Baldo Minaudo’s Blog

“When I barbeque, I get to look over 18b Yonge Street” commented Bijan in the middle of a discussion about Toronto’s civic condition.

“There’s an 18b Yonge Street.  I walk along there every day…where is it?” I asked.

 ”It’s the property between 18 Yonge Street and the Railway Tracks”he replies.

I visualize that area.  18 Yonge Street is a new condominium bulding (within the last 2 years), one of many built in the area to house an upwardly mobile, yet transient group that mostly work in the downtown core.  They work in the office towers or attend the many schools nearby.  Most of the occupants are in their late teens to mid 20’s (though you find the odd older individual or couple with baby).  Some are professionals just starting their career, some are here on student visas (and working on the side), some are in the pink collar industry (living three or four per apartment).  The vast majority of the residents are renters and the vacancy rate can make your head spin. 

Walking by on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday one can’t help like feeling they’re walking by a fraternity house, with yelling inside and outside the buildings, loud drunks stumbling along, and the stench of funny tobacco.  Yet, this building and its sister buildings are promoted as ‘prestigious’ buildings by their owners and managers.  What ever happened to the advertising watchdogs?   

Yes, I’m familiar with building and what’s next to it… there is no 18b Yonge Street.

Then he explains to me “Right beside the building along he north side is the bottom edge of the slope from the tracks.  There are people that have build cardboard houses and are living there.  You can’t see them from the street because they’ve blocked the view from Yonge Street with plywood.  The trains can’t see them because of the bush and steep slope.  We can see them because we’re looking straight down and can see the people coming and going.”

Well, I’ve been thinking about what he said for months.  In fact every day that I walk by I take a look at the plywood and once in a while I see someone sneaking out of the entrance.  I wonder how these homeless souls can live there.  It is bad enough for those living inside the new, supposed sound proofed buildings, how the heck can these souls manage it?

Then I realize, what choice do they have?

Growing up in Toronto I never thought would see this happening in our once great city.  I’ve travelled the world and seen squatter settlements dominatre hillsides, but in Toronto?  For the last few years we’ve had a civic government so concerned with taxing car drivers and forcing the TTC onto the citizens, but what about the very serious issue around just being able to live in the city?

As for the squatterers, I don’t know who they are, or what their story is.  But, not a day goes buy that I don’t wonder.  Then I think what can I do about it?  What can anybody do about it? (I mean about finding them decent accomodation).  Well, atleast they’re making use of space and it is better than nothing.  As for the cold, snowy winter months, the landscape and geothermal structures will help them survive.

So, next time you see a fancy new condominium building, ask yourself where is the ‘b’?, where are the homeless people living?…they may be closer than you think!

Baldo

Last Friday marked a new chapter for Famous People Players. They had the ribbon cutting ceremony for their new location at 343 Evans Avneue in Toronto.  The Honourable James M. Flaherty, P.C. , M.P. Miniser of Finance was there representing the Harper government’s commitment to the arts.  It was Mr. Flaherty who with his sharp and humble humour lightened the hearts of guests and then as part of an elaborate theatrical skit cut the ribbon for the new location.

We were then treated a wonderful performance by the company.  This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced the wonderment of the spectacular visual effects.  Yet, everytime I feel better for the experience, a mix of optimism and inspiration.

Famous People Players mission is to inspire people to achieve more. To instill in the hearts and minds of everyone that dreams can come true when you believe in yourself.

Diane Dupuy, CM the President & Founder of the company elaborates:

“Our discipline in theatre teaches us to reach our full potential through exciting opportunities that demand responsibility, integrity and professionalism, integrity and professionalism.  We forget about ourselves and become ourselves.

When the Company was founded in 1974, people with disabilities were segregated. We sought to reverse this limiting approach and replace it with hope and achievement.

Winning rave reviews for visual effects, spellbinding performances, and memorable evenings, Famous PEOPLE Players has enabled the public, governments, media nd corporations worldwide to view people with disabilities in a respectful, new light.

Everyone has some kind of handicap. We all overcome obstacles and drive toward our dreams.

We now open our doors to people from all walks of life to explore their creative potential for success. At Famous PEOPLE Players a world of opportunity awaits through our Exceptional Achievement Program. ”

Famous PEOPLE Players was founded in 1974 in the spirit of personal development and team achievement. It began with a theatrical black light show in Toronto that was stunning in its visual effect.

The great showman and pianist Liberace discovered Famous PEOPLE Players in 1975 and hired the troupe to open for him in Las Vegas. From 1975 to 1985 Famous PEOPLE Players toured with this magnificent entertainer, winning rave reviews that inspired the world. These achievements resulted in a CBS Emmy Award winning movie called “Special People”.

