Restaurant Review by Michael PersaudLe Montmartre, 911 Sheppard Ave. West, Downsview, ON, M3H 2T7, phone: 416-630-3804Website: www.lemontmartrestaurant.comLe Montmartre, named after one of the most appealing districts in France, is a very fine-dining restaurant on Sheppard Ave. West. The building itself is a very resplendent colour of yellow. If you are taking public transit just exit the bus at Wilson Heights. It’s juxtaposed to the Petro Canada gas station. If your mode of transportation is via car, there is ample parking in the rear of the restaurant.Don’t be surprised when you hear the sweet, dulcet Parisian accents of the wait staff. It will transport your mind and consciousness across the pond to France or the 18th arrondissement. Bring your appetite because Le Montmartre’s menu will make you salivate. It’s mouth-wateringly good!For an appetizer I would highly I suggest the Caesar salad or lobster bisque. If you’ve not been to a French restaurant, you may recognize “lobster bisque” from one of Seinfeld’s iconic episodes made famous by Elaine. If you’re more adventurous you may wish to opt for the escargot, or in more everyday parlance, snails.Le Montmartre has a great selection of wines. To compliment your entrees you may wish to opt for a nice merlot, some red, or a special favourite of mine is the choice of chardonnay. The vino may even add a bit of spice to your dinner conversation. Libations at a meal are a must!The patrons at Le Montmartre are very eclectic. You may see Asians, Indians, and various other ethnicities within your vicinity while enjoying your meal. There are some seniors who also like to have a quiet meal while engaging in tete-a-tete. The French music over the P.A. system gives the restaurant great ambience. It really adds some character to the very European décor.One of my favourite dishes is the rack of lamb. It’s always cooked to perfection. It’s never stuck to the bone but slides off easily with your knife. Savour it. My dining companion has indulged in Sole Almondine which is basically filet of sole with wine sauce and roasted almonds. Truly heavenly!To accent your meal a good choice would be any of their sorbets, or for the dessert aficionado, there are always profiteroles. My dining companion, since she has a sweet tooth usually opts for the profiteroles. I usually derive great pleasure from watching her consume it.While dining you are never rushed, but have time to savour your meal. And when its French cuisine it must be savoured like the food gods meant it to be.If you arrive early for dinner there is no need to make a reservation, but if you plan to arrive during the prime dining hours, reservations are highly suggested.I have patronized Le Montmartre about ten times over a seven year period. Each time is well worth the visit. It is the best French restaurant in Downsview!Don’t forget to bring your appetite. Bon appetit!
Ready, Set, MAP
The past two Saturdays included early mornings waiting in line at the Toronto Public Library in hopes of obtaining a Toronto Library Museum + Arts pass. My beautiful mother requested a trip to the Ontario Science Centre for her upcoming birthday and I made it my personal mission to make this happen-within budget.As it happens the Toronto Public Library and Sun Life Financial provides MAP passes which offer free entrance to vast array of attractions and museums within Toronto. If you’re like me and budget conscious you can plan your summer activities with the assistance of this great program.Now, you and the family can visit the new Panda cubs at the Toronto Zoo or check out the newly discovered dinosaur at the ROM. Passes are valid for 2 adults and 2-4 children depending on the venue and good for one visit. Each week libraries are provided with a new set of passes. This means you can check out a pass to a new attraction every seven days.There is one caveat. Passes are available in limited quantities. Some branches offer the passes on a first come, first serve basis. At these locations you may find those who are willing and able; waiting outside the library doors first thing in the morning.On my first attempt I was ninth in line which seemed pretty reasonable. Unfortunately for me the Ontario Science Centre is one of the most popular passes alongside the Toronto Zoo, The Gardiner Museum and Black Creek Pioneer Village. Normally three passes each, are available for the Zoo and the Ontario Science Centre which meant ninth in line was not early enough.I did not want to take any chances so I tried the Yorkwoods library again the following Saturday arriving at 7:30 a.m. This time I was third in line. Perfect! When the doors opened at 9:00 a.m., I was able to check out an Ontario Science Centre pass.There is another option if waiting in line early Saturday morning is not for you. Some branches have the option of a draw. Everyone who arrives at one of the branches between 9 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. are placed in a selection pool. Names are drawn at random, and MAP passes are distributed in order of the numbers drawn.If early Saturday morning draws or first come first serve options are still not viable for you; a select few locations offer passes during the week. Barbara Frum -hursdays at 9:00 a.m.: City Hall -Mondays at 10:00 a.m.: and Forest Hill -Thursdays at 6:00 p.m.For more information on this great program, check out your local Toronto Public Library or ask your local librarian for more information.
