The quarterly newsletter of the University Club of Toronto Editor in Chief: Donald Rumball Editor: Jeff Haylock

December 31st, 2017 Graphics Director: Amy Hart

Introducing Our New Chief Operating Officer

By Ross Peebles

Sohail Saeed joined the

Club as our new General

Manager and Chief Operating

Officer in early November. He

brings to the position the

experience of 33 years in

business, much of it in the

hospitality industry.

Sohail was born into a

military family in Pakistan

and, as is the custom, moved

frequently during his youth in

response to his father’s

various postings. He moved to Montreal in the mid-1970s where

he studied mechanical engineering and business. “I had a

natural aptitude for working with people which drew me into

the hospitality business and kept me there,” he explains.

He worked for Commonwealth Hospitality and

Westmount Hospitality Group as well as the Intercontinental

Hotels Group of Atlanta. For a period, he worked in the

Caribbean managing and developing various hotels in the

region. Along the way he acquired a number of prestigious

awards for service excellence, revenue generation and market

share growth.

In 2012, Sohail was appointed Director of Economic

Development and Tourism for the City of Brampton. In that

capacity, he travelled extensively leading trade missions to

countries across the globe to promote trade and to seek out

investment opportunities. In addition to English and French, he

speaks Spanish, Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi.

“Since joining the University Club I have been

overwhelmed by the warmth and friendliness of the members,”

comments Sohail. “Already I can see how my past experience

can be helpful in my new position. I love people and I live for

challenges. I see a bright future for the Club.”

He and his wife, Hazel, met and married in Montreal. Hazel

is a native of Shawinigan and likes to recount that she was

delivered with a liberal touch by Dr. Maurice Chrétien, the older

brother of our former Prime Minister.

Hazel and Sohail enjoy travelling, golf, fine wine and

dining. “I’m a passionate foody who loves to do the cooking

when time permits,” he says. For the past five years, they have

lived in the Village of Erin where they can enjoy the tranquility

of the Caledon Hills.

The Annual Dinner: A Club Member at War

By Jeff Haylock

This year’s annual dinner took place on November 15.

After a drinks reception in the upper hallway, the crowd,

resplendent in dresses and black tie, moved to the Main Dining

Room. There the members in attendance enjoyed a splendid

dinner, starting with seared tuna, moving on to roast beef

tenderloin, and finishing with the one of the Chef’s trademark

fruit tarts. Dinner was delicious. After dinner, members

repaired to the newly renovated bar with its tempting cocktail

menu.

The main event, however, was the speech of George

Strathy, formerly President of the Club and, since 2014, Chief

Justice of Ontario. In his responding toast, Dr. Ian Clark

recounted how when he first decided to take up squash at the

Club he was warned not to take on a few fellow members who

may have been a bit above his level. He was directed, instead,

to George Strathy, who was at that time, Dr. Clark said, a mere

mortal, and with whom he has played almost every week since.

The Court of Appeal’s website describes Chief Justice

Strathy as “an enthusiastic, but not particularly talented, squash

player”, though I gather many would disagree with that too-

modest assessment.

As is the tradition,

the Chief Justice’s

after-dinner talk took

the form of a toast to

the Club. And this was

a moving and

engaging toast that

those in attendance

will not soon forget.

At the outset of his

speech he warned that

this toast might not be

the most humorous

ever given at the Club.

This was because the

speech was on a

weighty subject.

Sohail and Hazel Saeed

The Hon. Chief Justice George Strathy &

Dr. Ian Clark

The focus was the First World War, and, particularly, on the

link between that great event and the personal significance the

Club has to him. That link was his grandfather.

Elliott Grassett Strathy joined the Club in 1909, about three

years after its foundation. Like his two brothers – Chief Justice

Strathy’s great uncles – he joined the war effort.

In October 1917, commissioned as a Lieutenant in the

Canadian Mounted Rifles, he crossed the Channel for the

Continent. In great detail Chief Justice Strathy described the

hardships and squalor the Canadian forces endured as they

fought at Passchendaele, to which Lt. Strathy arrived on

November 11, 1917.

Chief Justice Strathy is fortunate in being able to follow his

grandfather’s progress in the diary his grandfather kept, which

the family has kept to this day.

The Chief Justice had it with him at the dinner, and

included detailed photos of if among the photographic slides he

used to make his speech all the more real for the members in

attendance. He movingly read from the diary to recount his

grandfather’s progress to and time at the front, including the

entry for November 14, 1917,

one hundred years and one

day before the speech. Lt.

