La Nuit Blanche 2007

This year will be the 4th instalment of the Montréal All-Nighter, part of the Montréal Highlights Festival. The only problem i have with this, is that there are waaaaaaay too many things to do. And all in just one night. I went to 2004's event, and ended up watching french barbie porn at the NFB's cinémarobothèque. Thank god for government subsidised films!

I'm trying to convince Jeannette and Liz to come and visit that weekend. And i've gone through most of the programme to make an itinerary. There doesn't need to be a sequence to this, but it would be nice to start from the Old Port and work our way back home:

1. Quai Jacques-Cartier (Free)
8:00 - Fireworks

2. Notre-Dame-de-bon-secours Chapel (Free) 400 Saint Paul East
8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 - Gospel Music in Montreal's oldest stone chapel

3. Hôtel W (Free) 901 Square Victoria
7:00pm - 3:00am - Cléa Haugo explores the manufactured image of modern woman.

4. Darling Foundry (Free) 745 Ottawa
8:00pm - 3:00am - Art Matters exhibitions and performances surrounding the theme of 'humanism'

5. Montréal History Centre (Free) 335 Place d'Youville
8:00pm - 5:00am - African Rhythms. Percussion and dance performances.

6. Pointe-à-Callière Archaeology and History Museum (Free) 350 Place Royale
7:00pm - 3:00am - Two exhibits will be open all night long: 'St. Lawrence Iroquoians, People of the corn' and ' Where Montréal was born.' Plus there's some sort of Native-inspired musical celebration.

7. Canadian Centre for Architecture (Free) 1920 Baile
8:00pm - 3:00am - The exhibition 'Environment: approaches for tomorrow' is open all night, as well as tasting and experiments involving the environment. And there's a DJ and movies showing.

8. Camellia Masala (Free) 351 Emery
10:00pm - 7:00am - This place will be serving traditional Indian Chai until 7AM!

9. Belgo Building (Free) 372 Ste. Catherine West
8:00pm - 5:00am - Tonnes of stuff is going down in this building. It's full of art studios.

10. Hydro-Quebec (Free) 75 René-Lévesque West
6:00pm- 5:00pm - Check out Jean-Paul Mousseau's giant illuminated mural.

11. Contemporary Art Museum (Free) 185 Ste Catherine West
6:00pm - 5:00am - Tonnes of stuff... Their main exhibit will be open as well.

12. Métro Place-des-Arts (Free) 175 Ste Catherine West.
1:00am - 5:00am - Breakdance and hip-hop competition with DJs.

13. Piano Nobile @ Place des Arts (Free) 175 Ste Catherine West
from 11:30pm - 5:00am - Salle Wilfrid Pelletier is turned into a cabaret with various Quebec artists performing.

14. Hall des Pas Perdus @ Place des Arts (Free) 175 Ste Catherine West
11:00pm - 5:00am - Karine Giboulo's installation/Social Commentary

15. Centre de Design de l'UQAM (Free) 1440 Sanguinet
6:00pm - 5:00am - An exhibition of brushes. Some 2 000 brushes are going to be displayed, and you can take one home with you. Whatever, it's art!

16. ITHQ - Institut de Tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (Free) 3535 Saint-Denis
6:00pm- 6:00am - the 10-storey building will put on a light show. It seems to be put on by 'LSD Design'.... Hmm, must be good then.

17. Graff Gallery (Free) 963 Rachel East
8:00pm - 2:00am - There is a 'greenhouse' exhibit, and a silk-screening demonstration.

Kyoto Causes Suicide?!?

In the latest blow, a Conservative MP says that implementing Kyoto could cause suicides. This is the funniest load of shit i have heard, and if it weren't so early in the morning, i would be rolling around laughing. Of course instead i am clutching my coffee wondering if i am indeed awake and not still dreaming.

Of course, how can you not think suicide would increase when, i quote, " you lose your job, or when you lose a $30-an-hour job to work for $8 or $10 an hour."

I can't even write. This is so hilarious. You just have to read it.

New Years Resolution?

I bought the book Montréal Resto À Go-Go by Sarah Musgrave. I actually asked for it for christmas, and never got it (not necessarily asked but made it extremely obvious that i wanted it) . Basically it lists "200 cheap and fun places to eat and drink in Montréal." I've looked through a lot of it and already put marks on the places i would like to visit. They are all bars so far, which really tells you where my priorities are...

