A couple choose Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce for its multiculturalism,
Neighbourhood chosen for its multiculturalism
André Lussier and Jochi Schuhberger are in their late 60s. Partners in life and in business, both men have led interesting lives, with a variety of careers. Jochi, born in Austria “in a tiny place in the middle of nowhere,” left home at 14, trained as a chef ’s apprentice and started travelling.
He has lived in Africa, South America, Hawaii, Toronto, Halifax and Prince Edward Island (where he taught at the Culinary Institute of Canada), ending up in Vancouver.
An accomplished painter who holds a degree in international tourism, he now concentrates on photography, going by the professional name Jochi (“because nobody knows how to pronounce my last name”).
Lussier (who acts as Jochi’s manager) has been, in his time, an accountant, an interior designer, florist and manager of a charitable organization. He grew up in Granby in the Eastern Townships and still has family in Quebec.
This summer, at an age when most folk are thinking of taking it easy, the couple decided to move from Vancouver to Montreal, in search of a new lifestyle. They have settled in a two-bedroom duplex apartment in Côtedes-Neiges–Notre-Dame-deGrâce. Why this area in particular?
Lussier: We’d heard that this was the most multicultural borough in Quebec and that appealed to us. We wanted to experience something fresh and different. I speak French, of course, having grown up in Quebec, but Jochi is starting to learn the language as well.
Jochi: Having travelled so much, I love ethnic diversity. I believe it’s an advantage to any society. You mentioned that you actually found your apartment before you got here.
Lussier: We contacted a real estate agent, looked at Craigslist, checked the web — all the usual sources — and called my brother who lives in Montreal. For a good month, he went here and there, checking out places on our behalf.
One of our priorities was to find a place with two bedrooms and lots of wall space for Jochi to hang his work, but that wasn’t particularly easy. In the end, the agent found this apartment. We were looking for somewhere we could turn into a “home” — not just somewhere to live — and this was perfect! I gather things didn’t run entirely smoothly after you left Vancouver.
Jochi: That’s putting it mildly! We had decided to drive across Canada to Montreal, but just as we were about to leave, we heard about the floods in Alberta.
Everything was on the go already so we had to switch to the northern route, through Jasper, Edmonton and Saskatoon, because the TransCanada Highway was closed. It took us five days to get to Toronto, but we were very happy to reach civilization!
Along the northern route, some of the tourist facilities leave a lot to be desired. Did you ship everything with you?
Lussier: We purged a lot of stuff that wasn’t worth transporting and sold it, but most of our antiques came in a truck by container, even our dishes. Jochi is a cook and he has his favourite utensils. Thankfully, nothing was broken, so that part of the move was flawless.
( The couple lead me through their apartment, pointing out their favourite artifacts and Jochi’s large-format photos, which provide a focal point to every room. Lussier’s skill as an interior designer is evident in the choice of the subtle, elegant colours, the placement of the furniture and the way the artifacts — African carvings, wooden bowls, ceramic vases and the like — are arranged.) I love the way you’ve com- bined your antique dining table with these seethrough plastic chairs.
Lussier: They’re called “ghost” chairs and they’re similar to a Philippe Starck design, but these are not originals. We also have a pair of white leather Barcelona chairs in the living room. They aren’t originals, either, but they were made in Italy. The dining room table is pine and it dates back to 1885. We found it in an antique store in Vancouver.
( We walk toward the living room and on the way, Lussier and Jochi point out various antiques — a Chinese cabinet, a Quebec armoire and a European hope chest decorated with folk art motifs. The gleaming hardwood floor of the living room is covered with a rug from Afghanistan. Its colours — caramel, mocha and chocolate — are in keeping with the décor.) What’s the story behind the tall African carvings on the floor, next to your white leather Barcelona chairs?
Jochi: ( Laughs.) I once did a favour for a witch doctor in South Africa and he gave me these as a gift!