Support Local Wineries Throughout December 2011

30 Days of Local Wine


It’s that time of the season! Throughout the month of December, WindsorEats is partnering with local wineries to highlight the region’s award winning wineries with 30 Days of Local Wine.

Each day from December 1st to December 31st (excluding December 25), one local wine will be highlighted on WindsorEats and include information from tasting notes to food pairings, recipes from local restaurants and more.

“This is a great way to highlight our region’s wineries in an interactive format,” explains Adriano Ciotoli, co-owner WindsorEats. “It puts the focus on our wine region and encourages holiday shoppers to purchase from our local wineries.”

WindsorEats encourages everyone to discuss each day’s wine by interacting on the Food Blog, following 30 Days of Local Wine on the WindsorEats FaceBook Fan Page and Twitter using the #30dlw hashtag.

"Everyone can join in on the conversation, ask questions and participate," says Adriano. "We want people to think about purchasing their holiday wine from our local wineries this season. It's a unique way to find out about what products are being offered and learn a bit about the wineries themselves."

WindsorEats.com is a culinary guide to Windsor and Essex County and was selected as Innovator of the Year by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada for their Wine Trail Rides. Their unique events have raised the profile of culinary tourism in Essex County.


by Tim Fairhurst Biz X Magazine

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Celebrate Biz X Friend Arms Bumanlag's 30th On Dec 2 With Us!

Up in Arms Birthday Bash/Charity Concert
Koko Pellie's will be the place to be Friday December 2nd as local Radio and Television personality Arms Bumanlag will once again be celebrating his birthday with a charity concert event.

Sparky’s Toy Drive will be the recipient of the proceeds and guests are being asked to bring a new unwrapped toy or five dollar cover charge as admission. Sparky’s Toy Drive is organized by a group of Windsor Firefighters and provides toys at Christmas to underprivileged children in the area.

With the campaign coming to a close and Christmas fast approaching the need for toys is still there. Bumanlag will be marking his milestone 30th year on the planet with a concert by the band Short Notice and there will be entertainment, wine tasting and door prizes throughout the evening.

So come on down and party like a weatherman as Arms embraces the big 3-Oh in style and helps out a great local cause. Doors open at 8 PM for this 19+ event and the forecast calls for fun and friends. Koko Pellie's is located at 110 Chatham Street West in downtown Windsor.

by Tim Fairhurst Biz X Magazine

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Random Act of Kindess Day A Huge Success!

“Imagine all of the good deeds that go unseen and unsung!”


 The WindsorEssex Community Foundation reports that, by all indications, this year’s Random Act of Kindness Day on November 4, was successful! Building on the popularity of last year’s event, more Individuals and groups across both City and County took part in a wide variety of activities that celebrated kindness as a core value of Windsor and Essex County. Activities ranging from buying a cup of coffee for a stranger to raking the leaves on a neighbour’s front yard to handing out free newspapers at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel were all received gratefully and graciously.

In a recent speech in Vancouver, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, commented,

“Helping a friend move; mowing a neighbour’s lawn; checking in on an elderly relative; or even paying for a stranger’s coffee at the drive through – all these deeds show us to be a caring nation. Imagine all of the good deeds that go unseen and unsung.”

Thanks to over 34,000 caring individuals in Windsor and Essex County, a good many of those generous acts of kindness are now being talked about.

To read about the many stories that were part of Random Act of Kindness Day, go to www.wecf.ca/kindness.html or go on Facebook @WindsorEssexRAK. They are adding more anecdotes daily as they receive them.

The Community Foundation thanks Tim Hortons for being our main card distribution sponsor and Windsor Family Credit Union for being our Platinum Corporate Sponsor. In addition, we offer our appreciation to RBC and the Windsor-Essex Economic Development Corporation for their sponsorship at the Gold level.

We also thank our media partners, including Biz X Magazine, for the extensive coverage they provided, making Random Acts of Kindness Day such a success.

And to every person who took time out of their day on Friday to reach out to someone else with an act of kindness, WELL DONE!

