Style Manitoba Winter 2008

His Own Way to Rock

Winter 2008 $4.75

Still rockin’ at 60, Burton Cummings launches a new album to critical acclaim Rising to the Challenge A distinctive home design meets the vision of builder & developer alike Holiday Gift Guide Fab finds for the festive season ahead‌

Volume 13, Number 2 Winter 2008

In this issue

M A N I T O B A

38 54

8 FEATURES

8 Rising to the Challenge A distinctive home design meets the vision of builder & developer alike 47 His Own Way to Rock Still rockin’ at 60, Burton Cummings launches a new album to critical acclaim 60 Holiday Gift Guide Fab finds for the festive season ahead…

79 The Future is Now ECO 4 condominiums, a new sustainable approach to infill residential projects 71 Gracious, Spacious & Activities Galore Housing options for seniors – a sampling of the city’s finest locales

LIFESTYLES

19 Are we there yet?

23 Stepping Out With Style 44 On the Bookshelf 45 Styling the Stereo 49 Growing a Music Community

PROFILES

50 The Man Behind the Name

TRAVEL

58 Wandering the Magic City A trip back in time to Morocco

CUISINE DU JOUR

36 Coffee Lovers Heaven 35 Bohemian Rhapsody in Chocolate 28 Delectable Dining 38 Recipes

DESIGN & DÉCOR

69 Gifts for the Home 101 Creative decorating ideas from the professionals

KITCHEN & BATH SHOWCASE

97 Show-stopping ensuites & delightful designer kitchens

HEALTH & BEAUTY

41 An interview with Dr Dawda 43 Yoga for Everyone 57 Everyday Luxury 56 Beauty Buzz 54 Cold Weather, Haute Looks

DEPARTMENTS 5 The Agenda 2 Style Was There

renovations

91 Amazing Space, How Sweet the Plan 89 Rebirth & Renewal

60

Canadian Museum for Human Rights announces appointment of board members from across Canada.

was there...

Owners Jennifer Woo & Shirley Wong at the grand opening of Luxe Label.

Keith Levit, Sasa Radulovic (Design Architect), Jack Levit (CEO Lakeview) & Barry Rempel (CEO, WAA ) pose with a model of the new Lakewood hotel set to open at the James Armstrong Richardson Airport.

Museum architect Antoine Predock flanked by Arni Thorsteinson, Hartley Richardson, Premier Gary Doer & Patrick O’Reilly gather at the Piano John & Bonnie Buhler.

Nobile Gallery reception for sponsors & supporters of the museum.

102.3 Clear FM presented its annual “MARTINI MINGLE” in October in support of the CIBC Run for the Cure. Pictured from left to right: Karen Bannister, Kim Warburton & Gayle Zarbatany.

Mike Sanders, lead actress Nadine Pinette, James Rewucki, lead actor Tyhr Trubiak & Colin Musulak at the preview for Aegrisomnia (A Sick Man’s Dreams), a psychological thriller produced by Absurd Machine.

Artista Homes wins the Gold Award at the MHBA’s annual Parade of Homes gala.

Clear FM radio personalities Jay & Billy Jo, 92 CITI FM’s Joe Aiello & Clear FM’s Dez pose for Style’s shutterbug.

Dr D.Lyttle, Dr K.Oen, Dr F.Baragar & Dr H.ElGabalawy at the Arthritis Society’s recent 60th anniversary soiree “Celebrate It.”

Rob Swan (Huntington Homes) & sales manager Suzanne Mariani accepting a Gold award at the MHBA gala.

Multiple award winner Doc Walker kicks off the weeklong CCMA festival.

Troy & Simone of Hank FM with Style’s Gary MacKay at the CCMA After Party at Blush

Johnny Reid takes home Male Artist of the Year

Jaydee Bixby with Style’s Lisa Lester at the Blush After Party.

APCMA award winners Eagle & Hawk.

APCMA Best Blues winner, JC Williams.

Variety Youth Ambassador Marissa surrounded

by Bombers at the Hearts of Blue & Gold fundraiser held at Earls on Main.

Marc Roch, Mia van Leeuwen, Michel Saint Hilaire & Marcel Balfour at the opening of Michel Saint Hilaire’s art show “Connect” at the Cre8ery Gallery.

Jessie Farrell wins Female Artist of the Year and CBC’s Rising Star Award

Crystal Shawanda takes home three awards at the Aboriginal People’s Choice Music Awards (APCMA).

Little Hawk aka Troy Westwood takes home Best Folk Acoustic.

Quest Musique’s Sam Trachilis backstage with Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo) & Style’s Lisa Lester.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 3

Editor

Rita van Leeuwen Art Director

Paul Butters Marketing

Eric A. Green Editorial Contributors

Aileen Goos Kelly Gray Christine Hanlon Randal McIlroy Quentin Mills-Fenn Ian Mozdzen Leigh Patterson Mia van Leeuwen Renee Sierra

family retro espresso at ÂŽ

Photography

John Johnston, Alan McTavish, Michael Roberts, Lance Thomson, Mandy van Leeuwen

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Ava van Leeuwen

Advertising Sales Executives

Lisa Lester Gary MacKay Printing

Transcontinental Printing LGM Graphics Subscription Inquiries

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Style Manitoba is published four times annually, Suite 6, 310 Nairn Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2L 0W9.

Phone : (204) 982-4455 Fax: (204) 982-4454. Distribution : Distributed free in pre-selected areas of Manitoba, available by subscription from the publisher and by purchase at participating newsstand locations. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.

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Manitoba edition.

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the agenda Welcome to our winter edition!

Models showed the latest looks from Danali His & Hers Urbanwear and Spalifestyle & Fashion Boutique.

Pictured here with Variety’s Wayne Rogers, Style’s Rita van Leeuwen & Lisa Lester, Doug Dufresne is honoured with the Style Manitoba Person of the Year 2008 award for charitable work.

We are extremely proud to feature Burton Cummings as our cover story this issue, a Manitoba talent who once again stands tall in the eyes of fans and peers alike. Judging by the repertoire of great songs on his newly launched CD and what the critics have to say, it’s clear our hometown hero still has what it takes to rock this town.

On the home front this issue, Rising to the Challenge features an innovative display home that reflects the distinctive vision of not only Waverley West, but also of Discovery Homes, a fresh new player in Manitoba’s homebuilding arena. Other stories well worth reading include excellent coverage by Kelly Gray (Amazing Space) and Christine Hanlon (The Future is Now) on two local construction projects.

Ken & Magda Zelickson of Interior Illusions

Style’s Lisa Lester & Alfie Zappacosta sing a duet

Grant Jehle of Fort Distributors with his lovely wife Maralee Jehle.

This season is all about giving, and as always, our winter issue includes a fabulous Holiday Gift Guide chockfull of ideas for warming the heart and decking the home.

Speaking of warm hearts, the entire team at Style Manitoba would like to extend their gratitude to all the clients, associates, friends and family who contributed to and attended our recent fundraiser in support of Variety – The Children’s Charity of Manitoba. If it wasn’t for the generosity of those who donated items for the auction and attended the event aboard the River Rouge, we never could have raised $13,000 in one evening for this wonderful Manitoba based organization and the children it represents!

Style’s Paul Butters with featured entertainer Alfie Zappacosta.

Rich Duclos & Ava van Leeuwen with Susanne & Alan Castell (Constant C Technology)

Only days after Rollin’ on the River, a portion of the funds raised were already put to excellent use – The Variety Adapted Literacy Program. Please read about this program on page 7. Again to all those angels out there – thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Long-time Variety supporters Rod Steinman & wife Pauline Darlene Dowhy presented samples of SIKU Vodka alongside a fabulous ice sculpture.

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Variety Adapted Literacy Program

We make your kitchen dreams come true.

Variety, the Children’s Charity of Manitoba, along with founding partner Style Manitoba, is delighted to announce a new funding sponsorship that will help both special education students and English as a Second Language students (ESL) at Robertson School.

The Adapted Literacy Program began in 2002 and has benefited more than 300 children since its inception. The program is being expanded this year so that students will have the opportunity to access adapted reading materials in all 16 classrooms at the school.

Variety has supported the program since 2006, assisting in doubling the adapted book library from 120 books to 200 books. Style Manitoba recently hosted a spectacular fundraising event in support of Variety and embraced the opportunity to join the charity as founding partner of the newly expanded program.

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“This program is an excellent fit for the magazine and we are thrilled to be part of this unique literacy learning initiative,” says Style’s Editor, Rita van Leeuwen.

To recognize Variety’s contribution, the program will be named the Variety Adapted Literacy Program. The $3,000 contribution made by Variety and Style Manitoba will help to cover the cost of books, cardstock, Velcro, toner and laminate needed to adapt the books using “Boardmaker” software. This software has picture symbols combined with words to help students “read” the materials.

Adapting the books is a labour intensive project that requires a lot of time and patience, approximately 15-20 hours per book! Robertson School is very grateful for Variety’s continued support in this endeavour. Carla Sharman, Speech Language Pathologist with the Winnipeg School division says “the look on the students faces at the pleasure they get from “reading” is worth all the effort that goes into adapting the books”.

This year, 60 students with various reading and learning disabilities and approximately 150 ESL students will also benefit from having access to these materials.

This positive “reading” experience allows children who have difficulty reading to enjoy books and provides the opportunity to share that enjoyment with others. Older children also use the books to read to those in younger grades, developing selfesteem and a real sense of accomplishment. As one parent said, “I never thought I would see my child read a book…. I am so proud of her”.

WINNIPEG 1300 St. Matthews Ave. 204-788-0550 WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 7

Rising to the Challenge

By Christine Hanlon Photography: Michael Roberts The entrance to the deck separates the eating area from the great room while preserving the view of the television from the kitchen.

For the flooring, the builder combined hardwood with a soft but durable low pile shag, both from Curtis Carpets.

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With a set-back garage and an attractive façade that makes the entrance a focal point, this display home reflects the distinctive vision not only of Waverley West but also of Discovery Homes, a fresh new player in Manitoba’s homebuilding arena.

“We were looking to create something with a different flavour,” explains Joshua Rist, Assistant Manager at Discovery Homes.

Joshua is the third generation in a family business with deep roots in the construction industry. His grandfather, Senno Rist founded Gateway Construction more than 25 years ago. Then in 2005, his father, Carson Rist launched Discovery Homes with Gord Gray, who brings decades of homebuilding experience to the company. Together they built a strong team.

When they were invited to build in Waverley West, Discovery Homes was more than ready to take up the challenge. Early on, Waverley West established some stringent construction guidelines for the development.

“We see it as an opportunity as well as a challenge,” says Gray, who holds the title of General Manager. After putting out a request for proposals, Discovery Homes elected to work with Toronto architect Fred Code, a

former Winnipegger looking to renew his relationship with the city.

Together Discovery and Code created a new home design that not only met but also capitalized on the developer’s specifications. The design of this particular house in Bridgwater Forest (a neighbourhood of Waverley West) blends a metropolitan feel with a functional family home.

In the kitchen, the slim tiles of the backsplash and random plank lengths of the polished maple floor from Curtis Carpets set the tone.

Meanwhile, the sleek contemporary look of the Espresso-stained maple cabinetry by Kitchen Craft coordinates perfectly with the clean lines of the great room. There, the built-in alcove allows the television to lie flush with the wall, while the pewter-coloured metal fireplace surround adds to the modern appeal.

Including these high-end features in a mid-range home is part of Discovery’s commitment to making the best in materials and designs accessible to Manitoba families.

For instance, the builder turned to The Ensuite to provide double sinks in both bathrooms on the second level. In the master ensuite, the classic clean lines of Total Lighting’s opal glass vanity wall lights inject a contemporary flair while contrasting with the dark stain of the cabinets and matching with the satin nickel finish of the fixtures.

Total Lighting used potlights and undercabinet lighting to maintain the kitchen’s clean lines while accentuating the decorative lighting over the island and eating area.

A mixture of siding and cultured stone, as well as a setback garage with windows meet the requirements of Waverly West in a distinctly attractive façade.

The upper floor also includes a master bedroom suite with a reading space, as well as a brightly lit pair of his and her closets complete with dressing area. The suite is accessed via a set of elegant curved steps, WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 9

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Decorative grills from All Weather Windows add distinction, as does the pewterfireplace surround and the entertainment unit’s espresso stained maple.

In the great room and dining room the ceiling rises to 10 feet. The creative use of bulkheads, expertly executed by Dominion Drywall, subtly separates the great room from the kitchen and dining area.

which offset the area to provide additional privacy.

“We want to build homes that fulfill a family’s functional needs by paying attention to ‘living’ details,” notes Gray.

Another reason the master suite is located in a raised area is that the ceiling right below it is 10 feet tall.

This is all part of the intelligent layout of this home. The plan starts at the exterior with a large covered front porch supported by four columns.

Because every family’s needs are different, Discovery embraces a very personalized approach to building each and every home. They take their motto “sound relationships make strong foundations” very seriously.

“When you’re standing on the porch, it still feels like you’re in part of your home, and yet, you can still see the rest of the street and visit with your neighbours,” says Joshua Rist.

Then, to create a grand entrance, the foyer features a double height ceiling open to the second level.

Seamlessly, the house unfolds, with a ceiling that steps down to nine feet over the den, laundry area and mud room. The powder room is conveniently located off the foyer, so that if the den is used as a home office, clients need never enter the rest of the house.

“We realize that building can be a daunting experience for people and we want to make it as user-friendly as possible,” says Joshua Rist.

Sumptuous cabinets by Kitchen Craft combine with a walk-in pantry and granite countertops from Stone-N-Counters for a contemporary look.

The relationship starts with clients sitting down with Rist and Gray to go over their welcome package. The builders explain how the building process unfolds, including what decisions the prospective homeowners will have to make and when they will have to make them.

“We believe it’s important for people to understand what’s happening at WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 11

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Stylish ceiling details enhance the spacious master bedroom suite. every stage of their build,” says Gray.

“We develop a sound relationship during the building process by staying in touch with the client’s needs.”

Thanks to Discovery Homes’ expert team of skilled and experienced craftspeople, homeowners can truly personalize their space. “If someone has a design in mind for their stairs, we will work with them to achieve it,” says Doris Rist, Joshua’s mother and the driving force behind the styling of the homes. The one-of-a-kind railing in this home was designed by Doris Rist and executed by the finishing carpenter.

Discovery Homes has been able to differentiate itself as a builder by embracing new challenges and opportunities as they arise. They have developed more approved designs for Waverley West than any other builder.

At the same time, Discovery Homes is the only builder to purchase a lot that is geothermal compliant in the next phase.

Stunning décor, heated floors, a frameless shower from Shodor and a luxurious soaker tub from The Ensuite transform the bathroom into a haven of relaxation.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 13

“Where bright ideas begin”

347 William Avenue • t. (204)943-0999 www.totallighting.mb.ca • general.tls@mts.net

Helping you is what we do.

Raising the back roofline by two feet allowed for a private stepped-up master suite, as well as 10-foot ceilings in the kitchen, eating area and great room.

“That was intentional,” notes Gray. “We want to continue to grow and develop in areas of energy efficiency and conservation.”

This drive for continual improvement is already evident in many features, such as the mildewresistant spray foam insulation installed by Penta Protective Coatings. The Icynene foam creates an effective air barrier. Discovery also used a high efficiency furnace, HRV, and other energy savers to make this house a Silver Power Smart home.

“Gord is a real visionary,” says Doris Rist, adding that each member of the company makes an important contribution to the overall result. “We work together well as a team.”

18 Millbank Street,Waverley West

For the client, it is this relational approach that makes the building of their personalized home a satisfying and rewarding experience.

Dave Spiers 14 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

989-5000

Dave Heinrichs

S tyle F ile Lighting – Total Lighting Flooring – Curtis Carpets Windows – All Weather Windows Cabinetry – Kitchen Craft Countertops – Stone-N-Counters Appliances – The Brick Bathroom fixtures – The Ensuite Custom shower door – Shodor Drywall & Insulation – Dominion Drywall Icynene foam insulation – Penta Protective Coatings Garage doors – Reliable Overhead Door Fireplace – Prairie Fireplace Construction Materials – Star Building Materials Stonework – Egan Construction Alarm- Kem Distributors Art – Punch Gallery Window Coverings – Visions Draperies Siding & Roofing – Sarna Roofing

About the Builder When Carson Rist was building his second home, he heard many horror stories from friends and neighbours. That is when he met Gord Gray, the person supervising construction of the Rist home.

Throughout the building process, Rist’s experience with Gray was so positive that he approached him about forming a partnership.

In the winter of 2005, they decided to bring personal service to the mid-range customer by launching Discovery Homes. “We started from scratch on purpose,” recalls Gray.

“We wanted to build a company where the customer is respected and has the right to be well-informed about their build.”

The following year, Rist’s son Joshua joined the company after graduating from the Asper School of Business. With Joshua’s mother Doris setting the style for the homes and his Aunt Kerri providing administrative support for Gray, the team was able to establish a strong foundation for the relationships they were building with clients.

Discovery Homes spent the first 18 months constructing homes in Stonewall before branching out into the city. Although today, most of their business is in Winnipeg, the company continues to build in Stonewall, LaSalle and other surrounding communities.

“This has been our coming out year,” says Gray, noting that being in Waverley West has increased Discovery Homes’ profile amidst the other builders in the area. “Not only are we an award-winning builder, but our showhome is really attracting a lot of attention.”

Deservedly so, as photos of this display home attest. But there is no better way to really appreciate this unique blend of innovation and experience than to visit the Discovery showhome in person at 18 Millbank in Waverley West. And be on the look-out this spring as the builder unveils a brand new offering at StoneRidge Meadows in Stonewall.

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WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 15

Trump.

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You. Are You an Innovator?

Be a Part of the First Power Smart* Community.

Take your place alongside great innovators. Join the first ever Power Smart community in Selkirk. Build a Power Smart Gold or Silver new home to get a lifetime of comfort, lower monthly energy bills, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Build Power Smart from the Start in Creekside Properties with the Power Smart New Home Program. www.newhomeprogram.ca.

Irwin Homes Selkirk, Manitoba www.creeksideproperties.ca 16 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Milne Homes Stefan Homes

*Manitoba Hydro is a licensee of the Trademark and Official Mark.

Beautiful by Nature in Power Smart* Creekside Properties Step outside the door of your new home and venture down meandering walking trails that weave alongside a curving creek. Hear the calls and chirps of birds, and the wind swishing through trees, native plants and grasses.

Build a new home in Creekside Properties and enjoy the difference of living in a community created around nature. Lonny and JoAnn Kubas have taken the approach of working with the natural environment to create a unique development.

“Creekside Properties is set within 23 acres of green space,” says Lonny. “Our vision for the community is to enhance the natural surroundings.” Built around a 3.5-acre park, Creekside plans include a total of 72 residential lots and 30 attached condominium units called Creekside Estates.

“Phase 1 includes 29 residential lots, 16 of which have walk-out basements facing the creek,” says Lonny. “Phase 2 is scheduled to start in 2009.”

As well as the park-like setting, Creekside homeowners enjoy close proximity to the urban comforts of Selkirk and Winnipeg. “A real selling point of our development is the appeal of the rural, country setting, and the closeness of schools, retail stores and a hospital. Residents know that anything they need is close by,” says Lonny.

“A number of the new homeowners in Creekside come from rural areas, and moved to be closer to the amenities offered in Selkirk and Winnipeg. Creekside is also closer to cottage country, and many Creekside homeowners also own cabins and appreciate the shorter trip to their weekend home. ” Another distinct feature of Creekside is that it is the first Power Smart development in Manitoba. “We’re proud that our development is kinder to the environment by being Power Smart,” says JoAnn. “Creekside Properties homes are energy efficient and also use water more efficiently. Homes include water saving showerheads; energy efficient lighting, heating, and ventilation systems; higher levels of insulation, tighter draft proofing; an electronic ignition for natural gas fireplaces and a permanently wired car plug timer,” she adds.

“We’ve taken the time to get quality builders who have experience building energy efficient homes - Irwin Homes, Milne Homes and Stefan Homes. These builders and the Power Smart option are a natural fit for our green community,” says Lonny.

