From cocktail-making classes to bowling, here are three venues offering new activities suitable for corporate groups and teambuilding.
1. Ame, a Japanese restaurant known for its innovative cocktails, is launching a cocktail cooking school this month. The restaurant, a collaboration between INK C.E.O. Charles Khabouth and Guy and Michael Rubino of Rubino Restaurants, can accommodate up to 10 people per session. Participants will learn how to make cocktails like the Smoked Apple Cobbler and the Gin Kim-Chi during the lesson, led by a mixologist. Classes are $50 per person.
2. In November, sisters Ljuba and Branka Nikolovski, the owners of All Star Interactive, a bowling alley in the city's east end, opened the Danforth Suite, a 2,000-square-foot event venue equipped with 12 bowling lanes. The second-floor space has a lounge area with dark leather furnishings, a bar, Wi-Fi Internet access, and televisions for visual presentations. The venue can accommodate groups of up to 130 for bowling and teambuilding sessions. Catering is available and the space holds 80 for seated dinners. Floor rates range from $2,500 to $3,000.
3. The Yorkville restaurant Babaluu launched a series of themed cooking classes with a focus on South American fare late last year. Suitable for groups of 12 to 50, classes can be tailored to accommodate teambuilding functions and social events. Groups can book a single class or a series of four. Two dishes are prepared each week and a different region is featured each month. Classes are 90 minutes in length and cost about $45 per person. Babaluu staff are also available for lessons off site.