Local Seeker, West End Montreal, Issue 22

TAKE ONE - We’re different!

Local SeekerThe We s t E n d Community paper

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Story and photos: Bram D. Eisenthal

War vets show courage,

commitment in the face of

Poppygate

They’re just red plastic flowers to some, but to

many, many more individuals, pin-on poppies

are about nothing less than freedom, respect

and remembrance. On the days and weeks

leading to Remembrance Day – honouring

those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that

the rest of us could live (and just imagine a

world where Adolf Hitler was your leader, not

just the guys you love to hate at the various

levels of government today) – red poppies are

seen everywhere. And wizened men sit

behind rickety tables for hours, their faces

wearied with age, offering you a poppy for

whatever you are prepared to donate.

Still, unbelievably, there are some

entrepreneurs and business enterprises that

refuse to let the veterans proffer their poppies,

for reasons we can only guess at. Some

separatist French-Quebecers see Canadian

war remembrance as a federalist pursuit,

forgetting that many of their own numbers

perished, as well. “Je me souviens”

apparently pertains to the horrible anglo plots

hatched against them prior to 1976.

Others too young to understand the meaning

of world war to those in the Western

Hemisphere don’t get what the big deal is.

These are the people, I assume, who

desecrate war memorials without a second

thought. The biggest problem

with that? If it ever

happens again, who

will fight for them?

REMEMBRANCE

DAY SPECIAL:

Frank Levine, president of

Brigadier Frederick Kisch

Branch 97.

issue22_Layout 1 11/10/2011 2:05 PM Page 1

Finally, to satisfy the spiritual tastes of all

We are more than proud, humbled, actually, to welcome ourspiritual guide, the respected Father John Walsh, who will take thehelm of our Spiritual Seedlings column on a monthly basis. FatherJohn looks at why remembrance is important in this issue. Andhe’s the perfect religious leader to take charge, as he respects allreligions equally and is one terrific human being.

THE LOCAL SEEKER, NOV 11 (pg. 2) FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com

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The Local Seeker, West End Montreal EditionVolume 2, Number 22, November 11, 2011Founded by Julia Lucio and Mai-Liis Renaud 2010Published by Local Seeker Media Group, Cornwall, Ontario

The Local Seeker does not accept responsibility for errors, misprints or inaccuracies

published within. The opinions and statements of our columnists are not to be presumed as

the statements and opinions of The Local Seeker.

My late father, when I was young, proudly reciting his CanadianArmed Forces ID number – D129017. He volunteered for theBlackwatch corps during WWII, desperately wanting to fight Nazisas his entire family awaited their fate in Roumania. He served fortwo years before being honorably discharged, “his services nolonger being required,” remaining in Canada because hiseyesight was not good enough for him to join his mates inEurope. But he volunteered. He was proud forevermore and I,who cherishes his war medals to this very day, am proud as well;

Listening as my late mother reminisced about the horrors thatbefell her and her family during that same war, in Czernowitz, Roumania as the

Nazi-backed fascist Iron Guard rounded up the city’s Jews and shipped them to exile inthe labour camps of Transnistria. About half of Roumania’s 700,000 Jews perished insuch camps, in what would later be called the Hidden Holocaust. To this very day, theRoumanian government has yet to admit full culpability for the crimes perpetratedagainst its Jewish citizens by the murderous regime of the fascist monster Antonescuand his Iron Guard, crimes so brutal in many instances it made even the Nazis shudder;

The many visits I have made to Holocaust museums worldwide, including: Yad Vashemin Jerusalem, Israel; Washington, DC; and, yes, even here in Montreal. The MontrealHolocaust Museum of the Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre is aworld-class centre which celebrates the Jews who survived theHolocaust and emigrated to Montreal following the war. Itsconstruction was intimately supervised by my then-wife, Ann Ungar,executive director of the MHMC during the museum’s first years – thedefacto general contractor during the entire process - and her hardwork and commitment impresses me to this very day. I recommend atour of this fine facility to anyone who wishes to learn why racismagainst any group anywhere cannot ever be tolerated;

The various attempts since the Holocaust to wipe out entire races, asif we haven’t learned a damned thing, including war crimesperpetrated in Bosnia and Rwanda;

The sleights against war veterans, victims, survivors and thoserighteous few who helped hide potential victims during history’swars… by businesses and organizations that deny veterans the rightto sell Remembrance Day poppies and who fail to respect a fullminute of silence at 11:11 a.m. every November 11. Two years agoCHOM-FM “generously” paid tribute to the veterans and victims ofWWII by airing a full 15 seconds of silence and then defended thiscallous move, as did owner Astral Media after I contacted them. I willnever forget and neither should you.