With lower greenhouse gas emissions, Power Smart new homes use energy more efficiently and have lower monthly energy costs. There are two levels of Power Smart homes - Gold and Silver. Gold homes save up to 26 percent

monthly on energy costs. Silver homes save up to 16 percent monthly.

“There is no cost to participate in the New Home Program. You pay for the energy, water and heating systems that you normally would during construction of a new home,” explains Tracy Sterdan, Marketing Specialist, Manitoba Hydro. “Some energy efficient products may cost more than conventional products, but the average cost to add Power Smart Gold features ranges between $4500 and $6000.”

Power Smart features can be added to any type of new home. The Power Smart New Home Program provides homeowners and builders with a list of required energy efficient features.

For more information about Creekside Properties, visit www.creeksideproperties.ca or contact JoAnn Kubas at (204) 997-8199.

For more information about the Power Smart New Home Program, call Manitoba Hydro at 480-5900 (in Winnipeg), toll-free at 1-888MB HYDRO (1-888-624-9376) or visit: www. newhomeprogram.ca

*Manitoba Hydro is a licensee of the Trademark and Official Mark.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 17

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$

by Renee Sierra

Are We There Yet? The first drop of the roller coaster is usually the worst. As energy is expended, the momentum decreases until the ride mercifully ends.

Have the markets finally bottomed out? Has the race to recession ceased? And what caused us to hop on that ride in the first place?

“Greed,” declares James Reimer, Financial Advisor with Assante Financial Management.

Greed, unchecked, is hazardous to your bottom line.

“There is no question that greed precipitated this current market ‘crisis,’” James says. “The issue began in the US, where lenders offered mortgages to people who never should have qualified for them. These mortgages were then packaged, repackaged, and sold to investors around the world as relatively safe investments.

This all worked fine until the value of the underlying homes began to fall, and things began to unravel,” he explains.

“Homeowners took theses oversized mortgages because they could, not because they should, and when the overvalued real estate market started to slide, mortgages exceeded the value of the properties, and thus began the crisis.”

Is anyone buying today?

“Many fund managers and professional investors are buying up quality stocks that are low right now, the stocks that the individual or retail investors are selling because of fear,” James says.

“They see the value of buying these stocks at a discount, and realizing the value over the long-term.”

Will this market ever even out?

“Markets usually revert to some type of mean. In other words, they usually go too high, and when they fall, they usually fall too far. But in the end, they tend to revert to prices that the general market finds acceptable,” notes James.

“The tech market boom is an excellent example of a market that sharply rose, providing great gains, and then plummeted to surprisingly low depths. The companies with true value not only survived, but come out of these markets stronger and more profitable.”

The markets have always been too difficult to predict

But market fluctuations of recent weeks are not due only to those invested directly in the housing market.

Look at the recent oil prices. “Oil rose to $147 per barrel in the summer, and was widely believed to go much higher. But we are seeing oil settling back down to below $70 a barrel. Who predicted that?”

“Credit card companies were offering unprecedented amounts of easy credit and people were taking it once again because they could. They used the credit, and now are carrying too much debt. Missed payments and defaults all contribute to the issuers’ losses, and the markets are reflecting those losses,” says James.

“Remember the CDN dollar at 62¢? Many economists predicted that it would drop to 50¢, but instead, it climbed to $1.10. It was then thought that the dollar would head to $1.50, and now it’s down below 80 cents!”

So where are we now?

James suggests that the markets today are driven mainly by fear, rather than fundamentals. When 29 of the Dow Jones 30 stocks all go down by the same amount on the same day, we are in a market driven by fear. Not all of these companies saw their profits drop by the same amount on the same day.

“Greed and fear go hand in hand within the financial world,” James says. “When the market is doing well, everyone wants to grab a piece of the pie, and sometimes, as we see by the examples earlier, too much pie.”

Now that the markets are down, people feel fear because the pie is suddenly too hot and they don’t want to get burned.

“There is no question that fear can cause people to do illogical things,” James notes. “It is important to remember that you only trigger losses when you actually sell. Most investors are simply too far into this to get out now, without serious long-term consequences.”

Remember the words of Warren Buffet: ‘Be greedy when others are fearful, and fearful when others are greedy.’ If you agree with this philosophy, then now is probably a great time to be buying, as there is certainly plenty of fear out there.

“There is no question that these are difficult times, and it may be difficult to stick to your investment discipline when the markets are playing havoc with your portfolios. Yes - if you are close to or at retirement, you should be re-evaluating your investment portfolios to ensure that you are not taking too much risk. However, that does not necessarily mean getting out of your equity investments. It may mean reducing your monthly investment income or stopping it altogether if you can afford to,” says James.

“On the other hand, if you have a long-term investment horizon, it would be wise to take advantage of value stocks and funds that are priced low right now so that you can buy more for your dollar and let your money work for you as the market recovers.”

But the most important thing to do is to see your financial advisor. Assante Financial has extensive experience and expertise to help individual investors manage their assets.

“We will sit down with you and review your entire portfolio with you. We will help you navigate the rough waters of today’s market and give you our sound advice based on your individual situation,” says James.

“If nothing else, make sure that you don’t make any financial decisions based solely on emotion, as this will more than likely lead you to making exactly the wrong decision.”

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 19

Safeguarding Your Network What do Manitoba companies have in common with the recent U.S. Presidential nominees? They’re all susceptible to cyber criminals. During the 2008 campaign, Barrack Obama and John McCain’s networks were infected with an email bot designed, presumably, to steal sensitive information.

Rest assured one IT network solution provider in Winnipeg, Clear Concepts, is working to safeguard the province’s businesses from similar suspicious and potentially harmful network activity.

“In the computer business, what you don’t know will hurt you,” says Scott McKenzie, Computer Systems Consultant, who recommends companies undergoing a network security review to ensure they are effectively protecting their digital investments.

“A lot of Winnipeg companies think we’re on an island and we’re safe, but we’re connected to the world and that makes us all subject to cyber criminals,” adds McKenzie. “Some clients didn’t even know they had been compromised.”

One of the most effective, proactive methods to safely manage networks is the 24/7 Remote Monitoring Solution (RMS) Clear Concepts began working with last year. Think of it as a “digital bulldog” of sorts that monitors potentially suspicious network activity through a centralized console.

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20 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

“This technology has radically changed our business model, allowing us to remotely manage a Simple Network Management Protocol compliant device on our networks, including the ability to update software security deficiencies without disrupting our clients’ productivity.”

“SecureBackups” is another useful tool many Clear Concepts clients use that automatically and securely transfers the company’s data offsite. It relieves employees of the

responsibility of backing up data on tapes, which McKenzie says, have about a 50 percent failure rate anyway.

These tools, combined with Clear Concepts’ rare mix of technically inclined and customer service oriented technicians, are helping local businesses leverage technology to their advantage.

“A lot of companies fail to do that effectively,” says McKenzie. “We’re focused on understanding a customer’s needs. Keeping our clients’ interests in mind, we need to look at their long-term plans and develop a solution that means they’re not just spending money; they’re investing it. That investment up front will save clients considerable amounts of money down the road.”

“It’s that attitude that’s helping Clear Concepts become a trusted name in the local IT sector by building trusted, long-term relationships with their clients and providing consistent service,” says President Christian Korell. They’ve won clients from Winnipeg to BC to New York along the way, as well as the respect of their peers.

The Clear Concepts team, which includes McKenzie, Shane Hartje (Director of Business Development), Chris Mitchell (Creative Director), Christian Korell and 10 technicians and consultants, have won the Consumers’ Choice Award for Best Computer Network Consultants two years in a row. More recently, they picked up the Small Business Award from the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce.

“We do a lot of work in the community through the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Winnipeg Chamber,” says Hartje, who sits on both boards. “I think we also have very progressive plans for the company’s growth as we move into our new location at 325 Garry Street in downtown Winnipeg. We want to be Manitoba’s premier network solution provider.”

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Stepping Out with Style MUSIC

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra – MASTERWORKS A SERIES continues with a world premiere of a work for tuba by Victor Davies, a duo concertante by Bottesini, and the continuation of the Beethoven symphony cycle with Symphony No.8 (Jan 16 &17).

Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 follows alongside selections by Bartók (Feb 13 & 14).

MASTERWORKS B SERIES showcases Handel’s Messiah (Dec 6), Olivier Messiaen’s groundbreaking Turangalila Symphony to honour the composer’s centenary year (Jan 31), and a dashing journey from Back to Offenbach (Mar 21). MUSICALLY SPEAKING lets us “Get a Handel on Messiah” (Dec 5) and ponder the essence of music in “Symphonic Rebirth” (Feb 6). WSO POPS invites you to climb aboard the Holiday Express (Dec 12-14), be stunned by the virtuosity of The Canadian Tenors (Jan 23-25), and transcend traditional strings with Time for Three (Feb 20-22).

SUNDAYS WITH THE FAMILY delights with the puppetry and symphonic sounds of Carnival of the Animals (Jan 18), and the astounding gadgets and preposterous props of comedian Al Simmons (Mar 8). Concerts at Centennial Concert Hall.

GroundSwell – A special satellite concert will take place at Artspace with interdisciplinary group eXperimental Improv Ensemble providing live soundtracks to classic film shorts (Feb 12). And celebrated chamber ensemble Penderecki String Quartet plays exciting new music, a Polish rarity, and a dynamic work for string and live electronics (Mar 7). Concert

at Eckhardt-Gramattee Hall, University of Winnipeg.

The Winnipeg Chamber Music Society – Concert 3 of the season features monumental and extraordinary music by Beethoven (Jan 11), and Concert 4 presents ingenious, introspective, and quintessential works by Haydon, Schubert, and Shostakovich (Mar 1). Concerts at the Muriel Richardson Auditorium.

A Musical Offering – Viva Italia! Versatile harpsichordist Hank Knox presents a program of Italian music (Jan 25). Concert at 298 Yale Avenue.

Israeli Concert Series – Israeli born percussionist and veritable force of nature, Chen Zimbalista is accompanied by Vancouver pianist Rena Sharon. A visual and visceral experience that must be seen to be heard (Jan 10).

Concert at Rady JCC Berney Theatre.

Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra – Timeless Traditions, the annual Holiday concert sees Handel’s Messiah, Swedish winter songs, as well as Canadian classic and Eastern European Klezmer music done by Richard Gilles and the WJO musicians – a special treat! (Dec 14).

Rhapsody in Blue pays homage to the legendary George Gershwin with vocalist Mira Black, guitarist Bjorn Thoroddsen, and pianist Judy Kehler-Seibert (Feb 15). Guest conductor Fred Stride delivers a memorable evening of Duke Ellington classics (Mar 15). Concerts at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

The Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg – One of Winnipeg’s oldest musical organizations brings you five of Manitoba’s most talented young musicians with the WMC Scholarship Winners’ Recital (Dec 28).

Next up is The Galileo Trio, a new voice in Canadian chamber music (Feb 8). Concerts at Winnipeg Art Gallery.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 23

Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir – The annual seasonal concert returns with Come to Christmas (Dec 7). Concert at Westwood Community Church.

Manitoba Chamber Orchestra – Concert 4 sees a collaboration of guest conductor Scott Yoo, flutist Xiano-Nan Wang, and erhuist George Gao (Jan 21). Concert 5’s Focus on Oesterle features guest conductor Alain Trudel, cellist Yegor Dyachkov, and violinist Karl Strobbbe (Feb 10). And baroque music gone “big concerto” takes to the stage with conductor Scott Yoo and baritone Robert Pomakov (Feb 24). Concert at Westminster United Church.

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The Winnipeg Singers – Magnificant brings the inspiring Christmas music of John Rutter (Dec 14). And Icons and Incense II features choral music from the Russian Orthodox Tradition (Jan 25). Concerts at Knox United Church.

Virtuosi Concerts – Baroque Masters II presents the 15-member WSO ensemble led by violinist Gwen Hoebig with guest solo cellist Yuri Hooker and trombonist Steven Dyer playing selections by Corelli, Bocchernini, Berger, and Telemann (Dec 6 & 7). Next, in “The Perfect Cake” – Bellows & Brass, audiences will be regaled by a tongue-in-cheek romantic opera in three acts for instrument-sock puppets with music by the likes of Puccini, Wagner, and Straus (Jan 17). Knowledge and emotion come to the fore when violinist Catherine Manoukian takes to the podium in the cerebral Emotions, Music and the Brain (Jan 30). And an encore sees Manoukian and pianist Peter Vinograde absorb you with From Bohemia to Armenia (Jan 31). Valentine’s Day will sparkle with the romantic L’Affaire Chocolat (Feb 14).

In The Classical Saxophone two of Winnipeg’s leading musicians, saxophonist Allen Harrington and pianist David Moroz unite for a Prairie Debut tour (Feb 21). And works by the like of Brahms, Listz and Chopin are played by electrifying Spanish pianist Serouj Kradjian in Homage à Paganini (Mar 14). Concerts at Eckhardt-Gramatté, University of Winnipeg.

Camerata Nova – Explore the magical state between waking and sleep in an eclectic evening of music and dance in Falls the Shadow (Mar 14 &15). Concert at Aboriginal Centre.

Jazz Under the Rooftop – Enjoy the Latin rhythm of freewheeling octet Papa Mambo (Jan 17) and Steve Kirby leads the Oceanic Jazz Orchestra as they jazz-up inspired folk music from the four corners of the earth (Feb 7).

Concerts at The Winnipeg Art Gallery.

Westminster Concert Organ Series – The 29th season continues with trumpeter Paul Neebe joining organist Jonathan Schakel (Feb 27). Concert at Westminster United Church.

OPERA

Manitoba Opera – As one of today’s greatest operettas and one of Bernstein’s finest scores,

Candide takes you on an incredibly witty and tuneful journey (Feb 28). Performance at Centennial Concert Hall.

DANCE

Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers – Emerging local choreographer and long-time WCD Company dancer Natasha Torres-Garner present work mentored by Serge Bennathan within a unique workshop process (Dec 12 & 13). And in Sasso, Sherbo and Lott, revered senior artist Julia Sasso returns to perform acclaimed solo dances in a program featuring a duet by emerging local choreographer Giana Sherbo, and developing new work by Artistic Director Brent Lott (Jan 9-10). Performances at The Rachel Browne Theatre.

Royal Winnipeg Ballet – A holiday hit returns! A magical flight filled with family entertainment, fantasy, and marvellous adventure, Peter Pan will have you hooked (Dec 19-28). Performance at Centennial Concert Hall.

his Little Shop of Horrors (opens Mar 11).

Performance at Pantages Playhouse.

Manitoba Theatre for Young People – Winning songs, whimsical costumes and a stellar cast unite for A Year with Frog and Toad (Dec 5-Jan 3). Axis Theatre’s dazzling masks and costumes astound in The Emperor’s New Threads, Han Christian Andersen’s tale about fashion and peer pressure (Jan 8-15).

Next, dance, music and theatre unite in Binti’s Journey, a powerful tale of a teenage girl in Malawi who loses her family and her home to HIV/AIDS (Feb 5-13). And in Thrice Upon a Time, spectacular acrobats invigorate an old fairy tale (Feb 26-Mar 6).

Fantasy Theatre for Children – A Christmas standard gets a reinvention in Max and the Grinch (Dec 26 – 31) and adventure awaits with Tom Sawyer (Feb 9 – 15).

Performances at Forrest Nickerson Theatre (Deaf Centre Manitoba).

Gallery 1C03 – Kevin Kelly’s Colonizing Oort features stunning paintings and drawings of asteroids (Jan 22-Feb 21). Rounding out the season is Everett Soop: Journalist, Cartoonist, Activist (opens Mar 5). Gallery at the University of Winnipeg.

Manitoba Theatre Centre – A monumental tragedy takes the stage with an adaptation of Euripides’ Medea (to Dec 13).

David French’s Jitters follows up with sophisticated backstage comedy (Jan 1-24). A love triangle gets seven sides in Robert Hewett’s The Blonde, The Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead (Feb 5-28). And in Doubt, A Parable, a nun risks everything when she is convinced she knows a truth (opens Mar 12).

The Winnipeg Art Gallery – Experience an eclectic range of favourites from the WAG’s 24,000-piece collection in Into Our Collection: Part I (to Jan 4). The art of employing common everyday items for conceptually rigorous “capital A” Art comes to the fore in Installation and Transformation: Objects into Art (to Jan 18). Music and Dance in Inuit Art shows the important role music and dance plays in Inuit culture (to Mar 15). When is a chair not a chair? Find out in 2 Chairs (to Jan 18). Epic journeys of the lone human spirit are captured photographically in Saga: The Journey of Arno Rafael Minkkinen (to Feb 8). Winnipeg artist Sheila Spence presents her over 20-year exploration of portraiture (to Feb 22).

MTC Warehouse – As part of MillerFest 2009, The Price foregrounds nostalgia and recrimination as brothers painfully examine the choices they’ve made (Jan 22-Feb 7). Next up, Bad Date charms with wit, spice, and eccentricity (Feb 19-Mar 7).

Prairie Theatre Exchange – Fresh from Broadway, David Hare’s explosively funny and politically edged The Vertical Hour will engage and entertain (Jan 22-Feb 8). Poignant and powerful, The Fly Fisher’s Companion sets love, loss and hope against complicated friendships and fading memories (Feb 19-Mar 8).

Adhere and Deny – Winnipeg’s avant-garde object and puppet theatre presents Song for Simone (Feb 25-28). Performance at 315-70 Albert Street.

Celebrations Dinner Theatre – Corner Gassed re-invents small town life with charm and hilarity (to Jan 17). And young, smart, attractive career women abound in the spoof Sexy Gals in the City (Jan 23-Mar 14).

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Winnipeg Jewish Theatre – Part of MTC’s MillerFest, WJT presents Death of a Salesman, one of the greatest plays ever written. (Jan 29-Feb 7). Performance at Berney Theatre.

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Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art – Sculptor and Installation artist Jennifer Stillwell challenges expectations of objects, operations, and materials turning things upside down, inside out, and on their side (Dec 13-Jan 31). Next up is an experimental hybrid between exhibition and fundraiser – Dream House 2009 – that asks artists from across Canada and around the world to re-imagine their domestic surroundings for exhibition (Feb 13-Mar 8). In The Overlooked Space look out for Helena Keeffe’s social sculptures, works that take inspiration from social relationship, psychology and community activism (Dec 13-Jan 10). Harrell Fletcher follows with a range of collaborative and solo works (Jan 22-Mar 14).

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video artist Jason Dee. STILL/MOVING/ MEMORY offers a tension of new and vintage approaches to film (Dec 18-Jan 24). Next, Added Value features an exploration of contemporary painting practices that incorporate photography (Jan 31-Mar 14).

La Maison des Artistes – Multi-media artist Marcel Gosselin explores the unpredictable evolution and the recycling of nature (to Jan 22). And found objects communicate signals from the environment with Adrian Willams’ work (Jan 29-Apr 9). Gallery located at 219 Provencher.

Costume Museum of Canada – Celebrating fashion, culture and history, the Costume Museum is home to over 35,000 artefacts spanning 400 years of Canadian fashion history. In the Main Gallery, Wool highlights

the elegant clothing fashioned from an ancient fibre (to Jan). Get a glimpse of decadent and fashionable nightwear and lounge wear in Nightwear (Jan-Feb). And Wacky Weddings showcases a line-up of interesting and wild wedding outfits worn throughout the decades (opening Mar). The Secondary Gallery sees contemporary Manitoba quilts featured in Quilts (to Jan), clothing design and construction illuminated in Inside Out (Jan-Feb), and the fashion sense of select Winnipeg women in Women of Style (opening Mar).

Manitoba Crafts Museum & Library – This unique museum collection contains about 5,000 artefacts and is a legacy of traditional handcrafts and tools. Crafts represented include embroidery, beadwork, quilting, weaving, dying, tatting, Inuit and Aboriginal stone sculpture, woodwork and pottery.

FESTIVALS

Canad Inns Winter Wonderland – Marvel at a winter drive through a massive light show in the warmth and comfort of a vehicle (to Jan 4). Located at Red River Exhibition Park.

Master Playwright Festival – Immerse yourself in the work of the legendary Arthur Miller (1915-2005) as Manitoba Theatre Centre and a host of independent companies celebrate his achievements with an array of live theatre productions (Jan 28-Feb 8).

Performances at various venues.

