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Larry Muffin At Home

Monthly Archives: November 2015

Everything you ever wanted to know…

30 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Budget, Capital, homeless, poverty, security, taxes

You remember the title of this movie, Everything you ever wanted to know about Sex but were afraid to ask. Well today it was about the City of Ottawa budget. Oh my, I sat on the last public meeting with all the various groups who wished to make a presentation to the City Committee overseeing the final draft of the Budget 2016 before it goes for final vote at the City Council presided by our Jim, Mayor Watson.

I was there as Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee on Arts, Culture, Recreation and Sports. In the last mandate arts and culture was lumped with sports and recreation. Not a good idea in my humble opinion but there you have it. This year’s budget will see an increase in fees of all kinds for services by the city but only a 1.75% tax increase. The gamble of the Mayor is to say that on the one hand he is keeping his promise not to raise taxes above 2% and letting those who use services pay for them with a fee hike. However this has a huge impact on the poor and the middle-class. Inflation and aging infrastructure demands a minimum tax increase of 2.5% simply to avoid the looming deficit of $41 million dollars. There will be a lot of cuts to services to create efficiencies of $17 million dollars, but has Councillor Catherine McKenney said this is not possible and difficult to imagine. I agree with her, I have seen just lingo before and all that happens is creating a lot of misery all around for all concerned.

I arrived early this morning for the powerful and influential Committee meeting overseeing the budget, a good thing I did, it was standing room only. More than 35 groups made presentations, all of 5 minutes only to the Committee. I was there to ensure that the motion we had voted on was tabled and presented by the City Councillor who works with us. It was about extra funding for the Arts groups, a measly sum of $1.2 million dollars on top of what they get now and part of a renewed City wide art policy.

In Ottawa, sports dominate, football, hockey, soccer and baseball. The Sport fans are very vocal and politicians like them because it’s easy populist politics. The arts is a more difficult topic, certainly not populist and seen by the masses as elitist, a waste in other words. Sadly in Ottawa Education, the Arts, Culture is all seen as a waste of time and money. The City has real problems understanding how Arts and Culture promote tourism and benefits immensely the tax revenues of the City, creating jobs and entrepreneurship. Luckily because it is the Federal National Capital, the central government invests somewhat modestly and promotes those topics and fills the void.

What was interesting about the meeting this morning was the number of groups presents who represent the poor and the homeless, marginal groups, poor children, women shelters and Food banks, etc… Ottawa like many other Capitals has a huge poor and disenfranchised population, Washington DC has a similar problem. It seems that Capitals attract poverty. All of these groups were asking for more money to provide the essential services required by their clients. There have been lots of budget cuts in the last 5 years and we are now in a critical situation.  Ottawa has a enormous poverty problem, mental health and food security issues, none of it addressed adequately.

Working from time to time at the Soup Kitchen serving lunch time meals to the hundred of homeless men and women is an eye opener.

The current budget may not be able to provide for all the demands made, but all presenters supported tax increases instead of Fee increases, simply a fee increase like those on bus fare is unsustainable for them. Ottawa will have the highest bus fare in all of Canada in 2016. Will the City Council rebel against the idea of the Mayor, will taxes be increased to meet inflation needs? We shall find out on 9 December.

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Renovations announced

30 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

2017, Canada., NAC, Ottawa, remodelled

The National Art Centre in Ottawa which was built in 1967 to mark the Centennial of Canada as a Unified country will be 50 years old in 2017. Did you know that Canada was a country before Germany was one. Yes indeed, a unified German nation was proclaimed in at Versailles Palace in the Gallerie des Glaces by Chancellor Bismarck in 1870, prior to that date there where 380 principalities and Kingdom of German speaking, Catholics and Lutheran.

In 2017 Canada will celebrate 150 years as a unified country and Ottawa will also celebrate its anniversary as Capital of our country.

The Government announced it would proceed with major renovation to the National Arts Centre, a tricky business since the NAC was a commissioned work of architecture and the original building outside appearance cannot be altered. So the architects are adding to the building to give it a new look and a new entrance, instead of being on the Canal it will be on Elgin Street, making it a more inviting venue. http://www.cbc.ca/…/…/ottawa/nac-renovations-start-1.3331711

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The old Look of the NAC, very much the brutalist architecture of the 1960’s

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The New look 2017 remodelled

The original version of the NAC had large terraces above street level all around, in the 1960’s the architects envisioned that the public would wander those terraces, however no one ever used them, they fell into disrepair and at night they were so dark as to be dangerous. The NAC was also designed with the car in mind, people would arrive by car, no one would walk. The approach to do building are designed to discourage pedestrians, again a mistake,  a lack of vision by the architects and nowadays the building looks dated. It was also known as lacking in washrooms, those designed in 1967 are small and useless for evening when thousands descend on the NAC, better go before you leave the house. Unfortunately the main concert Hall will not be renovated and it needs it badly. Departing Maestro Pinchas Zukerman during an interview upon his departure a few months before the end of the Harper Regime, decried the lack of thought in modernizing the centre, it is fine to have better public access and more washrooms but what about better seating and updated technical equipment in the Concert Hall, he asked. Hopefully this renovations starting in December will address some of the issues but obviously not all.

