Local Herald, Issue 3

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:50 PM Page 1

T H E

Local Herald West

End’s

D O Y O U k no w your LO C AL F l o r i s t ?

Vo l u m e 3 , I s s u e 3 , Story and photos: Bram D. Eisenthal

Community

Paper

February 10, 2012 A rose is a rose, but on Valentine’s Day Montreal West florist is more reasonable than many others In honour of Valentine’s Day, a local chocolate business initially seemed to be the most logical profile. Then it became apparent that this was not a fair assumption: Chocolate’s health benefits may be highly touted in recent years, but it’s not good for everyone, certainly not diabetics. Flowers, however, don’t need to be sold with any health warnings that I know of. So, this is where Montreal West entrepreneur Alex Yoo comes in.

The New Jersey-born and raised man of South Korean descent was hardly destined to become a florist. “I graduated in Political Science from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania,” Yoo told me, as I gazed at all the lovely floral arrangements in Yoo’s Westminster Florist (33 Westminster North, 514-369-6888, Montrealwestflowers.ca). And I seemed destined to spend my life in golf at first. I love golf, so I worked as a caddy at a 2,000-member private club in Richmond, Virginia, the sort of club with many very impressive and extremely wealthy patrons. I worked my way up to the professional PGAlevel of employees and spent five years there.”

cont. p4

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:50 PM Page 2

It’s Valentine’s Day, so where’s the love?

B r a m E i s e n t h a l - Th e Lo c a l S e e ke r

I am constantly reminded about the true message of Valentine’s Day for this world… and it ain’t “spend, spend, spend till your paycheque’s all gone,” at least it should not be that. Nope. Since love is the primary message we are all inundated with everywhere we look, how about starting with loving each other?

I know it’s terribly cliché, but it’s not a bad idea, while we still have the time.

Love starts with understanding, which starts with dispelling stale notions of groups we don’t mingle with often enough. For me, one such group is the Black community. I grew up on Prince of Wales, corner Chester, and I encountered members of that community from neighbouring Walkley and the “Gardens” often enough. At my elementary school, the then-PSBGMoperated Sir Arthur Currie (now Enfants du Monde, located on Rosedale Avenue in NDG), we were a melting pot of races: Caucasian, Black, and Asian, primarily. We mingled in class and, certainly, on the playground. Still, we were primarily white and I often wondered how kids from the Black community felt as a visible minority in school.

Certainly, I heard racial taunts now and again, the now-verboten term “nigger” resonating all-too-freely in the air at recess and at lunchtime. It’s didn’t apply to me, however, so what the hey? It WAS just a word, wasn’t it?

As I got older, I experienced anti-Semitism – mainly via the power of words - up close and dirty, so I started to realize that words and actions were not just minor inconveniences. When I moved to Ottawa in 1983, for instance, while working at Westburne Electric, one of the order desk guys used the term “don’t Jew me down” with a client. It was the first time I ever heard that “charming” turn of phrase. Then, one day in 1999, at a convention in Atlanta, I was walking downtown by myself when I looked around and was quite startled to discover I was the sole Caucasian in a sea of Black people. I have always considered myself pretty enlightened when it came to people with skins darker than mine, but, yeah, I was scared. That surprised me… a lot. Then and there, I knew how Blacks felt living in a mainly-white world.

A few weeks ago, this sensation of “standing out like a sore thumb” came to the fore yet again. I needed a hair-cut and my Snowdon-based “stylist” of 37 years was out of town, so I decided to go to a simple Italian barber in NDG where, for almost half the cost, I could visibly alter the appearance of my older hair-challenged male scalp. So, with the knack usually reserved for a character from TV’s Seinfeld, what did I do? I walked into Coiffure Adrian, an establishment on the corner of Montclair, corner Fielding, that is as Italian as I am, but less so.

As I opened the door, there were about 10 Black males milling about waiting patiently for their encounter with the electric shavers wielded by a skilled 32-year old barber named Adrian, a.k.a. Cowboy. At first, the flight response kicked in, not from fear, but from not quite belonging in a place expertly-geared toward cutting Black hair. Black hair is not MY hair, although I wish it was now that mine is rapidly thinning and making me feel like a castrated mule in comparison to the old days, when my coifs gave me the appearance of John Travolta (in his Sweathog days, of course).

But I smartened up and thought “how bad could it be?’ and “hey, this could be fun’ and I’m very glad I did. I was treated with utter hospitality by both the owner/cutter, Adrian, and by his friends and clients, which included being serenaded by soul classics on CD, crooned by legends like Marvin Gaye and Teddy Pendergrass. When my turn came to sit in Adrian’s captain’s chair, I was delighted to discover that there IS new life for old hair and that, boy, could this guy ever cut/shave hair… and for just $10, too! I was so delighted, in fact, I plan to go back to see Cowboy on a regular basis. Thanks again for the cool cut, Adrian!