Meanwhile, in Toronto, the show and the restaurant flourished, attracting groups from far and wide, international visitors, celebrity benefactors and continuing acclaim.

Since the days with Liberace, Famous PEOPLE Players have won accolades on Broadway, at Radio City Music Hall and have toured the globe, changing attitudes and bringing integration to the forefront.

In 2007 the company acquired a new property in Ancaster, Ontario (near Hamilton). It will house a beautiful new theatre and restaurant on 84 acres of land. Famous PEOPLE Players will add a harvesting and camp program to theatre arts, culinary arts, customer arts and language skills.

HISTORICAL MILESTONES:

1980 - Famous PEOPLE Players were chosen by New York’s Radio City Music Hall to choreograph, the first stage production of the “Sorcerers Apprentice”. This was a very important event, as the Famous PEOPLE Players would be officially reopening this famous Hall.

1982 - Famous PEOPLE Players was the first western group to be invited to perform in the People’s Republic of China.

1984 - Joe Cates, a highly regarded producer for television, saw Famous PEOPLE Players at Radio City Music Hall and signed them on the spot for a CBS two-hour movie of the week, “Special People”.

1985 - FPP appeared for a one-hour special on the Phil Donahue Show which was the highest rated Donahue show.

1986 - Famous PEOPLE Players opened on Broadway at the historical Lyceum Theatre. “A Little Like Magic” earned rave reviews.

1994 - New York beckoned the company once again and Famous PEOPLE Players returned with “A Little More Magic” at the Belasco Theatre. After lengthy tours, the Famous PEOPLE Players needed to settle to a place called home.

February 18th, 1994 - Famous PEOPLE Players opened the first dinner theatre dedicated to people with special needs where the veteran performers who no longer perform could further enhance their life skills. Actor Paul Newman who had become a big supporter and fan of Famous PEOPLE Players, generously underwrote the restaurant through the sales of Newman’s Own products. Phil Collins, saw the company perform in Toronto and was ‘wowed’ by their artistic ability and interpretation of his music on stage. Meeting Phil Collins became such a major force of inspiration to the Famous PEOPLE Players that they now call him “Uncle Phil” and their theatre is called the Phil Collins performance workshop.

I encourage you to take a date or some friends and enjoy a performance of Famous PEOPLE Players.  You can call them at 416 532-1137, Toll Free: 1-888-453-3385 or visit their website at www.fpp.org.

Having been the President of MetroActive Lifestyle Network, one of Canada’s largest and premier business networking organization has allowed me to develop relationships with all sorts of people.  Often, I cross paths with MetroActive’s members in the most unexpected places.

Two weeks ago I was at the Toronto Investment Conference.  It’s a forum by which mostly exploration, mining and resource companies promote their projects.  As I’m walking along one of the isles I bump into non other than one of MetroActive’s members and well-known author.  She took me a little by surprise, especially since I didn’t realize she had any interest at all in resource investing.

You just never know who you’re going to meet and where.

I am certain I have discovered the highest concentration of Lamborghini automobiles in the world. After traveling to Dubai, Paris, London, New York, Rome, Milan and many other large cities I am certain I know the Lamborghini capital of the world.

Do you know where it is? Take a moment and see if you can guess. Here are some clues:

1. Lamborghini is an Italian car - where are there a lot of Italians per capita?

2. Lamborghini is a very expensive car - where are there the most cash rich families per capita?

3. The Lamborghini sits close to the ground and is not usually used for daily commuting so they need a garage space just for themselves - where is there the most triple car or greater garages per capita?

You may have found several communities that qualify as answers to 2 and 3. But, there is only 1 community that fits all three and it is… Woodbridge Ontario.

Have you driven in the neighbourhood that is referred to ‘behind the wall’? You’ll either find a Lamborghini or a Ferrari as the family weekend car. Of course their are some families that aren’t as well of…they drive BMWs, Audis, and Lexus.

Well, in the first days of the Toronto International Film Festival I was walking along Yorkville. And to my surprise one in every 5 cars was a Lamborghini as I walked the stretch from Avenue Road to Bay Street at about 10pm. The drivers?…Italian looking and I think I recognized some of them from Woodbridge (my sister lives behind the wall).

As I’m walking along I’m hearing lots of Italian being spoken. There were more Italians on Yorkville than their were at the Italian Festival on College street a couple of weeks ago.

Don’t ask me what it means - I’m still trying to figure it out. I do know that we Italians love our culture, music, food and drink. And there are some great restaurants on Yorkville. Have you been to ‘One’ or Joso’s?