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Random Act of Kindness Day is an inclusive, community building initiative that was developed in 2008 by the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation. Since that time it has spread to 15 regions across Ontario and Alberta. It is sponsored locally by the WindsorEssex Community Foundation, Tim Hortons, Windsor Family Credit Union, local media, and other community minded organizations. Random Act of Kindness Day encourages the ‘pay it forward’ philosophy and gives people an opportunity to show kindness.

The WindsorEssex Community Foundation (WECF) is a perpetual community trust that manages donated funds, makes grants to support community programs, and facilitates working relationships between community organizations. As one of Canada’s 173 community foundations, your Community Foundation helps Canadians invest in building strong and resilient places to live, work, and play. Since 1983 the Community Foundation has granted $4.9 million dollars to organizations who are helping to make Windsor-Essex a better place to live, work, play and grow.

by Tim Fairhurst Biz X Magazine

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NOVEMBER 4, 2011:CELEBRATE KINDNESS!

Thousands of residents prepare to celebrate KINDNESS!


 The WindsorEssex Community Foundation wants to remind everyone that Friday, November 4th is Random Act of Kindness Day in Windsor-Essex!

Windsor-Essex residents are preparing to celebrate kindness by picking-up a RAK card, performing a

simple act of kindness for someone and passing the card along – inspiring him/her to do the same.

More people have picked-up a Random Act of Kindness cards than ever before. In fact, 75,000 cards are

circulating through-out Windsor and Essex County and citizens are already reporting stories of kindness

on Facebook @WindsorEssexRAK, Twitter #WERAK or by email to kindness@wecf.ca. As of Thursday

morning, 33,000 people have contacted the Community Foundation to advise that they were

participating.

Many of these people are part of groups who are not only performing individual acts of kindness, but

are also organizing team projects in the community. One group of grateful first and second graders are

making thank-you cards which they will be presenting to area veterans on Friday morning. Several

others are going out to rake the leaves for their neighbours or visiting senior’s homes. A full list of the

projects the Foundation is aware of is attached.

“We are excited with the number or people who have embraced the initiative again this year,” states

Lisa Kolody, Chair of the Random Act of Kindness Committee. “Those who haven’t already picked up

their RAK Day cards can do so from any Tim Hortons or WFCU branch.”

There are so many ways to participate! A Random Act of Kindness can be as simple as:

 Buying someone a coffee

 Holding the door open

 Paying for someone’s parking

 Donating to Canadian Blood Services

 Helping someone load their car

 Praising someone’s efforts

More ideas and card locations are available online at www.wecf.ca

“In the past year I have been the recipient of a number of random acts of kindness, and have even

written about it on my blog. Having people demonstrate kindness to toward me is a powerful incentive

to me to pay those random acts forward on November 4 and beyond, ” says Glenn Stresman, Executive

Director of the WindsorEssex Community Foundation. “Pick up a card today, perform an act of kindness,

and pass the card along.”

by Tim Fairhurst Biz X Magazine

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WE TECH NEEDS YOUR VOTE TILL WED OCT 19, 2011

WEtech Alliance needs your support and 1300 votes by Wednesday! You can vote once a day. Our proposal "Revitalizing Windsor-Essex Through Innovative Technology" is a fabulous idea to educate and celebrate the importance of technology and innovation in Windsor-Essex County! We know technology is important to you!


Vote today! Vote Tomorrow!

Vote now at http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf12369



by Tim Fairhurst Biz X Magazine

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Heart Defect Society Fundraiser

