Rent at Aura: 2 Bedroom + 50ft Terrace

This week we wanted to showcase a really special suite in our building that’s available to rent right now. As we’ve said before, renting is a great first step into living the downtown lifestyle without having to jump into owning a condo just yet. You also can’t beat our location (steps away from the TTC, subway, and Eaton Centre) and amenities (Hard Candy Fitness, Marshall’s, Reds Wine Tavern, PATH connection).

Dine at Aura: Reds Wine Tavern

One of the best perks of living in our building, especially in the wintertime, is that if you don’t feel like cooking dinner, you don’t need to go outside to get a delicious meal! As part of The Shops at Aura we have Scaddabush, Duke’s Refresher, and Reds Wine Tavern in our building. All three of them offer quality food at a great price and have a great vibe. We’ve already dug deep into the offerings at Scaddabush before, so this time we’re here to tell you a bit more about Reds Wine Tavern.

Luxury Living in Our Penthouse Suites: 2R+D

You all know how proud we are to be the tallest residential building in Canada, but what’s on the inside counts too! We’ve taken a lot of time and effort to develop penthouse suites that are beautiful, and functional so that our buyers are happy with not only the building as a whole, but their individual suites. We’ve particularly put a ton of effort into making our Penthouse Suites on the top floors just as spectacular as the views from their windows, so we thought it would be great to take you through a few of them.

It's a Window Wonderland in our Neighbourhood!

If you’ve taken a stroll through our neighbourhood in the last few weeks, you may have noticed something different. Yonge Street has suddenly been transformed into a winter wonderland, well actually, more like a Window Wonderland! This month, students from Ryerson Retail Management partnered with businesses in the area to decorate their storefront in a winter-inspired theme as a part of the Downtown Yonge BIA’s Winter Magic event.

Rent with a Friend in our 2 Bedroom + 2 Bathroom Suites

Tenants are really loving life at Aura and there’s still a handful of great suites that you can rent! Renting is a perfect first step into living the downtown lifestyle without taking the leap to purchase, and since we’re in one of the most bustling parts of the city (just steps away from both Yonge Dundas Square and the Eaton Centre) you can’t beat the location.

Our International Recognition from Elite Traveler

Are you a fan of Elite Traveler magazine? If you are, you may have seen Aura and YC Condos’ name appear in the magazine last month in an article that highlighted the top worldwide residential developments. Getting this kind of international recognition is a big deal for us, especially when it comes from one of the top luxury and lifestyle magazines in the world. Our developer, Canderel Residential, has worked really hard to bring something new to the table when it comes to condo development in Canada and that hard work has obviously paid off.

Get Your Short Film Fix at TISFF

If you’ve never been into watching short films, now is a good time to try it! Toronto is known for TIFF, the international festival that brings feature length films to our city, but we also host an international festival for short films. Although feature length films seem to get all the glory, there are lots of talented writers, directors, and producers that make shorts and have even been discovered through them (Lena Dunham, anyone?). After checking out some of the films at this year’s festival, you’ll soon see why these filmmakers believe in quality over quantity.

We're featured in Condo Business: The Height of Residential Towers

Our building was recently featured in a Condo Business article highlighting the rise of tall residential buildings all over the world. Being the tallest residential building in Canada, we've noticed a surge in skyscraper development in the last few years too and it's great to see it being celebrated.  

Lighting up the sky at Illuminite

Coming soon to Yonge-Dundas Square is another year of Winter Magic! The celebration runs from November 15 to 30 and includes a number of different events happening in the Downtown Yonge neighbourhood.

Perks of living in Aura Condos

It’s important to love your home - that’s obvious. But when many people think about loving their home, they think about the decor of their living room, or the comfort of their bed, or of course the people they live with. These factors definitely apply when you live in a condo, but there are also many more considerations. There are so many options out there so making the decision about which building to live in, so things like neighbourhood, amenities, and what’s closeby are all included in the decision.

Looking to rent? Look no further.

If you’re itching to live in Canada’s tallest residential building, you’re in luck! We’ve had tons of people move into the building over the past few months and our community continues to grow, but select units are available for rent. If you’re not looking to purchase a condo yet but want to live in the downtown core (and in one of our city’s most exciting buildings), we highly recommend you keep reading.

What's New in the Neighbourhood?

Just moved into the neighbourhood? Well so did a bunch of great places to check out, hang out, or eat out. For those of you who just moved into our building, supporting businesses in the area is a great way to start exploring the neighbourhood! So here’s a few we recommend checking out:

Debunking Common Rental Myths

Have you had that conversation with yourself? You know, the one that goes back and forth about whether you should rent or buy your home? The pros and cons continue to outweigh eachother and the more you think about it, the harder the decision becomes. We want to help you along the way, so we took to debunking a few common myths out there that pertain to renting a home.