Strathy was hit in the head, but

he lived. The stretcher-bearers

got him out to safety.

When he was taken to a

casualty clearing station he

encountered, by sheer

coincidence, one of his

brothers – a military doctor

and no doubt a welcome

connection to home. And,

after a further few months in

hospitals, home he went. He

got back to Toronto and his

wife in March 1918.

His diary reveals that

three days after his return, surely eager to resume his old life, he

went to the Club. He had lunch, and went back later that week

too.

The Chief Justice’s last slide was a photo of his

grandparents. In it Lt. Strathy stands reunited with his wife,

healthy, happy, and home.

Said the Chief Justice:

I think of him often when I walk through the front doors of the

Club. I imagine what it must have been like, in March 1918, to return

from the horrors of war to the calm and safety of Toronto and the

warmth and collegiality of this club. To enjoy a meal, sit in front of the

fireplace, have a friendly conversation.

I know that you and your families have your own stories to tell –

about life, sacrifice and your affection for this Club. Please reflect on

those memories and rise with me to toast: The Club!

Message from the President By Ross Peebles

I am honoured to have

my name added to the list of

distinguished members who

have held the office of

President of our Club. Each

of my predecessors has met

the challenges of his or her

day and has contributed to

the solid foundation on

which the Club now rests.

As you may know, the

Club ended the last fiscal

year with its strongest performance for some time and

significantly ahead of budget. While this is excellent news and

a testament to our dedicated staff, we have to keep in mind that

these results are primarily attributable to revenue from outside

functions and the increased use of our bedrooms. In an ideal

world, the fees that we pay, and our use of the Club would have

generated a much larger share of total income.

It is no secret that our membership numbers have

decreased in recent years. This is a trend that your Board has

committed to reverse. As you know, we offer an outstanding

variety of programmes and activities for members and guests,

fine dining at attractive prices and much more. In a rapidly

growing city that is now the fourth largest in North America, it

should not be too difficult to reach our target of 50 new

members each year. Please help us by introducing the idea of

membership to your friends and colleagues. You can refer

prospects to our Chief Operating Officer, Sohail Saeed, who will

be happy to follow up, with or without attribution to you.

This brings me to the subject of Mr. Saeed who started work

at the Club on November 6. Sohail was the successful candidate

in an extensive search that we conducted over the summer with

the assistance of an executive placement firm. He brings to the

position extensive experience in the hospitality industry as well

as a proven track record of success. I am very confident that he

will provide the solid leadership that our Club requires.

I would also like to thank Sarah Freeman for the yeoman

service that she has provided as interim GM since last March.

No one could have worked harder or done more to ensure that

John Purdon, Maneesh Mehta, Nestor Prisco, Sue & Derek Freeman,

Klaus Koeppen, David Hamer, Jenny Mercer

Lt. Elliot Strathy and his wife on his

return from the front

the Club operated smoothly during that time. We owe her an

enormous debt as she returns to her regular position as Manager

of Finance and Administration.

I would like to conclude by wishing you and your families

every good wish, good health and happiness in the year to

come.

A Medal for a Man of Many Parts By Neil Guthrie

Stephen Leacock was one of the best-known humourists in

the English-speaking world in the first half of the twentieth

century. Shortly after his death in 1944, the Stephen Leacock

Memorial Committee was formed to commemorate his life and

writings. A bronze bust by Elizabeth Wyn Wood was

commissioned, the author's collected works were given to the

library in Orillia, Ont. (where Leacock spent his summers, and

which he immortalised as the semi-fictional Mariposa) and the

Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal, now known as the Stephen

Leacock Medal for Humour, was inaugurated.

In 1947 Harry L. Symons received the first of these medals

for Ojibway Melody, a book of essays about cottage life on

Georgian Bay. Symons was a businessman as well as a writer,

and had been a flying ace in the First World War. He was also a

longtime member of the University Club, serving as president

in 1950-51.

Tom Symons, Harry Symons’s son, has donated this

inaugural Stephen Leacock Medal to the Club. Dr Symons has

also given us the associated plaster maquettes made by the

designer of the medal, the noted Canadian artist Emanuel Hahn.

It seems fitting to display these pieces in the Library, and to use

this opportunity to launch a collection of published works by

Club authors. (Please send us copies of your books!)

