Men on the other hand, are generally comfortable with or without women around, as long as the game is on, a form of social interaction that is centered on the all important ‘man cave,’ or as one such inhabitant described it, ‘a place that has no appeal to anyone that wears perfume.’

Whereas women have demanded and been granted access to more and more bastions of power once reserved exclusively for men, men have responded by retreating to that which makes them secure in their masculinity; finding a space where they can be men without having to justify it and can spill salsa on the carpet and just keep their foot over it until 2 minutes before they leave.

Previously of course, this ‘man cave’ was originally just that; a cave with primitive men in it.  Over the centuries of human evolution, this notion has seen some tweaking, but the core value remains to seek a place reserved for men to relax and relate to one another on levels most women would find offensively straightforward and simplistic; food; beer, sports and hassling your buddies in the confines of a decidedly male environment.

Recently this concept has been expanded to include that eternally male entertainment center, the patio/barbecue/deck.  Combining the elements of fire, air, water and soil (though not as an appetizer), the patio lounge with its invitation to grill on the hoof, ice cold beverages, padded chairs and sculpted gardens have become the open air man caves of the 21^st century.

Every Saturday or Sunday from early Spring to late Fall, men from every corner of the nation gather to hurl chunks of meat on a sizzling grill and reclaim our legacy of acting like relaxing is hard work.

Communities across the nation exude the odor of seasoned meat on the grill and testosterone in the air, as men open their BBQ scented man caves for all to enjoy.

The beauty of the new man cave is that it’s really just the old cave without the leaky walls and bat guano, and even though we’re willing to share it with all and sundry, it’s nice to know that we can still pack it up and take it to the nearest garage or basement if we wanted to.

We just don’t want to; not just yet.

Follow this link to buy new Outdoor Man Cave Patio Furniture.

Designer Patio Furniture Blog

Got any funny or exciting patio stories to share? Great wine or food that you enjoyed, a cool party that you and your friends still talk about, a funny encounter or joke somebody told on a patio?

We are looking for Canada’s best stories, whether you are in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal or any of the other great places in this country. Leave a comment to this post describing your most memorable patio experience or tell us what happened the last time you were actually on a patio. We will randomly draw a winner every month.

You can participate in every draw, but may only submit one comment per month.  The winners will receive a $500 gift certificate for outdoor furniture by velago.ca. Even though not a requirement for participation, we appreciate your tags and bookmarks!

You can enter an extra draw for a $500 gift certificate by following the link below and giving us your like on FB:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Velago-Patio-Furniture/143268375701249

We will not share any emails nor use them for any marketing purposes, we simply ask for them so we can contact the winners. Your personal details will not be visible to other users.

By entering the contest you confirm to have read and agreed to the Contest Rules.

Good Luck!

Designer Patio Furniture Blog

If you are planning to revamp your garden or poolside  with trendy bistro sets, we are here to provide you with a peek into the best bistro set designs  to jazz up your garden , lawn or porch.

Mainstays Sand Dune 3 Piece Bistro Set (above)

Embellish your lawn or garden with this beautiful set of Patio Bistro Set. These classy bistro set is budget friendly and easy to assemble. If your patio is not spacious enough, then this bistro set of 2 comfortable chairs and a table with glass top is the ideal choice for you.

Auburndale Cast Aluminum Dining Chair

This bistro set is the perfect match for any poolside. Being made of rust-free material, this attractive aluminum bistro set forms a comfortable option to be placed by the poolside. This light-weight bistro set  comes with a powder coated finish to prolong its durability.

Palazetto Milan Collection Cast Aluminum Patio Dining Set – Seats 8

This highly comfortable bistro set consists of eight comfortable chairs and is specially designed to withstand harsh weather conditions. Hence it can be used throughout the season. This bistro set made of durable cast aluminum been properly finished with strong powder coating. It has an antique wine finish with dark bronze color combined with shades of gold and burgundy. The cushioned seats and fully welded frames of this bistro set makes it a comfortable dining choice for you and your family.

Bistro Set : Model Cresta

This trendy and comfortable  outdoor wicker bistro set has been specially designed for a  romantic outdoor setting for terraces and balconies of modern condo.  The outstanding wicker work and the natural colours of this bistro set mirrors its elegance and charm. This light and durable bistro set is environmentally friendly and can withstand extreme weather conditions such as heat, rain, frost and UV rays.

Floral Design 3 Piece Metal Patio Bistro Set

This contemporary style Floral Design 3 Piece Metal Bistro Set has golden finish cross- legged folding frame with a Scroll Wire Design Round Top Table and Two Chairs. This classy and elegant Bistro Set makes your evening pleasant and relaxing indeed. This elite bistro set provides a royal feel and can easily add to the visual appeal of any informal patio setting.

Velago is your online source for modern and contemporary patio furniture for restaurants and cafes. Velago offers unique furniture that are classy and elegantly designed. If you are looking to add a new outdoor bistro set to your patio, visit the Velago website and check out the new collection of outdoor bistro sets. A unique bistro set will surely spice up your outdoor dining space thereby reflecting your style and personality.