Opening of the Mao Art Gallery in Downsview!
Mao Correa, a local Downsview artist, has really proven that art has no limits. After transforming his 700 foot flat into an art gallery. Every wall and surface from every room on both the interior as well as the exterior of the house is covered with pieces of art. The gallery is open to the public and showcases his spectacular pieces along with other works from other up and coming artists.Mao, is a recognized plastic artist, photographer, and graphic designer who was born in Bogota, Columbia. After receiving much recognition for his work in Columbia and Central America, Mao brought his unique style to Canada. Toronto is now where Mao calls home.Mao uses art to illustrate his internal journey as a new immigrant in Canada. He does this by, creating pictorial pieces made entirely from recycled materials. Mao states “Mirroring my own experience, and re-signifying my esthetics through the view of diversity, I’m now not only breaking down pre-existing materials, reinterpreting and offering them a new form with a new purpose, but also reintegrating my soul to a new country”Visiting Mao’s Art Gallery truly is like watching the story of his life narrated by the pieces on every wall and surface of his home, with every piece offering new insight to his experiences in Canada. The gallery is the only newcomer artist-led gallery in Downsview area, and attracts a wide diversity of artists in the community.Mao has been an active leader in the art community. In 2015 Mao was the recipient for the RBC Arts Access Fund and the 2015 Finalist, for the Neilson Park Creative Centres 23 annual Juried Exhibition in Toronto. Mao is an advocate for for other immigrant artists struggling to showcase their art work here in Canada. The Gallery hosts art work from other artists in order to promote their work. The gallery also provides art classes for those who are interested. Mao has truly gone above and beyond for his community and is Downsview Advocate’s ‘Community Spotlight Leader’ of the month.Mao’s art and listings for upcoming shows can be viewed on his website at www.maocorrea.com
Take it Outside
Being outdoors can be a magical event.Research has shown that too little time spent outside, or, “nature deficit disorder”, can lead to depression and anxiety. Getting outdoors can reduce stress, lower blood pressure and improve immune function. Want more reasons on the benefits of green spaces? Incorporating elements of nature into your day can give your brain a boost, resulting in increased productivity and focus. Also, natural environments have been shown to be one of the most restorative for creative thinking.What better way to unplug and step outside, whether it is a half hour at lunch or for an entire afternoon, than a picnic in the park. Fresh air makes everything taste better – both spur-of-the moment sandwiches on the grass and well planned moveable feasts.It seems only fitting to think portability and casual charm when considering food ideas. These tips and strategies will make for the perfect picnic.Grab-and-go finger foods such as sugar snap peas, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, crackers, firm cheese, apples, grapes are easy to pack and transport.Stock a tote bag or backpack with the essentials: bread, a knife, cutting board and fillings of your choice for a build-your-own sandwich or wrap. Fill inexpensive, reusable glass jars with salsa, pickled vegetables or chutney that can be served over salad greens or grilled chicken.The refreshing goodness of watermelon is so versatile that you can use it as a starter, a side or have it for dessert.More food in jars! Layer salad ingredients and you are ready to go. Place the dressing on the bottom, follow with hearty ingredients like beans, broccoli, cucumber, avocado and pasta and top with lighter ingredients like lettuce.Skip the soda, and opt for water, iced tea, or ginger lemonade instead.Foods such as rice, eggs, cheese, poultry and red meat can spoil and harbour bacteria when not stored at the proper temperature. Keep everything cold with refreezable ice packs or fill a couple of bags with ice cubes and place into a cooler. If you pack raw poultry or red meat to cook at the picnic, keep it packaged separately to avoid cross contamination.If you intend to cook at the picnic site, barbeque grills are available for public use in some designated areas. Any gathering over 25 people, or a gathering that requires a designated picnic site, requires a permit. Gatherings are only able to use a portable barbeque where authorized by permit or where posted to allow their use. Also, only charcoal or briquettes are permitted to be used in permanently fixed barbeques. You can contact 416 392 8188 for further information.Plan for clean-up at the beginning. Pack extra resealable plastic bags, aluminum foil and plastic wrap for leftovers. Moist towelettes are handy to wash up after eating. Bring plastic bags to dispose of any garbage.Once you have decided on the food, just add sunshine and a shady tree at one of the many parks in Downsview!
