Take a look at this really interesting time lapse of Rideau Street and 90 George, which interestingly enough is taken from 200 Rideau! Credit to Robbie’s Photo Art on Flickr!

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http://www.MattRichling.com

Earlier last week I sat down with Alexander Jamie LeBlanc (or Jamie), one half of the team nicknamed “Ottawa’s designer guys”, to talk about the Alexander Crawford Design Boutique located at 1089 Somerset Street West and the interior design work they do for clients. If you are looking to add a little spice to your home or condo, these are the guys to talk to!

Matt: Tell me a little about yourselves!
AJ: Well we have told this story what feels like a hundred of times, Luc and I have worked independently for about 10 or 12 years and we didn’t even know each other. I have moved to Ottawa and was doing a design for a retail store, and by fluke was working in the store one afternoon. Someone had asked for help and turned out to one of Luc’s clients. As the story goes on, Luc’s client engaged both of us and didn’t give us a choice. Either you are going to work together or neither of you are going to work! It was forced, and that recommendation turned into another recommendation, and just kept going from there.

So you have experienced a little bit of growth since then?
We have grown from literally an 8 foot desk, to then last year being in the top three design firms in the city of Ottawa. We have brought the business from a hundred thousand a year to a few million a year. So we have significantly grown, now currently in our fourth year.

Tell us about some of your projects that you have done in the past…
Well we don’t like to brag about some of the big stuff because it dose not make some of the smaller stuff feel as special. But we do everything from hotels, to full condo developments like the one we just did for 101 Richmond Road. All of those condos are designer ready with designer finishes, also the lobby, theater, rooftop terrace.

What was one of your most memorable or oddest project that you have completed?
Hmmm that is a hard one. I would probably say the strip club. A pub style strip club. We have done an optometry clinic, one of my most favorite was Dr. Jill Taylor, right across from Tommy and Lefebvre on Bank St., it is very modern and is a favorite.

For the average person who is feeling the need for a little more, can they still hire you to redesign their condo?
Whether it is the 5 million dollar cottage we are doing right now, a 20 thousand square foot home we did last year or a its a 400 sq ft condo, the rules are the same. We charge for an initial consultation and by the hour after that. So everybody is on the same playing field, which makes working with us very easy. The largest hurdle is just getting us booked which right now is about a month in advance.

What are some of your goals?
Our goal right now is to have four or five little boutiques from here [1089 Somerset Street West] up to Richmond road.

We are sitting in one of your two boutiques right now, Alexander Crawford Design Boutique. What can people expect when they walk through the doors?
All of our stores are in fact boutiques, so people that come here can expect personalized service and have hired full time interior stylists to assist them. For the average client that is coming off of the street can still get educated response, not an answer from a sales clerk with no experience. They can come through here and flip through fabrics to pick their drapes or for a sofa and get the input from the interior stylists.

What about some of the furniture or pieces you carry and sell in the boutique?
A big thing to keep in mind is our price point. I like to use a decanter as an example, we sell one for $22 and we sell one for $225. When we do the purchasing for our nick naks (which there are a lot of) or for the furniture we try and cover everybody. We just introduced a new collection that Luc and I have worked on, called “My First Place. The My First Place goal is that no piece of furniture is over a thousand dollars. So you can get a full, Canadian made, lifetime warranty sofa for under a thousand dollars. Which normally would be an import or second grade, not like the life time warranty etc. But we also have five thousand dollar sofas, it is all depending on our clients and where their niche is. There is a piece of designer furniture here for everybody, no matter of their price point.

Tell me about your style.
Our style is best described as modern art deco. We both love art-deco which is very thirties feel, and we both really love modern so when you cross the paths, we are the result. With that being said, as designers we do not pigeon hole our work. I did not go to school and learn one particular design style, we do everything from transitional to traditional to contemporary to modern and our clients reflect that.

What is next?
I see us expanding the stores outside of Ottawa, and we are in talks with major television production companies. It is exciting!

What is one of your favorite places in Ottawa?
Hogs back falls!
(Luc popped in from working with a client)
Luc: I am from Ottawa and I cannot just pick one. I have always enjoyed the market because it is the most lively of Ottawa itself, also I find that the architecture of downtown also really does it for me.

For more information make sure to stop by the Boutique at 1089 Somerset Street West or visit:
http://www.crawfordalexanderboutique.com
http://www.designsby2.ca

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http://www.MattRichling.com

Matt Richling is a sales representative with RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated - The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the RE/MAX or RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage.

