Goan Soccer League Toronto – Inter-Village Finals
Margao 2 –Aguada 1
Excerpts from: http://www.southasianobserver.com/south_asian_canadian_news.php?
Editor of South Asian Observer, Eugene Correia

Toronto: Margao clinched the Gaudencio Fernandes tropny defeating Aquada 2-1 in the final of the 14th Goan Inter-Village Tournament at the Centennial Ground, Etobicoke, on Oct 2. Margao were champions in 2004 and losing finalists in 1998, 200, 2001 and 2008. It was Aquada's maiden entry into the final.

In the wet and cold weather, Margao dominated the proceedings in the first 20 minutes before Aquada began to assert itself. Close and neat passing with the occasional run down the flanks by the experienced Margao forwards kept the Aquada defence on edge. The Aquada goalkeeper was called many times to prevent Margao from scoring.

A 30-yard freekick by Margao's Nikhil Alvares deceived the Aquada goalkeeper who tried to collect the ball at the last-minute but just succeeded in getting his fingertips to the ball as it sailed into the net. Then came a dipping corner-kick by the old warhorse Antonio Fernandes that bounced in front of the ball, hit a defender and lodged into the net. With a comfortable 2-0 lead Margao were in the driver's seat. But the Aquada team kept pushing to find the net. Ultimately, Andre Saviel found the net and this gave Aquada more energy to press into the rival half. They almost succeeded and got the equaliser in the last ten minutes of the game. The goal was disallowed as the linesman flagged for handball though the scorer claimed he had chested the ball.

In the semifinals, Aquada beat Loutolim, the holders, in the tie-breaker after both teams finished goalless at full-time, and Magao prevailed over Aldona by a solitary goal.

Lunch time
http://www.canadianimmigrant.ca/immigrantstories/moneybusiness/article/4712
Sabrina Almeida

When a friend suggested buying a Lunch Lady franchise after reading about it in a parenting magazine in 2003, Bernadette Kusuma didn’t need much convincing. “With five children to take care of, a home-based business seemed an ideal choice,” she says.

The Lunch Lady franchises provide hot meals to local schools, an enterprise the Indonesian immigrant was happy to invest in, as it would leave her with enough time to care for her children. However, Kusuma, who used to work in market research, soon discovered that, “although starting up my own business was a good decision and allowed me some amount of flexibility, running a Lunch Lady franchise was a lot of hard work.”

Not one to give up easily, Kusuma, who had been in Canada for just one year at the time, entered into a partnership for a franchise with the friend who suggested it.

“It was difficult initially because I didn’t drive and my partner had to do all the deliveries. So that meant, in addition to learning and co-managing a new business, I had to work on getting my driver’s licence as well.”

Today, her kitchen has 12 employees and averages around 700 meals daily. “From pancakes and salads, to hamburgers and spaghetti and meatballs, we make about 12 different types of hot and cold lunches,” she explains with great pride. “On Fridays, we prepare 900 lunches.”

Inspired by her success, her husband Hartoni Ashali gave up his job in a stock brokerage company and bought his own franchise in 2006. The husband-and-wife team work together; since Kusuma had a large commercial kitchen already set up, Ashali simply purchases the lunches his franchise requires from her kitchen. Describing it as an “easy business model that anyone can follow,” Ashali focuses on the administration while Kusuma takes care of the rest.

“We now also want to go a step further in building a stronger relationship with the schools that we serve in Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington. This means helping school management with fundraising and other activities.”

The couple’s hard work has paid off. The Platinum Spoon Award for top annual sales within the Lunch Lady group, and the Children’s Choice Award (Bronze) for high participation numbers among their schools’ students are the latest in their collection of trophies.

They also received the Gold Spoon Award for the previous two years in a row.

What’s the recipe to their success? “My attention to detail,” says Kusuma. “Perseverance is also very important,” adds Ashali. “You must keep at it in order to do well.”

“As new immigrants, we are very conscious of our status and that makes us introverts and holds us back,” says Kusuma.

“I wouldn’t make an attempt to talk to anyone unless they approached me,” agrees Ashali. “Then I realized that my hesitation was preventing people from talking to me as well.”

Their advice to new immigrants is to “get out more. Volunteer at your local library, community centre or school or wherever you get a chance. It will help you get to know people as well as the Canadian way of life and build your self-confidence,” says Ashali.

What is the couple’s next goal? “Supplying 1,000 meals a day!”

Pura Vida Spa...ahh! 100% Handmade Soaps

Body quenching products by Pura Vida Spa...ahh! are now available in the GTA just in time for the Christmas season. Natural soaps containing no detergents, yummy body scrubs and a variety of gift baskets & boxes for that perfect Christmas or any occasion present.

Owned, operated and handmade by Caroline Braganza-Reyes and her husband Ernesto, Caroline was inspired to start her own body product line upon return to Canada from her time living and working overseas. Her product line and design are influenced from the countries that she has lived in abroad; Costa Rica, Cuba and Japan. Caroline learned how to make her products in Costa Rica and here in Canada. Caroline considers various properties of her ingredients such as scent, benefits, moisturizing, cleansing and lathering before formulating the product. The results are great products that are good for your skin and the environment. Pura Vida means Pure Life in Spanish.

For more information see www.puravidaspaahh.com.

Anish Kapoor Royal Academy Showcase
http://www.desiblitz.com/content/anish-kapoor-royal-academy-showcase
By S Basu October 2, 2009

Anish Kapoor the Indian born British installation artist is showcased at the Royal Academy with a unique waxwork called Svyambh featured at the the exhibition.

Excerpts…

The Royal Academy is exhibiting a retrospective show of sculptor Anish Kapoor, Indian born British installation artist. He is the winner of the Turner Prize and creator of the most beautiful pieces of monumental modern art in recent years. Anish Kapoor has been described as “the darling of the contemporary art market.”

The Royal Academy exhibition in London, UK, runs from 26 September to 11 December 2009 and is unusual in that it showcases the artist while he’s still alive whereas most of the artists they exhibit are Old Masters who have passed away.

New York - Anish Kapoor The main pieces exhibiting are Svayambh and Shooting in the Corner. Svyambh (Sanskrit for self generated) is a l40 tonne mass of red wax travelling on rails across the gallery leaving a trail of pattern behind it. Shooting in the Corner is an enormous cannon that shoots 9 kg of wax pellet, every few minutes, through an archway onto a wall where it leaves a red smear like vermillion.

His most famous work is Cloud Gate situated in the Millennium Park, Chicago. It is a vast globe of shiny steel dominating the area. What is clever about Cloud Gate is that the equator of the globe reflects the horizon perfectly creating a symmetry of reflection. His works are almost cinematic and panoramic in interpretation. Another well known work is Sky Mirror in the Rockefeller Centre – a polished piece of steel reflecting the world around it.

Anish Kapoor was born in Mumbai and moved to London in the 70s. He studied at the Hornsey College of Art and later at Chelsea School of Art and Design. He has exhibited at the Tate Gallery, Kunsthalle Basel, Deutsche Guggenheim in Berlin, MAK Vienna and ICA Boston. In 1991 he won the Turner Prize and became a member of the Royal Academy. His work is represented by Lisson Gallery, London and Gladstone Gallery, New York.