Mmmmmm......Marish's Boulangerie

I'll admit to not doing much shopping lately (the after-Christmas hiatus) but I certainly have realized by blogging how much I enjoy our local eateries.

My DH and I just enjoyed a wonderful steaming hot bowl of Muligatawny soup at Marish's Boulangerie. But we didn't stop there, we ordered one of Marish's butter tarts with coffee.

I honestly believe, truly, that these are the very best butter tarts in the entire world! Owner Mary and her talented staff only use the finest ingredients and real butter in all their baking and cooking.

You can also enjoy delicous Indian cuisine at Marish's. Mary fell in love with all things Indian when she and friend Valerie Cite had the honour of being selected to teach European cooking and baking at one of the finest hotels in India. Now Mary has the wonderful Indian chef, Michelle in every weekend cooking up all sorts of delicacies. The freezer is always well stocked if you don't get in on the weekend. Maybe I'll see you there.

Port Credit Business Association Annual General Meeting and New Budget

Last night the members of the Port Credit Business Association ratified the proposed budget for 2007 programs.

Sadly, only a small number (very small number) of the over 500 eligible voters turned out. (Does that mean they're happy?) I'm never quite sure if apathy is a good or bad thing.

The board presented a budget of $313,015.00 to promote and beautify Port Credit. The membership voted an additional $10,000.00 for Canada Day fireworks bringing the final budget to $323,015.00.

It's wonderful how local business owners voluntarily tax themselves to invest in the community. I'm sure many people think the flowers, banners, festivals, free-parking in December, networking events, street cleaning and streetscape are all provided by the City of Mississauga - NOT!

The business owners in the village of Port Credit provide all these things and much more to make the village a good place to live, work, play and do business. I think they're doing a good job. Don't you?

The Planet Rocks

Planet Organic Market opened the doors last week and I have to tell you - it's changing the way I eat. I was mesmerized by all the unusual products as I wandered up and down the aisles of the new market checking out brands quite foreign to me - I haven't shopped in this type of market before. Fortunately the friendly staff were standing by to answer every crazy question I came up with.

Since opening day I have made two trips in in to Planet Organic Market and come out with things like juniper berries (for cleansing), supplements, teas (lots), organic veggies, presents (yes, even presents)and organic potato chips (does that mean they're not fattening? )

I proudly bought a big, red tote bag bearing the Planet Organic logo and slogan -

Our additives:water, sunlight, air, soil.

Don't miss the health and beauty section ably run by Ireny with well-qualified experts like life coach Janet Auty Carlisle. It's chock full of lotions, oils, creams, make-up, fragrance, soaps, ....you get the picture.

Planet Organic Market is a fascinating place to visit and a wonderful addition to the unique shopping village of Port Credit.

Hooked on Hooks

It's going to seem like I spend a lot of time in restaurants but last week was special with V-Day and my husband's birthday. Friday night we dined at Hooks, the coolest little cajun-inspired eatery in the City. I asked Chef-owner Brad to surprise me instead of ordering off the menu. My server, Janice was a bit surprised but you know, it's kinda like having dinner at a friend's house - you never know what's on the menu but you're grateful to get fed.

My appie was escargot - a dish I never order. I generally leave snails and mussels to my family members who think they're to die for. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. Garlicky oil for dipping the bread into. mmmmmm

Pickeral, with pecans, rice and beets (I LOVE beets) came as my entree. It was fantastic. The wine was flowing, the conversation too. My son brought along his gorgeous new girlfriend for a first meeting. He's been trying to keep us away from her so we don't ruin his chances, hehe.

We weren't quite ready to go home so we popped in to the Ridgetown Restaurant and Bar to enjoy "Cosy, Comfy Thursday" with Chuck Jackson. The Ridgetown is now serving Fondue on Thursdays for two at $30. I'm looking forward to going back for that. There is absolutely no question - we have the best restaurants in the City right here in Port Credit!!

Gears 24-Hour Spin

What started out as a 6-hour spin fundraiser is now a major event that has raised over $3 million dollars and created the Betty Wallace Women's Health Centre.