Centara Corporation International New Music Festival – Take in some Extase this season as the New Music Festival explores love, rage, grief, rapture, and exaltation through innovative musical forms! Discover Canada’s musical lineage from France and England with composers like Messiaen and Tavener (Jan 31-Feb 6). Concerts at Centennial Concert Hall.

Festival du Voyageur – Western Canada’s largest winter festival celebrates the fur trading era with musical performances, snow sculptures, historical interpretation of the early 19th century at Fort Gibraltar, traditional foods, arts and crafts, the voyageur International Sled Dog Classic, and a governor’s ball (Feb 13-22).

Freeze Frame Annual International Film Festival – Got a budding filmmaker in the house? This annual international film festival offers fun and stimulating movie watching and movie-making experiences for children and their families. Screenings of critically acclaimed features and shorts take place at Globe Cinemas and Cinematheque (Mar 5-15).

HIGHLIGHTS

Lindsay Jane – A writer of depth whose songs move with their poignant truth plays The Folk Exchange (Dec 14).

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Franklin’s Family Christmas Concert – Join Franklin and friends on a musical adventure that gets everyone into the Christmas spirit (Dec 20). Performance at Pantages Playhouse.

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Jazz Up Your New Year – Fairmont Winnipeg hosts a gala New Year’s Eve reception, dinner and dance. Featuring champagne, beautifully prepared food and music by the

Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra. A classy way to ring in 2009 (Dec 31).

Sophie Milman – Celebrate Valentine’s in style with a romantic performance by Juno-winning Canadian chanteuse (Feb 12).

Concert at the Burton Cummings Theatre.

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Brad Paisley – Grammy-winning country music singer-songwriter brings his distinct popinfluenced sound to the MTS Centre (Feb 17).

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Delectable Dining Photography: John Johnston

Classic Creativity Awaken your taste buds with a culinary cock-a-doodle-do!

Mirlycourtois’ cuisine de tradition four-course and a la carte menus have Winnipeg diners abuzz. Named after Owner and Chef extraordinaire Bernard Mirlycourtois, this elegant eatery is housed in heritage brick, hued in blue and red, dressed in glass and white linen, and whimsically stocked with a flock of rooster figurines. Seated near the grand fireplace, the waiter unfurls napkins … and we begin.

Simple but sophisticated pre-dinner drinks befit Mirlycourtois’ high-living Euro-folk sensibility. Rocky Martini Rosso Vermouth tastes bittersweet and harkens caramel and cherry. A neat Pernod pastis is golden and alive with anise.

Hors d’oeuvres include delights like cured ham and Quebecois foie gras. Our choices – Alaskan scallops and escargots – foreground flair for tradition. Nestled in a bed of soft du Puy lentils, crowned with a sunny quail egg, and immersed in frothy carrot hazelnut emulsion, a trio of amazingly plump seared scallops surprise with earthy flavour. And tongues are brandished for piping hot Burgundy style escargots splashing in sumptuous garlic parsley butter.

For mains, a French staple, medium rare rack of lamb, sees tender sweet lamb bathing in silky and exotically spiced Ras el Hanout jus. A fluffy couscous tossed with soft chickpeas and raisins, and steamed fresh tomatoes, peas, beet, and carrot accompanies the rack. Kanawinka Shiraz from Australia’s Limestone Coast complements with juicy blackberry and floral bouquet.

Straight up Bourguignon Coq au vin presents dark roast rooster lathered in rich red wine reduction paired with vibrant steamed vegetables and lightly fried potato mash. Another red, a bright Beaujolais St. Boniface Cathedral – Labouré-Roi, infuses fruit with its supple forward of chokecherry.

Desserts with espresso rival the mains for texture and taste. Louis XV is a royal indulgence of smooth chocolate mousse encased in hazelnut succes and flanked with a brittle almond nougatine. A chubby scoop of house-made caramel ice cream pops a buttery finish. And a Strawberry-themed Trio is a treat of sample-sized New York cheesecake, ice cream, and citrusy Cointreau and dark chocolate soak.

Crave classic creativity in your kitchen? Chef Bernard offers hands-on culinary instruction that culminates in a delicious five-course dinner! Call for details.

Mirlycourtois 188 Princess Street

28 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Something Old, Something New It’s out with the old, and well, in with the old at the newly revamped Resto Gare (formerly La Vieille Gare). Sparkling chandeliers and immense timber meet steel and coloured glass in this Euro retrostyled gastro haven. Strolling into the bistro’s famous dining car, one senses an icon like Edith Piaf could stroll in any moment. Such is the rich vintage energy of Resto Gare.

Wine-based aperitifs whet in historic style. Neat Noilly Pratt dry vermouth is clean tasting with notes of herb and fruit, while a ruby-red Dubbonet served on the rocks with lemon is a bittersweet sip of spice and grape.

Smaller bites range from fresh PEI Mussels in Dijon cream to “St. B” Pizza dressed in BBQ sauce and topped with braised bison, bacon and mushroom. The featured appetizer - a Pear Tart - boasts buttery crust and rich balsamic drizzle, packs sharp Stilton blue cheese and soft pear, and leaves us panting for more. Next, tender scallops and plump mushrooms go under wrap with a white wine cream sauce in Crêpes St. Jacques – a particularly sinful bite, especially with a sizzling batch of Yukon Gold French fries.

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Mains are tailored to suit appetites seeking refined comforts of both authentic French and regional varieties. Our selections, Lamb T-bone and Bison Short Ribs, are plates that are hearty and satisfying.

Wondrously fall-off-the-bone is the braised short ribs. Lathered in syrupy sun-dried blueberry BBQ sauce, and accompanied by fresh green beans, roasted red pepper, and fluffy mash, the bison sees a fruity spin on traditional meat and potatoes. Argentinean Chardonnay by Catena Alamos, wafting aromas of quince, harmonizes the dark meat and berry sauce with its round palate of ripe citrus.

Meanwhile, the Mediterranean spiced grilled lamb, topped with glistening honey Dijon, offers juicy mouthfuls. Hugging the lamb are a smooth white bean cassoulet and a selection of fresh steamed vegetables. A Montes Limited Selection Pinot Noir from Chile sparks the lamb with violet and long finish.

Dessert temptation invites Maple Sugar Pie. This classic offers forkfuls of pudding-like maple filling, flaky home-style crust, and cool whipped cream. Hot cappuccino coffees, served traditionally and spiked with Bailey’s liqueur, furnish a velvety finish.

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Mexican Mecca Hidden in the Exchange District is a Mexican Mecca. Say hola to Don Pedro’s Authentic Mexican Grill, a playful conglomerate of memorabilia, vibrant colour, mosaic detailing, and contemporary touches.

Margueritas at Don Pedro’s are rated best in Canada according to EnRoute Magazine, and are made from fresh-squeezed lime or fresh strawberries. Both are guaranteed to calibrate the taste buds.

Appetizers include crispy hand-rolled taquitos to sopa Azteca, a spiced tomato and corn tortilla soup with avocado and cheese. Queso Fundido sizzles in a cast-iron skillet of fresh roasted peppers, onions and tomatoes blanketed with rich cheese and served with soft flour tortillas. And resting upon spiced Mexican rice are Tequila Drunken Shrimp, a zesty preparation of shrimp and roasted Peppers splashed with Jose Cuervo Tequila Sauce.

Mains are rice, bean, and tortilla-based with the likes of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas. Two North Mexican dishes – Chimichanga de Pollo and Carne Asada – are indulgent and bursting with authentic flavour.

Chimichanga de Pollo loads a crisp deep-fried burrito with shredded chicken, rice, and refried beans. Topped and baked with cheese and Pedro’s Red sauce, this plate is rich and filling. A sweet accent is added with Alegrias, a popular Mexican cocktail of iced Melon Tequila and lemon-lime soda.

A Don Pedro specialty, Carne Asada, features thinly sliced grilled steak with smooth guacamole, cool sour cream, flour tortillas, and Pico de Gallo, a condiment of chopped tomato, onion, and chillies.

Washing down this distinct dish is a spicy but quenching salted pint of Michelada, a concoction of beer, limejuice, and Worchester and Tabasco dashes.

Don Pedro’s desserts are a vanilla-filled finish. Deep-fried ice cream is a comforting bowl of ice cream coated in a rich and crunchy sweet breading. But our favourite is the Flan, or Mexican Crème Caramel. This French-derived specialty is a light and fluffy moulded custard drenched in caramel sauce and garnished with fresh mint and whipped cream.

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30 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Don Pedro’s Authentic Mexican Grill Main Floor 114 Market Avenue

Coffee Lover’s Heaven

Before buying an espresso maker of any kind, there are parameters to consider, such as actual location in the kitchen, design and colour, maintenance requirements and even noise level.

Jill Vardi, a coffee connoisseur, suggests there are several things to think about prior to purchasing. “Consider your available space for an Espresso Maker. You have to keep at least 10-20 cm space beside the machine for a milk jug and a few cm above it to fill coffee beans and water,” she explains.

Weight and size are also important because you may have to move the machine for cleaning or filling the coffee beans and water tank, especially if there are low profile upper kitchen cabinets involved.

There’s plenty of buzz downtown about Zcafe, Winnipeg’s new espresso boutique. This locale is a coffee lover’s heaven, offering highend espresso coffee equipment for home and office, and gourmet coffee from around the world.

Shoppers will be impressed with the large variety of coffee blends available, as well as espresso and cappuccino makers in different shapes, designs and colours. Product prices range from $35 for a stainless steel coffee grinder to over $1,000 for a super-automatic espresso and cappuccino maker.

Those who don’t know where to start can learn plenty from owner Pinny Vardi. “All our espresso and cappuccino machines have one thing in common - they are all made for the purpose of extracting the flavour and aroma from naturally grown and roasted coffee beans,” says Vardi.

Sounds simple, yet the task of extracting flavour from only 7 grams of ground coffee beans for a single espresso shot is actually quite challenging, and some espresso machine manufacturers do it better than others.

There are three types of espresso machines: Manual, Semi-Automatic and Super-Automatic.

Manual Lever Espresso Machines With this type of espresso machine, the user manually controls extraction pressure using a lever. There is no automated pump. The extraction quality depends on the operator pull, and therefore requires specific expertise to get the same results every time.

Semi-Automatic Espresso Machines Semi-automatic espresso machines represent the next generation of manual espresso machines. They have a pump and are much easier to operate, but still require some proficiency by the user to achieve the best results. In most cases, it is necessary to

have a good professional grinder next to them.

Semi-automatic espresso makers are used in most espresso coffee bars. Due to growing demand, they have been downsized to a slim design suitable to fit the average kitchen countertop.

Popularity and demand for these machines have made them more affordable than ever before. You can be your own barista at home, producing better espresso, cappuccino and lattes than most espresso bars can offer. You have control over the coffee beans you want, the grind level and more, to create maximum extraction and variety to match personal taste. Prices range from $269 for Capresso Luxe to $2,299 for the German made ECM Technica (the “Rolls Royce of espresso machines”).

Super-Automatic Espresso Machines, one push of a button From Bean to Cup. These are the newest generation of espresso machines, originally invented in Switzerland to provide consumers with an easy-to-use single push-of-abutton cup of coffee. Superautomatic espresso makers require no operating experience. They have a built-in coffee grinder that freshly grinds a premeasured amount of coffee beans just before each cup, and with a simple push of a button, you get your favourite Latte, espresso or cappuccino cup. Super-automatics are the easiest to use and offer the quickest, cleanest method for preparing fresh and great tasting Espresso, Latte or Cappuccino. Once programmed to your liking, they will provide you with the same great tasting coffee every time. In the past, these were a luxury for the rich, but today are much more affordable. Prices range from $1,199 (Jura Ena 3) to over $4,000 for the Jura Impressa Z5 Chrome, Jura’s flagship model.

With some espresso machines, the learning curve is much longer than others.

Super-automatic espresso makers are more popular with the majority of home consumers, while true caffeine freaks often opt for the semi-automatic with a side coffee grinder.

Regardless of preference, whether it’s a French press, a coffee maker or any other espresso machine, equally important, if not even at higher priority, is the purchase of a coffee grinder.

“The first basic rule is to grind fresh roasted coffee beans using a quality grinder just before you brew your coffee. This ensures the best flavour and aroma,” notes Jill.

Capresso has introduced the world’s first coffee brewer with built-in grinder, the Capresso CoffeeTeam (priced at $269). You can program its timer to start just minutes before you rise in the morning. It freshly grinds coffee beans and brews your coffee to perfection by the time you hit the kitchen. And there is no coffee fresher than that!

“We are talking about coffee, which is a matter of personal taste. In the end, it all narrows down to individual preference,” says Jill.

If you love coffee, stop by Zcafe. For those seeking the perfect gift for the java lover on their list, this is a great place to shop. Customers are invited to taste the legendary Black Cat espresso blend and the large variety of coffee beans from around the world, along with testing the equipment described above. Visit www.Zcafe.ca for more info.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 31

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32 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Noshing Out

Gourmet Catering

Dacquisto Cucina Tradizionale

Star Grill

Passion for food is a passion for life - that’s Dacquisto’s motto.

Offering fine Italian dining, Dacquisto’s from-scratch menu of fare from Tuscany and beyond enlivens by including antipasti like Octopus Carpaccio and primi piatti like Saffron Risotto with prawns. More robust selections include Veal Milanese and Mediterranean Sea Bass. An expert wine list will also delight the palate. For private dining and special gatherings, Dacquisto offers exclusive space and special menus.

Celebrating a decade of wooing diners with its charm, this eatery is indeed a classic. Owner Shirley Vlassie’s menu features mouthwatering selections like Coconut Encrusted Shrimp drizzled with mango sauce, and Smokey Bacon and Chicken Linguini with mushrooms and broccoli in rich Alfredo sauce. Sensational tastes extend to your home when Star Grill caters with hors d’oeuvres like Phyllo Strudel of artichoke and spicy eggplant with Feta, and mains like Jack Daniels mesquite BBQ beef tenderloin and mushrooms.

1715 Kenaston Boulevard

Provence Bistro 620 Niakwa Road

Reserve to tastefully ring in 2009 at Provence’s New Year’s Eve Welcoming. The multi-course menu offers the palate pleasing and exquisite detailing that the bistro offers year round - appetizers like Provençal soup with Fresh Atlantic Mussels, and entrees like Quebec Free Range Chicken with maple, walnuts and apples, or robust Manitoba Bison. Sweets like Chocolate Truffle complete the celebration. Provence’s Ballroom, Dining Room, and Wine Room make the perfect spots for gatherings.

Mise Restaurant 842 Corydon Ave

Canadian Regional Dining at its best awaits you at a new location!

Herb infusions and delectable savouries the cornerstone of Mise’s palate, firsts like Smoked Duck Breast with Crispy Phyllo Pastry and seconds like Seared Wild Boar Tenderloin with Black Bean Caribou Chili prove irresistible. Desserts like Chocolate Fondue for 2 offer a romantic finish. For the holiday season, cold and hot canapés, in addition to elaborate Mediterranean, Cheese and Fruit Platters, make Mise an elegant choice for catering.

Bistro 7 1/4

725 Osborne Street South

Wake up and smell the flaming Pernod at one of Winnipeg’s hippest bustling French bistros. Offering a seasonal menu, Chef Alexander Svenne plates such eclectic starters as Country Pâté with sour cherry relish and fennel seed crackers, as well as mains like Pumpkin Ravioli in a curried cream sauce with spiced almonds and apricot chutney. Desserts range from Elvis’ Favourite Pound Cake to Profiteroles. Bring 7 ¼’s exciting tastes to your special event by requesting their exceptional catering service.

The Current Restaurant and Lounge

Inn at The Forks, 75 Forks Market Road Housed within Inn at The Forks, furnished with both an alcove and private sunroom, and set against the picturesque historic environment, The Current is an ideal location for a special event or memorable dining experience. Dinner packages include gourmet selections like Cream of Mushroom and Wild Rice Bisque with chives and truffle oil, and entrées like slow roasted Sterling Silver Prime Rib au Jus with Yorkshire pudding, mashed golden potatoes and season vegetables. Desserts are irresistible with Callebaut Chocolate Cake and a variety of Cheesecake.

2069 Portage Avenue

Fude … Inspired Cuisine & Wine Bar 303-99 Osborne Street

Promising scrumptious bites into the unexpected, this celebrated restaurant’s menu for dining and catering is unparalleled. For appetizers, award-winning Toadstool Puffs see sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, Manitoba goat cheddar from oak island dairy stuffed in puff pastry and dipped in house-made berry cream.

For mains, a Manitoba “Ménage a Trois” spreads out bison ribs, chocolate chicken skewers, and Berkshire pork tenderloin with rhubarb chutney. Catering options include the likes of gourmet pizzas, bowls, and delectable wraps. Keep an eye open for monthly Wine & Dines.

Amici Restaurant 326 Broadway

Classic and original Tuscan-influenced Italian fare gets plated at this romantic downtown eatery. Mouth-watering selections like Roasted Provimi Lamb Rack with herb crust and root vegetables make Amici a five-star treat. Invite Amici to cater your special event and you’ll enjoy a range of sumptuous choices, from sit down dinners to cocktail and theme parties to brunch with menus tailored to suit your personal taste. Hors d’oeuvres include Lumpia Crepes with spicy beef and lemon dipping sauce, soups like Curried Parsnip and Coconut, and entrées like Roasted Cornish Game Hens with orange marmalade chutney.

Dandelion Eatery

230 Osborne Street at Confusion Corner

This hotspot for regional organic cuisine boasts a compulsively eatable menu. The one bite “Forks” line-up offers some of Dandelion’s best – seared elk, red onion marmalade, greens, chili glazed prawn, pineapple, crispy wonton, poached pear, goat cheese, and toasted pistachio. Appetizers include a unique Mac & Cheese featuring duck confit, while noodle bowls range from Coconut-Peanut Soba to a Carbonara of Berkshire bacon, fresh basil and Asiago.

Whether it’s a working lunch for your office, a convention, or a cocktail party, Dandelion’s select and custom menus make for a wholesome culinary experience.

Fusion Grill

550 Academy Road

Sporting an ever-changing menu of original prairie tastes, stylish retro-design, and award-winning wine list, this bistro is a prime spot for intimate holiday gatherings, gift giving, and sumptuous winter dining. But did you know Fusion Grill caters? With regular menu items like the famous White truffle Perogies with duck sausage and walnut cream sauce, as well as Grilled Bison Tenderloin with wild boar bacon, braised sweet shallots, Parisian potatoes and shiitake mushroom demi glace, you’ll want to invite fusion into your celebrations for family and friends.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 33

Noshing Out The Gates on Roblin 6945 Roblin Blvd

FASHION ACCESSORIES Southdale Shopping Mall off Fermor behind Perkins 253-1338 www.greatfinds.ca

Country charm exudes at this Winnipeg favourite. Executive Chef Heiko Duehrsen is at the helm creating dynamic starters like Tartare, a combination of Ahi Tuna and Sterling beef Tenderloin drizzled with crème fraîche and pomegranate Balsamic reduction, and entrées like Maple Wood Roasted Atlantic Salmon with oyster mushrooms, bacon, leeks, and Rosemary butter sauce. Catering to a wide variety of formal and informal events, The Gates on Roblin promises to stage outstanding culinary experiences with a stunning presentation of the very best plates from its kitchen.

Saucers Café

570 Academy Road

Winter goes gourmet at this modern café and eatery. Its diverse menu wraps it, sandwiches it, or melts it for zesty lunches. Other casual bites include pizzas and pastas, seafood tasties, and garden goodies. Appetizers include Chicken Satay skewers with peanut Thai sauce. For dinner, big plates satisfy like Pumpkin Seed Crusted Pork finished with pomegranate syrup and served with sweet potato fries and fresh vegetables. Experience these distinct tastes at your own events and celebrations when Saucers Café caters with its wide range of appetizers, sandwiches, or delectable platters.

Fort Gibraltar

866 St. Joseph Street

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Add dramatic flair to your special event by letting this historic fort and Storm Catering play host. Housed in the Northwest Company’s former trading facility, you’ll nibble hot hors d’oeuvres like Crab and Brie Phyllo, Blackened Pickerel Cheeks with roasted yellow pepper preserve, and Chorizo filled Crescents. Platters include Orange and Watermelon Chilled Scallop Ceviche and Pink Peppercorn and Lemon Vodka Cured Gravlox. Served by staff dressed in historical costumes and presenting French-Canadian themed entertainments, Fort Gibraltar puts a unique accent on any celebration.