Last week was full of snow and horrible weather. Every day I wake up and pray before I look outside, hoping for 30 degree heat and tropical sun (living in Ottawa and being blessed with both summer and winter weather you certainly appreciate summer that much more). While we might not have the amazing summer weather yet, us Ottawatonians still have passions that we enjoy. While driving from one appointment to another, I was blown away by the amount of people who were running outside along a half frozen Rideau Canal. It was certainly less than zero degrees Celsius, with powerful winds, and a decent amount of snow flakes yet these passionate runners where still outside doing what they love. I have been running almost daily for the last year and while I can say I enjoy it, doing it outdoors in the winter takes it to another level. It blew me away. The passion of doing something they loved, just oozed out of them as they would run past smiling (well, almost all of them).

It made me think about my passions and how much I love helping clients find their perfect home. So often I find myself doing things that I hear other agents complain about doing for their clients, but it just does not bother me and I frankly enjoy it too much. When the single father has almost given up searching because his past agent would not work after 6pm. Being at the office during Easter Sunday dinner, because the family from out of the country needs to find their son his first home before they fly home. The whole family (husband and wife, with both sets of parents) rings the doorbell at an open house at 4:10pm to see this specific property, just as I am turning off the lights to go home. The list goes on. I am not your typical agent, and neither is the level of service that I provide. I might not be able to promise a perfect smooth closing, but I can promise I will be there, with you, the entire time.

Real estate is my passion.

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http://www.MattRichling.com

Matt Richling is a sales representative with RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated - The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the RE/MAX or RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage.

In 2008 Ottawa residents were able to cut usage by four percent during the one hour global event. This year the Earth Hour message was better received and we were able to cut usage by just over six percent, which is enough to power 58 homes for a month. It might not be the 15% that Toronto cut usage this year during the 60 minutes but we sure did our part. Local business jumped on board, the NAC’s Le Café and the Fairmont Château Laurier, served dinner by candlelight only. At the Westin Hotel, the chef performed an Earth Hour cooking demonstration, reportedly using a candle-powered grill. The nine Bridgehead locations across the city switched off lighting, music, dishwashers and other non-critical equipment in favour of candlelight, and acoustic music. Moksha Yoga Ottawa on Preston Street is held a special yoga class silent and lit with candles.

The skeptics, who include environmental activists, point out that it’s pretty easy to turn off non-essential lighting for 60 minutes a year, whereas making real headway combating global warming is difficult and will involve real — and likely expensive — sacrifices. Indeed, for everyone from multinational corporations to municipalities, Earth Hour seems an excellent marketing opportunity to show they care about global warming, without much pain at all.

So lets do it! Bridgehead, why not do the same thing one night a week? I would much rather sit in a bridgehead with some soft acoustic music and candlelight, (especially if I was on a date - very romantic!) and im sure others would as well. How else can we each contribute? How many of us leave our computers, or other things on at home overnight and during the day?

Toronto dropped usage by over 15%! Ottawa - six percent is a good start, but we can do better!

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http://www.MattRichling.com

Matt Richling is a sales representative with RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated - The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the RE/MAX or RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage.

Yesterday I checked out the Ottawa Home and Garden Show going on this weekend at Lansdown Park. I am profiling some of the more interesting booths and trends that I saw during my visit. Make sure to check out Ottawa Home and Garden Show GUIDE Part One as well.

Larry Roy gave me a quick lesson on artificial turf over at the SYNLawn booth. Not just for putting greens anymore, now Larry installs the synthetic grass around pools, backyards, playgrounds, pet areas, condo balconies, government buildings, and the list goes on. A true expert in everything synthetic grass, Larry showed me around 40 different types of grass products, to allow for any budget or end look/goal. Of course the product is being used in many LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification projects because of its low VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and its environmentally-sensitive polyurethane backing. Not only is it a green product but it has almost effort-less maintenance - NO MOWING! Plus you do not need to water it or use any pesticides.

On the subject of artificial, check out the Northern Palm Company booth to see how you can make it feel more like the tropical season year round. Greg Combe explained how the Galvalume product that is used to make the tree’s is 55% aluminum and 45% zinc and can withstand up to 110 MPH winds. Just recently Greg and the crew were featured on Extreme Home Makeover with Ty Pennington, and also did a complete install for musician Kid Rock who puchased over $90,000 worth of trees. Prices start at $2,500 for a seven foot tree complete with lights, and go as high as 14 feet (see above picture).

At the RenoCoach booth, Daniel Wildgen walked me through his consulting business and how he can help “save your marrige”. With over 25 years of experience, Daniel and his team are there to help you make the most out of your renovation dollars. From the initial design, plan and schedual, to onsite project management and consultation, Daniel is deffinatly someone that you want in your corner when thinking about doing that addition or kitchen makeover.