If you like expensive cars then check out Yorkville during the film festival or visit Woodbridge - let me know what you think.

Years ago a friend of mine was telling me about someone he knew and how he went about finding women to be with.  I remember as a young man listening, waiting for some great secret to building relationships.  This is how the story goes:

“He goes to a bar and asks every woman in the place if she’ll sleep with him.  He usually gets slapped, drinks spilled on him, but by the end of the evening he always ends up with someone.”

So, I’m looking at him in astonishment and not at his so called ’success’.

Why am I writing about this now?  Because tonight I was on facebook and I received yet another invitation to go this networking event that includes entrepreneurs and corporate professionals.  When I looked at the group’s postings and the individuals that belong to it, it is obvious that is a network marketing organization.  I couldn’t find one ‘professional’ anywhere in the group.  Then I thought, why would they invite me to join this group as I don’t belong to a network marketing organization and am pretty much tied up with my professional career.

Hence the flashback to the story of the man who went around asking any woman if she’d sleep with him.  Who knows, maybe he was also asking a few men as well.  It’s not as though he was being very selective is it?  Same thing with the invitation I got, obviously the person doing the invitation didn’t take the time to find the right individuals for their event, or maybe its impossible to have a networking event just for network marketing individuals - I mean who will they sell to…themselves?

Which brings me to another point, are they putting on a networking event or a sales event?

Ironically, minutes later I receive another invitation to some movie showing during The Toronto International Film Festival. My friend was all excited over this.  Having worked with TIFF over the years I decided to look into the event and the organizers.  Well, turns out it is not a ‘TIFF’ event, nor is it located in any of the TIFF venues.  It is some real estate agent that is trying to promote his services by putting on so called social and networking events.  He’s actually done a number of these and each time it turns out to be a sales pitch.  Come to my party and let me sell you a condo…or something like that. Only he doesn’t tell you that’s what he’s trying to do.

Look, if you want to build a relationship with me then lets build a relationship.  If you want to sell me something, let me come to you when I’m ready.  But then again, what better way to make parties tax deductible than to run them through your marketing budget.

I guess that at the end of the day if our friend asks enough people to buy a condo, someone eventually will.  Whether they can afford it or its right for them is another story…well isn’t that what’s put the world economy in the mess we’re in now to begin with?

Nonetheless, I’m  planning to go with my friend to this event and will let you know how it goes.  And no, I won’t be buying a condo, primarily because the condo market continues to drop like a rock in Toronto.  Refer to my previous real estate postings for an explanation of what’s happening.

‘Okay, but we can’t do it right now because Mercury is in retrograde’ are the ever so common words that I’ve heard from this one acquaintenance countless times.

If you’re into astrology then you’ll know what Mercury retrograde is all about. It has to do with when the stars and planets are in a certain formation.  This woman who chances are you probably know is charismatic, well-liked and likes to trot with celebrities.  She’s even interviewed many celebrities herself.

We first met in 2003 and since then have worked on several projects together.  However, it seems that everytime she is on the cusp of a great opportunity, on the edge of the step to great success ‘Mercury is in retrograde’.  How often does Mercury go into retrograde anyway?  So, this morning as I’m walking along I suddenly realize that everyone has their Mercury Retrograde - that reason not to succeed.

So, I started to do a quick check on my programming to see what Mercury Retrograde I could find in my life if any. 

Do you have a Mercury Retrograde?  If you do, please let me know. 

It’s not something that one usually hears on an early Friday morning and that is why it caught my attention when I first heard it.

At the Adelaide Club I have a new friend who is a Vice President with BMO Bank of Montreal.  He joined the Bank in the summer of 2008 just before the liquidity crisis that shook the world.  Yet, he is a happy and content fellow that is always eager to greet.  And on Friday morning’s he greats me with a ‘Happy Friday’ which puts a smile on my face.

Yes, Happy Friday - why not?

I am thankful for my friend for setting a positive tone for the day to follow. 

So, I’m passing it along and sharing it with you.

Happy Friday everyone.

Baldo B. Minaudo

I was at the Timothy’s at First Canadian Place yesterday with the COO of Delta Uranium Inc. (TSX: DUR).  As we were waiting for our coffees our attention was diverted to a gentleman holding some change in his hand.

“How much does the cookie cost?” the cashier gave him an amount that I didn’t pay attention to.

“How much does the small coffee cost?” the cashier gave him another amount.