Gasthaus Gutenberger Restaurant & Winebar 2583 Portage Avenue

Love Schnitzel? You’ll love Gasthaus Gutenberger. Indulge in German cuisine at this authentic haven. Appetizers include Bavarianstyle Bratwurst pan-fried and served with beer sauce and Matjesfilet Hausfrauen Art, herring paired with apple, pickle, onion, and dill, and pumpernickel. Over half a dozen Schnitzel variations also await, in addition to specialties like Bavarian pork hog with sauerkraut potato dumplings and a Vegetable Medley Wellington in puff pastry.

Catering is an extravaganza with Gasthaus Gutenberger’s buffet and New Year’s Eve dinner and dance.

Luxsolé Restaurant and Tapas Lounge 726 Osborne Street

“The greates t thing since sliced bread” Gluten Free, Ancient Grain, Sprouted Cereals and more...

EAT IT Organic Market 603 Wall Street Tel # 204.772.2136 Open Mon-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-4

34 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Offering not only organic beef and naturally raised bison, Berkshire pork and lamb, but also a cornucopia of farm-fresh ingredients, Luxsolé’s menu is perfect for intimate dining or holiday catering.

Flavourful in-house made bison pepperoni and beef chorizo as well as sauces and dressings are just a few of the fresh ideas for redefining traditional tapas, salads, entrées, and pasta. And gourmet pizzas like Thai Chicken and a line-up of lip-smacking tapas like Cranberry Glazed Pork Spears are party pleasers. Next door, Luxalune Gastropub provides a refined atmosphere for gaming and snacking.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 35

Bohemian rhapsody in chocolate To open the door to Chocolatier Constance Popp is to indulge the senses. Chocolate essence exudes from the store, sweetly scented air wafts a warm greeting and chocolate in all shapes and sizes glitter on the chocolate brown shelves. A drizzle of real chocolate accents an acrylic painting on the wall.

Whether producing premium artisan chocolates in her spotless kitchen or welcoming customers to her Portage Avenue store, proprietor Constance Menzies is clearly in her element, and enjoying the growing demand for her delectable, cutting-edge chocolate creations.

Her store is a culmination of her passion, style, creativity and high standards.

Professionally trained at the Barry Callebaut Academy in Montreal, Menzies specializes in handmade Belgian chocolates. She uses organic ingredients and single origin chocolate or plantation chocolate wherever possible, with decadent additions such as cashews, pumpkin seed, pistachios, Saskatoons and cherries incorporated into her truffles, bars, and bark. Salty, buttery chocolate covered almonds, an extreme chocolate cake and a spicy, rich chocolate drink are among the most popular items.

Menzies is constantly pushing the boundaries of her craft, producing unique, custom-made chocolates inspired by any number of experiences. Fresh baby beets from the St. Norbert Farmer’s Market, for example, were transformed into rich, luscious truffles with burgundy-coloured centres. And, accented with caraway seed and sea salt, they are “perfect with wine,” Menzies says. She enjoys experimenting and exploring trends.

“Chocolate is malleable and flexible, there is so much you can do with it,” she says, adding that she welcomes her clients’ custom requests. “My customers challenge me. I love that.”

Like the chocolate accented painting she commissioned from Winnipeg artist Joan Baudic, Menzies expresses her selfdescribed “sophisticated bohemian” aesthetic by artfully displaying her chocolates in unique containers, 36 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

By Leigh Patterson • Photography: John Johnston designed and produced by local artists, which are also available for sale. Foil-wrapped truffles spill from delicate metallic mesh shoes and stained glass purses by artist Lesly Dawyduk. Artisan Brigitte Weber’s rustic hand-woven baskets showcase bark and bars. Hand painted gift cards by Baudic and Michelle Gooding are the finishing touches to chocolate gifts.

Graphic designer Brian Fawkes was instrumental in creating the chocolatier’s brand identity. “I really like collaborating with talented people who are doing interesting things,” Menzies says.

Supporting local artists and businesses reflects Menzies’ strong commitment to her community and environment. Supplementing her chocolate wares are products from local suppliers such as the John Russell Honey Company, Frosty’s Manitoba Maple Syrup, Cornelia Bean and Prairie Lane Saskatoons.

Menzies has proudly incorporated environmentally-friendly details into her store, such as low-VOC

paint, solar panel lighting and reclaimed lumber flooring installed

by Andrea and Adam Ladouceur.

She uses beautiful, avant-garde packaging as more permanent, lovely options to disposable containers; compostable cellophane is used to wrap gifts. A percentage of Chocolatier Constance Popp’s December sales are being donated to Winnipeg Harvest and the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.

Menzies supplies her custom signature chocolate to a number of businesses, including Anna’s Indulgence pastry shop in Brandon, and her products are in high demand for weddings and special events. She is thrilled at the response.

“I love that people like my chocolate. I want to bring pleasure and joy to them; I’m addicted to that.”

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 37

Florentine Omelette Cooking spray 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped onion or shallots 1 ½ cups (375 mL) fresh baby spinach leaves 2 eggs 1 tbsp (15 mL) water Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tbsp (30 mL) crumbled goat cheese

38 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. SautĂŠ onion over medium heat until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Beat egg with water; season with salt and pepper. Spray an 8-inch (20 cm) non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in egg mixture. As mixture sets at the edges, with spatula, gently push cooked portions towards centre.

When eggs are almost set on surface but still look moist, cover half of the omelette with spinach filling and sprinkle with goat cheese.

Fold the omelette in half and slide onto a warm plate.

Makes 1 serving.

Mushroom and Prosciutto Frittata Cooking spray ½ cup (125 mL) thinly sliced onion ½ cup (125 mL) chopped green or red pepper 1 pkg sliced Portobello mushrooms, ½ inch (1 cm) thick ½ cup (125 mL) slivered prosciutto 8 eggs ¼ cup (50 mL) water Salt and pepper, to taste ¼ cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray.

Sauté onion, peppers, mushrooms and prosciutto over medium heat until tender; set aside. Spray a 10-inch (25 cm) non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Beat eggs with water; season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and vegetable-prosciutto mixture. Pour into skillet and lower heat to medium-low. As mixture sets at the edges, with spatula, gently lift cooked portion to allow uncooked egg to flow underneath. Cook until bottom is set and the top is almost set, about 4 minutes or until eggs are set. Cut into wedges to serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Strawberry-Mandarin Omelette 1 cup (250 mL) sliced fresh strawberries 1 can (284 mL) whole mandarin orange segments, drained 2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar 4 eggs 2 tbsp (30 mL) each water, sugar and all purpose flour Cooking spray Combine strawberries, mandarin orange segments and 2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar in a bowl.

Cover and let stand 10 minutes at room temperature.

Beat together eggs, water, 2 tbsp (30 mL) sugar and flour; set aside. Spray an 8-inch (20 cm) non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in half of egg mixture. As mixture sets at the edges, with spatula, gently push cooked portions towards centre. When eggs are almost set, place ½ cup (125 mL) fruit filling in the middle of the omelette.

Fold both sides of the omelette towards the centre tapering one end to form a cone shape.

Slide onto a warm plate. Repeat procedure to make the second omelette. Garnish with remaining fruit filling.

Makes 2 servings.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 39

Dr. Darek Dawda & Associates Clinical Psychologist

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DON’T PURSUE A WITHDRAWER Relationship tips from Dr. Darek Dawda

By Mathilda Waters MW: I have a different challenge for you this time, Dr Dawda. My close friend is having difficulties with his date. He tries hard to make it work, but she fluctuates between giving him hope, then taking it away. She opens up to him and then shuts down. They spent a great weekend together; then she wouldn’t answer his phone calls for a week.

Dr. DD: Is it possible that your friend is trying too hard? That his pursuit of her might be pushing her further away from him?

MW: How would that work?

Dr. DD: If somebody is moving away from you, it is usually counterproductive to pursue that person. Pursuit typically makes the withdrawer withdraw even more. Your friend would likely be better off to refocus his energy away from her and stop pursuing her in any way. This means cutting down on phone calls, emails, accidental meetings, guilt trips, or explanations of what he meant when he said what he said.

MW: Just let her go?

Dr. DD: Yes. And if he does, she might be more drawn to him. No guarantees, of course, because her ambivalence might signal an upcoming end to their relationship regardless of his actions.

MW: ‘Let her go’ is the last thing my friend will want to hear.

Dr. DD: That is precisely the tragedy of people who are caught in their desire. Your friend wants what he wants and may refuse to respect that his date wants something else.

MW: A few months ago she told him she loved him. Was she lying to him?

Dr. DD: During the initial stage of a romantic relationship, you are under influence of powerful chemical forces. You get intoxicated, and tend to idealize your lover and relationship. You say ‘I love you,’ and mean it. But this initial period of infatuation ends, and then reality sets in. And sometimes you don’t like what you see and how you feel in the relationship, and you might start feeling ambivalent.

On the most basic level, one needs to realize that relationships are in constant flux, constantly moving, transforming, and changing.

There is no freezing of love or desire.

MW: Are you saying that we have little control over the whims of our attraction?

Dr. DD: That’s right. Desire commands us in ways that are largely beyond our control. Attraction is deep seated. It works at the level of feeling, at the level of the body. We can choose our actions, but can’t directly choose our feelings. We can deny ourselves what we feel, but that might only make our desire stronger. We can compromise our desire, but that may bring us unhappiness. I believe it is important to respect the forces of attraction that rise within you and within others.

MW: How about commitment then? Is the whole institution of commitment dead?

Dr. DD: No. Commitment is one of the most important things we have as a human species. But sometimes we enter commitments prematurely, too often driven by fear or infatuation. Then we are unable to keep our promises. It takes time to get to know yourself and the other person, and taking time before making a significant commitment is generally a very good thing to do. Sometimes you have to go through a few relationships before finding someone with whom you can form a healthy, satisfying, lasting bond.

MW: So how do you see relationships working?

Dr. DD: In order for a relationship to happen, both parties have to be in. If both people are drawn towards each other, then you have a relationship. If, on the other hand, one person is opting out, unfortunately there is no relationship, and the other person has no choice but to let go. Letting go can also be self-empowering. It will hurt for a while, but will make you stronger. If you stay open to the pain, you may even learn a few things about yourself in this process.

MW: Are you painting a fairly bleak picture of relationships?

Dr. DD: I don’t think so. Statistics show that the majority of relationships are not working well, so there is no point pretending that it’s all fine. I think the problem is that we live an unreasonable dream that has been fed to us through fairy tales and all sorts of other cultural programming. In real life, it does not work that way.

MW: Are you a sceptic when it comes to love?

Dr. DD: To the contrary. Nothing makes our lives more meaningful than love, so I am pro love. But I am also pro understanding that love requires certain conditions.

MW: What are the conditions for love?

Dr. DD: To name a few: patience, wisdom, tolerance for difficult emotions, and absolute respect for the other. This means, among other things, that if someone is withdrawing from you, you must honour his/her desire to move away. Through such a gesture, you show respect towards yourself as an autonomous being, and you grow in strength. And guess what? As you grow more independent and strong, you become more desirable. People are attracted to you, because people are attracted to strength.

MW: I have a sense that we could go on forever like this.

Dr. DD: Sure. Relationships are complex, so there is plenty to talk about. Our discussion has barely scratched the surface of it all.

For more information on mental wellness issues, visit www.davda.ca Dr Dawda is a psychologist & the founder of DAVDA Psychology

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 41

hair

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add a little sparkle to this holiday season

130 Marion Street, Winnipeg, MB R2H 0T4 Canada • Phone: 204.237.4653

42 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008 Als_revisedAd.indd 1

11/15/07 10:53:48 AM

Yoga for Everyone “We believe in making yoga practice accessible to all people,” says Ryann Doucette, owner of Moksha Yoga Winnipeg (MYW).

In fact, the Moksha form of hot yoga—where postures are practiced in a heated room—is ideal for both newly initiated and experienced practitioners alike.

Temperatures of 37º to 39ºC provide a challenging cardiovascular workout while allowing participants to safely engage in deep stretching. Other advantages include increasing body awareness and balance, rehabilitating from injuries, or building joint stability and muscular endurance.

“The heat relaxes the muscles,” says Doucette, adding that Moksha is popular with both men and women.

“There are also lots of great detoxifying benefits derived from the sweating.”

But sweat equity has more than one meaning at MYW. An innovative Energy Exchange Program allows students to attend classes in exchange for working at the studio.

“That gives people who might not be able to afford yoga a chance to participate,” explains Doucette.

One of these people was Tally Young. The Manager of MYW was so taken with Moksha yoga that she decided to undertake Moksha instructor training in India in order to teach at the studio. Young is also very excited about some of the new yoga classes MYW is offering at the room temperature (25º) studio on the second floor.

MYW recently added two kids’ yoga classes, one for children aged seven to nine, and the other for ages four to six. The kids’ program joins a wide array of classes that include prenatal yoga, Ashtanga yoga (physically challenging practice that incorporates upper body and core strength), Pilates and group cycling. All instructors are fully and professionally trained.

“We place a strong emphasis on continuing education,” notes Doucette, who recently completed her Moksha Yoga Level II Instructor Certification. Pilates’

instructors are STOTT certified and cycling instructors, such as Doucette and Susan Ateah, are Schwinn certified. Cycling classes are open to people of all ages and fitness levels.

“Each participant can modify their own workout by adjusting the tension control,” explains Ateah.

“Our intention is to create the same mind-body awareness in all of our programs as we have in the yoga tradition.”

With a playlist of everything from ‘80s tunes to top 40, she engages groups of three to 15 indoor cyclists in simulating hill climbing, interval training, riding a flat road, etc. The benefits: increased energy levels, stronger heart and lungs, weight loss, better sleep, and as Ateah puts it, “fun, fun, fun.”

When not teaching, she attends one of the yoga classes. In the process of loosening, strengthening and toning her body, yoga has taught her how to relax, control her breathing and quiet her mind.

Before

emile & etienne Darker Brown

Yoga promotes a whole health approach to fitness.

Accordingly, the studio has been constructed using ‘green’ materials, including soy-spray foam insulation, cork flooring and paint free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Radiant heat panels and non-fluorescent lighting preserve the healthy atmosphere, as do environmentally friendly cleaning products such as Benefact, a natural disinfectant. All the rainfall showerheads are low flow and tap water is triple-filtered.

Sustainability of all kinds is an important part of the MYW philosophy. Accordingly, the studio also holds Friday night Karma Classes where people pay what they can (minimum $5) and all proceeds go charity, many of them local causes.

Another sustainable initiative, one that would see participants reduce both their carbon footprint and their driving time, is the possibility of a studio opening in the south end of the city. Rumour has it that the new location would open some time in 2009 and passes would be interchangeable at both locations. Keep an eye out…

221-2727 538 Academy Rd. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3N 0E1 www.emileetienne.com WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 43

On the

by Quentin Mills-Fenn

Bookshelf My Natural History

by Liz Primeau (Greystone Books) Liz Primeau is familiar to many as founding editor of Canadian Gardener magazine and one-time host of Canadian Gardener Television. Her hobby, she admits gleefully, became her job. In this charming memoir, the former Winnipegger charts her gardening evolution. When a family tragedy causes the family to move out East, young Liz gains gardening inspiration from relatives.

Primeau writes of her search for her own naturalist style, shocking her neighbours by creating a garden in her front yard, and her tribulations in marrying someone who isn’t a born horticulturist and her subsequent success at conversion. A source of inspiration or solace for gardeners over the coming winter.

Shut Up, I’m Talking and Other Diplomacy Lessons I Learned in the Israeli Government

by Gregory Levey (Free Press) Another memoir, this is the story of a nice young man from Toronto, studying law in New York City, who finds himself to his enormous surprise a speechwriter at the Israeli Mission to the UN, despite not being Israeli. What follows is a tale almost too crazy and funny to be believed, as Gregory Levey encounters a bureaucracy filled with outrageous characters, watches in horror as a Holocaust survivor nearly knocks over the Syrian ambassador, and has his doubts over Israeli military complaints about the transgression border-crossing Palestinian sheep. Things get even more dysfunctional when he finds himself in Israel writing speeches for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, with coworkers yelling into cell phones while driving on the sidewalks of Jerusalem. You end up wondering how the country lasted this long. Delightful.

Manitoba Book of Everything

by Christine Hanlon, Barbara Edie, and Doreen Pendgracs (MacIntyre Purcell)

• • • • •

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44 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Did you know the Alpine Club, Canada’s national mountaineering organization, was founded in Winnipeg? You would have been acquainted with that little fact if you had read the Manitoba Book of Everything. This modestly entitled compendium, part of a nation-wide series, is filled with entertaining Keystone Province trivia. Its troika of authors, including Style Manitoba’s Christine Hanlon, compiled a far-ranging assortment of facts that show what makes this place tick. Guest contributors include Sami Jo Small on her favourite outdoor sports memories, and Guy Maddin weighing in with a lament for the much-missed Chateau Court Apartments, late of Assiniboine Avenue.

S T Y L I N G

T H E

STEREO

FASHION ACCESSORIES Southdale Shopping Mall off Fermor behind Perkins 253-1338

By Randal McIlroy Norma Winstone Distances (ECM/Universal)

The fear of a little silence in music is a dismal sign of the times, whether you’re dealing with pop music that’s had the air squeezed out of it or mainstream modern jazz singing that creaks under overwrought mannerisms. English singer and songwriter Norma Winstone has been offering her own beautiful alternatives for years. Early work in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with British jazz contemporaries suggested she could sing anything; the charm is that she never tried to do everything. Building on the quiet intensity of Azimuth, a trio with Kenny Wheeler and John Taylor, she trusts now to the deep waters stirred by Glauco Vanier’s piano and Klaus Gesing’s reeds (the warm charcoal of his bass clarinet especially). A relaxed interpretation of Peter Gabriel’s apocalyptic “Here Comes the Flood” will arrest the unsuspecting, but it flows naturally with the mature original songs. (Meanwhile, Winstone’s superb 1986 set, Somewhere Called Home, is one of 40 ECM titles issued in the new, budget-priced Touchstones series.)

New Order Live in Glasgow (Rhino/Warners DVD)

www.greatfinds.ca

Corydon Village Mall, 1700 Corydon Ave 477-4653

S t y l e D e s i g n

The Manchester band that saved itself and influenced countless others by teaching rock music how to dance with electronics is reportedly no more, but the forthcoming reissue of New Order’s key albums, each paired with its contemporary singles, should goose healthy reappraisal.

This double DVD of recent and historic concert music adds to the picture. The first disc frames a 2006 concert that shows a tough band earning every clap and making more of later material that sounds indifferent on the studio originals.

The second trawls the archives as far back as 1981; get past the shock of cherubic faces – was front man Bernard Sumner allowed to stay out so late? -- and early synthesizers and there’s a brave band struggling to span the distance from Joy Division to “Blue Monday.” Drummer Stephen Morris on his own is worth the price of admission.

Various Artists Miles from India – A Celebration of the Music of Miles Davis (Times Square Records/Fusion III) The electric sitars and tabla that found their way into Miles Davis’s music in 1970 posted one more possible path for that restless horn.

Musician and Miles archivist Bob Belden takes it further on this inconsistently intriguing double set, where Indian modernists meet Miles alumni on the man’s back catalogue.

“In a Silent Way” and the epic yet minimal “Great Expectations” should have been naturals, approaching a classical raga sense of patience if not actual structure, yet both are rushed. The faster of two takes of “Ife” epitomizes the real successes, with keening flute and tabla cross-talk. The legendary guitarist Pete Cosey can still spook the horses across two continents. The closing title track features the astounding U. Srinivas, who adapted raga form to electric mandolin.

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corydon village mall 105-1700 corydon avenue t 204.487.2040 or 1.877.78small e indulge@mts.net w smallindulge.com WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 45

One-Stop Shop, Top-Notch Service giant corporate events to big-name touring acts like The Doors, Journey, Great Big Sea, Heart, Vince Neil and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

Jimi Kinsman had trekked across the Trans-Canada Highway enough times as a production manager to know that it was time to take his show off the road.

