Community Connection
(William Doyle-Marshall pix)
Barney's Joint's grand opening Saturday night at 1199 Kennedy Road in Scarborough was warm, pleasant and welcoming. Servers dressed in fashionable black styles anxiously attended to the needs of patrons all dressed in white in what promoters termed a Hollywood mood, complete with red carpet upon arrival after clearing the security check point.
There is serious emphasis by management on security and expectation that patrons would return again and again. So they have employed technology to speed up service and ensure efficiency encouraging clients to sit back and enjoy the ambience and overall Barney's environment..
Barney's Joint offers a sports bar, family restaurant and night life social atmosphere all in one. It carries quite a creative menu with a range of choices to suit your taste. There is a lunch time specials' board that's updated daily based on the chef. It ranges from soup of the day, a special drink, special appetizer or main course. There are daily specials like Curried duck, rice and roti. Some eye catching dishes include Garlic Shrimp Bowtie Peppercorn Alfredo and Five Plus Surf and Turf.
"These are all things, as we go along, we are perfecting. Our motto is we want efficient customer service," says Rodney Aodan, Promotions Manager.
The BJ's trade mark is visible on things like BJ shrimp/sampler, BJ's fully loaded burger and BJ's fajitas. Who knows where else BJ's will emerge in the future? An impressive menu that feels like a clutch purse, faux leather captures the offerings such as Start It Up; Go Green; Under the Sea; Sweet Temptations; Think Inside the Bun; Straight off the Grill and Pasta Anyone?
The decision to establish Barney's Joint in Scarborough is based on the need in the neighbourhood. "Scarborough needs a club like this," Rodney says. He believes they could have easily taken this place and put it in the heart of downtown and fill it up every weekend and do a dance club. But the entrepreneurs are convinced that Scarborough needs an environment like this. In the day time you can play pool, you can shoot basketballs, you can play some video games. There are televisions where patrons can watch any sports event.
Sports and many games are available at Barney's Joint in order to make it a family oriented place. Rodney reported when he took his family to Barney's to test its impact, it was very nice that they could all sit at a table (six of us) and carry on a conversation while we were waiting for a meal and the kids were off playing. "There was no playing around on the table, and spoons falling and drinks spilling," he reflected.
Barney Khan, the owner, enjoys going out, hanging with his friends, having a good time and he likes to be in an atmosphere where he gets great service. "He's a dapper kind of gentleman. He likes to dress and he likes to go somewhere he can dress and spend his money and have a good time and he created this place for other people who would like to do the very same thing, to be very upscale. If you want to go out with your spouse, with your girlfriend, with your partner and be able to sit down and have a nice dinner, have cocktails, dance and mingle with everybody," Rodney Aodan, Promotions Manager recounts.
While the culinary base may be Caribbean in nature, Barney's Joint is a space for every Canadian irrespective of culture. Having said that Aodan promises a diversified entertainment programme where customers could appreciate very classy events where they can either sit or stand up and enjoy the show.
Barney's Joint is open seven days a week with ongoing programmes around the sports bar. There are different gaming activities like a Socasize (dancing exercise the Soca way), broadcasting all sporting events i.e. basketball, baseball, football, cricket, world cup soccer - offering quality service and entertainment at all times. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday operations are from eleven thirty am to 12 midnight and from Thursday into the weekend the club events run much later maybe 2.30 a.m to three o'clock.
The dashing couple exchanged marriage vows on Saturday, August 27, 2011. A capacity crowd of friends and relatives were on hand to witness the ceremony conducted according to Vedic rites by Dr Satish Prakash of New York assisted by Pt Vidyarthi Sreeram.
The 'baraat' (groom's wedding party) had assembled at a nearby venue and danced/walked over to the mandir accompanying the groom, who rode a beautifully bedecked white horse. They were accompanied by the rhythms of tassa drumming.
The wedding was followed up by an elaborate reception held at the Le Parc Banquet Hall on Highway 7.
The bride and groom spared no efforts to make their celebration a memorable one.
Arvin is the son of Doodie and Indra Ross while Cindy is the daughter of Fabrice and Pamela Sukhram
Pranav Ashram will hold its annual golf tournament on Saturday September 10, 2011 at the Royal Ontario Golf Club, Hornby, Ontario. For info: please contact Dhaman Kissoon 416-423-1446, Danny Kissoon 416-565-1292 or Sat Purushuttam 416-825-2900. All proceeds from this venture go to the Ashram.
Pass The Torch is a Cultural Arts Education Program that teaches all aspects of Calypso and Soca designed for children and youth 8 years and up to foster a better sense of themselves through writing and performing their individual musical compositions. To register call - Dick Lochan at 416-284-4021.
The 2011 South Asian Showcase for Newmarket & Area will take place on Saturday September 10th at the Newmarket Theatre.
Schedule is as follows: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm – Bazaar on the grounds of the theatre - open to the public; 7:00 to 9:30 pm – Variety Show in the theatre – Tickets $20 – reception follows.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.newmarkettheatre.ca or in person at the theatre box office. Get your tickets early for priority seating.
All proceeds to Southlake Regional Health Centre (Hospital).
Vendors and Sponsors opportunities are available. Call for volunteers: This is your event – especially for neighbours – please raise your hands if you can offer help towards its success.
