Style Manitoba Summer 2009 by Style Manitoba

All Over the Map

On the road with Manitoba singer / songwriter Alana Levandoski From Green to Gold Award winning green home design boasts eco-friendly features without sacrificing style

Summer 2009 $4.75

Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Got the Music in Them Manitobaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got talent - a sampling of who they are & where they play

Volume 13, Number 4 Summer 2009

In this issue

M A N I T O B A

58 6

44 Features

6 From Green to Gold Award winning green home design boasts eco-friendly features without sacrificing style 27 All Over the Map On the road with Manitoba singer / songwriter Alana Levandoski 28 They’ve Got the Music in Them Manitoba’s got talent a sampling of who they are & where they play

LIFESTYLES

15 Service Stars 17 Stepping Out With Style 34 Styling the Stereo 35 On the Bookshelf 40 Fab Finds 55 Tulip festival blooms bright

TRAVEL

48 Friendly…Affordable…North Dakota! 51 Savouring Andalucia 54 Trans Canada Trail

PROFILES

33 Invisible Guy: Grant Guy’s Great Disappearing Act

CUISINE DU JOUR 22 Delectable Dining 25 Noshing Out 44 Recipes

HEALTH & BEAUTY 36 Making fitness personal 37 Flourishing in crisis 38 Breezy summer style

DEPARTMENTS 5 The Agenda 2 Style Was There

LANDSCAPING

58 Elemental Style 60 Welcome Home 63 Even more outdoor living 65 Brilliant New Product for Indoors or Out

CONDOS

67 Streetside in the City 71 Refined lakefront condo living 73 Value & Verve in South Winnipeg

RENOVATIONS

78 Maximizing Space 80 Transforming Visions into Reality

KITCHEN & BATH SHOWCASE

85 Show-stopping ensuites & delightful designer kitchens

DESIGN & DÉCOR

90 Creative decorating ideas from the professionals

Blue Bombers Head Coach Mike Kelly & Wayne Rogers of Variety “catch” up on fundraising plans.

102 Clear FM’s Billie Jo with Maribeth Marana, Owner of Bella Moda Home Furnishings, at the grand opening.

Glen Murray of CUI presents Gail Asper with the Jane Jacobs Lifetime Achievement Award.

Kristen & Monica Janzen of Spalifestyle & Fashion Boutique present Wayne Rogers with a cheque for Variety from their Fashion Fundraiser.

Tim Butler, B.J.& Jay Garrison at fundraising benefit at Mona Lisa.

Kathy Kennedy performing in Mona Lisa Lounge at Garrison Fundraising Benefit.

Lisa Lester CD Release Party

was there...

Supporters Debbie Willits, Donna Hart and Peggy Orr celebrate with Lisa.

2 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Lisa Lester leans on “bro” Dan Lester for her big night at Alive in the District.

CIROC martinis were served compliments of Diageo.

Bond Ringoir, Alice Lester, & Veronica Ringoir cheer Lisa on.

Lisa with event co-sponsor Brian Lowes, President of Lonestar Mercedes Benz .

Danny MacKay, Ava van Leeuwen, Lisa & Jacquie van Leeuwen hang out before the show.

Natalie Lopes, Owner of Cakes, Cupcakes & More showing off her customized angel winged cupcakes.

Sherrene & Mike Franklin rock’n out with Lisa .

Lisa treats the crowd to a sampling of songs from her new CD “Take Me Away”.

Lisa and the boys from Absurd Machine Studios - Mike Sanders, James Rewucki, & Colin Musulak.

Style’s Lisa Lester flanked by friendly fans.

Quest Musique’s Sam Trachilis with Bob Adams, Kim van Lancker, Peter & Lucy Vogiatzakis singing along with Lisa.

Smiling supporters Sandi Krawchenko Altner (Author), Wayne Rogers (Variety), & Sandra Altner (CEO of Women’s Enterprise Centre).

Style Editor Rita van Leeuwen, with Host CITI FM’s Howard Mandshein, & Lisa .

Lisa and her stellar band performing the hit single “Can’t You See Me”.

Curtis Lester “little bro”, Lisa, with Travis & Alethia Prousse.

Lisa & her amazing band - Leonard Shaw, Laurie MacKenzie, Aaron Edgar, Ilena Zaramba, Boyd MacKenzie & Bruce Jacobs. summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 3

Blending strength of tradition with the trends of the futureâ&#x20AC;Ś

Editor

Rita van Leeuwen Art Director

Paul Butters Marketing

Eric A. Green Editorial Contributors

Visit our Showroom at 1980 Springfield Road Monday to Friday 8:30 am - 4 pm or by Appointment Ph. (204) 654-8610

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

COVER Photography

Matthew Levandoski Photography

John Johnston, Michael Roberts, Mandy van Leeuwen

Advertising & Editorial Assistant

Ava van Leeuwen, Mia van Leeuwen Advertising Sales Executives

Lisa Lester Gary MacKay Printing

Transcontinental Printing LGM Graphics Subscription Inquiries

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Canada: 4 issues $25.72 8 issues $39.09 Payable by cheque or money order. Includes GST. 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. The publisher can not be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. Those wishing to submit editorial should contact the editor at the business office or enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope for return. Copyright (c) Style Manitoba 1996. ISSN 1205-7282. Manitoba edition.

4 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

the agenda What a season it’s been – too much rain, too little sunshine and the furnace is still running! The flowers are taking their sweet time to push up out of the ground, and yet, the dandelions are already flourishing. It’s enough to make the cheeriest among us cranky. Although the wet cold spring has been a downer, I’m not going to let this slow start to the warm season dampen my mood. In my typical fashion, I pulled out the flip-flops at least six weeks ago and have worn them almost every day since. It’s my personal way of insisting that summer’s arrived. But enough about the weather and my footwear habits - welcome to our summer edition! We are pleased to present yet another local talent as our cover story this issue – singer / songwriter Alana Levandoski who hails from Kelwood, Manitoba. In addition to featuring this lovely local gem (Levandoski is on the line-up at Folk Fest), we are also covering some of Manitoba’s other musically gifted folk. Check out They’ve Got the Music in Them for info on who they are and where they play. And don’t miss out on this year’s Jazz and Folk Festivals – both have great entertainment on the roster and promise to be thoroughly entertaining.

sacrificing style should peruse Christine Hanlon’s fabulous home coverage this issue - from Green to Gold will certainly dispel those myths! And those seeking a little inspiration for a fresh landscape design should breeze through Elemental Style and Welcome Home by Leigh Patterson for a few new ideas. In fact, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in our summer edition. From great new condo projects to exceptional renovations, to chic new accessories and decorating trends, there’s much to be had in our city. Our travel section deserves a mention as well – it features two destinations this time around and is well worth reading. On the personal front, I recently took on a new challenge - his name is Moose, although he’s anything but! My little man has been quite the companion thus far. I’ll keep you posted on his progress from time to time.

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From Green to Gold By Christine Hanlon Photography: John Johnston

Anyone still suffering from the misconception that building an eco-friendly home means sacrificing style or taking a financial hit needs to see the Warkentin Homes display home in StoneRidge Meadows. This Parade of Homes winner— which uses less energy and water while providing greater comfort and resale value—makes the drive to Stonewall more than worthwhile. The house not only meets Manitoba Hydro’s PowerSmart Gold Standard but also incorporates many green options that reduce its overall environmental footprint. Throughout the main living area, Dansk solid bamboo provides durable and versatile flooring made from a rapidly renewable resource. “It’s really attractive,” adds Melanie Snow, vice-president of Warkentin Homes. “People that have seen the house just love it. It’s a very hard wood that wears well.” In fact, all the materials used in the house are made to last. This reduces both stress on our landfills and the energy that would otherwise be expended in replacing less durable options. For instance, the roof features 35-year architectural fiberglass shingles, a superior product available from John Krueger Enterprises. Meanwhile, granite in the bathrooms and quartz in the kitchen means that the countertops are there for life while providing an unsurpassed level of style and quality. The ensuite bathroom has floor to ceiling tiles and a frameless plate glass shower that not only look fabulous but also withstands humidity like nothing else can. Homeowners would be hard-pressed to tell the difference made by the low-flow showerhead—until they see the savings on their water bill! Nor does low-flow translate into no glow. The sparkle of the Swarovski crystal accent on Briso sculptural faucets attests to that. Poised above the double sinks, the water saving fixtures inject an exciting vitality into the space. “That’s what we

6 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

The large triple-paned Jeld-Wen windows contribute to the home’s energy-efficiency.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 7

Building in Winnipeg and Stonewall for over 25 years

Showhome located at 9 Rossmere Crescent, Stonewall.

667-1297

www.warkentinhomes.com Preferred Suppliers to Warkentin Homes 8 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

STONER IDGE MEADOWS

The contemporary interior design by Karen Zapp takes full advantage of the bright open space while incorporating a fireplace from Classic Fireplaces. Rift Oak cabinets from Kitchen Craft coordinate beautifully with the ecofriendly bamboo flooring. The builder turned to Robinson Lighting for this five-light chandelier, in chrome with crystal droplets.

Kitchen Craft designed the sleek kitchen to embrace the Energy Star stainless steel appliances.

wanted to do,” confirms Snow, “add some sparkle in this house by using crystal and chrome.”

are many large trees very close to the homes themselves, on lots averaging 70’ by 130’.

This subtle but effective detail can be found again in the elegant Robinson Lighting fixture over the dining room table. Enclosed by decorative glass panels that facilitate the flow of light, the dining room is elegantly defined by a tray ceiling.

Besides preserving the beautiful vistas of the surrounding landscape, the trees also play a role in promoting energy efficiency. By cutting wind, they keep the homes warmer in the winter, while, in the summer, the shade they provide reduces dependence on air conditioning.

Each glass insert was custommade by a local artisan. “As much material as possible was locally or Canadian sourced,” points out Heather Becker, Sales Agent for Warkentin Homes. Bringing materials from shorter distances can mean fewer greenhouse gas emissions involved in transportation. Warkentin Homes commissioned a foliage motif on the glass panels, adds Snow, to tie in with the naturally green aspect of the development. With Stone Ridge Meadows, Genstar has capitalized on the inherent beauty of the area by keeping as many mature trees as possible. Over and above the fiveacre park with walking trails, there

And this is not the only way the location and design of the home go beyond the requirements set out by Manitoba Hydro in their Power Smart program. To qualify for the Gold program level, the home had to have R-50 attic insulation with a raised heel roof truss as well as R-24 foundation walls. But Warkentin went one step further. As it does with all its homes, the builder sprayed icynene insulation into all the joist spaces throughout the house.

In fact, for the Gold certification, Manitoba Hydro conducts a blower test to ensure a minimum level of air tightness—a level easily surpassed in this home. Other required energy efficiency features of the home include a Heat Recovery Ventilation System (HRV), a hot water tank with 2” insulation, an ENERGY STAR programmable thermostat, and a high efficiency natural gas furnace. The latter is already standard in all Warkentin Homes.

Energy efficient lighting was another requirement. “The fluorescents bulbs now come in a more aesthetically pleasing style than the coil design,” notes Snow. The builder also had to install a permanently wired car plug in the garage and electronic ignition for the gas fireplace instead of the traditional gas pilot light that is always on. Everything adds up to make the home more energy efficient.

“It gives a total seal and extra energy efficiency,” explains Snow. “This way you’re not getting any airflow into the home through these areas.” summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 9

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A soothing colour palette transforms the ensuite and master bedroom into a haven of solace. “You see a monthly reduction in your energy bills and your home is more comfortable,” says Snow, adding that Manitoba Hydro projects an average savings of 26 percent on heating costs alone. “And it’s not a huge financial burden. It’s doable and you get a return on your investment in just a few years.” At the same time, options such as the electronic ignition in the fireplace by Classic Fireplaces make no difference to the aesthetics of the home. Set in an attractive modern entertainment unit, the fireplace area is stunning. Designed by Karen Zapp, the combination of maple and travertine tile coordinates well with the adjacent kitchen where Tuscan-stained rift oak cabinets are offset by a mosaic tile backsplash in glazed travertine. Headlining Kitchen Craft’s latest door style, the cut of the wood emphasizes the linear grain. “It’s a contemporary look for oak,” says Snow. Built to the superior standards of the Integra line, each drawer features a dovetailed woodlined box with self-close construction.

the ensuite features a tub and a custom glass shower from Shodor.

“We’ve introduced a lot of Kitchen Craft’s new products in our homes,” notes Snow. After people see the exciting new lines in a Warkentin showhome, they often ask the builder for the same style in the construction of their own house. Other requests Warkentin is pleased to fulfill include geothermal heating systems, low flow dual flush toilets and environmentally friendly paints with low VOCs. The builder knows that eco-friendly options are a smart way to make a home more efficient and comfortable. Careful choices made in the building process can result in a reduction of both greenhouse gas emission for the planet and longterm operating costs for the homeowner. With Warkentin Homes, consumers can make the right decisions. And with Hydro’s Power Smart Program, they can even turn green into gold!

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 11

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WINNIPEG TORONTO NEW

S tyl e F il e Lighting – Robinson Lighting Interior Design – Karen Zapp Kitchen cabinetry – Kitchen Craft Windows – Jeld-Wen Fireplace – Classic Fireplaces Roofing – John Kreuger Enterprises Flooring – Ritz Interiors Draperies – Draperies by Grace Exterior masonry – Debrock Masonry Glass work – On the Edge Glass Studio Entertainment Unit – All Season Carpentry Kitchen & bathroom fixtures – The EnSuite Quartz countertop (kitchen) – FloForm Granite counters (bathrooms) – Canitel Granite Custom glass shower – Shodor

About the Builder When Walter and Carol Warkentin started building houses 25 years ago, they knew they wanted to specialize in custom homes. Since then Warkentin Homes has become one of Manitoba’s most soughtafter builders. Customers appreciate the one-on-one service and commitment to quality that is part of every Warkentin home. Providing customers with the possibility of meeting with the interior designer and ensuring on-site supervision are an important part of the building process. And by using primarily the same trades in all their homes, Warkentin ensures a consistent level of quality. “We take pride in the fact that whether we’re building an 800-squarefoot bungalow or a 2000-square-foot two storey, we use the same trades and the same quality products,” says Melanie Snow, the Warkentins’ daughter and vice president of the company. She is very excited about their second display home in StoneRidge Meadow. With construction scheduled to begin in June, the 1805-square-foot bungalow will back onto a water feature and make full use of large windows to capture the scenic view. And, of course, it will be built to PowerSmart Gold standards.

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Mercedes-Benz is like no other. Which helps to explain why we call our green diesel technology ‘Blue’. BlueTEC is the exceptionally clean diesel technology that powers the ML320 BlueTEC, GL320 BlueTEC, and R320 BlueTEC. While it delivers the torque of a V-8, with 20%-30% better fuel economy than an equivalent V-6 gasoline engine, 80% of the engine’s polluting nitrogen oxides are converted to harmless nitrogen and water. BlueTEC-equipped vehicles now starting from $56,200. So if you want to go green, go Blue. BlueTEC: part of the Mercedes-Benz commitment to BlueEFFICIENCY. Learn more at bluetec.ca

Lone Star Mercedes-Benz, 2554 Portage Avenue, (204) 667-2467, www.lonestar-motors.com

14 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

A fresh approach with new owners and management at Winnipeg’s Lone Star Motors is helping the dealer stay at the top of local market. The service department at Winnipeg’s Lone Star Motors wants its customers to know they value them. The company is Manitoba’s only Mercedes Benz dealer, and as such, they are the ones with the special skill sets to keep the German car manufacturer’s luxury autos in showroom shape. Earlier this year the dealership went through a change with Brian Lowes coming in from Alberta to take over the firm as President and General Manager. With him came a fresh direction for the Portage Ave. facility. “Customers will notice the new look and feel of the dealership,” says Brian, an industry veteran who made the move from Edmonton’s popular Weber Mercedes. He suggests that like all Mercedes dealers, Lone Star offers the manufacturer’s current line-up. “Where we want to differentiate ourselves is through our service and our people.” Indeed, Lone Star has cast a wide net to bring in staff that has massive combined experience from everything from repair to customer relations, to sales to business management. For example, Service Manager Chris Szturm came over from a major import dealer and offers nearly two decades of experience in the car sector. The same is true for Josef Piatkowski, who heads up the parts department. Josef not

only knows where the parts for your Mercedes are bunked at the dealership, his training as a service technician means he understands how the parts work amid the engineering sophistication of these cars.

members of the service team can be on the same level when it comes to understanding a customer’s vehicle and their unique needs. The team works together to get all the pieces in a timeline that is as efficient as humanly possible.”

Both Szturm and Piatkowski note that with the new ownership has come a new team mentality that is dedicated to enhancing the customer experience at every level.

Here Szturm suggests that given the complexity of the Mercedes, it pays to get the work done by those who live and breathe German engineering. “We have proprietary analytical tools like the ‘Star System’ that can be used at the bench or in the car while we test drive it. Technicians at the factory can also access the system during the test to offer us consultation on some problems,” he says, noting that a stop at Winnipeg’s Lone Star Motors is like a visit to your personal pit crew. “These autos represent considerable investments by their owners. Why would someone let an untrained mechanic under the hood? The engineering perfection of these cars is certainly a key selling point. By placing non-factory parts during a repair or having a generic technician undertake a service procedure really works to lessen the capability of the car to deliver a superior road experience,” explains Szturm.

“Given the quality of these cars, we tend not to see our customers often,” says Szturm. “In fact, most come in only one time a year. We want this to be a positive experience. We understand that repair work can be stressful for the customer so we try to get it right the first time,” he says, commenting that they offer eight service bays, four factory-trained licensed technicians as well as apprentices to get the job done quickly. In fact, everyone from the receptionist to the veteran sales crew is tasked with a ‘big picture’ team approach that has earned the dealer a considerable reputation over the years. “To a large extent it is the quality of our people that has brought us to where we are today,” says Brian Lowes, adding that it takes a dedicated team effort to create the scale of customer satisfaction they achieve day in and day out. According to Piatkowski, the team aspect is one that helps ensure the ‘i’s are dotted and the ‘t’s crossed. It all starts with a customer providing the car’s serial number. “We have a complete record that includes manufacturing and delivery information as well as service data and customer notes. By having this complete package all

Service Stars

“We want our customers to understand that it is their level of satisfaction by which we are measured. Our goal is to get cars in for servicing as quickly as possible and then return them to customers with as little downtime as we can. Our team approach is proving to be just the tool to get the job done,” he says, concluding that in Winnipeg, those lucky enough to be driving a Mercedes Benz can trust their car to the pros who wear the star.

By Kelly Gray Photo: Michael Roberts

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 15

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Stepping Out with Style

Elvis Costello

June 28 – September 12 2009 SUMMER FESTIVALS Jazz Winnipeg Festival - Featuring an outstanding line-up of artists, the 2009 GrooveFM Jazz Winnipeg Festival will bring the best local, national and international performers to Winnipeg for 10 days of fantastic live music. Highlights include the legendary Al Green, blues master Buddy Guy, and local favourites Mira Black, Lianne Fournier and Heiða Forsyth. Concerts take place at various venues (Jun 26 – Jul 5). Winnipeg Folk Festival – An extra day has been added to the 36th-annual edition of one of Canada’s most popular music events in response to a demand for a longer gathering. Set in beautiful Bird’s Hill Park, the festival includes performances by Elvis Costello and The Imposters, roots chanteuse Neko Case; acclaimed Texas singer-songwriter Hayes Carll; folk legend Arlo Guthrie; cult hero Iron and Wine; Nigerian super group King Sunny Adé & His African Beats; bluegrass masters the Del McCoury Band; indie-rockers Okkervil River; New Zealand world-music trio Pacific Curls; Australian didgeridoo legend Xavier Rudd; world-renowned songwriter Josh Ritter; legend Loudon Wainwright III, blues man Watermelon Slim and many more (Jul 8 - 12). Winnipeg Fringe Festival – There is something for everyone at the Fringe! Presenting live theatre in an informal,

accessible and inexpensive environment, the Fringe strives to break down traditional boundaries between audiences and artists, encouraging open dialogue between theatregoers and theatre-creators. Audiences are invited to experience the work of seasoned veterans and emerging artists. Local, national and international performing companies benefit from working together and learning from each other in a vibrant and exciting festival atmosphere. Various locations in and around the historical Exchange District (Jul 15 – 26).

Folklorama – Get your 2009 passport ready for the largest and longest running multicultural event of its kind in the world! From traditional home-cooked meals to electrifying nightly performances by local, national and international entertainers, Folklorama is a feast for the senses. Presented at various venues throughout Winnipeg (Aug 2-15). Winnipeg Friendship Festival – Check out this family festival featuring cartoon characters as its main attraction. Once upon a time this gathering was known as the Winnie the Pooh Festival, and continues to be held in Assiniboine Park at the Lyric Theatre (Aug 16).

MUSIC Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra – Experience the symphony in the outdoor setting of the Lyric Theatre, located in Assiniboine Park (Jul 5).