The medal itself depicts Leacock on the obverse, with the

inscription “Stephen Leacock memorial medal founded 1946”.

On the reverse, a rather jolly looking sun rests on waves,

bothered by mosquitoes and flanked by fish. Above are

notations indicating the latitude and longitude of Orillia. There

is also an inscription: ORILLIA "THE SUNSHINE TOWN"

AWARD FOR CANADIAN HUMOUR, with Symons’s name

added in a space below. “Sunshine” is a reference to Leacock's

most famous book, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town.

Later recipients of the Medal include Robertson Davies –

also a Club member, whose portrait hangs outside the

cloakrooms in the basement – Max Ferguson, Farley Mowat,

W.P. Kinsella, Mordecai Richler and Stuart McLean.

The medal and the maquettes are an important part of

Canadian literary history, Canadian art history and University

Club history. We are very pleased to have them, and to

acknowledge the continued generosity of Tom Symons, who

also recently donated the magnificent clock that stands on the

south side of the archway to the Main Dining Room.

The Renaissance of the Bar By Jenny Mercer

I hope you have noticed and approved of the recent

changes in the Bar. With the move back to Library dining being

available for lunch and dinner nearly every day, we wanted to

restore the Bar to more of a traditional bar. The physical bar has

been beautifully extended to make it comfortable to sit there for

a light meal (or just to chat with Louis and Danny) and the

central area now has lounge seating with low chairs and tables

and softer lighting. Casual dining is still available every day.

There has been a huge response to this change and our

unscientific survey (i.e. asking Louis what he noticed) tells us

that these comfortable seats are well used, particularly in the

evening. The “Round Table” has moved but it reappears on

Tuesdays for our traditional lunch group of senior members (for

which see elsewhere in this volume). The Bar menu now

includes tapas and lighter fare.

Another change is in the use of the Bar outside service

hours. Demand was increasing for locations where members

and guests could work comfortably, and so power outlets were

installed along the banquette and people are using the room as

a casual workspace. This has proved very popular with younger

members.

For those who prefer a less informal atmosphere, the

Library remains an oasis of calm where one can dine in style!

Prof. Tom Symons at the Annual Dinner

Club History

The Round Table

By John Gillespie, with a little help from the Editor-In-Chief

Every Tuesday at noon, in the Bar, a round table

materializes, flush against the south wall, with anything from

eight to twelve chairs squeezed around it. For the next two

hours, a group of older members enjoy lunch and (on most

days) an hour or two of sparkling repartee. These are all long-

standing friends and long-time members of the Club, who are

continuing a tradition that dates back to the 1930s, soon after we

first moved into our building on University Avenue.

In those days, lunch was served every day in the Main

Dining Room, which was often full for the occasion. The room

was dominated by two long tables across the entire width of the

room. The “Club Table” ran along the south wall and seated

about 15; it was the exclusive preserve of the “permanent”

members, all distinguished bachelors or widowers who lived on

the bedroom floor.

It was not unknown for some of the less-well-informed

members to create a stir by sitting – uninvited – in one of the

Club Table’s spare chairs, to the undisguised disgust of the

permanent members. One story – possibly apocryphal, but in

easy range of the truth – involved a poorly informed member

who sat down at the Club Table: every other member at the table

immediately got up and left the table and the dining room with

incomparably frosty hauteur.

In time, declining attendance at lunch and the steady

depletion in the ranks of the permanent members – the last of

whom died in 1975 – resulted in a growing number of empty

seats at the Club Table, which was abandoned in 1980. Its role

as the habitual locus of the Club’s elders was assumed by the

Round Table in the Bar, which was flourishing and packed, not

just on Tuesday but every day. It was less imposing than the

Club Table, but still able to project a sizeable proportion of the

intimidation that was so much a part of its predecessor table.

There was, nonetheless, a change in the perspectives of the

members who now sat at the Round Table every day at lunch.

They increasingly asserted their dominance through intellect

rather than raw authority. Whereas visitors to the Club Table

had been encouraged to leave the habitués in peace and keep

their opinions to themselves, the people seated at the Round

Table were expected to contribute significant, wise and

thoughtful commentary to the conversation. It was not

unknown for newer recruits to the Round Table to prepare

assiduously for the observations they were expected to make.

As the number of members who sat at the Round Table

declined – by leaving town, becoming incapacitated or dying –

the frequency came down to Tuesdays only, with a monthly

round table in the Library attended by 15 to 20 members.

