Way back in September, when sweaters and coats were still a distant memory, CC and I took a stroll around the Bridle Path. Located in North York, it's a neighbourhood notorious for its enormous residential properties. It was my first trip there (sorry, I don't know Prince), and I was expecting to see spectacular, original buildings, but - of the few we surveyed - it was a colossal disappointment. Lot after lot looked like this, this and - gag - this. We refused to photograph these unimaginative eyesores whose sole existence was for the sake of displaying monstrous wealth. Hey, I begrudge no one their take-home pay. Well, ok, maybe a few. But tacky waste I cannot abide. For god's sake, give the money to me and I'll show them how it's done. Edwards Gardens, the funnest park in all the land.
Wave "hi"!
One of several lawn sculptures on this property. Of course, in this nabe, a "lawn" can actually double as a golf course.
15 High Point Rd.
Also known as "Millionaire's Row", the Bridle Path originated as an ultra exclusive neighbourhood in the early 1930's. Despite its status as one of Toronto's three wealthiest neighbourhoods, rich Torontonians who reside in more established bastions of wealth such as Rosedale and Forest Hill sometimes see the Bridle Path as an enclave for the 'nouveau riche' to enjoy ostentatious and tasteless displays of their affluence.[ellidavis.com]
15 High Point Rd.
I swear, this place is as big as a mini strip mall. It had an underground parking garage.
15 High Point Rd.[Flickr.com]
This pic shows the full scope of the building. I was dying to see inside, but not if it looked anything like this or this. CC told me the owner is a businessman from Macao named "Mr.Ho". According to Vanity Fair, it's the "Casino King of Macau", Stanley Ho.
"He first made front-page headlines in Toronto after paying $5.5 million for a home on the Bridle Path in 1987, a record price at the time. Ho also has an estate in Vancouver and owns the Sutton Place Hotels in Toronto and Vancouver." [WorldCasinoDirectory.com].
The 87-year-old is worth $8 billion (in 2008), "jogged a leg of the Olympic torch relay when it passed through Macau" and in 2007, "paid a record $8.9 million for a historically symbolic bronze horse's head offered by Sotheby's" [Reuters.com].
But wait, there may be trouble in Ho town. According to Wikipedia, he's now worth a paltry $1 billion, and his Forbes' world's wealthiest individual ranking dropped from 113th to 701st, between 2008 and 2009 (if the reported numbers are correct). So, maybe the house will be up for sale? It's not like Mr. Ho, who "shuttles between Hong Kong and Macau by helicopter or on one of his high-speed jetfoils", actually appears to be living there. Of course, the billion dollar question on my mind is, Who would buy the thing? Houses - unlike condos - are so personal. Any prospective buyer would realize that it would be near-impossible to impress their own style upon it. It's obviously Mr. Ho's vision, and thus it will always remain Mr. Ho's house.
Unless it's torn down.
Or maybe one of his daughters, Josie Ho, who "has forged a career as an Asian film star known for risque roles", could use it to shoot porn? High end billionaire porn. Egads, what would that look like? Daddy Ho (heh heh) could fund it with his remaining wealth since people seem to be taking his advice a liitle too well:
I have always told my children and my good friends: "For God's sake, never gamble heavily and if you can avoid it, don't ever gamble".
Sweet jeebus Daddy Ho, it looks like you need to invest in a good PR agent. -------------------------------------------- This is strange. The caption reads: "This home is owned by Founder/CEO of a famous Pharmaceutical Company." So, is this Stanley Ho's house or not? I know for sure he has property on High Point Rd. in the Bridal Path (see Paul Miklas article below), but has this property been misidentified as being his? And most importantly, just where exactly on the internet can I view the interior??? --------------------------------------------
70 Park Lane Circle
Fun fact: A home located in the Bridle Path was used in the movie Mean Girls as Regina George's house. [Wikipedia]
70 Park Lane Circle
See that fountain? It's Poseidon, god of the sea, as evidenced by his trident - a 3-pronged fish spear. And no doubt about it, this was the tackiest and most ostentatious property we saw on our tour.
Some of those Bridle Path mansions are quite peculiar. Their facades suggest hyper wealth and the palaces of Europe, but they're precast and stucco with rarely any stone. Artisan details like stone carvings and creative flourishes are absent with just the rare carving which could be found in the factory catalogue.[UrbanToronto.ca]
Just about every lot was barricaded with ornate 10 ft high gates. Fortunately, we don't have any firsthand knowledge as to whether they were electrified.
This was the only property I actually liked. Not surprising, since my tastes lean more towards the contemporary style. I especially liked the orange accents which made a bold, fresh statement on the rather plain structure.