Young Lungs Dance Exchange

Jazz on the Rooftop – Chill out on the rooftop of The Winnipeg Art Gallery with musicians, including The Michele Grégoire and Dave Lawton Quintet (Jul 16), Papa Mambo (Jul 30), The Brent Parkin Band (Aug 13) and Walle Larsson (Aug 27). MTS Centre – Slayer and Megadeth - two of the bands that defined the thrash/metal genre - will perform together for the first time in more than 15 years (Jun 29). Another exciting musical duo, Randy Bachman and Burton summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 17

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Cummings will share the stage; together theirs is the Great Canadian Songbook (Jun 30). Grammy nominated and platinum-selling recording artists Jonas Brothers are coming to town (Jul 5). Green Day is on tour with their new album, 21st Century Breakdown (Jul 9). Country sensation Taylor Swift graces us with her youthful talent (Jul 11). Grammy-winning superstars No Doubt come to town with their much-anticipated summer tour (Jul 13). Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Rod Stewart will provide fans with the perfect summer setting to enjoy hits from throughout his extraordinary four decade-long career (Aug 17). Don’t miss AC/DC’s highly successful Black Ice World Tour (Aug 22).

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West End Cultural Centre – After months of renovations, the WECC is happy to announce that the doors are once again open to the public. The newly revived centre hosts a larger concert hall, a hall for community programming and intimate concerts, full wheelchair access, and much better patron services. Check out the Kenny Werner Quintet with Jean-Christophe Beney Quartet (Jul 1) and The Bad Plus with Wendy Lewis and Keith Price/ Curtis Nowosad Quintet (Jul 2). Jazz On Wheels – Be on the look out for the “rolling stage,” featuring professional musicians who bring live music to the community. Spearheaded by Steve Kirby, director of jazz studies at the University of Manitoba, the intent is to introduce a unique artistic experience to young people. Performances take place at various locations throughout the summer: Dufferin School (Aug 5), Central Park African Market (Aug 15), and Rossbrook House Summer Games (Aug 26).

DANCE Young Lungs Dance Exchange – Don’t miss LINK, an evening of performances that feature dance works in collaboration with artists of other mediums. Performances take place at the Gas Station Theatre (July 3&4).

for your love.

Ballet in the Park – Experience ballet in the beautiful outdoor setting of the Lyric Theatre nestled in Assiniboine Park (Jul 2224).

SPECIAL EVENTS Canada Day at the Forks - This daylong birthday party is the place to be to celebrate Canada! Featuring Manitoba’s finest indiebands, the dynamic and captivating Duhks and an exhilarating performance by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (Jul 1). Walking With The Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular – Dinosaurs once again roam the earth in this spectacular theatrical arena show based on the award-winning BBC Television Series. Eight shows will be performed at the MTS Centre (Jul 15-19).

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GALLERIES & MUSEUMS Winnipeg Art Gallery - The exhibition She Works Hard... brings together images of women in the act of working and examples of women’s art, revealing various connections between the art, artists, identities, and cultures presented by considering alternate narratives and re-examining the role of intent in terms of the work of women (until July 5). In Allyson Mitchell: Ladies Sasquatch you will find 12 feet tall, monumental symbols of female brains, brawn, and sexuality. Crafted of fun fur, glass eyes, and fake bear parts, they bring a new twist to the legend of the sasquatch as

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20 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Costume Museum of Canada a wild, hairy, solitary male creature (until Aug 16). The WAG has one of the finest collections of silver in Canada and the exhibition The Sterling Quality: Four centuries of Silver shows why (until Aug 23). Canada on Canvas: A Private Collection brings together historical portraiture, landscape, and abstract paintings by some of the country’s most distinguished artists, including Cornelius Krieghoff, Emily Carr, Norval Morrisseau and Jean-Paul Riopelle (until Sept 6). For four decades Joe Fafard has created a body of work that has found a permanent place in people’s hearts and minds. From small, intimate work to monumental statuary, the 70 works in this exhibition examine all aspects of his oeuvre. (until Sept 8). Inuit Dolls of the Kivalliq demonstrates how tradition and innovation can be intricately connected through art and craft (until Sept 15). Take the opportunity to view works from the WAG’s collection and to see how artists from different regions create unique artworks by taking advantage of the intrinsic qualities of various carving materials in Inuit Sculpture: Selections from the Collection (until Nov 18). Plug In ICA – Take in the art of New Yorkbased Japanese artist Misaki Kawai who strives to make work true to the innocent, honest integrity of adolescent playfulness, but on a more grand and sophisticated level (until July 4). Discover the work of ten international female artists inside the exhibition - Pandora’s Box. Laylah Ali, Ghada Amer, Shary Boyle, Amy Cutler, Chitra Ganesh, Wangechi Mutu, Annie Pootoogook, Leesa Streiﬂer, Kara Walker and Su-en Wong offer a new twist on the myth of Pandora. It is no longer about what is hidden inside of the box, never to be revealed, but what is metaphorically reﬂected in it of the outside (until- Jul 18).

artifacts from the strike and from Manitoba’s labour history. The Planetarium has a live show celebrating 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy. It highlights current sky events and features constellations and planets, the Orion Nebula and northern lights.

Tim McGraw

The Costume Museum of Canada – Go back in time with the costume exhibition The Dirty Thirties. This elegant era features luxurious fabrics fuelled by a fashion-conscious society with a renewed appreciation for the feminine physique (until Sep 13). Also, don’t miss the Un-Bridal Shower, a dress-up tea party (with a cash bar) to celebrate the end of the wedding season in a tongue-in-cheek fashion (Sept 12).

ace.art – Experience a transformation of space as Alexandre David takes you through a large architectural installation consisting of a wooden curve from the floor at the main gallery’s entrance arcing up towards the ceiling at the opposite end of the room. The visitor will experience the evolution from an undefined area as one enters the gallery to a very specific architectural space (Jul 3 - Aug 7). Peter Kingstone’s 100 Stories About My Grandmother is a four channel video installation, each presenting approximately 1.5 hours of interviews. The audience is invited to sit in front of a television and listen, through headphones, to as many interviews as they wish. Kingstone is preoccupied with narrative, histories and the intangible nature of truth. This exhibition uses the narratives of others to construct a picture of his own grandmother and deconstruct general notions of families and their workings (Aug 2 – Sept 26). The Manitoba Museum & Planetarium – Don’t miss the The New Cretaceous Life Exhibit, an interactive display that gives visitors an idea of what western Canada was like millions of years ago, when dinosaurs ruled. Also, embark on a voyage with Discovery Day Camp allowing kids to explore the past and learn about science. Contact The Manitoba Museum for more information on this exciting program (Jul 13 – Sept 4). Check out the new Manitoba First Farmers exhibit, in honour of National Aboriginal Day, that shows the story of the successful early farming communities run by First Nations people long before the first contact with Europeans. Next, investigate the new and permanent trilobite display case which houses the World’s Largest Trilobite Fossil. Also this summer, in honour of the 90th anniversary of the General Strike, the Museum will open a commemorative exhibit hosting

Manitoba Children’s Museum – Wonder why the adults in your life buy the food they do? Wonder what’s in your food? Wonder how to stay healthy? The Manitoba Children’s Museum has the answers for you in a fun, interactive exhibit called Food For Health (Jul 6 – Sept 20). Also, don’t miss the sixth annual Kids Festival of the Arts that will feature daily workshops, performances and experiences where children are immersed in arts and culture (Aug 3-8).

THEATRE Rainbow Stage – Don’t miss Broadways’ smash musical hit Beauty and the Beast – the timeless tale of an arrogant prince turned into a beast and saved by the love of beauty. Performances take place at the outdoor stage in Kildonan Park (Aug 4-28). Strike! – Check out Danny Shur’s awardwinning social justice drama - Strike! The historical musical finds its inspiration in the seminal Winnipeg story: the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike. In addition to a number of regional theatre productions, the musical was recently broadcast as a national radio special in its native Canada and published in book form in December 2007. Performances take place at CanWest Performing Arts Centre at the Forks (Jul 30-Aug 5). Celebrations Dinner Theatre – Dust off your platform shoes and squeeze back into your tight pants! It’s time for Strut and Jive the Night Away, a dinner theatre experience that will make you want to hustle your way back to the 70’s for an all out inferno, featuring the funkiest hits of the flashiest decade in history (until Aug 1). If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be front and centre when the infamous Rat Pack performed at the Sands Hotel in Vegas during the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, here’s your chance. Luck Be A Lady takes you back to the glorious ring-a-ding-ding days of Vegas in the ‘50s and ‘60s with the timeless music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and many other Vegas standards (Aug 7 - Oct 10).

OUT OF TOWN ADVENTURES Dauphin’s CountryFest 2009 - Canada’s longest running country festival features musicians in a stunning amphitheatre. Check out country sensations Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Johnny Reid, Neal McCoy, Doc Walker and many more (Jul 2 – 5). The Neepawa & Area Lily Festival - The Lily Festival is and always has been one of the most beautiful festivals in Manitoba…a “must attend” for everyone! Offering three days of lilies, music, food & family fun! (Jul 17-19). Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival – Be a part of this three-day celebration of the rich and vibrant culture of Ukrainian Canadians. The festival takes place in Dauphin, and boasts first-class talent of both local and around the world entertainers (Jul 31 – Aug 2). The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba – Velkomin! Gimli welcomes you to their annual festival dedicated to promoting and sustaining interest in Icelandic culture and heritage (Jul 31 – Aug 3). Great Woods Park Music Festival – Explore music in the woods at the 14th annual indoor-outdoor Blues/Rock/Roots festival located in the beautiful 120-acre park and campground on the banks of the Brokenhead River. Highlights include Stray Cats co-founder Lee Rocker, guitar man Sherman Robertson, boogie woogier Ben Waters and harmonica player extraordinaire Sugar Blue (Aug 6-9). The Morden Corn and Apple Festival – Come out and celebrate the 43rd annual Corn & Apple Festival. You are invited to enjoy FREE admission, FREE Hot Buttered Cornon-the-Cob; FREE Ice Cold Apple Cider; FREE Bus Tours; FREE Shuttle Bus Service; and FREE Live Stage Entertainment on both the Main and Cottonwood Stages. There are plenty of crafts, street vendors and food for all to sample and buy. Kids will have a great time enjoying the activities and petting zoo designed especially for them. It’s family fun at its very best! (Aug 21- 23).

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 21

Delectable Dining Photography: John Johnston

New Digs in the French Quarter St. Boniface’s renaissance continues with Le Garage Café’s transformation into a hub for dining, lounging, and entertainment. Housed in the newly renovated Provencher location and regularly presenting some of Winnipeg’s best musicians, this cavernous bar and eatery is making some noise indeed. Adorned in artwork and equipped with rustic wood benching, cozy bar and table seating, and professional performance area, Le Garage Café has been hosting diners and music lovers since its fall 2008 reopening. And seeing as it’s Tuesday night - jam night – we get the best of both of worlds. Drinks are swiftly tabled. A golden pint of Russell Honey Blonde Ale tastes of roasted barley and sweet hops. And a sunny “U Joint” Martini shakes together the sugary spice of Appleton V/X Jamaican rum, the fruit of the “original” Alizé Gold Passion cognac liquor, and pineapple. Hors d’oeuvres range from classic pub items to elevated selections like sautéed shrimp laced with wasabi. Our choices – classic Moules et Frites and exotic Veggies Spring Rolls – test the kitchen’s reach. Mussels are tangy presented in a tomato ragout perfect for dipping sizzling skinny fries. Chilli sauce-lathered Veggie Spring Rolls are a comfort crunch of pastry wrapped sprouts, onions, carrots, and spices. Entrées up the ante. One selection - the Porc au Pomme - sees morsels of pork tenderloin pan seared, baked, and topped with a fresh and crunchy apple and bell pepper relish. Addictive are sides of fried potato and buttery vegetables. Our wine pairing - an unoaked Chardonnay care of Wayne Gretzky Estates of Niagara - is a winner with notes of pear and a vibrant minerality. Another entrée, Salmon en Papillote, cleverly bundles Pacific wild salmon filet with capers, herbs and a white wine butter sauce in parchment. Mellow-tasting, the Salmon finds contrast with a Spanish red, Osborne Solaz. This blended dry fruity wine rouses with vermouthy overtones. The dessert case yields Creme Brulé and a hefty slice of Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Torte. The Creme Brulé spoons out mouthfuls of rich vanilla, while the torte with its thick layers of peanut butter, fluffy banana cake, and chocolate icing is wholesome and hearty. Check out Le Garage Café on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights for its line-up of dynamic jazz artists, including the likes of Keith Price Trio and Marco Castillo.

Le Garage Café 166 Provencher Blvd 22 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

New eatery - summer’s must-visit Everyone’s going gaga for Pizzeria Gusto. Garnering local and national accolades for its unique spins on fire-baked pizza – fig jam, prosciutto, gorgonzola, arugula, and lemon juice pizza anyone? – this bustling eatery, with its open-concept prep, contemporary style, and upcoming summer patio has proven a must-visit.

436 Academy Road

487-4193 www.europeanshoeshop.com

Pizzeria Gusto doesn’t take reservations, so be ready to wait. Saturday night found us in queue, but we’re given the option of waiting at adjacent (and regal) J-Fox’s Irish Pub. Cell phone clutched, we enjoy a syrupy cherry-bedaubed Black Russian and malty Big Rock Traditional Ale. The cell phone rings … go! Gusto’s Primo plates include temptations like hearty Meatballs and Grilled Calamari. Zuppa, in salate, and lunch panino fill out daily offerings. Inspired by the evening’s specials, we order Seared Scallops and Bruschetta de Giorno. Draped with thin prosciutto and micro arugula sprouts, juicy jumbo Seared Scallops wow with voluptuous ocean taste accented with bright vinegar and pear reduction. And Bruschetta sees toasts tumbling with diced cucumber, pine nuts, fluffy ricotta, and extravagantly drizzled with white truffle oil and balsamic. Now the gusto: Pizza! A perfect vegetarian selection is “The Commish,” decorating thin handmade crust with herbed olive oil, roast potatoes, pine nuts, sharp pecorino cheese, brown butter, and crisp sage leaves. A fine wine pairing proves to be the clean 2006 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, refreshing with floral forward and golden apple palate. Gusto ain’t no one-trick pony. Mains include Chicken Cacciatore, Lamb Shank, and a Pasta de Giorno. The Cacciatore impresses with a healthy helping of white and dark meat, roast potatoes, sweet San Marzano tomatoes, supple au jus, and blend of garlic, olives, subtle chillis, and savoury oregano. Southern Italian 2006 A-Mano Primitivo complements with Zinfandel-esque scents of licorice and mouthful of plum. Creamy pipping illy espresso nuances dessert – Torta Caprese and Pear and Goat Cheese Tart. “Criminal” aptly describes the near-solid chocolate Torta, a brownie-like cake served with whipped cream, smear of berry, and mint leaf. And the heavenly Goat Cheese Tart, accented with mint, pear, and a sugary rosewater drizzle, forks out buttery cookie crust and dense cheesecake spotted with plump pine nuts. Have I too gone gaga for Pizzeria Gusto? You betcha!

Pizzeria Gusto 404 Academy Road 24 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Noshing Out Wasabi On Broadway

International Inspiration

588 Broadway

Taste of Sri Lanka

Blüfish

A contemporary warehouse space sets the stage for hearty helpings of aromatic Sri Lankan specialities. Check out the grand lunch buffet rich with its selections of spicy Devilled Chicken, Curried Beans and other exotically prepared vegetables and meats. For evening a la carte dining, dishes include Crab Curry, shelled crab cooked in dry roasted spices, herbs, and coconut milk; also delightful is the Mutton Biriyani, a mint accented seasoned mutton. Try the Wattalappam for dessert - a coconut custard guaranteed to soothe with its mix of coconut, honey, eggs, nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon.

Japanese eating goes avant-garde at all three Wasabi locations Broadway, Osborne, and Taylor. But Broadway gets extra grades for the ultra-modern styling of its remodelled mansion heritage home. Offering creatively prepared and presented appetizers, tempura, sashimi, and maki, Wasabi will keep your chopsticks clicking. A flair for tasty interpretations and fanciful originals, the eatery’s stunners include Kamikaze, Spider, and Godzilla rolls. For summer dining, the verdant screened-in veranda makes for an unparalleled dining adventure.

179 Bannatyne

Imaginative spins on Japanese cuisine tantalize at this funky Exchange District restaurant. Signature plates include a White Truffle Tuna Carpaccio of thinly sliced marinated tuna sashimi drizzled with white truffle oil, fresh ground pepper, and tobiko, as well as the Thai Style Sashimi of fresh scallop and sweet prawn splashed with spicy citrus vinaigrette. A dreamy inside out roll looks to be the Philadelphia with smoked salmon, cucumber, and cream cheese. New items are always being dreamed up, so be sure check in all summer.

Massawa

197-A Bannatyne Avenue

Viva Restaurant 505 Sargent Avenue

Consistent raves for the cuisine at this casual Vietnamese restaurant warrant a Winnipeg diner’s full attention. Garlicky Spring rolls are killer here, as well as the fresh and crisp Salad Rolls, packed with mint, shrimp, and pork. Hot and Sour soup is thick and satisfying, while Vietnamese sub sandwiches are a perfect lunch selection with crusty baguette. Other notables include plates featuring Viva’s smoky BBQ Pork. Finish with a syrupy cup of special slowdrip Vietnamese coffee.

121 Osborne Street

Luce

East India Company Pub & Eatery

At home in Corydon’s Little Italy, Chef Morgan Carnegie’s fine eatery offers classic and contemporary variations on Italian fare both indoors and outside on their intimate courtyard patio. Appetizers include PEI mussels simmered in chipotle pepper cream and laced with raspberry, as well as a sensual pâté trio of foie gras with truffle oil, chicken liver, and warm smoked salmon. Larger bites include a range of scrumptious pizzas and pastas. Other entrées include New Zealand spring lamb loin chops baked with maple balsamic reduction and dipped in clean mint coulis.

Stylishly ahead of the pack, Massawa’s upscale approach to Eritrean and Ethiopian dining has made it a choice spot. With smooth and spongy gluten-free injera bread providing the bedding for its richly spiced and aromatic stew selections, you’ll heartily dig in. Alongside a line-up of savoury appetizers, recommended platters include a selection of vegan entrees, as well as the House Speciality platter, which unifies Massawa’s fine preparations of lamb, spicy chicken, beef, split pea, spinach, and lentil.

349 York Avenue

Experience the best India has to offer at this sumptuous eatery. Regale in scents of cumin and curry while enjoying a comprehensive a la carte menu or the generous buffet of salads, chutneys, and up to 20 entrees. Notables include flaky spiced vegetable samosa, hearty pakora, and fluffy naan bread. For entrées, Dum Ka Murg plates roast chicken stuffed with ground chicken, nuts, and spices. Vegetarians will delight in the Kurkuri Bhindi, a crisp batter fry of spiced okra. Finish with hot chai and morsels of silver garnished cashew fudge.

Sawatdee Thai

555 Osborne Street

Providing the perfect balance of spice, sweet, sour, salt and bitter, South Osborne’s Thai treasure offers royally prepared and fragrant dishes in an atmosphere resplendent with Thai artifacts. The lunch buffet is a winning combination of traditional favourites and imaginative creations, while the menu excels in its interpretation of dazzling stir-fries and lush curries accented with the likes of tart lemon grass and bright lime. Spicy dishes are prepared according to preference, so be sure to consult with the friendly serving staff to ensure your culinary journey to the East is a memorable one for all the right reasons.

635 Corydon Avenue

Amici Restaurant 326 Broadway

Five-star Tuscan-influenced Italian has been plated at this romantic downtown spot for over 20 years. Lunch features a hearty zuppa of fennel broth swimming with mussels, scallops, shrimp, and calamari to a Linguine with roasted butternut squash, shrimp, caramelized onion, and goat cheese. For dinner, mouth-watering antipasti include Seared Jumbo Scallops on roasted squash purée with crisp prosciutto, and Chicken Livers on Gorgonzola polenta in brandy peppercorn sauce. Other rich selections include a Grilled Scaloppine of chicken with smoked bacon cream and grilled shrimp.

Mirlycourtois

188 Princess Avenue

Top city chef Bernard Mirlycourtois whisks you on a culinary French-capade in a rustic Exchange District loft. Dinner features prix-fixe menu or a la carte selections of such hors d’oeuvres as Provencial-style Frog Legs, velvety Foie Gras, and cognac-laced Lobster Bisque D’Homard. Mains satisfy with plates like Seafood Risotto, Duck with Grand Marnier, and traditional Coq au Vin. And with Chef Bernard accepting bookings for special “Chef ’s Degustations” on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, you can put a unique spin on your summer menu with a specially created gourmet meal.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 25

Noshing Out Join us every Tuesday night for Live Music in the Mona Lisa Music Room

RISTORANTE ITALIANO 1697 Corydon Avenue

488-3687

Bistro 7 ¼

725 Osborne Street

Herb-infused fragrances and the clink-clank of an open kitchen permeate this novel South Osborne French bistro. There’s no doubt that Chef Alexander Svenne intends a sensuous taste adventure for his diners. Lunch and dinner menus change for every season, but if spring’s wondrous offerings were any indication - selections like Beer Battered Asparagus with lemon tarragon dip, and Seafood Bouillabaisse in saffron, tomato, and fennel broth – summer’s line-up should be a tantalizer. In for a casual munch? Ever popular Mussels and Fries with wine will hit the spot.