“Public service should never be a chore” Erica Shiner joins the political arena
Part of what makes up the Canadian identity, is that everyone comes from families who came to this country to rebuild, buck traditions and start fresh. We all come from people, or are people, who have given their all to build up their communities to make a better life for their families.One such Canadian is Erica Shiner, a nominee in the upcoming School Board Trustee by-election. Shiner is the granddaughter of former North York Alderman and deputy mayor, Esther Shiner. Esther Shiner was often known for her passionate work on the GTA transportation system and now has a boulevard and a stadium named in her memory.When Erica Shiner’s great grandparents first came to Canada around the turn of the 20th century, they settled with many other Ashkenazi Jews, around Kensington Market. It was not until around the 1950s that her grandparents, Esther and Sol Shiner, moved up to North York and began establishing their family in our community. Shiner describes her grandparents as being active and concerned neighbors who worked hard to become “pillars of the community”.When speaking of her grandmother, Shiner states, “I'm so proud of everything my grandmother accomplished, especially as there were so few women in politics when she first threw her hat in the ring in the 1970s… I'm really inspired by her. She was so warm and so tough at the same time, and I'm often told that I've inherited her chutzpah”Esther Shiner’s example and passion seems to have been passed down through the generations, with her son (and Erica’s uncle) becoming a city councillor for ward 24 as well. While Shiner has inherited a civic passion and a compassionate personality type from her relatives, she has different plans for how to bring that into the community, by focusing in on the school board to start her political career. When asked about her future plans for the community, Shiner explains her desire to encourage the development of community hubs.Shiner explains, “Connecting children, as well as families, to their neighbourhoods by developing community hubs is a wonderful way to increase community engagement. Creating spaces where we get to know our neighbours and connect educational and recreational resources is a great way to develop our communities to serve the needs of children, seniors, families, and everyone in between.”The Shiner family is an excellent example of what it means to be Canadian, by working to create a better future for our children. Shiner is working hard to carry on that tradition by trying to contribute to our education system here in Downsview.And who knows, the passion and excitement passed down through her Grandmother may yet make it to another generation of Shiners with Erica’s son. When asked about his future Shiner says, “He’s just shy of 5, so it’s a little early to predict his life path” but “My son is the friendliest person I know, so.. It would be no surprise if he carries on the tradition”For more information on Erica Shiner’s campaign, please visit www.ericashiner.com
Jane and Finch Community Centre celebrates 40 years in the community
A little boy reaches for the red plastic firefighter’s helmet and puts it on his head. Next is the yellow jacket. He smiles while looking into the child-sized mirror. His mother looks on approvingly.The scene is the York West Ontario Early Years Centre (OEYC) located in the Jane-Finch Mall. Our firefighter and his mother are two of about twenty taking part in the morning program. According to Manager Nesta Blake, there are usually parents waiting outside every day before opening time.It’s a popular place because OEYC offers a wide range of free programs that support parents and their children up to six years.As the fledgling firefighter played with a toy fire truck, an older woman came in looking for help with her own problems. This occurs often at OEYC, as Ms. Blake does a lot of referrals that go beyond children, and nearly all of those go to the lead agency: the Jane/Finch Family and Community Centre.Located on the ground floor of 4400 Jane Street, the Centre was incorporated in 1976 by residents who wanted to address local issues. This social services agency has grown to offer programs from prenatal to seniors. According to Michelle Dagnino, the Centre’s Executive Director, “our goal is to increase capacity, leadership skills, and provide support for residents in the Jane-Finch area as advocates, and engaged and empowered citizens.