Investigative journalist Annabel Soutar creates “docu-theatre”, which takes heavy documentary subjects and turns them into informative plays to desseminate the information more palatably to a greater audience.

In The Watershed, Soutar, upset upon hearing about the closing of a major federally funded freshwater research station, interviews (as a playwright) scientists, government officials, politicians, activists and business leaders. She then takes dry verbatim dialogue that’s been edited from dozens of hours of these interviews and turns it into an intense (sometimes hard-to-follow) play. Kudos to Projection Designer Denyse Karn for creatively illuminating the walls with the names and occupations of exactly who is speaking and visuals which capture where we are in Canada or in the story.

In The Watershed, Soutar (played by Liisa Repo-Martell) uses a plumbing crisis to teach daughters Ella (Amelia Sargisson) and Beatrice (Ngozi Paul) about water loss. She then chooses to empower her daughters (only 8 and 10 years old!) by including them (perhaps unwillingly) on her investigative journey – as in a reality TV show .

Soutar and her husband Alex Ivanocici (played by Daniel Brochu) pull the kids out of school and head out in a RV for a road trip west to Fort McMurray to see for themselves what the water-polluting oil sands in northern Alberta are all about, and, how are they affecting our fresh water supply.

The girls (and Hazel, the daughter of the play’s director, Chris Abraham) both help and hinder their Mom. Soutar’s father counseled her, from a conservative perspective, and helped her to get interviews with his buddies in the goverment.

The cast of quick-change artists play dozens of characters, and even do the work of the stage hands. Sometimes this busy-ness is too much. It was amazing, though, to see just how many things set designer Julie Fox was able to create with a half dozen pieces of slatted wood.

Watching a play like this might encourage you to take your own investigative road trip or just open discussions around the family dinner table about about what kind of country we want our kids to inherit.

Location: 453 St-Francois Xavier
corner: Notre-Dame
Tel: 514-288-3161
Dates: Nov 8-Dec 4
Prices $36.50 (student) – $51
www.centaurtheatre.com
Metro: Place d’Armes

Q: I bought your book and it has loads of great resources but I couldn’t find a place to clean my rugs.
Could you help me with this please?

A:  Cleaning rugs is listed under specialty services on my website www.smartshoppingmontreal.com
click here: http://smartshoppingmontreal.com/store.php?s=298

Pointe Claire Carpet Cleaning has been in business since 1990. Trained by Eaton Home Cleaning, they learned the strictest guidelines and proper cleaning techniques. They can clean:

– carpets
– area rugs (in your home or take them off premises)
– leather sofa and chairs
– dining room chairs covered in fine fabrics, such as cotton and silks
– pet odors and stains
– mattresses
– car interiors (complete cleaning, getting rid of salt, sand, smoke odors, etc)
– water/flood damage (don’t hesitate to call in the middle of the night); can arrange contractors to renovate and restore your home
– commercial and office cleaning – with employees sitting on chairs for years, they really need freshening up
– cooking odors in your home
– fabric protection

You may not realize that when you buy a mattress, within 10 years, it may weigh 30% more, due to sweat and skin cells accumulated. They have a service which kills dust mites and removes sweat stains and urine accidents. The mattress can also be disinfected and deodorized.

Area rugs can be re-fringed, repaired and they can take care of moth damage.

Phone: 514-693-3232
www.pointeclairecarpetcleaning.com

Around since 2000, Golden Elite Deco Center is a distributor and manufacturer of wooden flooring and vanities. The showroom features flooring, doors, vanities, kitchens, tiles (mosaic tiles, marble tiles and decking tiles) and adhesives selling at warehouse prices.

Their Black Friday Sale will last 9 days and here are the special deals:

– 10% off Promo Price of Selected Vanities
– Up to 46% off Selected Flooring
– 5″ Chocolate White Oak flooring for $3.39 (reg $5.49)
– 4.5″ Honey Maple natural flooring $3.29 (reg. $4.49)
– 6″ Colonial Vinyl Oak Click $1.59 (reg $2.99)
– 50% off All Accessories and Faucets

The types of flooring they sell: hardwood flooring 3/4?, engineered flooring 1/2?, laminate flooring 12.3mm and 8mm, engineered floating floor and vinyl floors. The floors have 10-14 layers of varnish, 1 layer of aluminum oxide anti-scratch and are precision milled (installers love installing their wood because of the milling).