[UrbanToronto.ca]
As it turns out, this house is "83 The Bridle Path" (see below), and it's on the market for the bargain basement price of $10.8 million. Want it? Well, now it's $9.8 million. Who knows, maybe by Christmas it'll be free.
RELATED Conrad Black's current and boyhood home, in the Bridle Path section of Toronto
Black Mischief Of all the corporate tycoons charged with fraud in recent years, Conrad Black is certainly the grandest, the one who lived highest and moved in the most distinguished circles.
RELATED Paul Miklas, developer
Your New Home for Only $23M Paul Miklas dreams big. Some would say unfashionably big for these economic times.
His homes unabashedly announce that you have arrived – and everyone else can damn well take a back seat.
A global financial meltdown has meant some high rollers have been selling off their mansions in Muskoka and monster homes in the city.
But the Toronto developer is unrepentant. After more than two years, he is completing his 30,000-square-foot pièce de résistance – a palace on more than two acres in Toronto's Bridle Path.
But Miklas is confident a buyer is out there – even at the $23 million price tag he is putting on it. That makes it the highest sticker price for a Greater Toronto Area residence on the Toronto Real Estate Board's Multiple Listing Service this year.
"Everything I've learned over the years I've poured into this place," says the 47-year old developer, standing outside the staggeringly opulent home.
Miklas gave the Star an exclusive first peek. With this pastiche of French Colonial, and hints of Romanesque splendour, you almost expect the Von Trapp family singers to slide down the banister and greet you at the door.
Earlier this year, Miklas sold his own 18,000-square-foot home across the street on High Point Rd. for $11.8 million. That remains the highest price paid for a resale home in Toronto in 2008-09.
But this new home is almost double the size and price.
"The old place was nice, but I guess you could say this is nicer," the developer says with a grin.
Miklas is the owner and will move into the home if it does not sell before construction is done.
He feels he knows his clients well – because he's a client himself.
His wife Holly is a former co-chair of the Brazilian Ball, the city's splashiest charity event, and frequently entertains in their home.
Entering the imposing doors, Miklas points to a tall dome in the ceiling. At 10 metres high, the skylight is worthy of a cathedral.
There is no altar, but the home is a tribute to the European palaces that Miklas has visited on his travels.
There are some practical conveniences, including an elevator if you're too tired to take the hike upstairs. Not unlike the lobby of say, the Hilton, the ground floor has his-and-hers powder rooms.
"When you have a lot of parties, you want to make sure there are enough washrooms on the ground floor," explains Miklas. "Women like their own space."
The master bedroom is 3,300 square feet. That's bigger than the average home in Toronto.
"Homes are getting bigger because of all the amenities. After all, no master bedroom is complete without a bar," quips Miklas, pointing to a marble-topped watering hole in the corner.
Most of the home is finished but there is work to be done, including landscaping and some fine details.
The washrooms will have flat-screen televisions, Internet and phones. So will the his-and-hers closets.
The wife's closet will have a separate washer and dryer so she can wash delicates – if she ever gets around to doing it herself.
There is, of course, an indoor pool. Just in case you feel claustrophobic, there's also an outdoor pool.
For guests who don't like to mingle, there is a separate self-contained apartment overlooking the pool.
"People from Europe typically have friends or relatives visiting on long stays, so instead of staying at a hotel, they have their own separate wing," explains Miklas. Henry James would approve.
Miklas may be a purveyor of the grandiose lifestyle but, in his uniform of Nike T-shirt, jeans and sneakers, he seems the antithesis of arrogance.
"I think people are much more laid back nowadays," he says. "It's not always about the flash."
The owner of Valleymede Homes has built half a dozen extraordinary houses on the Bridle Path, one of Toronto's most prestigious neighbourhoods in a leafy enclave of the city's north end. Gambling baron Stanley Ho, one of Asia's richest men, is three doors down. Music icon Gordon Lightfoot lives here, too. International pop star Prince used to call the neighbourhood home, although he sold after a divorce.
When his father used to drive by the Bridle Path in his car, Miklas told himself that, one day, he would live in one of those homes. He did not think he would be building them as well.
"I think it's fabulous that 50 years from now my kids and grandkids can come up to these homes and say: `My dad built that'."
He concedes that, with the problems on Wall Street of the past year, the last thing some CEOs want to expose is a flashy lifestyle.
But nothing says bling like a super-size-me monster home.
Miklas says real estate economics do not justify a small carbon footprint in the Bridle Path. The neighbourhood – nationally one of the most affluent by household income – owes its name to early plans for this patch of Canada, which included equestrian trails.