Eventually, the Tuesday group was down to two members – Jim

O’Reilly and me. We then contacted many of the monthly

members and persuaded them to come every Tuesday until our

numbers were up to a full table. This has continued ever since

with anything up to twelve members present, all prepared to

share their opinions on any subject under the sun in a spirit of

warm friendship and tolerance. We hope that the spirit of the

Round Table will be extended to many other members on the

remaining four days of the week.

Jazz & Tapas Series A new series featuring live jazz and great food launched

Friday, November 3 at the Club. With only a $25 cover, these

evenings have been a casual and enjoyable way to end the week

at the Club.

After gathering in the bar at 6:00 pm or so, we move up to

the beautifully lit Library to enjoy an à la carte menu of small,

interesting and shareable plates. The music starts at 8 pm.

Roberto Occhipinti has programmed extraordinary groups for

the series. Food and beverage service continues throughout the

performance, although guests are encouraged to whisper so we

can all enjoy the jazz.

The series was off to a fabulous start: the first concert on

November 3 featured the Roberto Occhipinti Trio, who were

joined by sax player Matt Woroshyl, Club member Bill

Woroshyl's son and an award-winning jazz musician. On

November 24 Nancy Walker’s quartet wowed us at the second

concert, at which one Club member held a successful birthday

celebration with friends.

The Hon. Donald Cameron, John Gillespie, Donald Rumball

WE FINALLY HAVE A PIANO!

We are thrilled to announce that the Club has a piano,

thanks to the generosity of Bill Redrupp and Lawrence

Herman. The ‘Kind of Blue’ gala, with jazz pianist Dave

Restivo, provided the perfect opportunity to showcase the

piano’s lovely sound. Having the piano has already

expanded the music program’s reach with the introduction

of our Jazz & Tapas series, the upcoming Children’s Cushion

Concerts, and the incorporation of singers, both jazz and

classical, into our programming.

Many thanks to Cornelia Mews for her ongoing support

of the musical component of our fall gala. This is the fourth

year she has made her extraordinary gift!

Fall Gala Evening, Saturday, October 21st

Kind of Blue Jazz Gala

By Diana Wiley

Our fall gala on Saturday, October 21 was a magical

evening at the Club, with its 1950’s ‘Birth of the Cool’ jazz era

vibe. It was centred on a very special musical project: the

recreation of Miles Davis’s iconic Kind of Blue album. When the

album was released in 1959, critics around the world raved:

Downbeat magazine said: “Using very simple but effective

devices, Miles has created an album of extreme beauty and

sensitivity… this is the soul of Miles Davis and it is a beautiful

soul.”

We are in Roberto Occhipinti’s debt for finding the ideal

musicians to evoke the Kind of Blue magic; the Dave Young /

Terry Promane Octet, comprising eight of Canada’s award-

winning jazz musicians, held us spellbound. Miles’s trumpet

parts were reprised by Kevin Turcotte, who did the audio

performances for Chet Baker’s trumpet in the movie that

reimagined Chet's life, Born to be Blue, starring Ethan Hawke.

Our beautifully dressed guests enjoyed a champagne

reception in the Lounge before moving upstairs to a dining

room shimmering in candlelight. Chef Patrick Desmoulins

spoiled us with a beautiful menu: somehow, he managed to

serve perfectly cooked veal chops to 110 guests. After dinner,

we gathered in an impromptu bar off the Library, which

provided a refuge for those who wanted to chat in between

bouts of music-listening. As performance time neared, most

moved into the Library, which was transformed into a

glamorous nightclub with atmospheric lighting. The music

created by eight world-class musicians was mesmerizing and

created an experience that will linger in our memories.

Our President – Ross Peebles By Donald Rumball

Ross became our President in September, having served as

Honorary President from 2014 to 2016 and a director in 2016. He

has been a member of the Club since 1989.

Ross was born in Montreal and received his early education

at Lower Canada College. He has degrees in civil engineering,

transportation and environmental planning from universities in

Canada and the UK.

After a brief stint with CN in

Montreal and the UK, he joined

the Ontario Public Service in 1973.

He served in nine different

ministries, taking on

progressively more responsibility

until he was appointed Deputy

Minister of Intergovernmental

Affairs in 2001, then DM of

Strategic Initiatives with a

mandate to review the organization of government.