Remembrance is a powerful tool… unless you simply forget to utilizeit. To the brave men and women who fought for our freedom andwho continue to fight today, and to those who have fallen victim tothe brutalities of murderers, despots and madmen, this issue of TheLocal Seeker is humbly dedicated.

To the special “people” in our lives who can’t fight forthemselves…

The Local Seeker is pleased to welcome new columnist Allan Berbrier,who will be penning a column devoted to pets every second issue.There are so many pet owners in the West End who will join me inbidding Allan “salut,” as he and his dogs are a visible presence on thestreets of NDG daily. Be good to our animals, readers!

And let’s remember food, too

And we say hello, as well, to our new Seeker foodie, EvelyneBudkewitsch, who debuts her Epicurean Eatz column in this issue.Evelyne’s got a really interesting take on taste, so we look forward tosampling some of her goodies.

Managing Editor: Bram Eisenthal Creative Design: Julia Lucio

OUR CONTACT INFORMATIONFree Classifieds and Advertising: 514-975-7745

EMAIL: [email protected]

Mailing Address: 327 2nd Street E. Cornwall, On. K6H 1Y8

The Property Seeker

A regular feature of The Local Seeker West End Montreal EditionProfessional Consultant - Anita Benabou Rozenblat

I remember/je me souviens:


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Tijuana North

Boston-area high school officials are warning parentsnot to let their teenage children go on weekend bustrips to Montreal, fearing they lead to underagedrinking, carousing with prostitutes, date rape andother forms of assault.

In a letter to parents, principal Jennifer M. Huntingtonof Newton North High School advises them: "Thinktwice or three times before giving your son ordaughter permission to go to Montreal. It is

important that you know there are probably only tworeasons for going to Montreal: The legal age for drinking is 18 and;Montreal has a very active red light district," she writes.

Huntington informs parents the trips are not sponsored orapproved by the school and mentions several "unpleasantincidents" in past years. "Hotel rooms have been trashed, studentshave been assaulted and there have even been charges of daterape. All these things happen because our otherwise well-behavedand more-or-less rational students have too much to drink," saidHuntington.

John Hayes of Student Travel Vacations in Dedham, Mass., a suburbof Boston, said he decided to pull out of a trip his firm wasorganizing with the help of a senior student from Newton SouthHigh School. He started getting calls from local newspaperreporters saying parents were holding meetings and complainingabout the trip. "I'm not in the business to upset parents and causeturmoil. I don't need that kind of business," said Hayes, who hasbeen organizing trips to Montreal for students from about a dozenBoston-area high schools for the past 15 years.

Hayes said he may abandon his Montreal program and focus onother U.S. destinations. He acknowledged they drink, but said mostof them drink responsibly. "I think at 18-years old, they can handleit. These are adults. Keep in mind they'll be going to college nextyear."

I have often referred to Montreal as being Tijuana North. The onlything they left out, and probably the biggest point, is that thesekids also come here for the casino. They come from all over theEastern United States. In fact, if they aren't yet 18, there's a better-than-even chance that they will be admitted at Montreal Casino. Ithink it is very important for parents, not only in Boston, but all overthe United States and other parts of Canada, to know that theirchildren are not necessarily visiting museums, art galleries andchurches when they come to Montreal. That is not to paint all teenswith the same brush… many of them DO come here for wholesomeentertainment. It is better, however, for parents to be aware of thepossibilities.

The travel agent that organizes the trips says that, at 18-years ofage, they can handle it. If that is a fact why is the age of majority 21in every American state? Kudos to principal Jennifer M. Huntingtonof Newton North High School for advising parents, "Think twice orthree times before giving your son or daughter permission to go toMontreal."

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REMEMBRANCEDAY SPECIAL:War vets showcourage,commitment inthe face ofPoppygate(continued from cover)

Being the son of both a warveteran and a Holocaust survivor (and I willforever remind you of that, to my last breath),I want these anti-poppy idiots to pay big-time,which is why I won’t patronize CarrefourAngrignon for ages to come, apology or not.

But this is about paying respect to those whosacrificed themselves for us at wartime, not toscold those too vapid to understand theimportance of that. So, I had the honour ofmeeting with some war vets who, this year,are out on the front lines once again, offeringpoppies for a pittance…. while they still can.

