issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 1
TAKE ONE - We’re different!
Local See ker The We s t
E n d Community paper
DO YOU know your LOCAL Businesses?
Vo l u m e 2 , I s s u e 1 7 , S e p t 2 , 2 0 1 1
Anita Benabou Rozenblat has made real estate fashionable, innovative When I sold my NDG duplex in the early 1990s, I used a Remax agent named Patricia Tustin. Sadly, the lovable Pat isn’t with us anymore, so I have nothing at all to gain by telling you this, other than fond memories of the incredible job she did for me. About six years later, I bought another house, this time in Cote Saint-Luc, but unfortunately those memories are not quite so fond. I’d tell you the agent’s name, but I’d probably get sued (Note: She owns her agency, so try to figure it out) and recommended an inspector whom, it turned out, wasn’t the least bit qualified to examine an outhouse: In the end, we had to spend about $8,000 to fix a faulty roof he had cleared by virtue of his ignorance. Rule number one – An agent is NOT ethically allowed to recommend one inspector to a client. They have to give you several to choose from. Or not recommend at all. Doing anything less can get them de-licensed by their association. Anita Benabou Rozenblat is a remarkable real estate agent, not just because she is smart, energetic, committed and honest – No dishonest attempts to influence buyers from THIS agent - but because of the road she took to become one of THE top selling agents around. She hailed from the fashion field, where she hawked her own Mosskito designs on TSC, The Shopping Channel, aired throughout North America, achieving considerable success in the process. Then, just like that, she yearned for a new challenge, one that would make real estate sales more fashionable than ever.
cont. p4
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 2
Briefly Bram * Briefly Bram *
Remembering Mr. September, Terry Fox I turn on the TV and, as always happens this time of year, I half expect to see a familiar image: a young man, face fixed with a determined grin, half limping, half jogging, along a long highway as a support car tails behind him. It was early September 1980 and his brave daily national runs seared the image of Terry Fox forever onto my mind. My heart thudded with appreciation and my eyes often welled up in admiration, as I truly “felt” for him, yet envied him at the same time. To have the will to even attempt this on one leg, hoping to defeat the illness that was your biggest challenger, while deep down you likely wanted to throw in the towel every moment…. To push yourself beyond the limits of endurance until you had nothing left…. But to keep going until only a doctor’s orders forced you to stop….
Montreal Radio – New is old again Don’t get me wrong – Terry DiMonte is one of the best guys around, someone I worked with while selling for CHOM many years ago, and arguably the best DJ Montreal has ever had on its English airwaves. And Aaron Rand, whom I also worked with when I sold airtime for AM-60 (CFCF Radio), is also terrific… he, Paul Zakaib and Suzanne Desautels had me howling over at Q-92, when the station was good. But, really, can’t the bigwigs who operate our English radio stations develop some NEW talent and get them on-air?