The event is a fascinating blend of fitness, fundraising, music and entertainment. Participants will include everyone from elite athletes to those who just want to make a difference when it comes to breast cancer and women’s health care. www.grears24hourspin.com

I Love Thyme Ristorante

I enjoyed a special lunch today with my junior valentine - my son. One of his favourite dishes in Port Credit is the Zuppa de Pesce (Seafood Soup) served at Thyme Ristorante. I ordered a delicious bowl of Cream of Lentil soup and we shared a thin crust Thyme Pizza. We even had enough left over for a snack for him while he cooks up dinner for his real valentine.

Harbourlicious at Lake Affect Patio Bar

My dh (darling husband) and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Lake Affect Patio Bar & Grill last night. We were in early and had a chance to chat with owner, Bill Gordon.

Bill is a entrepreneur-extraodinaire and was telling us that his wife, Maureen is taking over the top management position at the restaurant. He told us this was a way for Maureen to "slow down". That gives you an indication of how busy this dynamic couple are, eh?

Lake Affect has a brand new menu and a special fixed price 3-course dinner but Dave and I went for one of the daily specials off the blackboard and enjoyed a delicious half-rack of ribs each. I splurged (again) and finished off with a delectable piece of pecan cheesecake.

Lake Affect has a special valentine dinner planned for tomorrow and are booking comedy shows every Wednesday at 8pm. Call 905.278.8223 for all the details.

Disco Beatrice

Here's a picture of Beatrice Moreira, the Port Credit Business Development Coordinator who won the prize for "Best Female" . Her big faux fur coat added to the look but she's still got the look.

Best Disco Couple at Saturday Night Fever

Here's a picture of Tonya & Jason, the best-dressed couple (thanks Lydia for sending it along)!

Saturday Night Fever

It was Disco Fever on Saturday the 10th at Port Credit Legion. The hall was full of seventies-fans of all ages and they boogied all night long to the sound fantastic of Disco Inferno. The event was a sell-out and sure to be back next February when we need a little excitement. I wish I had more pictures to share.

The group shot captures some of the organizing crew. And if you look closely at the dance floor you can see the best-dressed couple, Tonya and Jason in the sparkly disco clothes. They were great dancers too!

The event was part of the Harbourlicious event taking place in Port Credit right through to St. Patrick's Day. Check www.portcredit.com/events for details about the delicious fixed price menus and live entertainment to help you "Catch the Fever".

February Business Development Breakfast

We probably had our largest group ever out at the February BDB. Vic Rempel of the www.wearemississauga.com site shared statistics and reasons why businesses today have to look into internet advertising in addition to what they are already doing.

• 17 million Canadians are connected to the Internet and they go online for an average of 2 hours per day.
• 80 million searches are conducted ech day in and effort to find local businesses, products and services.
• People are turning to the internet before the yellow pages for business referrals.
• Search engine marketing is expected to grow from $1.6 billion in 2003 to $8 billion in 2008.

Vic recommended using local search engines for better exposure. He also recommended a free internet seminar on March 3rd - info can be found at www.wearemississauga.com.

We are planning to follow up the "Tapping into Technology" theme at the March BDB where Scott Kendall, Technology Coach will be speaking.

The BDB's are held the first Thursday of each month, 8am at the Brogue Inn. Do join us. $5.00 at the door - all are welcome.

Feed the Planet

They're almost open!

Planet Organic is moving into 170 Lakeshore Rd. E. in the location of that other healthy supermarket that we all miss. The "soft" opening date is Valentines Day but a grand opening is planned for March 4th.

According to the website Planet Organic was founded and began selling natural & organic food for three reasons:

-to contribute to the personal well being of our customers;
-to protect the health of the Earth;
-and to make eating a robust and joyful event.

Look for me on Valentines Day in the line-up!

Planet Organic details:

Phone: (905) 271-0785Fax: (905) 271-9433
Open 7 days a week with lots of free parking!

Monday - Friday: 9 am to 9 pmSaturday & Sunday: 9 am to 7 pm

Can't say no to Natty's!