Billabong Bar & Bistro 121-D Osborne Street

Dining out down under is both exotic and relaxed at this favourite Australian eatery and watering hole. Must-haves are the Alligator Potstickers, a gourmet bite of reptile and shrimp wrapped in wonton, hearty Kangaroo Stew, and Braised New Zealand Lambshank in port rosemary and date sauce. Sweets include Pavlova, a popular Aussie dessert, and Chocolate Lamington, a speciality white cake soaked in chocolate and covered in coconut. And with a large screen TV in view, you can also try a fine Australian beer or wine while taking in a rousing match of soccer.

LuLu’s Restaurant 956 St. Mary’s Road

Offering spiced delights from “Mexico to Malaysia via Cape Town,” Chef Louise deBeer’s restaurant pays homage to the tropics with a colourful atmosphere and a vibrant menu of world cuisine. The South African Special is a delectable selection of Lulu’s best offerings - Samosa, Tuna Frikkadel (patty), and Spinach Dhaltjie (fritter) appetizers with an entrée of Bobatie, a masala flavoured lean ground beef pie with aromatic yellow rice, nutmeg cauliflower and cilantro coleslaw. The accompanying dessert is a smooth Sooji, a cinnamon and cardamom flavoured semolina pudding.

Right There Korean 472 Stradbrook Avenue

The city’s most energizing cuisine gets tabled at this healthful teahouse and museum restaurant. Restorative ginseng root is Right There’s cornerstone - one can sip hot red Gin-Seng tea, cool GinSeng drink, or traditional Gin-Seng Wine, as well as nibble upon signature plates like Chicken Gin-Seng. The Set Menu playfully ranges from “Satisfied” to “Happy” to “Feeling so good” with selections like rice soup, Korean sushi, woo-dong noodles, kimchee pancake, BBQ pork, octopus, and ice cream dessert.

Fusion Grill

550 Academy Road Now Carrying Gordon Ramsey “Oven to Tableware” by Royal Doulton

Sporting an evolving menu of original prairie tastes, stylish retrodesign, and an award-winning wine list, this bistro should be hot for summer supping. New items from award-winning Chef Lorna Murdoch include a reinvented classic: Foie Gras Poutine. This sinful indulgence sees Russet fries in canola with rich foie gras gravy and New Bothwell cheddar curds extravagantly accented with white truffle oil. Roast Mushroom and Argula Salad also makes a perfectly summery plate. Add to these fixes regular menu items like the famous White truffle Perogies with duck sausage and walnut cream sauce.

Gasthaus Gutenberger Restaurant 2583 Portage Avenue

493 Notre Dame Ave 774-5544 26 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Hankering for Blätterteigpastetchen? Or maybe a little Matjesfilet Hausfrauen Art? Discover tastes you never thought you could get your tongue around at this authentic chalet-styled German eatery. Appetizers include Bavarian-style Bratwurst pan-fried and served with beer sauce, as well as cured Scandinavian style lox. Love Schnitzel? Over half a dozen Schnitzel variations also await in addition to specialities like Bavarian Pork with sauerkraut potato dumplings and a Vegetable Medley Wellington in puff pastry.

By Aileen Goos

All Over the Map

It’s Monday of the May long-weekend, and Alana Levandoski is enjoying a few rare days off at home with her family. She’s already hit her favourite café for some homemade food and is drinking in every moment with her 18-month old nephew before preparing to go on tour. As hard as it is for her to tear herself away from all of this, it’s even harder to imagine the Manitoba singer-songwriter anywhere but on the road. A self-proclaimed wanderer, she’s travelled through Turkey, hitchhiked through Germany, done dinner parties in Nashville, and fondly reminisces about a memorable trip to Boston that found her short on cash but full of inspiration. Every air mile she’s logged has brought her closer to releasing her much-anticipated sophomore CD, Lions and Werewolves, which is scheduled for distribution in June by EMI Canada. And although inspiration for the disc came from faraway places, capturing the songs led her straight to where it all started - her beloved Kelwood, Manitoba. “I had to access Canadian funding for the project, which meant we had to do most of the work in Canada,” she says. “It was great to be able to do this in my hometown.” An Anglican church doubled as her studio, which her brother-in-law helped transform using old straw bales to provide some sound isolation. After long days of laying down tracks, Levandoski’s sister treated the crew to catering from the “untapped jewel” of a café she co-owns, Harvest Sun Café. And her mom, who went back to university to become a visual artist, is creating some of the graphics for the liner notes. Admittedly a bit of a departure from her debut, Unsettled Down, this collection sees her paired up musically with producer Ken Nelson who is best known for his work with Coldplay and David Beddingfield. The collaboration wasn’t as much of a wish as it was a decision for Levandoski, who remembers hearing Coldplay’s Parachutes CD and telling a friend - a very connected friend with Nelson’s manager’s email address - that she wanted to work with the talented producer. “She dropped him an email and it ended up that he liked my songs. That was artistically a highlight,” she says of making the disc. “It’s a bit of a step away from my first album. I’m still being true to myself, but I’ve evolved as a person and a songwriter. I just allowed it to be what it was.”

Her new work is a grown-up collection of tracks from an artist who has obviously absorbed as much of life as she can. A consummate storyteller, she says she became a “method” songwriter for this disc - taking on different personas and developing characters, much like Johnny Cash did with Folsom Prison.

Her musical taste is, much like the artist herself, all over the map - she listens to everything from Britney Spears to Emmylou Harris (whom she had the pleasure of meeting), and would love to work with Pink and Rodney Crowell, whom she’ll share the line-up with at the Edmonton Folk Festival later this year.

One of the tracks on the new disc, Dangerous One, is such a song; written from the perspective of a silver-tongued devil who meets someone who calls his bluff.

For now, she’ll pack her bags and bring her current set of songs on tour - making her sixth or seventh stop in Europe before taking to the Winnipeg Folk Fest stage in July.

Lions and Werewolves also gave her the chance to write with Simon Wilcox (daughter of famed singer-songwriter David Wilcox). Between both discs, she also made her way to Nashville to co-write with Jim Photoglo (who wrote the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Fishin’ In The Dark) and Jay Fred Knobloch (who’s written songs for Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood and Ray Charles).

“I love being at the festival and rocking out with the band, and I love the workshops where you get to share your experiences with others who want to find a way to tell their stories in song,” she says. “My advice to anyone who wants to get into this: expect poverty and extreme sacrifice for a time. But if it’s something that will fester in you, know that there’s definitely a price to pay, but the pay-off is wonderful.”

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 27

They’ve Got the Music in Them By Susie Strachan

Winnipeg’s vibrant culture is well known for producing big-name musicians from a homegrown pool of talented newcomers. It might be our winters — perfectly suited for huddling inside and writing new songs — or it might be our summers — there are few music lovers who can resist grooving to the tunes at the many music festivals, street fests, parks and sidewalk cafes with a band givin’ it all on stage. The following are a sampling of wellknown and lesser known Manitoba songwriters and singers, offering amazing music. Get ready to celebrate summer by settling into your seats for a really great show.

WALLE LARSSON

GRAND ANALOG

Grand Analog is a raw collective created in 2006 of DJs from various local pubs. Its members are seasoned record collectors, musicians and self-described beat junkies. Bandleader and creator Odario Williams describes the Grand Analog sound as a beautiful mess of rap’n’roll, dub and soul. Collective members include Ofield Williams, Alister Johnson, Warren Bray and Damon Mitchell. Their new album, “Metropolis Is Burning” (May 2009) fine-tunes the Grand Analog sound. Feature tracks include ‘Her Daddy (Don’t Like Me)’, ‘Take It Slow,’ ‘Stir Crazy’ and ‘Electric City’.

Walle Larsson is a star firmly fixed in Winnipeg’s firmament, both as a saxophonist and radio host on 99.1 Groove FM. He’s produced a number of CDs over the year, with his latest, “Groove Lounge Volume 2” out in June 2009. You can catch the Walle Larsson band this summer at the Lyric Theatre at Assiniboine Park, and also at Jazz on the Rooftop on Aug. 27 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, along with Katherine Penfold and Greg Lowe.

ROMI MAYES

From the centre of Canada, deep in the prairies, comes an unstoppable force that is becoming a household name across the globe: Romi Mayes. Mayes is a straight shooter with heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics, edgy innuendo, and some serious badass guitar playing. She writes about sex, drugs, love and the road. She can be soft and sweet or downright dirty. Her latest release, “Achin In Yer Bones” (March 2009) is testament to exactly that. Mayes is touring with new band members Ryan Weber on bass, Sam Weber on guitar, Shai Peer on keys, and Emmet Van Etten on drums, around Canada, Europe and the USA. This summer, they’re on the festival circuit.

28 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

GREG LESKIW DEANO DEAN

The Deano Dean band plays bare-boned blues, swing and classic rock’n’roll. Bandleader and saxophonist Deano Dean hails from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he played with greats like Wilson Picket, Buddy Guy and Slim Harpo. He’s one of the founding members of the Manitoba Blues Society, and people will remember his Sunday Blues show on 97.5 FM. He joins band members Michael Huhtala (guitar), Jon Amadatsu (bass), Doug Doo-wop (drums), playing like “100,000 horses of funky blues and rock ready to tear through your face and party in your brain!”

Greg Leskiw began playing guitar at the age of 12. During “kitchen jam sessions” his father taught him the popular songs of the ‘30s and ‘40s. Greg went on to play with Winnipeg rock bands The Shags, Logan Avenue, and Wild Rice. In 1969, Wild Rice broke up and, perhaps more significantly, in 1970 Randy Bachman left The Guess Who. Burton Cummings gave Greg a call and a new exciting chapter in Greg’s career began. Throughout the 1970s, Greg performed with Mood jga jga, Crowcuss, and the Les Q Band, which was renamed Kilowatt. The mid-80s saw Greg’s focus change from performing live to recording and music production when he opened Vox Pop Studios, which lasted until 1997. His next incarnation was with Swing Soniq, which began with Leskiw on vocals and acoustic guitar, Greg Lowe playing acoustic guitar, Richard Moody on viola and Danny Koulack on acoustic bass.

RANDY BACHMAN & BURTON CUMMINGS

RON PALEY

Pianist, electric bassist, and composer, Ron Paley formed the Ron Paley Big Band in 1976 after playing with the big bands of Buddy Rich and Woody Herman, with whom he recorded two CDs and played on a Frank Sinatra album. He has recorded two big band albums, a trio album and a big band musical. The big band, which consists of 20 instrumentalists and five or six vocalists, has performed in concert with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and played a concert of “new music” sponsored by Winnipeg’s new music concert organization “Groundswell. The band is working on a CD to be released in 2009.

Few performers can boast a set list as impressive as Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings, whose catalogue is the envy of every artist. The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Burton Cummings solo; together theirs is the Great Canadian Songbook. They are lending their legendary voices to literacy in a cross-Canada concert tour this summer, stopping in Winnipeg on June 30, when the duo play the MTS Centre. Bachman and Cummings will perform from their nearly endless songbook of mega-hits – from These Eyes, Laughing, Undun, No Sugar Tonight and American Woman to Takin’ Care of Business, You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet, No Time and other gold and platinum hits. Partial proceeds from ticket sales from the cross-Canada tour by the legendary song writing partners will go to the Canwest Raise-a-Reader program, which supports literacy groups in Canadian communities.

SIERRA NOBLE

Sierra Noble has been playing fiddle since she was a little kid, and has shared stages with people like Bruce Cockburn, Hawksley Workman, Kevin Breit, Ashley MacIsaac and countless terrific players in her hometown of Winnipeg. Best known as a fiddle virtuoso who breezes through Celtic, Bluegrass, Jazz, World beat and other styles of music with stunning ease, Noble’s breadth of experience is impressive. This June, she opened for Steven Fearing at the West End Cultural Centre, and you can catch Noble on stage on July 16 with the Ron Paley Big Band at the Lyric Theatre in Assiniboine Park, as well as at the Celtic Ireland pavilion from Aug. 2 to 8 during Folklorama.

NATHAN

Alt-country quartet Nathan includes singer/guitarist Keri Latimer, singer/accordion/banjo/guitarist Shelley Marshall, bassist Devin Latimer and drummer Damon Mitchell, who harness the essence of the Canadian west. It’s a sound the band has been honing since the release of their 2001 debut, “Stranger”, and refined on their sophomore album, the Juno-nominated “Jimson Weed”, which brought home awards and garnered critical kudos across North America. Their third album, “Key Principles”, won a Juno for best roots and traditional group. Nathan performs at CountryFest in Dauphin on July 4.

LISA LESTER

Deep, rich and expressive are words to describe the angelic voice of Lisa Lester, who just released her debut disc “Take Me Away” (April 2009), a mix of adult contemporary, rock, blues and soul with the slightest hint of twang. Lester performs with an all-star stellar band including Laurie MacKenzie (lead guitar), Guess Who; Leonard Shaw (keyboards), Guess Who & Ministers of Cool; Ilena Zaramba (background vocals); Bruce Jacob (musical director for Rankin Family and bass player with Streetheart); Christian Dugas (drums), The Duhks; and Boyd Mackenzie (violin), Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

RYELEE

Rheanna and Lorrie were headed in opposite directions until one day...they randomly met, became fast friends and discovered that they share a brain. Both single-named singer-songwriters who play acoustic guitar, they formed the folk duo RyeLee, which mixes Rye the drink and Lee, out of the wind. Their debut album, The Fall (May 2008), won acclaim for its clean melodies and sophisticated words. You can catch RyeLee at the Harvest Sun Music Festival in Kelwood on Aug. 14.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 29

STEVE & ANNA LISA KIRBY LINDSAY WHITE

The Lindsey White Band has a mature groovy sound described as an eclectic mix of blues and funk immersed in a solid folk-rock foundation. Schooled in classical piano, violin and vocal jazz, White discovered expressive songwriting as a teenager and taught herself to play the guitar. Since then she has spent 10 years performing at festivals and venues across western Canada. Four albums followed. White has hooked up with Alasdair Dunlop (bass), Joe Curtis (guitar), and producer/drummer Mitch Dorge, who have been touring Canada, and working on songs for a forthcoming 2009 CD release.

Jazz bassist Steve Kirby left a vigorous performing and writing career in New York in 2003 to set up the bachelor of jazz studies program at the University of Manitoba. He is active in the Winnipeg music scene, as artistic director of the Izzy Asper Jazz Performances and artistic director of Jazz On Wheels, an inner city jazz education program. He was bassist for Elvin Jones Jazz Machine from 1999 to 2001. His wife Anna Lisa Kirby also teaches in the Faculty of Music, and you can see AnnaLisa performing around town at the Cool Jazz Winnipeg Festival, Mardi Jazz, the Current Lounge, the Cool Monday Night Hang and also as special guest with the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra and featured in the U of M Summer Jazz Camp concerts every August, of which Steve is the director.

CURTIS NEWTON

Bluesman Curtis Newton once won a guitar at a blues contest hosted by Deano Dean, an instrument he still plays, when not busy with his day job of running the Royal George Hotel, where you can see him perform in July. Newton regularly plays a rockin-blues supper show at the hotel on Saturdays, at Le Garage Café on Thursdays, as well as with the Ron Paley Big Band. While he doesn’t have an album out, Newton, whose role models include Brent Parkin and Big Dave McLean, has around 400 songs recorded, which will become an album one day.

JODIE BORLÉ

The next Canadian jazz star could very well be Jodie Borlé, who gives the traditional jazz sound a funky, pop-laced spin. You don’t have a pulse if her version of the Tom Waits’ classic, “San Diego Serenade” doesn’t raise goose bumps. Her debut CD “And Then I Did” showcases her sultry, powerful pipes, as did her second album, “Snow” (December 2006), a collection of 11 holiday songs. Borlé performed at the Groove-FM Jazz Winnipeg Festival in late June, and you can catch her at the Current Lounge, at the Inn At The Forks from July 16 to 18.

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PUSHING DAISIES

With their harmony-driven rock/pop melodies, Pushing Daises are definitely a band to keep an eye on. Comprised of Roland Cote (vocals / guitars), James Roth (guitars), Curtis Paull (guitars) and Darren Burtniak (drums and percussion), the group achieved much success with their first album, “Pretending To Be Famous.” They soon went on to playing sold out arenas as opening act for The Guess Who’s “Running Back Thru Canada Tour.” Pushing Daisies’ highly anticipated sophomore disc “How It Makes You Feel” includes the hit tracks How It Makes You Feel and Fall Back Into Me, a melodious tune that landed a spot on Global’s hit television series Falcon Beach; and Stranger, which took top marks in the Canadian Music Week Songwriters’ Award. Pushing Daisies released a new album in May 2009 entitled “Your Devils and Your Angels,” which is already garnering positive reviews. Watch for future live performances at Shannon’s Irish Pub and other venues.

On the Music Scene The Current Restaurant and Lounge

Escape into the music of Winnipeg’s finest jazz musicians in the Lounge at the Current Restaurant, set against the picturesque and historic environment of the bustling Forks. Enjoy a meal from the tasty gourmet menu and then head over to the Lounge for drinks, dessert and music. Expect to find a high caliber of jazz musicians, many of them from the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, playing nightly from 9-12. Next up: Mike Swickis (Jul 2-4), Papa Mambo (Jul 9-11), Jodie Borle (Jul 16-18), Marco Castillo (Jul 23-25), Aaron Shorr (Jul 30 - Aug 1), Me & Mr Jones (Aug 6-8), Larry Roy & Friends (Aug 13-15), Marco Castillo (Aug 20-22), and Mira Black (Aug 27-29). Located at the Inn at the Forks, 75 Forks Market Road.

book your VIP room, private party or special event with us at... aliveinthedistrict.com or 989.8080

Mona Lisa Ristorante Italiano

OxfOrds

A guaranteed night of great music and pizza specials can be found at this favourite neighbourhood Italian eatery and lounge every Tuesday evening. Organized by 92 Citi-FM’s Howard Mandshein, expect to find a wide range of local entertainment. Summer highlights include Ryelee, Lindsey White, The Influences, Rhetoric, Beau, and David Ganon. Located at 1697 Cordon Ave.

Chill out and be cool with Jazz Sundays at Winnipeg’s newest and funkiest bistro. Enjoy Italia inspired cuisine, tapas, or visit the cocktail bar and sit back and listen to the soulful sounds of musician in residence – Mira Black. Complementing Mira’s soulful, emotive five-octave range are well known local gems Gilles Fournier and Larry Roy. Performances take place every Sunday this summer between 7-9pm. Located at 905 Corydon Ave.

LIVE IN THE NOW. LIVE IN THE NOW. © Aveda Corp.

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Le Garage Café

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Check out the new digs in the French Quarter! Touted as the “Coolest Restaurant and Lounge in Town”, Le Garage Find other Aveda locations at Invite style into your life — call to book an appointment today. Cafe offers a menu as dynamic as their entertainment. 800.328.0849 or aveda.com. Expect to find top-notch artists such as The Keith Price other Aveda locations at Trio, Greg Lowe, Mira Black, fusion nights Find featuring Greg 800.328.0849 or aveda.com. Lowe and open mic events with Melissa Plett. Located at 166 Provencher Blvd

Shannon’s Irish Pub

Quickly becoming one of Winnipeg’s favourite local pubs and more recently a film-set for the up and coming Don Cherry movie, Shannon’s Irish Pub invites you to unwind and enjoy one of many beers on tap, or take your chances on the dance floor with weekly entertainment all summer long. Located at 175 Carlton Street.

Don Pedros

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Fringed. Blunt cut. Long and layered. Update your image — while enjoying the Aveda Concept Salon difference: signature treatments that go above Fringed. Blunt cut. Long and layered. Update your image — while enjoying and the beyond, from a moment stress-relief for headtreatments and shoulders, to above a Aveda Concept Salonofdifference: signature that go shaving Free with your and hairshoulders, cut or color.to a and consultation beyond, fromora makeup momenttouch-up. of stress-relief for head Invite style consultation into your lifeor—makeup call to touch-up. book an appointment shaving Free with your today. hair cut or color.

Invite style into your life — call to book an appointment today. 196 Osborne Street, Winnipeg Manitoba R3L 1Z1 204 287 8939 Find other Aveda locations at 800.328.0849 aveda.com. Find other or Aveda locations at 800.328.0849 or aveda.com.

