Montreal Metblogs » mon_richard

Holiday time in the city

mon_richard — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:52:58 +0000

Ready or not, it’s crunch time. It’s such a frantic time of year. Everybody seems stressed out. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised as it will be like this at least through boxing day. I made the mistake of going out to Quartier Dix-30 on the weekend. After securing a parking spot a number of kilometers away (I’m only mildly exaggerating) I faced hordes and hordes of people trying to shop. I wish I had read Christelle’s post (below) before I did that! It’s true, the downtown malls are totally empty weekdays, except around lunchtime, when it’s like being in a beehive. Instead of physically shopping this year, I’m doing a lot of cybershopping. All the big box stores have websites, and if you know what you want, it’s easy as pie to order. But I wouldn’t push it past the weekend since you have to allow time for delivery. It’s also wonderful this year to have a white coat blanketing the lawns and rooftops, it does make the city seem more festive at this time of year. As for me, the cards are mailed, the tree is up, the holiday music is in the CD player and I’ve just got 2 gifts to go. Here’s hoping you make it through these last two weeks!

Winter driving, ready or not

mon_richard — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:01:59 +0000

I see that Meteomedia is forecasting 20-25 centimeters of snow between now and tomorrow afternoon. It’s going to be nice to look at the city with a fresh winter shine. Have you changed your tires yet? I resisted and really wanted to believe that All season tires included winter. Thankfully, long time denizens and drivers here knocked some sense into me. You’re going to have an accident, they said. You’re going to get stuck, they warned. So I bit the bullet last week and got some brand new winter tires on the car. This will be my first winter behind the wheel, and I really don’t know what to expect. I feel pretty safe with my $500 tires, for that price, they better be. Any other tips you’d like to pass along to a rookie winter driver?

$20 Project

mon_richard — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:39:51 +0000

The family of metroblogs is highlighting ways to spend $20 in each city. Click the links to other cities and read all about it. Here, we are talking Canadian dollars which are trading pretty high. $20 CAD = $21.40 US. To get things kicked off on the Montreal metblog:

How to eat lunch out for a week on $20. Or, the secret locations of the $4 lunch.

First, I’d like to draw your attention to the Royal Bank building on St Jacques street in the old port. (near the corner of bleury) Go in and immediately descend the stairs to the left. There you will find a little take out resto with a great little deli salad combo available. Choose four salads such as nicoise, greek, pasta, potato, tabouli, avocado, three bean etc, and you’ll have a pound of healthy lunch for $3.75 tax included.

Next up, and I’ve written about this before, is the Pizza D’Oree, located in the Berri Uqam and Longueuil metro stations as well as in the tunnel connecting Eaton Centre with Place Ville Marie. There, you can get two slices of pizza with a beverage for $4.35 (prices having recently been increased) including tax. Bring your water bottle and skip the beverage and you’ll be full for three bucks and change. I’ve never had a bad slice of pizza at this place.

I know there’ll be groaning for this, but once a week I stop into MacDonalds for 2 double cheeseburgers. Again, I’m a water bottle toting guy (which I fill up each morning with Montreal’s famously fine tap water) and I get my fast food fix for $3.25. Such a deal.

Finally, and I know this might seem strange, but 5 Saisons and IGA both have some excellent sandwiches made daily on baguettes for under $4. I love the ham and brie or the basic turkey and swiss. At the cashier, ask for napkins. This is a great and easy meal to have when you’re on the go.

I’ve gone the making-my-own-lunch route, but I spend over twenty bucks on the deli meat, cheese, bread, tomato, and chips for the week and it’s so much work and you don’t get much variety. So I’m always on the hunt for a cheap (yet yummy) lunch. Got any secrets you want to pass along?

Inevitable

mon_richard — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:54:20 +0000

Has this not been the most gorgeous couple of October days you’ve ever seen? For me it has. Downtown yesterday was like the first warm day of spring with everyone outside “taking sun”. I don’t think I’ve ever worn just a tshirt this late in the season. So imagine my disappointment this morning when I checked the long range forecast. Sigh. It’s all over but the crying.

Last chance for fall foliage

mon_richard — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 15:56:14 +0000

This will probably be the last best weekend for leaf peeping. But you don’t have to go far. I caught this shot from Dezery street just north of Sherbrooke. I also took a stroll through the Arboretum at the Jardin Botanique and you can see a lot of color there. Also, our own mountain is ablaze with oranges and reds. It’s fleeting though, the next brisk wind is gonna change all that. So take a walk or drive in the upcoming days for a real treat. Where’s your favorite spot to catch the fall colors?