Since they are the manufacturer, you skip the expense of a middle-man so expect savings between25%-40% which is quite good. Their sales staff is quite knowledgeable as they know the manufacturing process from A to Z, as well as details concerning maintenance, sanding, refinishing and installation.

Locations: 88 Brunswick Blvd, DDO; St-Hubert: 3929 boul. Taschereau
corner: (DDO location): rue Tecumseh
Tel: DDO: 514-243-8860 or 888-MGA-8844; St-Hubert: 450-486-3929 or 438-396-4143
Hours: Mon-Wed 8-6, Thurs & Fri 8-8, Sat 10-5
Dates: Nov 26 – Dec 5
www.goldenelitedeco.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zg3Ep7
www.twitter.com/planchersbois

Steel furniture has made a huge resurgence in the decor scene due to its good clean lines and durability.

We all remember those enamel-painted pieces of office furniture that lurked in our elementary schools or in our parents’ basements. They were heavy, utilitarian, and usually painted a neutral almond, taupe or (heaven forbid) olive green. Yes they were very durable, but ugly and terribly un-cool. Aside from throwing it out, or sending it to the basement to store your now useless record collection, there didn’t seem to be much to do with it.

On that point, archMontreal has a different take on it. Ignoring the terrible mid-century paint jobs and the laminate tops, these pieces usually have very good, clean lines, harking back to the beginning of industrial design and the adage that form follows function. They have several of these pieces, salvaged from their own workshop, and decided to try to make them usable again.

One of the easiest fixes is to get rid of the paint and get back to the old, bare metal, which they did using the services of a local sand-blaster. The next step was to replace the laminate tops with made-to-measure maple or oak counter tops, tapping into the current trend to mix industrial metal and wood for a chic, urban loft look. You can see the transformation in the accompanying photos – the before and after pictures of the metal cabinets that were sandblasted.

Originally used in a Montreal industrial shop, the cabinets now could be re-purposed as storage armoires, book shelves or even mud room furniture. If you can stretch your mind enough, the sky’s the limit for what these pieces could become.

archMontreal is proud to make re-purposing and re-using salvaged materials and furniture their main mandate. It’s the best sort of recycling – instead of destroying pieces of our industrial heritage, they make sure they can lead new lives as something else.

Visitors to the shop will find plenty of furniture ready to be re-purposed or in the process of finding a new existence. They are happy to provide unaltered pieces for those who want DIY projects or to help you along your path to a unique, custom piece.

Visit them right away (before the pieces are sold!) to see the cabinets and more, or follow their Facebook page [/archmontreal] or their Instagram [@arc_montreal] to see their new arrivals.

5524A rue St-Patrick, suite 202 Montreal, QC, H4E 1A8
corner: boul Monk
Tel: 514-788-6007
Hours Tues-Fri 9-5, Sat 11-4 Please call before going to make sure the doors are opened
Station de l’eglise / Station Vendome

For those of you who are re-decorating, Golden Elite Decor Center is offering up deals on all kinds of wooden floors right now (sale prices from $1.39 – $5.25) and also some sinks/vanities too.

Around since 2000, Golden Elite Deco Center is a distributor and manufacturer of wooden flooring and vanities. They have opened their doors to the public. The showroom features  flooring, doors, vanities, tiles (mosaic tiles and decking tiles) and adhesives selling at warehouse prices,.

All of the floors (which they manufacture) are finished with German technology and Italian milling machinery. They offer a limited 25-year warranty on the finish and a lifetime warranty on the construction.

Types of flooring: hardwood flooring 3/4″, engineered flooring 1/2″, laminate flooring 12.3mm and 8mm, engineered floating floor and vinyl floors. The floors have 10-14 layers of varnish, 1 layer of aluminum oxide anti-scratch and are precision milled (installers love installing their wood because of the milling).

Since they are the manufacturer, you skip the expense of a middle-man so expect savings between 25%-40%. quite good. Their sales staff is quite knowledgeable as they know the manufacturing process from A to Z, as well as details concerning maintenance, sanding, refinishing and installation.