Immediately prior to his retirement in 2005, he was Deputy

Minister and Associate Secretary of Cabinet, Centre for

Leadership.

During his career he held a number of regulatory

appointments as Executive Director of the Inflation Restraint

Board (1980-1982), Superintendent of Pensions (1991-2001),

Superintendent of Deposit Institutions (1999-2001) and Chief

Executive Officer, Ontario Municipal Board (2001).

Ross currently serves as government co-chair of the

Partners’ Committee of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, the

committee that establishes the level of contributions and

pension benefits for Ontario’s teachers. He is also a member of

the Board of Governors of the North York General Hospital, a

past president of Big Brothers of Toronto, and a former member

of the Finance and Audit Committee of the Learning

Partnership.

He is an active supporter of the arts, and an enthusiastic

golfer and equestrian. On most week-ends he can be found

aboard his horse on the back roads around Schomberg.

He is married to Judith Cole who supports the Club as a

member of the Programme Committee.

We feel that his experience re-organizing the Ontario

government prepares him adequately for the challenging role of

President of our Club.

The Dave Young / Terry Promane Octet comprises: Dave Young, bass;

Terry Promane, trombone; Terry Clark, drums; Kevin Turcotte, trumpet;

Mike Murley, Perry White, Vern Dorge and Tara Davidson on sax; Dave

Restivo on piano

Diana Wiley, Peter Douchanov, Ken Snider, Deborah Leibow, Mai Why,

Peter Levitt, Dave Restivo, David Young, Kevin Turcotte

Reciprocal Clubs

Circulo Ecuestre Club, Barcelona By Judith Cole

Circulo Equestre, our reciprocal club in Barcelona, was

founded in 1856 by a group of equestrians interested in forming

a social club. The Club rented premises until sufficient funds

were available to construct its current magnificent club house in

the style of Barcelona’s famed architect, Antoni Gaudí. Located

in the upscale section of old Barcelona at the intersection of

Avenue Diagonal and Balmes Street, the building opened in

October 1926. It is a short walk to most of the tourist interests in

the city and access to the extensive subway system.

We were warmly greeted by Natalia at the front desk upon

our arrival. She provided a helpful overview of the area and the

facilities of the Club, which include a fitness centre and pool.

There are 19 bedrooms in the Club including several suites, all

at a very attractive rate as compared to hotels in the area.

There are two sections to the club. As shown in the photo

of the Club exterior, the original 1926 structure has the

appearance of a regal villa, including a massive Spanish-style

pair of wooden doors with enormous black metal hinges. The

interior is a step back in time. The design and décor are of a

grand house of Europe featuring high ceilings, dark panelled

walls, damask draperies and antique furnishings. Of special

note are the fifteen-foot-high stained-glass window, the

sweeping wrought iron staircase, and the carved window

frames and ceiling cornices. The Club also displays an

interesting art collection.

The newer addition to the club house contains several

bedrooms, an auditorium, and the breakfast and dining room

and patio. The exterior wall of the breakfast and dining room

has large glass panels that allow the room to be bathed in light

and may be opened in good weather. The patio and outdoor

bistro are accessible from the dining area and the main floor.

Our room rate included a cold Spanish-style breakfast with

a wide variety of cold meats, cheeses, and breads. Dinner

service started at 9:00 p.m. a little late for North American

stomachs, but well worth the wait. The menu includes a wide

variety of cuisines. Each year the Club arranges for its Chef to

work with the Chef at another private Club for four weeks and

the chef from the other club comes to this one for four weeks.

The prix fixe dinner includes a choice for each of a starter,

entrée, dessert, coffee and wine for €35. It was a leisurely, very

delicious meal with excellent service. One could not ask for a

better place to stay in Barcelona.

Sports & Fitness

How to Achieve Optimal Health: It really is possible!

By Karen Csida

Everyone is pursuing their own idea of perfect health

today. Whether it’s your friend who just started a vegetarian

diet, or your spouse who just joined a gym, everyone knows

they should “be healthier” and makes an effort to invest in their

well-being as much as possible. People want to reach a state of

optimal health in which they feel and look their very best.

But the notion of optimal health varies from person to

person; for some, it’s shaped by the media; for others, it’s about

being disease-free; and for others still, it’s about maintaining a

healthy weight. It leaves us wondering: what is the proper way

to describe optimal health? Is there a one-size-fits all plan to

achieve it?

