A recent posting on Expedia.ca has Brandon's downtown ranked 5th among Canada's Coolest Downtowns. The article lists “cute coffee shops and boutiques” and the Global Market among the reasons why Brandon made the list. The Komfort Kitchen was identified as the “taste of the town” and the Dock on Princess was included as the place to be seen on a Friday night.   For the purposes of this article they searched high and low for innovative art scenes, top walk scores, and the the little je ne sais quoi that makes a city's downtown unforgettable. Other cities to make the list include Moose Jaw, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Vancouver.  

A Brandon, Manitoba author is excited to announce the release of “My Active Imagination”, a children’s picture book that aims to bring the values of an active lifestyle to family story time.    As a mother, operator of a popular online fitness group and former fitness instructor, Brandon’s Karlyn Rubeniuk saw an opportunity to further put her passions and experience to work.  Knowing the struggles parents face in getting their children to step away from “screentime” to go outside and play, turning a poem that she wrote primarily for her son into an engaging picture book seemed the natural way to support the kinds of conversations she feels parents and children can be having in the name of laying the foundation for an active life.    "I hope My Active Imagination will not only introduce young children to the concept of exercise but also  speak to the parent about all the reasons they should be making time to be physically active too., “ says Rubeniuk.    The book comes with a very relevant endorsement from someone that knows much about the topic of an active lifestyle in California-based Fitness Entrepreneur, Jillian Michaels.  Karlyn took the opportunity to share the book with Michaels on recent visit to Los Angeles and was thrilled when Michaels offered that the story “is the perfect tool for parents and teachers who want to introduce the concept of fitness to young children in an entertaining and whimsical way”.    “I was very honoured to be able to give Ms. Michaels a pre-print copy of this book since I was inspired by her to ‘step outside my comfort zone’ and self-publish it. An endorsement from someone whom I admire and who inspires millions of people around the world to get fit and live their best lives makes the project even more special to me,” said Rubeniuk.    The story has been released in support of KidSport, an organization which shares the same values of striving to create opportunity for youth to be active.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the books will be directed to the charity as part of its efforts to remove financial barriers that prevent kids from playing organized sports.    My Active Imagination is now available for purchase via Amazon.com as well as at the Eye Opener Book Store at 314 10th Street in Brandon. As part of its introduction within the community, a book signing will take place on October 28th at the Eye Opener Book Store in Brandon from 10am to 1pm.    The book is also available for any fundraising endeavours that promote physical activity such as those fundraising for playground equipment, organized sports fees/equipment, school gym equipment, sporting uniforms, etc. The first to come on board is Linden Lanes School in an effort help raise funds for their new playground project.

Being a property owner has its merits, however if you’re a hands-on owner, then you are also familiar with the challenges that come along with having investment property. There’s maintenance, odd requests from tenants (yes, we do mean ‘odd’), seasonal yard care, early morning/late night call and vacancies. In a perfect world, one tenant would move out and another would move in as soon as the property has been cleaned and inspected. Of course, that is not always the case. There are times when you may have a waiting list of approved tenants and then there are times when the phone doesn’t ring, especially when you’re eager to fill a vacancy. If you’re faced with this problem on an ongoing basis, consider these simple tips to ensure you fill all your vacancies immediately and continue to reap all the benefits of being a property owner. This may seem basic, but do you have the units priced competitively? Be realistic and consider the current marketplace and other units that are similar in age, size, amenities and location. People like stability and they like to get a bit of a deal when they can. Consider offering qualified tenants a discount or incentive for long-term occupancy, such as one year lease. Canadians love their animals. According to 2014 statistics from the Canadian Pet Market Outlook, almost 60 per cent of the Canadian population own pets. With that in mind, perhaps you should consider allowing pets within your property. You may have a good sized property at a good location, but if it’s not in great shape it can be a difficult sell. Consider making improvements such as updating the paint colour, changing the flooring or appliances, or even adding additional appliances (laundry or dishwasher) to make the unit more appealing to potential tenants. If a potential tenant has a limited rent history or bad credit history, perhaps you need to take a little extra risk with them if they can provide a qualified co-signer. They might prove to be your best tenants ever! Value the opinion of others. If you’ve shown the property several times, but weren’t successful in renting it - perhaps it is time to re-evaluate the situation. Call the prospects that did come to view your property to get their feedback on why they choose not to live there. If the feedback is consistent, be proactive and make the changes that people are looking for. Choose your advertising message carefully. If you’re targeting an ideal tenant for a particular location, then create your advertising messages based on that targeted audience. For instance, if you’re trying to attract students, mention the proximity to the local post-secondary institutions and other amenities that students might be attracted to i.e. nightlife! Vionell Holdings Partnership (VHP) provides rental housing and property management for an array of residential and commercial customers, including Condominium Management.  VHP currently has over 2,500 units under management in Manitoba.