Turkey time

mon_richard — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 19:06:48 +0000

Last weekend, I said to spouse, “I want to have a real Thanksgiving this year.” He looked at me quizzically and said, “We don’t do that here.” As if I couldn’t have figured that out over the past seven years. I said that I missed that (clearly anglo) tradition and would it be alright if I invited his folks over for dinner Monday. He reiterated the fact that Quebecers don’t really celebrate the day. Then I asked him, “Give me one reason why you would refuse a turkey dinner? I’ll make everything.” And he acquiesced. After all, I’m doing all the work. I said, “Will this be your first Thanksgiving truly celebrated in Quebec?” And he said, indeed it would be. I’m sure Quebecers are full of thanks too, so I’m a little confused as to why the holiday never caught on here. (Or is it more commonly celebrated than I’m led to believe?)

No matter, the markets had everything on sale this week to prepare for the feast. I got a nice big bird for $1.50 a pound, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, yams and everything for the secret family recipe: green bean casserole. Then I get to eat turkey sandwiches for lunch all week. Youpi!

Celebrating or not, I wish all of you a gratitude filled day. Happy Thanksgiving!

Does she have what it takes?

mon_richard — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 16:18:33 +0000

In the Gazette this morning, there is a large article on Pauline Marois and her husband’s estate on Ile Bizard. The article suggests some shady dealings done in order for them to have acquired this property. I can’t say that I’m surprised. As I often say, the politicians job is to secure votes from the poor and to secure money from the rich all on the premise of protecting one from the other. Hypocrisy seems to be a requirement for running for office. What, too cynical? I thought it was particularly telling that she graciously invited journalists to view her modest home in Charlevoix overlooking the St Lawrence river, while never inviting them to her “real home” on Ile Bizard. (Their words not mine.) Looks like she’s learned the ropes well.

A proper homage to the artist, or wasteful public spending?

mon_richard — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:14:40 +0000

I was leaving the fancy Caisse de Depot building downtown yesterday where I had just given an English class. A couple of years ago, Place Jean Paul Riopelle was erected between this building and the Palais des Congres. The park is lovely with a fountain and sculptures. During the summer, misters installed underground come to life, creating a spooky scene. In the evenings, fire dances around the fountain as “smoke” pours out everywhere. (Read about the full sequence here.) It’s quite a show. But as I was sitting there yesterday, I thought about what a colossal waste of money this is, and wondered how much it costs to maintain the infrastructure for such a park. It’s not surprising that we find this park amongst the most well-heeled wheelers and dealers in town. Oh and it’s impressive for tourists. But with bridges falling down and metro tunnels leaking, it sure seems like some of our public money is being unwisely spent.

Day trippin’

mon_richard — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 12:53:08 +0000

I ventured out of town yesterday to check out the nature reserve at Mont St Hilaire. It took us less than half an hour to get there from the city, but it is worlds away. The place is special. According to the website: “At the core of the reserve is the mountain, the last remnant of the magnificent primeval forests that once covered the entire Richelieu River valley, home to nearly 1,000 species of plants, mammals, birds and reptiles, over 50 of which are rare or threatened.” We saw some frogs, chipmunks, squirrels and insects. It was wild to catch a peregrine falcon (fastest bird on earth) cruise by. But most interesting to us was the plethora of mushrooms. We saw dozens of varieties (of which I know nothing about) which lent the whole experience a certain magic. But don’t take my word for it, take a drive and hike the trails for yourself. The center is open every day and costs $4 for adults to enter. There is no potable water on the mountain (nor at the visitor center as they are under a boil water warning) so you’ll have to bring your own. You can check out all the details and get directions to the park here. It’s a great way to spend a day. Afterward, make sure you check out some of the “vergers” (apple farms) on the road out of the park area. We picked up some cider and pie. Yum!

A gift from Operation Montreal.Net

mon_richard — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 18:59:03 +0000

Spouse brought me home a little gift from the city yesterday. It’s a little carrying pouch for your cigarette butts. (Not that you smoke, but sadly, we do.) I have noticed that downtown is far more cleanly than in the past. I know I’ve adopted the habit of seeking out a cigarette butt receptacle now that there are so many lining the storefronts. And I think others have started doing that as well, because there seem to be far fewer butts strewn about on the sidewalk and in the gutters. I’m going to keep this handy pouch in my bag now just in case I can’t find a suitable place for my cigarette butt. The pouches are free from the city and from any borough office. If you click this link, you can see a Radio-Canada spot on the new pouches being distributed by the city. You can also read about the city’s Operation Montreal.Net campaign here.