Lap of luxury

You're exhausted; you've made breakfast for the family, finished a second load of laundry, prepared lunches, fixed your chipped nail polish, showered, dressed, dropped the children at school, and made it to work by 8:30 am, already behind schedule. And this is a slow day! Thank goodness you have friends who understand that brunch at your house means a store-bought dessert will be served, children who love order-in pizza nights, and perhaps a husband who knows how to iron his own shirts. Apart from having yourself cloned, people everywhere fantasize, "what if someone else would cook dinner, shop for birthday gifts, supervise homework, decorate the house, fold the laundry, plant the tulips, trim the Christmas tree, and work out at the gym for me?" Is that too much to ask?

In fact, this fantasy is increasingly a serious option for urbanites with "to do" lists that overstretch resources. For a price, sometimes a steep one, there are solutions. Though not for every household budget, service providers are cashing in on our need to free up valuable leisure time by delegating the mundane and the time consuming.

As a new mother with a thriving business career, Wendy Davis wondered what on earth it would take to help her get her life back on track. In frustration the answer finally came to her, "I need a wife," she mused. The revolutionary thought inspired her to create Zebrano Lifestyle Solutions, a concierge service for real people. Davis estimates that a typical household works with as many as 20 trades each year. However, when you hire a concierge service, that number can dwindle to one.

No time to decorate for the holidays? That's perfectly fine, just phone your personal concierge and she'll take care of everything. Home renovating, alarm installation and monitoring, pet grooming and dog walking, personal assistance or errand running, flower delivery, computer repair, and laundry services are only a portion of available services. Zebrano Lifestyle Solutions can find you a maid, butler, or personal chef, decorate your home for the holidays and buy gifts for everyone on your list including friends and family in foreign countries. All tasks are accomplished under an hourly fee that ranges from $50.00-$75.00. Many clients purchase a bulk package which consists of 10 hours for $750.00.

Parris Concierge is another full concierge service. Services include such routine (and time-consuming) tasks as returning items to the store, picking up your prescriptions or obtaining annual automobile license renewal stickers. Founder Katherine Parris says one of her favourite services is reminding clients of upcoming birthdays and anniversaries as well as providing gift suggestions. Prices for Parris Concierge run from $40.00-$50.00 per hour and a 10 hour package is $400.00.

No doubt the idea is incredibly appealing to you, but is it affordable? According to Davis a typical Zebrano client earns $80,000.00 a year as an executive and although she (or he) has the ability to manage many of these tasks, a lack of time is a factor. "Our service, now in its fourth year, is a resource that amplifies quality of life and frees up leisure time," says the business woman. It's obviously a luxury to outsource these mundane tasks but many consider the cost worthwhile given the extra time gained in a harried day.

In addition to full service concierge services, there are dozens of companies that provide luxury services for a price:

Personal Chef, Terry Henderson of Chef by Nite (416-482-9266) or Chef Search will plan, shop for, and prepare one meal or many - right in a client's own kitchen. His company also provides a bi-monthly meal service which includes the preparation of 20 meals prepared in your own kitchen and stored in your refrigerator or freezer. This 'standard package' (includes food) is approximately $350 every two weeks and meals include a wide variety of options. Chicken pot pie, beef stew, hearty soups, grilled fish, and vegetarian dishes account for the majority of requests. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and desserts are popular as well. To initiate the process, clients meet with a personal chef to create a menu that accommodates any specific dietary needs as well as overall likes and dislikes. At present, Henderson has one client who is a cancer patient. The personal chef works with the client's own medical nutritionist to ensure the foods are optimum for her state of health. Although Henderson insists his plan is actually cost-saving for those who eat out frequently or grocery shop without a list and buy items on impulse, he's also eager to tell you about some of his high-profile clients. When Denzel Washington's "people" phoned to arrange meal service, Henderson could not believe it was legitimate...that is until Mr. Washington picked up the phone and spoke to him personally.

Would you like to have a designer fashion show in your own living room? Fine clothier Hugo Nicholson (416-927-7714, Hazelton Lanes, 55 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON) provides at-home shopping and personal shopping services to Toronto's rich and famous as well as visiting celebrities who summon Eleanor and Carole Rosensteen to their hotel suites. The sister team will transport a variety of outfits to a client's home and assist her in the try-on. Occasionally they will orchestrate an in-store fashion show which clients may attend with their husbands. The fee for this service is included in the price of the clothing, which is not for every budget. According to Eleanor an average suit is $1,200.00 and alterations begin at $100.00.