"Once you pay up to six mill just for a standard lot on the Bridle Path, you really can't put anything too dinky on it; otherwise, it won't have the resale value," he says.
Most of the buyers nowadays come from Hong Kong, mainland China, Iran and Europe, he says.
Nouveaux riches from developing countries think the Bridle Path is cheap. Or, as Miklas puts it, "great value."
At $23 million, it remains to be seen whether Miklas can set a record sale price for a home in the Toronto area this year – especially in a soft economy.
Currently, the developer says he has two couples who are looking for lots in the Bridle Path but cannot find anything. Last month, he signed a contract to build his seventh home in the area, a 20,000-square-foot mansion.
Before he sold his house earlier this year, "people said it was a recession and it wouldn't sell," says Miklas. "But there will always be a market for the biggest and the best." END
COMMENTS [TheStar.com] Insanity... Should you spoil yourself if you are financially successful? Of course! But there is a line that goes from luxury to insanity. I think it is obvious this line has been crossed.
Is it really a home? First it was Robert Herjavec and his obscenely monster home complete with his fleet of flashy in-your-face cars. Now Miklas! The Bridle Path is becoming an area for people with far more money than good taste. Sad, because rich or poor, at the end of the day, or a lifetime of work, a human being needs to connect with his soul, and you can do that with family and friends in a home that wraps around your being, is cozy and warm, not one that resembles an evacuated hotel. It's sad.
Poor people don't get it... I can understand The Bird's comment, but while buying big does have some to do with flash and self esteem issues, the real reason you buy big is that value for fine goods, from high end real estate, those $50M paintings the rich love to buy and the $2M restored vintage car that we all shake our heads at - almost always GO UP IN PRICE! And guess what, after you sell, you don't pay taxes on it. Neat little tax shelters. This is how the rich keep making money and how the rest look at them and think they're crazy. They know what they're doing.
Nothing to be jealous about... Why would anyone be jealous of ill-gotten gains? Material things, however ornate and expensive, never confer peace of mind and happiness on the possessors.
Leverage... I have witnessed how quickly borrowing money financed at lower rates than the investment vehicles' returns can help to accumulate enormous wealth. I have also observed a billionaire having to capitulate a financial empire by the same token. The keys are "cash flow" and "managing risk"...both are fickle mistresses. Given the current economic context, a $23M residence seems excessive. Perhaps an entrepreneur might create a revenue stream by launching an exclusive "members only" business venture from the property...
Conspicuous overconsumption... I don't begrudge anyone's success - but living excessively has a cost for the world at large. I hope he can live with the karma.
Obscene Wealth... Excess knows no bounds, and this is a perfect example. The gap between the rich and the poor is turning into a grand canyon. Shouldn't governments do something to moderate the-winner-takes-all society?
Too many weeds... Dude, nice jacket - cut the weeds back and install some turf before you take a picture of the joint.
RELATED Unique Houses in Toronto Here's a thread for photos of interesting low-rise residential architecture in the city. I'll try to post houses of any style with some details on a regular basis, but I'm going for the truly outstanding. The MacNamara House, 1923__50 Heath St. W.
Schatzker House, 2004__108 Crescent Rd. in Rosedale
INTEGRAL HOUSE -------------------------------------------- Sorry, but I can't resist. The caption reads: It's found on Bertmount just north of Queen E. It might not be architecturally unique, but it sure is unique. I wonder what the neighbours think? They alter some of the design depending on the season- especially for Halloween and Christmas. ________________________________________________
THE ANNEX HARBORD ST. It was a warm, sunny Friday before Labour Day weekend and I had a shitload of laundry to do: heavy duty items that don't fit in my machines, like duvet and mattress covers, a bath mat and a giant ass beach towel. I visited a coin laundromat in The Annex neighbourhood, and with time to kill between cycles, a walking tour reacquainted myself with a once-familiar part of town...
The only time a yellow car doesn't remind me of a schoolbus is when it's cute and sporty like this Mazda Miata
The sketchy-looking Harbord Fish & Chips was across the street from the laundromat. I admit the smell of deep fried batter tempted me but it's at times like these I'm thankful for my gluten intolerance. The place looks like it's one rat dropping away from a Board of Health violation. I'm sure it's popular with the local student population but, c'mon, students will eat anything.
Harbord Bakery Having saved a Toronto Star list of bakeries on which Harbord topped the list my husband and I finally made it down there yesterday. Our verdict after buying 6 different items is that the bakery is highly over-rated and over-priced. We'll stick to Dimpflmeier which are better and half the price and didn't even make the list.
Splendido For the hefty $700 price tag, you can find much better or add $500 and jet to NYC for a more memorable, flavorful meal.