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Drift away with live Spanish guitar and Mariachi music weekly at one of Canada’s premiere choices for fresh Mexican cuisine created and prepared expertly by real Mexican chefs. Sit back, relax and enjoy authentic music and food in one of Winnipeg’s most eccentrically decorated rooms located in the heart of the beautiful Exchange District, 114 Market Ave.

Alive in the District

Situated in the trendy and historical Exchange District, Alive welcomes clubbers every Friday and Saturday night to hang out and party at “Winnipeg’s Hottest Nightclub.” Nibble on tasty morsels from the appetizer menu or sip back a cocktail special. Chill out on the patio or get into the groove on the dance floor! Both live music and DJ sets can be heard every weekend all summer long. Located at 140 Bannatyne Ave.

ESTD. 2002

With over 20 beers on tap, V.Q.A wines, fine scotch and Irish whisky always available, Shannon’s is your best choice for local Entertainment and Dining. Live music on stage every night of the week! From celtic dancers to local rock, come and see what is happening tonight. We have daily food and drink specials, so be sure to come down and check it out.

175 Carlton Street, Winnipeg MB | 204 943-2302 | info@shannonsirishpub.ca |

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 31

Calling All Rockers

SALES • RENTALS • LESSONS

Quest Musique has plenty to offer the community this summer. Along with an excellent selection of musical instruments and equipment at both stores, the highly regarded company also provides music lessons and programming taught by highcalibre instructors on a year round basis. Both students and parents will be happy to know that various weeklong music camps will once again be running this season! The ultra popular Rock Camp, Jazz Camp and Fiddle Camp, are all on the course line-up this summer. Rock Camp offers programs: July 13-17, Aug 17-21 and Aug 24-28. What students will learn is the history of rock and roll in every era from the 50s to today. Program content includes coverage on all the major players and bands, along with what gear they used and more. Best of all, students learn songs from those eras and jam in a band setting! Some rock ‘n’ rollers may opt for Rock Camp 3 Week Ultimate, which runs from July 20th to August 7th, and includes History of Rock in week one, Recording in week two (students will record and take home at least one recorded song on CD), and Live Performance in week three.

Proud Supporter of Music in Manitoba 1308 Portage Avenue • 233 4151 166 Meadowood Drive • 231 1677 www.questmusique.com

Quest Musique’s summer Rock Camp 2008 was a huge success. Participants formed two bands and learned legendary rock tunes by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, U2, Chuck Berry, Elvis, Iron Maiden, Van Halen and many more. Based on the program’s popularity in 2008, interested parties should register soon! Jazz Camp runs August 10-14. At writing time, Fiddle Camp dates had not yet been released. Rock & Jazz Camps will be held at Quest’s St Vital Location on Mon-Fri from 1-4 PM., while Fiddle Camp will be held at Quest’s Portage Location. Also on the calendar this season is SHREDFEST 2009. Produced by Quest Musique and hosted by legendary metal guitarist and notably the “No. 1 Shredder of All Time” - Michael Angelo Batio, this compelling guitar contest is open to those under 25 years of age. Quest invites interested parties to the Garrick Theatre this August 15th to check out Winnipeg talent, win some prizes, cheer on favourite contestants and have a great time!

32 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Invisible Guy:

Grant Guy’s Great Disappearing Act By Ian Mozdzen Decades on the edge of the theatre scene, Grant rules his own world. This world appears in its very disappearance; whether it’s via radically reducing robust classic texts to mere fragments, sculpting monastic performances, or creating miniature worlds populated with rocks, paper scraps, and television screens prompting elusive shibboleths. Some may call the world inaccessible, elitist, and even pretentious -- “Now that’s a review!” Grant chuckles -- but what critics don’t realize is that he’s engaging audiences in a way mainstream theatre does not.

It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon. I’m sipping espresso in an Exchange District café facing The Invisible Man. Well, of a sort: Grant Guy, founder of Adhere + Deny, Winnipeg’s avantgarde actor and object/puppet theatre company. In 2009 the company marked its 11th year with two celebrated works -- Song for Simone and Paradise Lost. Song for Simone’s ascetic response to the life and times of French philosopher/mystic/activist Simone Weil (1909-43) fused dance, theatre, video, and sound art. Meanwhile, Paradise Lost adapted John Milton’s mammoth 17th century poetic retelling of the fall of Man. Created with the assistance of the Winnipeg Art Council’s New Creations Fund, the epic featured the talents of five local actors, sound and video art, and smoke-filled scenes of angels toying with Adam and Eve, a snake on sticks, and hackie-sacks. All in all, a typical year for this prolific director/designer, recipient of the Manitoba Arts Council’s 2004 Award of Distinction. And I’m crazy to know Grant’s story. Where did he grow up? When did he realize he was an artist? I wanted it all. Pen poised, my questions are fired. A self-proclaimed child of the ‘60s, ‘70s, and early ‘80s – “anarchy at a controlled intersection” -- Grant takes a deep breath. “I tend to separate my private life from my work,” he admits. “I’ve been referred to as ‘The Invisible Man’ of Winnipeg’s art scene and I like that. There’s freedom in that.” Cut to the The Invisible Man himself in the 1933 film: “An invisible man can rule the world. Nobody will see him come, nobody will see him go. He can hear every secret.”

“You brought it on yourselves!” cries The Invisible Man, tearing away protective bandages. “You’ve been driving me near mad with your peering through keyholes and gaping through curtains ... you’re crazy to know ... Alright, I’ll show you!” Grant wants the audience to work to make his evocatively impoverished works work. “I want the audience to develop their own narratives,” he affirms. “They become part of the performance by filling in the gaps.” “Here’s a souvenir for you!” The Invisible Man proclaims, tossing a false nose into the crowd, and then bandages. “And another for you!” Adhere + Deny does not attract mainstream numbers, but for the devotees who flock to the Exchange District to fill its tiny Albert Street studio, Grant’s theatre is met with as much, if not more, anticipation than regular fare. With each new stripped work, Grant poses a challenge to everyone, including himself.

“He’s invisible ... we’ll never catch him in a thousand years!” Planning to take fragmentation even further out of sight, Grant looks to the utter silence of the photographic form to inspire upcoming work. Set to hit the stage March 2010 is Still Walking, a new creation sourced from the work of Swiss artistic visionary/sculptor Alberto Giacometti (1901-66). Cryptically, Grant promises Still Walking to be “romantic, mechanical, agápe love.” “I can’t say if it will be successful.” And with that, the Guy vanishes!

Which challenges have succeeded? Grant’s favourites include 2003’s Three Sisters: A Still Life, a tragic/comic reduction of Anton Chekhov’s classic featuring company members Sharon Bajer, Nadin Gilroy, and Carolyn Grey. Add to that 2004’s Canticle, a near-silent action-based performance by Gilroy inspired by Spanish poet St. John of the Cross. What’s common to these works, or even all his works? Hint: “The fourth sister in Three Sisters is Silence,” Grant states. Given this creator’s ongoing love affair with fragments, Lady Silence indeed haunts all his works, an accomplice in hushing narrative and scattering details - making the visible invisible. What’s it all for? Giving his audience something to chew on. “I have a great respect for the audience,” he avows.

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Jon Hassell Last Night the Moon Came Dropping its Clothes in the Street (ECM/Universal) For more than 30 years, Jon Hassell has been extending the reach of his trumpet, first with synthesizer patches plus vocal techniques learned from Indian masters, latterly with sampling keyboards and real-time computer manipulation. Now, with the understated but trenchant companionship of a new band, Maarifa Street, he’s pitched midway between muted Miles and ghost murmurings, his sound so subtle in insinuation, the music escaping an intriguingly unsteady state where what is half buried in the mix is often the irresistible factor. The most remarkable juxtapositions happen in the 13-minute “Abu Gil,” where the last ripples of a jazz-rock electric piano shiver over darkly industrial hums and unspecified nightlife while Hassell conjures muezzin calls before quoting the melody of “Caravan.” His own melodies are not compromised by ambience; “Last Night the Moon Came” is narcotic in a salutary way. The Jeff Preslaff Trio Red Goddess (Uncontrollable Records) Trombonist, arranger and teacher Jeff Preslaff trusts to his ‘other’ instrument, piano, for his first recording under his own name, and while there is no need at all to qualify the results as, say, “composer’s piano,” Red Goddess is not about virtuosity so much as it is about craggily compelling writing and trio interaction, with ample breathing space among the shadows. Beauty gets more than an occasional look in, whether the gorgeous waltz of “Secrets” or the feeling title track, where the light scatters like random diamonds on velvet, but more attention is compelled by the likes of “Two-Way Rays,” with Julian Bradford’s throbbing bass and Scott Senior’s cymbal washes and subterranean drumming holding the suspense, or the wry study in contrary motion that is “Summer Somewhere (One)” – skittering rim shots glancing against tolling piano. Sublime, but never beyond feeling. Fripp and Eno Evening Star (Discipline Global Mobile) No Pussyfooting, the first recording by King Crimson leader Robert Fripp and Brian Eno, happened in extremely informal circumstances. Eno, fresh from leaving the original Roxy Music, had set up a tape loop/synthesizer system and then invited Fripp to play his high-sustain guitar through it. The pair applied themselves harder for the 1975 successor, Evening Star, investing more in texture and subtle overdubs. The new remastered edition brings more of those textures to the foreground, from the almost pastoral title track, where long lead lines waft through a pleasant mist of rhythm guitars, synthesizer and piano, to the tectonic pace of the 30-minute “An Index of Metals” – a work that Eno once boasted has the slowest changes on record, and which will instill either meditation or deep terror, depending on the listener’s state.

On the

by Quentin Mills-Fenn

Bookshelf A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif (Anchor Canada) General Zia ul-Haq, military dictator of Pakistan, was killed in a plane crash in August 1988. No one knows what really happened, although hypotheses abound. Twenty years later, Mohammed Hanif uses this mystery for a very entertaining political satire. Told by a narrator who is far from being a neutral observer, the story is anchored by a great caricature of Zia himself: vain, pompous, and paranoid. It’s a delicious mix of conspiracies and suspicions, a military dungeon and an errant crow. The author, born in Pakistan and currently working for the BBC in London, has devised a novel that finally answers the question: was President Zia assassinated? And why were there mangoes on his plane? Okay, that’s two questions.

The Toss of a Lemon by Padma Viswanathan (Vintage Canada) This historical novel distinguishes itself from similar attempts with its beautifully drawn characters. Padma Viswanathan tells the story of the life of a Brahmin woman, widowed at eighteen. Paradoxically, despite her relative wealth and position in society, Sivakima’s caste has strict rules governing her behaviour - she’s not allowed to touch her children and grandchildren, lest she contaminate them, for example. A profoundly conservative woman, she follows the strictures to the best of her ability, even as the world around her changes. The result is a big, fat, wonderful novel that spans more than half a century, a period of time that also includes the evolution and birth of India as an independent country. Informative, sure, but also compelling, it’s like a master class in historical fiction.

Trauma by Patrick McGrath (Anchor Canada) Patrick McGrath, author of Asylum and Spider, continues with his explorations of the darker corners of the human psyche with his latest novel. Charlie Weir is a divorced psychiatrist living in New York City who’s dealing with the wreckage of his dysfunctional family, including his womanizing artist brother, and his alcoholic absent father. Then there’s his mother, a hard-drinking writer who’s about as maternal as Medea. Charlie’s never forgiven himself for the suicide of one of his patients, an Army veteran who just happened to be his wife’s brother. Things get sticky after his mother’s death, when his ex shows up with a conditional enticing offer and Charlie starts an affair with a woman with traumas of her own. At times, you might wonder if people actually behave this way, but there’s no denying the tension that McGrath produces. Lies, abuse, deception: families, eh?

347 William Avenue 943-0999 www.totallighting.mb.ca PLENTY OF FREE PARKING

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

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 35

Making fitness personal By Leigh Patterson If you have ever let a gym membership lapse, started an exercise regime only to lose your motivation, or felt intimidated by large, impersonal fitness centres, you will appreciate the personal training offered by Chris Robbins and Ellie Martens of Lift Fitness. Conveniently located off south Osborne Street and steps away from Winnipeg’s famed “Confusion Corner,” Lift Fitness, which opened last fall, is achieving a positive word-of-mouth reputation for its comfortable atmosphere, small fitness classes and one-on-one training. For Robbins and Martens, there is nothing confusing about their goal: to make workouts rewarding and fun, too. “We take our clients’ goals personally, following our initial consultation, we will set up a customized fitness program that is adaptive and challenging to make sure the client doesn’t plateau. We take care of the technical aspects, so the client can have a great workout and a good time.” Small in size but big on client service, accessibility sets Lift Fitness apart. Both Martens and Robbins are so dedicated to their clients’ success, they will accommodate client schedules; meeting a client at the gym for a 1:00 a.m. training session is not out of the question. In addition to personal training sessions, Lift Fitness offers a number of cardio, boxing and weight training classes.

“As a private gym we have a lot of flexibility in what we have to offer our clients,” says Robbins. “There’s a variety of affordable options.” Training and classes take place in the newly renovated, immaculate Lift Fitness gym, which is surrounded by windows that let in loads of natural light, and fully equipped with commercial cardio and weight machines locally manufactured by Pulse Fitness, as well as free weights and punching bags. As trainers, Robbins and Martens take pride in monitoring their clients’ progress as they work to achieve their fitness goals. “When a client tells you her Parkinson’s is less symptomatic and she’s taken 10 strokes off of her golf game since training with us, it’s incredibly rewarding,” says Martens. “We’re always available to keep our clients motivated and their spirits high. Their success is our success.”

Dr. Darek Dawda & Associates Clinical Psychologist

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• Psychotherapy & Life Coaching Insomnia • Stress • Anxiety • Panic Attacks Performance Anxiety • Social Anxiety • Phobias Obsessive Compulsive Disorder • Post-traumatic Stress Depression • Loss • Anger • Assertiveness • Chronic Pain Relationship Difficulties • Family Difficulties Performance, Creativity & Relationships Coaching Supported by most private health plans • Confidential Day & evening appointments • Free parking

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36 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Flourishing in tough times: Tips from Dr. Darek Dawda By Mathilda Waters

I asked our expert psychologist, Dr. Dawda of DAVDA Psychology*, to give us some tips on how those who are affected by the current economic crisis can best cope with it. Not surprisingly, his answers went beyond mere coping. MW: What can you say to those who have been negatively affected by the current economic crisis? DD: I would like to turn this question around. There is enough advice out there on how to cope in tough times. What I would like to focus on instead is how one can maximize the great potential for growth that the difficult times present. MW: How so? DD: It’s not always easy to see it when you are in the middle of the struggle, but difficult times present unique opportunities to reexamine your life and initiate changes that will create better conditions for your well being. Typically we are caught in patterns; we live by repeating the same routines; we stay in the same environments; we associate with the same people. We mostly repeat what we know, and we don’t always pay enough attention to whether that which we do is actually good for us. When some of those patterns collapse, say you lose a relationship or a job or some money in the stock market, at first it might seem like a great tragedy but it might actually be a blessing. And sometimes you need to hit the bottom to actually find enough impetus to reexamine your life in a more fundamental way. MW: So instead of patching things up, you search for more radical opportunities implicit in the tough times? DD: Exactly. You lost some money? Well, ask yourself whether your pursuit of wealth has been contributing to your sense of feeling alive, or whether it is has been slowly extinguishing the life in you. You don’t have as much work to do as you used to? Ask yourself if your job has been nourishing your spirit or suffocating it? If you can no longer afford the lifestyle that you once had, ask yourself whether the pursuit of your standard of living has been a fulfilling mission or whether the standard of living itself has enslaved you to long work hours and stress? MW: These are good questions. Why do you think people work so much?

DD: Oh, you know, we live in a world full of societal scripts and expectations. How our life should look is given to us through a tradition we are born into. And we typically feel a sense of necessity about these norms and expectations that have been imposed on us. For example, you might accept that work is an inherently noble activity, that the pursuit of status and wealth is worthwhile, that consuming leads to happiness. Many don’t get a chance to truly evaluate the impact of their submission to those prescribed ways of living before they are caught in the patterns of getting up at six am and working long stressful days doing meaningless jobs for most of their lives. That’s where an economic crisis might turn out to be a blessing, but only if you are willing to rethink your life and take steps to bring more fundamental changes to it. MW: Are you saying that working is inherently bad for you? DD: Of course not. Some people truly flourish pursuing their careers or working their jobs. But if you are not, perhaps it is time to connect with that which you desire and need, that which is good for you. Then start redesigning your life in a way that will foster the exuberance of life in you. Why not extricate yourself from the self-perpetuating vicious cycle of consumerist existence that drains life energy out of you, if you are caught in such a pattern. Instead of consuming, try creating. Instead of sacrificing yourself, seek pleasure and fun. Surround yourself with good people. Let the beauty of nature nourish you. Instead of being indoctrinated, seek your own wisdom. It might be a difficult task to wake up and uncompromisingly embrace the gift of life you’ve been blessed with, but the effort is worth it. MW: Live in the service of life? DD: Right. * Visit www.davda.ca for free Sleep Quiz with Sleep Tips or more information on Dr. Darek Dawda of DAVDA Psychology.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 37

Summer Style

Bring back the glamour in hair & your inner Diva! With summer approaching, many are focused on graduations and weddings. For those special days coming up, consider your hair and makeup for the event. Glamour is back.

Bringing new style to life Aveda Hair Colour is 99% naturally derived, creating rich, vibrant true to life tones, while capturing the active energy of plants and being as gentle on the earth as on hair. Take advantage of spring renewal and bring a new style to life with fresh layers and monochromatic colouring. Aveda is used exclusively at Oxfords Salon Spa. Photography by Aveda Makeup & Hair by Aveda Salon: Oxford’s Salon Spa

Mariana’s vintage glam approach to hair and makeup is stunning, taking us back to the Hollywood divas of the ‘30s and ‘40s. Hair dressing and finishing is going back to the old-fashioned setting and coiffing of hair but adding in a modern spin that requires some hair artistry and skill. We love it!!! The make up is also in this genre and is stunning! A bright red lipstick is essential, good foundation for that milky skin, and a set of eyelashes to enhance the eyes. Products & tools used: Hair: Aveda Makeup: Kore Finishing: clips, dyer and curling iron Salon: rituals in hair and skin Hair Artist: Mariana Makeup artist: Mariana Model: Crystal Photographer: Jerry Grajewski

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Short & Sweet Summer is here, and short hair is in! Whether you’re at the beach, work, or painting the town red, these lovely lady locks will add pep to your attire without a ton of effort. The back of this haircut is short, choppy and layered, and can be worn tame or tousled for that messed-up, slept-in look. Anna’s longerswept bang and textured sides add length to the front and frame her face with a sexy feminine touch. This versatile ‘do can be worn sleek and straight (like in the photo), or wavy and tousled. Anna’s natural texture is a mix of wave and curl, which works flawlessly with this haircut when worn in a cute messy way. This is a great ‘do to keep cool in the summer sun. It is easy and fresh! Hair: Jacqui Compayre Make-up: Rochelle Senior Photography: Aaron Rintoul Model: Anna Bshouty Salon: Society

Red Carpet Style Glamorous, chic Hollywood style fit for walking the red carpet. Sophisticated and sexy..... this look says it all! Thicker more prominent eyebrows are making a comeback this spring/summer. To balance out the brows, use a lighter more metallic eye shadow with a punch of colour on the lips. Salon: Sets On Fort Hair Stylist: Bobbie-Jo Perrick Make-up Artist: Lorraine Lee Model: Kelly Kathleen Photographer: Jeremy Hiebert

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Billabong lined bikini bags for stowing wet swimwear, comfy footwear from Speedo, and colourful western style hat. Peepers, 252 Stafford St.

FabFinds

Sarah’s Hope Jewellery Funding Dreams Worldwide “Do Good Feel Gorgeous” Vandenberg’s Fine Jewellery Inc., 1858 Portage Ave.

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Recycled glass and palm leaf tableware from Bangladesh; Green Lotus Capiz Shell candleholders from the Philippines, and Obeechi wood tray and bowls from Haiti. Ten Thousand Villages, 2 locations: 134 Plaza Drive & 963 Henderson Hwy.

Convenient and stylish at once - Gordon Ramsey “Oven to Tableware” by Royal Doulton. Independent Jewellers, 493 Notre Dame Ave.

High quality wood bookcases for home or cottage, unfinished or custom finished upon request. Faveriâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Unpainted Furniture, 625 Wall St.

Long cool woman in a hot dress! Floor length summer style by Group JS, plus so much more! spalifestyle & fashion boutique, 2001 Henderson Hwy.

FabFinds

Stunning diamond bracelet featuring 1.0 carat of pavĂŠ diamonds set in 14K white gold. Diamond Gallery, 1735 Corydon Ave.

Bring out your inner diva with colourful summer looks in fashion forward eyewear. Hakim Optical - visit www.hakimoptical.ca for a location near you.

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Affordable elegance from the Manhattan Series â&#x20AC;&#x201C; clear hand blown glass allows light to filter through, giving a soft unique effect.Â Total Lighting, 347 William Ave.