Lasalle’s James Wilkinson, whom manyserving with the First Batallion of Blackwatchduring the war will remember as CorporalWilkinson, is an honourary West Ender. “Ispend a lot of time in Cote St. Luc playingbridge with the Jewish boys there,” the spryveteran, who’s in his 90th year, told me. Hespent 5 ½ years serving his country, workinghis way from Val Cartier to Toronto, Scotland,England and then “the Continent,” where hewas wounded in battle twice, at Calaise andlater at Groesbeek, Holland, before returninghome. Every year, for 37 at least, he returns toHolland to say a prayer at a local cemetery forthe man who saved his life and if that isn’tcommitment to a cause, I don’t know what is.

I asked him about Poppygate and I couldenvision frustration traversing his features.“I’ve been in the ‘poppy business’ over 50years,” Wilkinson stated with tremendouspride. “And I think the main problem is thatthese businesses have no idea what we do

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with that money. We assist unfortunateveterans, many of them disabled, as well astheir widows, many children and hospitals,too. I think that more education is needed sothat this ignorance will be dispelled.”Wilkinson refused to blame anyone or pointfingers, which proved he was as much agentleman as a warrior.

West End resident John Franken has beenselling poppies just one year, since his debutat the YMHA last season, but he thinks theentire debate is “stupid.

“People love talking with the veterans andshaking our hands,” he said. “Why wouldanyone have a problem with us?”

You should know how special Franken – whojokes that “I am the original Frankenstein” – isas a historic figure, based on his wartimeexperiences. While serving as a flight-mechanic-in-training on a Dutch Navyaircraft carrier, he was captured by theJapanese in transit from Indonesia toAustralia. As a slave labourer for 3 ½ years, hewound up in Nagasaki. Forced to toil in amine, he emerged one day to find nothingleft: while he was underground, America haddropped an atomic bomb, levelling Nagasakiright after doing so to Hiroshima. It soundslike an episode of The Twilight Zone, but itactually happened to John Franken. And he isstill waiting for the Japanese government toapologize for their brutality, as a televiseddocumentary about him, now on DVD, willattest.

Veteran Frank Levine, a West End resident, ispresident of the Brigadier Frederick KischBranch 97, a position he has held almost oneyear. Kisch lost his life fighting alongsideBritain’s General Bernard Montgomeryduring the North African campaign againstNazi general Erwin Rommel’s troops. Levinefought for seven months in Europe, seeingaction in Belgium, Holland and Germany, atime he does not recall with particularfondness. “It was not an adventure at all,” he

Remembrance Day: Trading bullets for bears

Life is a series of remembrances. Our memories fashion what life was, is, and will be. In Italian to remember is“ricordare,” with a direct reference to the heart. We remember, we retain, what has left its mark in our hearts. Wartroubles my heart. In great numbers we in Canada have sacrificed the lives of young women and men for the sake ofour freedom.

Our heartfelt thanks are extended to soldiers for what they have accomplished. Yet, in my hearts there lingers a hopethat war will be no more. I am reminded of the challenge resounding in the words of Isaiah: He shall judge between

the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. What will it take to transform our hearts of stone intohearts of flesh?

One night I was introduced to the incredible doctor Patch Adams, who was played by Robin Williams in his movie biography. In his addressto the audience he said: I have a vision of life in which the word war will no longer be in our vocabulary. My experience of life tells methat I have no other choice.

I believe everything is possible when we dare to think it is possible. My nephew, Raymond Robitaille, a Police Inspector in Calgary, istraining Afghan police in Kabul. He works very long hours. His deep concern is to change the way the police connect with the people.One day we Skype and he expresses his wish to distribute teddy bears to the children of fallen Afghan police. My sister, in Toronto, andmyself, here in Montreal, went about gathering hundreds of teddy bears, then having Canadian flags sewn on every one of them. My heartwas moved and tears flowed down my cheeks when I was emailed photographs of him distributing the teddy bears to the children in akindergarten. The smiling faces of the children are priceless.

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shtold me, remembering the friends he lost.“Parts of it were a nightmare,” he added,telling me that shows like Band of Brothers arefull of malarkey, in his opinion. Still, despitehis advanced years, he sells poppies locally(“we give them away, really… people donatewhat they want and of the 20,000 we order,we do not give them all out because there arenot enough people to man the booths”) andhe and his co-veterans do what they can.

Levine finds it distressing that his group hasaged so much. “What really disturbs me isthat, when we stand at attention during theplaying of reveille, most of our numbercannot keep their arms up for more than twominutes. We have reached the age where it isalmost pathetic.”

I asked him about the poppy controversy andhe stated that it’s all about politics. “Thebusinesses take that stand for the publicity itgets them, nothing more,” he said. “Theshopping centre administrations don’t care ifwe sell our poppies or not.”