“Get your motor runnin, head out on the highway”. Motorcyclists will be revving up their engines to ride, eat and have fun in the name of helping out a worthy cause. Heart defects affect approximately 180,000 adults and children and 1 in every 70 newborns in Canada will be affected in some way by a one. The Heart Defects Society was formed to provide support for people and their families that are living with heart defects.
On Sunday September 18th the Society will be holding their 2nd Annual Christine Sorrell Memorial “Pooker” Run. The motorcycle ride leaves the CAW Hall on Turner road at 10AM and is poker run with 5 stops. Mr. Biggs in Belle River, Dockside Bar & Grill in Leamington, The Meadows in Harrow, Shooters in Amherstburg and Teutonia Club will all hold a chance to relax, mingle and collect a card towards a poker hand. A Chicken and Pasta dinner will be served at the Teutonia club and riders will compare hands for prizes and bragging rights.
To download a pledge sheet and be a part of this event go to the HDS Poker run website at www.hdspookerrun.ca
Last year 82 bikes participated and organizers are hoping to increase that number this year so if you ride get out there and support this worthy cause.
For more information on heart defects, the Society and their work visit www.heartdefectssociety.org

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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WSO Concert Series - Sunsets and Quintets

Looking to unwind after a day of weekend activities? There’s nothing like a little music against a beautiful waterfront setting to soothe the soul. The Windsor Symphony Orchestra’s FREE Summer Concert Series, Sunsets & Quintets, features the WSO Woodwind Quintet with performances at Lakeside Park in Kingsville, Lakeview Park in Belle River and Reaume Park, by the Peace Fountain, in Windsor.
This is a great opportunity to gather with family for a relaxing evening of chamber music performed by the superb musicians of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra. The opening performances feature music from Strauss, Gershwin, Mozart and Tchaikovsky performed by WSO musicians Liesel Deppe, flute; Faith Scholfield, oboe; Trevor Pittman, clarinet; Julie Shire, bassoon (Saturday & Sunday); Stephanie Konchel, Bassoon (Friday); and Kelly Daniels, Horn. The Sunsets and Quintets Music Series is absolutely free and a great way to experience the fabulous waterfront parks that Windsor/ Essex has to offer.

Friday, August 12 at 7 p.m.LaSalle Front Road ParkWSO Brass Quintet

Saturday, August 13 at 7 p.m.Amherstburg King's Navy Yard Park WSO Brass Quintet

Sunday, August 14 at 7 p.m.Windsor Odette Sculpture Park, at the foot of Bridge Avenue WSO Brass Quintet

For more information on these and other Windsor Symphony Concerts visit their website at www.windsorsymphony.ca

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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The Downtown Market

Fresh local produce, crafts, and live entertainment return to the downtown core for the 2011 season as the Downtown Market has its grand opening on Sat June 11th. Located at the former bus terminal at 44 University Avenue East the market will feature over 25 vendors including Dockside Fisheries, Hylander Farms (beef) The Fruit Wagon, Our Farm Organics, Nana’s Bakery, Specialty Bakery, Perry Noia the Clown and others. New additions this year include Mimi’s Fruits & Vegetables, The Dutch House Country Market, Terre-Tremblay Farm and more. Organizers are hoping people will not only use the market as a resource for purchasing local produce, baked goods and handmade crafts but utilize it a s regular stop on their Saturday morning travels and use it as a gathering place to connect with friends both old and new.
"The market brings vitality to the core every week. It’s wonderful to see farmers, cyclists, entertainers, families, and others reconnecting each week," says market chair, Natalie Bownes.
Bownes also feels that having the grower on hand is a great incentive for shoppers, "Meeting the person who produced your food is an amazing opportunity to learn more."
Organizers have a variety of special events planned throughout the season and the second Saturday of each month will be earmarked for special events.
· June 11 – Opening Day
· July 9 – Love Your City
· August 13 – Healthy Lifestyles Day
· September 10 – Pets on Parade
· October 8 – Closing Day Celebration
So come on downtown and experience the best Essex County has to offer. For more info contact: Tristan Fehrenbach (tristan@downtownfarmersmarket.ca) or Natalie Bownes (natalie@downtownfarmersmarket.ca) Phone: (519) 915-9498

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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Is the Weather Hurting Business in Windsor/Essex??