Few experiences can uplift your self-esteem like an exquisitely polished makeover. Colette Cormier (905-841-5250), a professional make-up artist, provides complete make-up in the comfort of your own home. Cormier's most common request is for makeup lessons. "Most women want to learn how to apply makeup themselves so that it isn't overdone...just healthy and polished." Cormier demonstrates the application process and has the client follow suit. Then she leaves them with a digital photo of the results and a full-colour 20 page booklet that recaps everything she's taught. There is no travel fee within Toronto or the Greater Toronto Area. Cormier brings a great comfy chair to sit in, her makeup kit, a face chart to document product names, and a portable workstation. So who's using the service? The 30-55 age group dials Cormier's number most frequently. "It's typical to hear requests that usually resound in the reception of a plastic surgeon's office," Cormier says. "Can you make my nose look thinner? Can you make my wrinkles go away? Can you make my skin look flawless? Can you get rid of the dark circles?" And her answer is "yes." Another important group of people who regularly hire a professional makeup artist are women who want their photos done for dating websites like Lavalife. "This is a big request," smiles Cormier.

Though Cormier works with male models and actors who need to look great for agency headshots, she refers cross-dressers to makeup artists who specialize in more theatrical makeup using products like "beard cover" to erase whisker shadow. Colette's prices start at $120 for one person and $90 per person for 2 or more.

Located at 390 Dupont Street, Toronto, ON, few dry cleaners offer the full service that Creeds does. Many of Toronto's most established families have relied on Creeds for years. They will pick-up and deliver dry cleaned-goods to your door; having earned a reputation for cleaning fine apparel such as suede, leather, and fur.

Since 1985, Super Scoopers has boasted, "your dog's 'business' is our business". Dependable clean up and disposal of canine waste all year round is stock in trade with service available on a weekly, twice weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or spring-only basis. Weekly rates start at $11.00 for one dog, monthly rates start at $50.00 and go up for multiple canines. Those with a curious mind will want to know that in the spring Super Scoopers collects about 600 pounds of 'doggie mess' per day and Russian Wolfhounds make the largest contributions. The Scoopers dispose of their collections daily at the sewage treatment plant.

Sandy Stenhouse of Alexander Limousine Service (416-614-0786) is a personal driver who has some very special clients. Aside from his regular adult customers which include visiting and local celebs, he also chauffeurs children to and from school each day. Most of these students attend private schools and Stenhouse reports that a personal driver which runs $200 per week can actually be less expensive than the cost of bus transportation, since 2 or 3 families share the price of pick-ups. Children range in age from 7-12 and although his white stretch limo can seat seven comfortably, Stenhouse has a five-child maximum which is strictly adhered to. "For the first two weeks of school my car is a great source of curiosity for the other school children. After that, it's just part of the scene," says Stenhouse.

Placing experienced butlers, maids and chauffeurs into upscale homes in the Toronto and surrounding areas is something that Mrs. D. Stefanovic (416-323-4797) has done for 26 years. As with many of the service providers I interviewed, Mrs. Stefanovic declined to name any of her clients. Discretion, she insists, is included in the fee. Her specialty has been placing husband-and-wife teams from the Philippines and South America into Toronto homes.

Emblem Florists (416-972-9878) enlivens homes with fresh flowers or plants on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. Owner Jan Ortved also enjoys decorating homes for the holidays, providing the Christmas tree, decorating the banisters and mantels, and even providing a theme-based Christmas party, if desired. "One year we were hired to decorate a client's home in a full Dickens-themed Christmas - from popcorn garlands and cranberry wreaths to gold-leafed gingerbread - the labour itself took a whole week," says Ortved. The Bare Naked Ladies hire Ortved to set up and decorate their holiday party. Rates start from approximately $3,000 for basic tree-trimming and banister decorations upwards to $20,000.

You'll never have to leave the house with bad hair again. Hair stylist Antonella Bruno of Decree in Colour has a roster of customers she visits regularly to cut, colour and style their hair in the relaxing atmosphere of their own living room or bedroom. Upon request, Bruno will visit clients monthly, weekly or, with some women, several times a week. "They call me the Queen of Reds because I do so many different shades of red for clients," explains Bruno. Clients include new mothers who are still nursing and more recently a client who had endured a terrible accident which left her housebound. Often, Antonella and her clients congregate in the kitchen because the lighting, which is so important, is always bright. "I now have the nickname of Kitchen Beautician," laughs Bruno. Minimum charge for a home visit is $75.00, although if clients require chemical work done, it could cost upwards of $200.00.