As did Wilkinson, Levine also stressed that themonies collected from poppy donations goto local hospitals and other organizations, asdonations in kind. “If we were prevented fromselling our poppies, these organizationswould pay the price,” he said. Some of theseMontreal-based organizations include the St.Mary’s, Jewish General and MontrealChildren’s hospitals, Maimonides GeriatricCentre, Montreal Heart Institute, Ste. Anne’sHospital Foundation and many others.

So, while many may see these brave warveterans as an army of retired old menhawking useless plastic flowers, theirsignificance, their cause and their continuinglegacy makes them an integral part ofsociety. They deserve our thanks and toaccord them anything less is worse thanforgetting. It is as if they had never existed –nor saved us - at all.



The word organic is pretty persuasive, but is it mostly hype?

I recently noticed an interesting trend in nutrition,cosmetics and cleaning products. You may wonder whatall three have to do with each other. Keep in mind thatI am a woman and that I buy the groceries, wear themakeup and, unfortunately, clean the house.

If a food, makeup product or cleanser says “organic” or“all natural” people think it’s better than its “non-green” counterpart.

What’s up with that? I think marketing people are geniuses. They havetapped into our psyches and have targeted what matters to us most:Our health.

Let’s examine the nutrition part of this trend. An appealing fruit juiceblend that has the words “all natural - no artificial flavours” splashedacross the front in a beautiful font could sway anyone to purchase it over another common brand. Butwhat does that really mean? It’s still a sugar beverage, probably devoidof all fibre. One cup of this all natural beverage could set you backaround 200 calories.

Is organic milk really better than regular milk? We have one of thestrictest rules and regulation systems for milk production in the world.Milk farmers in Canada will suffer penalties so severe they would goout of business if they didn’t adhere to these policies. I am notinterested in paying extra for organic milk that follows the same rules.I will admit, though, that the packaging in way nicer.

The other issue I have with products labelled “organic” is that there isno universal system in place to protect the consumer from this claim,should it be false. There are a few organic bodies around, but in orderfor “organic” to become a force to be reckoned with, there needs to beone body that oversees all products making this claim.

What about organic fruits and vegetables? I don’t know if organic fruitand vegetable products have more nutrients than their non-organicfriends, but my guess would be that they are comparable. Theproblem with organic produce is the possibility of food-borneillnesses. There have been many outbreaks of deadly bacteria fromorganically-labelled fruits and vegetables, particularly in the States.

As they are currently supervised, I think many organic products pose areasonable risk. The only such products I will eat will therefore comedirectly from my garden.

Caryn J. Roll P.Dt. (514.817.0135)Twitter: @MTRLnutrition Join me on Facebookwww.montrealnutrition.com

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You, too, can sell or seek for FREE, with our Local SeekerClassifieds, 25 words or less. Call 514-975-7745.

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Bill stays home for latestendeavourI have been a fan of Bill Bryson ever sincehis A Short History of Nearly Everythingwas recommended to me several yearsago. In the aforementioned tome,Bryson chronicled existence from thebirth of the universe to the creation ofthe human race. Real light stuff. For

his most recent effort, At Home: A ShortHistory of Private Life, he keeps the subject matter a littlemore domestic.

In At Home Bryson conveys the evolution of the householdas he moves from room to room in his own home (in NorfolkEngland), a former rectory built in 1851 (a year eerily citedthroughout the book). Each chapter discusses an area ofthe home (kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc.), each withits own infinitely interesting story of how it came to be thesort of space we all take for granted today.

What I love best about Bryson, besides his flowing, quitereadable style, and how he does not write as though we aremorons, as well as how At Home is, like most of his works,crammed to the gills with fascinating facts, stories andanecdotes (ideal for a trivia buff like me), are his digressions.He would begin with a story, digress, and digress from thedigression, and then add an asterisk with even furtherdetails at the bottom of the page, eventually getting backto the first point much later, if at all (occasionally thedigressions go so far as to make the original pointirrelevant). More than once Bryson casually alludes to anobscure story, just a few lines really (so insignificant wewonder why he would even bother mentioning it), and thenreturns to the reference something like 150 pages later for amuch larger payoff where it then makes total sense. AtHome is so jam-packed with details that I was surprised thewords didn’t pour out of the pages whenever I turned thebook sideways.

The version I read was a 650-page British soft-cover editionloaned to me by a friend. Rarely have I committed to a bookthat length and I wished it was longer. In my time I havetrudged through some 200 page volumes that lumbered onlethargically in comparison. Well done, Bill.

Other Bill Bryson titles I recommend are, as I mentionedbefore, A Short History of Nearly Everything (try the newillustrated edition, as it is spectacular: I never thought onecould improve on perfection!) and Shakespeare: TheIllustrated and Updated Edition, an amazing must-have forany follower of the life and times of The Bard.

