The mayor was sitting at a table that included Phil Sheegl, the city's director of planning, property and development, and Andrew Marquess, another partner in the Lobby. Marquess's B&M Land Company also owns the building that the restaurant occupies. It's the former York The Hotel at Donald and York. B&M bought it a year-and-a-half ago and put $14 million into transforming the building into a one- and two-bedroom upscale apartment complex called the Residence on York.

The Independent Specialty Wine Stores of Manitoba had been part of the Winnipeg Wine Festival until this year. Now, Banville & Jones, De Luca's, Fenton's, Kenaston Wine Market, La Boutique del Vino and the Winehouse will be putting on their own show, in what Mo Razik says promises to be a more intimate and inviting venue than the Winnipeg Convention Centre.

"Well," responded city hall reporter Bartley Kives, "that might increase attendance at PTA meetings."