Most people have only a vague understanding of what

health means today. This is because health comprises five

categories: mental, social, physical, spiritual, and intellectual

health. So, typically, some people focus more on just physical

health, whereas others take time for the mental and spiritual

side of things. Naturally, people are struggling to achieve

“optimal health” because they are not taking into consideration

every component of what it means to be healthy.

Defining Optimal Health

The World Health Organization defines health as a “state

of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not

merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.

Health can be attained across a spectrum. Optimal health

means living in this state of total health at all times. Let’s look at

some aspects of optimal health as a way to determine whether

it is attainable today.

1. Absence of disease: Too many people today consider

themselves healthy if they are not sick. Being sick with a disease

is at one end of the spectrum. But it is possible to be unhealthy

without being sick. If you don’t have a diagnosed sickness, but

you are sleep-deprived, your senses are likely impaired, and

your hormones may be critically imbalanced. You are therefore

falling somewhere on the health spectrum that is short of

optimal health.

2. Personalization: Like metabolisms and genetically

passed-down physical traits, everyone’s optimal health is

unique. There is no perfect height, weight, or body-mass-index

for people today. For example, fifteen percent body fat might be

normal for one person, but considered at the obesity level for

the next. One danger today is that people see what’s labelled as

“healthy” in the media and assume that this applies to their own

personal health goal.

3. A layered approach: Optimal health isn’t just what your

skin and face look like. It is attaining balance in both your

internal well-being and external appearance. This means that

while exercising helps external appearance, proper nutrition

and diet are required to contribute to your internal health.

It is worth noting, though, that more often than not people

who “look good” are generally healthier than those who don’t,

meaning proper weight, healthy teeth, shiny hair, and clear skin

are natural outcomes of investing in proper sleep, nutrition and

exercise.

4. Physical and mental health: Let’s say you can dead-

lift 500 pounds. That might mean you are physically fit in one

sense, but are you adversely affecting your knees and back? Fit

lifestyles aren’t always healthy lifestyles.

And mental health is an important factor in the quest for

optimal health. Mental health ensures a joyful and respectful

relationship between you and your body. If your body is

healthy and your energy levels are up, you also focus on

achieving contentment, joy and positive outlook. They

are integral parts of the optimal health equation.

5. Consistency: Probably not what people want to hear;

optimal health is a constant and steady state of well-being that

needs constant nurturing and vigilance. Optimal health is not

something you can buy at the store or the gym. It’s a constant

pursuit that requires commitment and perseverance.

Is Optimal Health Possible?

Optimal health, which is unique to every individual,

should be considered a pursuit rather than an end state. We

should all be mindful of all of the components of optimal health

that we should work towards on a daily basis.

Here are three things you can do to begin (or continue) your

journey towards optimal health:

1. Set realistic short-term goals with a long-term perspective.

2. Be kind to yourself along the way.

3. Achieving optimal health is not an easy process. It’s even

harder to maintain. So seek out a support team that can help

you achieve this state of health. Whether it’s positive

encouragement from friends, building a group to pursue

optimal health with you, or finding mentors or trainers who

can help you with fitness and nutrition, invest in an optimal

health support team.

Follow these simple steps and achieving optimal health will

be easier than you think!

The Douro Boys visit the University Club – a postscript

By Peter Blaiklock

Two years ago, I enjoyed a wonderful evening at a

University Club wine event featuring the Douro Boys, five

talented winemakers who travel the world promoting fine

wines from the Douro region in Portugal. After learning about

the wines of the Douro, I won an after-dinner (and after-wine

and after-port) auction lot which included two magnums of

Douro Boys Cuvee 2011 and a visit to one of “the Boys’”

wineries - Quinta do Vale Meão. (I should add that the proceeds

from the auction at the Club two years ago went to Grapes for

Humanity, a charity supported by the international wine

community for humanitarian causes.)

Consequently, Portugal moved up our travel destination

list. This summer, my wife Tracey, travel planner

extraordinaire, with the help of Club member Will Delgado, put

together a ten-day itinerary to include the hospitality portion of

our award. Tracey had never been to Portugal and I had been

just once – almost forty years ago when I could make a $20

traveller’s cheque stretch the better part of a week.

Our trip was the first week of October. We toured Lisbon,

and drove north to visit Porto, and then east up the Douro River

heading to our Quinta visit.