Read on! www.essaysbyandreas.com

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THE LOCAL SEEKER, NOV 11 (pg. 6) PROPERTY SEEKER SECTION www.westend.thelocalseeker.com

I s s u e 1

BUY or SELL your HOME in the

Property Seeker

Most of myclients areuneducatedin terms ofthe costsi n v o l v e d

when buying theirfirst house. Many of them believethat once you have the downpayment, you are all set. Notknowing these costs can frustratebuyers because they don’t realizethat they are necessary in thebuying process. In the next fewparagraphs, I will outline a few ofthe costs associated with yourpurchase so you can be prepared.

Building InspectorMost people try and find the

cheapest building inspector theycan find. Most buildinginspectors cost at least $300-350

depending on the size of the property.Some inspectors can cost over $500. Whatis important to remember is to not bepenny-wise but pound foolish. If you payan inspector $50 more, but he finds adefect in the house like a crack in thefoundation, you will be more than happyto pay it. A crack in the foundation canlead to hundreds if not thousands ofdollars of unwanted repairs, and evenlawsuits to recoup the money for repairs.

AppraisalMost of the time, abank will cover thecost of the appraisalup front, whilesome ask you topay for it and thenreimburse you.Please make sure toget this informationup front sincedifferent lendinginstitutions work indifferent ways.Usually, anappraisal will cost$300, and mostbanks will cover it. Ifyou are trying toget a loan throughan alternative

$1,400. Once again, it is important touse a notary that you trust iscompetent, because a bad notary canwreak havoc on an otherwise straight-forward transaction. If you refinance aproperty, the fees are usually cheaper,but it depends from one notary to thenext.

As always, should you have anyquestions regarding costs, or themortgage process in general, please letme know. Anything I can do to educateyou, or make the process easier, itwould be a pleasure.

Jason Zuckermanwww.mortgageratesmontreal.comHypotheca Mortgage Brokers(514) 771-1352 /1-800- [email protected]

The West End real estate section

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Buying a home -What toexpect in terms of your costs

lender, the cost is always at theexpense of the client.

Provincial sales tax on CMHCPremiumWhen you buy a home with less than20% down, you have to pay aninsurance premium. If you put 10%down, for example, on a purchase of$200,000 your mortgage will be$180,000. Once you add the 2%premium, the new mortgageamount will be $183,600 with the$3600 insurance premium. There isa 9% provincial tax on the $3600,making the total amount $3924. This$324 of tax must be paid when theloan is at the notary. It cannot beadded onto the loan.

Notarial CostsWhen you secure a mortgage on ahome, it must be registered with theland registry office by an accreditednotary. This professional’s job is tomake sure that they verify that theproperty’s new mortgage isregistered properly, to verify that thetitle is clean, as well as verify thecertificate of location. They makesure that the buyers have the properdocumentation with them at theclosing to make sure that thetransaction goes smoothly. Typically,for a home purchase, a notary willcost anywhere between $1,050 and

Late with your tax returns?

Behind by a few years?

We can help!

Call Today!

En retard à produire vos déclarations derevenus? Vous avez quelques années àrattraper? Nous pouvons vous aider!

Appelez-nous aujourd’hui!

514.461.3006

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THE LOCAL SEEKER, NOV 11 (pg. 7) PROPERTY SEEKER SECTION www.westend.thelocalseeker.com

Downsizing from a home toa condo – Aspects toconsiderAs we age, the possibility of downsizing from ahouse to a condo is very real. Sounds scary butyou may just love it! There are many aspectsthat, for those of us who have always lived in a

single family home, can be totally unexpected whenowning a condo for the first time.

One might assume that everyone would treat the building as if itwere their own, after all, all owners have a stake in the entirebuilding as a whole. They reap the rewards of a well-maintained,secure building in the sense that it is a more pleasant place to liveand the resale value of their particular unit remains on an upwardscale. By being part owner of a condo property, however, one alsosuffers the consequences of a building that is not maintained well,where bylaws are not upheld and there is no accountability toensure that the best interests of all the owners are protected.Knowing this is grea, but how do you know for sure that you havemade the right choice before you purchase? The following list ofquestions will help guide you towards making an informedpurchase:

Building maintenance and maintenance fees:

How much are the fees, what do they include (hydro, hot water ,cable)?

Who are the people on the board? Are pets allowed (you certainlydon't want to get rid of Cookie after all these years)?

When was the last time condo fee's increased? Ho

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tIs the building expecting any new assessments? (as costs go up so will yourmaintenance fees)?

