“Whose birthday is it?”

There’s no birthday. But after phoning up a few friends suggesting we go for drinks at a downtown hotel bar, each person sprung into “what’s the occasion?” mode. No graduation. No promotion (sigh). No anything. I just wanted a drink.

You can’t blame them. Until recently, the archetypal hotel bar was “special occasion” territory, or as a place to bring boring out-of-town visitors before taking them to, say, the CN Tower. But times have changed; some - not all - hotel bars have become the coolest hangs in the city. Still, a hotel bar hip-quotient is largely relative to the hotel in which it resides; when located in a mid- or economy-range hotel, the bar will be, more often than not, the standard velvet painting and Perry Como variety. And, unfortunately, this predilection for style-assault has not spared their mixology.

Thank God for the four-star hotel. The Four Seasons for example, wherein lies the recently renovated Lobby Bar, which falls somewhere between expense account and fantasy in the pantheon of lounges offered to humankind.
The Lobby Bar recently resurfaced with a new facelift and new branding under the helm of designer Brian Gluckstein. The room still has a palpable feminine side, despite the mainly brown and green interior and the abundance of plant-life. Not a complete overhaul, just restyled with a fresh colour update, new furniture and carpeting; all needed to complement big brother Avenue - just down the hall.

Opening in perfect sync with the Toronto Film Festival, the little bar never missed a beat. While the hunt was on for Nicole, Benicio and Val at flashier venues throughout the city, this little corner quietly attracted the most celeb-per-square-inch. And while the sharpshooters were in position at Amber, Gus and Bistro 990, Denzel got to eat his Club Sandwich in peace.
There's something almost cinematic about the scene here. Ordinary Cuisinart life doesn't exist. The bright, distinctive sound of ice on metal signals yet another martini being made - welcome to the pampered life. Unlike at Avenue there is a wide age range here; a stern-looking woman sitting quietly with her sister from Maine sips her Manhattan. A few feet away, a young couple, perhaps a first date, picks at an order of oysters on ice. Small groups of well-tended folk gather around the cocktail tables catching up. An area off to the side is perfect for your afternoon affair. Not bad for $18.

Martinis aren't the only path to salvation at Lobby Bar - nor must you lubricate your insides with spirits; the bar also does a bustling afternoon tea service. Maxed-out shopping ladies on downtime, CEOs happy to hold their 3:00 over cucumber sandwiches, and vacationing scenesters make up the afternoon party.

Although few of us can afford to drop the big bucks required to overnight at a hotel like this, an overpriced drink is a little easier to handle. And who doesn’t appreciate that extra loving care taken to ensure every single sip of that finely-tuned cocktail was even more pleasurable than the last. Pull up a seat, check out the scene and pretend to be a celebrity.

But don’t try to fool the concierge; on our last visit on the way out I smiled and said we’d be back tomorrow night. To which he replied, “Whose birthday is it?” - Don Ellis.

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