Yeh! yogurt chain to open at the Quartier Cavendish (Mall)

Who does not love the amazing Yeh! yogurt chain. Company owners Jon and Marvin Gurman have delivered a gift to their native Montreal. Yeh! will set up shop at the Quartier Cavendish (Mall) in June.

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Dic Ann’s to open its first ever downtown location

Dic Ann’s, the storied hamburger chain which was launched by the husband and wife team of Dick Potenza and Ann Collechia 59 years ago, will open its first ever downtown location in June on St. Catherine Street near Forte Avenue. Nino Zammit and Delbina Potenza, the grandchildren of the original owners and present day managers of the operation, are working with consultant Lloyd Brown on this project. It was Brown, a noted local businessman, who introduced the first Dic Ann’s West End franchise seven years ago on St. Jacques Street in NDG.

Delbina Potenza and Nino Zammit

 

Zammit told me he believes the time is perfect to debut franchise number 13 downtown, emphasizing that the area is on the verge of a boom with a new condo/apartment project going up on the site of the old Seville Theatre, a planned reboot of the Pepsi Forum entertainment complex and Lasalle and Dawson College’s to draw from.  Dic Ann’s has sold more than 50 million of its trademark slim hamburgers since its inception, complete with their secret recipe hot sauce.  Dic Ann’s established a world record in 1998, when their St. Jerome location served 1,452 hamburgers in one hour, each with custom condiments. 

    

Like the Dic Ann’s on St. Jacques Street, the downtown location will be twinned with a Bonatarte dessert emporium.   

 

Mouthwatering Dic Ann's hamburger and fries.

As Dom Potenza, Delbina’s dad and son of the original owners says, “My dad would have loved the idea of moving into downtown close to the old Montreal Forum, where the hockey team he so worshipped provided all of us with so many great memories. We look forward to welcoming, and for those who don’t know us, creating, a new legion of fans.”

How newest Jewish Hab Halpern would respond to Passover`s four questions

Montreal's Jewish community is no doubt rejoicing over the Passover Seder table that one of their  own, forward Jeff Halpern, is back in Montreal. For how long we do not know, but during his last stint with the club in 2010-2011 there were indeed hopes expressed that he  would make some appearances within the Jewish community.

At the time there were in fact two Jewish players on the Habs: Halpern and  Mike Cammalleri. Halperin did in fact agree to make one high profile appearance at a Jewish community event, but then head coach Jacques Martin called a special practice at that time.

Halpern is the  longest-tenured Jewish player in the NHL.  During his  13-year pro  career he has played for  his hometown Washington Capitals, as well as the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and Montreal.  He is  member of the Greater Washington Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and gained a lot of new fans when he sat out a game on Yom Kippur in 2005. His wife Kelly, a former Washington Redskins cheerleader,    converted to Judaism. The couple have two children.

Is Halpern had the opportunity to attend  a Passover Seder this year, this is how I would expected him to have answered the four questions from a hockey perspective. 

Jeff Halpern

Question 1: Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzoh, but on this night we eat only matzoh?

Halpern: I am told that hot dog sales at the Bell Centre and other NHL rinks are so high that there are some times a shortage in buns.

Question 2: Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat only bitter herbs?

 

Halpern: Passover comes around the time of the NHL trading deadline. It is not easy being traded. Naturally, for some of us, this is  a very "bitter" experience.

Question 3; Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once, but on this night we dip them twice?

 Halpern: It is like my coaches have always told me. 'When you go in the corner to pick up the puck give it that all important second effort.' And if you are ever benched,  do not be 'bitter.' Show you are a team player and again give that second effort,

Question 4: Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night we eat in a reclining position?"

Halpern: When in a reclining position you are better positioned to pick up a loose puck and score.

Let us all raise a glass for Jeff Halpern. L'Chaim!  May he re-sign with the Canadiens for next season and purchase a condo in Côte Saint-Luc.