So, it’s never too old to learn new tricks, I suppose, and I am grateful for this fateful experience, which helped make me a less closed-minded person than I was before… and for introducing me to a hair cutter both closer to me distance-wise, extremely talented and, yup, less expensive, too. It’s a good lesson for us all, this opening up, dropping pretensions and ceasing to believe you know it all.

The Local Herald, West End Montreal Edition Volume 3, Number 3, February 10, 2012 Founded by Julia Lucio and Mai-Liis Renaud 2010 Published by Local Seeker Media Group, Cornwall, Ontario The Local Herald 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 Herald.

Managing Editor: Bram Eisenthal

THE LOCAL HERALD,

Creative Design: Julia Lucio

FEB 10 (pg. 2)

To those Caucasians who cross to the other side of the street when you see someone representing a visible minority heading your way, how about doing something completely revolutionary?

Don’t cross! If you buy into local police mentality that it’s okay to shoot an unarmed fleeing Black person in the back simply for running away, or stopping the Black driver of an expensive car because your “spidey sense” tingles, telling you that he or she should be driving an old wreck instead, then you might as well hang onto your racist mentality.

If nothing else, however, use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to embrace differences of all kinds, and, truly, love your neighbour whatever their culture or race. It really can’t hurt, you know, and it COULD make this world a better place, one iota at a time.

Thanks to our columnists for their themes I am pretty impressed, I must tell you, that most if not all of this issue’s columnists were able to stick to my requested Valentine’s Day theme. You did a great job, each and every one of you… thanks! Father John’s homage to true love is likely one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. Paul Graif’s Valentine’s wish for the Habs totally resonated when I went to the matinee Family Day game between the Habs and Jets on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5, my first game in about two years. My buddy and I had a chance to catch up, ably assisted by two of the most boring teams to play that day. And I have never been more reluctant to see my favourite team, the Habs, play a match in my 41 years as a fan. Keep it up, Geoff Molson, and you’ll start seeing 5,000 empty seats per game before too long. It will serve you right. No Valentine for you this year, Geoff, and a bouquet of black roses, no less.

STAR SALES REP WANTED If this limited staff situation continues much longer, we’re gonna change our name to The Lonely Herald.

We are looking for a sales rep, experience not required… just desire and a chance to make some cold, hard cash. No benefits, straight commission… but also no one looking over your shoulder, clocking your hours or stressing you out. This is a real opportunity to grow along with a growing paper, where your earning potential is limited only by your ability and desire. Male or female, all ages, any race or religion, bilingualism preferred but NOT required, although the ability to converse in English IS a must. If you are interested in giving us a hand, call us at 514-975-7745 and leave us a message if we do not answer.

We are seeking a sales star-in-the-making.

Is that you?

OUR CONTACT INFORMATION Free Classifieds and Advertising: 514-975-7745 EMAIL: bram@localheraldmontreal.com localheraldmontreal.com Mailing Address: 327 2nd Street E. Cornwall, On. K6H 1Y8 The Property Seeker A regular feature of The Local Herald West End Montreal Edition Professional Consultant - Anita Benabou Rozenblat

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

localheraldmontreal.com

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:50 PM Page 3

Entertainment Entre Nous -

Movie and TV show characters to love on Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day to all our Advertisers, Readers and Supporters We Love You! www.royalafricanstores.com

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it’s worth taking a look at the television shows and movies where the couples depicted are actually believable in their relationships. It’s all about chemistry, whatever role you’re playing and that successful chemistry isn’t as common as you’d think. In that light, here are some couples I think mesh perfectly together.

Leonard and Penny in The Big Bang Theory: He’s the genius science nerd; she’s the pretty barely educated girl next door. They started out as friends, then became lovers, broke up and this season have gotten back together again – sort of. As acted by Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco, the pair is, perhaps, the most convincing of all TV screen couples, a seemingly mismatched pair who may have more in common with each other than they thought.

Long married, Phil (Ty Burrell) and Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) from Modern Family are probably the most authentic married couple on television. They get on each other’s nerves, tweak each other and squabble often but you just know they’ll be together through thick and thin.

Rick and Ilsa in Casablanca. The hard-bitten expatiate American nightclub owner and his Norwegian ex-lover makes beautiful music together during the chaos and terror of the Second World War. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman’s pairing, in a movie that was largely made up as it went along and was originally to star Ronald Reagan (!) and Ann Sheridan in the leads, is a miracle movie that still resonates today. Possibly the greatest tragic love story of them all.

