City's famous frugality meets high-priced jewelry

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Libby Znaimer

Heritage Auctioneers from Alberta set up at the Hilton Suites Winnipeg Airport Hotel Sunday with diamond jewellery galore -- new and used, from estates, bankruptcies and custom seizures. A well-known Winnipeg jewellery collector in her 60s said, "The highlight was getting to fondle a $165,000 ring, which glittered from blocks away, and sold for only $35,000. If they didn't know Winnipeg was a cheapskate city, they certainly know now." The female auctioneer at the Hilton started making cracks. "She'd hold up a $10,000 ring and someone would make some pathetic bid and she'd say, patiently: "That will cover two stones. Can I have a bid on the rest of the ring?''

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STIFLER'S IN TOWN: Actor Seann William Scott, known as hound dog Steve Stifler or the "The Stifmeister" in American Pie, has been checking out the city while filming hockey movie Goon. "He's fun, and a nice guy, really enjoying Winnipeg," says my spy. Scott was out at Earl's on Main Saturday night, and has also been to Whiskey Dix, having fun. In his new film Goon, Scott plays a Jewish bouncer who gets into a fight with a hockey player at a game, and is later invited by a league to take care of a big-shot hockey player. Goon's cast and crew are filming in many different rinks, plus iconic Winnipeg restaurants such as Kelekis, and Rae and Jerry's, so the actors are often working the graveyard shift... Eugene Levy also breezed into town last week for a few days, to play the father of the major hockey star. Levy was "delighted" with Winnipeg, confessing he'd only flown over the city before, poor guy...

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GREEN AND . . . CLEAN? Feature-length film ATM, which is wrapping this week in Winnipeg, has been using the new Manitoba Hydro building downtown and Church of the Rock in Fort Garry for scenes. The story is about three people who make a late-night stop at an ATM and get trapped by an unknown man... Spotted: City film commissioner Kenny Boyce at trendy gastro pub 7 1/4 with ATM stars including Brian Geraghty (Hurt Locker) and New York actor Josh Peck (Drake and Josh) plus producer Paul Brooks and director son David Brooks who made the highly successful Haunting in Connecticut in the 'Peg with Virginia Madsen. Also starring in ATM is Alice Eve (She's Out of My League and Sex and the City 2).

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GUARDIAN ANGEL: Keynote speaker Libby Znaimer, who's survived several cancers, told the giant 19th annual Guardian Angel benefit for women's cancers the pressure is OFF to be continually positive, in order to win against cancer. Stop eating up your energy by trying to deny things and try to live well -- the best revenge. A collective "yes" went round the room at the Winnipeg Convention Centre Monday night. Znaimer, journalist and author of In Cancerland -- Living Well is the Best Revenge, charmed the crowd.

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RED OR WHITE, SEñORA? When the Italian Trade Commission comes to town, happy hour in Winnipeg suddenly starts at 1 p.m. People in the business of buying, serving and appreciating wines quickly filled a Fairmont ballroom Friday. Trade commissioner for Canada Antonio Lucarelli, who's posted in Montreal, circled the room with event planner Carolyn Rickey while owners of 18 wineries in Italy provided samples and showed photos of their picturesque wineries back home. "Come to see us!" they said, in heavily accented English. Spotted in the crowd: Ken Hildahl, prez of the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission, Alun Bowness, the MLCC buyer and wine-matcher from CTV Winnipeg's Great Taste of Manitoba, Greg Mattress (Chamberlyn's), Heather Tinling (Prairie Ink), Joe Grande (Mona Lisa), Mark Kagan (Royal Palms, Club Regent), Cameron Gray of St. Charles Country Club, Shawn Brandson (Provence French Bistro), Ariel Alcantara (Inn at the Forks).

Got tips, events, sightings, unusual things going on? Email maureen.scurfield @winnipegfreepress.com or send mail to The Insider c/o The Winnipeg Free Press at 1355 Mountain Ave. Winnipeg R2X 3B6

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 3, 2010 B1