During our early visit we were struck by the warmth and

hospitality of the Portugese, the charm of the larger cities, and

excellent food and wine, including many opportunities to try a

variety of sparkling wines. As with so much of Europe, if a

historical site isn’t five hundred years old, well it isn’t really all

that old. We were quite taken by the number of thousand-year-

old forts which were in remarkably good condition as well as

the city planning and architectural influences of the Moors

during that period. We enjoyed superb accommodations all

along the way; each one was a unique and charming property.

By the time we arrived at Quinta do Vale Meão early on a

Friday afternoon, we were in fully relaxed vacation mode. Our

hosts were the Olazabals. We were met by Francisco Sr. and his

son Jaime. We spent a most enjoyable afternoon touring the

winery, tasting the recent vintages of the Quinta’s wines and

then visiting highlights of the property of 300 hectares.

Francisco Sr., Peter Blaiklock and Francisco Jr.

The Douro Superior region is steeply sloped, rocky and

arid, especially with the serious drought this year – not

obviously an area for agriculture. The Quinta’s land had been

purchased from the state by Francisco’s great, great

grandmother, Dona Antonia Adelaide Ferreira, in 1877 to add

to other less remote land holdings that her family had built up

along the Douro. Over the course of our visit we heard many

wonderful stories of their family and its long association with

wine-making in the region. Francisco and all three of his

offspring are now involved in making Quinta do Vale Meão one

of the Douro’s finest.

We finished up our day over a relaxing dinner of bacalhau

(cod) with several vintages of Quinta do Vale Meão, then port,

and then managed to solve most, though not all, of the world’s

problems. The following morning, we all boarded the family’s

boat to see the Douro from river-level, a real treat. We were

better able to see the amazing steep terraces of the wineries

along the river, including those of the famous port houses such

as Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas, which in Dona Antonia’s time,

had been part of her family’s holdings.

All in all, Tracey and I were treated like visiting royalty. The

Canadian flag that greeted us on our arrival was a signal of the

warmth of the Olazabals as they generously showed us the

wonders of the Douro. Based on our on-the-ground research, we

can hardly wait to crack open one of those magnums of Douro

Boys Cuvee.

Changes to the Board of Directors At the Annual Meeting of Members on September 28 there

were a number of changes to the Board of Directors.

Bryan Graham and Sean Morley reached the end their

terms as directors and Daisy McCabe-Lokos resigned from the

Board due to the pressures of her legal practice.

Taking their places and filling an existing vacancy were

David Hamer, Rachel Manno, John Rook and Bob Tattersall. In

accordance with the Club’s by-laws, each was elected to a three-

year term which is renewable once.

At a Board meeting following the AGM, Ross Peebles was

elected President for a two-year term, replacing Jenny Mercer

who becomes Immediate Past-President. A complete list of the

Directors and Officers for 2017/18 appears below.

On October 12 at a Board dinner, the President thanked and

paid tribute to the retiring directors for their dedication and

service to the Club and welcomed the new directors whose

terms are just beginning.

Ross Peebles noted that Bryan Graham has been a member

of the Club since 1982 and is retiring from the Board for the

second time having served in numerous capacities, including

Chair of the Membership, Finance and Wine Committees and

President in 2014 and 2015.

Sean Morley has been a Club member since 1994 and has

served on the Board for the past six years. During that time, he

has served as Secretary, Treasurer and Chair of the Wine

Committee.

Daisy McCabe-Lokos joined the Club in 2012 and has been

a director for the last two years during which time she served

on the Sports and Fitness Committee.

Ross acknowledged the significant contribution that each of

the retiring directors has made to the Club and expressed his

gratitude for their service. He also thanked the new and

continuing directors for assuming their responsibilities on the

Board.

Board of Directors 2017/18 Ross Peebles President

Jenny Mercer Immediate Past President

Honourable James Spence Honorary President

Peter Blaiklock Treasurer

Klaus Koeppen Secretary

Jeffrey Haylock Vice-President

Sean Lawrence Vice-President

Maneesh Mehta Vice-President

Michael Haddad Director

David Hamer Director

Rachel Manno Director

John Rook Director

Robert Tattersall Director

Diana Wiley Director

The Hon. Jim Spence, Jeffrey Haylock, Maneesh Mehta, Ross

Peebles, Sean Lawrence, Jenny Mercer, David Hamer, Klaus

Koeppen, Peter Blaiklock

Francisco Sr., Peter Blaiklock, Tracey Lawko