{"id":617108,"date":"2024-04-04T23:31:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T20:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/from-creepy-basement-to-swanky-speakeasy\/"},"modified":"2024-04-04T23:31:00","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T20:31:00","slug":"from-creepy-basement-to-swanky-speakeasy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/from-creepy-basement-to-swanky-speakeasy\/","title":{"rendered":"#From Creepy Basement to Swanky Speakeasy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a354ae334486\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" 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ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/from-creepy-basement-to-swanky-speakeasy\/#Get_the_Best_of_Macleans_straight_to_your_inbox\" >Get the Best of Maclean\u2019s straight to your inbox.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"wp-block \">\n<div class=\"ad-free-zone\">\n<div class=\" mx-auto max-w-full w-full -mt-20 laptop:mt-0 laptop:pt-20 max-w-[600px] laptop:max-w-[945px]\">\n<div class=\" max-w-full aspect-[945_\/_630] laptop:h-[630px]\"><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"1000\" height=\"700\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 945px\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"all-small-caps text-grey\"> <!-- -->photography by ryan fung\/cultiv8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"max-w-[640px] laptop:max-w-[600px] mx-auto px-20 laptop:px-0 py-20 laptop:py-20\">\n<div class=\"text-smm leading-smm laptop:leading-smxl font-sans laptop:text-base text-grey font-lightmedium\">\u201cNow we have a club in our basement.\u201d\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"author\">JEAN GRANT<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"max-w-[640px] mx-auto py-20 px-20\">\n<div class=\"mb-8 flex gap-6\">\n<div class=\"relative inline-block\"><button aria-label=\"Sharing Button\" class=\"rounded-xl border border-grey-light px-12 py-6 hover:bg-grey-lighter transition-colors\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\"><g clip-path=\"url(#ico-share_svg__a)\"><path stroke=\"#121212\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M2.419 15.525c1.286-1.37 4.661-4.275 9.458-4.275V15l6.25-6.25-6.25-6.25v3.75c-4.125 0-9.413 3.941-10 9.027a.313.313 0 0 0 .542.248\"\/><\/g><defs><clippath id=\"ico-share_svg__a\"><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M0 0h20v20H0z\"\/><\/clippath><\/defs><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"fixed laptop:absolute max-laptop:bottom-0 laptop:top-[calc(100%+20px)] left-0 right-0 laptop:right-auto w-full laptop:w-[190px] p-20 rounded-lg bg-white font-sans shadow-[0px_0px_10px_rgba(0,0,0,0.15)] invisible\">\n<ul class=\"list-none p-0\">\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Copy Link<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Email<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span><a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a><\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>X<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>LinkedIn<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Whats<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a><\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Reddit<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"uppercase text-xs leading-normal font-sans text-grey font-lightmedium\">April 4, 2024<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Catriona Smart grew up in Newmarket, Ontario, to a pair of bubbly parents who entertained constantly\u2014and she caught the bug too. Smart, a former bartender and current creative agency founder, and her fianc\u00e9, Jimmy Cook, host all kinds of parties in her stone-faced 1920s mansion in Toronto\u2019s Forest Hill neighbourhood, where she moved toward the end of 2016.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Smart gutted nearly every part of the mansion before moving in\u2014except for the 3,000-square-foot basement. A previous owner had transformed it into an \u201980s-style grotto with a giant rectangular pool, built-in concrete daybeds and plenty of circular glass peepholes. \u201cIt was an engineering nightmare,\u201d she says. \u201cOur first expert told me that the grotto\u2019s concrete slab and the water inside the pool were so heavy that without them, the house would collapse.\u201d The space was mostly outfitted in grimy blue and white tile and was in no condition for use, but since Smart couldn\u2019t get rid of it right away, she still had to pay for bi-weekly cleaning so the rest of the house wouldn\u2019t smell like mildew and chlorine. At the time, her daughter Harlowe was only three years old, so the basement door remained locked for years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligndefault \"><img alt=\"alt tag missing\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1749.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1749.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1749.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1749.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1749.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1749.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1749.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1749.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1749.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><figcaption class=\"w-full text-left\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Finally, in early 2020, Smart found an engineer with a different opinion, who deemed a renovation possible as long as they underpinned the entire house beforehand\u2014a process that took nearly five months. After the engineer removed the concrete slab underneath the grotto, they filled it in with dirt from the underpinning to provide the necessary weight to support the home. They worked with custom residential builder Carmelin Design Build on the rest of the house, who added some more structural beams to the space.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligndefault \"><img alt=\"alt tag missing\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1442.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1442.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1442.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1442.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1442.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1442.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1442.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1442.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1442.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><figcaption class=\"w-full text-left\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Smart and Cook knew they wanted to create an entertaining haven but waffled over exactly what it should look like\u2014until everything shut down during the pandemic. They couldn\u2019t go out to dinner anymore, so they hatched a plan to create their own speakeasy bar where friends could gather and feel like they were in an upscale restaurant or lounge. \u201cWe wanted to create a fun space where people could forget about their worries during COVID,\u201d Smart says. \u201cAnd now we have a club in our basement.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligndefault \"><img alt=\"alt tag missing\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1421.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1421.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1421.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1421.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1421.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1421.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1421.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1421.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1421.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><figcaption class=\"w-full text-left\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Her vision drew on old Hollywood and vintage Floridian influences. The stairs lead down into an all-pink entryway, with a trough-style onyx sink that sits opposite a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a> of three private bathroom stalls and a shower. This area can be entirely closed off from the rest of the bar with a disguised sliding door, evoking the feel of a secret underground club. \u201cIf you don\u2019t know, you wouldn\u2019t think there\u2019s anything else down there,\u201d she says. There\u2019s an entrance to the basement from the backyard, too, which comes in handy when her now-11-year-old daughter has friends over for pool parties.