“So a cup of coffee and a cookie costs me almost $5?” he asks rhetorically.  I could see he was baffled as to how he could be charged $5 for what amounts to less than a dollar in goods.  If you think about it, you can buy a cookie from a bakery for as little as $.50 and a coffee really only costs about $.50.  The rest is cost of retail rent, advertising and PROFITS. 

The point though is that this man was so astounded as to what he had to pay in downtown Toronto that he was speechless.  I find myself in a similar reaction whenever I look at the price of condominiums in downtown Toronto (many of which are vacant) and the ‘maintenance’ (or second tax as some people call it) they pay.  It doesn’t make sense when you consider that it’s about 25% cheaper in today’s market to rent than it is to own.

Next time I see that man at Timothy’s I’m going to buy him a coffee and cookie.  But something tells me he isn’t going back.

Enjoy your coffee.

Baldo B. Minaudo

For me Easter is a time to celebrate life and mark the transition into spring. It is a time when the dark cold of winter is put behind us and we look to the emerging buds and outdoor activities.  It is also a very spiritual time in that as we pass lent and let go of our past we step into the wonderment of what is to come, of what is possible and of what we can truly be.

Now having shared that with you, lets look at the history behind Easter.  Easter is a key festival in the Christian church year, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his Crucifixion. The origins of Easter date back to the beginning of Christianity, and is believed to be the oldest Christian observance after the Sabbath which is celebrated on the Saturday. Eventually, the Sabbath came to be regarded as the weekly celebration of the Resurrection.

From another perspective, many cultural historians find in Easter celebrations, a convergence of the three traditions; Hebrew, Pagan and Christian. According to St. Bede, an English historian of the early 8th century, Easter’s origins are from the old Teutonic mythology. He believed that ‘Easter’ was derived from the name Eostre (the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring) to whom the month of April was dedicated. The festival of Eostre was celebrated at the vernal equinox, which is when the day and night get equal share of the day. When the early English Christians wanted to encourage acceptance of Christianity, they used the name Easter for this holiday so that it would match the name of the old spring celebration. Others point out that the Easter festival as it is celebrated today is related to a Hebrew tradition known as the Jewish Passover. Jewish Passover under Moses commemorates Israel’s deliverance from about 300 years of bondage in Egypt.

Regardless of how Easter came into being, its what we make of it and what it brings to our life that makes it significant. There are many among us that use Lent and Easter as opportunities to make shifts and changes in our lives.  A time to give up something and get ready to welcome something else in return.  A time to not only welcome change but to make room for change and to look for change.  Something great happens in the weeks leading up to and culminating in Easter.  I see it all around me every year.  Of course those that recognize the significance of the season are able to leverage it for their own life journey much more than those that have lost touch of the patterns and pulses of life.

Use this Easter to remember your beliefs, your spirituality and the decisions your making in your journey through life.  And if you’re up to it, why not celebrate with Easter Mass, ceremony or Easter Egg Hunt.

Enjoy your Easter.

Baldo B. Minaudo 

Last week I was waiting in line at the Tim Horton’s on Bay Street at Temperance St.  The lady in front of me seemed a little annoyed as she held a large cup of coffee in her hand. 

A few minutes later she steps up to the counter and removes the lid from her cup to show the contents to the man at the counter.  “I had ordered a cappuccino and this is what I got.”

I snuck a peak and could tell from about 8 feet away that it was basically milky water. 

The man behind the counter apologized and blamed the coffee machine.  He then proceeded to open the machine to see what had gone wrong.  For those of you that may not be aware, real cappuccino and espresso coffee is made fresh from ground beans using steam and pressure just like at Starbucks, but using real coffee not the cheap stuff and tasting better.

Back to what happened - just what did  happen?  First we have a customer that orders a specific coffee drink.  Then we have a person trained in putting a cup under a spout, pushing a button and then placing a led on it.  The order is taken.  The server proceeds to fill the order.  Payment is collected and the product is not delivered - milky water is delivered instead.  So why didn’t the server look at what was going into the cup, just what were they thinking about?  They certainly didn’t have the wishes or interest of the customer in mind. 

Is this a training issue? - Probably not as it doesn’t require much training to notice that something doesn’t look the way it should.  Is it lack of pride or disinterest? - Possibly as the servers behind the counter at this location frequently make errors and don’t seem very particular about their dress or mannerism.  Then again why can’t you train someone to take pride in their work.  Or is it a cultural thing - the servers at this location seem to be from a specific ethnic origin.

Regardless, this is another anecdotal example of where the Tim Horton’s of today, now owned by American interests is not the Tim Horton’s I grew up with.  Where is the great product quality, service and reliability that has made Tim Horton’s so popular?