Green is the new red-hot! From Lokkii - the first line of organic barbecue & fire starter products in Canada. Portable Smart Grill & 100% organic fire starter product line available at Walmart stores nationwide.

Contemporary tote bag and unique bracelets featuring gorgeous colourful designs both inside and out. Bejeweled Accessories, 545 B Academy Rd.

FabFinds Step out in style with an elegant gold clutch and pretty party footwear for those special occasions ahead. European Shoe Shop, 442 Academy Rd.

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Lemon Torte This light and decadent torte is a perfect dessert for any summer party. Cake:

Meringue:

Filling:

½ cup (125 mL) sugar ½ cup (125 mL) shortening 4 egg yolks 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt ½ cup (125 mL) milk 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

6 egg whites ½ tsp (2 mL) cream of tartar 1 cup (250 mL) sugar ½ cup (125 mL) slivered almonds (toasted) Additional toasted almonds for garnish

1 pkg (3 ¼ oz/100 g) lemon pie filling ½ cup (125 mL) sugar 2 egg yolks 2 cups (500 mL) water Whipped cream

Cream sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add egg yolks, beating well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add alternately with milk, beating well. Stir in vanilla. Dividing batter equally, spread in two 9-inch (23 cm) round greased and waxed paper-lined cake pans.

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Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition until all sugar is dissolved and whites look glossy and again stand in soft peaks. Dividing evenly, spread meringue on top of unbaked batter in cake pans. Sprinkle with slivered almonds; bake in preheated 300°F (150°C) oven one hour or until meringue is firm and lightly browned. Cool completely on wire rack before removing from pans.

Prepare filling with sugar and egg yolks, reducing water to 2 cups total. Proceed according to package directions for pie filling; chill thoroughly. For easier spreading, stir to blend well. To serve, remove torte from pans. Place one layer, meringue side up, on serving plate; spread with chilled filling. Top with second layer, meringue side up. Garnish with whipped cream and toasted almonds. Makes 10 – 12 servings.

Egg Salad Waldorf Serve this fresh, mouth-watering salad for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) pineapple tidbits, well drained 2 cups (500 mL) diced, unpeeled apple, about 2 medium 1 cup (250 mL) diced celery 1 cup (250 mL) seedless grapes, halved ¼ cup (50 mL) sliced almonds, roasted ½ cup (125 mL) mayonnaise or salad dressing 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped Combine pineapple and apples in large bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. Just before serving, gently fold in eggs and salad dressing or mayonnaise. If desired, mound salad in lettuce cups, and garnish with additional egg slices. Tip: Poppy-seed dressing in place of mayonnaise works well with this recipe. Makes 6 cups (servings).

Egg and Asparagus Rolls With a unique style, these bite-sized appetizers are a delicious way to begin any meal. 4 eggs, hard-cooked 1 can (12 oz) asparagus (drained) OR fresh asparagus 4 Tbsp (50 mL) butter 1 loaf whole grain bread 2 Tbsp (25 mL) light mayonnaise Remove shells from hard-cooked eggs and chop egg finely. Drain asparagus tips and cut into 3-inch (7 ½ cm) lengths or blanch fresh asparagus and cut into 3-inch lengths. Finely chop remains of asparagus and add to the chopped egg along with mayonnaise and 2 Tbsp (25 mL) butter. Cut 20 very thin slices of bread; butter and remove crusts. Spread each slice with the chopped egg mixture. Place a piece of asparagus on each slice and roll up. Put onto a dish, with edge sides downwards. Wrap in waxed paper and place in refrigerator until required. Slice each into 5 to 6 rounds. Makes 36 servings.

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Friendly…Affordable… North Dakota! By Leigh Patterson

North Dakota has long been a favourite destination for Manitobans seeking a bit of adventure just south of the border. From great shopping to historical sites and cultural events, the legendary state has even more to offer this year. And now, given its well-deserved AAA designation as the “most affordable state in the nation” and Cambridge University deeming it as the “friendliest,” there is no denying that North Dakota is a convenient, attractive option for economy-minded travellers. “There are tons of free or inexpensive things to do throughout the state,” says Kim Schmidt, public and media relations director for North Dakota Tourism. Schmidt cites some exciting new attractions opening in 2009, including the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site near Cooperstown, where the Oscar Zero Missile Alert Facility and Launch Control Centre and the November 33 Missile Facility hearken back to the Cold War era in North Dakota. They are the last remnants of the 321st Missile Wing, a cluster of intercontinental ballistic missile launch sites spread over a 6,500-square-mile area around the Grand Forks Air Force Base. There’s also a fresh take on old favourites like the renowned International Peace Garden, where a newly enhanced sunken garden area features an octagonal-shaped reflecting pool surrounded by gardens of shrubs, annuals and perennials.

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With so much to see and do for visitors of all ages, where’s the best place to start? The official North Dakota Tourism Website for one! The easy-to-navigate site (www.NDtourism. com) is loaded with information about attractions, accommodations, and vacation packages. It also features a nifty online trip planner to help you customize your own North Dakota experience. To give you a taste of what could be ahead, here’s a sampling of cultural, historical, recrea-

tional and shopping excursions to be had from one corner of the state to the other. And we’ve thrown in a few “freebie” options bound to appeal to the frugal vacationer in all of us. Northwest What a ride! The North Dakota State Fair (July 24-August 1) at Minot is an action-packed week complete with championship bull riding, a demolition derby, classic car show, kids’ activities and midway, not to mention entertainment from musical acts as diverse as

Good Charlotte, Taylor Swift, Motley Crüe and country/blues crooner Dierks Bentley. Say “Ja, sure,” to North America’s largest Scandinavian festival, Nørsk Høstfest (September 29-October 3) also in Minot. A showcase of traditional and modern Nordic culture, this is one unique festival you won’t want to miss. A large stage plays host to the Oak Ridge Boys, Clint Black, Reba McEntire and many more. Relive history through the exhibits in the original buildings and reconstructed barracks at the Fort Buford State Historic Site near Williston. A Frontier Army fort critical for U.S. expansion, Sitting Bull surrendered here in 1881. Freebies: Lillian & Coleman Taube Museum of Art, Minot Scandinavian Heritage Park, Minot Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Williston Southeast An hour’s drive south of the shopping mecca of Grand Forks on Interstate 29 takes you to largest city in the state, Fargo, North Dakota. Like Grand Forks, you’ll find great shopping here, along with affordable lodging, unique attractions and sporting events that make it an attractive getaway for the whole family. In Fargo, sports fans will want to check out the Roger Maris Museum, take in a North Dakota State University Bison football game in the fall or a RedHawks baseball game in the summer. In addition to sporting events, the 20,000-seat Fargodome is the site of concerts, festivals, craft shows and fairs throughout the year. Kids can stretch their legs and their imaginations at the Children’s Museum at Yunker Farm, ranked as one of the top children’s museums in the U.S. Here your child can take in the planetarium shows and puppet theatre, take part in hands-on, fun activities or take a walk on the wild side on the nature trails.

Visitors can explore numerous aviation exhibits at the Fargo Air Museum and see a remarkable assortment of vintage aircraft, catch a concert at the 1920s-era Fargo Theatre or experience pioneer life at Bonanzaville USA, a restored pioneer village featuring an original sod house and 40 museums that depict life in 1880s Dakota Territory. Buffalo rule in Jamestown, home to the world’s largest buffalo monument. The Buffalo City also features the Frontier Village and the National Buffalo Museum, where you can view a buffalo herd that includes three rare albino bison: White Cloud, Dakota Miracle and the newest addition, Dakota Legend. Freebies: Celebrity Walk of Fame, Fargo Roger Maris Museum, Fargo Frontier Village, Jamestown Southwest Situated on one of the upper bays of Lake Sakakawea, the rugged buttes of the North Dakota Badlands are the majestic backdrop to one of the state’s best recreation areas: Lewis and Clark State Park. Nature lovers will enjoy exploring the self-guided trail in the park, home to many wildlife species, including white-tailed deer, mule deer, ring-necked pheasant, porcupine and sharp-tailed grouse. Managed by the National Park Service, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of the best places to enjoy the full-out scenic splendour of the Badlands. Winding through the North Unit of the park is the North Unit Scenic Byway that takes you past open prairie, hardwood draws, bison herds and other wildlife, and the Little Missouri River. Or take in the paintbrush canyon views on horseback via the Medora Riding Stables in the South Unit. The West comes alive in the town of Medora, where the Medora Musical, a professional western musical variety show, is performed outdoors from June to September.

Feeling a bit more cosmopolitan? Located east of the Badlands is the state capitol of Bismarck and sister city, Mandan. Here, history, culture, shopping, dining and recreational opportunities converge to make this the place to experience North Dakota’s past, present and future. Take a tour of the State Capitol Grounds in Bismarck, or hit the links at one of seven local golf courses. Feeling famished? Local landmark Peacock Alley serves up seafood, steaks and pastas in the historic Patterson Hotel. Cruise the Missouri River aboard the Lewis and Clark Riverboat, a 150-passenger riverboat. Shopping opportunities abound in BismarckMandan. The Five Nations Art Depot located in the historic Burlington Northern Railroad Depot on Main Street in Mandan, features American Indian arts and crafts by more than 200 North Dakota American Indian artists. All are available for purchase. American history buffs will appreciate tours of Fort Abraham Lincoln, last home of the 7th Cavalry before its defeat at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and Custer House, General George and Libbie Custer’s home. Freebies: Bismarck Art and Galleries Association, Bismarck Camp Hancock State Historic Site, Bismarck Chief Looking’s Village State Historic Site, Bismarck Double Ditch Indian Village State Historic Site, Bismarck Former Governor’s Mansion State Historic Site, Bismarck Keelboat and Steamboat parks, Bismarck North Dakota Heritage Center, Bismarck State Capitol Tour, Bismarck Five Nations Arts Center, Mandan Painted Canyon Visitor Center, Medora Northeast The city of Grand Forks is well known to Manitobans for the Columbia Mall and the University of North Dakota (UND). Grand

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Forks is also a cultural centre with a thriving arts community and known for its many excellent restaurants. Take a break from shopping and head to the UND campus to visit the North Dakota Museum of Art, known as the “cultural jewel of the prairies.” Also at the UND is the spectacular Ralph Engelstad Arena, which hosts hockey, family shows, ice events, concerts and basketball throughout the year. The arena’s main lobby area contains the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux Museum. If science and adventure is more your style, visit the UND Center for Aerospace Sciences, where you can tour an altitude chamber, severe weather analysis center and flight training center. After taking in a museum exhibit or touring the UND campus, head downtown to browse an eclectic array of art stores and shops, then relax at a unique coffee house for a cuppa joe or

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West of Grand Forks on Highway 2 is Turtle River State Park. Located in a beautiful forested valley, including a river stocked with rainbow trout that provides North Dakota’s only fly fishing stream, this gem of a park is a haven for wildlife, including birds and migratory waterfowl. The park has 125 modern and primitive campsites, a woodland lodge and group cabins, geocaching sites, mountain bike trails, self-guided nature trails, and special programs presented in an outdoor amphitheatre. Freebies: Japanese Garden, Grand Forks The Greenway, Grand Forks head to a local restaurant for a nice meal to top off your day. From May to October, downtown Grand Forks hosts Art & Wine Walks, and the Town Square Farmer’s Market is bustling every Saturday, mid June through September, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., where local growers and craftspeople display and sell their wares.

There are literally hundreds of reasons to grab your passport and take a drive south to North Dakota! For more information, or to plan your trip, visit www.NDtourism.com.

SAVOURING ANDALUCIA Story & photos by Greg Klassen Travelling by train through the rolling, olive-grove landscape of Southern Spain, the distant hills appear lush and inviting. Walking those same mountains later, I discovered the truth: the ground was littered with rocks, the pretty yellow-flowered plants called gorse stung my hand for days after falling on one, and the hillsides proved harsh and treacherous, rife with cacti and prickly plants of every species. It’s the perfect metaphor for Spain. On the surface, everything is charming and seductive, but on closer inspection, this country reveals centuries of hardship and pain. Remnants of its past - even its pre-Christian past - are everywhere. If it is the sun that draws people here, it’s undoubtedly the history and culture that keeps them coming back. Every Winnipegger knows that going somewhere - anywhere - in the dead of winter is a gift for the soul. My partner and I decided to leave January as we know it and travel the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula for three weeks. We started in Madrid, taking the fast train to Spain’s most sensual city Seville, then on to Cadiz, Ronda and finally Granada, famous for its historic royal city, the Alhambra.

My favourite day of the trip was that of our arrival in Cadiz. Having endured torrential rain on our last day in Seville, we were relieved to arrive at this sunny seaside destination. Walking away from our Havana-style hotel, we sauntered along the Atlantic sea walk towards the stunning vista ahead - old town Cadiz, highlighted by the famous gold dome. Along the way, we stopped for lunch, calamari fresh from the sea and a couple of tinto veranos (red wine mixed with carbonated lime). Our entry into the city itself was like entering a painting. Quickly we were thrust onto the narrow streets of ancient Cadiz, Europe’s oldest city. The map was confusing and getting our bearings was difficult, but the observation tower we were seeking had to be nearby. The narrow streets complicated the scrutiny of anything vertical. Then suddenly, there it was, just where the map said it should be.

After marvelling at the rooftop view, we descended one floor and were given a unique city overlook via camera obscura. This, with the help of a guide, provided a unique aerial tour of the entire area and allowed us to choose which places we wanted to explore up close. We spent three days wandering the narrow cobblestone alleys and sea walks of Cadiz, falling in love with the ocean views, the fresh cafe food and splendid shopping. The shimmering gold dome that had beckoned us on our first day never failed to impress with its majestic

We climbed the steep steps up several storeys, through a trapdoor in the ceiling and onto the roof, where a 360° degree view of the Moorish city awaited. Surrounded on most sides by water, it’s clear that Cadiz was once an island. Now it is connected to mainland Spain by a causeway. On clear days, Morocco is visible across one section of the great Atlantic Ocean. summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 51

Glass Staircases Glass Shower Enclosures & Custom Mirror Walls

380 Osborne St. South | Tel: 475-2774 | Fax: 287-8016

indifference to modern life. Cadiz is a dream place - travellers would be wise to ignore the tour books, which say either “don’t visit at all” or “give it one day.” For many, its identity as Moorish enclave beside the ocean has fashioned its reputation as a place of interest and enchantment. From Cadiz, the small city of Ronda is about a three-hour bus ride through the picturesque countryside of Spain. We checked into our hotel Alavera de los Banos, located at the bottom of a long set of alleys and stairs, at what used to be the gateway to the old city. This tiny guesthouse is a gem. For about $60 a night, we were situated perfectly to explore Ronda - a city built on a magnificent gorge, home of the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain - as well as the nearby verdant mountains of the Sierra de Grazalema region. This is rural Spain at its finest. A hired guide led us on a hike along mud roads and through pastures, culminating in a mountainside descent through patches of scrub and gorse. Jorrian was in his late 50s, a former speed skater from Holland and über fit. After 15 kilometres of rigorous alpine hiking, he turned to me and said, “You’re in pretty good shape.” (Fortunately, I had been walking the cities of Spain for the past 10 days.) Even if you’re going to spend most of your

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Five Things to Do in Andalucia Darro and you will need to book your 90-minute visit in advance. There are three shallow pools of water, each one warmer than the last, as well as a large steam room. You can also add a short massage to your plan. The area around Plaza Nueva, although touristy, felt like the heart of Granada. Antigua Bodega Castanede is a restaurant just off this plaza and is a recommended place to sample tapas. It has a good wine menu, well prepared food and almost constant entertainment (when we were there, a guitarist briefly played his instrument behind his head). time in Spanish cities, try to get off the beaten track and do some hiking in Spain. The small city of Granada (Spanish for pomegranate) is famous as the home of the Moorish royal town known as The Alhambra. Our hotel, Casa del Capitel Nazari, was directly below the historic walled town in an area known as the Albicin. The neighbourhood feels like a Moroccan village, with steep, narrow streets and high walls, rendering the inner courtyards a wellkept mystery. Our charming hotel, just off the Calle Darro (and Granada’s main walking street), is a converted 1000-year-old home. We were the first new guests to arrive that day, allowing us the chance to talk our way into a large room with a balcony view of the fortress. My love for Granada snuck up on me. At first I missed the seaside ebullience of Cadiz and the serene beauty of Ronda, but soon a Granada ritual took over. Walking up the steep Calle Caldereria Nueva, a Moroccan market came alive around 5 pm daily. Every turn was full of musicians, artists and sellers. It was a glorious noise, like being in Morocco with far less aggressive vendors. We soon learned that despite the fact that it took our cab 20 minutes of winding through, around and up streets to reach The Alhambra from our hotel, it was only a brisk 10-minute walk uphill. While strolling the rooms of the Alhambra palace, imagine it’s your very own home. You would wake up here and stroll in your very own gardens, complete with running waterfalls and bubbling fountains. And while you’re staring slackjawed at the intricate plasterwork, be sure to take a good look at the well weathered tilework; the detail is truly spectacular. Let yourself be drawn in by the hallucinogenic colours and patterns. While in Granada, pay a visit to the traditional hammam (bathhouse). It’s right off of the Calle

Just off the main plaza is a store called El Zoco Nazari (Reyes Catolicos 50), stocked with a fabulous collection of silk scarves, local pottery, jewellery and drawings. All along the Duoro are shops staffed by young Moroccan students, selling lamps, bottles and other household objects from Morocco, Tunisia, India and Egypt. We had started our tour of Andalucia in its largest city, Seville. The old city was beautiful, but a bit tricky to navigate. It’s very much in the tradition of Europe’s best walking cities and is delightful to wander. Two restaurant experiences stand out: the paella at Hosteleria del Laurel was the best I’ve ever eaten, made with extremely fresh seafood. For a late lunch, one day we dropped into Enrique Becerra. The bar was packed, but we elbowed our way to one of the last tables in the restaurant. The menu was extensive and we were tired, so we asked the waiter to design our meal. This he accomplished with élan. Southern Spain could be described as Morocco Lite. The olive-treed landscape, Moorish architecture and colourful markets will dance their way into your heart and probably never let go. A word of advice: attempt learning as much Spanish as possible before you leave and you’ll be rewarded with some new friends along the way.

1. Hiking - The mountainous regions

around Ronda and Granada (las Alpujarras) both offer strolls through spectacular scenery, with curvaceous mountains framing bucolic scenes in the foreground. I’ve hiked in many places, but this landscape is truly special.

2. Dine large - You can eat some of

the world’s best cooking in restaurants like Mirador de Morayma (Granada), Enrique Becerra and Hosteria del Laurel (Seville). My personal favourite was Tragabuches in Ronda, where food reaches the sublime, particularly the foie gras served with caramelized apple and sea bass with spinach. If you’re on a tight budget, try its sister Tragatapas, where the chistorra (chorizo sausage, roast potatoes mixed in an egg meringue) will linger on your palate.

