The Suite Life: The Magic and Mystery of Hotel Living

This book is the product of a lifelong fascination with iconic hotels and tells of the people who have lived in them. Hotel living has always seemed exotic. Why did Claude Monet, Greta Garbo, Janis Joplin, Vladimir Nabokov, Howard Hughes, and many other mercurial individuals desire such a life? Besides answering that question, __The Suite Life__ features interviews with high-profile celebrities who have also chosen hotel living, such as Johnny Depp, Warren Beatty, Keanu Reeves, Richard Harris, and Criss Angel. Author Christopher Heard was conceived in The Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto and now lives there as the writer-in-residence. __The Suite Life__ is the culmination of a lifelong fascination with iconic hotels and those who have opted to reside in them. It tells of the enchantment of being exposed to many varied energies at the same time and describes the uniqueness of life lived in a place where people can let their inhibitions relax. Living in a hotel is many things, but first and foremost it is magical. 1 Toronto's passing scene Birth of a city Many happy returns Our mother of invention The CNE that was ... Postcard perfect Torn from the headlines Water tanks ... for the memories On the beat since 1834 Grab your Easter bonnet Celebrations in history History of improvement The bells, the bells Ring in the New Year Calling 1947! Mayor Foster's Care 2 Toronto's war years Days of defeat Path to a great tribute In praise of our heroes It's over, over there An anniversary of note 3 Toronto pleasure palaces Kicking up our heels The Palais Royale reborn Casino Royale Coulda danced all night The play's the thing On the sunnyside The gardens 4 Toronto at work A hit, one tire at a time Banking on Canada Driving ambition Not at your service Public power Snapshot of the past Luxury up on high Gas pains 5 Toronto and disaster Our city in ruins Rare photos of the Great Toronto Fire Toronto's worst disaster Up in smoke Watery grave Swept away 6 Toronto landmarks Toronto's tower of power Pray in beauty Postal past Prime real estate Save the roundhouse The Flatiron Building T.O. streets full of art A house like no other A pleasant walk in the past And the winner was ... Battle for Sunnybrook Child full of grace Defending Fork York Doing time in T.O. Fanciful flights Mi Casa Loma Milestones in medicine. "For decades Mike Filey has regaled readers with stories of Toronto's past through its landmarks, neighborhoods, streetscapes, social customs, pleasure palaces, politics, sporting events, celebrities, and defining moments. Now, in one illustrated volume, he serves up the best of his meditations on everything from the Flatiron Building, Casa Loma, and the Cathedral Church of St. James to the Royal Alexandria Theatre, the Palais Royale, Union Station, and the Canadian National Exhibition, with streetcar jaunts through North Toronto and along the Danforth and ferry excursions in Lake Ontario, as well as trips down memory lane with the likes of Mary Pickford, Glenn Miller, Oscar Peterson, and Marilyn Bell, to name only a few." "Filey recounts the devastation of city disasters such as Hurricane Hazel and the Great Fire of 1904 and spins yarns about the city's old water tanks, Easter in Toronto, the early Toronto Maple Leafs, the battles over the airport on the Toronto Islands, and how both world wars affected Torontonians."--BOOK JACKET Short-listed for the 2009 Toronto Book Awards and Heritage Toronto Book Awards and the 2012 Speaker's Award Unbuilt Toronto explores never-realized building projects in and around Toronto, from the citys founding to the twenty-first century. Delving into unfulfilled and largely forgotten visions for grand public buildings, landmark skyscrapers, highways, subways, and arts and recreation venues, it outlines such ambitious schemes as St. Alban's Cathedral, the Queen subway line and early city plans that would have resulted in a Paris-by-the-Lake. Readers may lament the loss of some projects (such as the Eatons College Street tower), be thankful for the disappearance of others (a highway through the Annex), and marvel at the downtown that could have been (with underground roads and walkways in the sky). Featuring 147 photographs and illustrations, many never before published, Unbuilt Toronto casts a different light on a city you thought you knew. For decades Toronto historian Mike Filey has regaled readers with stories of the city's past through its landmarks, neighbourhoods, streetscapes, social customs, pleasure palaces, politics, sporting events, celebrities, and defining moments. Now, in one lavishly illustrated volume, he serves up the best of his meditations on everything from the Royal York Hotel, the Flatiron Building, and the Necropolis to Massey Hall, the Palais Royale, and the Canadian National Exhibition, with streetcar jaunts through Cabbagetown, the Annex, Rosedale, and Little Italy and trips down memory lane with Mary Pickford, Glenn Miller, Bob Hope, and Ed Mirvish.Filey recounts in vivid detail the devastation of city disasters such as Hurricane Hazel and the Great Fire of 1904 and spins yarns about doughnut shops old and new, milk deliveries by horse, swimming at Lake Ontario's beaches, Sunday blue laws, and how both World Wars affected Torontonians. For decades Toronto historian Mike Filey has regaled readers with stories of the city's past through its landmarks, neighbourhoods, streetscapes, social customs, pleasure palaces, politics, sporting events, celebrities, and defining moments. Now, in one lavishly illustrated volume, he serves up the best of his meditations on everything from the Royal York Hotel, the Flatiron Building, and the Necropolis to Massey Hall, the Palais Royale, and the Canadian National Exhibition, with streetcar jaunts through Cabbagetown, the Annex, Rosedale, and Little Italy and trips down memory lane with Mary Pickford, Glenn Miller, Bob Hope, and Ed Mirvish. Filey recounts in vivid detail the devastation of city disasters such as Hurricane Hazel and the Great Fire of 1904 and spins yarns about doughnut shops old and new, milk deliveries by horse, swimming at Lake Ontarios beaches, Sunday blue laws, and how both World Wars affected Torontonians.

Unbuilt Toronto explores never-realized building projects in and around Toronto, from the citys founding to the twenty-first century. Delving into unfulfilled and largely forgotten visions for grand public buildings, landmark skyscrapers, highways, subways, and arts and recreation venues, it outlines such ambitious schemes as St. Alban's Cathedral, the Queen subway line and early city plans that would have resulted in a Paris-by-the-Lake.

Readers may lament the loss of some projects (such as the Eatons College Street tower), be thankful for the disappearance of others (a highway through the Annex), and marvel at the downtown that could have been (with underground roads and walkways in the sky).

Featuring 147 photographs and illustrations, many never before published, Unbuilt Toronto casts a different light on a city you thought you knew.

"Unbuilt Toronto explores never-realized building projects in and around Toronto, from the city's founding to the twenty-first century. Delving into unfulfilled and largely forgotten visions for grand public buildings, landmark skyscrapers, highways, subways, and arts and recreation venues, it outlines such ambitious schemes at St. Alban's Cathedral, the Queen subway line and early city plans that would have resulted in a Paris-by-the-Lake." "Featuring 147 photographs and illustrations, many never before published, Unbuilt Toronto casts a different light on a city you thought you knew."--Jacket. In this lavishly illustrated volume, Toronto historian Mike Filey regales readers with the best of his meditations on everything Toronto, including stories of the city's past told through its landmarks, neighbourhoods, streetscapes, social customs, pleasure palaces, politics, sporting events, celebrities, and defining moments. Unbuilt Toronto explores the failed architectural dreams of Toronto, delving into unfulfilled and largely forgotten visions for grand public buildings, landmark skyscrapers, roads and highways, transit systems, and sports and recreation venues