I had resolved to stay hunkered down this weekend to catch up on some much needed rest and attempt to get over a lingering cold and I did spend most of the weekend doing two of my favourite things - surfing the web and knitting. I've learned I can do both at the same time!

My resolve was broken by an invitation from friends to join them at Natty's Bar and Grill (Lakeshore and Mississauga Road intersection) for a bite to eat. I just couldn't resist the thought of the homestyle cooking and laid-back atmosphere of the place. I indulged in the Saturday night special - 1/2 rack of ribs, wings and fries at only $10.00. Pure comfort food!

Bartender, Jack (I think he might be Natty's brother?) was very attentive and took good care of us. The guys enjoyed watching the game on a GIANT screen TV while my gal pal and I chatted about everything. Natty's is a great place for family dining and welcomes kids. The food is great, the price is very right and Natty is a fantastic lady. (Gorgeous too!) Check it out.

Chantal Kreviazuk coming to Port Credit!

You are one of the first to know......................I just had a very excited phone call from Pat Anderson, the Chair of the Mississauga Waterfront Festival with the best news!

Chantal Kreviazuk, Canadian recording star, has confirmed her appearance on Saturday, June 16th on the Festival's main stage. Can't wait!

Crystal Power

Love attraction, negative influence protection, clear mind thinking, and more. These are all features you can benefit from by possessing Crystals.

I attended the first in a series of "Learn Something New" nights at Ladybug Harbor, 189 Lakeshore Rd. E. Owner Martha Sheppard shared her insights with a group of us who's knowledge ranged from "next to nothing" (me) to very, very well-versed. It was a fun, interesting evening, sipping herbal tea and absorbing all kinds of new ideas about these beautiful natural objects. A perfect way to spend a cold, Port Credit evening.

Martha plans to run monthly educational evenings with local experts on all manner of topics. Contact Martha for more info if you'd like to join us. martha@ladybugharbor.com

Picture Perfect Port Credit

I'm a bit buried under work today to do much blogging.............but this link to a photo group on flickr showed up on my Goggle Alerts for Port Credit that's worth having a look at. Why not put the series on a slide show and challenge yourself to identify where each photo was taken. (I haven't had time to do the whole file but did try a couple of loops).

www.flickr.com/groups/port_credit/pool/

We have some very talented photographers in the community!

Back from Niagara Falls

Well, I've been away the last two days participating in the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association board meeting. I met with BIA staff and business owners from across the province in Niagara Falls. Represented were BIA's including Ottawa, Chatham, Niagara Falls, Hamilton, St. Catharines, North Bay, Oakville, Toronto, Collingwood and of course Port Credit.

We were well taken care of by the Niagara BIA's and given a tour of the town including a trip up the Skylon to view the City at night, fantastic accomodation at the Fallsview Hilton and great food. Dinner on our own was at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant (almost as good as Port Credit's restaurants) and I even won $11.00 at the Fallsview Casino.

It was a great opportunity to share ideas with my counterparts across the province, and as always, do a little comparing of notes. One of the areas up for discussion was the lack of clear statistics about how much a BIA impacts the neighbourhood property values. I think in the case of Port Credit, the streetscape and improvements, along with the sense of community created by the events and happenings have definitely factored into the high property values both residentially and commercially. Hopefully our residents who benefit will support their local merchants. I always say no one wants their yard backing onto a big box store but everyone wants to live in the village. Think globally, shop locally!

Euchre at The Regency

It was fun and games on Saturday the 20th at The Regency Retirement Residence (RRR) when staff opened the doors to the community for a charity card night. Over 70 of us joined in for a great evening of camaraderie and competition to raise money for Lakeshore Corridor Community Team.

Although I haven't played much Euchre these last few years, my rotating partners and table mates didn't seem to mind. I got a chance to meet Joni Cursio the new General Manager of the RRR on Mississauga Road. Joni was delighted to have so many visitors and has offered the use of the facility to community groups looking for a meeting place. Thanks Joni!

Catch the Fever at Harbourlicious!