3. Go aerial - Whenever you get the chance, take in a bird’s eye view. Climbing La Giralda in Seville is half the fun. No stairs, just a winding series of ramps, which were originally designed for horses to climb the tower. Climbing Cadiz’s dome or Granada’s Alhambra and Albicin, allow a unique viewpoint of some of the world’s finest Moorish architecture. 4. Shop like a local - There are many bargains to be had in southern Spain. Shopping here, like eating, is a sensual experience. Granada is a heady mix of many cultures, including Moroccan, Tunisian, Egyptian, Indian, with a healthy dose of Spanish. If you see something you love, buy it, you likely won’t see it again. 5. Stay at a boutique hotel,

preferably with a hammam. For the most part, you should skip the large chain hotels. The smaller ones have much more character and the staff will delight in helping you discover some of the secrets of their city. Our favourite hotel was the Casa del Capitel Nazari in Granada. Greg Klassen is the Marketing Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. He is also an avid traveler and is hosting a two-week trip to Bali in January 2010 as a fundraiser for the RWB. For more information on this and other amazing RWB fundraising trips please check out the website: www.rwb.org/trips. summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 53

Trail Blazers

Carving the Trans Canada Trail Initiated in 1992 as a project to

celebrate Canada’s 125th year, the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) is a bold undertaking – it will be the world’s longest recreational trail, a national treasure for Canadians today and a legacy for generations to come. Upon completion, it will extend 21,500 km from the Pacific to the Atlantic to the Artic Oceans, linking close to 1000 communities and over 33 million Canadians. Currently, 80% of Canadians are within 30 minutes of completed sections of the mixed-use recreational trail. People can enjoy the TCT in cities and towns, wilderness areas, urban parks, backwoods paths, mountain passes, national and provincial parks and on historic waterways. Trail development continues to be a massive community undertaking. When complete, the TCT will be made up of close to 600 locally owned and operated trails which connect to form one continuous route across the country. Local ownership is fundamental to the vision, nurturing a profound sense of local control and pride. Each year, the TCT grows as new sections are completed. The people who make it happen are provincial partners, trail groups, and trail builders, with financing through donations along with corporate and government funding. Future extensions of the TCT will be in the Rockies from Banff to Canmore, a route through BC’s Elk Valley that will connect BC and Alberta, and there are new plans for a trail route across north western Ontario, the completion of the Trail in Quebec and the Border to Beaches Trail in Manitoba. Manitoba’s role in the Trans Canada Trail Since the inception of the Trans Canada Trail project, volunteer trail steward groups have come forward to undertake the formidable task of building the 1,300 km trail across Manitoba. The Manitoba Recreational Trail Association (MRTA) is the official body overseeing the coordination of the building of the TCT in the province. The MRTA is a governing body providing management and direction for trail development being undertaken by

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18 regional trail associations, with a total of over 100 volunteers. The Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism has a Provincial Trails Consultant, who works closely with the MRTA. The Border to Beaches Project is a trail completion initiative of the MRTA supported by the TCT and the local trail associations. This project supports the local initiatives of the South Whiteshell, North Whiteshell, Centennial, Pinawa, Blue Water South, Blue Water North and Red River North trail associations. Border to Beaches is led by the MRTA, guided by the Implementation Committee, which was established in June 2008, to oversee the development and strategic execution of the implementation plan for the project. The Implementation Committee consists of representatives from each of the local trail associations as well as representatives from the MRTA, Manitoba Conservation and Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport. The master plan of the MRTA is the completion of a 370 km trail from the rugged Ontario Border to the sunny shores of Lake Winnipeg. The goal is to link completed sections of the trail on the magnificent Border to Beaches route by developing regional solutions for trail building challenges, including stream and river crossings and route sensitive wetland areas. Volunteers have been fundraising, building and maintaining remarkable individual segments of this route, and where the trail was relatively easy to construct, completion of the TCT has been achieved. However, significant gaps in connectivity existed due to either a capital issue, whereby the measure far exceeded the capability of a local trail group to fundraise for, or a technological gap, whereby the solution had not been identified as workable within the existing physical constraints of the area. The good news is that in May 2009, funding for Borders to Beaches by the Building Canada Fund was announced by Treasury Board President, The Honourable Vic Toews and the Minister of Infrastructure & Transportation, The Honourable Ron Lemieux. Under the terms of the agreement, the MRTA

is responsible for 1/3 contribution ($1,453,703). An application to the Trans Canada Trail was approved for $750,000, which enables the Border to Beaches Project to become an immediately achievable task! As 203 km of the Border to Beaches trail have already been completed, this initiative is well underway with only 165 km of trail remaining to be constructed. The project implementation schedule is slated for the spring of 2009 with an anticipated completion date of 2012. Specific needs and opportunities will be identified in an Action Plan, to be undertaken in the initial stage of the project, with trail construction beginning this spring. The Borders to Beaches Project will link completed trail sections with two of Manitoba’s tourism gems: Grand Beach Provincial Park and Whiteshell Provincial Park, transforming them into a provincial showcase. The development of this trail infrastructure will enable travellers to immerse themselves in an experience that will lengthen their stay and widen their exposure to eastern Manitoba. Once complete, the trail will be both a great recreation asset for the province and an icon of the tourist industry. To date, completed trail sections in Manitoba include the Crocus Trail, a 136 km trail which runs from the town of Russell to the border of Saskatchewan, featuring a provincial park and forest, as well as a national historic site with restored grain elevators. The Glenboro/ South Cyprus Trail in central Manitoba is also now open for hiking/riding along 512 kilometres of continuous signed trail from Spruce Woods Provincial Park to just outside of Winnipeg. Ultimately, the Border to Beaches Project is a pilot project, both for Manitoba and for the Trans Canada Trail across Canada. The approaches and solutions learned during the process will assist other large segments of trail to be completed, realizing the dream of a national trail, from sea to sea to sea. Manitoba is proud to be a leader with this trail completion initiative, which will establish a model of trail development throughout Canada.

Tulip Festival Blooms Bright It takes an incredible amount of faith to plant

of tulips along with plans for next year’s garden with various people in attendance.

a brown bulb in the fall, and have that tulip rise in the spring and bloom in the colour you wanted. Mother Nature has a habit of inserting new and wonderful blooms into the pattern a gardener has carefully laid out. That happened this past spring at Winnipeg’s first annual Dutch Tulip Festival, held on May 29 and 30 at Assiniboine Park’s Leo Mol Sculpture Garden. “Ken Beattie had planned for a beautiful bed of red and white tulips, in the colours of the Canadian flag,” says festival chairperson Bill Zwiep of the Assiniboine Park horticulturalist. “A mass of red tulips came up, but the white tulips bloomed a yellowy colour. They did fade to white after the festival. Still, it was wonderful to see thousands of tulips in the gardens. ” “Horticultural surprises aside, the festival was a success,” says Zwiep. He adds that the concept for holding a Dutch Tulip Festival arose after a tree planting and dedication ceremony held at the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden in the summer of 2008; an event initiated by Honorary Dutch Consul Hans Hasenack and his wife Sandra in

honour of the Dutch Queen Beatrix’ birthday. At that time, Horticulturalist Ken Beattie expressed his desire to develop an attractive tulip garden within the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden. The Dutch Canadian Society of Manitoba (DCSM) embraced the idea and made a donation to the future garden. Fifteen thousand tulip bulbs were planted in the fall of 2008 and the DCSM began planning the first Dutch Tulip Festival. After many months of planning, the event kicked off at the Assiniboine Park Duck Pond with a horse drawn carriage bearing dignitaries, followed by a marching band, a float transporting the Draaiorgel De Boomstam (street organ), street sweepers of all ages, Klompendansers and other folks clad in the traditional Dutch attire of yesteryear. Slowly the procession wound its way round to the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden where speeches and the ribbon cutting ceremony commenced against a backdrop of blooming tulips. Dignitaries in attendance included Astrid Devries, Deputy Consul General of the Netherlands from Toronto; MLA Gerard Jennissen from Northern Manitoba and Honorary Dutch Consul Hans Hasenack, who cut the ribbon together. Also on site was a beaming Ken Beattie, who spoke to the crowd, and later took the time to discuss the proper care

“I was pleasantly surprised to see how many people came to the festival wearing something orange; a t-shirt, a scarf and even wigs,” says Zwiep, noting that orange is the colour of the Dutch Royal Family. The lineage of the current dynasty — the House of Oranje-Nassau — dates back to Willem van Oranje (William of Orange). “Our new slogan for 2010 will be ‘Join the Orange Wave,’ to allow everyone of Dutch heritage to show their ethnic pride by wearing something orange.” This year’s festival featured musical entertainment by Anna Sekura and Rudy Fiselier, and included a Dutch bicycle tour of Assiniboine Park, as well as a bike-a-thon. Festivalgoers were also treated to folk dances, and a poppenkast (puppet show) for children presented by local student Breanne van Linge. A Dutch street market sold souvenirs, tulips and bulbs, while Canada’s only Draaiorgel added a unique musical note to the festivities. Many in attendance also had their photo taken in traditional Dutch costumes.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 55

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Planning is already underway for the 2010 festival. Since Manitoba has been experiencing a later spring for the past number of years, Zwiep says the date may change to early June, to ensure the tulips will be at their peak. The DCSM also wants to improve on certain aspects of the festival, such as ensuring traditional Dutch food is served, and increasing the number of activities for children. As to the gardens, tulips have a built-in shelf life, in that the bulbs only bloom for two or three years. Thus, new bulbs must be planted this fall, in order to maintain and hopefully expand the display of blooms for spring 2010. To keep the gardens flowering, the Dutch Canadian Society of Manitoba is encouraging donations from the public. For example, a $500 donation earmarked for the tulip garden in memory of a loved one will result in the planting of 500 more bulbs along with a commemorative plaque placed in a section of next year’s garden. Donations of any size are also welcome.

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56 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

“People can donate by sending money to the Friends of Assiniboine Park, noting that they want the money to go towards the Tulip Garden. (Tax receipts will be issued to those making tulip garden donations to the Friends of Assiniboine Park.) Or they can donate to the Dutch Canadian Society of Manitoba, indicating funds are intended for expanding the Tulip Festival itself,” says Zwiep.

An Organic Approach Must-have Book for Canadian Gardeners Mark Cullen recalls that as a child, his father would give him a nickel whenever he correctly identified the botanical name of a plant they encountered on their walks together. Now, years later, he’s one of the Canada’s most prominent gardening experts. His new book, The Canadian Garden Primer, is subtitled “An Organic Approach.” “About 10 years ago, I started to realize that Canadian gardens had serious environmental concerns,” says Cullen. “The environment is to a large degree who we are. I think gardens are an opportunity to protect the environment, and enhance it. It’s not just a matter of finding an organic solution, but rather, avoiding the problem in the first place.” Cullen’s new book not only includes pretty pictures of gardens in bloom, but also practical

can do a lot of wonderful things to make your lawn benefit the environment. Simple things, like not cutting your lawn like a fairway. Let the grass get higher because the longer the grass, the longer the roots.”

info about soil improvement, for example. He’s also an advocate for native plants. “Native plants are more resistant to insects and frost and drought,” he says. “That’s how they managed to survive all those years before we got here. There are many hybrids that come from native plants and have a lot of those characteristics. Natives are great if you want a lowmaintenance garden and want to do something for the environment,” he explains. “You want to encourage butterflies and hummingbirds and honeybees.” He also has advice for making lawns more earth-friendly. “You

Cullen sees gardens in terms of opportunities, not obstacles, even when it comes to challenges like deep shade. “You’re limited, but there are plenty of options,” he says. “If you have deep shade under a pine tree, why not plant lily-of-the-valley? Meanwhile, your neighbour is trying to grow grass under his maple tree and it’s a constant battle. It’s about taking cues from Mother Nature. If you’ve just moved to a new house, live with it for a while. Go with it - don’t fight nature. We can also change our idea of what a beautiful garden is.”

(He’s the Honorary Patron.) The foundation seeks to help impoverished agriculturally based communities throughout the hemisphere. The author and gardener also took time out to talk about Plant a Row, Grow a Row. A nationwide programme started in Winnipeg 1986 by Ron and Eunice O’Donovan, it’s given over 1.4 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to Winnipeg Harvest. “We’re just encouraging everyone to grow more than they need and donate the extra to a food bank,” says Cullen. When it comes to the garden, he adds, “It’s not just the way it looks after all, it’s also how it makes you feel.”

Cullen doesn’t just believe in giving back to Mother Nature. Some of the proceeds of his book are slated for the S.H.A.R.E. Agricultural Foundation, founded by a group of farmers in Peel Region, Ontario.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 57

Elemental Style By Leigh Patterson

A blend of the five Oriental elements: air, earth, water, fire and wood gives this award-winning Tuxedo yard a sense of harmony and balance. It’s a beautiful place for relaxation and socializing but also provides the homeowners and their family a place to play. Gary Weinberg, owner of 3 Seasons Landscaping, which designed, installed and now maintains the landscaping, says the large yard “was completely rebuilt from the ground up,” leaving only the mature trees in place to accommodate an artful blend of striking components: water features, sculptures, seating areas, pathways, an outdoor game court and mass perennial plantings. Around the U-shaped garden, a solid rectangular Tyndall stone walkway flanked with copper torches guides visitors to an Asian-inspired wood and copper-domed gazebo, which shades the seating area. “Everything was custom made,” says Weinberg. “The copper and wood gazebo structure was hand carved by 3 Seasons.” From this location, the homeowners and their guests can enjoy the pondless stream of black granite surrounded by a Tyndall slab border. The water feature incorporates a garden statue that recycles the water via a pump system. The Tyndall walkway also intersects with a stunning black hard-fired brick path that crosses through the yard. At one end of the yard this path stops at a stone bench in a shady nook, built from the same Canadian Shield stone that was used throughout the home. Going in the opposite direction, the path forms a bridge to cross over a modernist-style pond, which is accented by a large copper water-wall, and a large metal sculpture by local landscape architect/artist Jess Dixon. The hardscaping helps to showcase an impressive array of perennials. “The homeowners wanted tons of colour throughout the season, which we accomplished with a backdrop of shrubbery and lots of showy long blooming perennials,” says Weinberg. Ligularia “The Rocket” – a tall, shade-loving perennial featuring large leathery leaves and spiked yellow blooms, as well as burgundy-red and orange coleus, hostas and lilies were

58 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

planted en masse to achieve a full, lush effect. Set against a backdrop of tall dark green spruce trees that line the perimeter of the yard, the rear garden is literally ablaze with colour. The front yard, with gentle sloping hills and pocket gardens filled with sedum, daylilies, hydrangea, coneflower, and other perennials, was designed to complement the home’s profile and stone façade. Rounding out the backyard is the outdoor games court, where the family can play basketball, badminton, tennis, volleyball, and other sports. The court is lit so their fun can continue into the evening hours. Weinberg also owns Athletic Flooring Systems, the exclusive dealer of Sport Court® flooring, specializing in outdoor Game Courts. Known for their quality, versatility, visual appeal, and no maintenance requirements, Game Courts can be customized to fit any space, and multiple sports, all on one court. Useable all year round, these unique outdoor courts can be flooded and used in the winter as an ice rink. Sport Court is the world’s largest court builder. With over 30 years of engineering behind their products, Sport Court is the safest, high performance outdoor sports surface available. Available in a wide array of colours and UV stabilized to ensure longevity, Weinberg has seen the popularity of Game Courts grow since he introduced them to the Winnipeg market a few years ago. “They are an easy way to transform any yard, and a must for any sportsoriented family,” Weinberg says. 3 Seasons garnered a 2008 Award from Landscape Manitoba for this project. For over 25 years, 3 Seasons has been providing landscaping services in Winnipeg and as far as Kenora. “We do everything from the ordinary to the 100% customized extraordinary, on residential and commercial properties,” Weinberg says. “We are there for our clients from beginning to end, though the planning, the specification, the installation and ongoing maintenance.”

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 59

Nestled among mature trees and shrubs and overlooking thriving perennial beds and tall grasses, it’s hard to believe this home and surrounding lot is less than three years old. According to Carla Hrycyna, co-owner of St Mary’s Nursery & Garden Centre Ltd., the Headingly property, located in the Assiniboine Landing development was almost a blank slate when the owners approached St. Mary’s to fully landscape their new yard. “In harmony with the character of the home and the surrounding prairielike setting, we went for a cottage-country feel in the landscaping,” says Hrycyna. St. Mary’s incorporated new trees such as lilac, lindens and aspen among the existing older trees to give an established “estate feel” to the yard. The trees serve as the visual framework for the perennial plantings, which are anchored in moisture-saving enviro-mulch. The brown mulch complements the colour of the home and “keeps things looking natural,” says Hrycyna, who notes that the mulch keeps weeds down and makes plant foliage and blooms “pop” against the rich dark groundcover. For a strong showing, drought tolerant perennials were planted in clumps; yellow Goldmound Spirea provide a burst of sunny colour and groups of Echinacea purple coneflower with their conical, orange coneheads draw out the burgundy in the Pennisetum rubrum - purple fountain grass planted in containers. These grasses offer a strong purple-red colour that is uncommon in perennials hardy to our Zone 3. In addition to colour, incorporating containers of grasses provides both elevation and structure – a natural alternative to traditional garden statuary. Grasses figure prominently in this yard, lending well to the prairie landscape feel. Beautiful accents are found in the metre-high clumps of Calamagrostis Karl Foerster feather reed grass, a tall ornamental grass with seed heads that rustle gracefully in the breeze and that serve as a dramatic focal point to its lower growing companions. Miscanthus purpurenscens flame grass is a striking grass that turns a brilliant orange-red in the fall and was planted with coneflowers to add visual interest. The seed heads attract birds and the grass structure provides a snow fence in winter – providing year round character. “The popularity of grasses is just peaking,” Hrycyna says. As natural examples of form meeting function, Hrycyna points out that not only are grasses beautiful and low maintenance, but their extensive root systems can help stabilize the soil to prevent erosion. “Grasses slow the flow of water and have cleansing properties, too,” she adds. To complement the grasses, structural plants like daylilies were also incorporated into the home’s landscaping. These were planted along the foundation of the home, and together with the hydrangeas framing the front stairs, offer a splash of welcoming colour. Rounding out the transformation are the hardscaping elements to provide definition and clarity, such as a river stone path at the side of the home and Manitoba limestone boulders to frame the perennial beds and act as a natural retaining wall on the gently sloping front yard. The resulting mix of perennials and grasses is perfect for these homeowners, who wanted a low maintenance yard but still have opportunities to do some hands-on gardening, such as deadheading and spring upkeep. “Determining lifestyle requirements is key when planning a landscaping project,” emphasizes Hrycyna. “We meet with our clients to get an idea about how much time they will spend there.” Swimming pools, vegetable gardens and play structures all need to be factored in at the planning stage. “We show you on paper what your dream is going to look like - whether it gets done all at once or in phases,” she says. St. Mary’s onsite landscape designers and installation crews have landscaped properties in and around Winnipeg and cottage country areas of the Interlake and Whiteshell. Whatever the style or budget, Hrycyna says St. Mary’s focuses on the end result: “a yard that says ‘welcome home.’”

60 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Welcome Home By Leigh Patterson

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 61

Manitoba summers are short enough without having to retreat indoors just because it’s dark outside. “Lighting up your yard makes it possible for you to enjoy it right into the evening and night,” says Brett Robinson, Manager of Robinson Lighting. Various applications are possible. For instance, with the moon option, light installed in a tree shines down on the yard. Homeowners can also install deck lighting, floodlighting, pathway lighting or uplighting to accent particular features or areas. One particularly dramatic application is grazing, whereby the light source shines up right from the base of the object or location. “The trick with landscape lighting is not seeing the source, just the effect,” notes Robinson. This includes wires. Although the low voltage wires most common for residential applications can run on the ground, most people bury them in a shallow trench. The line connects to an exterior outlet via a transformer that can incorporate such useful features as a photo cell to turn lights on at dark and a timer to turn them off at a later time.

Lighting the Landscape

Robinson Lighting offers a variety of landscape lighting including LED lights that lend an attractive blue tint to trees and vegetation. Lighting specialists are on hand to help homeowners with their landscape plans.

Jason Woznesensky

204.990.7514

jason@bedrocklandscape.ca

www.bedrocklandscape.ca 62 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Even More Outdoor Living Homeowners love sunrooms for two reasons: they extend their outdoor living season and they increase their outdoor living space. “Over the years, sizes have gotten bigger,” notes Steven Sarens of SunShade. “Our largest sunrooms are now fairly close to the biggest they can be.”

Sheltered from the elements and warmed by the sun, the three-season rooms extend outdoor living late into the fall and early in the spring. “You get so much use out of a three-season room without the extra heating costs,” notes Sarens. “Even if we never had another mosquito here again, a sunroom is well worth having for how much it extends the season.”

In the current economic climate, more people are choosing to stay at home and invest in their backyards. Adding a sunroom means that, rather than looking out the window at their beautiful landscaping, they can truly partake in it. Says Sarens: “We often hear people say that of all the things they’ve done to their home, adding a sunroom was the best.”

Not that there is truly a limit to how large a sunroom can be built. The only limitation is the size of the property. Because Sunshade sunrooms are all custom-made, they can be constructed to any size or shape. This is particularly useful for those who want to add a sunroom onto an existing deck. “If the deck isn’t too old, very often we are able to utilize what is there,” says Sarens, adding that the SunShade team always ensures that the structure measures up to building code specifications. And because SunShade sunrooms are entirely manufactured on-demand right here in Winnipeg, design possibilities are endless. A few years ago, Sunshade even branched out into four-season sunrooms but has since returned to their three-season roots. “For the four season, we had to change the design, and in doing so, change the feeling of the room,” recalls Sarens. “Most people coming to us are really looking to capture an outdoor feeling.” summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 63

The Beauty of Stone without the Mason.

a newer and larger Easyrock display is set to be unveiled this summer at Form Design centre (693 Taylor avenue, across the street from the Round Table on Pembina), while a partnership with Durabuilt Windows has opened another display across town (Durabuilt Windows & Doors Design center, Unit 2 - 1600 Regent ave. corner of Regent & Lagimodiere). Fort Distributors Ltd. is now also a Durabuilt Windows & Doors Distributor for the Interlake region.

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Brilliant New Product for Indoors or Out “Imagination is your only limitation with EasyRock,” states Grant Jehle of Fort Distributors Ltd. Jehle is speaking of the brilliant new indoor/outdoor décor product created with highly durable polyurethane that provides all the appearance of cultured stone without the expense, weight and installation difficulty. With over 30 year of proven performance, EasyRock panels have an improved hard coating, making them virtually scratchproof and able to handle harsh weather.

EasyRock is lightweight, easy to install, has insulation value, and it looks great! Says Jehle, “You can do it yourself easily and affordably.” He adds that the uses for EasyRock seem endless - his customers’ projects include new homes, cottage renovations, home improvements and other commercial buildings. And most recently, even a few masons by trade have joined the EasyRock fan club. “They find it so much quicker and easier to use,” notes Jehle, adding that the likeness to stone is simply that good.