I am actually thrilled that Terry is coming back to CHOM quite soon, likely before winter, because that’s the station I listen to most these days. I have my issues with CHOM, too, don’t get me wrong, but the music is great and Terry will only make them THE best in the city during the morning drive. As far as Aaron heading over to CJAD: I’m pretty ambivalent over Now THAT is courage! THAT is sacrifice! THAT is chutzpah! the move. Yes, having Aaron on air in Montreal is FAR better than losing him to another market, because he is talented and the rest of the Just 22 years old at the time, I was about to leave on my first trip to Montreal radio scene is SO blasé as to be almost irrelevant. I just don’t Israel, a trip that was meant to determine whether I would move think they were doing such a bad job without him during afternoon there or not, meaning I would have to learn Hebrew, join the army drive. CJAD is terrific in morning drive, as Andrew Carter has what it takes and mount some serious challenges of my own. I left my parents, and their news department still delivers the best product in town, and I friends and old life behind, unsure whether I would ever come back. am usually switching between them and the excellently-operated-andAnd it was only the death of my father four months later that would delivered The Team 990 while getting ready at home and then heading scuttle my gelling plans and bring me back prematurely, at least, to work. But, bottom line, Montreal radio has been ending my dreams of touring Europe for a so lame for so long… what IS the problem? Huh, year and, certainly, any desire I had to leave ASSISTANCE Astral Media? my mother here alone as I relocated. And at the request of a reader, I wish to stress Yet it is Terry Fox and his run that I recall the that many seniors, with my complete support, HELP most, one of those few moments frozen in are mad as hell that they have been abandoned En retard à produire vos déclarations de time for me, much as the Kennedy by local radio stations that don’t care a darn revenus? Vous avez quelques années à rattraper? Nous pouvons vous aider! assassination, the explosion of the space about their demographic. Astral, it’s time that Appelez-nous aujourd’hui! shuttle Challenger, the destruction of the you gave Sol Boxenbaum a well-deserved place Twin Towers, the death of Princess Diana. on one of your stations again. Life is NOT just for Funny, though, but while most of these the young, you know. Want to voice your moments are disastrous ones, Terry Fox’s displeasure? It’s Astral Media, owner of CJAD, courageous run leaves me with feelings of Mix-96 and CHOM, that you need to get in touch hope, not despair. He taught me so much, did Late with your tax returns? with. Seems like a good time for a small Behind by a few years? Mr. Fox, and I still yearn for him to complete community paper-run protest campaign, don’t We can help! his run, even though he is long-gone. you think? To lodge a complaint with CJAD Call Today! directly, contact program director Chris Bury, at The late actor Christopher Reeve (a.k.a. 514-989-2523, or e-mail him at 514.461.3006 Superman) once defined courage in a manner chrisbury@astral.com. that will forever remain his legacy, as he battled the fight of his life against all else: “A hero is an ordinary individual Knuckles Nilan a local who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Sounds like he was describing Terry Fox Not sure if many people know this yet, but former Habs enforcer Chris quite succinctly, doesn’t it? “Knuckles” Nilan (one of THE most popular players ever and a talented hockey player in addition to being a killer of a pugilist), a resident of our town now, adores the city where he once made the Habs a FEARED team Debut of The Property Seeker to play against and spends much of his time doing all sorts of charity work. He also sells many cool pics of him taking on opponents and This issue of The Local Seeker marks the debut of an exciting new creative shots that you can buy signed by him, for just $40. E-mail Chris section we are calling The Property Seeker. It’s all about real estate, at info@knucklesnilan.com. but we will give it the Seeker treatment, with columns, great little extras, in short, not your average community paper real estate A big Seeker thank you section. Agents are invited to contact me about advertising your open houses and listings and I will give you much better rates than Thanks to Rosy for saving my skin and helping me deliver our last issue you are paying now. That’s a promise from none other than The after my car was unavailable to me. It would never have hit the streets Seeker Dude. without ya!
The Local Seeker, West End Montreal Edition Volume 2, Number 17, September 2 2011 Founded by Julia Lucio and Mai-Liis Renaud 2010 Published 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. Managing Editor: Bram Eisenthal
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
Creative Design: Julia Lucio
SEPT 2 (pg. 2)
OUR CONTACT INFORMATION Free Classifieds and Advertising: 514-975-7745 EMAIL: bram@thelocalseeker.com westend.thelocalseeker.com Mailing Address: 327 2nd Street E. Cornwall, On. K6H 1Y8 The Property Seeker A regular feature of The Local Seeker West End Montreal Edition Professional Consultant - Anita Benabou Rozenblat
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 3
What became of middle class?
Do you need small renovation, painting and cleaning services? Selling your home and require a thorough clean-up?
Spring cleaning? Yard work? Light fixtures changed or installed? Pick ups or deliveries with our small van?
