The Mill Street Messenger

Almonte is no different than any other town in that the downtown area is at a crossroads. Urban sprawl is starting to take hold, and big box stores are moving in. For many small merchants this is a difficult time.

However, efforts are being put in place to revitalize downtown Almonte. This can be done in a variety of ways, but what seems to be happening here is that small, unique shops are opening up, offering up items that you won’t find at your big box retailer.

As well, Almonte hosts a variety of festivals and special events throughout the year in its downtown core. Efforts are also being made to beautify this area with flowers, and the Riverwalk is simply amazing!

It is going to take time, but we think that downtown Almonte has the potential to have a bright future. If you have visited recently, please take the time to complete our visitor survey. Your input is taken seriously and we welcome your feedback!

The Night Is Young is an evening-long celebration of arts and music that will take place in downtown Almonte on Friday, August 13. Because it is a fundraiser for The Young Awards Foundation, there will be plenty of arts, music and youth!

The evening will get off to a classy start with a classical concert by The Arden Trio, from 7 to 8:30PM at the Almonte Old Town Hall. Doors will open at 6:30 to allow the audience time to mingle and enjoy delicious appetizers prepared by Foodies Fine Foods. At 8:30, concert-goers will spill out onto Mill Street (which will be closed to vehicular traffic), and be entertained by a variety of young performers. Shops, galleries and restaurants in the downtown area will stay open late.

Thank you to our main sponsor, Reliable Heating & Cooling for helping to make this event possible!

Mona Lisa Schulz Is returning to Almonte on March 19th, 20th, 21st,  2010.

This course provides an overview of how to access your intuition, a form of intelligence that is an innate part of your mind and body. By applying insights about the Brain and Medical Intuition (the connections between emotional states and physical illness) you will learn how to use intuition to help create emotional and physical health. Scientific research has revolutionized our understanding of how emotion, learning, memory, intuition and decision-making is wired in to specific networks in our brain.  At the same time,  a rapidly growing body of medical literature is documenting the physical effects of emotions on the body. For optimal health,  we need a basic understanding of which specific emotional patterns can set the stage for physical illness. We also need to understand how intuition comes to us through moodiness, depression, anxiety, panic, anger,  irritability, distractibility, forgetfulness, dreams, clairvoyance and clairaudience, and physical symptoms in our body. At the end of the course, participants will have an understanding of how to access intuition through their unique brain and body. Participants will learn how to best work with their own and their patient’s intuitive brain-body style to enhance awareness and healing in both a personal and professional setting.

The cost is $850 including lunches for inquires and to register:
contact Lilly at lillywhiteangels@sympatico.ca
http://www.lillywhite.ca
613-256-0216
Space is limited, Please Register by January 30th, 2010

Easter Egg Mania in Almonte
Almonte’s annual tribute to the Easter Bunny, now in its third year, has some added features this year. The Bunny’s friends who run businesses downtown will introduce a new kids colouring component during the March break, prior to the usual Eggscapade contest on Mill Street.  Eggscapade will hop off to a great start during the March break as Bunny-approved colouring kits, including templates and instructions, hit local Mississippi Mills school.  Beginning March 28th, Almonte’s now annual Eggscapade contest starts downtown as kids are encouraged to find the dozen special easter eggs hidden in Mill Street business windows. Egg hunters can pick up an egg hunt sheet at Blackbird, The Miller’s Tale, Foodies, Curiosities or Nordic Star.

Completed responses will be entered into a draw for several family gift baskets lovingly packaged by downtown Almonte businesses. The Easter celebration culminates with a draw, based on the winning entries, on Saturday April 3rd at 2.00 p.m. in the vestibule between Kentfield Kids and Appleton Gift & Basket on Mill Street.
Almonte’s third annual egg hunt is just another of the many egg-citing ideas dreamed up by the MAAP downtown Almonte promotion team. Hop on down to Almonte ? March 28th to April 3rd ?and see what you can find.
For more information contact:
Jack Elgood (Curiosities) at 613-256-7943
or Stores mentioned above

A Spiritual and Self-Awareness Day for Conscious Living

February is probably not the easiest month in which to open a new retail shop in a small town, but Sara Bazett is happily taking on the challenge — by organizing a day-long event that is likely to benefit the whole street! On Saturday, February 27, she invites everyone to visit Mill Street in beautiful downtown Almonte for some “Mid-Winter Milling.” From 10am–5pm, you can explore the many delightful shops and cafés along the street, and in each of the participating businesses you will find new ways to care for your body and soul. Treat yourself to mini-sessions of reiki, reflexology, yoga or astrology, meet with spiritual intuitives and psychics, and even discover how to create your own labyrinth. Stay for lunch (and dinner!) and make a day of it…

