the buzz. Based on the life of actress Lori Petty (who made her directorial debut with the film), Lawrence plays Agnes, a teen who must fend for her younger sisters while her junkie mom operates a drug and gambling den out of their home. The character isn’t anything like the young actress. “But,” says Lawrence, “everyone should stretch themselves.” And stretch she did. Her portrayal was so convincing it is hard to believe that this Kentucky native has never experienced the darker side of life. This year, she’s back and once again playing the role of a tough and twisted teen. As Ree in Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone—an adaptation of Daniel Woodrell’s novel and a Sundance hit—she plays a 17-year-old living in the Ozark Mountains and caring for her mentally-ill mother and two younger siblings, all of whom are on the verge of being evicted from their home. Strong, stubborn and very competitive, Ree is every bit Lawrence. 

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How do you make a convertible comfortable for four?

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ONTHESHELF DEAD IN THE FAMILY

by Charlaine Harris (Berkley Trade) is the 10th instalment of the Southern Vampire series featuring Sookie Stackhouse, a psychic Louisiana barmaid who gets romantically involved with supernatural beings.

Fantasy novels seldom make the bestseller’s lists, but this hugely successful series topped every notably one and is the inspiration for HBO’s critically acclaimed True Blood.

61 HOURS

by Lee Child (Random House Publishing Group) finds Jack Reacher in Bolton, South Dakota, a small town with a big drug problem. And Jack being Jack, he can’t resist lending a hand to the helpless local cops. While fans will appreciate new insights on the famous protagonist, everyone will love the cliffhanger ending.

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest here’s always a little sadness on reaching the end of a superb story. But there’s a particular attendant sadness of knowing that Stieg Larsson, who died of a heart attack after turning in the manuscripts of his Millennium Trilogy, won’t be writing anymore. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest is the third and final novel in a series that began with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, a book that paired up inStieg Larsson vestigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist and Goth computer hacker Lisbeth Salander to solve the decades-old disappearance of a young woman from her family estate on an island off the coast of Sweden.

The second instalment of the series, The Girl Who Played With Fire, found Lisbeth holed up in her secret apartment, hiding out from the police after being accused of a triple murder, and feeding the dogged Blomkvist clues of the crimes via computer. In the latest instalment, Lisbeth is fighting for her life in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital after being shot in the head. If she recovers, she’ll be sent to Stockholm to stand trial for murder.

This page-turner will not only tie up all the loose threads of the series, but it will keep you riveted to the end. 

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Photo Credits

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THE DOUBLE COMFORT SAFARI CLUB

by Alexander McCall Smith (Knopf Canada) lands Mma Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe—the two women of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency—in a safari in Northern Botswana, where they are drawn into several troubling events including the death of one of the guests. McCall Smith creates utterly charming characters and wonderfully evocative prose.

SOLAR

by Ian McEwan (Knopf Canada) is a hilarious fictional journey through the hypocrisy of the global warming debate via Nobel laureate Michael Beard, a fat, balding philander who hasn’t done any cutting-edge research in decades. But a freak accident presents an opportunity for Beard to resolve his messy marriage, rejuvenate his career, and maybe even save the world.

8-9 King Valley Golf Club. 10 St. George’s Golf & Country: clubhouse (top) & hole No.10 (bottom). 12 Thornhill Golf &Country Club: hole No.5.

15 Munich Christmas Market (top) Versailles fountains and London (bottom) [Punch Canada Inc.] 16 St.Paul de Vence (top) and Nice (bottom) [Punch Canada Inc.] 18-20 Verdura Golf & Spa Resort. 26 Lora Bay golf course. 27 Cranberry Golf Club. 28 Blue Mountain Resort (top) Cranberry Resort (small). 30 Georgian Bay Club: signature hole No.18. 31 Cranberry Golf Club. 32 OslerBrook [Chris Gallow]. 32-33 Blue Mountains golf course. 34-35 Scenic Caves, Collingwood, Nordic Centre. 36 Blue Mountain (left and top), Collingwood (middle and bottom). 38-39 Collingwood port and canoe tournament. 40-41 Pretty River Estates. 42 The Shipyards (top) and Cobble Beach home by Reid’s Heritage Homes (bottom).

Disclaimer: This is not a picture of the Lora Bay residential development. 48 Jennifer Lawrence [Google Images].

Every puddle starts a conversation.

So whether you’re driving through ice, gravel, mud, or rain, you can do so with confidence, knowing that quattro will be there to improve performance, and help you maintain control. Thanks to quattro, the Audi A4 makes the most of even the least amount of traction.

With quattro®, our celebrated all-wheel drive system, all four wheels of the Audi A4 are constantly communicating with each other to help keep you in control under virtually any road condition. It works by monitoring traction at each wheel. The moment one wheel loses grip,

it diverts power to the wheels with the best foothold. It does this almost instantly, so you’re never even aware it’s happening.

You just keep driving, calm and in control.

What’s more, with a 40:60 rear-biased torque split, quattro provides athletic handling in even the most dire conditions.

A4

www.audi.ca © 2010 Audi Canada. European model 2010 Audi A4 shown with optional equipment that may not be available at the time of purchase. “Audi,” “A4,” “quattro,” “Vorsprung durch Technik,” and the four rings emblem are registered trademarks of AUDI AG. To find out more about Audi, see your dealer, call us at 1-800-FOR-AUDI, or visit us at www.audi.ca