Here's the list of bars i would like to visit in the next year. Consider it a New Years resolution, in February:

L'Assommoir
Benelux
Bily Kun
Cheval Blanc
Dieu du Ciel
Le Ste-Élisabeth (shouldn't it be La?)

Any more suggestions?

Amsterdam

Here are some photos of last summer's trip to Amsterdam. It rained for just about 85% of the trip. The last two are from Brussels... Ray and i took a day trip there.






notice how the buildings are all angled differently...

Wilderness

Here is a paper i wrote in my second year. It's about how the perception of wilderness has changed. The 'idea' of wilderness. Something like that. I miss only having to write short papers. I think this one is about 6 pages.

Montréal vs Toronto #1 (the continuing debate)

Okay, so it seems that metropolitan Montréal is once again trying to get more money. But now in a different way: they want to have more taxation power. And this is real, the Mayor delivered some sort of ultimatum. The city is tired of funding things like the metro and road system that is used by residents of municipalities that don't pay their share.

This is where Toronto comes in. Apparently, Toronto was given unlimited taxation powers from January 1st. Basically, they can charge whatever they wish unless it involves income tax. So while Ontario has a metropolis that is mutually benefiting and sharing financial resources and municipal assets, Montréal is crumbling under a deficit that nobody wants responsibility for.

Farmers' Markets and the Eco-City

Here is a paper i wrote a while back. It explains some concepts of a sustainable city with regard to farmers' markets. It also proposes a site in downtown Montréal for a new market. What's interesting is that i just found out that the city was actually considering putting a community centre on the site i had chosen.

Poo-Teen in NYC

So, i was walking home from my Dad's place last night and saw the front of the National Post had a giant poutine with the headline 'will poutine take over Manhatten?'. I wanted it sooo badly.... Realising that i didn't have a loonie and scratching at the glass wouldn't suffice, i rushed home eager to find the article online. I really wanted to know how the poutine would take over Manhatten. And did this mean Québec could take over all of the US east coast, or better, the west coast too?

After being locked out of the house all night (on, of course, what felt like the coldest night this season), i found the article. Who pays for news anymore anyways?

The restaurant that is opening up doesn't sound very interesting. Actually, it sounds kind of cheesy. Shelves made out of canoes? a 'maple' bar downstairs and the 'canoe club' upstairs? Waiters wearing antlers? ok. i made that one up... but come on!

The Cross

Has anyone else noticed what happened to the cross? The southern pointing part of the crucifix is lit up purple.

I imagine some old guy in a cushy job who's put on 'cross duty' has had a heart-attack. Half his face is in his poutine and the other half is on the button labelled 'mauve.'

Poor Jacques. Hopefully someone finds him before the poutine starts to smell... The cross has been like this for almost a week. I'll eventually get a decent picture of it once i figure out how to take a good night shot with my digital camera.

Varennes. and farmers

I don't know if it is often publicised, but it is interesting to note that there are 20 Montréal municipalities that have applied to the Québec Agricultural Protection Council (or some name to that effect) to de-zone agricultural land for residential development.

Which surprised me only because i had no idea that agricultural land was so strongly protected in the Montréal region. Varennes is such a town. Apparently the town is going broke and needs to develop more land for tax revenue.... Um.... hmmmm..... how about a plain 'NON!'

If you ask me, what is happening in Varennes (and possibly in many of the 20 municipalities) is inevitable. Many have been saying that suburban development based on low-density residential development and low taxes is unsustainable. It's about time a community realises this, and begins to plan what they call 'smart growth.'

I just hope this becomes a wake-up call to the Québec government and those bureaucrats in MMC municipalities.

Ecologez

I just wanted to mention that Équiterre and the ETS will be having their second annual Ecologez green building competition. I've applied to enter, and am still waiting for a response. You should check out last year's competition.

Behind the Faubourg

Ah. The icy frigid Montréal winters i thought i had forgotten.
This makes me also reflect on what the fuck is happening to the Faubourg.
A gigantic Dollarama? Yeah, the management much be rolling in the dough now that it's returned to a vibrant commercial centre.