Further Wellington wonders
With regards to the recent letters about Wellington Street: Wellington taught me something too this past Pride weekend-that a fashion sense isn’t everything (and I should know). Wellington beats Queen Street any day. At least the second (or third or fourth) hand shops don’t try to pass themselves off as “antique” shops with ridiculous prices. I had a shopping list and I completed it in a half hour (a vintage ashtray for $15 and a matching pair of oil lamps for $27 each).

And where else is someone going to pawn their last Beanie Baby for a beer at the dépanneur? Plus, where else can you get a hot dog for 50 cents (well, except for that 25 cent place in the Point)?

Wellington, if nothing else, is charming. But hey, for freaks per square metre, Centre Street in Point St-Charles wins hands down!

-Will Todd, Massachusetts

Too much
Zeppelin
While I applaud the Mirror for making the recently deceased musicologist Alan Lomax Angel of the Week [July 25], and heartily agree that he was a pioneer who gave a “voice to the voiceless,” I shuddered to see your misspelling of Leadbelly’s name (“Ledbelly”).

Perhaps your editorial board should listen to a little less Led Zeppelin and a little more of the authentic blues and roots music that Lomax made his life’s work.

-Terence Black

Footbag fetish
Thanks for your fresh coverage of a sport that never gets any [“Footbag of tricks,” July 25]. I’ve been kicking for seven years now and I’d call it a healthy addiction for sure.

I started out a stoner hacky sack player, slowly building my foot-eye coordination with my “slacker” friends. Then one day when I was living out west I came across people playing real footbag and eventually mustered up the courage to try it out myself. I’ve been hooked ever since. I cut my hair off to became a sleek, aerodynamic footbag machine. I practice all year round and have a special workout routine that complements the flexibility, speed and endurance that the sport calls for.

But it’s time to take footbag up a notch. Like the article says, we need a tour to promote the sport. We also need places where new people can get into it and people like me can practice and play pick-up games. Surely one of those volleyball nets at Jeanne-Mance Park could be lowered for the kickers out there. And there should be indoor courts as well at places like the YMCA. For anyone who’s interested in the sport, there’s tons of info, trick tips, videos and a chat room at www.footbag.org. Kick on!

-Jeff LaRue

Shatner snub
This sucks! Montrealers chose William Shatner as their fave actor in the last “Best of Montreal” edition of the Mirror. I thought, “This is cool: you still got it Kirk.” So I checked out his Web site (www.williamshatner.com) to see if there was any acknowledgment of this honour and even sent an e-mail to them to let them know the good news.

So here we are, quite a few weeks later and no mention at all on his site. So much for the home town boy. He won’t be getting my vote next time!
-Brett Shymanksi

Gallic praise for People person
I was very happy to see that esthetician Estelle Descours hasn’t changed. [“Making people pretty,” People, July 18]. She has always made her customers feel good with her natural and New Age healing and beauty techniques.

Plus, she’s a very good music woman... and my best friend until she moved away so far from France. She’s simply the best!

-Christelle da Silva,
Orléans, France

Acknowledgment
The Mirror would like to thank everyone who took part in our annual Divers-Cité parade float festivities, in particular the Pau Brasil Capoeira students, who put on a great show. It’s not easy performing capoeira on a 22-foot platform being towed behind a truck! For more info on the school, call 803-3958 or www.paubrasil.ca