With years of experience and a number of connections to lean on, he started Audio Works Production Service with one rack of studio gear and kept growing from there. It’s now “Winnipeg’s premier supplier of video, staging, lighting, sound and backline services” that has become a one-stop shop for local events that offers rentals, sales, installations and service.

“You name it, we’ve done it all,” says Kinsman, from church productions and school plays to

“It’s very diverse, because we are virtually the only company that does what we do in Winnipeg in terms of providing all of the services – lighting, sound, staging, video and backline equipment,” he explains. “We also do production management. So you’ll see us doing something like X-Fest, which is Manitoba’s biggest rock event, to doing the Teddy Bear’s Picnic. We can do anything.”

When Kinsman started out, the goal was to provide sound systems for local events, and from there, they added lighting to their inventory, and then backline items (drums, guitar amps, keyboards, etc.). The company has since branched out to include sales to most of the popular nightclubs in the city, as well as providing top-notch sound and lighting for school plays.

The corporate division has worked with The Forks, the Manitoba Legislature, the City of Winnipeg, CUPE, the Downtown BIZ, Shaw, Variety Club of Manitoba, Portage Place and Harry Rosen. If you were at the legendary Get Together event thrown by Glen Murray at the corner of Portage and Main, you saw what

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Audio Works brings to the proverbial mixing board.

Kinsman and his crew have also lent their considerable production expertise to countless concerts and festivals, including Canada Day, the Icelandic Festival, Rockin’ the Fort in Thunder Bay, the Grey Cups in Winnipeg and Regina, the CBC Comedy Festival and X-Fest.

They have supplied complete conference services at the Winnipeg Convention Centre and most local hotels. Services included main plenary, workshops and concert systems for high-end artists.

There have been quite a few highlights for Kinsman – the first that comes to mind was watching The Doors and Journey argue over who was going to open.

“People who work with us can expect that we will look after all of their technical needs. They will get great technicians, who as a rule are very capable in more than one area. My guys are always willing to help out. I feel really good about the quality of staff we have here,” says Kinsman.

“We’re very at home doing huge corporate events and we’re obviously very at home on the rock stage. One phone call to us takes care of everything.”

Back Line Systems Studio Rentals Nightclub Systems Church Installations Festival/Concert Packages

His Own Way to Rock

By Howard Mandshein & Broose Tulloch Having his own way to rock has served Burton Cummings well; hit records in each decade of his 45-year career, travelling the world many times over, and maintaining his sanity in the dog-eat-dog world of rock ‘n’ roll.

Above The Ground, his first studio release in 16 years, hit the shelves November 4th, a buzz already in the air, radio insiders hailing the lyrical content as “magnificent,” and the album

as a whole “the finest collection since 1978’s Dream of a Child.”

While he is thankful for the praise, Cummings says there was a more organic impetus behind the album.

“The love of music,” he says, “ the desire to make a really decent record at 60, and put out something that wasn’t lame.”

The overwhelming response to the Guess Who and Bachman/Cummings reunions only fuelled his intense internal pressure to make Above The Ground an album to be proud of.

“I’m 60 years old, I’ve got a wall full of gold records; I can’t put out something schlocky or syrupy at this point in my life. It should have some substance to it.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 47

What makes me proudest though, is the diversity of styles and moods. It’s diverse without being diverse for the sake of diversity,” explains Cummings.

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“I do think my age has a lot to do with this,” he offers. “I’m not nearly so guarded anymore. I am 60, I’m healthy, fairly sane, and I still have a career.”

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“I have an attitude of gratitude,” he says. “An overwhelming sense of gratitude for how lucky I’ve been. And finally, I have come to the point where I am now existential enough to appreciate all of that.”

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Finding his place in the grand scheme, so to speak, entailed changing his view from within.

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“Being more introspective comes with age,” he explains. “I’m more reflective and hopefully more enlightened than I used to be. I’m trying to get to a place mentally where I can understand life a little more. I’m trying to be more thankful.”

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Thankful for minor things that are anything but minor, such as the universal “two good legs to take anywhere you want to go,” or the distinctly Manitoban “blue, blue sky, bluer than the deep blue sea.” Two of the simple things we tend to forget about listed in the reflective meditation Any Minor Miracle.

Perhaps the apex of the album is the plaintively titled Kurt’s Song, a tribute to Cummings’ Guess Who bandmate, songwriting partner and good friend Kurt Winter, who passed away in 1997.

“I still miss him deeply,” says a wistful Cummings. “And we wrote a lot of good stuff together.” Good enough to hit the Billboard Top Ten with Share The Land, Hand Me Down World and Clap For The Wolfman “A friend said you’ve said so much in one sentence,” he notes, referring to the chorus in Kurt’s Song. “And that’s what spurred me onward to be overly conscious about how strong the lyrics should be.”

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For the first time ever, Cummings composed all the tracks on the album himself. As for the stories themselves, most are autobiographical. However, in what seems to the be the most obvious song with it’s name dropping, Revelation is anything but real.

“It’s the fun song, and the people aren’t real at all,” he laughs. “It’s just gobbledy-gook,” as he

calls it, in lines like “Mister L. Divinci, said he wouldn’t budge an inch he, was convinced that someday humans would fly.”

“Really it’s just fun,” he reiterates. “It’s about common sense clicking on that light bulb when you smarten up about something.”

Above The Ground still features big sweeping piano hooks, but with a few sweeping curve balls, including a country rocker and a pair of tracks sans piano.

One of the first singles, Dream, was written and recorded as a piano song, but after listening to the first seconds without the piano, a guitar song was born.

“I thought the piano was a little syrupy and shallow,” Cummings confesses. “But I love it as a guitar song.”

While the keyboards were bounced from a few tracks, others enjoyed a boost of “just plain fun,” whether the “gibberish” in Revelation or just downright silly like Rollaway, a barrelhouse piano toast to a cot.

“I think Rollaway will have people laughing,” says Cummings, chuckling. “I think it’s about time someone wrote a lovely song about a rollaway bed.”

The 90-second ditty had its origins over 30 years ago with a few good friends, a case of cold ones, a piano and a microphone.

“We recorded ‘A rollway, that bed just down the hall is a rollaway’ to reel-to-reel,” recalls Cummings. “And we laughed and laughed!

There should be some fun, and it shouldn’t be so, so serious,” he adds.

“I don’t want to be preaching about stuff and shoving my lifestyle thoughts and my credo down anybody’s throat,” continues Cummings.

And a good north end boy always knows the score.

“It’s still show biz,” he says, “you should be out there to entertain.”

Above The Ground contains that classic Cummings wheatfield soul. However, the craft in the art is more about what has been culled rather than included. The words aren’t schlocky or shallow, it’s neither a return nor comeback, and without a doubt, not his swan song, as Cummings has a book of poetry, his first, coming out in early 2009.

“I have had the good fortune that the muses keep visiting me,” he says with a profound sincerity in his voice. “I‘d rather sing the old songs for 20 years than put out something lame.

But this isn’t lame - that’s what makes me so proud.”

Above The Ground is available online at amazon.ca and in finer record stores everywhere.

Growing a Music Community

Awesome! That’s the word my teenage son used when he returned from Rock Camp this past summer. It’s a word I could have just as easily used to describe the evolution of his strumming after a week of rock music history, jamming, and playing tunes from such rock legends as Jimi Hendrix, The Who and Iron Maiden.

Rock Camp is just one of many innovative initiatives offered by Quest Musique to get aspiring musicians of all ages pumped about making music.

When Sam Trachilis launched Quest Musique store and school, he envisioned creating a true music community, a place that would nurture musicians by offering them a full experience beyond just music lessons. Doug Northcott has a lot to do with making that happen. Besides organizing Rock Camp, the Music School Administrator for Quest Musique is responsible for the school’s year-end extravaganza.

More concert than recital, the event gives students the opportunity to perform live on stage, either as a solo act or with student and teacher colleagues.

“We want to give students the chance to get together in a band and play,” says Northcott.

Although the school has a particular focus on rock and roll instruments, there are also plenty of opportunities for playing Celtic, classical and country western music, as well as folk, blue grass and jazz.

“I always tell people we teach everything except accordion and bagpipes,” laughs Northcott.

Regardless of the instruments they play, to join the Quest team, teachers must have earned their chops. Northcott explains that he looks

for individuals who not only possess qualifications in music education and performance, but also have real world experience in performing and teaching.

“I really try to make a point of employing real musicians who are going to treat students as potential real musicians,” he explains. “I think those are the kinds of teachers who are going to inspire.”

In fact, several teachers at Quest are currently in recording studios or playing on stage. Some have produced CDs and toured extensively across North America and Europe.

Drum teacher Jon Plett is a perfect example.

Plett is a member of the alternative/pop group Hundredfold, along with Quest webmaster Alex Stobbe and sales associate Réjean LaBelle. The band was recently invited by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra to play the after party following a presentation of Gustav Holst’s The Planets.

“We played a full-on rock show at the Centennial Concert Hall,” says LaBelle, who met his bandmates at Quest and has toured five countries with Hundredfold in the past two years. “When I’m not on tour, I’m at the store. Sam is a great guy who lets me do what makes me passionate about music.”

Whenever LaBelle visits a new city, he often hangs out with other musicians at the local music store. “That’s the kind of place Quest is too,” he explains. “It has the feel of a mom and pop store with all the equipment and services offered by the big players.”

Travelling musicians often drop in, as do members of the local music scene such as Fresh

IE, Steve Bell and some members of Nathan, a Juno-award winning alt-country band.

In fact, Quest has some award winners of its own. In 2002, Northcott was the recipient of a 2002 Prairie Music Award (since renamed the Western Canadian Music Awards) for his work with the Funk/Rock band Fast Orange.

Today, on top of coordinating the music school program, he plays regular gigs in a local cover band and teaches drums at Quest.

In keeping with his own approach as an instructor, Northcott looks for teachers who can not only teach all the theory and technique a student needs to know, but also gear lessons towards a student’s interests.

“Ultimately, students should end up learning everything anyways,” he explains, “but they’re more motivated when they’re doing it in the context of music they love.”

Combined with a systematic approach to teaching, this creates a well-rounded experience. The goal, explains Northcott, is for students to know how to play an instrument, not just a couple of songs. Because this can only occur when there’s a strong connection between student and teacher, he spends a lot of time trying to arrange a good match.

“We’re really focused on finding the right teacher rather than just the teacher that’s available,” he explains. “We try to be as accommodating as possible.”

In fact, Quest Musique offers a 15-minute trial lesson/consultation free of charge to students interested in private lessons. Students can register at any time of the year at either of Quest’s two locations, on Portage and Meadowood.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 49

The Man Behind the Name

By Aileen Goos

Whether you see him in a commercial eating popcorn with a young couple enjoying their new living room suite or baking a turkey with the mom-next-door who just purchased a new oven, Doug Dufresne is the kind of guy that seems welcome in any home.

“Young children ask for my autograph and thousands of older ladies have invited me to their homes to cook,” he says with an aw-shucks kind of laugh that shows his small-town Saskatchewan roots. “Because of that commercial, people think I can cook. My wife cracks up. She tells people, ‘I don’t think he even knows how to turn on the oven.’”

50 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

It’s exactly that humble down-home likeability that’s garnered Dufresne and his namesake furniture and appliance store countless invitations into homes from Thunder Bay to Calgary.

Since opening the doors to his first Dufresne Furniture & Appliance store in Winnipeg, Doug Dufresne has, or at least his company’s products have been in more than half the homes in Winnipeg.

According to Kevin Hook, Director of Advertising, approximately 150,000 of Winnipeg’s estimated 281,000 houses have a product from Dufresne.

And like the commercials say, it all boils down to creating

“a better experience” for customers.

“I think really and honestly it’s about treating people the way they want to be treated and keeping your promises,” says Dufresne. “You have to have good product, educated salespeople and above all, you have to be personable – this business isn’t about furniture; it’s about people.”

It’s that attitude that has earned The Dufresne Group the distinction of being awarded some of the country’s most prestigious professional honours with a list of accolades too long to record – most notably of which is their recent Membership into

the Platinum Club of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada.

Not bad for something Dufresne started as a retirement project.

The year was 1983: Dufresne was hanging up the keys to a lucrative automotive business In Kenora, Ontario, and the local Eaton’s department store was shutting its doors.

He thought the area needed another furniture outlet to take its place and scooped up the old Eaton’s 5,000 square foot location.

At one time, Dufresne says he knew the names of all 500 employees, and he’s quick to point out that the company’s success is built on the contribution of every employee who wears a Dufresne name tag, not just the man whose name appears on the buildings.

Chatting with the man behind Manitoba’s dominant furniture retailer, one thing becomes very obvious: Dufresne is not just the founder of one of the nation’s largest and most recognized appliance and furniture stores; he’s a philanthropist – a title he wears as proudly, if not more so, than successful business owner.

Dufresne has committed thousands upon thousands of dollars to improve the lives of his customers and others in communities his company serves. Among the charities he publicly supports (there are countless others he quietly supports) are The Children’s Hospital Foundation, United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and the Dufresne Links for Life golf tournament in support of The Guardian Angels’ fight against women’s cancer. In the past, you may have seen him donning an apron and

flipping pancakes at the annual Teddy Bear’s Picnic.

“The line-up last year was just incredible,” says Dufresne, who lets it be known that he has a notorious soft spot for children’s charities and occasionally exceeds the corporation’s charitable budget if he feels someone really needs his help. It was, in fact, this special gift for giving that led to Style Manitoba selecting Doug Dufresne as recipient of the 2008 Person of the Year award, an honour bestowed by the magazine on one individual annually for outstanding charitable work in the community. Two of Dufresne’s eight grandchildren have followed in his philanthropic footsteps and volunteered at the annual Children’s Hospital Book Sale.

These days, the Dufresne boys – Mark, Mike and Shaun – play much more active and vital roles in the family business. Mark is the CEO, Mike is the Director of Stores and Shaun is the Director of Purchasing. Doug is still President, but had to slow down a bit when he became ill a few years back, and wife Eva is the Secretary Treasurer.

“Someone came up to me the other day and said, “Gee wiz, Doug, I think your sons are trying to outdo you!

They’re working too hard,” recalls Dufresne. “In today’s marketplace, you have to be competitive. You have to be very sharp, and more than anything, you have to keep your promises.”

His generosity began long before “corporate social responsibility” was a strategy to build favourable public opinion. It’s something Dufresne chalks up to being born and raised the eldest son in a large prairie family.

Being called upon to pitch in whenever needed was something he simply grew up believing in.

Those humble beginnings also taught him the value of hard work – something he passed on to his children when they used to come to work with their parents and play on the floor of the first store in Kenora.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 51

COLLECTION:

Naughty or Nice

It’s a fine line between naughty and nice. Luckily, no matter which list you’re on, St. Vital Centre has something fabulous in their Christmas collection just for you.

So whether you think stockings should be hung by the fire… or available in fishnet… you’ll find something that suits your style in the Christmas collection at St. Vital Centre!

Are you Naughty or Nice?

Take our revealing quiz at www.stvitalcentre.com for a chance to win either the Naughty or Nice holiday package (including a $1,000 St. Vital Centre Giftcard!) valued at $2,000.

life.style.

52 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Naughty or nice, you’ll love the Christmas spirit at St. Vital Centre!

St. Vital Centre knows what you love most

style and size. Like stuffing the entire shopping

about shopping at this time of year, and they

centre into one tiny box, Giftcards come in any

pull out all the stops to make the experience

denomination from $5 to $500 and carry no

look and feel the way Christmas should all

upfront service fees. It’s that easy.

season long.

Kids and kids at heart will want to take a

Step inside and enjoy some holiday retail

moment or three in the Enchanted Forest in

therapy. Take a deep breath. Exhale.

Centre Court – a magical place where snow

St. Vital Centre is a comfortable, hassle-free

falls indoors and the festive spirit is always in

environment, complete with warm décor, cozy

the air. You might even catch a glimpse of

fireplaces and neighbourly atmosphere.

Santa between the snowflakes, as he’s been

When it comes time to cross those names off your naughty and nice lists, shrug off your winter jacket at the coat check and get shopping! Whether you know precisely which of the 160 stores and services you need to visit or still need a little inspiration, you’re sure to

known to pop by regularly in the weeks before Christmas! Not only does he love St. Vital Centre’s convenient gift-wrapping service, the Big Guy appreciates being able to land his sleigh close by. With over 4,000 parking spaces, finding a spot at the mall is never an issue.

find what you’re looking for. St. Vital Centre

Finally, St. Vital Centre really puts the icing on

also has several Winnipeg exclusives on site,

the gingerbread by taking care of all the little

including Build-A-Bear Workshop, The Disney

details so you don’t have to – including a

Store, London Drugs, Costa Blanca and RW &

year-round Play Park, 24-hour indoor and

Co., meaning there are thousands of gift ideas

outdoor security, plus free use of strollers,

here that you won’t find anywhere else!

wheelchairs and motorized scooters.

Everyone has someone on their list who is

So how does St. Vital Centre manage to do

impossible to buy for. Don’t sweat the giving

Christmas best? Because they know what you

and receiving this year because St. Vital Centre

love most about the season. And because they

Giftcards are guaranteed to be the perfect fit,

love it too.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 53

g Haute Winter Style

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Soft & romantic Loose texture is created with flat iron curls, Aveda Confixor and Aveda Air Control. Textured definition is the result of carmel and blonde highlights from the Full Spectrum Color Line of Aveda. 97% naturally derived Catherine’s hair has healthy shine and strength.

Hair and Makeup: Amber Casselman Salon: Oxfords Salon

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Old ideas with a new twist Janet’s version of holiday hair is fun and mysterious!

Michelle’s hair was set with bobby pins, the front fringe finger waved to give it that chic ‘30s/ ‘80s vibe, bridging the gap between the eras! Add some hair accessories and she’s set for a night out on the town. Setting hair using different approaches can turn an old idea into a current and fashion forward look.

Lisa’s make-up application is clean and subtle, and not over done. Make-up should be kept simple this season.

Hair: Aveda styling products.

Make-up: Kore Colour: Aveda Full Spectrum Salon: rituals in hair and skin Hair Artist: Janet Lund Make up Artist: Lisa Carleton Model: Michelle Photographer: Jerry Grajewski

54 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

g

f

g

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Blondest blonde

How to acquire the best blonde? How to be the best blonde you can be?

The colour treatment for both girls was attained by highlighting with a chi blonde ammonia-free bleach alternative. Both models have naturally curly hair controlled by Purology straightening serum. Their looks were personalized and created by stylist Evelyn.

On the left, Krista’s hair was finger blow-dried using Purology Real Curl. On the right, Chantel’s hair was blown dry with Purology straightening serum and straightened with the Farouk systems Chi iron. Their blondes are maintained with Farouk Systems Silver Minx Tone & Shine, followed with Silk Therapy, a super sheen high gloss treatment. Ready for a night on the town!

Stylist: Evelyn Salon: The Last Tangle

Timeless classic!!

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Work functions and holiday parties sometimes call for formal fashion and attire. Shorter lengths shouldn’t be neglected this season. A short style can carry as much glamour as an updo.

Allison’s short shag has been curled with a small quarter barrelled curling iron. Once the curls were cooled, they were combed into a timeless classic.

The fingerwave transcends all fashion styles with its endless possibilities. On short or long hair, this style is perfect for any holiday event.

Make-up emphasis is on the lips. Holiday red with gold on the eyes is a subtle yet elegant look for any occasion.

Hair: Praise Make-up: Ally Salon: Society Photographer: John Johnston

f WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 55

BEAUTY BUZZ Give the gift of beauty this season! Spa products and services, luxurious bath and body lotions and potions, cosmetics and gift certificates are just what a girl wants!

Custom Framing for Custom People.

THE SALON Fabulous gift baskets featuring a variety of bath and body products from Yonka (men’s & ladies lines), Oxygen Botanicals, Sugar Baby, Sea of Spa, Jane Iredale cosmetics and spa services. Gift cards available.

Spalifestyle & Fashion Boutique, Unit 2-2001 Henderson Hwy.

HAIR

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NAILS

Grant Park Shopping Centre 475-6735 6-200 Meadowood Drive 253-9557 3143 Portage Avenue 889-1786

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Call for your Holiday Appointment!