All proceeds to Southlake Regional Health Centre (Hospital). For info, call Tulsi 905-392-6274 or Roger 919-3329..
Sign up now for Indian Music and Dance Workshops offered by Swar Sadhana Music Lovers Club. Swar Sadhana provides a quality platform to develop music and dance talent at two locations - Brampton & Scarborough. About eight highly talented teachers provide training in Vocal (singing), Harmonium, Keyboard, Tabla, Sitar, Flute, Violin, Guitar, Bharatnatyam, Folk and Bollywood style of dances. Before beginning the new semester, Swar Sadhana organizes a parent-child workshop that allows everyone to explore and experience the environment and meet with the teachers for their expert guidance. The new semester is started on Thursday, September 1, 2011 at both the locations. For more information, visit the website at www.swarsadhana.ca or contact Neha Bhavsar @ 905-794-4013. September 1 (905-794-4013) (www.swarsadhana.ca).
for Dr Nar Singh
Sick Kids Hospital.
By Adit Kumar
Guyana born Dr. Narendra Singh, Chief of Paediatrics, at Humber River Regional Hospital, has been honoured with the prestigious University of Toronto's Department of Paediatrics Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Clerkship Level. Dr. Singh was presented with his Award at the Department's Annual Academic Awards Dinner held on June 28th last. He is also an assistant professor of Paediatrics at University of Toronto and Mc Masters.
The award is given based upon the evaluations of senior medical students from the University of Toronto who rotated through Humber River Regional Hospital. The students do their clinical rotations at most of the Toronto Hospitals and are taught by many clinicians. In this case they were taught by 80 paediatricians with the award going to the paediatrician with the highest evaluation by the students. Dr Singh was runner up last year.
Dr Singh, who has been teaching for more than 20 years, told Indo Caribbean World: "It is always heart warming and encouraging getting a teaching accolade from your students. It's an excellent positive feedback especially when you see these students go on to excel in various specialties and become very prominent physicians in Canada. It`s an award that encourages you to do more and to further enhance your teaching skills."
Despite his busy schedule Dr Singh has undertaken a major charitable project. He has set up and registered a Canadian charitable organization called "Guyana Help the Kids" (www.guyanahelpthekids.com) and has entered into a partnership with the Government of Guyana, the University of Guyana (UG) and the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) through which he hopes to increase the number of qualified paediatricians available in the public sector in Guyana. This, he hopes, will enhance the care provided by the country's public health sector to the children of Guyana. To assist in this process Dr Singh has developed a web site (www.guyanadoctor.com) to identify doctors of Guyanese origin who would be interested in this and other such projects in Guyana.
Dr Singh maintains contact with many of his students and informs that some of them are going to Guyana to assist him with the new paediatric residency program that is being started by Guyana Help The Kids.
Responding to what motivated him to embark on this project, Dr Singh said: "As a Guyanese by birth, I feel very strongly that we need to use the positive gifts given to us by our adopted country to assist our less fortunate people of Guyana. If we all do our part, we would be able to make a substantial difference to the lives of our people."
Today (Wednesday, September 7, 2011) close to 20 former NHL stars will be on the ice for a charity hockey game called "Battle of the NHL Greats: A Night To Remember" with proceeds going to the Guyana Help the Kids project.
25 years of service
By Amar Umadan
Vedic Missionary Dr. Satish Prakash who has completed 25 years of distinguished service to the community was honoured by Arya Samaj-Vedic Cultural Centre at a simple ceremony on August 27, 2011 at the VCC in Markham.
Dr Prakash was presented with a plaque recognizing his outstanding contributions to Arya Samaj in Canada.
Since arriving in New York City in 1985, Dr. Prakash has travelled to Canada on numerous occasions to conduct seminars, workshops and to deliver lectures. He also spearheaded and facilitated the development of the Arya Veer Dal (Youth training) Camps in these parts.
During the past 25 years, Dr. Prakash has been the recipient of many awards and recognitions for his selfless service to society through both his religious missionary work and as a language teacher (of French, Latin and Spanish) in New York City. His training in the Vedic system of beliefs and the teachings of the Arya Samaj has equipped him to carry out his missionary work in mandirs and on television. Dr. Prakash's passion for his missionary work has led him to establish the Maharshi Dayananda Gurukul in New York named after the founder of Arya Samaj, Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati.
In the execution of his missionary work, primarily in the Americas, Dr. Prakash has touched and inspired many souls with his in-depth knowledge of the Vedas. One of his main focuses has been young people whom he has taught via the Arya Veer Dal dating back to the early 70's in Guyana. Today many of his students are themselves leaders and practitioners in the Arya Samaj worldwide.
Dr. Prakash has several publications to his credit, most popular among which is the Atma Geet, a collection of regularly used songs and bhajans designed for non-Hindi speaking devotees. All his works are translated into very understandable English for western audiences.
As well, he is an accomplished singer and has made several recordings, mostly of the bhajans in his Atma Geet.
After 25 years, Dr. Prakash is now retired from his teaching profession in the New York school system. Setting up a base in India, he plans to dedicate his time to acquire more in-depth knowledge aimed at creating greater balance in today's society between the forces of materialism and spirituality.
Arya Samaj-Vedic Cultural Centre extends good wishes to Dr. Satish Prakash for continued success in his missionary work and his future undertakings.
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(William Doyle-Marshall pix)