Designer Patio Furniture Blog

Thanks to the instantaneousness of technology that has brought us everything from cats playing piano to ‘Draping,’ youtube and similar websites that provide a forum for amateur video from around the world are now bringing us the magic and mayhem of patio follies in glorious technicolor.

There are literally dozens of online entertainment sites that offer a seemingly endless opportunity to witness the human comedy in all its patio splendor.

This little gem is just a hint of what our animal friends make of our desire to sit under an umbrella in the sun sipping cool drinks and fanning ourselves silly:

You’ve got to hand it to whoever trained this dog for not only finding this four legged Fagin, but for also locating what appears to be the longest commercial shared restaurant patio in the continental United States.  By the looks of that bucket, one pass along this avenue of easy money and this pooch probably takes a limo back home..

This is for everyone who thought they were kicking it last time they combined loud music with alcohol in public:

This is pretty much why rap hasn’t found much popularity among the Baby Boomer generation and why some patios will never live down the shame of this ‘party animal.’.  On the plus side, those are some better than average moves for a middle aged man clearly mistaking Eminem for Elvis.

The ultimate patio video has to be this exercise in poor planning that is as stupid as it is sublime:

Ok; there really isn’t that much to say, except that the idea of using a gigantic tree to open up a few walls in your home and build a new patio from the outside in, is probably the single greatest miscalculation in the history of home renovation.

Now you know why my patio has a no video camera policy.

Designer Patio Furniture Blog

The Book Of Plastic

In the beginning, the Earth was a giant patio devoid of durable, stylish outdoor furniture (and cable, but you know) that could withstand the elements; sunlight, heat, rain, wind and snow and tie a valley or a beach together just right.

People saw this void, and were moved to create; and so there came the Age of Stone.

And it was hard and cold, and the people did say, ‘Cripes, it doesn’t half make your arse numb.’

Many such  years passed, and yah though the stone was tough, it was tougher still on the cheeks, and the people did long for a gentler way to take a load off after a hard day of running down saber tooth moose and cave painting..

So began the Silk Age, the age of pillow and cushion, and yah they were soft, though they could not endure the wind and rain and frigid snow that filled them like a kitchen sponge; and they did butt soak many.*

(*this briefly led to the so called ‘Diaperloon Age,’ but this is largely ignored by history)

Thus came forth the Iron Age, and it was flexible and strong, and its fine mesh webbing required no cushion, though this too was rigid and impersonal, and the people did long for a new medium to satisfy their outdoor patio needs (I mean is it TOO much to ask?).

And lo, as if in answer to a prayer, did come the Plastic Age, the age of resin and injection molding and polyurethane in wonderful, magical shapes and colors, rugged, durable and artistically designed; tables, chairs, lounges all, a new world of outdoor comfort and style, mass produced and affordably priced.

And the people did say, ‘Does it come with a loveseat?’

And yah, so it did.  The Plastic Age brought forth all manner of shape and contour, dimension and style, and the people did recognize its resilience and beauty and did buy recliners and tables and lounges and chairs of all scope of fashion and design.

Yah and this plastic patio furniture did endure the elements and all the forces of the Earth and did enhance their patio environments forever more.

And it was good.

>> To be continued…..

If you have a great idea, how the story could go on, leave us a comment!

Designer Patio Furniture Blog

I  have a friend (ok, all my friends actually) for whom there is no ‘Barbecue season;’  His grill is ready to rock all year long, despite being firmly in the middle of his gorgeous patio deck, well away from the main house, he can be seen in a toque and parka with his ‘Kiss the Cook’ apron in February, turning everything from seafood to pork roasts without the slightest sense of inconvenience that two feet of snow and sub zero temperatures might incur.

That’s the love affair we Canadians have with our porches and patios, as not even Old Man Winter can keep us from reveling in them for long; not snow, nor sleet nor driving winds can keep us shuttered away indoors for weeks or months on end in the grips of winter without demanding a social event to remind us that Spring is in the air, no matter that it’s only January.

One of my good friends has three ceramic wood burning ovens that he has roaring whenever he and his wife entertains in the winter, and they usually offer a bevy of food on skewers that make use of the ovens to cook with, everything from kebabs to marshmallows, with the warmth and charm of this communal process infusing the entire gathering.

Still another friend has paved over a good proportion of his backyard with a flat, concrete base, which was a major sacrifice for his wife, who used the space previously as part of her garden.  The couple have 3 children and when I asked my friend about the transformation, he said simply, ‘I want the kids to have a rink in winter.’  Using the concrete base, a few layers of water and presto, they have an instant ice rink in their backyard each year, which doubles as a skating venue for their annual New Year’s Eve party, which has become the most anticipated and fun social event of the year..

There’s really no end to the possibilities of entertaining outdoors in winter, as Canadian patios are as flexible and creative as the people who invented snow shoes and curling and ice wine, so shovel off the patio deck and crank up the BBQ, because these crazy Canucks just can’t wait until summer.

Check out Canada’s greatest outdoor dining sets!

Designer Patio Furniture Blog

You might not be aware of it, but the patio has been a key supporting player in many famous and beloved movies, and rightly so; few places can evoke a mood and ambiance with quite the same finesse as a stylish patio environment.