(204) 947-3766 120 Donald Street, Unit 7 Winnipeg Canada

Luscious bath & body products that look & smell so scrumptious, you may be tempted to eat them!

Choose from a great selection of delicious smelling soaps, scrubs, creams & lip balms, solid shampoos & conditioners, Intense Hand & Foot Rescue, plus Chocolate Facial Masque kits.

Bisou Bath & Body, 1163 Henderson Hwy.

Unleash Your Inner Balmshell Balmshell lip gloss is sheer, non sticky & moisturizing. It glides on effortlessly, leaving lips feeling luscious & radiant. Loved for its unique packaging and sheer glossy colours, Balmshell is now a Christmas gift essential. Available at select Shoppers Drug Mart locations.

™

56 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Everyday Luxury

By Leigh Patterson

Among Other Things...

We carry a variety of unique items.

We feature old, new, custom and previously loved pieces.

Our collection includes: • Home Décor Pieces • Furniture • Custom Gift Baskets • Jewelry • Original Prints • Wall Art • Purses & Potpourri • Concrete Art • Linens • Custom Woodwork • Among Other Things ...

Visit us at 3136 Main Street (right beside the Eye Opener Diner)

(204) 339-3344

shop@amongotherthings.ca www.amongotherthings.ca

When Angela Filbert, owner of Bisou Bath & Body, decided to make the move from a thriving home-based business to her friendly, funky storefront on Henderson Hwy last year, she was determined to keep the essence of her line of soap and spa products.

That’s why Bisou Bath & Body products are still handmade from scratch in small batches in the store’s onsite kitchen, with raw, natural, quality ingredients including vegetable-based avocado and olive oils, shea and cocoa butters, oat proteins and honey.

“I believe in using the best, most luxurious ingredients available, but keeping my products affordable,” says Filbert, who adds that “people shouldn’t have to indulge themselves just once in a while, when luxury can happen every day.”

Along with an array of delicioussounding and smelling soaps, scrubs, creams and lip balms, other

popular products in the Bisou line include solid shampoos and conditioners that make convenient gifts for the frequent traveller or camper, Intense Hand and Foot Rescue to treat dry, rough feet and cracked heels, and a Chocolate Facial Masque kit to exfoliate and draw out impurities from the skin.

Licorice-scented Lickety Split soap is a favourite among Bisou’s male clientele.

One of Bisou’s newest devotees, Lorraine Mischuk, credits moisture-rich Citrus Chic soap for helping overcome her cold weatherprone dry skin, and she drops by the store to thank Filbert in person.

Feedback like Mischuk’s “happens a lot,” says Filbert. “People come with great response to our products, particularly people with sensitive skin, or with skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.”

With products like Mango Mama Body Mousse, Almond Biscotti soap and Cake Body Scrub, Bisou Bath & Body has gained a cult-like

following in Winnipeg, in Canada and overseas. More than 80 shops across the country carry Bisou products. Filbert plans to launch three new lines in 2009, including one for men, a facial line and a “doggy spa” line.

And with the holiday season around the corner, Filbert says she “loves making gift giving as easy as possible all around.” Bisou Bath and Body offers ready-made gifts priced from $10 to $125, and custom orders are accepted. Online ordering is available. A “Wish List” service allows customers to leave a list of their favourite Bisou bath products, thus eliminating guesswork for gift buyers.

There really is a difference.

The best looking, best constructed chairs and tables available in the City, still bench built in our store. Plus, bedroom pieces that share timeless design and excellent craftsmanship.

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Faveri’s 625 Wall Street 957-4940

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 57

Wandering the Magic City

by Greg Klassen It’s our first day in Fez, Morocco and I feel like a kid waking up on Christmas morning.

After three full days and nights of airplanes, trains, buses, ferries and more trains, we’re finally here.

Exhausted, yet exhilarated, we can only imagine what lies ahead.

Breakfast goes by in a blur before beginning our daylong trek through the old city, or the Fez el-Bali.

This medina is one of the oldest walled cities in the world. Wander through any of its seven gates and you are instantly transported back 1,000 years in time. It’s a 200-square-mile maze of twisting alleyways, mosques, hammams (communal baths) and markets.

High, windowless walls conceal everything within, making it impossible to know where one house begins and another ends.

The brick ramparts of the Fez el-bali would appear to have kept modern civilization at bay.

A walk through the oldest living medieval city in the world is an overwhelming assault on the senses, home to some of the best and worst smells I’ve ever encountered. It’s a labyrinth of twisting paths giving way to an astonishing number of narrow alleyways, some leading to nowhere. There are surprises every way you turn.

Like many of the magical places found on earth, there are no motorized vehicles allowed. This just means you have to watch out for donkeys. Attempting to navigate this maze without a guide is not recommended. Ours – Mohammed - charges 120 dirham ($18 CDN) for a four hour tour, although we end up taking about five and a half hours and paying 150 dirham ($21 CDN). That’s $7 a person – and worth every penny.

The best thing about hiring a guide, aside from ensuring that you 58 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

won’t get hopelessly lost, is that he keeps everyone else from offering to be your guide. It’s true he gets a commission on everything you buy, and of course, he’ll direct you to the stores where he gets a cut.

Don’t fight it - this is how Morocco works.

There’s a palpable sense of mystery building. The medina disorients us further at every turn. Mohammed points up to a second floor window and explains that they are opaque, so that women can see out, but can’t be seen from the street.

Every shadow asks a question. The doors are exquisite; the hinges are the five fingers of Fatima. Each door features two doorknockers, one at a person’s height and a second at the height of a person on a horse.

The high walls reinforce the sense of mystery and if you’re lucky enough to walk by a door when it opens, a virtual paradise opens up.

Beautiful courtyards with richly coloured carpets, fountains and trees beckon. Then the door closes and that world evaporates.

About an hour after our guide first mentions it (and at least 20 signs later) we finally reach a Berber museum. A calm, spacious courtyard greets us - a welcome relief after the claustrophobia of the alleys. We ooh and aah at the silver jewellery and the beautiful fabrics.

On the third floor roof, we get the first of several panoramic views of the medina. The vista is straight out of the Bible, but for the hundreds of white satellite dishes dotting the rooftops.

We continue along winding streets, where occasionally a donkey carrying a very wide and heavy load forces us against the wall. The constant jostling is exhausting, but we’re also fatigued from having our

senses on high alert. At one busy marketplace, our guide advises us to be wary of pickpockets, but being attentive to such details is hard work with such an array of visual stimuli surrounding us.

Finally, we reach the souk (market), which features nuts, fruits and legumes of all kinds, as well as fish, cloth, candy, furniture, even a neat row of four sheep heads. The aroma makes me slightly queasy.

Faces stare out of every tiny stall and I want to take some pictures, but have been advised that many Islamic people believe a camera will steal their soul.

Although, we aren’t allowed inside the mosques, we can peer through the open doors. We watch men removing their footwear thoughtfully and washing ritualistically in the many fountains. Then they settle on prayer mats. At times, the whole world seems to be praying.

After more than four hours of winding our way through the maze of alleys, we come about a “traditional Berber house.” Only later do I realize this is code for Berber rug showroom. On one staircase, I naively ask how much a rug like this would cost, and of course, it’s for sale. (Silly me, I really did think the place was a museum!)

We’re seated in a third floor room, covered in carpets of every size and colour. The game begins. Carpets are laid out and 20 more carpets with similar features reward any appreciative look. I quickly choose a small orange carpet, thinking it will look fabulous in my bedroom at home.

Prices are always inflated for tourists and bartering is just part of the sport. You should start your bid at approximately 25% of the asking price and settle around 40%.

Nothing about buying a carpet can be hurried. If you buy one, you must buy another. If you don’t want to buy, you just haven’t seen the right one yet. (I should mention they serve the most delicious mint tea during this entire ritual.)

I later become convinced that we are deliberately being tired out (and underfed) before we are “allowed” to shop so that when we arrive, the salesman can outlast us.

After a short game of bartering, I

settle on a beautiful orange carpet for around $65. (I probably paid too much but simply didn’t have the energy to go on fighting over a few dollars.) My companion, who does enjoy squabbling, is taken to a back room for further negotiations, which last approximately a half hour. As we leave, I hand out Canadian flag pins to the delighted staff.

The next stop is the famous tannery, where leather goods are made. After all the previous olfactory assaults, we barely register the foulness, although we’re given mint leaves to hold up to our noses.

What amazes me is how young the boys are working here, pants hiked up, trampling in the brilliant colours of the dye. Some are shockingly young. We are taken to a showroom overlooking the tannery, where leather purses, belts and slippers line the walls. I choose a pair of bright orange slippers for $11 (CDN).

of a thousand anguished souls in unison. I can feel the beautiful and haunting chant resonate in my body - a shudder of spiritual appeasement.

Many artists have been seduced

by Morocco. During the 1950s, the International Zone in Tangiers attracted some of the world’s leading creators and thinkers. Even today, it’s like entering a dream state.

As the late American-born writer and composer Paul Bowles so aptly stated, while walking Morocco’s complex, serpentine streets, the realization “hit with a jolt that the magic city really existed.”

At this point we are totally shopped out and need to get out of this medina. Now. If we don’t eat something soon, we’ll collapse.

Even though it’s taken us about five hours to get there, miraculously, our guide finds us an exit about 15 minutes away.

We have dinner on a balcony overlooking the teeming market. The baskets on women’s heads seem to be moving on their own from up here. The food is a little expensive

by Moroccan standards, but it feels wonderful to be eating outside for the first time.

Since it is Ramadan and the entire population is fasting, we haven’t been allowed to eat on the streets.

Time seems to stop as we watch the sun set behind the gate and wolf down our tagine, couscous and fried chicken.

We agree to our guide’s next suggestion and take a harrowing taxi ride up a hill to the Meridien Hotel. Built about 200 meters above the medina, it offers the perfect view of the ancient labyrinth we’ve spent the day roaming.

As if on cue, the sun goes down and the call of the muezzin rises above the city. This is the fifth and final call to worship of the day. It sounds like the guttural cry

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 59

Holiday Gift Guide Fashion forward frames in a rainbow of colours.

Visit www.hakimoptical.ca for a location near you.

For Vandenbergs Fine Jewellery.

Majorica Jewellery featuring Organic Pearls from Mallorca Spain, ranging in colours including all varieties of Tahitian, South Sea, Akoya & Fresh Water.

Vandenberg’s Fine Jewellery, 1858 Portage Ave.

Black & silver floral motif necklace, bracelet & earrings, plus an assortment of stylish bracelets.

Bejeweled Accessories, 545 Academy Rd.

60 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Spoil your little one with a No Added Sugar, Warm the Cockles Coat, Sigg Kids Reusable Bottle, Cuddle Boy 0.3L & so much more!

Lux for Sprouts, 620 D Academy Rd.

One of a kind silk scarves uniquely presented in silk floral arrangements.

Emile et Etienne, 538 Academy Rd

Celebrate in style with glamorous eveningwear for special occasions.

Spalifestyle & Fashion Boutique, Unit 2-2001 Henderson Hwy.

Old objects enjoy new life - browse an eclectic mix of reclaimed items recycled into fabulous decor accents & more!

Among Other Things 3136 Main Street, West St Paul 18 karat reclaimed gold diamond hoops & pendant by designer Toby Pomeroy. Available in yellow or white eco-gold.

Diamond Gallery, 1705 Corydon Avenue.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 61

For Ten Thousand Villages: Fair trade is always in fashion & these colourful socks, gloves & hats hand-knit by Nepalese artists are no exception.

Ten Thousand Villages, 2 locations: Northdale Shopping Centre, 10-963 Henderson Hwy or 134 Plaza Drive

Rado ladies watches for those with discriminating tastes.

Dimitra’s Jewellery, 1700 Corydon Ave.

Holiday decor accents galore, including square snack plates with a seasonal motif, assorted balls & soft organza flowers to tie on the tree.

St Mary’s Nursery & Garden Centre, 2901 St Mary’s Rd.

Solid beech Mission style rocker with black leather seat, alder child’s rocker & alder blanket box with cedar bottom.

Faveri’s, 625 Wall St.

62 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Holiday Gift G

Candleholders, charger & decorative box in a dark chocolate finish with accents of aged silver.

Total Lighting, 347 William Avenue

Dazzling 14K diamond & champagne quartz pendant.

Al’s Jewellers, 130 Marion St.

Guide

NUMI flowering tea gift set, organic chocolate bars & specialty flavoured organic hot chocolate.

Eatit.ca, 603 Wall St.

Images of Canada – a collection of framed Canadian art featuring Group of Seven prints by Tom Thomson, Fredrick Varley & A.Y. Jackson.

Available at Framing & Art Centres (3 locations) 3143 Portage Ave, Grant Park Shopping Centre & 6-200 Meadowood Dr.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 63

Gorgeous ornamental globe, Gunther Mele jewellery box with drawers & doors, Coolit bear sculpture by Keith Sandulak from the Bear Den Collection & vase from Libera.

Independent Jewellers, 493 Notre Dame Ave.

Romantic black lace demi style bra & matching panty offer classic luxury.

Diva Lingerie, Grant Park Shopping Centre, Unit 316-1120 Grant Ave.

Soft washable poodle jacket; copper & gold rhinestone floral cluster brooch; leopard earrings with rhinestone detail & glass holiday ornaments.

Great Finds Fashion Accessories, Southdale Shopping Centre (off Fermor Ave behind Perkins) Â

Comfortable water friendly Reef thongs with polyurethane encapsulated canteen in heel with screw cap.

Peepers Swimwear & Aquatic Supplies, 252 Stafford St

Holiday Gift Guide Stylish colourful eyewear by Bevel Spectacles.

The Focal Point Optician, 121 University Centre (U of M).

Warm winter footwear & cozy gloves for the cold days ahead.

Wonderful World of Sheepskin, 250 Dufferin Ave.

Give the gift of art crafted by a variety of local artists: Handmade stained glass purse / jewellery box, glass sculpture & ceramic bowl.

Medea Gallery, 132 Osborne St.

Unique ornamental gifts with lights, ceramic snowmen, a holiday vase & lovely ladies scarf with a festive motif.

Great Finds Fashion Accessories, Southdale Shopping Centre (off Fermor Ave behind Perkins) Â

Warm winter wear for men, women & children from North 66 hails from Iceland; exclusive to Radisson Hecla Oasis Resort & The Clarion Hotel / Urban Oasis, 1445 Portage Ave. WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 65

Aptly packaged in wooden cigar boxes, Cuban Chocolate Cigars moulded from single origin premium Belgian chocolate derived from rarely sourced Cuban-grown cocoa beans (70% minimum cacao).

Chocolatier Constance Popp, 1853 Portage Ave.

Elegant jewelled holiday ornaments, candleholders & candles.

Beyond Flowers, 163 Lilac St.

66 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Whimsical works of art! Paint pottery for your loved ones this holiday season or have a studio artist create something special.

Brush Fire Contemporary Ceramic Studio, Corydon Village Mall, 1700 Corydon Ave.

Cool, compact & easy to operate, Jura Ena espresso makers were designed specifically to save space & money. Available in a range of colours.

ZcafĂŠ, 228A Waterfront Drive www.zcafe.ca

Holiday Gift Guide

Find your bags quickly on the carousel with unique colourful luggage tags.

Gilded Lily’s, 5-877 Waverley St.

14K white gold custom designed pendants; choose from yellow sapphire & peridot or pink tourmaline & blue zircon, both with pavé set diamonds.

Dimitra’s, 3-1700 Corydon Ave.

Handblown glass diffuser from Woodwick, mini diffuser & soy wax candle set; body spray, body butter & lip balm from Archipelago Botanicals.

Small Indulgence, 105-1700 Corydon Ave

From the Black Beauty collection by Lejaby, available in B-D cup. Matching thong & panty also available.

Leissa Lingerie, 26-845 Dakota St.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 67

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Gifts for the Home

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Seasons Greetings • bedding • window fashions With a depth of 1 ½ to 3 inches, these hand-painted baked ceramic vases are perfect for narrow spaces.

Transitional Art Deco chair in a fun stylized zebra print, one of many upholstery options.

• on-site workroom • upholstery • furniture • accessories • wallpaper

Poured resin vases & a lidded box with raised relief sit on high gloss lacquer finished end table, an art piece in itself.

Glamorous 30-inch high, self-standing, mirrored jewellery storage unit with felt-lined drawers.

Always something different in furniture, accessories and window coverings.

designers walk, 329 cumberland avenue, Ph: (204) 925.4162 This stunning Cityscape is a 36”X24” work of wall-mounted tiered sculptural art from Artisan House.

At 40 inches square, this combination of brushed steel & multi-tiered painted backdrop exudes a sizeable presence. Also from Artisan House.

BEDDING WINDOW FASHIONS ON-SITE WORKROOM UPHOLSTRY FURNINTURE ACCESORIES WALLPAPER WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 69

Ken Zelickson

Supportive housing for independent seniors

Sterling House 489-4745

Dakota House 663-4983

Our goal is to provide the best possible service in support of our residents and to deliver that service in a secure and comfortable residential setting.

Included in our monthly rents: • Dinner and a light brunch served in a central dining room • Weekly light housekeeping • Activities, exercise and multi purpose common areas • Private guest suite and laundry facilities available on each floor • On site hair salon, personal banking services and private dining room • Full time management on site with residence assistance from 9AM to 9PM • 24 hour emergency phone service • Individualized air conditioning and heat controls in each suite

For further information please call the residence of your choice. visit our website at www.homesteadmanitoba.ca

70 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Kildonan House 338-8182

A New Home, A New Beginning

by Ian Mozden Photography by Michael Roberts

Looking for secure and comfortable retirement living that has family sensibility? Look no further than Winnipeg-based Homestead Manitoba Ltd. for a new beginning to your golden years.

For over half a decade, Homestead Manitoba has been providing community-oriented supportive housing that, thanks to impressive hotel-style features and attentive professional staff, makes for one of the city’s most relaxing and enjoyable lifestyle choices for independent seniors.

“All our houses are full – full all the time,” notes Julia Janzen, Property Manager. “It’s because of the friendly people, the genuine and creative staff and the home-style services.”

After the success of its three distinct residences – the picturesquely manicured Sterling House, the lively and populous Dakota House, and the quiet ‘n cozy Kildonan House – Homestead Manitoba is primed to open a fourth in 2009: Devonshire House.

Conveniently located in the heart of Transcona on Plessis Road and the newly paved Kildonan Green Drive, Devonshire House promises to capitalize on its predecessors’ most handsome attributes, as well as Homestead Manitoba’s growing reputation for sensitive community development.

“Every building has its own feel,” affirms Rya Janzen, Marketing Director. “And Transcona, as a city in itself, has a need for accommodations that serve its unique seniors’ community.”

Alongside Homestead Manitoba’s trio of superior properties, Devonshire House boasts wheelchair and walker accessible suites with tasteful and practical design. Suites are available in spacious one and two bedroom plus balcony layouts that feature big low-set windows, fully equipped kitchenette, walk-in shower option, individually controlled heat and air conditioning, and ample in-suite storage and closet space.

“The suites are designed so that residents feel welcome to make it their home,” affirms Julia Janzen. “We try to see the whole picture.” And this picture extends to the services Homestead Manitoba offers its residents.

Dining is refined, appetizing, and healthconscious. Professionally trained chefs work on site to create menus that satisfy every taste and dietary need, from diabetic to low-sodium to gluten free. In addition to a daily brunch buffet, the elegantly designed main dining room serves entrees like Hunter veal and chicken cacciatore alongside dessert delights like Black Forest cake.

For fine dining, expect sophisticated selections like roasted butternut squash soup, lobster cocktail on Belgian endive, duck canapé, and even minted rack of lamb. Fresh organic and all-natural baking and dainties are also available. Hosting guests? A private full-service dining room permits you to entertain with courtesy and style.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 71

at Ashley we create fashion, provide selection, deliver value 1580 Regent Ave W 1000 St James St Winnipeg, MB Winnipeg, MB 204.783.6400 204.669.4466

72 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

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The other season of St. Mary’s Christmas Store

Energizing activities ensure that there is never a dull moment. In the multi-purpose room, tenants can take in exercise classes lead by a special trainer, or engage in rousing games of bingo, cards, or video games like Nintendo Wii bowling or golf. Entertainment includes movie nights, live performances, informative presentations, theme dinners and various clubs. For shopping, shuttles provide carefree adventuring; but for those who prefer to stay in, merchants display their wares on-site for easy browsing and purchase.