It seems everyone is complaining about the weather. A sore topic among Windsorites , spring just has not co-ooperated, but is it having an impact on some local businesses bottom lines? You bet. The excessive rain and unseasonable cool temps have done nothing to inspire people to get out and spend those springtime dollars. Garden Centres, Pool companies, boating establishments, motorcycle shops and ice cream stores are all awaiting that first pop of warm weather to get people moving on summertime activities (and purchases). Outdoor restaurant and bar patios come alive with people as well when the nights are warm and the days sunny. And lets not forget those who work outside like farmers and construction workers. Weather can easily put crops and projects behind and cost money. But that’s life right? Unfortunately we cannot change the weather and everyone ultimately must deal with it on some level. Heres hoping to a fabulous May 24 Long weekend and a temperate kickoff to the 2011 summer season. Now get out there and play!

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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Pro Soccer debuts in Windsor

Pro Soccer makes it debut in Windsor this weekend. The area’s premiere professional soccer club, the Windsor Stars meet the Montreal Impact Academy this Saturday night at 7PM at Windsor Stadium. Area soccer supporters will want to be sure to check this exciting new venture out in its inaugural showing in the Canadian Soccer League
“It’s exciting to have pro soccer back in Windsor. The team will be very competitive and enjoyable to watch.” says Coach Jeff Hodgson.
Owner and player Filip Rocca is hoping that the Windsor community will come out and be the “12th man on the field” and help to cheer the team on in what promises to be a tough match against a strong Montreal club. In addition to offering fans the opportunity to experience pro soccer up close the organization is also excited to be offering special events and services for youth in Windsor-Essex, including meet the players nights, year-round youth camps, game-day youth matches, ‘Practice with the Stars,’ scholarship services, and much more. A meet and greet with the players will take place at 5PM before every match at Centro on Erie Street and a complimentary shuttle service will depart at 6 and return after the game.
The season schedule can be found online at www.windsorstarssoccer.com and you can follow the team on Facebook at facebook.com/WindsorStarsSoccer

Ticket information
Tickets can be purchased at Centro located at 770 Erie Street East for $7 in advance for adults, $5 for children 12 and under. Game day tickets will be $10 for adults, $7 for children 12 and under. Season tickets are also available: Pre-season sale for family pass (4 people access) is $120. Single Pass (1 person access) is $60.
So come on out and experience the beautiful game that is professional soccer and see what the rest of the world is mad about.

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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Organ Donor Awareness

This week is organ donor awareness week. Being an organ donor is something that many of us would rather not think about. The subject of death is uncomfortable for most people but organ donation is as much about life as it is a result of someone passing. Each year thousands of people die waiting for organ and tissue transplants. Finding the right match against available organs is a little bit like roulette with blood types, and other criteria all playing into the equation. Leaving a legacy of life after a tragedy is as easy as signing an organ donation card and advising your family of your wishes. Any one of us could be on either end of an organ donation decision at any time. Life happens as they say so take the opportunity this week to discuss this with your loved ones and make the decision to give the gift of life. For more information visit the Trillium Gift of Life network’s website at www.giftoflife.on.ca

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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Bike Friendly City??

As the weather slowly warms up in Windsor thoughts turn towards fair weather activities such as cycling. For many cycling is a recreational pastime done on the weekends and evenings after work. But for a few dedicated individuals cycling is a passion that they utilize for commuting purposes. In addition to the health benefits this sport also carries an environmental impact in the form of reducing one’s carbon footprint on this earth. A recent study shows Windsor has only about 40 km of dedicated bike lanes in the city, well short of the targeted 160+ km that was supposed to have been in place by now. Many people I know have expressed a desire to use their bicycle as transportation and commute to work but lament the danger of having to deal with narrow roads, insufficient riding space and angry and disrespectful drivers. Larger metropolitan cities such as Toronto Vancouver and Montreal are a hotbed for urban commuting with some even offering bicycle rental stations throughout the city. While Windsor may not be on the same scale as these centers we can still strive to provide options for people that want to make a difference, get fit and do something for the environment. Cyclists are more connected with their environment and create a living breathing vibe in what is otherwise a concrete jungle. So get those wheels turning and get out there and ride, even if just for recreation. by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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Border City Brawlers Fresh Meet Recruitment Day