Locations: 2285 Place Transcanadienne, Dorval; 3929 boul. Taschereau, St-Hubert
corner: (Dorval location): boul des Sources
Tel: Dorval: 514-243-8860 or 888-MGA-8844; St-Hubert (450-486-3929 or 438-396-4143)
Hours: Mon-Wed 8-6, Thurs & Fri 8-8, Sat 10-5
Dates: til Aug 31
www.goldenelitedeco.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zg3Ep7

For those of you who are moving or re-decorating, Golden Elite Decor Center is offering up deals on all kinds of wooden floors right now (sale prices from $.99 – $5.50) and also some sinks/vanities too.

Around since 2000, Golden Elite Deco Center is a distributor and manufacturer of wooden flooring and vanities. They have opened their doors to the public. The showroom features  flooring, doors, vanities, tiles (mosaic tiles and decking tiles) and adhesives selling at warehouse prices,.

All of the floors (which they manufacture) are finished with German technology and Italian milling machinery. They offer a limited 25-year warranty on the finish and a lifetime warranty on the construction.

Types of flooring: hardwood flooring 3/4″, engineered flooring 1/2″, laminate flooring 12.3mm and 8mm, engineered floating floor and vinyl floors. The floors have 10-14 layers of varnish, 1 layer of aluminum oxide anti-scratch and are precision milled (installers love installing their wood because of the milling).

Since they are the manufacturer, you skip the expense of a middle-man so expect savings between 25%-40%. quite good. Their sales staff is quite knowledgeable as they know the manufacturing process from A to Z, as well as details concerning maintenance, sanding, refinishing and installation.

Locations: 2285 Place Transcanadienne, Dorval; 3929 boul. Taschereau, St-Hubert
corner: (Dorval location): boul des Sources
Tel: Dorval: 514-243-8860 or 888-MGA-8844; St-Hubert (450-486-3929 or 438-396-4143)
Hours: Mon-Wed 8-6, Thurs & Fri 8-8, Sat 10-5
Dates: til June 30
www.goldenelitedeco.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zg3Ep7

It’s a good moment to start re-freshing your home as we you are spending more time indoors. Golden Elite Decor Center is offering up deals on all kinds of wooden floors right now (sale prices from $2.09 – $4.99) and also some sinks/vanities too.

Around since 2000, Golden Elite Deco Center is a distributor and manufacturer of wooden flooring and vanities. They have opened its doors to the public. The showroom is vast with flooring, doors, vanities, tiles (mosaic tiles and decking tiles) and adhesives selling at warehouse prices,. Customers are guaranteed savings between 25%-40% by shopping in-store.

All of the floors (which they manufacture) are finished with German technology and Italian milling machinery. They offer a limited 25-year warranty on the finish and a lifetime warranty on the construction.

Types of flooring: hardwood flooring 3/4″, engineered flooring 1/2″, laminate flooring 12.3mm and 8mm, engineered floating floor and vinyl floor (2.49$). The floors have 10-14 layers of varnish, 1 layer of aluminum oxide anti-scratch and are precision milled (installers love installing their wood because of the milling)

Since they are the manufacturer, you skip the expense of a middle-man so prices are quite good. Their sales staff is quite knowledgeable as they know the manufacturing process from A to Z, as well as details concerning maintenance, sanding, refinishing and installation.

2285 Place Transcanadienne Dorval QC H9P 2X7
corner: boul des Sources
Tel: 514-243-8860 / Toll Free: 1-888-MGA-8844
Hours: Mon-Wed 8-6, Thurs & Fri 8-8, Sat 10-5
Dates: til  January 31
www.goldenelitedeco.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zg3Ep7

It’s a good moment to start re-freshing your home as you will be spending more and more time indoors. Golden Elite Decor Center is offering up deals on all kinds of wooden floors right now (prices from $2.49 – $5.39) – and some sinks/vanities too.

Around since 2000, Golden Elite Deco Center is a distributor and manufacturer of wooden flooring and vanities. They have opened its doors to the public. The showroom is vast with flooring, doors, vanities, tiles (mosaic tiles and decking tiles) and adhesives selling at warehouse prices,. Customers are guaranteed savings between 25%-40% by shopping in-store.

All of the floors (which they manufacture) are finished with German technology and Italian milling machinery. They offer a limited 25-year warranty on the finish and a lifetime warranty on the construction.