Sara Brazett describes her concept as “a spiritual and self-awareness day for conscious living”. Both her background (as Supplements/Bodycare Manager at Foodsmiths in Perth) and her current business (Soul Scents, now located at 42 Mill Street in Almonte) have kindled her interest in this area. She purchased Soul Scents back in 2005 from owners Allan and Susan Brown of Elphin (who also manufacture Noble Bean Tempeh), and for years ran it as an exclusively wholesale operation, importing and distributing products to over 100 stores across Canada. By expanding the business to include a retail storefront, she is looking to become more involved and connected locally. As she explains, “I decided after five years of working from home that even though putting a load of laundry in whilst taking orders does have its merits, I missed being a part of the community. I will continue to run the wholesale part of the business in the back, and have a retail location in the front. It will be a spiritual, metaphysical store full of joyful, inspirational items helping people to reconnect.”

The products Sara carries at Soul Scents range from Shoyeido Japanese Incense, Triloka’s Incense and Aromatherapy oils, Native Scents’ Smudges and Badger’s Organic Body Balms to handcrafted items such as tree-free diaries, handpainted incense holders and diffusers. “My suppliers are sincere in their encouragement for eco-friendly, simple and inspirational products, supporting worthy projects, foundations or individual families. They work with partners who are environmentally conscious, using recycled materials and sustainable practices,” she explains.

You’ll have a chance to explore Soul Scents, along with several other businesses and cafés in Almonte, and at the same time benefit from the skills of local practitioners at Mid-Winter Milling on February 27. See you on Mill Street!

— Kris Riendeau

On Wednesday,  March 10th from 6:30-9:30 pm at the Almonte Town Hall join Lilly White and seven local practitioners to learn more about Mysticism.

Do you feel you are seeking something, but are not sure what?

“We are the Mystics we have been waiting for.”

There seems to be a lot of confusion and misunderstandings surrounding “New Age” and all of its associated terms. Are you wondering what people are taking about when they refer to their “Highest Potential”?  What about:

• Mediums

• Angel readings

• The Mayan Code and all of this fear about the year 2012

• Conscious evolution

• Bio Energetic (shaking and laughter)

• Dark night of the Soul

• Archetypes

• Fairies

• Trinity Table

• Yoga

• Meditation

What are these things, how are they connected, and how can they help you to feel more fulfilled in your daily life?

Now is the time to explore. We invite you to attend DEMYSTIFYING MYSTICISM, an evening with Lilly White (Whitelight Retreat, Almonte) and seven other practitioners from the Almonte area, all there to help answer these questions.

There is no fee, though donations to cover the cost of the evening are welcome.

Almonte Town Hall
Wednesday, March 10, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Chai tea, coffee, and snacks will be served.
Lilly will be giving spiritual readings of the audience, as well as hosting a question and answer period.

Come on out for an evening of fun, joy, and learning. Whether you believe in these things or not, it is sure to be interesting.

Your Soul is calling – will you answer??

As promised, here are some photos from “All About You” hosted by Appleton Gift & Basket and Kentfield Kids on Sunday, January 24, 2010.

Cynthia Stuart and Erin Kentfield, owners of Appleton Gift & Basket and Kentfield Kids respectively, would like to thank everyone who participated in the “All About You” event on Sunday January 24th.  The event was an overwhelming success, with a wonderful turnout.  Photos will be posted soon!

If you would like information on any of the presenters, please contact Cynthia at 613.256.9377 or Erin at 613.256.5500 and they will be happy to pass that along to you.

Almonte

Appleton Gift & Basket and Kentfield Kids are hosting a special event in our stores on Sunday, January 24th, called ‘All About You’. The event is going to take place at 65 Mill Street in downtown Almonte. A wonderful group of experts will set up in both stores and you will have the chance to visit with each of them and ask questions. You are also invited to sample the new “Wellness Teas” from Harney & Sons and help yourself to decadent fruit and chocolate from our chocolate fountain. Our guests include Lilly White from White Light, Barb Goodwin from Almonte Massage Therapy, Elizabeth Radmore, a local Ottawa author of the book “Cushla”, Elaine Birchall a hoarding consultant, Sharon Moore a Reiki Practitioner, Julie Argue from Foodies, and more. Bring your girlfriends and join us to learn all about Angel Readings, Yoga, nutrition, organization, wellness, and so much more! The event runs from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, and promises to be a fun, entertaining and informative way to spend a Sunday afternoon in January. We would love to see you there!