For sheer, sizzling sexual chemistry, the on again, off again relationship between lawyer Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) and her boss Will Gardner (Josh Charles) on The Good Wife can’t be beat. Their sexual attraction took two whole TV seasons to be consummated only to fall asunder when Alicia, out of guilt at neglecting her family, ended it.

But their feelings for each other are still there so who knows what will still happen between them? Theirs is one of the best elements of a consistently terrific series.

Condemned to live his life backwards, from old age to infancy, Benjamin (Brad Pitt) falls in love with Daisy (Cate Blanchett) but, once undergone, their relationship inevitably can’t last as Benjamin becomes younger and younger while Daisy ages. The epic scope and dazzling special effects of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button can’t obscure the deeply touching love story at its core. It’s unforgettable.

Happy Valentine’s Day. 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 eight years.

THE LOCAL HERALD,

FEB 10 (pg.3)

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

localheraldmontreal.com

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:50 PM Page 4

A rose is a rose, but on Valentine’s Day Montreal West florist is more reasonable than many others

Cover Stor y

(continued from cover)

Married to Montreal-bred Vivian by this time, Yoo then endured the worst period of his life following the death of his beloved father, a high-respected and charismatic leader of the South Korean community. “My wife’s family had operated a popular flower shop on Monkland Avenue and they informed me that this business in Montreal West was for sale. For the sake of me and my mom, I decided to try to alter the negative atmosphere and try something new.”

With the help of Vivian and her family, determined to go all out to make it a successful florist, Yoo took over the premises that had been Montreal West Hardware for so many years. On the chalkboard behind him, I read a poem

by Honore de Balzac that told me everything about the man I was interviewing: “Love has its own instinct, finding the way to the heart as the feeblest insect finds the way to the flower, with a will that nothing can dismay nor turn aside.”

Sensitive, passionate and kind, Yoo is also the sort of entrepreneur who will endure whatever is necessary to provide his clients the best possible service, while at the same time using his smarts to turn a profit. “I knew nothing about being a florist at first, but Vivian had her family’s experience to help us and she is highly creative… she handles the most creative side of our marketing, while I suppose I handle the business side… although we are at the point now where our regulars know her as more than simply Mrs. Alex,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Yoo has certainly acquired a knack for being creative as well. During our interview early Saturday morning, no fewer than four male customers walked in and purchased flowers, each bouquet impressively chosen and professionally wrapped by Yoo. Not just anyone can slap these together so beautifully - Love DOES actually have its own instinct, it seems.

Then there is also the notion of flowers costing an arm and a leg, especially for Valentine’s Day. I remember shopping at

THE LOCAL HERALD,

Hall Florist, the defunct flower shop that existed for 50-years-plus north on farther Westminster… and they were hardly inexpensive as far as guilty pleasures go. “We have a year-long special here: a dozen roses of any colour except red for $19.95,” a prescient Yoo told me, moments before a client walked in and bought THREE bouquets of his gorgeous, off –white Eskimo roses.

At Valentine’s Day, however, all bets are off for cheap deals.

“Understand that the floral farms in South America, Holland, California and Ontario charge their wholesalers a lot more and they, in turn, charge us a lot more, which means we have to increase our prices to make a profit,” Yoo pointed out. “The higher cost of gas also affects pricing, as it costs a lot more to deliver the flowers to us, by plane and truck. But since Valentine’s Day is the second hottest period for flower sales after Mother’s Day, I do my best to keep prices as low as possible factoring in the higher quantity of sales.”

quite mutual. He pulled out an item he is extremely proud to possess, the prestigious L o v e l l business directory for Montreal West, 20112012.

A painting on the cover by a r t i s t Jacques Tremblay d e p i c t s Westminster Florist and Yoo was v i s i b l y enthralled as he showed it to me. “I consider this a real honour,” he said.

The Yoos are also very proud to be Montreal West residents, raising two young daughters here. “On Canada Day, we participate in the parade and hand out 400 roses to our friends and neighbours,” Yoo told me. “We feel very fortunate to be part of this amazing town.”

Simply stated, Yoo is not a pig. He charges slightly more to help lovers woo the hearts of their significant others, but doesn’t rip them off. “You can buy roses around the city that come in various sizes: 30, 40, 50, 60 centimeters or more, but to help keep prices consistent – and because we are a smaller florist – we only stock the 60-cm. roses. We charge $60 a dozen for premium red roses, which we sell for $3.99 apiece the rest of the year, while elsewhere the mark-up can be 200-250 times more for Valentine’s Day and you can pay $85 a dozen or more. I won’t work that way.”