“The Centre remains responsive to shifting community needs in large part because of resident advisory groups with decision-making authority over program objectives and outcomes.Once he outgrows the plastic helmet, our fire fighter can go to The Spot, located on the second floor of Yorkgate Mall. The Spot offers youth aged thirteen to thirty a wide range of social, educational, leadership, artistic and recreational programming.If he needs financial advice, there’s FEPS (Financial Empowerment and Problem Solving), which also offers a popular Income Tax Clinic for low income residents.Should he need support in times of crisis, Getting In Touch is a mental health drop-in program which started in 1980.One program he’ll likely never use is Women Moving Forward (WMF), which is for sole support mothers on social assistance between ages 20-29. WMF helps these women build a foundation based on education and meaningful employment, so they and their children can have better lives.Perhaps he’ll want to make a difference in his community. Given its origins, the Centre has always been involved in community development and advocacy. A recent highlight was the Centre’s role in the Jane-Finch TSNS Task Force, a community response to the city’s Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020.Maybe one day, he’ll look on approvingly as his son or daughter puts on a red plastic helmet.You can learn more about the Centre at the 40th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, July 23, in the parking lot of the Jane-Finch Mall, starting at 11:00 a.m. Or phone the main office at 416-663-2733.See you there!
York Centre Trustee By-Election is July 25th
The sudden death of former TDSB Trustee Howard Kaplan has prompted a by-election call in York Centre. The election will be held on Monday, July 25th.To find out where to vote you can go to the following website www.toronto.ca/electionsAt the time of publication 10 candidates signed up for the by-election and The Downsview Advocate contacted them in order to provide a profile on each one to our readers. The following are the profiles for the candidates that responded.Name: Sue MathiEmail: info@suemathi.comWebsite: www.suemathi.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/suemathiward5trusteecandidate/I am eager to serve this diverse community. A trustee should be interested in advocating for the needs of the entire community and I will do that with vigor. I do not have a personal agenda, nor am I using the role as a gateway into politics. To show my commitment to service, I have promised that if elected, I will donate my entire first year’s salary directly to the schools in Ward 5 to be used at their discretion. I value education, children, and proper use of tax-payers money. I am eager to give back and help the children in our community get the best out of our education dollars.Name: Jordan GlassEmail: glass4yorkcentre@gmail.comWebsite: http://glass4yorkcentre.webs.com/Twitter: @Glass4YorkCenFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlassInYorkCentre/I believe I can help make our school system better. As a parent of a child with special needs, I’ve spent years trying to navigate my way through the obscene red-tape in the TDSB. Dealing with our school board should not be this hard. My priority would be to create a parent facilitator to guide parents through a system that was not built with the concerns of them or their children in mind. This individual would assist families by empowering parents to speak for the needs of their children, especially those with special needs. Name: Erica ShinerEmail: info@ericashiner.comWebsite: ericashiner.comTwitter: @ericashinerFacebook: facebook.com/ericashinerTOMy son's first experience in kindergarten this year was a real eye-opener to the challenges that children and parents face when navigating the system. Classes are overcrowded and repairs are woefully underfunded. I love being of service by amplifying the voices of others, and I'm passionate about implementing the changes necessary to better our school system. If elected, my priority would be implementing better planning to avoid overcrowding and the short-sighted sale of schools. I'm also committed to creating a more effective system of parent engagement to resolve issues at schools. Whether there are concerns with special needs, bullying, health issues, or anything else, parents need more accessibility to work with their schools.
If you like coffee, sandwiches and homemade dessert, Cafe by Kwin is the place to be!