Is there a maintenance schedule in place for the building?

What repairs over the life of the building have been done?

Beware of a building that does not have a maintenance schedule or hasrecorded little or no repairs. It is more likely that needed repairs have notbeen done than it is likely the building hasn’t needed any repairs. A buildingthat has essentially been “maintenance free” can be a red flag.

Another important point to consider once you have moved into your condo:You MUST be involved in the decision making process. If you don’t like whatis happening be vocal, attend the meetings, read your minutes and, most ofall, be aware of what is going on.

Downsizing into a condo or townhouse can be a very positive move. It canprovide freedom if traveling is your retirement wish and it can free up moneythat you may have invested in a house and property. It can also provide youwith closer access to shopping, recreation facilities and medical services.You no longer have to worry about stairs, as your living quarters will all onone level.

For those who may be on their own, moving into a condo can give you theopportunity to meet new people and make new friends.Happy condo shopping!

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Dans La Rue - Our Official Charity

Let this serve as notice that The Local Seeker West End MontrealEdition has chosen Montreal’s Dans La Rue – whose mandate it is tohelp homeless youth between the ages of 12-25- as its official charityand that the two entities have entered into a mutual agreement. Infuture issues, readers will learn about this remarkable organization, itsorigins, its mission and its future plans. We will exclusively promote thisimportant cause whenever possible.

“Not so long ago, I was unemployed and my biggest fear – a nightmarethat terrified me endlessly - was that I was not so far away frombecoming homeless myself,” admitted Local Seeker Montreal Editionpublisher and editor Bram Eisenthal. “It may have been unfounded, butfor the first time in my life I believed I was facing that prospect and itwas more than unsettling. I began to examine the plight of the homelessfrom a different perspective.

“Homelessness has no place in modern day society, certainly not inWestern nations so obsessed with the release of the latest version ofa cell phone that they are oblivious to the plight of young people whohave no address and no place to sleep, no food to eat and in many casesno future. Homelessness is worse than any disease because it isimmediately addressable with a modicum of good will: We HAVE thecure, we just need the will to use it.”



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less. No, that is not a typo. The basic idea is totake regular yogurt and strain the whey outleaving a creamier and thicker texturewithout affecting the taste. Of course I amsure the big brand names modify the processsomewhat but that is the basic difference.

In the last weeks I have sampled some ofthese new big brand Greek yogurts as well assome old favourites who have offered Greekyogurt for years. No two are exactly alike;they all have their charms and drawbacks.But overall I loved the really rich texture. Tip:Make you own with regular yogurt bystraining it overnight in cheeseclothsuspended over a bowl.

The plain flavour is best used in recipes, as aspread or by the few (like me) who enjoy anoccasional plain yogurt. This is the yogurt ofchoice for the traditional Tzatziki recipe. But Iwanted to do something a little more exoticto turn my boring bean salad lunch into aflavourful meal. How about cumin and mint!

The yogurt, she isgoing Greek

Hello and welcome to myfirst column with The LocalSeeker. I am so superexcited. My expertise is

everyone’s favourite: food! Mypalate yearns mostly for the exotic so I lovetrying ethnic recipes, discovering unusualingredients and exploring unknown cuisinesin restaurants. Please buckle your seatbeltand get ready for a great culinary ride. Anddo check out my blog atcheapethniceatz.com.

OK now go back to the title and read it againbut with the accent of the father in themovie My Big Fat Greek Wedding!

Is it me or is everyone doing Greek yogurtright now? I have no complaints as I love thestuff but it is quite noticeably the IN THANGin yogurt land. And what is the differencebetween regular and Greek yogurt? It wheys

Cumin Mint Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:1 cup Greek yogurt1 teaspoon cumin2 teaspoons mint, fresh chopped (3/4 tspdry)2 teaspoon honeyDash of sea saltDirections: Whisk all ingredients togetherand chill for a couple of hour so the flavourscan develop. It is wonderful also withvegetables, crudités, seafood, meats or as aspread on bread.

If you prefer a dessert flavoured version haveno fear. There are plenty of flavouredindividual sized four- packs of Greek yogurt,with flavours like honey, blueberry,strawberry and vanilla. Some brands offer anorganic version as well.

For lots of recipes, ethnic food discoveries andMontreal restaurant reviews please visitEvelyne’s blog athttp://www.cheapethniceatz.com


Good thingscome intrees

What does it mean tohonour? Yogabecomes verypowerful when wecommit to it, and

connect to it, as an offering andan honouring -- an honouring ofourselves, or of any people we wish tohold in our minds and hearts while wemove through the postures.