The handy man can! Call Ralph, at 514 -912-1685 Or email me at alexdookes@hotmail.com
ABRA ELECTRONICS INC
514-731-0117 www.abra-electronics.com Store Hours Mon-Fri, 8:30-4:30
5580 Cote de Liesse - Montreal - H4P 1A9 Corner Devonshire Everything in Electronics, components and much more We are a leading North America-wide reseller, but our store is located right here in Montreal. Everything available at wholesale price
Last Call with Sol - Sol Boxenbaum
Renovations of any kind?
I remember when there were three classes of people. There were the wealthy, the poor, and those that managed to feed and clothe their families adequately and to provide the necessities of life. Let’s call that era the pre-Mulroney years. Nowadays there are many more millionaires and more people living from paycheque to paycheque while the middle class has all but disappeared. I once asked a listener on my radio show how he defined middle class. He said that someone who had their own home, nice furniture, a reasonably new car, took their family on nice vacations, was middle class. I disagree… unless that person has all this, but remains debt-free. Owning a home with a 25-year mortgage, a car with three to five years of payments, a house full of electronics and furniture purchased with no money down and no payments till 2013, whose last vacation is still on a credit card or a line of credit, does not constitute somebody we can call middle class. Why are there so many more millionaires than ever before? Many were fortunate enough to earn it over the years since the Second World War. Others inherited fortunes from their parents and a major cause was the fact that real estate has grown to a point where properties that were bought in the 1950’s for thousands of dollars are being sold today for hundreds of thousands of dollars… albeit the thousands of dollars were just as hard back then to accumulate as the millions are today. What is the point of my column? While the wealthy are becoming wealthier there are more people than ever living below the poverty line. There are many reasons for this, including loss of jobs due to outsourcing or business failure, illness and such. What does one do when they run out of EI benefits and have no savings? A good friend of mine who is also a former listener to my show, Morrie Cohen, is very involved (through the Old Brewery Mission) in helping men and women who have fallen on hard times. He devotes a lot of his time and money helping those less fortunate. He is to be commended for his efforts. This is in sharp contrast to an acquaintance of mine, an ultraConservative who is extremely financially stable by his own admission, and constantly complains that people on social welfare are being supported by his taxes. This man is, and has been for many years, living off the interest on his assets. Instead of taking the attitude “There but for the grace of God go I,” he begrudges the poor soul that relies on welfare to exist. While I agree that the system of social welfare is far from perfect, as there are too many drawing from it that can and ought to be working, many who have no other choice are not getting enough and therefore the program cannot be abolished. My extreme right-wing buddy accuses me of being “a leftie” because I have socialist ideals. But the truth is that I am neither a leftie nor a righty, I am a humanitarian. I don’t have a lot but I will share what I have with the needy. Important to note: Every street person is not an addict: Many are just victims of a society that has let them down. As always, I welcome your comments and opinions.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
• Largest Selection of
Electronic Hobby Kits in Canada • USB and HDMI cable starting at $5.99 • Remote Control Helicopter only $44.99 • Test instruments-MultimetersChemicals-Chemistry-Biology
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
SEPT 2 (pg. 3)
It’s closing time. Please visit www.lastcallwithsol.com Sol Boxenbaum (CEO) VIVA CONSULTING (514) 486-6226
SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND... IN OUR CLASSIFIEDS
Computer Doctor. Are you having problems with your computer? I can restore it to excellent health. Contact Darren at (514) 267-3953 – Affordable rates! Art lessons and workshops: drawing,painting, ink, bead, speedy blockprinting, origami. For information call 514-487-2970 or email indrasingh234@gmail.com
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 4
Benabou Rozenblat has made real estate fashionable, innovative (continued from cover)
“I saw these agents running around all the time, holding their open houses, buying and selling homes that would inevitably change people’s lives, and I wanted to be part of that action,” Benabou Rozenblat told me. “And I also knew I had what it took to not only be one of the more successful agents, but to rise to the top.” The real estate field needed a facelift and she has quite the imagination, needed to take it to the next level.
