MAGGIE WROBEL
From Saturday's Globe and Mail Last updated on Saturday, Mar. 14, 2009 01:24AM EDT
CIRCA
126 John St., Toronto
416-979-0044
If nightclubs are playgrounds for grownups, Toronto's Circa is the Canada's Wonderland of bars.
The 55,000-square-foot space is the brainchild of New York nightclub impresario Peter Gatien, who brought together a design team in conjunction with famed N.Y. firm AvroKO.
Housed in the building formerly occupied by the Playdium arcade, the four-storey space features multiple themed rooms, including one by Paul Budnitz, founder of art/design firm Kidrobot.
Some of the arcade's key elements remain intact, including impressive balconies and two escalators. New additions include lit-up bars and an imposing glass cube housing a VIP area. Creative lighting sets the mood, both on the main dance floor and in smaller intimate nooks.
Bartender Aleksandra Malkin says the club has been drawing a "funky, unusual and intricate" mix of partiers.
Asked which cocktail best sums up Circa's vibe, Malkin picks a mixture of two upscale liqueurs, sweetened by a splash of cranberry. It's edgy and different, she says, like the venue itself. "It's what a club should be."
Courvoisier Hypnotiq
½ ounce Courvoisier cognac
½ ounce Hypnotiq liqueur
Splash of cranberry juice
Pour cranberry juice into a shot glass. Top with Hypnotiq and Courvoisier.
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