Yoo’s floral business has won him the respect of many of the town’s residents, a feeling that is

FEB 10 (pg. 4)

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

localheraldmontreal.com

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:51 PM Page 5

Whole Grain Roll by Caryn Roll

Chocolate: Is the propaganda fact or fiction?

Stop holding your minty-sweet breath, it’s finally time for:

The Local Herald’s Ultimate Love Notes

Valentine’s Day is approaching. It appears to me that there are more red hearts and cellophane delights than there are such appointments at Halloween. I guess it gives people an excuse to eat chocolate and maybe even say “I love you”?

The nutrition question that I get asked most in February: Is chocolate good for you? Many people wonder this. Surf the web and numerous articles will pop up pertaining to this issue. To put it simply chocolate (made from 70% or more cocoa), has health benefits associated with it. These health benefits are derived from the antioxidants found in cocoa solids called flavanoids.

Antioxidants are important because they fight the free radicals produced in our bodies. Free radicals can cause a plethora of health problems. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables contain a very high source of antioxidants. So don’t rely solely on chocolate to do the job!

Chocolate with less than 70% cocoa usually has fewer of these antioxidants and more milk solids and fats which are not associated with health benefits. The classic milk chocolate bar is a treat and cannot be considered a source of antioxidants (and, yes, that includes the Aero Bar). In contrast, 10 grams of dark chocolate a day contributes approximately 50 calories and packs quite a flavourful punch.

Here are some yummy chocolatey ideas: Jazz up plain yogurt with dark chocolate shavings. Now THAT is decadent. Try sucking on a piece of dark chocolate while sipping tea. It might become a regular ritual. Have you ever tried a nut-butter sandwich with dark chocolate shavings? Mmmmmm! A skinny latte sprinkled with dark chocolate is better than adding sugar! Whip up an exotic vegetable salad and use coconut and chocolate flakes for extra flavour. Instead of the dreaded Nutella over toast in the morning, sprinkle on some chocolate.

Remember, everything in moderation is the way to go. When you have too much of something that is good for you, it often has the reverse effect. In essence, too much dark chocolate equals too many calories.

(ED. NOTE: Somewhere, Willy Wonka and his crew are rubbing their hands in glee every time the dark chocolate sales receipts come in…)

Sammy, See me, feel me, touch me, heal me… I see the fire, gazing at you…

Who? Babycakes, you’ve become quite the baker…. Love, Charlene

My pe rsona l Mat a Har i, If you spied o day, a ll you n me eve ry ’d fin madly I love d is how you…

James Bond

My sweet S ue,

Dear Shirley, will you marry me?

Remember, you read it here first!

Love eternally, David

Oh jeez, an other Valen tine’s Day???? That makes 42 n ow and I never loved you m ore, honey… le t’s ce usual, ok? Ju lebrate as st this time , easy on my back, ok?

i), oob B y (m ack To J or ed f arri even m een nd ve ve b years a still lo a h I e , 3 s 3 W fault ost alm ll your u. a yo w i th l erfu ond y!!! w a ea Hav tine’s D il n a Vale ove, G L My dearest Audrey,

Hey kno Chooc w hi love what th na. You e will find y say… aw ay! xo C hoo ch

To Gail

Never anyone else since you, your love making an honest man of me finally.

Barry

Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart.

Love,Jack

Roses are red… and so are your cheeks when our passion’s afire.

Mona L on yo isa had nut u, bab t i n’ e.

Your M ichel A ngelo

Steve

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

THE LOCAL HERALD,

(Thanks to all our contributors and a Happy Valentine’s Day to our readers!)

FEB 10 (pg. 5)

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

localheraldmontreal.com

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:51 PM Page 6

GM with smart heart needed to begin rebuilding process for Habs Happy Valentine’s Day, Canadiens fans!

May you fall in love with the team’s new general manager, once Geoff Molson gets up the courage to send a dozen dead, red to the roses

Spotlight on Sports by Paul Graif

current GM. But be careful what you wish for… this team will not turn it around in one season.

They are saddled with inflated contracts left over from the soon-to-be-over Mr. Gauthier era. I will show Mr. Gauthier the respect that he shows for the players on his team, by calling him “Mr.” No point kicking a man when he’s down.

But there IS a point in kicking him out.

Someone recently pointed out to me that the Canadiens are no better with Randy Cunneyworth as head coach, than they were under Jacques Martin. Mr. Gauthier fired Mr. Martin and promoted Mr. Cunneyworth.

That person was right, but I sent him the following note:

“Ok,sir. If you think you can do a better job, you're hired. But we are going to saddle you with the same crappy employees and make sure you prove yourself by winning with a team that needs draft picks to get better.