“ I t ’s a w i n - w i n w i t h E a s y R o c k . ” “They are so tough, you can wipper snip near these panels without damaging them,” says Jehle. This makes the panels ideal for outdoor use, be it exterior building walls, garden walls, or fire places. “EasyRock panels are ideal for active families and high traffic businesses – the panels defy fractures by being impact resistant.” The benefits are many. EasyRock is not only built green and aesthetically pleasing, but has also been tested to have an R-value = 5.7. That means the lightweight polyurethane panels also insulate your home, something culture stone can’t do.

EasyRock panels weigh only two and half pounds each, and require just eight screws to fasten to walls. Each panel is joined with a lap indent to make portions seamless in appearance. Screws are covered with caulking (Fort Distributors offers a selection of eight colours) making them virtually invisible when the installation is complete. Jehle comments that the product is also extremely forgiving making it an excellent choice for all skill levels, from the earnest novice to professional tradesmen. Fort Distributors also offers a variety of accessories such as ledger, trim, 90-degree corners, and keystones to provide custom touches. And EasyRock can be applied directly

over existing stucco, lap siding or brick. The panels, which are almost impossible to differentiate from real stone, also fully meet the Canadian building code’s requirements for interior use. “From kitchens and living rooms, to dens, bars, restaurants and lobbies – EasyRock can definitely suit them all,” says Jehle. Jehle has brought EasyRock to Manitobans and has taken it to the Winnipeg Home & Garden Show two years in a row, with what he says has been an overwhelming response. A newer and larger EasyRock display is set to be unveiled this summer at Form Design Centre, while a partnership with Durabuilt Windows has led to the opening of another display across town. Fort Distributors Ltd. is now also a Durabuilt Windows & Doors Distributor for the Interlake region. “Now that we are all trying to spend less and use less of our precious resources, synthetic products are becoming the norm and are being widely used. EasyRock is one of those great products that let’s the home or business owner do it themselves if they choose, and save money while they’re at it,” says Jehle. “It’s a win-win with EasyRock.”

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 65

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StreetSide in the City

Winnipeg has never had so many options in condominium living. From the northern outskirts to the suburbs of the south, east and west, to the very heart of the city in urban St. Boniface, there are condominiums to suit every style, need and budget. Paul Gray of StreetSide Development Corporation attests to the condominium’s growing popularity. “For every four homes that are sold in Winnipeg, one is a condominium,” says the Sales Manager. “The market share of condominiums has been increasing over the last three to five years as more people give condo living a try.” StreetSide has responded to this growing demand with construction or pending construction of hundreds of new units, making the company Manitoba’s largest developer of multifamily developments. “There is a trending back to the urban centre in our city,” notes Gray, adding that condominiums fit perfectly into the environmental stewardship and responsibility the new generation is beginning to embrace. Located in the heart of the French Quarter within walking distance of Winnipeg’s downtown, developments such as Place Joseph Royal and Verve Tache combine the convenience of urban living with the charm of a historic neighbourhood. Residents

can walk to work, cycle the Esplanade Riel and relax on rooftop patios overlooking the downtown skyline, the river, and soon, the spectacular Human Rights Museum. The midrise apartment style condominiums are in the centre of everything. Or for those who want to get away from it all, StreetSide offers developments such as Southlands Village, a prestigious adult lifestyle community of 83 luxury detached bungalows nestled in the aspen forest of East St. Paul’s Pritchard Farm Southlands. These 1400 to 2000-square-foot homes demonstrate that condominiums really do come in all styles and sizes. Rougeau Gardens, located off Rougeau Avenue near Regent, offer equally generous-sized floor plans, but in a townhouse condominium style, complete with a basement that can optionally be developed. The community offers easy access to a multitude of nearby shops and services, as well as the future Elysian Park, one of the Winnipeg’s latest nature reserves. Just as conveniently located is Stonecrest of Linden Woods. These elegant apartmentstyle units bring condominium living to one of Winnipeg’s most popular neighbourhoods. Offering 14 different luxurious floor plans, Stonecrest has been a multiple award winner summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 67

at the last few Parade of Homes. “Around 70 percent of StreetSide properties have awardwinning designs recognized by the Manitoba Home Builders Association,” notes Gray. Stonecrest features noncombustible concrete construction for superior sound insulation and fire safety. The exterior is finished in a combination of attractive masonry, sand texture stucco and vinyl siding. Equally attractive is the nearby Greystone Condominium Community, its two four-storey buildings finished in maintenance-free acrylic stucco, grey stone masonry, white PVC windows and coordinating asphalt shingles. These popular homes also start at an attractive price, starting at approximately $180,000. In fact, StreetSide condominiums are available at a wide range of price points, from entry level to true luxury. Priced from $170,000 to $200,000, the SUM Condos on Dalhousie Drive fall into the former category. Each unit offers a stylish and modern design as well as six appliances. “Linden Woods is the ideal location for some people, but if you’re working at the University of Manitoba, or you’re a rural-residing parent of several children who will be going there, the SUM Condominiums in Fort Richmond might be a better option,” Gray points out. He adds that StreetSide is committed to providing condominiums for everyone.

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“Condos are not only for the 55 plus group, but for the upcoming generation and everyone in between,” he says. “With life as busy as it is for so many of us, people are looking to simplify their existence - the turnkey lifestyle that condominium ownership can provide is proving to be a means to that end for many.” Whether they are professionals who travel frequently or single parents with school-aged children, many people would rather avoid the burden of home ownership. For some, amenities such as underground parking, shared multi-purpose space and an on-site furnished guest suite for visiting family and friends only add to the attraction. For others, it’s about the possibility of owning a quality home at an affordable price. Regardless of the size, location, cost or style, each StreetSide community shares the same excellence in design, construction and workmanship that makes every condominium a superior investment. “We have a real ‘can do’ attitude and a belief in what we’re doing coupled with over half a century of dependable building experience with our parent company, Qualico Homes,” says Gray. StreetSide’s continuing ability to provide Winnipeg with innovative condominiums of superior value proves that this is indeed a winning combination.

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Save green with style in contemporary condominium Stylish and contemporary, Rougeau Garden Condominiums offer a carefree, convenient and green lifestyle. In close proximity to cottage country and major retail outlets in the Kildonan-Transcona area, Rougeau Garden is the second all-Power Smart* R-2000 condominium development in Winnipeg.

“Environmental responsibility is a part of our lifestyle,” says Gray. “StreetSide believes we have a human and social responsibility to be environmental stewards. We seek innovative technologies and systems to incorporate into our home designs, so that our homeowners experience turn-key convenience and move into a greener home.”

“Rougeau Garden Condominiums show StreetSide Development Corporation’s commitment to lead the way in energy efficient and environmentally responsible new home design.” says Paul Gray, Sales Manager, StreetSide Development Corporation. “These modern townhome condominiums are constructed to Manitoba Hydro Power Smart R-2000 specifications - one of the most stringent international practices of efficiency for residential homes.”

Three individual seven-unit townhome buildings offer spacious 1568 square feet, two-storey units in Rougeau Garden. Each unit floor plan is designed with two generous sized bedrooms and bathrooms. The full, unfinished basement is ready for development as additional bedroom or office space, with room for a third bathroom. Outdoor enthusiasts may choose the optional wood deck to make full use of Winnipeg summers.

Built energy efficient from the start, a Power Smart R-2000 condominium has lower energy costs, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and increased comfort. Gray says StreetSide is proud to build sustainable homes that provide energy savings to homeowners.

A superior house seal and increased attic, exterior wall, and basement insulation help maintain a comfortable temperature in the units. Furnaces and air conditioning units run less often in the well-insulated units and keep heating and cooling costs low. The Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) system provides 1.5 air exchanges per hour of stale indoor air, with fresh, outdoor air for healthier indoor air conditions. A specially insulated hot-water tank and energy efficient lighting complete the condominium’s Power Smart R-2000 requirements. By purchasing a Power Smart R-2000 condominium, homeowners in Rougeau Garden receive a Manitoba Hydro incentive of a voucher for up to $1000 towards the purchase of a front-loading washing machine, or a $600 rebate on their Manitoba Hydro energy bill.

Save green without sacrificing style!

The condominium exterior is finished with attractive stucco and masonry architectural features, metal-clad trim and soffits, and colour coordinated asphalt shingles. Homeowners will enjoy the view and comfort of oversized highefficiency PVC windows - one of the many energy efficient technologies integrated into the condominium design. summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 69

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Luxurious Lakeside Lifestyle Come experience The

site clearing will be used in the development of The Headwaters’ buildings.

Headwaters, a special $50 million condominium development in beautiful northwestern Ontario, offering you an enviable lifestyle of luxury on Lake of the Woods.

“Construction began in fall of last year, and we are taking registrations for the suites now,” says Hedgecock. “We have five registrations at the moment. We’ve had people look at the Headwaters who already have a family cottage on Lake of the Woods, but would like to leave behind all the maintenance associated with keeping up a cottage, and still live in luxurious surroundings. Lake of the Woods is a piece of paradise.”

The Headwaters occupies the southernmost tip of Kenora’s historic Tunnel Island or Ka-izheki-pi-chiin — “a place to stay over,” as it was originally known to the Anishinaabe people. Tunnel Island is situated just west of downtown Kenora, at the mouth of the Winnipeg River in Lake of the Woods. “The Headwaters will feature 90 suites, including two new penthouse suites,” says Barry Hedgecock, manager of Qualico Headwaters. There will be five buildings — the Current, the Brook, the Banks, the Point and the Cove — ranging in size from nine to 44 lakeshore residences. Some of the building features include large private

terraces, stone fireplaces, galley kitchens with granite countertops, luxurious ensuites, shake and clapboard siding, and designs that combine those from traditional Lake of the Woods camps and modern building systems and products. The architecture was

developed in partnership with Nelson Architecture based in Kenora, and Raymond S.C. Wan Architects in Winnipeg. The land features a natural beach, private boat docks and mature trees. Timber harvested from the

Some are interested in using The Headwaters as their vacation home, while others see buying a condominium as a permanent residence. Hedgecock says a condominium project of this scale and luxury has never before been seen in the Kenora area. Units will cost from $400,000 and up, and will range from 1,000 to 2,100 square feet in size.

Take advantage of pre-sale opportunities! Visit headwatersliving.com for details. Imagine a Lake of the Woods lifestyle — year round. Come experience The Headwaters, a very special condominium development in beautiful Northwestern Ontario. Visit The Headwaters online for elevations and floor plans. www.headwatersliving.com Call Grant Robertson, Kenora Home & Cottage Realty, Broker of Record at 1-800-808-4777. Deposits are now being accepted. Pre-sale opportunities and incentives are available.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 71

Connect to the energy Energy lives in the new South Winnipeg. At every turn, new minds are moving in, new business is popping up, new lives are being built. In the heart of it all is The Mosaic Condominiums.

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Call today 955-9898 www.themosaiccondos.ca

72 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Value & Verve in South Winnipeg By Christine Hanlon Photography: Michael Roberts

There’s a buzz surrounding The Mosaic condominium development off Bison Drive near the University of Manitoba. Perhaps it’s the location: ideal for the new professor, perfect for the busy professional; a godsend for the parents of siblings enrolled in classes. Or maybe it’s the upscale amenities available in a condominium starting at $175,000. Then still, it might be the superior construction of the buildings, which combine the ultimate in durability with the maximum in comfort. But more likely it’s a combination of all these things and then some. When Myles Kraut of Karma Development Corporation noticed that there was a parcel of available land in the area, he thought it would be perfect for a condominium project. With the nearby construction of a new football stadium and the arrival of new businesses in the area, South Winnipeg is booming with new opportunities for recreation as well as a rapid transit link to downtown. Another driver was the shortage of affordable housing near the University of Manitoba. It was important to keep the price point within reach. But at the same time, Karma

After delineating the space with a shag area rug, Interior Illusions added a perfectly-sized “condo” sectional and storage ottomans which they reupholstered with a zebra print. Development wanted to build a quality product that would offer buyers as much value as possible. “All our six floor plans are designed from successful projects in Calgary and Vancouver,” adds Kraut’s business partner Marc Kipnes. “Most of what we have included as standard in our units would be considered upgrades in other developments.” All suites feature spacious nine-foot ceilings, central air conditioning and energy-saving triple pane rollout windows with a low E coating. Also standard are oversized balconies and double sinks in the ensuite bathrooms. The vanities and designer kitchen cabinets are in a choice of natural maple or dark cola finish. Each kitchen also features a Delta easy-control single-lever faucet from Robinson Bath Centre, as well as full-sized appliances by Frigidaire

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 73

Introducing One Of North Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Exciting New Flooring Showrooms. NOW OPEN 1042 Waverley Street At Seel 956-9720 www.thefloorshow.com 74 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

and a monorail lighting system from Superlite. The quality starts right from the foyer and into the kitchen, both of which are finished with an inviting ceramic tile floor from one of Winnipeg’s premium sources, The Floor Show. The company also provided fine quality carpeting for bedrooms and living areas. “It’s ready for moving in without having to add anything,” notes Barry Greenberg of Newman Greenberg and Associates, the marketing agents for the project. “Upgrades are available but they really aren’t necessary.”

Interior Illusions selected a glass table to preserve the open feeling while grounding the space with dark coloured chairs and dramatic wall art.

The modern rail system from Superlite brings light to the countertop while illuminating the entire space.

In lieu of carpet for the living and dining rooms, condominium buyers can upgrade to textured vinyl plank flooring. “With your shoes on you’d never know it’s not wood,” says Dan Rosenblat, Director of Operations at the Floor Show. This is only one of many innovative products attracting consumers to the company’s new showroom on Waverley Street. For The Mosaic, the outstanding durability and easy care of the vinyl plank flooring is a perfect fit with the development’s mission. And the superior quality doesn’t stop at the interior design and finishes. The two con-

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 75

Robinson

Bath Centre

Sanitary ware, bathroom furniture, bathtubs, shower trays, wellness products and accessories: Duravit has everything you need to make life in the bathroom a little more beautiful. Winnipeg, MB – Robinson Bath Centre, 1760 Ellice Avenue, Ph. 204 784 0111 – www.robinsonbathcentre.com, Duravit US, Ph. 770 931 3575, info@duravit.us, www.duravit.us

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Nickel-plated solid brass combined with dynamic styling defines the high quality of the Grohë Eurosmart faucet from the Robinson Bath Centre. dominium buildings themselves feature a combination of concrete and steel that vastly surpasses the life expectancy of a wood framed construction. “With concrete, you don’t get that tired look you get with wood,” explains Kipnes. “Plus you get much better fireproofing.” Acrylic stucco and low-maintenance PVC window frames further contribute to the buildings’ longevity. “We tried to partner up with the best in the industry,” says Kraut. “We knew we could count on Pre-Con Builders to create the most comfortable environment for a multi-family unit. Their experience and reputation speaks for itself.” Indeed, the concrete superstructure provides a superior sound barrier between units while pressurized hallways prevent odours from moving from one suite to the next. Continuous exhausting and fresh air intake assure excellent air quality both in the living areas and in the parkade. Along with the option of heated indoor parking, residents will benefit from a security system that is monitored 24/7 and links to their television sets. Other shared amenities include a fitness center and a furnished party room with a television, kitchen and bathroom. “Yet the condo fees are low because of the way the buildings were constructed,” notes Monica Newman of Newman Greenberg and Associates. To make the project a success, Kraut and Kipnes knew they had to find the right partners. “We chose to align ourselves with the number one condominium people in

Accessories such as the hammered stainless vase clinch the contemporary look while a coordinating stainless mirror opens up the room. Both are from Interior Illusions, as are the sleek metal 2-inch blinds. Winnipeg,” says Kraut. He is referring to Newman Greenberg and Associates. So far the response has been overwhelming, with 85 percent of the units sold in record time. Building on the success of their flagship project, Karma Developments is in the planning stages of two other projects: a four-phase apartment condominium development on the Seine River in South St. Vital, starting at $130,000, and a bungalow condominium development on seven acres of land in River Heights, starting at $170,000.

“Our other two projects will be just as valueminded,” notes Kipnes. Meanwhile, he invites anyone considering condominium living to visit the display suite at The Mosaic.

Source File Developers – Karma Developments Flooring – The Floor Show Lighting – Superlite Kitchen & Bathroom Fixtures – Robinson Bath Furniture, Blinds & Accessories – Interior Illusions Marketing Agents – Newman Greenberg & Associates

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Maximizing Space By Christine Hanlon Photography: John Johnston

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The owner of this home had been planning a renovation for years. She knew that opening up the small enclosed kitchen was important to her but not who to hire for the project. “My goal was to make it more efficient, with more storage to maximize the space as much as possible,” she explains. “But I didn’t know who I was going to go with.” She first heard of All Canadian Renovations (ACR) when the company was working on a project at her daughter’s workplace. Then suddenly, she received a surprising call. “My daughter decided to hire them to undertake renovations at her house,” recalls the mother. After an interview with ACR’s Marcel Verrier, the homeowner knew she was ready to proceed with her own project. All Canadian started by removing the existing cabinetry and taking down the wall between the kitchen and the living room. New, taller maple cabinets were installed against the exterior wall, which formerly housed the kitchen table. Even the corner next to the slidein stove became functional storage space. So did the raised eating bar which now became the eating area, with chairs on both sides. “The peninsula is the place where I store vases and other things I don’t use all the time,” says the homeowner of the cabinets which are only accessible from the kitchen side. Above the table, ACR created a bulkhead that reflects the shape of the peninsula while incorporating potlights to illuminate the area. Both the living room and kitchen are very well lit with an abundance of potlights as well as undercabinet lighting. A valance over the window accommodates lighting for the counter below so it can be used at any time of day. Placing the sink in the corner further maximizes the workspace. At the same time, taking the cabinets to the ceiling and adding a tile backsplash makes keeping the kitchen clean easier than ever. So does the new vinyl plank flooring that looks so convinc-

ingly like wood. “It’s virtually maintenance free,” says the homeowner. The floor unifies the kitchen and living room, as does the drywalled ceiling that replaces the former stipple. “We wanted everything to flow,” explains the homeowner. To this end, ACR repainted all the doors the same colour as the cabinetry and installed matching baseboards and casings in both rooms. “All Canadian really paid attention to details,” notes the homeowner. “I was really picky about things but they were fine with that.” She adds that the renovators responded effectively to any challenges they encountered along the way. “They were very courteous, very calm and they took care of everything,” she says. For instance, it was important to the homeowner that the fridge be moved out of the main kitchen area in order to create more space. However, the appliance was so large that it had to be substantially recessed. Because the bathroom was located on the other side of the wall, All Canadian had to move the plumbing in order to accommodate the fridge’s new location. The ability to work with existing conditions is important to a successful renovation. So is careful planning. For instance, All Canadian always sits down with the homeowners to design a lighting plan that will work best for their particular needs and the specific space. Another important quality is reliability. The homeowner was not surprised to learn that ACR had received The Consumer’s Choice Award for top renovation contractor. “The peace of mind of knowing that the contractor will be here when he says he will be—that’s worth a lot to me,” she says, adding that she never had any difficulty reaching All Canadian when she had questions about her renovation. “I would definitely recommend them to anyone.”

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 79

Professionalism • Integrity • Customer Satisfaction

Trikor specializes in all forms of construction, from additions and custom homes, to incredible interiors for all rooms in your home

Contact us today for a consultation! Trikor Builders 65101 Pine Ridge Road, Winnipeg, MB Tel: (204) 663-3818 • Fax: (204) 488-8980 • www.trikor.ca • info@trikor.ca 80 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Transforming

Visions into Reality

By Christine Hanlon

Many homeowners know what they want from a renovation but not how to make it happen. That is where Trikor Builders come in.

Flooring is Torlys Elegance plank Vintage Oak Natural laminate from Curtis Carpets.

“We’re able to spend plenty of time with the customer at the beginning of a project when it’s still an idea,” says Victor Giesbrecht, one of the company’s three partners along with Brian Arnold and Fred Giesbrecht. “I can look at a blueprint and see it, but most people can’t visualize it. So we try to help people make decisions that will work in reality.” That close working relationship continues throughout the project. If the owner desires, Trikor can bring in designers to help them select and pull together plans, materials and colours. “People often don’t know exactly what they want until they get down to the details,” notes Victor. To help their ideas take shape, Trikor works closely with customers every step of the way.