Cover Stor y
In just four and a half years, she has done just that, becoming “the highest-listing and selling agent in my sector,” something she is quite proud of. “Why not be proud? I’ve worked hard for it,” she stated. Benabou Rozenblat has not only recently started her own agency, Les Immeubles Anita Benabou Rozenblat Inc. (featuring a talented, winning stable of agents who speak English, French, Hebrew and Yiddish, too!), but has brought considerable innovation to the marketplace. She actually features the first Audio-Virtual Tour on her website www.anitabenabou.com, giving clients the opportunity to truly experience the homes that grab their interest from their most convenient places. “In the past, there really was just one way to see a home and that was by meeting the agent there. So, I worked toward bringing the home to the client. What could be easier than that?” asked Benabou Rozenblat. Benabou Rozenblat’s website is much more than an ego-stroking tool, but an actual, major part of her business. “It has been in existence for just 14 months, but has already generated over 21,000 hits, or 1,500 exclusive monthly views. I screen and approve each component created by my web designer personally and I actually stage every video myself. A home must look perfect before being aired on my website and everyone I meet raves about my Audio Video Tours. My business is about ideas.” The music added to these Virtual Tours are designed for each home, a creative touch that participants really appreciate. Potential buyers throughout Montreal generally contact her when they are looking to buy or sell, including some important VIPs. “A major diplomat and his family are shopping for a home and I received a call from his Consulate to take them on a tour recently. This isn’t the first time… my name is known throughout the North American and European consular service.” Benabou Rozenblat has sold over 178 homes in her almost five years, but she has also brought some major projects to the West End, the current ones being Les Villas Bal Moral, a project built by The Vincelli Family with Phase II coming up and the highly-anticipated Les Cours Marc Chagall located beside the new Chabad synagogue and Bialik High School, an incredible location. According to Benabou, this development will feature 21 luxurious townhouses, priced at just $485,000 for an attached unit and $495,000 for a corner unit, all taxes included. Cote Saint-Luc, through the hard work of its terrific council of younger elected members blended beautifully with experienced municipal politicians and a committed mayor, has been striving to attract a younger demographic to an aging community. They appear to be succeeding and projects like these are a big reason. “This affords younger families an opportunity to purchase a brand new home in one of the city’s most welcoming communities (Ed. Note: See the item on CSL’s spanking new Aquatic and Community Centre inside this edition), within their financial reach,” Benabou Rozenblat said. Some potential buyers appear hesitant at first, as Les Cours Marc Chagall is located on the very same parcel of land as James Winnikoff’s failed project, which had him trying to build townhouses there without the compulsory valid license from the Regie du Batiment du Quebec. “Rest assured,” promised Benabou-Rozenblat, “This project is headed by reputable businessmen Gerald Issenman and David Brown, owners and administrators of Les Cours Marc Chagall. If they weren’t solid in their goals and ideals, I would not be representing them. The public is very well aware that this project has nothing to do with the last one. In fact sales are steady and going strong.” If it’s true that “home is where the heart is,” you can be certain that any property sold or bought for you by Anita Benabou Rozenblat will have her heart stamped all over it… as well as being extremely fashionable. For Anita, fashion is the new real estate. To contact Anita Benabou Rozenblat, call 514-502-6627 or email her at anitarozenblat@hotmail.com