Oh, the kicker? We'll slap you with the ‘interim’ tag and throw you under the bus a week into the job, because you don't speak our language - Even though we hired you in the first place. Here are the keys, good luck!”

Mr. Gauthier is responsible for the contract handed to the team’s saviour, Andrei Markov. He is coming off two knee reconstructions, yet Mr. Gauthier felt it prudent to sign him to a three-year deal worth $17.25 million. Mr. Markov has yet to play. Thank you, Mr. Gauthier, for failing to consult your crack medical staff. I hope you spend more time choosing a Valentine’s Day gift for Mrs. Gauthier, than you do considering long-term contracts for your players. You don’t need your wife to leave you, too, after the Canadiens say: “It’s me, not you,” as they send you on your merry way.

To make up for the Markov debacle, Mr. Gauthier thought it wise to trade the expiring contract of solid veteran Jaroslav Spacek to Carolina for Thomas Kaberle.

Great move Mr. Gauthier! You just hamstrung your team against the salary cap for three more years (&*%$#@) as Mr. Kaberle is a $4.25 million cap hit in each of the next three seasons. In the process, you also managed to save the job of GM Jim Rutherford in Carolina. He was relieved he found a sucker, I mean, another team, to take Mr. Kaberle in a trade.

It is clear that for any of this to happen Mr. Geoff Molson must first surround himself with the right hockey advisor. Because, my sources tell me, Mr. Molson is a man with a strong interest in the game, but someone who possesses little more knowledge than the average hockey fan. Let’s hope he recognizes this and hires the right GM to begin the rebuilding process, so that Habs’ fans can fall in love with their team all over again this Valentine’s Day. (ED. NOTE: Mr. Graif is a much better man than I. Rather than doing them the honour of calling ANY of these guys Mr. (Mr. Graif excluded, of course), I’d simply refer to them as “useless bums.” What a league-wide embarrassment our hockey team has become, thanks to every one of them, Geoff Molson included!)

Achieving ArtistsKKathryn Gabinet-Kroo’s

Something strikingly visual for the heart and memory Just in time, it seems, local artist Kathryn Gabinet-Kroo’s exhibition of recent oil paintings, Once Upon a Time in the Pond, evokes sentiments that will have us cooing with delight and fondly reminiscing. “We all have a place that is especially meaningful to us,” a statement reminds us. “It could be an intimate, private place that evokes dear memories or profound feelings. It could be a public locale where a key life experience occurred or that we associate with someone special. It could be somewhere vast or ancient, a landscape perhaps, where we come to some personal philosophical or spiritual understanding.

For Gabriel-Kroo, this place is the pond. It’s a place of surfaces and depths, a place of movement and shifting light. Her finely-detailed and dynamic images capture the colours and movements of carp, for instance, as they dance just below the pond’s surface.Their forms appear as fluid as the water in which they swim, recreated constantly by the reflections on the water’s surface, by refracted light, by the forms of leaves or water lilies floating on the surface. She captures the enveloping environment even to the quality of the air and the camouflaging vegetation growing both in and out of the water: these are the stages in which the dance she portrays occurs.

A student of the Boston Museum School, Gabinet-Kroo has explored a wide variety of subjects, including black and white photography, watercolours, gouache, pastels and printmaking. She has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions at numerous galleries in Montreal and in various cities across the U.S., including Boston and Cleveland.

THE LOCAL HERALD,

FEB 10 (pg. 6)

Once Upon a Time in the Pond will be held at: Galerie de la Ville Centre des Arts de Dollard / Dollard Centre for the Arts 12001 boul. de Salaberry, DDO, H9B 2A7 514-984-1012, ext. 298 www.centreartdollard.com The opening reception will be held on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. It will run from Thursday, Feb. 16 – Sunday, March 18, 2012.

Free guided tours are available for groups of six people or more, by prior arrangement. Opening hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

localheraldmontreal.com

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:51 PM Page 7

Photography with a romantic edge Now that I have introduced myself two issues ago, lets move ahead with my philosophy- incorporated photographic approach.

Saint Valentine’s Day is often perceived to exist for commercial reasons only but, call me a romantic, what’s not to love about a special day where anyone can unabashedly express their adoration for a special someone?

If you are still trying to “arrow” in on the perfect Saint Valentine Day gift for your honey, head over to one of the sweetest shops in the city: Briimstone Chocolates & Fudge.

Located in NDG, this shop is best known for an extensive variety of homemade chocolates, fudge and truffles made “with only honest ingredients.” The store feels like a cross between your grandma’s living room and the chocolate room in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Individually wrapped, luscious candies and chocolates are profusely proffered in candy dishes and jars scattered all over the place. The finer chocolates are kept in the glass counter.