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ST. GEORGE CAMPUS The University of Toronto was founded as King’s College in 1827, and it now occupies three campuses: Scarborough, Erindale, and St. George campuses. Liberal arts education is the key of the undergraduate curriculum at Toronto, and the Faculty of Arts and Science has more students than any other faculty. The University's library (Roberts Library) is the largest in Canada and among the best in the world. The University of Toronto Press is one of the most important scholarly publishers in North America.[Flickr.com] I was once a pre-med student at U of T. I struggled through physics and chemistry - my worst subjects in high school - and then finally threw in the towel during the first semester of my third year. Of course, the School of Graduate Studies was simply out of the question.
I'm a fan of the low-key modernity of the Wolfond Centre
Robarts Library The library building is one of the most significant examples of brutalist architecture in North America. Its towering main structure rests on an equilateral triangular footprint and features extensive use of triangular geometric patterns throughout. It forms the main component of a three-tower complex that also includes the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library and the Claude Bissel Building, which houses the Faculty of Information. The library's imposing appearance has earned it the nickname of "Fort Book".
There's a lot of concrete in this building - it's quite oppressive, actually
Walking out of Robarts, I heard loud chanting and clapping. Just my luck, my mini campus tour happened to coincide with Frosh Week. Hundreds of freshman dressed in their college's colours paraded by, as I sat on a bench taking in a part of campus life I missed out on the first time around.
Newman Centre Toronto's Newman Centre is today one of that city's best preserved examples of Romanesque Revival architecture. It was one of the first buildings in Toronto to receive heritage status from the Ontario Heritage Foundation in 1977, not only for its exterior but also for the intricate and impressive interior design elements. The Archdiocese continues the preservation of the site despite the great expense. It has also been used as a site for movie and television filming.
FYI _The walls of Hart House display pieces from the Hart House permanent art collection valued at over $10 million. _Since 1949 Hart House has operated a 150 acre farm in the Caledon Hills. _Hart House Theatre has started the careers of such Canadian legends as: Donald Sutherland, Norman Jewison and Lorne Michaels.[HartHouse.ca]
I'm intrigued by this
Ceiling treatment looks cheap, like ribbons of tin foil
Porters desk
Loosely translated: Come in. Sit. Ignore each other.
The hottest guys on campus? The chess players.
Inner courtyard
Sculpture adds interest to any environment
Exiting the courtyard
RAF = Royal Air Force RCAF = Royal Canadian Air Force CIC = Commander in Chief
Outside of Hart House was a guy selling farmers market goods
He had raw veggies, preserves and freshly-baked bread
As I walked away, I wondered about his business sense. He wasn't attracting much attention, and I think the last thing a student wants to buy on campus is a bunch of beets. If this guy wants to move product, he should sell organic pizza. Or take that bread and make sandwiches. Throw in some freshly-squeezed juice and he's got it made.
U of T [FLICKR.COM] Wolfond Centre__Rick McGrath
Emmanuel College__viviloob
(unknown)__Gazoni
Robarts Library__MatrixElement
Three University of Toronto buildings, with four decades between each. To the left, the new Donnelly Centre (2004). To the right, the FitzGerald Building (1927). To the rear, the hideously oppressive Medical Sciences building (1969)__debcha
While my stuff was in the dryer, I had a light meal at this pretty little off-campus eatery located at 154 Harbord St. Its bright, spa-like decor and open-to-the-elements window seating makes it a perfect summer's day lunch spot or evening stroll ice cream pit stop, of which they sell many varieties. The service, however, leaves much to be desired. I was one of 3 customers at the time and, after waiting too long for some attention, I actually had to get out of my seat to flag down a server for the bill. The following review confirms what I suspected: There are a few kinks yet to be ironed out if the new owners want to continue to capitalize on DT's (formerly Dessert Trends) success in the neighbourhood.
DT Bistro Could Use a Helping of Honesty We all deserve every opportunity, if it can be afforded, to do our best. I come back to DT Bistro again, and again, looking for a good meal.
True window seating makes for a speedy getaway (kidding!)
Bud vases?
The tiny bouquet is a nice touch
Sweet potato fries: Tasty but greasy; the dip saved the day
Asiago, roasted pepper and baby greens salad: Pretty plating; ok taste; too salty for my palate
Penn Badgley & Chace Crawford
Andrea Casiraghi
Matteo Marzotto
Neko Case
Australia 2009__by The Sartorialist
Front St. & Jarvis St.__[daily dose of imagery]
Xmas at BCE Place__Everywhere
by Rick McGrath__[Flickr.com]
Umbra__final fashion
by Rick McGrath
by Rick McGrath
.jpg)
.jpg)