CSL unveils new state-of-the-art Aquatic and Community Centre Despite a furious deluge outdoors, several hundred Cote St. Luc residents were on hand for a special event on August 28, 2011. The municipality unveiled its new $18 million Aquatic and Community Centre (ACC) as the tail of Hurricane Irene whipped through Montreal, bringing with it many millimeters of wind-swept precipitation. The storm did nothing, however, to dampen the spirits of the throng. The ACC is simply that impressive. Featuring the city’s first two indoor pools (located across the street from the older outdoor pool), one 25-metre, 10-lane competitive pool and another smaller recreational pool, the centre is positioned to become on of the forward-looking community’s most popular assets. Membership to the pool gives individuals use of a machine-equipped fitness room, the use of meeting rooms and other recreational areas, including a teen lounge, game room (with billiard and ping pong tables and fuzball) and Senior Club lounge, all housed in a state-of-the-art and architecturally-practical facility. The ACC ribbon was cut by CSL Mayor Anthony Housefather, surrounded by his councilors, MP Irwin Cotler, MNA Lawrence Bergman, Senator Judith Seidman and other key personalities. Earlier, tours were given to VIPs and CSL residents were also given an opportunity to see the impressive facilities. A staged water polo match was also scheduled to provide ample evidence of the aquatic centre’s potential. (Photos: Bram Eisenthal)
(Left to right): Senator Judith Seidman; MP Irwin Cotler; MNA Lawrence Bergman; CSL councilor Mitchell Brownstein; Mayor Anthony Housefather; councilors Allan J. Levine, Ruth Kovac, Michael J. Cohen, Glenn J. Nashen, Sam Goldbloom, Dida Berku, Steven Erdelyi; City Manager and Library Director Tanya Abramovitch; Director of Parks and Recreation David Taveroff; and Darryl Levine, Director of Public Affairs, Communications and IT.
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
SEPT 2 (pg. 4)
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 5
Entertainment Entre Nous - Shlomo Schwartzberg
Networks must give new Images of Motel Raphael – Almost 60 years old and shows a chance to haunting us still catch on With the new network TV season just around the corner, it’s time for me to decide which of the 30plus new series to sample. I usually check out about six or seven of them for several reasons: for the cast; their premise; or simply out of curiosity. But that’s inherently risky, as one just might get hooked on a show that gets cancelled just as quickly as it began. I have a good friend who will no longer watch new series for that reason. Over the years, he's managed to consistently pick prematurelycancelled series which I never checked out or got into (Life as We Know It, The Nine, Surfacing) or bailed from (Invasion). I’ve been luckier in recent TV seasons, latching onto hits like The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family and The Good Wife. But I, too have been burned, notably with Daybreak, a Groundhog Day meets 24 cop show and Jericho, an apocalyptic science fiction series depicting the United States after most of its major cities have been nuked. The latter was actually saved from cancellation by its fans only to have them disappointed all over again when CBS, in its infinite wisdom, delayed its return, thus failing to capitalize on the momentum ensuing from the public relations campaign that ‘rescued’ it. It lasted another seven episodes before being axed again, though it has been revived as a graphic novel this summer. And let’s not forget My So-Called Life, the groundbreaking teen series which made a star out of Claire Danes. I’m still angry that ABC cancelled that one.
Urban exploring: The act of scouting out a previously-occupied building that was once teeming with life… but is now nothing but a haunt for spirits. Motel Raphael on St. Jacques W. (the stretch of road known as Ste. Anne de Bellevue, on the property that had been re-named the Knights Inn before its demise) is such a place. When you think of all the life there before… all the joy, anticipation, and, yes, lust, too, it’s eerie to see it this way now, devoid of all life but the gathering moss, the insects and the rodents that visit nightly. Hard to imagine that this authentic antique building, opened almost 60 years ago in 1953, was once a deluxe establishment. But it was. So, with a genuine denizen of urban anthropology in our West End midst, it’s time to publish some of its haunting imagery… while we still can. Here’s to Motel Raphael. Thanks for the memories.