Additional features include a comprehensive library, weekly housekeeping, accessible laundry facilities, parking, convenient banking, on-site management, full time maintenance staff, and a private guest suite for out of town guests. A residence like Devonshire House also looks to offer a full-service unisex hair and beauty salon for those residents seeking a little pampering.

“Each residence is like a little city!” Julia enthuses, adding that Homestead Manitoba’s staff communicates daily with its residents to ensure that safety and any evolving needs are met without compromising privacy.

Homestead Manitoba anticipates revealing Devonshire House’s display suites in Spring 2009, but assures that reservations can be made now. With Sterling, Kildonan, and Dakota houses at full occupancy, you’ll want to move quickly to secure your new beginning.

To tour Homestead Manitoba Ltd.’s top-notch facilities online, visit www.homesteadmanitoba.ca

St Mary’s Nursery & Garden Centre Ltd 2901 St Mary’s Rd Phone: 255-7353 LANDSCAPING | PERENNIALS | ANNUALS | GIFT SHOP | HOME ACCENTS | OPEN YEAR ROUND

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www.murphybedsmanitoba.ca WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 73

now oPEn

The Parkway Retirement living in a family friendly environment.

55+ Independent Living

• One & Two Bedroom Suites • Continental Breakfast and Dinner • Weekly Housekeeping • Entertainment and Social Activities • In-suite Laundry • Enclosed Parking • Movie Theatre Display Suite Open Monday - Friday 9:00AM - 5:00PM Saturday 10:00AM - 4:00PM Sunday 12:00PM - 4:00PM

Located off Sterling Lyon Parkway between Kenaston Boulevard and Waverley Street at 85 Paget Street

For more information or to reserve a suite at the Parkway visit www.theparkway.ca or call 487-8500 74 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Carefree Living Retirement gets a breath of fresh air thanks to the ease and style of The Parkway, a sophisticated Winnipeg community for those over 55.

“Everything you could want for yourself or your loved one is offered in the building,” says Lisa Tudball, The Parkway Retirement Community’s Marketing Director.

Operated by Marwest Management Canada Limited, a Winnipeg based company engaged in construction and development for over 35 years, residents can trust every aspect of The Parkway experience has been carefully considered.

The building’s fully accessible one and two bedroom suites include a private balcony, insuite laundry, heat and air conditioning, walk-in closet, fireplace option, as well as a kitchen outfitted with microwave, refrigerator/freezer, and electric range. Weekly housekeeping and daily garbage collection is also offered.

“We are pleased to offer residents the ease and support they desire,” Lisa says, “but we also support an independent lifestyle. This makes The Parkway feel like home.”

Additional features, like a library, café, Internet lounge, multi-purpose room, beauty salon and barbershop, guest suite, and state-of-the-art theatre, all impress as well as encourage a

family-friendly atmosphere. Instilling a strong sense of safety and security are enclosed parking, live-in security and a secure building entrance with a bright and spacious lobby, on-site management, friendly staff, and daily resident check.

Meanwhile, an on-site recreation and wellness coordinator creates engaging activities for everyone, including movie nights, invited musicians, educational and cultural events, games, classes, guest speakers, exercise programs, and visiting healthcare professionals.

For cuisine, three on-site Red Seal chefs satisfy appetites with health-conscious meals in the elegant licensed dining room. Following a daily continental breakfast, residents can sit down to a traditional afternoon tea. Dinner offers soup or salad to start with a choice of entrées followed by a fabulous dessert. Featured dinners for holiday and theme events add a gourmet touch.

“Our activities and special events let residents continue to learn new things,” says Lisa.

“Residents tell us how much they enjoy themselves, confirming how important active living is.”

Making The Parkway your new residence happens on a first-come, first-served basis, so book a tour to secure your future today.

Visit www.theparkway.ca for more details.

The Parkway is situated on four acres just off Sterling Lyon Parkway between Kenaston Boulevard and Waverley Street, a location that proves quiet and peaceful for daily life, especially with a paved walking path around the landscaped grounds. And with no less than 16 sunrooms, “there are lots of opportunities to mingle,” Lisa says, assuring that finding personal space too is a breeze.

Since The Parkway is only minutes away from hubs like Grant Park Mall, Lindenwoods and surrounding areas, getting out and about for various excursions including shopping, entertainment, and casinos with the aid of a scheduled bus is both fun and relaxing.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 75

Building memories....

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• LIGHTWEIGHT • R VALUE OF 4.5/PANEL VERY EASY TO INSTALL

Call Fort Distributors Ltd. for more information Tel: (204) 785-2180 e-mail: grant@fortdistributors.com www.easyrockproducts.com

Modern Prairie Living Manitoba’s newest concept in condominium living. Nestled in the heart of the Oaks Assiniboine River West, just beyond the perimeter, Manitou Oaks Condominiums offer a carefree urban lifestyle in an idyllic setting of forest, prairie grasses and natural wetlands.

“This piece of property is an absolute jewel,” says Scott Stephanson, president of Longboat Development Corporation.

Split into two unique areas, Manitou Oaks South and Manitou Oaks North offers two choices for condominium buyers while providing consistency in design and style. Manitou Oaks South offers a walkout basement feature in eight of its nine detached bungalow condominiums, each backing onto the existing prairie landscape and the Oaks wetland lake. Those with discerning tastes will have plenty of flexibility to customize the design while enjoying the turnkey convenience of a condominium.

“It’s like building a custom home in a bungalow condominium setting,” explains Stephanson.

Just across the street, Manitoba Oaks North offers 23 additional units with the possibility for owners to choose and customize existing designs. Both groupings of detached bunga-

low condominiums feature Craftsman styling, with clean lines and natural stonework.

Homeowners will have a choice of five exterior combinations that coordinate siding, stone and garage door.

“While a certain consistency will ensure everything works together, homeowners will still have more selection than most condominiums usually offer,” says Dayna Kinsman of Plush Home + Design. “Part of the purchasing package also includes two hours of our interior design services.”

reserve area adjacent to streets and through the 12-acre forest for the enjoyment of all residents.

She notes that the Manitoba prairies were the inspiration for the home designs, celebrating those natural colours and textures unique to its landscape. This is very much in keeping with the vision of the overall development, which has strived from the very beginning to preserve the Assiniboine River Basin along with its natural forests and nearby prairie grassland.

Another key factor to the development’s low impact approach has been the creation of a system for surface treatment of land drainage through swales and wetlands throughout the development. Longboat partnered with Stantec Engineering and Native Plant Solutions to design and implement a system that includes the selection of specific plants to aid in the natural treatment of storm water before it finds its way to the adjacent Assiniboine River.

“One of the distinct advantages of our condominium project has been this ability to tie into a low-impact development,” says Stephanson.

He points out that more than 20 percent of The Oaks development has been set aside as public reserve – twice as much as typical urban developments. Natural walking trails wind through the trees along the wide public

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City living, country style.

The result is a unique opportunity for condominium owners to capitalize on the best that nature has to offer, now and for the future.

“These are homes that are timeless, just like the prairies,” says Kinsman.

Enjoy the river basin along with its forest, parks,trails, and nearby prairie grassland while having city conveniences a stone’s throw away.

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WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 77

Energy Efficient Environmentally Sensitive

Dobie Properties introduces Eco 4

One of the first Green ECO projects in Winnipeg • Energy efficient lighting • Rooftop gardens

• Tri-pane windows • Geothermal heat

193 Horace Street | 924 Dorchester Avenue | 357 River Avenue | 214 Eugenie Street

For further information call 204-885-1340 McKENZIE ELECTRIC 233-8621 78 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

791-2136

771-5145

586-8411

The Future is Now

By Christine Hanlon Photography: Michael Roberts

Triple pane glass maximizes energy efficiency.

Sustainability is about making choices.

Those choices affect our immediate surroundings as well as the world in which we live. This condominium project proves that by taking into account the health of the environment when selecting location, design, materials and technology, it is possible to build an attractive, comfortable and cost-effective home.

“We feel this is the direction construction is going and the direction it should be going,” says Cameron Dobie, President of Dobie Properties Ltd (DPL). “We would much rather be ahead of the curve than chasing it.”

In fact, this four-unit Horace Street construction project is only one of several Eco4 condominiums DPL is building in various areas across the city. As with the others, this

is an in-fill project, meaning that the site was deliberately selected because of location in an established Winnipeg neighbourhood.

Rejuvenating older areas of the city contributes to urban revival. It is an effective antidote to the urban sprawl that continues to stress our roadways and bridges, along with services such as snow clearing and maintenance. Being closer to the urban centre reduces both stress and pollution by decreasing commuting time and distance. It is a healthier, greener choice.

When DPL decided to investigate the opportunity to construct sustainable infill residential projects, they approached Dudley Thompson owner and principal architect at Prairie Architects Inc. to see if the firm would be interested in designing a new sustainable

approach to infill. DPL was aware of the sustainable work Prairie Architects had done in the design of Mountain Equipment Co-op, Place Joseph Royal Condominiums and Ship Street Condos, and wanted to see if the firm was up to the challenge of a sustainable infill prototype.

Prairie then prepared a number of options.

Together the builder and the architect settled on the three-storey plus roof deck model with a central hallway and atrium servicing back and front streets to create four equal townhouse style condominiums on typical 50 foot lots. The condominiums were designed at Prairie to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s residential Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, and include numerous energy saving and green feaWINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 79

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tures. To date, only commercial buildings can be LEED certified in Canada, which is why the project sought to qualify for the American designation.

Globe CFL bulbs work perfectly with the glass fixture while evenly dispersing light.

As a member of the Canada Green Building Council, DPL also embraces many sustainable choices in its construction practices. For instance, whenever DPL tears down an existing building on infill land, the builder recycles or diverts from the landfill 75 percent of the debris. For example, the exterior brick cladding for this St. Boniface condominium came from a DPL Harvard Avenue renovation project in River Heights. Meanwhile, during the framing, the builder was careful to keep all the end cuts of lumber so as to later integrate them into the construction process. Reusing these materials is a decision that makes both environmental and economic sense.

An even greater case can be made for choosing geothermal heating and cooling.

Dispelling some of the myths about this ground fed temperature control system, Dobie points out that Ed Faraci of Faraci Engineering, as the Mechanical Engineer, was able to install the loops of four independent geothermal units in the limited yard space next to condominium. This was done by choosing a vertical installation rather than a horizontal one.

“It’s a safe and viable way— especially in the prairies—to obtain heat for your home,” says Dobie. “With our large clay base, we can go on relatively small lots and install geothermal systems.”

Thanks to four independent geothermal systems, each townhouse condominium runs entirely on electricity—no gas required. Next to the power to run the lights and appliances, the heating systems require little electricity, only enough to power the heat pump. (The systems operate in reverse to cool the home.)

Energy efficiency is further maximized by such features as the triple pane windows from All Weather Windows WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 81

All Weather Windows is a proud supplier of energy efficient windows for the ECO 4 Condo Development

Did you know?

• Up to 35% of your home’s heat can be lost through the windows • Replacing your windows and doors reduces your energy bill up to 12%*

• When you use ENERGY STAR® qualified products you qualify for a provincial green rebate.

To find out how much money you could save and to calculate your estimated greenhouse gas savings, use the Energy Saver Calculator on the homepage of www.allweatherwindows.com

• Glass performance determines overall energy efficiency of a window. A glass coating that exceeds the ENERGY STAR® qualifications for a climate zone will save more money.

• Replacing all the original windows and doors of an average older home would save a ¾ tonne of greenhouse gas annually*

*Source: w w w.oee.nrcan.gc.ca

All Weather Windows is a CSA Certified Manufacturer

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Va n c o u v e r - Ke l o w n a - Ed m o n t o n - Re d D e e r - C a l g a r y - L e t h b r i d g e - S a s ka t o o n - Re g in a - W in nip e g - To ro n t o - H a li f a x

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MAIN FLOOR PLAN

Creating Sustainable Futures LIVING LIVING

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PLEASE NOTE THAT IMAGES ARE FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

and durable concrete floor slabs from City Mix Inc. The use of concrete is a natural insulating factor. Meanwhile, on the exterior walls, DPL used a double 2X4 exterior wall system along with Warm Home Insulation’s cellulose product, made from recycled paper. Injected with fire retardants and pest repellents, it is the most environmentally friendly insulation available. At the same time, it has an R-value per inch of 3.8 as compared to fibreglass batts, which only rate at 3.2. This difference can lower energy bills by anywhere from 30 to 60 percent a year.

The design of the building also maximizes the efficient use of energy. While each of the four townhouse condominium units has two entrances from the exterior, the units can also be accessed from an internal corridor inside the building. This provides an important buffer zone, particularly in winter.

200-141 Bannatyne Avenue t: 956-0938 f: 943-5597 www.prairiearchitects.ca

The Shape of Green Architecture

Tiles on the rooftop patio are made from recycled tires. The siding also has recycled content.

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Inc Every unit features a very open design that facilitates air circulation. “Because we designed an open plan on three levels, we were able to use a passive cooling system,” explains Thompson at Prairie Architects Inc. “The cooling coil on the upper floor is connected to the geothermal system. Cool air then sinks to the other levels.”

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city mix is a proud supplier of winnipeg’s finest home builders 84 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Each townhouse condominium also has a stairway leading up to a private rooftop. Finished in tiles made from recycled tires, the rooftop patio offers a wonderful place to enjoy great views of the Winnipeg skyline or just gaze up at the stars. The space is large enough to accommodate a small garden or potted plants.

From the exterior, the condominiums each have a different view of St. Boniface, while on the inside they overlook an enclosed atrium naturally illuminated from an overhead sky-

Bright and airy, the open plan is also conducive to air circulation. light. Thanks to large windows on every side, daylight floods into each unit, reducing the need for artificial light. In addition, many of the lighting fixtures that were selected feature energy-efficient compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) bulbs.

“We worked hand-in-hand with the builder and the architect to maintain the contemporary look while meeting the requirements for LEED certification,” recalls Nancy Buchanan of Total Lighting. “Many people don’t realize they can mix fluorescent lighting with incandescent and halogen to create warm inviting layers of light.”

“In order to qualify for a designation through the LEED program, the condominium project had to meet very stringent and specific criteria,” says Crystal Bornais, the Sustainable Buildings Coordinator at Prairie Architects Inc. For instance, at least 50 percent of light-

This chic contemporary space proves there is no need to sacrifice style when building green. The kitchen features Energy Star or EnerGuide rated appliances.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 85

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86 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

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As in this second-floor bedroom, all the carpets in the condominium have an environmentally-friendly underlay from Bill Knight Flooring. ing in the main living areas had to be energy star certified. Products with this designation meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the American Environmental Protection Agency and US Department of Energy. The designation is also recognized and promoted by the government of Canada, as is the LEED program.

Other criteria include making such choices as using motion sensor activated exterior lights and installing low flow plumbing fixtures.

Robinson Bath Centre was able to provide all the necessary products to ensure DPL would meet its targets. These included dual flush Caroma toilets that offer the option of using 4.8 or 3 litres of water. The net result of selecting more efficient technology is a reduction in electricity and water consumption.

“There’s a real financial payback to the individual as well as to the community,” says Dobie, adding that reducing electricity consumption allows Manitoba Hydro to export more power—something which benefits the entire province. “People have to look beyond the short term impact of the cost to the long-term return on investment.”

He acknowledges that sometimes investing in more efficient materials and technology can carry a sticker shock. But green building can also be very cost effective. In this case, there is absolutely no difference in the price per square

Low-flow fixtures reduce water consumption. foot of the Horace Street Eco4 units and any other condominium unit in St. Boniface. Yet, the Eco4 project has enough environmentalfriendly features to qualify for LEED certification.

“In any situation where we can, we make a green decision,” notes Dobie. For instance, all the carpets from Bill Knight Flooring feature an environmentally-friendly underlay. Bill Knight also provided an all-natural Marmoleum

product for the atrium and for all the bathrooms. Made from linseed oil, pine resins, wood flour, flax, ground limestone and pigments, Marmoleum is hypo-allergenic, easy to clean and exceptionally durable. It was glued down using eco-sensitive adhesives with no off-gassing.

To further protect air quality, DPL used only low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint throughout the entire condominium project.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 87

“It’s healthier for people applying it and it’s healthier for the occupants,” explains Dobie.

“It’s one of these simple decisions that can be made. To us, that just makes sense and that’s how it should always be done.”

It is a multitude of deliberate decisions like these that can make such a difference to the building process. Early on, Dobie realized that a wealth of fine materials and expertise was available right here in our province. He vowed to take advantage of as many local products as possible in order to reduce the environmental footprint involved with transporting building materials. For example, all the concrete for the project was supplied by City Mix Inc. from materials hauled from local aggregate pits.

At the same time, Dobie made a commitment to bring together a team of some of the best tradespeople in the industry, not only to work

for him but to work with him as employees of Dobie Properties Limited.

“We have the expertise to accomplish almost anything that can be done in the construction of a home right under our roof,” says Dobie.

“We do this to ensure we can stand by our quality control.”

Employing framers, foundation experts, window installers, painters, etc. also enables DPL to adhere both to timelines and budgets.

Whenever customers come to a job site they are guaranteed to talk directly to a Dobie Properties employee. This ensures direct communication and speeds up decision making.

“This sense of control is something that clients respect,” says Dobie. “They can truly see the advantages.”

DPL uses the same process in all its projects, whether the builder is completing a renovation in River Heights or working on a new home construction in Oakbank or Royalwood.

Having a strong team that pulls together in the same direction is even more important when trying to build a structure that meets the latest environmental guidelines for green construction. It is this successful recipe that has led DPL to work with Prairie Architects Inc. in creating a number of Eco4 condominium projects such as the ones on Dorchester and Stafford, on Eugenie and on River between Donald and Osborne.

Probably the most ambitious project is the 120-year-old church at Main and Church that Prairie Architects Inc. has designed for DPL to convert into seven condominiums. And if the work on this Horace Avenue condominium project is any indication, DPL has the eco-friendly formula down pat, with a perfect blend of fine contemporary aesthetics and green functionality.

That said, why wait for the future in order to take advantage of better building practices? The future is now!

Anyone wishing to visit the Horace Avenue condominium project should contact the offices of Dobie Properties Ltd. or of Claude Davis at Royal Lepage Dynamic.

Mortgage Broker Jeff Vandal of TD Canada Trust can arrange financing for those making a purchase.

Energy efficient, environmentally friendly — a geothermal heating and cooling system beats rising energy costs and reduces green house gas emissions.

Here’s how it works: 1. The sun’s energy is stored just below the ground.

2. A ground “loop” (buried piping system) extracts the heat from the earth.

3. A geothermal heat pump concentrates the energy and releases it inside the house.

For cooling the house in summer the process is simply reversed.

You can be kind to the planet AND to your pocket book. Starting January 1st, the Manitoba government will be offering exciting incentives to homeowners and commercial building owners for geothermal installations. This proven technology could save 50 to 70 per cent on your annual heating costs.

wners Homeo e up to v can sa

Get in the Loop — to find out if geothermal is right for you visit manitoba.ca and click on Geothermal Energy.

$3th ,M0an0ito0ba

Builder – Dobie Properties Ltd. Architect – Prairie Architects Inc. Flooring – Bill Knight Flooring Windows – All Weather Windows Lighting – Total Lighting Sales Bathroom fixtures – Robinson Bath Centre Insulation – Warm Home Insulation Concrete – City Mix Inc. Marketing Agent – Claude Davis at Royal LePage Dynamic

wi ment govern ives! incent

Mortgage Broker – Jeff Vandal at TD Canada Trust

Manitoba GeotHerMal enerGy alliance

88 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

The Green Team:

Rebirth & Renewal When Brian and Penny Head purchased their cherished 100-year-old home, they knew the kitchen required some extensive renovating. “It looked good from afar but it was far from good,” recalls Brian. Not only were the glossy white cabinets of marginal quality, but they also clashed with the dark woods and white trim of the otherwise Tudor-styled house.

The living room, sitting room and dining room are all part of a cottage that was built on the site in 1904. The kitchen portion is a later addition to the original building. “We wanted to extend the look of the cottage to the kitchen,” explains Brian.

