By Sheri DeCarlo
Toronto’s media elite were invited to celebrate, in style, the annual grand opening of the Rooftop Lounge at the swanky Thompson Toronto hosted earlier this June.
This star-studded event drew a chicly-dressed crowd, including 180 Toronto socialites, industry movers and shakers, and various celebrities from fashion, entertainment, and media, including CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulos from The Hour, eTalk‘s Tanya Kim and Robin Sandler from CTV and CP24 Breakfast’s Melissa Grelo.
Thompson Toronto’s General Manager, Saye Kokeh, opened the hotel in 2010. Originally from New York City, he was recently transferred to Toronto. “I love Toronto. It’s a very special city. It’s a livable city. Thompson is a lifestyle brand and I think it’s a natural fit in Toronto,” says Kokeh.
Guests enjoyed a warm summer night breeze and a sweeping view of the CN Tower and skyline, as well as an eclectic lounge mix played by DJ Gary. Perfect for welcoming the summer of 2012. “The venue is not the venue without the people. It’s great to host some of the people most familiar with the scene in Toronto, ” says Kokeh. “I love this city. It’s become home. It’s a fun city. It’s also an hour away from New York City, so it helps.”
It was a night of mingling, champagne, and summer cocktails. The ‘24/7’ cocktail was the hit of the evening with its quenching combination of Beefeater 24 with Cointreau, sage syrup, pink grapefruit and fresh lime. Rob Dvorchik, Thompson’s resident mixologist, was the creative force behind the cocktails poured for the event, which was sponsored by Avion Tequila and Beefeater 24.
Stylish hors d’oeuvres were prepared by Executive Chef, Robert Mills, who used fresh, seasonal ingredients to enhance the open rooftop environment. Guests were served tartlets of creamy Brie cheese with tenderly-cooked leeks, yellowfin tuna tartare seedlings and fingerling crisps, and shrimp and mango rice paper wraps to nosh on a magical summer night!