The owner, Patricia, will also sometimes bake a few pies, churn some gelato, prepare a delicious hot chocolate or whip up marshmallows. As her fare is often inspired by the seasons, you may find fresh fruits purees, gingerbread spices, crushed candy canes, strong liqueurs, rose scents or pumpkins notes added to the chocolates and candies. Each time you go, there is always something new. Also available are several lines of excellent, quality chocolates like Cocopotmaus truffles, Vosges and many other rare treats.

by Ricky Friedlander

Visit Briimstone – hold the treacle – for deliciously sweet ambrosia

Photopheliac

Epicurian Eatz with Evelyne Budkewitsch

I always felt the limitations of light, or the particular cameras I might choose to work with, lend themselves well to the creation of an image with mood… particularly old modified cameras or Lomography (the use of toy cameras such as the Holga).

There are no rules to photography. My experience has light, movement, and the camera all playing a role in the creation of a “mood” shot. Camera shake, long exposures, shooting into the light all create interesting effects. It is learning how to control this mistakes that make the shot’s mood speak out.

I have been working a lot lately with a Holga Pinhole Panorama Camera that uses 120 roll film. The camera has a minimal shutter speed of eight seconds. I use it mainly for landscapes and occasionally I include a figure. If that figure remains static, and the clouds are moving in the background, it can make for a very interesting image. I included in this story a photo taken atop Mont Royal in a light rain. The exposure was about 14 seconds and I was lucky enough that the subject remained in the same place. The cloud movement in the background created a nice pastel-like palette that I felt made this image complete.

So there you go: A plastic toy camera with nothing more than a pinhole, a long exposure on film, and some cloud movement in the background.

Result - A romantic view of our beautiful skyline.

I remember clearly my first visit to this shop: The first thing I noticed was the poster on the wall that read “Unattended Children will be given a triple shot of espresso and a free kitten.” I knew right then and there that the shop owner had to be a fun and reckless person to put such a sign in a candy store. I was right. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask… Patricia is always up for a chat and is happy to help you find the perfect treat.

Professional

Magician available for your special event

Todd Magician

Happy Saint Valentine’s Day! Briimstone Chocolates & Fudge 5879 Sherbrooke West Montreal, QC H4A 1X7 (514) 439-3275

www.todsky.com 514

THE LOCAL HERALD,

FEB 10 (pg. 7)

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

951-8633

localheraldmontreal.com

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:51 PM Page 8

BUY or SELL your HOME in the

Property See ker

The We s t

E n d real estate section

For the love of money

Mortgage Matters

Issue 1

All you lovebirds out there k n o w what day of the year we are approaching... you guessed it! Valentine's Day! A time where love is in the air, aplenty. Unfortunately for many, love and money can clash if you are not on the same wavelength.

Money is one of the top reasons why relationships/marriage fail, but there a few things

you can do to avoid this fate, at least where finances are concerned. There is nothing romantic about getting that credit card bill at the end of the month and having stress takes over when you realize that you can't pay your bills. Often, frivolous spending goes unnoticed and then fingerpointing starts about who is to blame. A husband might feel his wife's unnecessary shopping habits are costing too much money, yet she certainly feels that buying a desired 52-inch plasma television is necessary. It is

important to each have a small fund each month where you are allowed – each of you - to spend money on whatever you want, without a subsequent critique. It is also important to spend more in cash, because psychologically you spend less. Another scary, yet effective, way to spend on a budget is to track EVERYTHING you spend your money on. You will be shocked by how much money you could have saved by not drinking that $5 Starbucks coffee in the morning or spending $15 on lunch every day.

Sit down with your partner and study your credit card bills and

your spending. It won't be pleasant but for the sake of celebrating many future Valentine's Days as a happy couple, be sure to make that extra effort. Remember one thing: What feels goods isn't always good for you and what is good for you doesn't always feel good.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Jason Zuckerman www.mortgageratesmontreal.co m Hypotheca Mortgage Brokers (514) 771-1352 /1-800- 206-1350 jzuckerman@hypotheca.ca

STOP You have just proven that advertising in the Local Herald works Call us today to start YOUR campaign 514-975-7745

THE LOCAL HERALD,

FEB 10 (pg. 8)

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

localheraldmontreal.com

Home Sweet Home -

A n i t a B e n a b o u R o ze n b l a t

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:51 PM Page 9

Love at first sight: Will you be my curb appeal?

Anita’s countdown’s on curb appeal: 1) First impressions are everything, so curb appeal literally begins and starts with the curb!

How clean and presentable is your curb? Does it need to have sand, dirt or pebbles swept clean? Does it need to have leaves, cigarette butts or other debris cleaned up?

