| On the Express Train to Bliss
I'm 19 hours into my stay at Ste. Anne's Country Inn and Spa, on the floor of a darkened fitness room with peppermint and chamomile oil on my temples, a flaxseed pillow on my eyes and a deep soothing voice giving me a private lesson in "de-stressing." "I'd like you to repeat in your mind, 'I am calm, I am quiet. I am relaxed,' " the mesmerizing voice commands. "Now, 'My right arm is heavy. It is very heavy.'" By the time I'm picturing waves on a beach lapping over my ankles, I've fallen so far into that wonderful half-asleep, half-awake state that when I'm told to reconnect to my body by wiggling my toes, I don't want to. And that's a good thing. I'd started to worry about myself when, upon arrival at this sprawling castle of a spa set on Lake Ontario about 1½ hours east of Toronto, my head was aching, my heart was racing, and I couldn't shake the nagging sense there was something else I should be doing.
Mr. Tremblay's "Panacea"
Mr. Tremblay's panacea seems to be "invent first; tax second; discuss never". But the Tremblay administration may be hoisted on its own petard -- released in its own hand -- and condemned by its own ignorance. It's time for some courageous leadership. To paraphrase Elgrably, "Les Montrealais meritent bien!" In a letter from the Mayor's office written in mid-February to one of the citizen coalition's organizers, the Mayor's communications director stated that the increased meter rates, restricted time limits and expanded payment periods including Sundays were necessary because more funds were needed for the city's "cleanliness" campaign. The letter was even specific about the amount. Some $1.8 million. Clearly street cleaning is a basic responsibility of civic government. But where was the crisis? Why was this suddenly a problem? After all, the past two budgets had $10 million additional annual "envelopes" to address this issue.
This week's deals
Fun and sun are easy to come by in Cancun. The magical mix of gorgeous beaches and excellent nightlife makes it a great choice for a Mexican vacation.
What to do
Sunbathe on the powder-white sand or swim in the clear blue water at any of the popular beaches that make Cancun famous, such as Playa Linda, Playa Chacmool and Playa Tortugas. Rent a jet ski, windsurfer, kayak or banana boat at one of the resorts lining the Zona Hotelera. Shop for Mexican crafts at the Mercado Veintiocho. For more merchandise, head to Plaza La Isla, a huge outdoor entertainment center, or Luxury Avenue, known for its designer boutiques. Dance the night away at one of the area's many nightclubs, such as Azucar, popular for its Latin beats.
What to see
Go snorkeling or diving along the coral reef just off the coast to see schools of colorful tropical fish.
EU to target cross border fraudsters
The European Commission said today that traders breaking the law on a cross border basis face an EU wide crackdown, as a powerful new enforcement network will beofficially launched in Brussels tomorrow. The network will target cross-border scams such as phoney lotteries and bogus holiday clubs. It will also clamp down on systematic abuses of EU consumer protection rules, from a company's refusal to give refunds on airline delays to pressure selling of timeshare holidays to sending misleading holiday brochures to consumers in other EU countries. The Enforcement Cooperation Regulation sets up an EU wide network between enforcement bodies to tackle crooks who rip off victims in one country but operate in another. It also establishes minimum standards for national enforcement authorities.
My Turn: The Villas at Harborside will benefit the West Shore
Recently the Sierra Sun printed a My Turn column from a group calling themselves Friends of the West Shore, which asked the public to deny the proposed Villas at Harborside development, in favor of yet three more oversized, lakeside McMansions, which will statistically stand empty 90 percent of the year.
Im writing to clarify doubts about this project and the well-being of Homewood and the West Shore, and hopefully to finally dispel negative misinformation. The Villas consists of nine timeshare units, clustered 1,700-square-foot Craftsman-style cottages, on three lakefront parcels. This area along West Lake Boulevard in Homewood is adjacent to the West Shore Caf & Inn and Homewood High & Dry Marina, and across the street from Homewood Ski Area; its zoned commercial with accepted residential use.
|
