Show visitors our lovely city from far, far above

At Harv's Air you can buy tickets for half-hour flights with their instructors for only $79 and dazzle your out-of-town holiday guests. Their flight-instruction school often looks like a mini-United Nations with students from all over the world living in residence.

"They come from India, Bahrain, Oman, France, Germany, and now China," says office manager Jordan Kroeker.

Why? Because flying is so much cheaper in Canada. You can choose an aerial cruise over the city or the beautiful Birds Hill Park countryside, then back to the St. Andrews Airport.

Code words? "General discovery flight, please." (339-6186) Psst! Ask for a tour of their state-of-the-art flight simulator while you wait to go up...Most famous sudent: Red Bull Air Race pilot Pete McLeod, an aerobatic world-championship-level flyer.

Out at Hanger 289, on the approach from the Trans-Canada Highway to Steinbach, you can find ultralight instructor Barry Morwick, who's as good a chef as he is playing Snoopy and the Red Baron. What insiders know is he'll host private flight-and-gourmet BBQ picnic deals for groups of five or more.

You get a classroom lesson, an ultralight flight over the Steinbach area and an exotic barbecue meal after the flight, at $150 per person. (333-WING, adventure@altitude.ca)... Not to worry! You fly upright right behind Morwick. Watch out for the camera on one wing to capture your funny expressions. Back on the ground Morwick, who also teaches hang-gliding, cooks a gourmet meal beside the hangar where you can watch people skydiving and hang-gliding. This spot has a full bunkhouse of students/instructors this summer from Brazil, Russia, Israel, and the U.S.

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FROM LAS VEGAS: Shimmering Aradia, the Las Vegas-based star, who belly-danced at Celine Dion's wedding, is flying into Winnipeg to teach a full day's workshop to intermediate and advanced students on Sunday, Aug. 15. Local teacher Jasmine is importing the famous dancer, and using a dance studio with a giant wall of pyramids at the Au Set Bellydance Emporium, 1045 St. James St. for the teaching event. For the public, Aradia is entertaining onstage at a dinner and belly-dance event at Charisma of India on Sherbrook starting at 7 p.m. that night.

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Spotted at the Yellow Dog Tavern comedy night: Red River instructor Dean Cooper of the BS Players political satire troupe, comedian Heather Witherden of Tazzy's Angels who wowed 'em at the Fringe scribbling notes on a night off, plus Stephen Sims -- half of the Winnipeg Crumbs improv duo with Lee White that tours Europe every year. "We started with a show in Berlin," says Sims, "and we've been back every year since," says the lucky guy who's living his dream -- to support himself doing what he loves most.

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Allyson Linklater's upmarket consignment clothing boutique on Academy Road is outfitting the film stars. Patti Henderson, a well-known Winnipeg costume designer for films and TV shows (such as The Don Cherry Story, Capote, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) has even stopped in with a movie "storyboard" -- drawings, photos, fabric suggestions -- in her search for costume pieces.

Linklater's fancy clothes sometimes show up with a story attached -- like the $2,500 wedding dress that never saw the wedding because the bride discovered the groom cheating days before. "You don't want to marry a hound dog," says Linklater seriously, getting a rousing chorus of "Been there! Amen!" from female shoppers behind clothing racks.

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SPOTTED AT ORLANDO'S: Former Winnipegger Fern Desilets, who now lives in Hawaii near the plantations that produce the famous Kona coffee. This entrepreneur and wine connoisseur from Elie escaped the deep-freeze 23 years ago, but comes back with wife Joan to enjoy the balmy Manitoba summers. "The weather's just like this in Hawaii," said Desilets, relaxing on the Corydon Avenue patio.

Got tips, events, sightings, unusual things going on? Call Maureen's tip line at 474-1116, 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 July 30, 2010 B1