I couldnt get through the show without some food, enter Jason Groulx from the Delta, who was doing a cooking demonstration for 100% organic burgers. VERY tasty, and worth the wait!

Make sure to check out Ottawa Home and Garden Show Guide part one.

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http://www.MattRichling.com

Matt Richling is a sales representative with RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated - The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the RE/MAX or RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage.

Tomorrow, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.

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http://www.MattRichling.com

Matt Richling is a sales representative with RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated - The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the RE/MAX or RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage.

Visit the Ottawa Home & Garden Show presented by Remax, March 26-29 at Lansdowne Park to find out what’s hot in home renovation, decoration, landscaping and outdoor living.  Up to 300 exhibitors will showcase home products and services, stage presentations will entertain and inform and a line up of show features will provide inspiration and ideas for your next home project.

The Ottawa Home & Garden Show, runs for four days from Thursday March 26th to Sunday March 29th and is full of opportunities for visitors to win thousands of dollars worth of prizes. Admission is $11.00 for adults, $9.00 for seniors and $9.00 for children 13-17 and children under 12 are free (prices include GST). Also note that I have seen a number of coupons around Ottawa Rec Centers to save $3 per ticket.

For more information visit:  www.ottawahomeshow.com

Show Hours:
Thursday: 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday:   12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday:   10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

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http://www.MattRichling.com

I thought that I would end/start the year with some quotes.

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice.” -T.S. Eliot

“In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want.” -Old Irish toast

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” -Benjamin Franklin

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.” -Bill Vaughn

“New Year’s Day - Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.” -Mark Twain

“A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.” -Author Unknown

“No one ever regarded the First of January with indifference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon what is left. It is the nativity of our common Adam.” -Charles Lamb

“The new year begins in a snow-storm of white vows.” -George William Curtis

“New Year’s Resolution: To tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.” -James Agate

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” -Hal Borland

Http://www.MattRichling.com - Matt Richling - Ottawa Real Estate Agent - Ottawa Condos - Ottawa Condos - Ottawa First Time Buyers

Do you know somebody who is thinking of buying or selling but is not 100% certain whether now is a good time or not? tell them the secret words - MATT RICHLING DOT COM 

When I checked my inbox this morning, it was like a mini christmas that had come early! I had received a testimonial from an amazing family that I had helped almost a year ago. The family, from a small town in England, was referred to me to help them find a new neighborhood to call home.

“Matt Richling’s level of service was second-to-none! His warm, professional manner made us feel at ease right away, and he showed great patience with us as we requested one showing after the next! We were only in Ottawa visiting for a week ( a trip from the UK) and so we kept him very busy with a hectic schedule. He was happy to go far afield to show properties, and made himself available whenever it was required.

Matt was very approachable and a huge help to us in choosing our future neighbourhood and home. He always had our best interests at heart, and we had every confidence in him as our realtor. He kept us well informed of the process every step of the way, and we knew we could call him at any time if we had any concerns or queries.

In addition, he went beyond the call of duty and kept a watchful eye on our home as it remained vacant for a few months earlier this year. He even helped us move in some of our furniture when we finally arrived!

We would very highly recommend Matt’s services to anyone looking to buy or sell a home.”
- Kay and Gary A.

If there is anything I can do to help you (yes you reading this) or someone close to you, let me know!!!

 I added this testimonial to my testimonials page.

My typical "Venti 8 pump, whole milk, no water, no foam Tazo Chai"

Sitting at my desk doing work, I look over at my half empty coffee cup and I think about how much of a demanding customer I can be. Especially when its 7:30am and I have had no sleep, barely able to put words together, just craving that first sip of my morning drink “um that big one, venti, lots of chai, i guess 8 pumps….”. THEN think about how many “me’s” they get in a day (and from what I have heard my drink order isnt that bad). Wiki Answers.com says starbucks gets on average approximately 465 customers per day. (Just think about that for a second - 465!!!). Every time I go in, Im greeted and welcomed with a smile. No complaining about my ridiculous drink, no complaining about the asshole who spent the entire time ordering/paying/etc on the phone, no complaining about anything. Today’s market is all about service, and you get it plus the kitchen sink at Starbucks. How do you treat those around you? Do we give the best service that we can give? I strive everyday to give the best service that I can to my clients. Is there a way you can improve day to day with those you come in contact with?

***Update - I spoke with a manager at the Rideau Street Starbucks today. She told me that during the summer, at there peak, they were getting 100 customers per HOUR! WOW! Maybe I am in the wrong business?!!***

http://www.MattRichling.com