During this time of Remembrance, as theleaves also change colour and fall to theground, we turn to Tree Pose. Thisstanding-balancing pose is beautiful forits simplicity; filled with your breath andpresence, it comes alive as a dynamicposture that embodies grace, humility,devotion, and gratitude.

Like all yoga poses, enter Tree Pose withintention. The challenge is to keep theheart pure and the mind clear in order tobalance more effectively and stay longerin the posture.

Tree Pose 1. Stand on level ground, preferably inbare feet and on a hard surface such as awooden floor. 2. Set feet hip-width distance apart withbig toes facing forward. Focus on a pointin front of you that is level with thehorizon and will not move. Rest your gazeon this point for the duration of theposture. 3. Focus your intention. Connect

thoroughly to the left standing leg; feel a secure"planting" of that leg into the ground, andgradually shift your weight into this leg. 4. Slowly lift the right heel off the floor and raisethe right knee, such that the whole foot comes up. 5. Keep your right knee lifted and keepgrounding through the left-standing leg. Turn theright knee out to the right side, opening the righthip wide. 6. Carefully place the sole of your right footagainst the inside of your left standing leg, eitheragainst the inner calf or the inner thigh. Do notplace the foot against the knee. 7. Secure your left standing foot as your root, andthe left leg as your trunk. Continue to focus on asingle point in front of you for balance. Recall yourintention and breathe deeply, in and out throughthe nostrils. 8. Keep arms hanging by your sides, palms out.Or, sweep arms up overhead, remembering todrop the shoulders down while reaching uptoward the sky. Bend in the elbows as needed andkeep the arms apart. Hold palms soft and open. 9. Stay in the pose for as long as feelscomfortable. Breathe deeply. Release the pose bybringing arms down first, then removing the rightfoot from the inside of the left leg. Keeping yourright knee elevated, return the knee forward. Nowgently place your right foot down to the ground,parallel with your left. 10. After a few breaths in a standing position,repeat the pose on the other side. It is importantthat Tree Pose be practiced on both the left andthe right leg. It is also normal to find that one legbalances more easily than the other.

Chantalle Kudsi is a yoga and meditation teacher inthe West-End. She can be reached [email protected].

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KeithStarring at our special Supper Club, Saturday, November 12,

starting at 7 p.m.

Great sounds, terrific food, at Grillades Portugaises!

Remembering when we werereally the City of Champions

I remember the days when all three of Montreal’sprofessional sports teams, the Canadiens, Exposand Alouettes, were good at the same time. It wasthe late 1970s and there was no better time for ayoung boy of 9 or 10 years old, obsessed withsports, to be growing up. We got to play sportsyear round and no matter the weather or sportthere was always a local hero to emulate. Believeit or not there were passionate fan bases for all,

and some would say the Expos had the best fans. Montrealset attendance records in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Meanwhile, theCanadiens had trouble selling out the Forum after the team won fourconsecutive Stanley Cups.

Fast forward 30 years: The Canadiens are mired in mediocrity in a city thatwon’t tolerate it, especially since the Habs haven’t won a title in 18 years. Itseemed like a birthright that the Habs would win at least a couple of Cupsevery generation. Now, a win in Round 1 of the playoffs sets off wild, riot-inducing celebrations on Ste-Catherine Street.

These days, Canadiens fans have all the answers, on becoming coach to andgeneral manager, and we hear about it 24/7. My job, first and foremost, is toreport on the facts, including who is hurt, who is riding the bench, etc. It isalso my job to engage in speculation with fans, on blogs, radio and television.It has built to a fever pitch. No matter where I go, people are always askingme about the Canadiens and offering up their opinions. Some are sound,others are just rants from passionate fans, which is nice to see most of thetime as it prevents me from becoming a grizzled and bitter old reporter.

I guess we did the same thing as kids though, except that we had yet to enterthe 24-hour information age. I remember going to bed with an earpiecehooked up to my radio so that I could listen to Dave and Duke on Exposbroadcasts. I even ran one from my school desk inside my sleeve and leanedon my hand during class during spring training games just so I could listen tomy Expos (Don’t tell Mrs. Tritt, please). The Expos were Number 1 in Montrealin the 1980s. They were the model franchise in baseball, even all ofprofessional sports.

The Alouettes also drew big crowds to the Big Owe and were exciting towatch, with Joe Barnes at QB and Peter Dalla Riva hauling in passes. Now theAls are two-time defending Grey Cup champions and can’t even sell-out 25,000 seat Molson Stadium. Even the Canadiens are having trouble selling theirtickets.

The landscape has changed in sports, for the players and the fans, for betteror worse.

