Sephora is here. Sephora is here. I have shopped at Sephora in the U.S. and wondered how come no one had thought of the idea before. The concept is to take all the possible brands of makeup and skin care products and put them all together in one store so you can shop and compare them side by side (instead of feeling awkward in the “battling booths” of the major department stores).

Salespeople are trained for a month in ALL of the brands so you don’t feel like you are going over to the enemy when you look at other names. You can mix it up and buy one brand of moisturizer another of shadow and still another one’s lipstick – and you can compare prices along the way. You can look for Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar moisturizer, Bliss, Makeup Forever, Bare Escentuals, and on and on and on…

Location: Fairview Pointe Claire, 6815 Rte Transcanadienne
corner: Boul. St-Jean
Tel: 514-630-6100
www.sephora.com

Other location: Promenades St-Bruno

Just opened to the public for the first time (due to their move to a brand new state-of-the-art facility), Expresco, a manufacturer of brochettes, is offering you chicken and pork souvlaki. You must buy it in bulk of 40 skewers to a package. The chicken ones are 90 g each for $48.00 and the pork ones are 100 g for $36. They say that these would sell for about $2 each in the stores. You let me know.

Location: 8205 Transcanadienne
Tel: 514-344-9499 ext.252
Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5
www.exprescofoods.com

You probably know the name Sheldon Kagan Entertainment from the Le Salon de la Mariee, the hugely successful event where you can find everyone and everything you need to organize your wedding. He also holds a Salon des Boomers which is hugely popular with the older set to find out about all kinds of opportunities for their lifestyles.
However, you may not know that the original basis of his organization is one of the most important parts of your party – the music and entertainment. He can offer you everything from a harpist and a bagpiper to strolling musicians, bands, orchestras and disc jockeys. Music and the master of ceremonies that go along with it create the whole ambiance of your event and I should know – he did the music at my wedding and is providing it for my son’s wedding.

Phone: 514-631-2160 or 888-KAGAN-4-U (Tell him Sandra sent you)
www.sheldonkagan.com
info@sheldonkagan.com

Here’s something that showed up in my publi-sac this week which is good timing for anyone moving or re-doing rooms right now. The name of the company is a mystery on the flyer but googling got me to Quincaillerie Decorative Hardware. The items shown are door handles, faucets, make-up mirrors, towel hooks, toilet paper holders, etc. If you go, let me know if it was a good sale.

Location: 4595 Rue Hickmore Saint-Laurent
Phone: 514-737-3000
Dates: May 29-June 8
Hours: Sat -Wed 10-4, Thurs & Fri 10-7

If you want them, Silver Jeans are here with maternity waistbands and are priced under $99. Many of the lines (Olian, ripe, Du-date, Ma, Juliet Dream, Noppies, Bellyismimo, boob, ca va de soi, Nougat) can be worn before, during and after being pregnant, and appear in sizes XS to XL. You can pick up a maternity bathing suit by Prego for the summer as well as nursing bras, baby gifts and diaper bags by Skip Hop, Lune and Jujube.

Location: 262 Bord du lac at Cartier Ave., Pointe Claire Village.
Phone: 514-695-8989
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Thursday, Friday or Sunday evenings by appointment).

This is a new one for me so I haven’t been there yet. NeoStrata skin care products are having a warehouse clearance sale for their smoothing creams: cleansing, exfoliating, anti-wrinkle, firming, acne care and sun care. The prices are up to 75% off.

Company: Canderm Pharma
Location: 5353 Thimens, VSL
corner: Dobrin
Phone: 514-334-3970
Dates: Thursday May 22 5-9, Sunday May 25 10-4
www.neostrata.ca

This weekend at the Plaza Pointe Claire, there are tables of antique and collectibles dealers set up in the new section of the mall. This is a mall that is different than most as it has mostly independent owners and stores. The Antique Show is held there twice a year, now and again in November.

Location: Plaza Pointe Claire, on Boul. St-Jean at Highway 20
Dates: Friday May 23 11-9, Sat & Sun May 24 & 25 9-5

It is getting harder and to find craftspeople who know how to fix things so when you find a woman with gifted fingers, you like to share it with people. Maria is a professional seamstress with 50 years experience (is that enough for you?) and she specializes in wedding apparel. She can fix wedding gowns or any kind of gown or cocktail dress. Custom made clothing is also one of her specialties. Of course, any pants hem, or regular alteration is cheerfully taken care of.

Tel: 514-695-1235 by appointment
Location: Kirkland

What if you could eat a wonderful French-inspired home-cooked meal every night that was made using only fresh ingredients found at the market – and you didn’t have to cook it yourself? Milliner is a clever shop prepares 30 different dishes (450 gr. $7-$10) in its open kitchen using grain fed chicken, Canadian AAA beef but no additives, colorings or preservatives. Start drooling over the lobster ravioli, lamb with apricot, blanquette de veau, Thai chicken, cassoulet de fruits de mer, pork with prunes or even beef cheeks with mashies. You can also buy box lunches or use them for catering. Home delivery available. www.milliner.ca

Location: 7010 Henri-Julien at Mozart in Jean-Talon market
Hours: Mon-Wed 9-6, Thurs & Fri 9-8, Sat & Sun 9-5

This bra manufacturer (also camisoles, lacey boxer shorts, chemises, thongs, “cheekies”) has opened to the public for a few hours in order to give you the opportunity to buy their lines at rock bottom prices. The bras are in sizes 34A to 38D, you can try them on, and there is even a woman to help you get properly fitted. Bras that would normally sell retail for $34, sell here for 2/$25 and there are $5 and even $1 bins. (And she’ll even help you with the fittings on the buck bras too!). www.montelle.ca

Location: 250, avenue du Parc, suite 550 at Chabanel St.
Phone: 514-383-3739
Hours: Fri 12-4 & by appt