Waking up on March 13, 2020, Alex Kim, a then-sophomore high school student, did not know what the next 24 hours had in store for them. They couldn't guess that school would be canceled for two weeks— yay, extended spring break!— or that it would eventually be canceled for the rest of the school year. They could not have predicted that they would not see anyone for months to come, save for their family living in the same house. And, of course, they could not have imagined that they would be part

Words by Mia Anhoury Audio by Sania Malik Photography by Sarah Boumedda From the outside, it looks like one of the many other small independent coffee shops in Montreal, but in reality it is wide and spacious on the inside. It’s hidden in plain sight on Saint Catherine St. in the heart of the Gay Village. The three-year-old café, La Graine Brûlée, is becoming a go-to place for students, entrepreneurs, and even families. Stéphane Koué, co-owner and manager of the café, said the Gay Village

How a 69-year-old personal trainer proves age is just a number While most people spend their early 60s planning their retirement, Diane Brown decided to pursue a new career: becoming a personal trainer. “I had never thought of pursuing it before,” said Brown, now 69 years old. “I was a single mother when I was younger, and after that, I was always worried about providing for my child.” Brown worked random jobs most of her life in order to pay the bills. At the age of 61, Brown realized she wa

With its imposing red brick walls and forest green motifs, it’s hard to miss the former mansion on downtown Drummond Street that houses the Consulate General of Italy. The history of this architectural gem is still foggy in places, but intriguing in others. View of the Consulate General of Italy in Montreal, from Docteur Penfield Avenue. The flags of Italy (left) and the European Union (right) frame the northern entrance of the building. “The building was built in 1898,” said Lorenzo Soli

Concordia’s downtown campus is surrounded by cafés and restaurants, but the Loyola campus is quite the opposite. Two alumnae noticed the quiet local food scene and decided to open their own Korean and Japanese inspired bistro right next to the university. In February 2018, twin sisters Hyun Mi Jo and Hyun Sun Jo — Jo and Sun — opened their bistro Comptoir Koyajo on Sherbrooke Street. “While we were students at Concordia, we realized there was no place to eat around here,” said Jo. “We already

The band’s first EP combines psychedelic post-rock with ambient vibes Ostrich Bouquet’s sound has been described by some as “Pink Floyd on a spaceship,” according to drummer Michael Tomizzi. The band’s mix of psychedelic, progressive post-rock and ambient vibes with a side of jazz and blues influence plays out on the seven tracks of their first EP, On Time as Usual. The day before its release on Nov. 17, the Montreal-based group performed at O Patro Vys. Tomizzi and keyboardist Kyle Podwalski

How the construction and timing of Bill 62 is just another election campaign tactic It’s disheartening that the same society that supports a woman’s choice to wear a short, black dress criminalizes a woman’s right to wear a long, black burka. Since the National Assembly passed Bill 62 on Oct. 18, people have voiced mixed opinions about the “religious neutrality” law. The bill states that in order to give or receive public services—like public transit, healthcare and educational services—a pers

As we enter the third week of the fall semester here at Concordia, many students are beginning to settle into their routines, their workloads and their living spaces. The experiences students have with their living situations vary widely: some are finding themselves in the apartment of their dreams with a landlord who is attentive and sympathetic, while others, unfortunately, are not. It is not uncommon for landlords to take advantage of the inexperience of their student-tenants. This is why we

Canadian R&B duo kick off their tour in Montreal At 10 p.m. on September 30, the atmosphere at Métropolis quickly changed from rowdy to almost dreamlike, when Jordan Ullman walked on stage. It seemed surreal as the record producer glanced at the crowd with a smile and made his way to the keyboard, where he began producing sounds that enthralled the crowd. The smell of marijuana suddenly wafted through the large room and people started cheering and pushing forward. Majid Al Maskati appeared on s