Howdy!

Last week I spent scads of time (ok, about eight hours) hanging out at 1550 Peel. Apparently there are tons of folk who are very very interested in the Cultural Development of Montreal.

That’s why there was at most 40 people who were at any one consultation. Thankfully, though the Office de consultation publique de Montr

Since I started “metroblogging” I have been checking out the other cities metroblogs as a source of distraction and inspiration. I generally like their choices of banners and even recognized the exact spot where the Austin banner was photographed. That is, until I saw the one from Orange County…a strip mall with a Starbucks, a Baskin Robbins and a Cingular store.

A great way to reinforce my preconceived ideas but then again, our banner has snow on it.

As I was driving on McGill avenue last weekend, I was happy to notice that our film industry isn’t quite dead yet. They were filming Lucky Number Slevin (or Sleven…not sure), a gangster movie starring Josh Hartnett, Lucy Liu and Ben Kingsley. I didn’t see much but I did find out about a massive spoiler…there will be gunfire.

Every one of us learned in school that Montreal grew into a large city because the Lachine Rapids prevented further travel up the St-Laurence. While spending part of an unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon at the Parc des rapides in Lasalle, I coudn’t help but to agree with my ancestors…I would not want to go through those in a canoe.

Quebecers are unsure people. This has struck me when i came back from living in europe 2 years ago.

Call it lack of self confidence, insecurity, blame it on our history and the fact that we are a french minority or whatever else you like, it is a fact, a tendency about folks here.

I told friends about my observations many times, but the best example i could find just popped up this last week with the covers of Spin Magazine and The International Herald Tribune about da city we live in.

Now that they wrote it – that we are cool, hip, the next big thing – we can be proud of who we are and what we’ve made out of this city, is that it?

I wish folks here wouldn’t need the approbation of some trendy magazines or useless f**g expensive studies to make us feel we are different, highly creative, and have our place in this world.

Montreal is one of the best place to live in. I claim it because i do feel that way – and i do not doubt it.

hey oh hi!

This is actually my first post on the Metroblogging Montreal page, hope you guys like my input – and i also hope to have a great time here sharing about da great city i now live in.

So cheers to all readers, and to my first post! (which might follow right after this one!)

Shot straight down Saint-Urbain yesterday afternoon, from north of Jean-Talon all the way down to Saint-Viateur.

Howdy!

First Spin magazine (which ain’t on line). Then the New York Times. Then if you want to be “special,” follow this thread on Montrealshows.com.

Montreal has officialy been crowned “the next big thing.” Congrats to all.

The story behind Montreal’s bid to host the 2005 World Aquatic Games has now led to the suicide of Yvon DesRochers, the head of the committee in charge of organizing it.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050202.wxswimm03/BNStory/Sports/

Montreal is, of course, the telemarketing capital of, well, probably the country.

28 arrests in Montreal-based telemarketing raid

The problem with this is, the article states that “100,000 victims have been defrauded $45,000,000 by this organization over a period of 18 months”. Whoa. I’m in the wrong business.

The Liberal government took $1.5 million from its sponsorship program to build a giant TV screen for the Old Port of Montreal because it couldn’t find the money anywhere else.

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