Types Flooring:

– Hardwood flooring 3/4″ (from 2.97$ to 5.99$)
– Engineered flooring 1/2″ (from 1.97$ to 5.99$)
– Laminate flooring 12.3mm (from 1.39$ to 2.49$)
– Laminate flooring 8mm (0.69$)
– Engineered floating floor (from 2.99$ to 4.69$)
– Vinyl floor (2.49$)

Quality of floors:

– 10-14 layers of varnish
– 1 layer of aluminum oxide anti-scratch
– Precision milling (installers love installing their wood because of the milling)

Since they are the manufacturer, you skip the expense of a middle-man so prices are quite good. Their sales staff is quite knowledgeable as they know the manufacturing process from A to Z, as well as details concerning maintenance, sanding, refinishing and installation.

2285 Place Transcanadienne Dorval QC H9P 2X7
corner: boul des Sources
Tel: 514-684-4209 / Toll Free: 1-888-MGA-8844
Hours: Mon-Wed 8-6, Thurs & Fri 8-8, Sat 10-5
Dates: til end of November
www.goldenelitedeco.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zg3Ep7

We, the lucky recipients  of socialized medicine, get complacent when we travel elsewhere as we as so used to showing our medicare cards and magically getting our medical needs taken care of – no bills, no paperwork, no fuss.  But a medical emergency can happen to anyone, anywhere, of any age.

You don’t have to have an illness or be older to need insurance – you too can fall on a ski hill, wind up with fever in a faraway place or cut your foot on something in the sand – and need emergency medical care. This could costs thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Enter the travel medical insurance consultant, the perfect person to access your medical needs and find you the right policy – at no cost to you. Just like a stockbroker who has expertise in picking your investments, these people know how to read the fine print in medical plans and choose the one best for you  “as it applies to the individual” says Alice Kern, of ABR Financial Services.

Your plan depends how long you will be away, on what illnesses you may have, how long your conditions have been stable, or the last time you saw a doctor for a problem. Even with pre-existing conditions, they  can still find you a policy so you can travel.

A travel medical insurance consultant knows all the loopholes and makes sure you get the right coverage. She can hold your hand when you get into a medical mishap and can even negotiate with an insurer if  need be.

Location: 805-5775 Cavendish Blvd Cote Saint-Luc, Qc H4W 3L9
Tel: 514-332-3776 or 1-866-270-4996
www.abrfinancialservices.ca
alice.kern@abrfinancialservices.ca

It’s a good moment to start re-freshing your home as you will be spending more and more time indoors. Golden Elite Decor Center is offering up deals on all kinds of wooden floors right now.

Around since 2000, Golden Elite Deco Center is a distributor and manufacturer of wooden flooring and vanities. They have opened its doors to the public. The showroom is vast with flooring, doors, vanities, tiles (mosaic tiles and decking tiles) and adhesives selling at warehouse prices,. Customers are guaranteed savings between 25%-40% by shopping in-store.

All of the floors (which they manufacture) are finished with German technology and Italian milling machinery. They offer a limited 25-year warranty on the finish and a lifetime warranty on the construction.

Types Flooring:

– Hardwood flooring 3/4″ (from 2.97$ to 5.99$)
– Engineered flooring 1/2″ (from 1.97$ to 5.99$)
– Laminate flooring 12.3mm (from 1.39$ to 2.49$)
– Laminate flooring 8mm (0.69$)
– Engineered floating floor (from 2.99$ to 4.69$)
– Vinyl floor (2.49$)

Quality of floors:

– 10-14 layers of varnish
– 1 layer of aluminum oxide anti-scratch
– Precision milling (installers love installing their wood because of the milling)

Since they are the manufacturer, you skip the expense of a middle-man so prices are quite good. Their sales staff is quite knowledgeable as they know the manufacturing process from A to Z, as well as details concerning maintenance, sanding, refinishing and installation.

2285 Place Transcanadienne Dorval QC H9P 2X7
corner: boul des Sources
Tel: 514-684-4209 / Toll Free: 1-888-MGA-8844
Hours: Mon-Wed 8-6, Thurs & Fri 8-8, Sat 10-5
www.goldenelitedeco.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zg3Ep7