From February 1st to March 17th Port Credit is hot with special events and savings at our local eateries and pubs. We boast that Port Credit really is Mississauga's Dining and Entertainment District and we've got the action to back up that claim.

During the 61/2 weeks of Harbourlicious many of our best restaurants will be offering a 3-course Fixed Price Menu. But there's more..................................

Every Monday:
Ten Restaurant & Wine Bar offers "Corkless Mondays" and pays the corkage.

Every Wednesday:
Jawbone "The Delta Daredevils" featuring Kelly Davies on guitar, 8-11pm at Pump House Grille.
Sizzling Steak Night featuring live acoustic entertainment at ten Restaurant & Wine Bar.
Live Comedy Central at Lake Affects Patio Bar and Grill.

Every Thursday:
Comfy Cosy Night at Ridgetown, hot wine, cheese fondues and the Blues and Jazz tunes of Chuck Jackson.

Every Friday:
Live entertainment at Snug Harbour.

Every Saturday:
Live entertainment at Ridgetown and Snug Harbour.
Maple Leaf hockey tickets to be won at the Crooked Cue.

Feb. 1:
Australian Wine & Dine at Breakwater Restaurant.

Feb 3:
Caribbean Night at Snug Harbour.

Feb. 10:
Saturday Night Fever featuring Disco Inferno 70's Show Band. Show, DJ and Dancing at the Port Credit Legion. Ticket price only $20.00. Partial proceeds to Lakeshore Corridor Community Team - call 905.601.3518 for tickets.

Feb 14:
Love is definitely in the air in Port Credit. Book your valentine reservations, buy your flowers, chocolates and lingerie only in the village! Why not stay overnight at The Waterside Inn? From the 10th to the 17th there will be special valentine menus at all restaurants.

Feb 18:
VON Chocolate Lovers Brunch at The Waterside Inn.

Feb 23 - 24:
Mardi Gras at The Brogue Inn, The Crooked Cue and Lake Affect Patio Bar & Grill

March 10:
Catch the Fever Finale - Enjoy the best of the 60's, 70's & 80's at each of the participating restaurants.

March 17:
St. Patrick's Day Celebrations at selected restaurants.

And apparently this is just a small selection of the number of events happening! All of the details will be appearing shortly on http://www.discoverportcredit.com/. Special thanks to FRAM Building Group. Slokker Real Estate Group and Brenda Gilligan from ReMax Realty Enterprises for sponsoring this great line-up of events.

Who says there's nothing to do in the winter?

Port Credit's Kevin Wallace receives Ontario Medal of Good Citizenship

"Kevin Wallace has been awarded the Ontario Medal of Good Citizenship. The nomination process is extremely lengthy and they receive hundreds of applications. Personal information was collected under the authority of the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture and a decision was made based on this information. He will be awarded the medal at Queen’s Park on Thursday, January 25th at 10:30 am in the main lobby of the Legislative Building. The Honourable James Bartleman will be there to award the medals."

I received this good news in an email from local realtor, Rosemarie Wallace who also happens to be Kevin's wife. I've worked on a committee with Rosemarie and she's just as dedicated to the community as her good husband who began the Gears 24 Hour Spin Event that has raised enough money to build the Betty Wallace Health Centre.

Rosemarie went on to tell me, "The centre was opened in memory of Kevin Wallace’s mom Betty, a mother who lived courageously with breast cancer and passed away 12 years ago. It is because of her and many other amazing moms that we were instilled with our moral fabric and ability to care. We are forever in debt to give back for everything our mom’s have provided us. The idea of the centre is to create a place where the females in our lives no longer have to feel lost, confused or scared, waiting for appointments, and results, over an extended period of time, when they are diagnosed with Breast Cancer".

The 24 Hour Spin event will be taking place at the Hershey Centre. The kick off is at 10:00 p.m. on Feb. 16th and goes till 10:00pm on Sat. 17th. All monies raised goes directly to the Trillium Hospital, specifically the Betty Wallace Womens Health Centre. From personal experience I can tell you that participating in this incredible event can be life-changing.

Complete details can be gained via Gears Bike Shop or at http://gearsbikeshop.com/24hrspin