The Latest News From Aura Condos

Building a tower like Aura takes a lot of work, both upfront and behind the scenes. At this point, the building may look completely finished from the outside, but we still have some final steps to take to make sure that our vision is fulfilled and the building is complete from top to bottom. The next few weeks you'll see our construction team working on our amenities spaces, our swooping roof, and removal of the temporary canopy over the retail podium. 

We'll also be working on the glass installation for the swooping roof, which will be fully complete in the coming weeks. The hoist, which is the exterior construction elevator, will be coming down once the glass rooftop is completed, along with the safety canopy above the ground floor retail on Yonge St. This will go on throughout the month of October and into November, and will take about 4 weeks to be dismantled. The 5th floor indoor amenities are coming along and we're just getting to the finishing touches both inside and on our 5th floor outdoor terrace. We know many of you are looking forward to enjoying the terrace, and it will be completed in the next couple of weeks. It looks incredible! Check out some photos of how it looks now. 


We can't wait! This terrace will become one of the hottest spots in downtown Toronto! Will we run into you hanging out there?

Stacking Up: How Aura Compares to the World's Tallest Towers

As many of you who have followed our journey know, Aura is now the tallest residential tower in all of Canada. At 78 storeys, the building towers over Toronto and can now be seen from almost any vantage point in the city. We’ve shown you some amazing photos that emphasize our height, but how does Aura stack up next to some of the tallest buildings in the world? We’ll show you!

5 TIFF Films To See in Theatres Later This Year

The city has been buzzing all week with Toronto International Film Festival activities happening all over the place. If you haven’t had the chance to catch a few of the amazing films this year or tickets sold out too quickly, don’t worry! A lot of the films hit theatres not long after the festival ends. These are a few of the flicks we’d recommend checking out once they open to the public over the next few months.

Flowchart: Should You Rent or Buy Your Home?

When you're thinking of moving to or within the city, we can guarantee the first (and most important) question you'll ask yourself is: should I rent or should I buy? We're here to help you answer that.

We've created this handy flowchart to make your decision much easier. It includes some of the other questions you should be asking yourself and will send you on the right path for whether you should rent or buy. Note: buying can also mean buying pre-construction!

Fall Trends at Fashion on Yonge

Next week, one of the most fun (and chic) events in our neighbourhood is back for another year – the Fashion on Yonge festival! Hosted by the Downtown Yonge BIA, this festival showcases clothing from shops all along Yonge Street in one night of fashion, music and food.

Rent Your Way Into Aura Condos

This summer has been full of announcements for Canderel Residential. First we told you about YC Condos’ exciting partnership with Samsung and True Marque, and now we want to tell you about a new opportunity to live in one of our buildings. Canderel Residential has just launched Canderel Rentals for those of you who want to live in Aura or DNA3 but missed the opportunity to purchase a suite of your own.

A Look at Aura in the Summer

Summer has been flying by but you guys have still managed to share tons of beautiful shots of our building with us over the last few months! Construction is wrapping up, we’re looking better than ever, and now we’ve got the photos to prove it. The summer sunshine (what little we’ve had of it) has helped make your shots look top notch too.

The DOs & DON'Ts of Moving

Is your move-in date starting to sneak up on you? Haven’t started packing yet?

Well don’t worry! We thought it would be helpful to share some tips and tricks on how to make your experience as stress-free as possible. Whether you’re hiring movers or moving yourself, this DOs & DON'Ts list will come in handy and keep you organized as you get ready for the big day.

Take A Seat At Throne Barbershop

Throne should be every man’s go-to spot for a great haircut on the PATH. Located underground, (more specifically, right under us) this barbershop has been open for just over a year but has quickly made a name for itself in the city.

The Tallest Buildings Across Canada

Here at Aura, we’re known for being one of the tallest buildings in the Toronto. We are, in fact, the tallest residential building in Canada. You really can’t miss us when you’re looking at the Toronto skyline and we love that. However, there are lots of other fantastic tall buildings in Canada that you may not know hold this title in their home city. Let’s take a look at the tallest buildings in some of the major cities across Canada:

Coworking Spaces in our Neighbourhood

Coworking spaces are becoming increasingly popular as a new mode of working, particularly for entrepreneurs and startups to get their feet off the ground or work at home professionals who don’t actually want to work at home. They’re essentially a shared working environment where you can pay for the time and space you need based on your needs. Most have a very open concept in order to build more of a community feel that you might otherwise not get in an office.

Dine at Aura: Scaddabush Italian Kitchen & Bar

Don’t feel like cooking dinner tonight?

One of the perks of living in Aura is the access to great restaurants without even leaving the building. That being said, we wanted to give you a taste of what our favourite Italian eatery in our building is like, and why you should go try Scaddabush.