Are there weeds or grass growing in the cracks and crevices of your curbs and sidewalks? Concrete curbs (sidewalks, driveways, etc.) that are badly cracked or broken should be replaced. You'll be amazed at how other things in your yard start taking on a much more attractive look.

2) Wash down the exterior of your house. You don't necessarily need to rent a power washer. A hose and broom and some dishwashing cleanser work great. ... Look for cobwebs and hornets’ nests weekly. Beg, borrow or steal a lawn edger if you don't use one regularly. Trim back all grass at every edge, including the street. Sweep the street gutters! You may have to do the neighbours on both sides, too (I did), to make sure your section of the street looks really tidy and well-kept.

3) Curb appeal is huge, especially in the winter season when sidewalks are icy and snow-covered. If you take time to shovel and salt your sidewalks, the home looks like it's been taken care of even when the buyers can't see the lawn under the foot of snow covering it. In the spring and summer, lawn ornaments are a nono, and a quick driveway resealing is inexpensive and works wonders for the drive-by appearance of your house.

4) Being a real-estate broker myself, I come across many things that help sell a home. The most obvious is landscaping. Good landscaping makes a home look 100% better. Even if it's just some shrub and tree/shrub trimming along with some fresh mulch, do something to spruce up the outside appearance.

Single Family Homes

Townhouses Townhousses

5) Make sure the areas around your furnace and hot-water heater are clean, neat and spacious. The components themselves should not be covered with dust, cobwebs, rust spots, etc. Even if they're old, they should look shiny and well-maintained. Change the filters often to help with dusty smells. … Take everything out of the garage, vacuum all floors, walls and ceilings, then paint it bright white. If there are shelves and brackets, paint them bright white too.

Then bring back only a little of what once dwelled there.

6) Certainly you can decorate your house however you like, but once you are selling, you have to keep in mind what buyers are looking for. If you want to know what they like, look at popular model homes in the area that are selling hot. However they are decorated should be how you do it. No pink bathrooms or green walls. Paint it all a soft white!

7) Does your home smell bad? Place a plug-in scent in the wall, light a scented candle, bake an apple pie. A home that smells good is very inviting.

8) The loveliest home doesn't have a chance with the poor photography I see in a huge portion of Internet listings, which form, effectively, the first impression of your home for many buyers. With so many listings posted in some areas, trying to make out details in dark, blurry photos when there are a lot of good-looking listings to view could have a detrimental effect on your listing. I always think that if I were trying to sell in this market, I'd be furious with my Realtor if I had a stylish, attractive home represented by a fuzzy, dark rectangle! Let your agent know how you feel about the presentation of your home! After all, its your home and the agent is responsible for selling it.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Love Always, Anita Do you have questions for Anita Rozenblat? E-mail your comments or questions to anitarozenblat@hotmail.com

Semi-Detached Semi-D Detached Homes Ho

Condos

Signature Modelss | Custom B Built uiilt H Homes omes | Sin Single Family Lots Adjacent to the Cavendish Mall, just minutes from downtown.

The Dubelle Developments Ltée.

THE LOCAL HERALD,

FEB 10 (pg. 9)

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

localheraldmontreal.com

Photo Credit Bram

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:51 PM Page 10

Boxed advertising works!

It really does!

Get your ad in here today. Call 514-975-7745

Spiritual Seedlings - Father John Walsh

The month to speak of love "Valentine" is derived from the Latin valens, meaning worthy, strong or powerful. Saint Valentine’s Day may celebrate more than one saint of the same name but we celebrate February as the month of love. Lovers are meant to be worthy, strong and powerful. A worthy lover is one who builds love on a foundation of honesty.

Those who are honest know how love requires an effort and that honesty is always the best policy.

A lover who is strong is a lover who will never give in and never give up on love. Mae West added a twist: “Love conquers all things except poverty and a toothache.” A lover who is powerful is one who knows the power of love. Celine Dion sang it out loud, “We’re heading for something, somewhere I’ve never been, sometimes I am frightened but I am willing to learn the power of love.” The old adage rings truer today than ever before: Omnia vincit amor et nos cedamus amori -- Love conquers all and therefore let us surrender to love.True love is unconditional love, an ideal towards which all love tends, and one day it is unconditional love to which we fully surrender our lives. The mutuality of love is one hundred percent on one part and one hundred percent on the other part. Today we

THE LOCAL HERALD,

FEB 10 (pg. 10)

hesitate when it comes to surrender: Trial marriages, living together, commitment only when a child is to be born, when there is enough money for the new house and new car, when we know we are compatible… and on and on. Too many people are not willing to commit to a relationship as the statistics, at least for Quebec, indicate when it comes to the percentage of people who live together but are not married, and, again, when you note the high percentage of children born out of wedlock.