There was also Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Aaron (The West Wing) Sorkin’s clever drama about a TV sketch series that ran for just one season on NBC. (ED. NOTE: One of my favourite shows and one I bemoaned the cancellation of… it’s on DVD if you want to watch a really engaging show.). Of course, axing shows post haste is not exactly a new development on American network television. It goes back decades. I’ve heard only great things about He & She, a late ‘60s CBS comedy starring Richard Benjamin and his wife Paula Prentiss that apparently was the template for The Mary Tyler Moore Show. And the eighties saw so many terrific series, such as Buffalo Bill, the revamped Twilight Zone and Max Headroom, die early deaths. One option to avoid wasting your time is waiting to see which shows become hits and then renting the full season(s) later on DVD. But I’d prefer it if the networks would let new shows run for at least a full season before deciding their fate. Then, at least, its creators could flesh out their storylines and, perhaps, arrive at some closure, just in case a second season is not forthcoming. A graduate of Ryerson University’s School of Journalism, former West End Montrealer Shlomo Schwartzberg is a veteran film critic, has regularly reviewed films for various publications and lectures on film and TV studies. He was the director of programming for the Toronto Jewish Film Festival for seven years.
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
SEPT 2 (pg. 5)
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 6
BUY or SELL your HOME in the
Property See ker
The We s t
Issue 1
E n d real estate section
Mortgage Matters
Government changes affect how their debts into one low, manageable penalties resulting from breaking their monthly payment. The best part of it is first mortgage. In the short term, these you can buy your home
Many people today who own homes, but have not moved in a while, may not be aware of the changes made by the federal government that affect your ability to acquire a mortgage. Many rules have changed that are giving people rude awakenings. Although you can still purchase a property with 95% financing, refinancing to consolidate debts has been cut back to 85%. Also, the amount of home one can afford is more restrictive.
Four years ago you could amortize your payments over 40 years, and then more recently, the government cut back to 30year amortizations. Credit restrictions have remained strict and people who have lower beacon scores are more limited with regard to their borrowing power. Fortunately, in our society today, more and more people are looking for financial freedom by running their own business. Unfortunately, banks have made it more challenging for selfemployed people to acquire mortgages. I specialize in clients who face this challenge. Whether a client has strong credit or not, I have access to programs that allow people to purchase a home or consolidate
Property Previews -
A n i t a B e n a b o u R o ze n b l a t
"For sale by owner" Could that be a costly mistake? It is not a legal requirement to have representation by a licensed agent in order to sell a home. However, I am always curious why sellers make the decision to "sell without an agent," knowing that statistics show unrepresented sellers typically end up netting much less for their homes than selling with an agent.Allowing strangers into your home without an agent is a risk in itself.I have extracted a few statistics of interest from a publication which I feel sellers should know: The typical home was on the market for three months; 87% percent of home buyers used a real estate agent in their home search; Only 27% of For Sale By Owners ("FSBOs" or "Unrepresented Sellers") were able
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
that I do not necessarily need to see tax returns and Notices of Assessment from the government...which is a huge advantage. And don't worry... all the banks I deal with as a broker have excellent reputations. Whether you are buying your first home, have excellent credit or have been through tough times, it is important to deal with an experienced mortgage professional. Have you already bought your first home and now want to start a real estate portfolio of multi-plexes/rental property? There has never been a better time to buy, with interest rates being at an all-time low. I also work with private lenders who do equity loans, when all other options have been exhausted. These loans often are designed to help people avoid the big
loans typically have lower monthly payments so that people can catch up with their monthly credit card payments. In more dire situations, people who are behind on their first mortgage, municipal and government taxes can be helped as well. If you have any questions, or need a free consultation, I would be happy to educate you at your convenience.
Jason Zuckerman Hypotheca Mortgage Brokers (514) 771-1352 /1-800- 206-1350 jzuckerman@hypotheca.ca
to sell without the assistance of an agent; The primary reason FSBO sellers did not use a real estate agent was to avoidpaying a commission; The median selling price of FSBO homes was $210,000 compared with $255,000 for agent assisted home sales (This represents a loss of over 17% - much higher than a typical commission).Or even worse, people think they are getting a deal by signing up for online sell-it- yourself services with virtual tours, and often pay over $3,000 up front with no results while putting themselves at security risk. An agent’s commission is a success fee. He/she did the work, came up with a marketing program, paid for advertising, screened and prequalified potential buyers, negotiated the deal and ultimately got the money for the seller.As you can plainly see, statistics prove that the odds are against the Unrepresented Seller.