Advent 2015

29 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

2015, Advent, Christmas, Hope, Peace, World

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Luke 2: 13-14

advent.jpg

Simple words really from St-Luke but as 2015 comes to an end a reminder that Peace is wished for now more than ever.

 

Casa Loma, Toronto

28 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Casa Loma, Henry Pellatt, Hydro, Military, Toronto, tourism

The famous Castle that Sir Henry Pellatt built in Toronto.

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Casa Loma, 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto, 1920.

When my family first moved to Toronto in 1974 the CN Tower was under construction and from our street in Forest Hill we could see the Tower going up every day. In those days Casa Loma was run by a Social Club and was a cheap tourist attraction full of half truths and myth. The whole place was largely empty and looked terrible but it still fascinated people. Casa Loma is the main house and across the street and connected by an underground tunnel are the stables and garage, another mansion on the corner was also built prior to the main house where Sir Henry Pellatt and his wife lived until the main building was completed.

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The Stables and garage across the street from Casa Loma connected by an underground tunnel 

The whole complex was built between 1911-1914 at a time when Canada was a very young and prosperous nation full of intrepid business men like Sir Henry. All had ideas of living like Barons and their personal wealth, in an age when income tax did not exist, made it possible. Sir Henry would live there until 1923 when he was forced out by bankruptcy.

Major General, Sir Henry Mill Pellatt 1859-1939 was an entrepreneur, his entrepreneurship helped the industrialization of Ontario at the beginning of the 20th century.

He is notable for his role in bringing hydro-electricity to Toronto, Ontario, for the first time, and also for his large château in Toronto, called Casa Loma, which was the biggest private residence ever constructed in Canada. Casa Loma would eventually become a well-known landmark of the city. His summer home and 800 acre farm in King City later became Mary Lake Augustinian Monastery.

Pellatt was also a noted supporter of the Boy Scouts of Canada. His first wife, Mary, was the first Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides of Canada.

Pellatt was born in Kingston, Ontario, the son of Henry Pellatt (1830-1909), a Glasgow-born stockbroker in Toronto,and Emma Mary Pellatt (née Holland). He was related to the famous glassmaker Apsley Pellatt (1763–1826).

He was educated at Upper Canada College before leaving in 1876 to join his father’s stock brokerage company, Pellatt and Osler, as a clerk.

Pellatt married twice, first to Mary Dodgson in Toronto in 1882 and, after Mary’s death in 1924, to Catharine Welland Merritt in Toronto in 1927. With his first wife, he had one son, Reginald, who was born in 1885.

Pellatt enlisted as a rifleman with The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada on November 2, 1876. He rose through the ranks and eventually became the Commanding Officer. In 1905, he was created a Knight Bachelor by King Edward VII for his service with The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada.

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In 1910, Pellatt took the entire 600-man regiment (including its horses) to England for military training at his expense, to mark the Regiment’s 50th anniversary. The military exercises lasted from August 13 to October 3, 1910.

Pellatt later served as the regiment’s Honorary Colonel and was promoted to the rank of Major-General upon his retirement from the regiment. In addition, he was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in 1910.

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From 1911 to 1923, he was the Knight Principal of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.

Much of Pellatt’s fortune was made through investments in the railway and hydro-electric industries in Canada, including the Toronto Electric Light Company. However, the strain of maintaining his large castle led him to ill-advised real estate investments, which were unsuccessful. The Provincial Government expropriated his electrical power generating business, and his aircraft manufacturing business was later taken over as part of the war effort during World War I. Combined, these difficulties led to his near-bankruptcy and forced him and Lady Pellatt to leave Casa Loma in 1923. They therefore moved to their farm at Mary Lake in King City. The contents of Casa Loma were sold at auction for pennies on the dollar.

After he died on March 8, 1939, thousands of people lined Toronto streets to witness his funeral procession, and he was buried with full military honours. He is interred at Forest Lawn Mausoleum in Toronto.

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Military Funeral of Sir Henry Pellatt at the Toronto Armoury.

Today Casa Loma is a museum to a period in Canadian History, the Castle is far more interesting now, it has been refurbished with the help of  both the Regiment of Sir Henry and the Social Club who run the place and also the important revenu made from movie rights and special event held at the Castle allow for its upkeep. It is well worth visiting, situated in a beautiful neighbourhood of the City.

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Front and back views of this impressive building. 

Links to PEI

28 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

BestofSea Festival, Canada., Charlottetown, Indian River Festival, lobster, PEI, St-Mary's Church, UPEI

The birthplace of modern Canada is Prince Edward Island also known in French as Ile Saint Jean. It is known today around the World for Anne of Green Gables, its soil and beaches which is Red coloured also called Terre Rouge, potatoes, excellent beef and outstanding seafood. The island has numerous premier restaurants with many female Chefs and it has the premier Veterinarian School in North America at University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI). Haras farms for Horse breeding is a big industry. The island is also an artist colony and musicians abound, there are continuous Festivals from February to December.