Love is maligned when it means “satisfy” me and fulfill “my” needs. So what is love? It is not a tickling around the heart, a strange feeling in the stomach, a feeling that you have found your soul-mate. Loverelationships are not made in heaven, they are found here on Earth and they require daily attention. The red cardboard hearts that are festooned in window displays and hung from the rafters of stores are reminders that love can make the world a better place in which to live.

We have seen the destruction brought on by natural disasters in Southeast Asia and in Haiti, we have witnessed the devastation of war throughout the world, we have personally known of broken homes and ruptured relationships, yet we courageously confess and profess that love will triumph. I watch people who have been married for many, many years and there is a twinkle in their eyes that is indescribable. I believe there is a spark of God in each of us and when two people are in an unconditional love-relationship that spark can be fanned into a flame of love. Happy Valentine’s Day!

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

localheraldmontreal.com

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:51 PM Page 11

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

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of THE LOCAL HERALD We are working on next issue and it will be out February 24, 2012 Deadline Friday, February 17.

Don’t miss the next issue of

!

EE FR IT’S E -

NTS & TAK RNWALL EVE Your Weekly CO

eek in this w you ... to g in uc Introd

N E O

Newspaper COMMUNITY

You can read our Cornwall Edition online at

20, 2012

WALL about CORN

ry 2 Janua Vol. 3, Issue WALL PEOPLE PLE by CORN BIG! RNWALL PEO girl gonew, PEOPLE for CO - Local sho

art cooking Kathy Sms she have her owntion al!

living doe e interna and now Not only , Ontario ok has gon in Cornwall Canadian Examining and raised stic her cookbo t with the ess), born sor, a Holi

ultan rt (born Burg itional cons Sports Nutrition Advi a Registered Kathy Sma a registered nutr d and is a Registere of Canada ss titioners, in Orleans, Academy on of Fitne ss th Care Prac stic Cooking Canadian Associati th and fitne Board of Heal Chef with the Holi with the e in the heal ss Trainer Teaching ultant and s experienc Fitne year onal 14 t for itional cons Pers als. With over works as a nutr nutritional consultan Profession ent, wa, a currently Otta she of s, u developm a the City industrie with men as uctor for assisting l sales and d.

Inc. retai fitness instr ems for Food Syst e testing School Boar Designed ysis and recip Ottawa Carleton ’ anal al Way for the Smart nutrition hing Chef ‘Live The show with Holistic Teac host and chef of n cooking the vegetaria She is also en free and d’s first glut rt Way - the worl TV and A Live The Sma Rogers TV. wa Daytime ires others Rogers Otta insp be seen on hes, motivates and menu can at y ls Kath y exce ding re she teac tips. Kath tions inclu Her channel whe and healthy living e modifica ons. ent and recip tarian/ vegan opti and thy recipes with heal e developm gender, and vege tion, recip dairy-free age, disease, rams for specializa wheat- free, s including prog ized onal gluten-free, iders special need ase and food reds of pers cons gned hund oporosis, heart dise s with a planning desi has She arthritis, oste lished four cookbook heredity. diabetes, pub choices. clients with y has written and dairy free Kath en free and allergies. hasis on glut 3) special emp SAGE (724 at 613.235. visit be reached sagetherapy.ca or Kathy can sagemas info@ il: .com or ema thesmartway www.live T MEETING , 847 York St. SUPPOR pm. the CELIAC 28 at 1:00 see her at e cooking on January ment hall). gluten-fre Free diet) or come and

Best, Bram

West End Montreal’s most unique community paper.

Call us to place your ad today too.

http://thelocalseeker.com

n church base h America's first to sell in a Glute her cookbook of Nort ne interested est Christian Fellowship will bring t and host (also for anyo (Harv demo, and nutritionis is the chef, give a brief cooking Smart, who will also for only $25. 908. ker, Kathy t Way". She (and sign) Guest spea the Smar Brink, 938-2 info: Mary show, "Live For more ome!

!!!

All are welc CORNWALL PPENS IN Section THING HA ent Seeker O SAYS NO Ev WH ity D un AN mm ... r Weekly Co check out ou

THE LOCAL HERALD,

FEB 10 (pg. 11)

Advertising with us works!

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745

localheraldmontreal.com

issue3_Layout 1 2/9/2012 12:51 PM Page 12

% $

#

THELOCAL LOCALHERALD, HERALD,JAN (pg.12) 12) FEB1310 (pg.

THE

% ") $ FREE CLASSIFIED CLASSIFIED ADS: ADS: 514-975-7745 514-975-7745 FREE

localheraldmontreal.com localheraldmontreal.com