Where to Summerlicious in Toronto

Yes, it’s officially summer. That means patios, cottage weekends, and evenings spent out on the town. Toronto really comes alive when the weather gets good, and Torontonians love to get out and have a great meal on the town. That’s why Summerlicious is so awesome! For 16 days every summer, the city’s best restaurants create tasting menus at extremely reasonable prices. Most restaurants offer a 3-course meal at a price point of $25, $35, or $45, and you can bet you’ll be trying many of their signature dishes. As you know, Yonge and College is surrounded by amazing restaurants and we want to tell you about the ones you can’t miss this Summerlicious season.

Aura Condominium hosts BBT Kids Talent Show 2014

This adorable talent show took place right in the food court at The Shops at Aura last weekend!

Little’s Talent Around the World 2014 Talent Show hosted by BBT Kids asked parents to bring their little ones to show off their many talents to an audience at The Shops at Aura. Kids had to try out at one of three auditions for the show, where the judges chose whose talent they liked best to participate in the final talent show on June 14.

The Origin of our Neighbourhood Street Names

We’re in a very historic neighbourhood, and one of the oldest, in the city of Toronto. Our main intersection is a cross between Canada’s most famous street, and a street filled with heritage buildings illustrating the rich history of our city in just a few blocks. 

Summer Programs at Hard Candy Fitness Toronto

If you didn’t know already, Madonna’s fitness club Hard Candy Fitness Toronto can be found right in our building. Even better, if you’re an Aura tenant you get a free membership to the exclusive gym, the only location in Canada or the United States - score!

Hard Candy is gearing up for their first summer in Toronto and they’ve unveiled some of the amazing events and programs going on this summer. Here are some of their events you’ll be able to check out.

1) Cabana Pool Bar Grand Opening
The Hard Candy team will be on-deck (literally) at Cabana Pool Bar’s grand opening! The event is June 14 and will celebrate the opening of the bar in its second seasonal year. The Hard Candy Fitness Performance Team (aka. Madonna’s personal trainers) will be there giving you a performance you won’t forget. This place is always packed so this is bound to be an event you won’t want to miss.    

2) Live DJ Mondays and Wednesdays
Just launched this month, if you’re working out on Monday or Wednesday you can run, lift and do squats to music provided by various local DJs. The tunes will be sure to get your heart pumping and make for a super exciting weekday workout.

3) Registered Massage Therapy Services

Hard Candy is excited to offer both members and non-members RMT services right on site. This is super convenient for those of you who live in Aura! Massage therapy right at your finger tips.

4) World Tour Dance Series

This 8-week program will give you a taste of different styles of dance each week: from Hip Hop to Bad Ass Ballet, Burlesque and Vogue, and Dancehall. Having just kicked off last Sunday, there is still lots of time to attend a workshop, and you don’t even have to have a membership! The workshop will run every Sunday at 1:00pm until July 20, with proceeds going towards the Children’s Aid Foundation.

If you’re interested in checking out Hard Candy Fitness, contact Justin at jelie@hardcandyfitnesstoronto.com to get a free 5-day pass!

Redecorating for Summer at Bed, Bath and Beyond

Victoria Day weekend was the unofficial kick-off to summer, and even though the weather left a little to be desired we still fired up our BBQ and enjoyed some of Toronto’s parks. Now that it’s summer outside, it’s time to make your new Aura condo a little more sunny and colourful. Out with the boring blacks, in with brightly-coloured accessories and dishes. Whether you have a balcony, terrace, or just want to enjoy a patio dinner on Aura’s outdoor spaces, here are some picks from Bed Bath & Beyond inspired by our favourite spring balcony looks on Pinterest. You don’t have to go far - just down to Aura’s lobby, or order online:

Go zen with your balcony decor

Just because your balcony is small doesn’t mean it can’t bring you a bit of serenity. We love this design because it feels like you’re in a rooftop garden - we can hear the water fountain flowing and the birds chirping already. By adding a porch swing, feature wall, and wood/stone flooring, this balcony has been transformed. Add some colourful spring throw pillows and some planters from BB&B and some plants from your local nursery & you’re all set!

Bed Bath & Beyond shopping list

Mabon Toss Pillow

Napa Round Planters

Go green - astroturf green

This 100 square foot balcony was designed by Toronto’s DesignMaze Interiors, and it all starts with laying down some good old fashioned astroturf. Add a striped rug, a glass & wicker coffee table, and some wicker patio furniture, and you’re all set to enjoy a margarita while getting engrossed in a summer read.

Bed Bath & Beyond shopping list

2-piece wicker loveseat sets

2-piece deep seating sets

Key West cabana stripe rectangular rug

Cork collector serving tray

Dine al fresco

What better way to enjoy your balcony than by having drinks/food with a view? We love this design because it focuses on using the balcony to entertain. It’s easy to recreate this on your own balcony regardless of the size - you just need a great table, some colourful placemats, and great plastic dishes.

Bed Bath & Beyond shopping list

3-piece wood grain resin balcony dining set

Driftwood faux wood hard placemat

Bonus idea: Tim at DesignMaze also recently posted this balcony design shopped entirely from Winners - since there’s one right around the corner at College Park, you can easily shop the look!