With the dishwasher lines freezing in the winter and the floor sheet vinyl discolouration, the issue was one of functionality as well as aesthetics. Taking action was paramount.

But careful planning was equally important. For three years the couple studied their options and diligently attended the annual Kitchen & Bath Show. It was there they met Tony Teunis and Marcel Verrier of All Canadian Renovations (ACR).

“We looked at a number of project managers and we selected All Canadian,” says Brian. “They had the staff and the expertise to do the job.”

The kitchen was gutted to the studs. ACR sealed all the joints and replaced the insulation while keeping the original structure of the space. A new ceramic tile floor was added with radiant in-floor heating controlled by its own programmable thermostat. Meanwhile, installing a new furnace allowed ACR to remove the existing chimney, which was located in the passageway from the kitchen to the family room.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 89

“The passageway has now become a small room where the kitchen table will go,” notes Brian.

In the same space, All Canadian added a dry-bar, the dark oak cabinetry and decorative glass tile backsplash setting the stage for the kitchen beyond. The main kitchen area was reconfigured with the dishwasher relocated to the inside wall, and the position of the fridge and pantry reversed to preserve the finished look of the new cabinetry. Glazed display cabinets, a quartz countertop and undercabinet lighting complete the new design.

“We were very, very satisfied with the entire process,” says Brian. “They never had two trades working in the same place at the same time. Everything was scheduled. It was done when they said it was going to be done.”

He adds that the tradespeople cleaned the workplace and hauled away debris on a daily basis, thus keeping the mess to a minimum. At the same time, the scheduler and the project manager regularly came out to the site.

“They were physically here,” notes Brian. “They actually came to see the work. That was very comforting to me. They looked after all the details.”

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As he and Penny sit at their new breakfast counter looking out their wall of windows onto the trees and wildlife along the river, they reflect on their kitchen renovation. “They did just what they said they were going to do,” says Brian. “We are very pleased with the results.”

Amazing Space This church was lost, but now it’s found thanks to a Winnipeg engineering firm and its dedication to the area and its history When Winnipeg’s first Scandinavian mission burned in the 1890s, the congregation vowed it would never happen again. The group raised funds, hired architect Hugh McCowan and built a new structure from Chicago warehouse brick. The resulting Romanesque Revival building, a design that mirrored the Scandinavian Baptist church on the opposite corner, was finished in 1897 at a cost of just $5000. Features included a square entrance and bell tower that contrasted with the smaller polygonal turret on the opposite side, as well as an Akron or centralized floor plan that was popular in Roman temples.

By Kelly Gray Photography: Lance Thomson

Over the last century, the durability of the structure would have made the contractors proud. Now, this one time mission house at 268 Ellen Street and Logan Avenue in Winnipeg’s historical Exchange District has been reborn as the offices of Boge & Boge, an internationally recognized engineering firm that specializes in design build, engineering and project management services.

“We’d outgrown our offices and I was tasked with finding us a new location,” says Sharon Wiens-Hiebert, who managed the project alongside husband EJ. “We wanted to move into a neighbourhood where we could make a positive difference, and this proved to be just the case with this building.”

Sharon reports that the structure had stood vacant for nearly 15 years in the community characterized by low budget 100 year-old housing stock, warehousing and light manufacturing. By the late 1980s, the city had decided to demolish the church despite the municipal historical designation.

“When we first saw it, we were very excited by the prospects and opportunity of the structure and the location,” says Sharon, who reports that they moved into the building February of 1991 after buying the church for $40,000 in 1989.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 91

VISION TO REALITY FROM BACKSPLASHES TO COMPLETE RENOVATIONS

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“While the building was basically sound, there was a lot of work to do to bring it back to life.

To do this we enlisted the help of a group of people with special skills that we could use to create this amazing space.”

help hold the walls upright and pull them back into true,” she says, noting that the building offers 2,200 square feet on the lower and main floors, with another 1,860 square feet on the upper level.

For example, the age of the building and factors such as fire had weakened the exterior skeleton. Engineers at Boge & Boge were able to come up with workable solutions such as using new floor space to enhance the building’s structural integrity.

“The bones of the building were sound, but we had to work hard to achieve our goals,” says the project manager and general contractor EJ Wiens-Hiebert of Calmas Design, a local masonry company that undertook the repair of the brick and rusticated stonework throughout the building. He reports that among the challenges were aspects such as reinterpreting the design of the chimney, part of the structure

“When we first moved in, we moved onto the mezzanine level. This area was constructed to

that had been lost over the years. Existing photos failed to offer any clues to its original appearance.

Working closely with interior designer Kim Schroeder of Charisma Design, EJ Wiens Hiebert and his team were able to blend the old with the new.

“I’m a stone mason and Kim was able to draw from my experience to bring as much stonework into the design as possible. For example, the bathrooms offer a lot of exposed brick in a design that works well with the modern fixtures that we sourced from Kitchen & Bath Classics.

We also covered the space with slate in a move that further accentuates the natural elements.”

EJ also points to the historical metalwork that helps accent the project. Keeping true to the building’s roots, the contractor enlisted the help of custom metal fabricators, KehlerMade.

He comments that this company created the metal counters and wall treatments in the bathroom from recycled steel, and worked as blacksmiths to recreate the old style metal braces and couplings that would fasten to pillars and posts and help provide a consistent 19th century appearance throughout.

“The original wood posts and beams were hewn by hand in the bush and then brought in.

They are beautiful and by having architectural hardware that fits the period creates an overall consistency to the design approach,” says EJ.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 93

Concept to Completion From space planning to a fully provisioned interior, our architectural interior designers can make your dream office a reality 388 Academy Road, Winnipeg Ph: 487-6994 www.charismadesign.ca And while the pillars and posts have the outward appearance of tradition and heritage, their insides speak a different story. Sharon WiensHiebert reports that they were able to use the beams to house the various wiring and cabling so necessary in a modern office.

“This is technology camouflaged by history,” she says, adding that the opposite is the case regarding the lighting. Here they worked with contractor SuperLite to illuminate the space with practical options, a tough undertaking given the complicated aspects of the interior.

“They understood our needs right off and worked to deadline,” comments Sharon.

“Because a Window is only as good as the install”

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Another important component has to be the ring beam that helps hold the roof. A unique design aspect, the beam works with the curving bulkheads.

“I made a stipulation that these had to be preserved and Kim was able to achieve this well,” says Sharon, adding that the design criteria did not make for an easy project. Indeed, even the beautiful stained glass windows had to be delicately repaired with panels matched by the pros at Prairie Stain Glass.

“Once we had the windows in place, we went to Brako Building Concepts for a clear indestructible covering for the windows to prevent vandalism. Now the windows have been brought back to their original glory and thanks

to Brako, they should stay that way for quite some time,” she says, remarking further that in a large sense, time is what it’s all about.

“This is a living building and not just a structure that is an epitaph to the past. We are just the current caregivers. Yes, we have recreated the space and placed it into a more modern context, but the beauty of the original design and the power of the site are still with us.

Our challenge was to breath life into the past and bring forward the kind of heritage that is important for neighbourhoods and cities. I believe this amazing space is helping to take the Logan Avenue neighbourhood to a new level of historical appreciation. And if we can have a functional and aesthetically pleasing building as well, everyone is in a position to benefit.”

Style File Project managers: Calmas Design Interior Design: Charisma Design Windows: Brako Building Concepts Lighting: Super-Lite Bathroom Fixtures: Kitchen & Bath Classics Custom Metal Fabrication: Kehlermade

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WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 95

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96 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Kitchen&Bath

Kitchen Update

Made Easy

By Christine Hanlon

Thanks to an innovative approach to remodeling, this kitchen has finally entered the 21st century.

“We made it look like a new kitchen on the outside, while keeping the existing cabinet boxes,” explain Mark Bjornson and Sheri Anderson, owners of Nu-Life Kitchens.

Instead of tearing out the entire kitchen, Nu-Life Kitchens refaced the front and sides of the existing cabinets and installed new doors and drawer fronts.

“And we can still make some modifications,” Bjornson points out. In this project, Nu-Life Kitchens enhanced the functionality of the kitchen by adding a new full cabinet where the desk used to be. The microwave shelf cabinet was replaced with new full height doors, while the range upper was modified to accommodate the new microwave and maximize use of the space.

At a cost 50 percent less than a new kitchen, installation typically takes only two to three days.

“It’s far less disruptive to a home,” says Bjornson.

There is even the possibility of adding new sections of cabinets or an island if the homeowner wants.

“I give an estimate right on the spot,” says Bjornson, adding that this service is provided at no charge. He notes that additional information, as well as more before and after photos are available on the company’s website.

Homeowners can choose from 20 different door styles, 20 different colours and a wide selection of handles. There is also the option of replacing countertops, sinks and taps.

Nu-Life Kitchens offers both a wood and a vinyl product line. “The new vinyls are very attractive,” Bjornson points out. “Many people can’t tell the difference between the vinyl and wood doors.” In fact, the doors in this kitchen are vinyl.

To help with selection, Nu-Life Kitchens visits clients right in their homes, providing door and colour samples to facilitate matching door styles and colours with existing décor.

BEFORE WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 97

Kitchen&Bath Exciting New Look

The trough style open channel spout offers a tantalizing new look for today’s bathroom. In the Ashfield faucet with its country pump-like handle and graceful lines, Price Pfister has captured the traditional version of this unique look.

“Price Pfister has both a contemporary look as well as traditional,” notes Kirsten Proteau, Showroom Manager at Kitchen & Bath Classics.

Squared lines and sleek architecture lend the Kelso trough style faucet a truly modern look.

This stylish iteration of the same concept comes in both chrome and satin nickel. Meanwhile, the more traditional Ashfield faucet adds rustic pewter and rustic bronze to its selection of options.

“The Ashfield now also comes as a complete line with Roman Tub fillers and single lever lavatory faucet in both regular and tall heights,” adds Proteau. The added height is perfect for a vessel sink.

At the same time, Price Pfister combines performance and style with eco-friendly solutions. Certified by the American Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Program, the Ashfield trough faucet uses 30 percent less water.

Consumers can save even more water by pairing their Pfister faucet with an Eco-Pfriendly™ Aerator. The company has also designed a separate volume and control function that dramatically reduces water consumption without affecting performance.

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98 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Kitchen&Bath Coordinating the Décor

Selecting the right lighting plays an integral part in creating a new look for any kitchen.

The balance between aesthetics and function is paramount. Layers of lighting allow the homeowner to create the perfect situation for their particular needs.

“In some cases, people are putting in recessed fixtures over their island in addition to pendants,” notes Brett Robinson, Branch Manager at Robinson Lighting in Winnipeg.

“Some pendants are primarily decorative and don’t provide enough task light.”

“Because of the wide variety of glass styles, pendant options allow homeowners to personalize, respecting their overall home décor,” he adds. “People often pick the metal finish of the fixture hardware to match other hardware in their kitchen.”

For this Tech line, the hardware comes in chrome, antique bronze and satin nickel.

Different combinations coordinate with different looks, from contemporary to traditional.

“The pendant glass can also be used with other Tech Lighting suspension systems,” adds Robinson. “It’s really à la carte.”

In fact, Tech Lighting has fixtures for every application. The drum shade over the eating area comes in a variety of different fabric colours and sizes, with a choice of fluorescent or incandescent bulbs that make it as functional as it is attractive.

Made for Entertaining

The clean lines of the New Haven door style lend this kitchen a contemporary look while the Cappuccino stained maple creates a warm ambience.

“We wanted a space that was made for entertaining,” explains Marnie Strath of her Kitchen Craft kitchen. With a wine rack, wine fridge and ample seating area, the large granite island provides an ideal gathering place.

“I can use it for food preparation at the same time,” adds Strath. In fact, the island incorporates the main sink as well as cabinets that wrap right around the corners to maximize storage.

Equally important to having sufficient storage and counter space was the kitchen’s aesthetic appeal. Because of the large open floor plan in this house by Gino’s Homes, it was essential that the kitchen coordinate with the other spaces. At the same time, Kitchen Craft paid careful attention to the symmetry. A raised display detail above the stove creates a focal point while filling the large space created by the high ceilings.

“They did a terrific job,” says Strath. “They were very accommodating and willing to work with whatever we wanted while giving us the benefit of their design expertise. It was exactly what we were looking for.”

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 99

The Tradewinds® of change Window: Looped Roman Style Shade with Deco-Pocket Hem Room Divider: Panel Accents™ Sliding Panels

Looped Roman Style Shade

Just as trade winds blow warm air in the tropics, the Tradewinds Natural Shades are bringing hot new materials and textures into the world of home décor. We’re unveiling a new range of colour options, from deep rich hues that beautifully warm a space, to neutral options that lighten and brighten a room. You’ll also find an exciting new style – the Tradewinds Looped Roman shade and the new Panel Accents sliding panels. ®

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100 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

design&decor

Naturally Casual

By Christine Hanlon

Capitalizing on the unique texture of yarns, grasses and bamboos, these shades and sliding panels by Abbey Window Coverings allow homeowners to dress any room with casual elegance.

“They come in many colours, from deeper tones to neutrals,” notes Marketing Manager Teressa Luciw.

The bottom up top down mechanism of the shades combines functional advantages with the ability to highlight decorative features such as beads and trim on either the valance or shade. The shades are available in OldStyle Roman, Standard Roman and the new Looped Roman style seen here. Abbey Window Coverings also offers the option of adding Deco pocket hems with accent rods and decorative banding.

“We also offer wood valances and cornices crafted from premium hardwood that give more sophistication to the shade,” adds Luciw.

The multitude of options at Abbey Window Coverings truly allows the homeowner to customize shades and panels to suit any décor.

Liners in light control, privacy or blackout come in a wide variety of colours. For added convenience, Abbey also offers an automation option, operated by wall switch or remote control.

“You can have them programmed to be drawn at certain times of the day,” Luciw points out.

The Panel Accents™ sliding panels are new to the natural shade collection. The aluminum headrail of the panel system features a slim unobtrusive installation that allows for either a split or one-way draw.

“It’s a beautiful system,” says Luciw. “It’s very well engineered.”

Because of their size and weight, all the panels come with edge banding. Consumers can also add wood hem bars and cornices in five colours that include dark cherry, honey-maple and snowflake.

Most fabrics used in the shades are also available for the panels, including those made from renewable resources such as grass and bamboo. Abbey Window Coverings espouses a green manufacturing program for many of its products.

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 101

design&decor Update Your Look

We’ve all heard the saying “It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” Step through the front doors at Flatlanders Flooring and you’ll surely agree.

Since opening the doors to the Winnipeg public, Flatlanders has undoubtedly changed the face of retail flooring.

And with future projections indicating continued growth in the renovation market, Flatlanders is sure footed in its approach in offering an unequated shopping experience.

How long will it last? Does it scratch? Will I see the seams? These are common questions posed by consumers, and the professionals at Flatlanders Flooring have the answers.

“From form to function, we dispel the common myths to make sure you have accurate expectations for your new floor,” says Justin Chudyk, President of Flatlanders Flooring.

“Our service-oriented approach is very appealing to homeowners. As well, we bring the latest in not only floor coverings, but backsplashes, wall tile, wallpaper, and of course, area rugs,” he adds.

“Keeping large quantities of flooring on hand is a key attribute to our success. Buying in bulk helps keep our prices down and provides conveniences, which we call the ‘in-stock advantage,’” he continues.

Boasting a hand picked collection of area rugs and a huge selection of in-stock flooring, Flatlanders Flooring provides a comfortable blend of luxury and value.

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Offering a huge selection of instock area rugs and flooring. Full service installation and clearance departments.

With today's active lifestyles and an ever-increasing awareness of fashion and trends you'll want your new floor to meet certain criteria. It should reflect your personal taste and style as well as support your functional needs. The old saying that the shoes make the outfit holds true to the floors role in a homes decor being the foundation of fashion in the home.

Boasting our hand picked collection of area rugs and huge selection of in stock flooring Flatlanders Flooring provides a comfortable blend of luxury and value.

110 B Lowson Cres (off Kenaston)

102 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

ph: 204.487.3767

www.flatlandersflooring.com

design&decor

Personalized Home Furnishings From leather to fabrics, from sofas to accent chairs, Dufresne has the options for personalizing any décor. If leather is the option of choice, consumers can choose from different colours and grades, from buttery soft cowhides with natural markings to durable fully worked products with a stamped grain. As for fabrics, the selection is virtually endless, with a multitude of swatch books conveniently available right in the store.

That said, it is still important for new pieces to work with existing furniture and décor. The sales associates at Dufresne receive extensive training to help customers make the best decisions for their home. Belanger has worked in a number of furniture stores but she says she has never seen training that is so thorough.

At Dufresne the process starts with determining the nature of a space, from the type of room to the number of people who will be using it to other furniture already in place.

Personal style, budget, sight lines and ambience—formal or casual—are all taken into consideration.

“Information gathering is key,” she explains.

“Our associates get right down to helping you determine what you want and have all the tools to put it together.”

“Trends may come and go,” says Belanger, “but furniture is a long-term investment.”

“We’re seeing a move back to upholstery,” notes Tammy Belanger, BID., Category Business Manager at Dufresne. “It’s really about texture.

We are in the process of expanding our selection of weaves, such as tweed and linen looks.

While microfibre is still very popular, people’s tastes are expanding,” she adds.

Even the microfibre itself is changing, with options that include more nap, small prints and tone on tone. There is even the possibility of combining leather and microfibre on one frame.

“Customers want to have something that says they’re different and unique,” says Belanger.

“They want a personalized look.”

WINTER 2008 | STYLE MANITOBA | 103

design&decor The Evolution of Technology

Simplify is today’s catchphrase for audiovisual systems. That said, K&S Electronics has matched the clean technological aspect with sleek aesthetically pleasing components in the contemporary great room of this Artista showhome in Van Hull Estates.

“Everything has the appearance of floating,” says Sean Banks, President of K&S. “It gives the room a more modern look.”

Flat panel speakers frame the high definition plasma television, while the Shaw personal video recorder (PVR) and the Blue Ray DVD player are tucked into the floating cabinet below.

Everything is controlled by an all-in-one remote.

K&S installed the system to deliver surround sound to the great room. At the same time, the combination of HD television and HD Shaw box provides the best possible video resolution.

“This enhances the picture enormously,” notes Banks, “especially if you’re watching a sporting event.”

The user-friendly programmable PVR makes it easy to record anything - even an entire series - on the built-in hard drive. Viewers can even pause live cable and rewind. Today’s audio-visual systems make it easy to connect and play gaming systems. K&S Electronics can also wire the television system to the Internet for playing online games. A full service provider, the company custom installs audio-visual systems for every need.

Distinctive European Design

The distinctive look of European furniture design sets the tone in this great room. “We bring in this furniture directly from Europe,” notes Mark Zaczek, adding that the Euro Furniture Studio is the exclusive distributor of these products for Western Canada.

With their slim profile and exquisite quality, the cabinets and ottoman are from one of several modular lines on display in the showroom. With the choice of different door and drawer fronts as well as sizes and dimensions, these modular units can be configured to create endless exciting combinations for everything from a bedroom to a dining room or even an office.

“There are thousands of possibilities,” says Sales Manager Magdalena Kovacs. “You can buy one or 20, or build up a design over time.”

For a limited time, Euro Furniture Studio is offering the newest styles on the European market at wholesale prices, within reach of all homeowners. Along with the modular system, the wide selection also includes bedroom furniture, wall units, kitchen furnishings and seating, available in custom upholstery at no extra cost.

Euro Furniture Studio also has a selection of European style pull-out sofa beds with real spring mattresses for ultimate comfort. Besides the offerings of its exquisite showroom, there are thousands of items available on special order, viewable on the company website. Visit them online at: www.eurofurniturestudio.com 104 | STYLE MANITOBA | WINTER 2008

Exclusive European Imports

uro urniture tudio uro urniture tudio 411 Madison Street 774-8311

uro urniture www.eurofurniturestudio.com tudio

experience

Custom Order We offer hundreds of leather & fabric combinations so you can add a personal touch to your home.

880 Nairn Ave., Winnipeg 204-667-1578 1750 Ellice Ave., Winnipeg 204-989-9900 Plus 7 other locations.

Visit us at the all new

www.dufresne.ca