Ms. Marilyn Teresa Yee is the School Counsellor for Kerrisdale Elementary, whom I, through multiple courtship, convinced to contribute a piece of wisdom to this issue. As Marilyn likes to say, “We all have the capacity to continue to give love and echo life.” ~ The Editor-in-Chief   Written and Photographed by  COCO BIKADOROFF   Q. How long have you served for Kerrisdale Elementary?  A. This will be my 5th year. Q. During your 5 years of working at KE, what has attracted you to staying with serving at KE? A. The main thing is the creative and professional staff I work with. For a school this size, the dedication to learning is fantastic. Everyone gets along so well. The teachers are very inspiring to me. I love being in a dual track school; I love having the French and the English. It just really stretches your creativity. Q. Do you speak French as well? A. I don’t, I speak enough to get by with the kindergartens and grade one’s but I understand a lot more. Q. Do you have any special training/experience that has prepared you to be a better counsellor?  A. Well all of us are teachers, all the counsellors are teachers.  I have a Masters degree in counselling Psychology.  An interesting sidetrack is that I also have a Diploma in Theology, because I always had a whole lot of questions about the meaning of life, why do people suffer, and how do they find happiness.   Q. Please tell us about any special projects that you’re currently working on. A. The most current project I’m working on is to understand something called ‘Social Thinking’ and it’s the work of Michelle Garcia Winner from San Jose California.  She started working with autistic children and how to...

Jack Parasiuk By COCO BIKADOROFF Photographs by DEAN MCLEAN   It couldn’t be more nestled in the heart of the village. The fresh flowers surrounding the patio and the beautifully designed french doors set the entrance for an inviting bistro experience. Jack Parasiuk is a hard working entrepaneur with a very kind and happy air about him. He took over Suvai Restaurant in 2007 when the opportunity presented itself after he had been working with the previous owners. But this is not his first restaurant; he owned a business in Gastown with his best friend and current chef Denis Scipion who he has great respect and admiration for. Jack started in the business as a young boy along with his family. His European upbringing taught him that a happy environment involved many a good time including good food, drink, dancing, entertainment, socializing, but with an emphasis on food. When asked ‘Why Kerrisdale?’, Jack said that it reminded him of the ‘70’s. The village ambiance is a perfect setting for Suvai’s epicurean experience, and the close knit community reminds him of simpler days, when the world was not as technologically busy and people were more engaging and personable. He feels that is what it’s like present day in the community. He believes in treating others the way you wish to be treated and that this neighbourhood has provided him with just that.   People smile and take the time to chat even if they don’t know him, and you can tell when you meet him that even after one encounter, however small, he will remember you. Jack hopes that Suvai will leave a lasting impression on its visitors. That a good time will be had by all and that they will remember the warm, cozy spot...

Dominic Morgan is the manager at Bean around the World on Dunbar and 40th. He has been a real supporter of the “Creative Artist Series” at the Kerrisdale Community Centre through a generous donation of coffee to all the participants. By COCO BIKADOROFF     Photographs by DEAN MCLEAN     Dominic is a great supporter of the local arts and runs his business with an honest sense of community flair. I sat down with Dominic to interview him at his establishment… Q. The brunch at your cafe is very successful. What do you love about it? I love the atmosphere that we create, I feel that we’ve created a place where people can feel like it’s their second home and if they do feel that way then I feel it’s perfect. Q. What is the secret to your success? The secret is there is no secret. It’s just having a passion for the work and instilling passion in both the employees and the customers. Q. Which work do you consider your greatest? My greatest…not sure how to answer that, my greatest work so far is a work in progress, and that’s training up people to do what I do here. To be able to pass on the knowledge that I’ve gained. If that’s successful, which I know it will be, then that will be my biggest accomplishment here. Q. What’s the hardest part of running a business like this? Umm, the hardest part ? Nothing is really hard, mainly things are more tedious and that’s anything that’s away from the front counter. Anything that’s not being out here with the people I find less exciting. I like to connect with the customers. Q. What’s the newest, freshest approach that you bring to your job? That’s actually...