In the words of Lou Gramm lead singer of Foreigner. Ooh yeah, I get caught up in the action Gotta find the main attraction now Gotta get some satisfaction You better take me to the heart of that Night life, looking for some Night life, need a little Night life, living in the daylight Just don't agree with me Ooh night life BDNMB.CA has compiled a local listing of lounges and restaurants for you to go out an enjoy some apps and drinks and save a few bucks. Sorted by day of the week Restaurant Day of Week Special Applebees Monday to Sunday After 8 pm $5 for snack size appetizer Double Decker Tavern Monday & Tuesday Poker Night 7 pm - 10 pm win gift cards Pizza Hut Mon & Tue & Wed All you can eat Wings and Pizza 5:30 - 7:30 pm Prairie Firehouse Monday & Tuesday Paint Night Mondays & Trivia Night Tuesdays The Keg Mon to Fri 4 - 6 pm and Sat & Sun 9 pm - midnight All APPS on special during those hours Echo Tuesday and Thursday $5 Flatbread and 50% off Nachos Joe Beeverz Tuesday & Wednesday Taco Bar 11:30 am - 1:30 pm / $15 Tuesday / 2-4-1 Wings Ribs Wednesday Montanas Wednesday All you can eat Ribs for 29.00 per person Smittys Sportsline Lounge Wednesday BUCK UP - Make a single and double for an extra $1 plus APP specials 34th Street Bar and Grill Thursdays or when the Wpg Jets play 1 pound of Wings $9 Boston Pizza Thursday Ribs $13.00 half rack $20.00 full rack The Dock Thursday $7.50 schooners of Keiths / 20% off burgers after 4 pm / 50% off desserts Huggys Sunday 2 for 1 APPS and Beer and Shots $3.32 Lady of the Lake Friday 5-9pm $15 Steak ‘n ‘Shrooms with all the fixings.$10 Meatloaf dinner (5-9pm) If we are missing your business please let us know - darryl@bdnmb.ca Sorted by business name Restaurant Day of Week Special 34th Street Bar and Grill Thursdays or when the Wpg Jets play 1 pound of Wings $9 Applebees Monday to Sunday After 8 pm $5 for snack size appetizer Boston Pizza Thursday Ribs $13.00 half rack $20.00 full rack Double Decker Tavern Monday & Tuesday Poker Night 7 pm - 10 pm win gift cards Echo Tuesday and Thursday $5 Flatbread and 50% off Nachos Huggys Sunday 2 for 1 APPS and Beer and Shots $3.32 Joe Beeverz Tuesday Taco Bar 11:30 am - 1:30 pm / $15 Tuesday / 2-4-1 Wings Ribs Wednesday Montanas Wednesday All you can eat Ribs for 29.00 per person Pizza Hut Mon & Tue & Wed All you can eat Wings and Pizza 5:30 - 7:30 pm Prairie Firehouse Monday & Tuesday Paint Night Mondays & Trivia Night Tuesdays Smittys Sportsline Lounge Wednesday BUCK UP - Make a single and double for an extra $1 plus APP specials The Dock Thursday $7.50 schooners of Keiths / 20% off burgers after 4 pm / 50% off desserts The Keg Mon to Fri 4 - 6 pm and Sat & Sun 9 pm - midnight All APPS on special during those hours Lady of the Lake  Friday 5-9pm $15 Steak 'n 'Shrooms with all the fixings. $10 Meatloaf dinner (5-9pm) If we are missing your business please let us know - darryl@bdnmb.ca

The Clarion Hotel & Suites will play host to the second annual Vintage Toy & Collectibles Show this Sunday, October the 15th. Organizer Darcelle White tells bdnmb.ca that this year she has 48 tables confirmed, up from 23 last year. Vendors will be coming from all over the province including Winnipeg, Souris, Brandon, Portage, and Morden. Items for sale include brand names like Tonka, Barbie, Fisher Price, G.I. Joe, Disney and others. In addition to the vintage toys vendors will be carrying many other items including antiques, sports cards, comic books, vinyl records and coin & paper money. Admission is free and the show runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Check out their Facebook event page for more details.