I miss the days of having three sports teams to cheer for, year-round. Thenagain, maybe I just miss my youth.

Spotlight on Sports by

Paul Graif



Best,

Bram

We hope you have enjoyedthis issue of The Local

Seeker and we are alreadyworking on our next issue,

out November 25.

DeadlineFriday, November 18.

Coming up in our next issue:

*Sweetening the airwaves: Taking a breatherfrom slamming Montreal English radio to

showcase one of its attractions.

*Over eight decades after Houdini’s death,we conjure up three West End magicians.

*Our resident Mr. Hollywood writes abouthis close call in LaLa Land. And that’s no

script.

* Travel: Lake Placid’s premiereaccommodation and annual Christmas

attraction.

ONLY in West End Montreal’s mostunique community paper.

Plus we sell watches, bands and

leather straps (from France)

AND

Jewellery, including the wildly

For five decades, familybusiness OTA has beenhere, serving Montrealersfrom the West End andbeyond.

We’ve been on watch for 50 great years! We provide expert

service in:

• Quality watch andclock repairs

• Battery replacement(best prices around)

• Custom work, doneon the premises

At OTA, our honesty and integrity aresurpassed only by our commitment. We save

you time, money and worry.

6 8 6 5 Sherbrooke Street W.(corner Mayfair)

5 1 4 -4 8 4 -3 8 4 7

OT A Watchmaker & Jewellery Co* Founded in 1 9 6 1 by Mathias Woronchak

NUZEWOOFED by: Allan Berbrier

Saturday, October 22ndA Pot-Luck Buffet Fundraiser & Dance was held,at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall in Lasalle, forthe benefit of Gerdy’s Rescues & Adoptions andTeja’s Animal Refuge,150 attendees enjoyed asmorgasbord of donated main dishes & desserts(vegan, vegetarian, etc.).Several volunteers andmembers prepared all these home-cooked goodies specially for the fantastic

wall-to-wall potluck buffet table.TheSilent Auction contained a ton of itemsup for bid and many lucky people leftwith some very cool stuff.Several doorprizes were given away during theevening. Johanna and Jimmy from LadyLuck supplied the entertainment,including the Elvis impersonator, 50’sRock-n-Roller and the Karaoke fun.

Nicole Joncas (Teja’s), Kim Race, JudyCameron, Gerdy Gouron (Gerdy’s) & CarolWaterman (CVPA President)

Friday, October 28th

PetitsPawz, a cat refuge and adoption center, held a fundraiser and cocktailparty at Café Grand. The many invited guests were treated to a wonderfularray of beverages, great finger foods and desserts, all prepared by the twopartners of this upscale N.D.G. establishment, Stephane Gustafson and LiamHopkins.Proceeds from the event were donated to PetitsPawz, whichorganizes fundraisers for animal refuges (both cats and dogs) throughout theMontreal and surrounding regions.Their mission is to help save, treat, fosterand find homes for homeless and abused animals.They work with dedicatedveterinarians, experienced vet technicians, loyal volunteers and a multitude ofgreat foster families.

During the evening theduo of Kellan Selig(guitarist) and GabrielForget (bass) playedbackground music forthe listening pleasureof all.

Jennifer Sierzant,Sharmen Yarnell (MC),Danka Djokovic, RhodaTurner (V.P.) & SusanMackasey (Founder &President)

Saturday, October 29thMontreal Dog Walking held a fundraiser at DogHaus in N.D.G. for Underdog -- a rescued 1½-year-old Great Dane fostered by Stephanie. She has aserious leg problem that requires a very costlysurgical procedure.There was a bake sale (for dogsand humans), a dog kissing booth, a game ofbobbin’ for dog ‘apples’ and professional petphotographer Simone Fauque.

Sunday, October 30thAll those who attended the Montreal Active Dogspre-Halloween outing, at the immense dog park inBrossard, had a great day. There were also was aload of local doggies (and whom they own!).In themiddle of the park there is a huge hill - one can

almost spot Alaska from there… The weather was a bit on the cool and windyside but the four-leggers just loved it!

Sunday, November 6thNational Pet Show @ Olympic Stadium. There were a great variety ofanimals, agility demonstrations and exhibitors of pet foods & accessories.

Saturday, November 12thSPAWS (5385 Cote-de-Liesse. St-Laurent) @ 11:30am. Members and guestsof the Montreal Active Dogs Meetup group will be gathering to celebrateMickey’s 8th birthday party with fun & games for everyone (2 & 4-leggedalike).


THE LOCAL SEEKER, OCT 14 (pg. 12) FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com

Quote as of November 8th, 2011


Documents

Local Seeker, West End Montreal, Issue 22