SEPT 2 (pg. 6)
PROPERTY SEEKER SECTION www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 7
Update Your Bathroom in a Weekend (Family Features) Not everyone has the time or money to undergo a complete bathroom renovation, but there are some simple and cost effective ways to make your bathroom as good as new in a short amount of time, and at a fraction of the cost. Waterpik(r) and Kelly Edwards, designer from HGTV's "Design on a Dime," have some ideas that can be used to update any bathroom in less than two days, and for $200 or less. • A fresh coat of paint is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to make a big splash in any room. Cabinets, ceilings and, depending on the material, even floors can be painted. • Look for towels, rugs and shower curtains at closeout stores, and check out online sales so you can stock up and splurge. • Simply changing your showerhead can turn a regular shower into a true spa-like experience. The EasySelect showerhead from Waterpik, for example, has a spray selector located right on the handle, so you can change the spray settings from circular massage to full body coverage without having to reach through the water stream. Find out more at www.waterpik.com. • Because most bathrooms won't have a lot of knobs or pulls to replace, you can splurge a little bit on some special hardware.
Common credit myths about buying a home (ARA) - Whether your annual earnings range well into six figures or are on the more modest end of national salary averages, you know you'll probably need credit to buy a home. While you likely know how important credit is to your home-buying plans, you may not be aware of the truth behind some common credit myths. Myth: If your bills are paid and you've never defaulted on a loan, mortgage or credit card bill, you don't need to worry about your credit report or credit score. Truth: Many factors influence your credit score, and payment history is just one of them. When calculating your score, credit bureaus also consider length of credit history, types of credit used and ratio of credit available to credit used. Even if your payment history is good, scoring lower on one of the other factors could lower your overall credit score.
Pick up the next issue to unveil the next myth
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
SEPT 2 (pg. 7)
PROPERTY SEEKER SECTION
www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 8
Read On! - Andreas Kessaris
Three great Canadian reads During recent Canada Day celebrations, a friend asked me who my favourite Canadian authors were. I found myself, for the first time in a long time, thinking about two classes I took at Concordia University in the early nineties. Canadian Fiction and Postwar Canadian Fiction were year-long courses taught by a tall, greying, old-school, bland, stereotypical empire loyalist English Canadian college professor named Malcolm Foster (whom I once referred to as Malcolm F. He was not amused). Malcolm F lectured slowly and deliberately in a crested blazer, matching pants and out-of-style tie. He was also an expert in Canadian fiction who was with Concordia back when it was Sir George Williams College and Mordecai Richler was a young teacher’s assistant. Like most English Lit courses, there were good books, great books, and long, boring, difficult books. Here are the three I admire most: Barometer Rising by Hugh MacLennan is one of my all-time favourite books. It is a fictionalized account of the World War I harbour explosion that devastated Halifax, something I didn’t even know happened until I read this book, (I can’t believe I was never taught that in high school!). Although at times a little melodramatic, the book is an exciting and interesting fact-based page-turner. And MacLennan did not alter any truths about the actual explosion, so it also serves as a mini history lesson. Frederick Philip Grove’s Settlers of the Marsh conveys the dramatic story of early European settlers in Manitoba. The story focuses on Swedish immigrant Niels Lindstedt and his attempts to build a life and find love. There are several tragic and, at times, politically incorrect turns, but over all it is a satisfying read that portrays accurately and in great detail the hardships and struggles faced by the people who helped make Canada. Finally we have Tay John by Howard O’Hagan. A westerner by birth, O’Hagan spins a mystical tale of an allegorical half-breed mountain man through legend, hearsay and third party accounts. I often underline profound or well-crafted sentences in books. Tay John has at least one underlined passage per chapter: My personal favourite is about how “possession is a great surrender.” It can be found at the start of chapter seven. Each of the aforementioned titles is less that three hundred pages long and can be found at most Canadian bookstores for about ten dollars. Read on! www.essaysbyandreas.com (ED. NOTE: I happened to have had the late, great Hugh MacLennan as the professor of a university English course I was enrolled in. Lecturing slowly, deliberately and being bland, old-school and sporting out-of-style ties was certainly not reserved for Malcolm Foster alone, although brilliance was another quality MacLennan shared with Foster).
