Downtown Buzz

I love the new Manitoba Hydro building. I feel like I am in some great cosmopolitan centre like London, New York, Paris or Toronto. The waterfalls with the lights at the bottom is a nice touch as well as all the fancy restaurants around the place. You can enjoy a nice sit down meal, a quick take out or a deli break - all with nutritious meals.
However, I was at Marcello's today because I forgot my lunch at home. I thought I would buy a little rice to go with the salad I had at work. I put two scoops or rice, one plain white rice and one like a pilaf 3 pieces of beets and about 3 pieces of pickled mushrooms and when that rang up it came to close to $7.00 about  $6.70 something to be exact. I am a vegan. I thought that was a rip off. I could have gone to Line Up at City Place and buy a decent nutritious belly-full meal cooked before my eyes for about the same price.

I like Marcello's because it has variety but that weigh and pay you've got to watch. It is a rip off. You serve yourself, do everything for yourself and get no benefit. I was appalled and amused at the same time. I eventually got the meal for $5 but I felt that was too much as well.

WARNING
If you are a vegetarian, that is not the place to eat. Rice or carbs is too expensive. If you are a regular eater you may come out ahead by buying more protein that vegetables.  Vegetarians and vegans can do a lot better for a decent meal at the East African Restaurant on Portage Avenue close to Carlton.
That's my beef.

Downtown Biz
Thanks Winnipeg Downtown for the music you bring for our enjoyment. It is so refreshing to go outside and hear a blast of live music. This definitely put a hop in my feet and puts me in a nice frame of mind when I return to work.  The music today was great. If you have not been able to catch any of these fabulous musicians check back next Wednesday. I think there'll be Caribbean Music on Friday this week, so don't miss that.

Thanks to the waitress at Stella's - Mystery Shopper

On February 1, 2012, I went into Stella's in the Buhler complex, downtown Winnipeg and I had a hard time finding anything to eat because I am a vegan. The waitress who served me was very helpful and pleasant. She was not offended that I was having a hard time finding something to eat. With her kind help I was able to get one of the best vegan breakfasts. I had delicious sour dough bread flanking a plateful of bright red sauteed red-pepper, greens and lots of mushroom with a soy chai latte.  Everything was fresh and delicious and the waitress was the nicest, most pleasant person who obviously loved her job and loved seeing people happy and satisfied. I thank you very much, you made me feel like my patronage matter.
   See you again soon.

Downtown Y Becoming a Dangerous Place

Recent reports indicat that the Downtown Y is not as safe as it used to be. People complain about thefts and drug dealing going on around the place. Thieves are breaking into lockers and there are more fights than before. If things do not change the paying customers will escape to the private suburban gyms.

If we are serious about attracting foot traffic in the downtown then there needs to be a concerted effort to clean the place of criminals and turn it into a more people friendly place to be.

There needs to be more foot patrols and maybe the Y needs to hire special guards to ensure that there is order in the gym. Perhaps there is also need for more cameras where crimes at the Y can stop before they happen. It is really frustrating when criminals drive law-abiding people out of the downtown.

If someone is caught stealing, fighting or dealing drugs that person should be banned from all the City Y's for a year. That's my suggestion. It is called tough love.