The team is involved not only in the planning and coordinating process, but in the actual renovation process as well. That is because on-site Operations Manager Fred Giesbrecht is also the company’s main carpenter. His direct experience with renovations provides invaluable insight into the process. This kind of hands-on approach and personalized service is something that customers have told Trikor they truly appreciate. When a customer calls to inquire about their services, the team always responds promptly. As the Project Manager and Chief Estimator, Brian Arnold starts the process by helping the homeowner coordinate their renovation needs along with their budget. In this lower level development, the owners not only wanted a television, fireplace and sitting area, but also an exercise room. For a uniform look, it was best for the flooring to be the same throughout. The solution proved to be a beautiful and extremely durable

Photography: Michael Roberts

laminate product from Curtis Carpets. At the same time, the homeowners wanted a very comfortable ambiance for both relaxing and exercising. Trikor turned to Ambient Comfort Services to install all of the ductwork and exhaust venting, as well as the fireplace on this project. All in all, the renovation took plenty of coordination. Every situation is different and Trikor’s focus is always to meet the specific needs of the client. No project is too large or too small. In this compact basement, the renovation included not only the bar area, but also a sauna and a large shower with body jets. Trikor relied on the flooring experts at Curtis Carpets for the tilework throughout the bathroom. summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 81

“There were many challenges with the plumbing, but we were able to make it work and put in everything they wanted,” adds Victor. “By always making sure we communicate well with the customers, we can transform their vision into reality.” Communication is important to making a project run smoothly. Unlike new home construction, a renovation takes place when people are living in the house. Trikor takes their day-today needs into consideration. For example, in one house where the company was renovating both the main floor and the basement, Fred Giesbrecht built the staircase that would give the family access to the bathroom in the lower level before touching the bathroom and kitchen upstairs. “We try to make it as convenient for the customer as possible,” Victor explains. The ability to plan a project carefully and bring it to fruition seamlessly comes from the 30 years of construction experience the team brings to the young company. At the same time, Trikor prides itself on innovation,

The lower level also includes a sauna and an exercise room.

A granite countertop by Precision Granite Works graces the bar area.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 83

HEATING • VENTILATION • AIR CONDITIONING

Telephone: 204-299-5853 Fax: 204-831-6853 667 Coventry Rd, Winnipeg, MB R3R 1B8 customerservice@ambientcomfort.com www.ambientcomfort.com

ambient comfort services Your comfort is our business

Delivering on promises for over 30 years Your Granite Specialists

bringing to their renovation projects products and expertise from the new construction part of their business as well as from their commercial renovation projects. The company has built many partnerships with reliable suppliers including Curtis Carpets, specialists in flooring, and Marble Factory, experts in cultured marble and cultured granite sinks and countertops. Most of all, Trikor is committed to doing things right. “We stand behind our work,” says Victor. “If you have a concern a year from now, we’ll come to deal with it.”

51 Scurfield Blvd. Winnipeg, MB. ph. 204-488-3330

Why settle for grey concrete when Northland Ready Mix can offer you thirty colours?

Every renovation project is covered by a two-year warranty. Over the past five years, customers have demonstrated the trust they have in the company by spreading the word about Trikor’s commitment to service and quality. “This year is way busier for us than last year,” Victor acknowledges. Despite the current economic situation, many homeowners are deciding to invest in their homes. And when they do, many of them are turning to Trikor to make their home renovation dreams come true.

Source File

rete with 18 colours ality conc to ch–o Trikor Builders Renovator ng qu ose f i y l p rom p Su Flooring & tilework – Curtis Carpets

Granite countertop – Precision Granite Works Concrete work - Northland Ready Mix Concrete

Ofﬁce: 256-4755 Fax: 255-2175 concrete with 18 colours to quality choos g i n e ly

84 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Duct work & fireplace installation - Ambient

Box 249, Oak Bluff, Manitoba R0G 1N0 Office:Comfort 256-4755 Fax:Services 255-2175

Making the most of existing space is always an important consideration. “We take the time to work with customers to produce a customized design they like, that also works in terms of functionality,” says Dorothy Janzen, co-owner of Kitchens Plus with her husband Dennis. Mirroring the shape of the room, the island in this kitchen features a quartz counter atop distressed clear alder in cottage green. The finishing touch is a black glaze that coordinates with antiquing on the upper cabinets, constructed in maple with a cashmere finish. The base cabinets are in a contrasting cherry with nutmeg stain. These are only a few of the options available from Kitchens Plus. “We offer many different woods, door styles, colours and finishes,” says Janzen. “We can coordinate an entire project from start to finish, including plumbing and electrical.” Other details such as this kitchen’s elegant top trim, light valance, tile backsplash and undermount sink are important parts of

the overall design. So are features such as the open decorative shelving, glass doors in display cabinets and pullout spice racks on either side of the cooktop. And in the corner on the Corian countertop, an appliance garage conveniently reduces clutter and maximizes space. A similar principal applies to the Murphy Wall Beds for which Kitchens Plus is also known. “When the bed is up, the cabinet is only 16” deep so you can use the rest of the room,” says Janzen. “It’s like adding a bedroom to your house whenever you need it.” Kitchens Plus is the exclusive Manitoba dealer for the original lifetime warrantied Murphy Wall Bed™ hardware which enables raising and lowering of the bed with very little effort. And unlike a folding sofa bed, this sleep solution includes a standard mattress. Numerous options are available in terms of the side cabinets, including storage units, open shelving, and desks, as well as storage for printers and file drawers.

Fabulous Flexibility By Christine Hanlon

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 85

The Most Exotic Slabs for Kitchen Granite Countertops and Furniture

86 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Kitchen&Bath The Future of Cabinetry

Crisp sleek acrylic doors are the defining element of this modern Euro-style kitchen. “It’s a whole new look,” says Ed Plickett, Kitchen Designer for Norcraft Canada. “This is probably one of the first applications in Winnipeg.” Introducing a fresh new alternative in cabinetry, the high gloss doors come in a wide variety of colours, each delivering the same visual impact. Placed near the edge of the cabinetry, Richelieu stainless steel handles and long pulls reinforce the rectilinear design of the space without detracting from the unfettered styling. Functionally, the upper cabinets open upwards rather than to the side. “It’s a better way to access the higher areas,” says Plickett. “When you open the door, it doesn’t get in the way.” Equally convenient are the many rollouts, as well as the soft close system on all the drawers. “They’re among the best and strongest in the market right now,” says Plickett. With interiors constructed from double wall stainless steel, the drawers are manufactured by Norcraft in their plant in Winnipeg, as is the acrylic paneling used to frame the cabinetry and enclose the built-in appliances. Norcraft worked closely with the builder to create all the cabinets throughout this HSC Lottery house by A&S Homes.

Karbon Kitchen Performance

With five pivoting joints, Kohler’s Karbon articulating faucet offers a full range of motion for the ultimate in functionality. “It’s fully positionable,” says Gord Graveline, Showroom Manager at Robinson Bath Centre. “You can aim it at a very precise angle and it will stay there.” The faucet features a spray option and an easy lever control for volume. Karbon’s unique design also combines exceptional reach, clearance and mobility with the flexibility of folding into a compact shape. “It makes it easy to fill something high,” notes Graveline, “but at the same time, it’s not visible on your breakfast nook when looking from the great room.” This feat of engineering and design also comes in several trendsetting style options. Homeowners can combine gold, bronze, silver and black tubes with chrome, stainless, bronze or gold joints to coordinate with any décor. Some joint options are available in either a brushed or a polished finish. The faucet can be installed in a wall mount or deck mount application. “The Karbon is on display in our showroom,” notes Graveline. “Interior designers and architects just love it.” This is only one of many exciting products consumers can see at Robinson Bath Centre’s 5,200-square-foot hands-on showroom. summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 87

Kitchen&Bath Touch of Glass

As a focal point, this frameless shower will lend a streamlined elegant look to any bathroom. “It can also make a smaller space look larger,” says Brendan Berntt, Vice-President of Fort Rouge Glass and the third generation in this family business. Options such as glass shelves can add a decorative accent to the custom shower enclosure. The homeowner can also select from numerous options in hardware, handles and hinges, along with different glass options. All showers are custom made according to the layout of the bathroom and the style desired by the customer. Popular options include this square configuration as well as a neo-angled corner shower with three sides. “Whatever you want, we can make it work,” says Berntt. “If you can imagine it, we can probably do it.” Fort Rouge Glass takes care of everything, including the installation. “We have very highly qualified installers who are perfectionists,” notes Berntt. “That makes all the difference.” In addition, all of the company’s lead hands have 25 years of experience in glass. In business since 1968, Fort Rouge Glass specializes in everything glass, including PVC windows, sealed unit replacements, glass table tops, shelves and custom wall mirrors. Says Berntt: “Whether it’s commercial or residential, we can help!”

Gorgeous Granite

An excellent choice in this contemporary kitchen, the New Ornamentale granite countertops feature an undermount sink and an eased edge. “An edge can make a significant difference to the final look,” note Lloyd and Irene Rosentreter, owners of Stone-N-Counters, a family run company located in Beausejour, Manitoba. Customers can choose from 12 different types of edging. The large showroom also displays more than 60 different colours of granite. On two walls, 54 samples measuring 18” X 24” make it possible to fully appreciate the colour and pattern in the stone. “We also have kitchen displays so people can visualize what the granite might look like in their own home,” say the Rosentreters. “If they would like to see an entire slab, a selection of over 200 granite slabs can be viewed in our indoor warehouse along with over 115 HanStone slabs.” The slabs (3cm in thickness) can be cut to any shape by Stone-N-Counter’s experienced fabricators. “As long as we have a drawing, we can do it,” say the owners, adding that consumers are always welcome to fax in drawings for a free estimate. The templators, polishers and installers have many years of experience with the natural stone, as well as with the wide selection of manmade HanStone and Caesarstone quartz products. 88 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

Kitchen&Bath Eco-Cabinetry

As part of its mission to promote environmentally responsible options, Kitchen Craft recently introduced its exciting rift oak cabinet doors. “Cutting the wood in a non-traditional way creates a more linear grain,” says Matt Hastie, Design and Sales Consultant at Kitchen Craft. “It’s a more contemporary look.” He explains that bringing other species such as oak back to the kitchen takes the pressure off maple, which is rapidly being depleted due to increased demand. Other innovative options include eco-veneers, man-made products in mahogany, teak and white oak. “Materials that would not make the mark for grain and quality are being re-engineered into contemporary high quality cabinetry,” Hastie explains. Requiring significantly less wood fibre than solid wood lumber, veneers reduce the demand for natural wood resources. The availability of domestic and exotic woods is decreasing yet demand remains high from consumers who love the look and feel of natural wood products. Veneer is an ecologically friendly alternative to solid hardwoods. At the same time, wood replicas are becoming increasingly convincing. Kitchen Craft offers a range of thermofoil cabinetry with the print of wood grain in soft contemporary colours. “Warm grey wood grains and soft caramel colours are all becoming more popular than dark browns,” says Hastie. The Sienna stain on this rift oak is a case in point.

Terrific Twins

No more digging in the freezer! These all-fridge and all-freezer units from Electrolux Icon each offer superior accessibility to 17 cubic feet of cold storage. Smooth glide shelves, crispers and freezer storage drawers slide in and out with ease, extending completely to bring food easily within reach. And the freezer’s tilt-out wire door bins are ideal for storing a variety of smaller food items. “Having an upright freezer also allows you to freeze large trays of hors-d’oeuvres and baking,” notes Janelle Robin, General Manager at Coast Wholesale Appliances. She adds that the refrigerator’s extra wide glass shelves are large enough to hold a serving tray up to 25 inches wide. Other features include “theatre lighting” that gradually illuminates the interior with a soft light. Both fridge and freezer also feature the Pure Advantage™ Air Filtration system to keep the appliances fresh and minimizes odors. “Your ice cubes taste fresher,” says Robin. The refrigerator and freezer can be installed as a built-in side-by-side, as seen in this kitchen. Or for a more flexible approach, the “twins” can be separated and used independently anywhere in the room. “You get the ultimate in versatility, flexibility, professional quality and design at a price point that’s within reach,” says Robin.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 89

A great view without the glare

There’s no limit to what you can design for your windows with Abbey’s roller shade collection. Our line of roller shades lets you manage the amount of light and glare in every room with a wide array of fabric choices to compliment any décor. Call Toll Free 1-800-663-1606 for a dealer near you. www.abbeywindowcoverings.com

Graber® continues to provide innovative ways to produce eco-friendly window treatments.

90 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

design&decor

Stylish Sunscreen By Christine Hanlon

In April, just in time for the sun’s high season, Abbey Window Coverings launched its new Graber® LightWeaves™ Roller & Solar Shade program, in which Solarfabrics combine excellent visibility with superior glare control. “The openness factor in the weave allows you to see through the shade but cuts the glare and harmful ultra-violet rays,” explains Marketing Manager Teressa Luciw. This window treatment solution makes it possible to comfortably view a television or computer without losing the outdoor vista. For continuity and room coordination, the fabric can also be used to make upsliding panels. Or homeowners can create the same sense of consistency with roller shades, as seen in the setting featured here.

“You can’t see through roller shade fabrics but they allow light in,” explains Luciw. In the Panel Accent™ application, the fabric can be mounted on a wall to cover a large window or closet. Or the panels can hang from the ceiling to create a room divider, as seen here. A 4-inch overlap between panels minimizes light penetration. The number of panels depends on the size of the application and can range from one to three panels on each side. With the ability to accommodate rooms up to 27’ wide, the panels can be stacked on one side or arranged in a split draw. Graber’s unique headrail track is designed using metal on metal so it can handle heavier fabric weights.

The roller shade fabrics are available in a wide variety of options, including faux suede, metallic and wovens. Besides their application on the roller shades and panels, a number of these fabrics can also be used for Roman shades, creating a tailored look and feel in a room while maintaining the flow of the colour palette throughout the house. The Fresco® Roman shades come with a complimentary fabric valance and feature fully serged edges for long-lasting elegance. All solar, roller and Roman shades can be automated with Somfy® infrared or radio frequency motors.

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 91

design&decor

On With the Show! A new day in flooring is dawning in Manitoba. With the opening of The Floor Show’s premiere showroom at 1042 Waverley, consumers now have access to an unprecedented, market-leading level of selection, quality and service. “We have rapidly become one of, if not the preeminent player in the industry,” says Director of Operations Dan Rosenblat. For its first nine years, The Floor Show concentrated predominantly on supplying flooring products to new homes and condominiums built by Qualico, Streetside, Kensington and their affiliates. Then, in the past year and half, The Floor Show decided to expand its operations substantially in the retail and commercial sectors. “As a company we are committed to excellence,” says Rosenblat. “When we opened the showroom, we made a commitment to serving mid to

92 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

high end consumers with a complete range of top level products, sales and service personnel.” Leveraging its success in the building sector, The Floor Show has added several layers of staff, from sales and production, to site supervision and quality control. The company also reinvested heavily in designing a showroom the likes of which Manitobans have never seen before. “We’ve tried to simplify the flooring experience,” explains Rosenblat. Large way finder signs located at ceiling level clearly indicate each category and sub-category of flooring. One third of the showroom is devoted to solid surface flooring, one third focuses on mid to high end carpets, including a large number of wool products, and the final third encompasses stone and ceramics.

As the same time, The Floor Show has partnered with market leaders in every segment of the flooring industry, be it solid surface or carpeting. In the showroom, the Design Centre features trend boards created by professional designers from Shaw, a Warren Buffet company and the world’s largest flooring manufacturer. Updated every six months, 11 colour palettes coordinate three Benjamin Moore paint colours, tile and stone selections, laminates and wood, with at least two carpet options. Says Rosenblat: “It really demystifies the process and allows people to make selections with confidence.” The palettes, examples of room schemes and intelligent layout of products all add up to an unparalleled shopping experience that consumers are sure to appreciate.

Glamorous Furnishings & Unique Accessories

329 Cumberland Ave. Winnipeg, MB. R3B 1T2 204-925-4162 ken@interiorillusons.ca

• bedding

Create a luxurious haven with sumptuous custom-made benches, bedding and drapery to Dinec bedroom furniture, Hunter Douglass Pirouettes and Robert Allan drapery hardware with Swarovski crystals. Inject a note of Hollywood glamour with mirrored accent tables, cut crystal bedside lamps and lacquered frames. Add interest to your space with conversation pieces, one-of-a-kind treasures and exciting new trends—explore a world of possibilities at Interior Illusions.

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

Drift Wood montage on medium stand (Phillips Collection)

Always something different in furniture, accessories and window coverings.

Small and medium whimsical ceramic Stella dolls (Phillips Collection)

DESIGNERS WALK, 329 CUMBERLAND AVENUE, Handcrafted aluminum serving pieces—from freezer to oven. (l. to r.) Bamboo textured flat tray; Waves motif square tray; large bowl. (Beatriz Ball Collection).

Ph: (204) 925.4162

BEDDING WINDOW FASHIONS ON-SITE WORKROOM UPHOLSTRY FURNINTURE ACCESORIES WALLPAPER summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 93

Ken Zelickson

Building memories.... Time after time, after time At Parkhill Homes we build in prestigious locations within Winnipeg and surrounding areas. Parkhill Homes would be pleased to construct your dream home on your lot or ours. Visit our show home at 95 Eastoak Dr. For more information on our personalized custom building service, please call today.

Marketed by

Lori Thorsteinson LOREN REALTY

792-0188 For more information call 982-2930 www.parkhillhomes.ca Preferred Suppliers For PARKHILL HOMES:

Let Your Walls be the Canvas Specializing in Indoor & Outdoor Murals from concept to completion

Specializing in Granite Countertops

Ph: (204) 268-1784 Toll Free: 888-268-1784 Fax: (204) 268-1690 Email: snc@mts.net www.stone-n-counters.com 94 | STYLE MANITOBA | summer 2009

510 Park Avenue Box 640 Beausejour, Manitoba R0E 0C0

Feature walls, childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rooms, dioramas & more

Mural Artist: Mandy van Leeuwen Call 229-6719 Email: mandyvanleeuwen@hotmail.com

design&decor Limitless Possibilities

Semi translucent crystal globes and a gold cylindrical fixture are just a glimpse of Superlite’s wide selection of transitional and traditional lighting. “This is just one very small corner of our brand new showroom,” confirms Simon Simkin, President of Superlite. The company recently relocated to Waverley where it now boasts as 7000-square-foot showroom with 14,000 square feet of warehouse space. “We designed the showroom layout to incorporate what worked well in the other store and we also added many new features,” notes Simkin. “We’re trying to make our showroom as state-of-the-art as possible while keeping it user friendly.” For example, the wall colours in the new showroom now correspond more closely to what consumers might find in their homes. Superlite has a light lab where homeowners can compare various options in recessed lighting grouped as though like it’s in a real house. Each grouping is on a separate switch. The showroom also encompasses a wide selection of track lighting, rail systems and LED lighting. At the same time, Superlite continues to process a tremendous number of special orders. “If we can find it for you we will,” says Simkin. “Many people want something unique. Our goal is to help people customize their décor with the right lighting.”

Superb Design, Stunning Details This Parkhill display home in Royalwood combines superb design features with spectacular finishing details. With a two-sided see-through fireplace enclosed in slate, the entertainment unit features floating shelves in rift oak that match the cabinetry in the great room and kitchen. The linear grain of the wood is the perfect complement to the contemporary bar unit which combines a granite countertop, a wood bulkhead with built-in lighting and a mosaic backsplash with accenting glass tile. A distinctive unifying element, the mosaic reappears on the pillar supporting the raised area at the end of the granite island in the kitchen. The elegant circular eating area is mirrored on the ceiling by a matching round bulkhead that holds the light fixture. This is not the only ingenious feature of the home. In the completely finished lower level, Parkhill raised the floor under one of the rows of theatre seating in the media area so that everyone has an excellent view of what the projection system has to offer. A fireplace, bar and pool table area complete this nexus of recreation and relaxation. “There’s a lot of detail in this home,” confirms Lori Thorsteinson, owner of Parkhill Homes with her husband Derek. And these are only a few examples of the many features the home has to offer!

summer 2009 | STYLE MANITOBA | 95

design&decor

Affordable Customization

Today’s sophisticated consumers expect customization, whether it’s for their Ipods, clothes, cars or furniture. “When people think custom, they think expensive,” says Tammy Belanger, BID., Category Business Manager at Dufresne. “Here, we offer custom ordering at an affordable price.” Available in 150 leather and fabric options, this sofa is a case in point. In fact, Dufresne offers customization options not only for an individual piece of furniture, but also for an entire room. “Our visual presentation team is amazing in putting rooms together,” notes Belanger, adding that room staging is something the company has already been doing

96 | STYLE MANITOBA | spring 2009

for five years. Dufresne’s Ellice store even has a wall of Benjamin Moore paint palettes for easy decorating. In every store, a wide selection of unique accessories and labeled wall colours take the stress out of coordinating. “Layering textures is a very popular approach,” adds Belanger, pointing out that this room combines soft leather with the weave of toss cushions and fibres of an area rug. Dufresne is currently in the process of launching an area rug program. The company already has a selection of 80 rugs with another 100 coming in next month. And with 2’x3’complete pattern samples available to take home, decorating has never been easier!

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

Think Condo. ROUGEAU GARDENS

C O N D O M I N I U M S

Think StreetSide. Homes That Defy the Ordinary. www.streetside.ca