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!

Your Top Photos of Our Building

Many of you have probably seen our building rising high into the sky - you know, we’re at Yonge and College, and you can see our crane from almost any point in downtown Toronto? Ya, that’s us. Some of you are so taken with the sight of our uber-tall tower that you even stop to snap a photo. We’re flattered by all the amazing photos we’ve seen and wanted to share a few of our favourites.

Photo taken by Paul Casselman.

Aura at sunset. Thanks to Urban Toronto for the photo.

Photo from Instagram user findtorontocondos.

Photo from Instagram user ohwowkayda.

Photo from Instagram user stevenlou_.

World’s first kilometre-high tower faces unique challenges

It gives new meaning to the phrase “the sky’s the limit.”

Construction of the world’s first kilometre-high tower is now under way in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and one Canadian expert in tall buildings says there are no real physical limitations when it comes to how high skyscrapers can scrape.

“Technically, we can pretty much do anything we want. It’s just that if you were going to build a 20-kilometre tower, and it would take 100 years to build, it becomes unreasonable in terms of management and payback,” says Richard Witt, a principal of Quadrangle Architects Ltd. and the chair of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s Canadian chapter.

Read more about the challenges of building tall in this article from The Globe and Mail.