Café by Kwin first opened in July 2015. This friendly neighbourhood café was created by J. Kwin and is a family business involving both parents and their three children as well as an aunt. The children work after school or on weekends and enjoy working while balancing their school and social schedules.The family works well together and they share bonding moments too. Working with family is, according to them, “a real pleasure.” The business schedule can be adapted to each individuals schedule making it easy to manage.Cafe by Kwin’s priority is to stick to good quality, healthy and fresh product at affordable prices –and they are great at making you feel comfortable. They provide great customer relationships and delicious food –can’t go wrong!It all started because J. Kwin is a coffee lover and a cooking devotee, so he came up with the idea of a cafe where he could work with his family. He did a lot of research and invented his own recipes to make good, healthy, fresh and homemade food. He also decorated and designed the café’s layout. The room is spacious which provides different areas that fit several groups of people and they even have outdoor seating!Their menu includes a variety of sandwiches, coffees, salads, cheesecakes (from The Cheesecake Factory), Belgium waffles, ice cream, and much more. Tu Anh Nguyen (J. Kwin’s wife) is fond of drinks, so J. Kwin also created a variety of drink recipes. I personally recommend the strawberry banana smoothie, which is very fruity and refreshing.Café by Kwin is a great place to meet with friends, to study or have a meeting. They provide a great atmosphere and friendly, respectful service along with good quality food. It is located at 1 De Boers Drive, 400 meters from the Downsview subway station.So, do not hesitate anymore, and come enjoy a delicious coffee with a slice of homemade cheesecake sooner than later!For more information visit: www.cafebykwin.comEmail: mail@cafebykwin.comPhone: 647-352-5558Facebook: Cafe by KwinInstagram: @cafebykwin
Driftwood Public School: 50 years teaching our kids
On June 1st , 2016, Driftwood Public School hosted a celebration for their 50th Anniversary in our community. This celebration was an opportunity for people to share both past and current experiences with an institution that has helped to shape and develop the very spirit of the surrounding community.Since it’s opening in 1965, Driftwood Public School has been the source of many stories from city wide news outlets for their revolutionary educational initiatives. These stories have ranged from discussion about new innovative programs for conflict resolution to kicking off the trend for environmentally friendly programs in the 90s. Programs like these are the work of engaged and concerned teachers, aiming to be on the leading edge of education initiatives. Indeed, as recently as 2012, teacher Sheri Alcordo, was awarded the Premier’s Award for Teaching Excellence.But teachers can only do so much, part of what makes a school like Driftwood successful, is the involvement and support of the children and parents. Driftwood is part of an extremely diverse community whose intent is to ensure that their children can have the best education possible. The hard work of teachers’ means nothing if children are not encouraged and supported by their families to put everything they can into their school experience.We will be sure to bring you more pictures and updates about the event in our next edition, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
The case against homework
The homework divide has come to light recently with parents on both extremes of the spectrum. Some argue that homework is essential to student prosperity and learning and some say that other learning experiences are not valued and therefore ignored.The issue has become one of determining which type of knowledge is valued.We can compare intellectual knowledge to learning initiatives beyond the classroom -such as community activities.As a society we have to re-evaluate our thinking that only good teachers assign homework and consider that homework could be given due to inefficient time management.The general homework rule is to multiply grade by ten minutes. However, most students are doing far more as this rule does not account for students with exceptionalities, ESL learners or students who have other family responsibilities, or students with parents who work two jobs and have no one to assist them with their studies.Rather than assign homework teachers should allow in-class work periods in which students can receive the assistance and guidance required. We must view our students as individual learners with specific needs inextricably connected to their particular social locations.Although it can be argued that homework possesses various benefits namely: responsibility, organization skills, parent involvement, creativity and practice. These positive aspects do not account for or represent our diverse student demographic.Disadvantages of homework include: less family time, stress, disengagement in extra-curricular activities such as music, sports and community events, as well as a lack of inclusivity in terms of multiple intelligences.Implementing work periods in which students can receive assistance and support will allow the opportunity for engaging in diverse forms of interest-based learning outside of the classroom.