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligndefault \"><img alt=\"alt tag missing\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1667.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1667.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1667.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1667.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1667.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1667.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1667.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1667.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1667.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><figcaption class=\"w-full text-left\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Past the entryway is an expansive room centred around a 21-foot statement bar, made from jade with hints of amber and inlaid with LED lights. Some curvy light-pink sofas, recessed daybeds, a DJ booth, bookshelf display and heaps of moody lighting complete the club-like feel. When Smart and Cook host dinner parties instead of dance parties, they simply move the sofas out of the way and cover a series of folding tables in linens.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligndefault \"><img alt=\"alt tag missing\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1884.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1884.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1884.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1884.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1884.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1884.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1884.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1884.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1884.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><figcaption class=\"w-full text-left\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Smart worked as a bartender for a few years while attending the University of Toronto, so she needed the bar to be optimally functional as well as aesthetically stunning. It\u2019s outfitted with a sink, two fridges and an ice machine\u2014and it\u2019s always stocked with their favourite tequila, Don Julio 1942. Backed by a vintage-looking mirror overlaid with a giant Art Deco\u2013like sun that lights up, the bar easily looks the part of a glam \u201960s jazz club. Smart was inspired by many of the bars and restaurants she\u2019s been to around the world, like the private club Annabel\u2019s in London and the Las Vegas restaurant and lounge Delilah. \u201cI don\u2019t go out to clubs often anymore, but I\u2019ll have a Whitney Houston singalong down here any day,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">She knew the space was destined for rowdy, shoes-on dance parties, so durability was crucial. The floors are a gray tile that was shaped and placed to look like herringbone wood. The rose-hued sofas are upholstered in a faux suede that\u2019s covered in a 3M product. \u201cSomeone spilled an entire glass of red wine on one, and it just trickled off,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligndefault \"><img alt=\"alt tag missing\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1510.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1510.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1510.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1510.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1510.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1510.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1510.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1510.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F04%2FCultiv8-31ForestHill_1510.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><figcaption class=\"w-full text-left\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">One of her favourite basement nights was an impromptu Caribana bash when they had 150 people dancing and singing to \u201980s and \u201990s music all evening long. \u201cIt was one of those magical nights where you don\u2019t plan anything and all of a sudden everyone is here,\u201d she says. Unfortunately, that night someone stepped on one of her colourful coffee tables\u2014sought-after \u201cCandy Cubes\u201d designed by Dutch artist Sabine Marcelis\u2014and fell right through. Drake even spent a few fun nights in the basement himself and eventually named the song \u201cJimmy Cooks\u201d\u2014a track from his 2022 album <em>Honestly, Nevermind <\/em>with more than 900 million streams on Spotify\u2014after Smart\u2019s fun-loving fianc\u00e9.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Since it was finished in the fall of 2022, Smart estimates they use the basement for a special event at least once a month. In addition to large holiday potlucks and more intimate family affairs, they\u2019ve also had well-known chefs like Bar Prima\u2019s Craig Harding come in for charity dinners and hosted evenings for clients like celebrity makeup artist Sir John. She also runs a supper series called \u201cGuess Who\u2019s Coming to Dinner?\u201d where she, Cook and the team at her company That Good Co. all invite acquaintances from various industries to network. Her favourite part of the space is how everyone puts their phones away and disconnects from reality for a while.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Smart and Cook also use the basement as a private hair salon: because they couldn\u2019t get their hair done anywhere during COVID, they added a mini salon in a former storage room, which they still use today to get their hair cut.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block \">\n<div class=\"ad-free-zone laptop:px-0\">\n<div class=\"max-w-screen-desktop mx-auto px-20 tablet:px-40\">\n<div class=\"wp-newsletter-signup max-w-screen-desktop mx-auto w-full py-20 my-20 tablet:my-40 tablet:py-80 &#10;          border-t-3 tablet:border-t-[6px] border-dark bg-white\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col tablet:flex-row max-w-[800px] w-full mx-auto tablet:items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col tablet:w-7\/12 space-y-10 text-center tablet:text-left px-20\">\n<h2 class=\"text-red\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_the_Best_of_Macleans_straight_to_your_inbox\"><\/span>Get the Best of <em>Maclean\u2019s<\/em> straight to your inbox.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"newsletter-subtitle font-sans text-sm leading-xm tablet:leading-smm font-lightmedium text-grey\">Sign up for <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>, commentary, analysis and promotions. Join 80,000+ Canadian readers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/general\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/economy\/realestateeconomy\/how-a-toronto-couple-turned-their-creepy-basement-into-a-swanky-speakeasy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>photography by ryan fung\/cultiv8 \u201cNow we have a club in our basement.\u201d JEAN GRANT Copy Link Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit April 4, 2024 Catriona Smart grew up in Newmarket, Ontario, to a pair of bubbly parents who entertained constantly\u2014and she caught the bug too. Smart, a former bartender and current creative agency founder,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":617109,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cms.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Cultiv8-31ForestHill_1946.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-617108","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/617108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=617108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/617108\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/617109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=617108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=617108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=617108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}