One of the most iconic patio scenes of all time stars Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers from 1935’s Top Hat.

Their idyllic partnership in ‘Dancing Cheek to Cheek’ in that gorgeous rooftop patio setting oozes sophisticated cool and debonair charm.

Ginger’s incredible feather dress only adds to the chic perfection.

For a Tim Burton film, you wouldn’t expect the scenery to play a major role, but the garden patio for the castle in Edward Scissorhands was a spectacular scene stealer.

The incredible topiary and fantastical sculptures were a hidden treasure in this heartwarming film that demonstrated the depth and strength of the human spirit even in the midst of punishing anguish.

Depp was one freaky gardener.

The Godfather features the unforgettable opening scene of Costanza Corleone’s wedding, a lavish outdoor summer affair in 1940’s Italian American splendor.

An outdoor patio is also the scene of Michael’s final conversation with Don Corleone after he becomes Head of the Family, and is warned by his father to beware the traitor among them.

It’s also where Vito shuffles off this mortal coil while playing with his grandson.

One of my all time favorites is the banquet scene in Sherwood Forest from Warner Brothers classic Robin Hood starring the incomparable Errol Flynn and the enchanting Olivia de Havilland.

Watching them fall in love during the sumptuous feast amid Sherwood’s ancient Oaks is magical; they just don’t make them like that anymore.

But hands down the best patio movie moments of all time have to be the scenes of Billy Pilgrim on Tralfamadore, the distant planet of shapeless voyeur aliens from Slaughterhouse Five, the 1972 film of Kurt Vonnegut’s beloved science fiction novel of a trippy time traveling immortal who happens to be a mild mannered optometrist and survivor of a World War 2 German prisoner of war camp.

Not to give too much away, but the geodesic Buckminster Fuller inspired dome canopy and its minimalist furniture set a far out mood that made these scenes pop.

So next time you’re at the movies, take a moment to see if there’s a memorable patio scene someone thought important enough to include in the film; it just might be the one you think of when you hear someone mention the movie.

Designer Patio Furniture Blog

Respect to two of the big names in Toronto, which are present at the IDS this year. Hauser and ARD show off some nice pieces from their collections. But watch out, bargain hunter, their patio furniture is in a different universe when it comes to pricing. Compared to other brands, they charge a huge premium for their products. The main reasons lie in the cost of the unique designs and their retail concepts. A 4-seater conversation set in resin wicker retails around $6000 with Hauser and ARD features a stainless steel outdoor dining set for six at a mind-blasting $9600.

If you are like me and prefer to spend a bit less, there are other options around, of course. Sung is featuring its models that are more affordable for the general public. While the designs are nice and contemporary, not all the materials are convincing. And after all, there is always Velago! Beautiful designs and great quality at low online prices.

Designer Patio Furniture Blog

With all the new faces in Canadian federal politics, I started wondering what kind of patio furniture would best represent the powers that be in our fair land; you know that old saying, ‘What a man puts outside for people to see, says more about what he’s got on the inside.’

(Ok, I just made that up, but it might just as well be true, since we believe a bunch of other nonsense, like that clothes make the man, etc. You’re just going to have to trust me on this)

So what kind of patio furniture statement would our Federal Leaders in Ottawa project?

Stephen Harper of course is a breeze; something simple, well made, not too flashy and moderately comfortable without being particularly stylish. You get the impression that a bus stop bench and some overturned apple baskets would be ideal if only a little cumbersome.

For recently chosen NDP Leader Nycole Turmel, her patio sets a triumphant mood with soft, plush, brightly colored cushions atop sleek, Italian designed chairs, tables and lanterns that welcomes and impresses all at once, and says she’s arrived on the big stage and is ready to soiree.

Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae likely favors a traditional, darkly stained wicker set, complete with chairs, loveseat and tables that provide a rugged and durable solution to the harsh Canadian winters with the warmth of its enduring nostalgia; nothing says you’re laying down roots like furniture made of roots.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Daniel Paillé offers a decidedly more European touch with sturdy, metallic furniture including chairs, tables and sun canopies in pastel shades that scream 1960’s suave without the subtitles and brands of soft drinks you’ve never heard of like ‘Branto.’

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May makes a more relaxed statement, opting for the tranquility of hammocks, bean bag chairs and candles, with plenty of greenery and flowers that highlights the surroundings without cluttering the space or marring the scenery and is perfect for Tantric Yoga or bachelorette parties.

And there you have it; five patio styles that offer a penetrating and comprehensive insight into the psyches and characters of our Federal political leaders in Ottawa, men and women whose decisions are shaping our nation and whose patios and more importantly, their possible patio furniture, may well be the very environments in which those decisions are made.

I’d like to think they’re made in truly Canadian fashion; in comfort and style.

Designer Patio Furniture Blog

Here are two of the shots, that I personally really like for their simplicity. The first one looks as if it was taken in the Toronto distillery district. The other one I believe was taken in Europe. All photo entries can be found on the Lenzr website.

Designer Patio Furniture Blog