Well hot off the heels of the Border City Brawlers March Break Family Skate comes another event that the group is having in the form of a call for all ladies that want to try something different. The Brawlers are holding a recruitment/open house for prospective roller girls wishing to experience the excitement and camaraderie that is women’s Roller Derby. Very different than the scripted wrestling style of entertainment popular back in the 70’s modern roller derby is organized and sanctioned by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association and is a legitimate sport. Popularized by the recent feature film “Whipit” Roller derby is a fast, furious contact sport that is growing. This Sunday March 27th from the 7PM – 10PM the Windsor Armouries will be the site of their fresh Meet Recruitment Day. They are looking for energetic women 18 and over that are willing to rough it up a bit and have fun. They are looking for referees as well (men and women). Skaters will need a helmet, wrist guards, elbow and knee pads and a mouth guard. The club has limited skate rentals available and will provide an introduction on everything from skating technique and derby rules to strategy and safety. Organizer Holly Brush (aka Lady Tron) hopes to gather enough participants to add to the already sizeable group and form multiple teams for a Windsor league.
“We have women from all walks of life here, nurses, social workers, teachers, former figure skaters, they all have a common goal and that is to have fun and compete.” Says Brush.
So dust off those skates (no rollerblades please) and come out and find out what its all about. You’ll have fun mixing it up with a great group of girls and probably make some new friends in the process.

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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Skating into March Break with the Border City Brawlers

With March break here, many people will be looking for things to do in and around the city and county. The Border City Brawlers is Windsor’s up and coming women’s Roller Derby organization and will be holding a free family skating event at the Windsor Armouries on Friday March 18th. Benefiting the Hiatus House of Windsor the event will feature an afternoon session from 1PM to 3PM and evening skate from 6PM to 8PM.
Hiatus House is an emergency shelter for abused women and their children from Windsor and Essex County and offers a residence program, counselling and crisis intervention services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The group is asking the public to bring non-perishable food items for donation to Hiatus House to be collected at the event. Free hot chocolate, coffee and snacks will be served and a limited number of adult sized skates will be available for rental. Inline skates are welcome but skaters are strongly encouraged to wear a helmet.
So this March Break don’t hibernate! Come and skate with some of the girls from the Border City Brawlers and support the Hiatus House at this family friendly event.
I’ll have more on the Brawlers, their upcoming recruitment day and the exciting sport of Roller Derby in an upcoming blog post so check back soon. In the meantime, get your wheels on and skate!

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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A New Game in Town?

Professional football is coming to Windsor this spring. No, not that football, but what the rest of the world calls football, or soccer as we know it. On Tues evening there was a gathering of local media and the Windsor soccer community at Mezzo Ristorante on Erie Street to hear the announcement of Windsor’s newest professional sports team. The Windsor Stars is the brainchild of local restaurateur Filip Rocca and is the latest entry in the CSL (Canadian Soccer League). Rocca introduced not one but two coaches for his newly acquired franchise. Steve Vagnini and Jeff Hodgson both have impressive resumes in the sport and will handle the sideline duties managing the club. Three players were signed as well at the event and introduced to the local media. Anthony Santilli, Emilio Giorgi and Danny Dragoi donned blue jerseys with the Stars logo and posed for photos. The Stars are currently looking for more players to round out the team and are holding open tryouts this weekend at the Novelletto Centre. With teams competing from Montreal, Toronto, London and now Windsor, the competition and level of play promises to be top calibre and will give local soccer supporters something to cheer for. The venue is still being finalized but the University of Windsor, Windsor Stadium and McHugh Park near the WFCU Centre are all being considered. So keep this on your sports radar in the coming weeks and come and check it out.

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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Power to the People!