ICED CAPPUCCINO
SOFT ICE CREAM
iced chai latte m i l k s h a k e s homemade juices (mango, soursop tamarind, guava)
ICED LATTE hibiscus iced tea
and more ! ! ! 20% off in Mon-Fri any of7:00 these Opening hours: a.m. tobeverages 9:00 p.m by showing this add. until April 10th, 09. Sat- Sun from 9:00 Valid a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
We’ve been on watch for expert 50 great years! We provide service in: For five decades, family business OTA has been here, serving Montrealers from the West End and beyond.
• Quality watch and clock repairs • Battery replacement (best prices around) • Custom work, done on the premises
Plus we sell watches, bands and leather straps (from France) AND Jewellery, including the wildly At OTA, our honesty and integrity are surpassed only by our commitment. We save you time, money and worry. OT A Watc hmaker & Jewellery C o * F ounded in 1 9 6 1 6 8 6 5 Sherbrooke Street W. by Mathias Woronc hak (c orner Mayfair)
5 1 4 -4 8 4 -3 8 4 7
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
SEPT 2 (pg. 8)
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 9
AD L A ET S
ON
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
SEPT 2 (pg. 9)
E
DI ME
M U R oice chase O G ch m Pur ur UM o inimu d until 11) y f M r goo 6, 20 o 20 1 ffe $ with
(o
t. Sep
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 10
The University of the Streets Café organizes public conversations in cafés and community spaces across Montreal. The program is free and open to participants of all ages, all backgrounds, and all levels of education. http://univcafe.concordia.ca 6 SEPT • Tuesday • 7-9 pm Foodie Culture and the Gourmet Life: Are we missing the point about food? Arts Café, 201, Fairmount Ouest (@ De l’Esplanade) 12 SEPT • Monday • 7-9 pm A System of Systems: Are we ready for an integrated, interconnected world? Coop La Maison Verte, 5785, Sherbrooke Ouest (@ Melrose)
This bit of space could be yours! Call us today to enquire about our amazing advertising offers. 514-975-7745 514-975-7745
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
SEPT 2 (pg. 10)
Kith
Starring at our
special Supper Club, Saturday, September 3, starting at 7 p.m.
Great sounds, terrific food, at Grillades Portugaises!
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
vISIT US ONLINE AT WESTEND.THELOCALSEEKER.COM JOIN US ON FACEBOOK... THE LOCAL SEEKER LOCAL SEEKER ON TWITTER
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 11
Would YOU like to receive The Local Seeker (and the Property Seeker) at your home? If so, WE WANT YOU, too! We are considering establishing a subscription service for anyone who would like to receive The Local Seeker West End Montreal Edition at home. The paper is out every second weekend and for just $5 monthly, we will add you to our mailing list. Six months will cost you $25 and one year would be just $45. Please e-mail info@thelocalseeker.com and include your mailing address and telephone number. You can PayPal the funds to info@thelocalseeker.com or mail them to 327 2nd Street E. Cornwall, Ontario, K6H 1Y8
At the end of our first year of publication, the future looks bright. Be a part of it!
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
SEPT 2 (pg. 11)
Hope you have enjoyed this issue of The Local Seeker. Our FIRST Anniversary Issue (and they said it wouldn’t last) will be out Sept 16, 2011
Bes t, Bra m
Deadline - Friday, Sept 9, 2011, 12 noon
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com
issue17_Layout 1 9/1/2011 1:38 PM Page 12
THE LOCAL SEEKER,
SEPT 2 (pg. 12)
FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 www.westend.thelocalseeker.com