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One Festival is to select the best Chef and the best seafood on the Island and vote for the best restaurants with the most innovative cuisine. You have to remember that PEI only has 140,000 persons living on the island. The Festival is this weekend and people are invited to taste and vote.

All about Lobster’s from Prince Edward Island, see link below.

http://www.tastepeilobster.ca

The #1 selling Mussels in North America are from PEI

http://peimussel.com

More about Best of the Sea Competition

http://bestofsea.com/chefs/#

Also another great Festival is Indian River near the village of Kensington PEI.

http://www.indianriverfestival.com

The old Church of St-Mary’s is an architectural gem in French Gothic Style. At this time of the year the Friends of St-Mary’s sponsor Christmas concerts starting this Sunday 29 November being the First Sunday in Advent.

St. Mary’s Church, a fine example of the French Gothic influence, was built in 1902 by Island architect, William Critchlow Harris. The Harris trademark, a rib-vaulted or groined ceiling, enhances the quality of sound and archives this with the use of fir, pine, spruce, maple, and birch throughout the building.

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Thirty-seven and Counting

25 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 10 Comments

A little photo montage Will made for our Anniversary, gee so many memories from around the World, a life time, very lovely.

Happy 37th!

click on the link below

To P.   from P. On this day in 1491: The siege of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain, ends with the Treaty of Granada.

Source: Thirty-seven and Counting

Astrolabes and Armour: The Studiolo of Federico da Montefeltro at Urbino

24 Tuesday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

We visited this magnificent small room in the Palace of the Duke of Urbino. The Palace is at the top of a steep Hill and is surrounded by the city of Urbino. You are about 25 minutes away by bus from the sea coast town of Pesaro in the Marche region of Italy.

The room is a marvel in wood. Please see the link below.

 

Source: Astrolabes and Armour: The Studiolo of Federico da Montefeltro at Urbino

Anniversary Week!

23 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

1978, couples, meeting, November, Ottawa, University

Saturday 25 November 1978 

We met on this date in 1978 in Ottawa how time flies and have been together ever since (1978-2015).

I was in my last year at University, Will was with the airline. I then joined the Foreign Service and it was a mad whirlwind of 8 postings around the World. We moved around quite a bit during all those years and much of it was done in an age with no computers nor internet. We spent our Holidays and important times together. We were married in July 2007, but that November date remains our date. Despite it all we endure. Auguri!

laurent Will Ostia.jpg

The ancient Consular Road, the Via Appia, Rome

 

Top #5 songs in November 1978

Chic – Le Freak
Donna Summer – MacArthur Park
Barbra & Neil – You Don’t Bring Me Flowers
Anne Murray – You Needed Me
Foreigner – Double Vision

Top movie released; J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, November 25  1978, the animated version high fantasy film directed by Ralph Bakshi

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The Aegean Sea and Cap Sounion in the background.

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St-Petersburg in the Park of the Catherine Palace. Tsarkoe Selo

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Assisi, Umbria

Happy St-Cecilia Day!

22 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Brandy, Christmas, MinceMeat Pie, Music, Ottawa, Pappano, Plum Pudding, Recipe, Rome, Santa Cecilia

Today is the Feast Day of the Patron Saint of Music and Musicians. Santa-Cecilia which is celebrated in Rome in her Basilica in Trastevere.

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The site and building is quite ancient, though the facade is Baroque, the urn in the garden pool is about 2000 years old. In Rome we had Season subscription to Academia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in the Auditorium Parco della Musica a wonderful concert hall designed by famed architect and Roman Senator Renzo Piano. www.santacecilia.it

The orchestra under Antonio Pappano and the choir are excellent.

Some of the famous graduates from the Accademia, Opera star Cecilia Bartoli, composer Ennio Morricone, Conductor Daniel Barenboim and Nino Rota.

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The three halls are designed on the outside to look like ancient Egyptian Scarabs, recalling the long history of Rome and Egypt.

So this morning we added another Cup of Brandy to the mix of the Plum Pudding and for good luck stirred with a wooden spoon counter clockwise the mix. We have one big pudding, note that it has the Cipher of the Sovereign on it. A few years ago when I was in Rome on posting, some of you may remember, we received a gift of a Christmas Plum Pudding from the Queen, this is her gift to her staff, we kept the bowl ever since. Using it this year again for our own mix. We also made two little ones with what was left.

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The mix is now ready to be covered and boiled for 6 hours for the big one.

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The Italian Brandy we use in the mix.

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Now cover in water to half way up the side of the dish. 

You can buy a good quality Plum Pudding from stores, Selfridges or Fortnum and Mason, Liberty in London and they are also imported by reputable retailers in North America. For me it is the dessert for the Xmas table beats all other sweets.

I could not resist taking this picture of the neighbours house all decked out in Blue Lights for Xmas. Many of the houses in our neighbourhood were built around 1910 and all have this type of architecture.

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Excita, quæsumus

20 Friday Nov 2015

Posted by larrymuffin in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

A great family story from Will, the memories!

Source: Excita, quæsumus

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