Despite many fears and concerns, the internet can be a powerful tool for people to enact change within their community. Recent events in Egypt had people messaging and tweeting information and updates to relatives friends and supporters during the uprising to oust the dictatorship there. Information is power and the internet provides a forum in which the public can share ideas, initiatives and gather support for their cause.
Here in Canada there is a similar drive underway to send the government a message. No, there is no ouster planned, but the very way we use the internet is being challenged by the large telcom companies. Internet companies are in the process of instituting usage based billing or charging you by the byte similar to the way data is charged for smart phones. The explosion of streaming media content available online as well as services such as Netflix which can be viewed through the computer, Wii and Playstation consoles is in direct competition with these big telcom companies satellite and cable television services. This a blatant attempt to gouge consumers and control the internet. Protectionism at its finest Canadian style. Yours truly had his bandwidth allowance cut by over 60% recently despite a $5 hike in the monthly bill! Smaller ISP’s which purchase their bandwidth from the big guys are being forced into the same deal leaving the consumer with no where to go. This will only serve to stifle Canada’s digital competitiveness and put a strain on small businesses and families.
Here’s where you can do something about it though. Public outcry had the government recently re-thinking their decision to allow the CRTC to allow this. Several online petitions have cropped up to allow the peoples voice to heard on this issue. http://www.stopthemeter.ca/ has more information on this important issue as well as a petition that you can sign that will be sent to Konrad Van Finckenstein of the CRTC.
This is your chance to have your voice heard – act now!!

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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Online Buyers Beware

I almost made a purchase online last week. I say “almost” because I stopped the order short before releasing payment from my Paypal account. Although I try to source purchases locally there are many things that are either more convenient to purchase online, much less expensive or just plain unavailable. In this case it was a sports jersey that I saw through a Facebook ad. The price was half of what I had seen this shirt for on the official team site and it advertised free shipping to boot. The website looked professional with secure encryption and they had a multitude of products for sale at great prices. My question about the product was even answered promptly by a fellow named “Jason” from their customer service department. I browsed the site for a while before making my selection and customized my order with my favourite players number on the back. A couple of clicks and my order was placed, all I had to do was check my email and login to Paypal to complete the payment. This is where it started to look fishy as ultimately I was instructed to release funds in U.S. dollars to “Pang Loo”. Now this in itself would not be so suspect if his contact info was a generic web based email address. At this point I started to question the authenticity of the product as well given the inconsistencies I was seeing. Sending someone
In the end, I did not buy the jersey and hopefully saved myself some aggravation (and possibly 48 dollars!). Maybe I would have received a great deal if I had gone through with the purchase but visions of trying to track down Mr. Loo with desperate unanswered emails to nowhere seemed all too possible. Granted Paypal does provide some recourse for fraudulent transactions but I had no interest in going there. Although I purchase a few things online this experience just confirmed what we should all practice when doing business, online or in person. Buyer Beware.

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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See You at the Movies?

Last years filming in downtown Detroit of the latest instalment of the Transformers movie franchise may be the start of something big for not only Detroit but Windsor as well. The respective cities skylines, Ambassador bridge and wide variety of backdrops make for an attractive place to shoot movie and television productions. With a proposal to build a movie studio in Essex county being worked on right now as well could this area become Hollywood North? The success of the Windsor International Film Festival has established an interest amongst Winsdorites as movie buffs. Big budget movies being filmed in our own backyard? It is rumoured that parts of the next Batman flick are going to be shot in Detroit. Would you spend the time to be an extra in a film?

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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New Years Day Fizzle?

Well, New Years has come and gone again for another year. Windsor and Essex County residents celebrated in style, partying at bars, restaurants, clubs and halls. The family event held at Lanspeary Park featured free skating, music and fireworks and was met with great success. Hats off to AM800 for sponsoring the event and to Arms and Heidi for a fantastic job in hosting. The placement of New Years eve on a Friday meant that New Years Day would be on a Saturday. Party on right? Well it seemed that everyone must have still been in recovery mode because the downtown area was eerily empty for a weekend evening. It seems that going out on New Years Day night was not in a lot of people’s plans. I did talk to some folks that were attending the Maroon 5 concert at Caesars but for the most part it was a pretty quiet day. What was your favourite thing to do on New Years Day?

by Tim FairhurstBiz X Magazine

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