Montreal Celebrity - Bevin And His Dreadlocks

"I don't pose. If I posed for everybody who have asked to take my photo, I wouldn't get anywhere. There are probably photos of me all over the world."

Bevin, whose acquaintance I made at our local communal gardens, had uttered these words in a matter-of-factly, but gentle manner. "Go ahead, take the photo" he added, and waved me good-bye. Too bad he was in a hurry, I feel that there's something more to Bevin than just amazing dreadlocks.

Montreal Sidewalk Stamps

1979 Charles Duranceau Ltee Entrepreneurs

In the shape of a maple leaf, these metal plates are stamped with the date of construction of the sidewalk and the name of the contractor that built it. Unlike other cities in Canada, such as Vancouver and Toronto, where every sidewalk is stamped with the date of its construction and the name of the contractors that built it, sidewalk stamps are rare in Montreal. This particular "find" is in bronze and is about 6 inches across.

Does your city do this?

Not a Fun Day

Last winter our oil furnace gave up the ghost! We had no choice but to replace it and decided on going with an electric furnace instead. However, for that to happen, we were forced to upgrade our electrical service. As a result, bright and too early this morning, three electricians in two fully loaded trucks appeared at our front steps. What ensued was six hours of house arrest: we were trapped in the house with no electricity, no internet, no house telephone nor hot water. Weee! What fun! Luckily, thanks to the expertise of Lumax Electrique, all went smoothly. Phase two, a report on the installation of the electric furnace will follow shortly. Stay tuned.

Big Beautiful Cottonwood

 If only this tree could talk, oh what stories it could tell.

Chinese Antiques: Tango Martini

One of my favorite shops in the neighborhood is Tango Martini. They have some of the most exquisite antique Chinese furniture that I've ever seen in Montreal. Take a look at their website and you'll see what I mean. Owners, Carol and Joel, also carry a select inventory of precious antique Chinese baskets, vases, top of the line Chinese fine bone china and some hand embroidered silk cushions. I find that these smaller items would make perfect gift ideas.

I hope you'll enjoy their website too.

Westmount Park: An Olmsted Design

Centrally located, Westmount Park is the most popular park in Westmount. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted who also designed Mount-Royal Park and Central Park in New York City. Its idyllic walking paths, shady gazebo, indigenous flowers, towering trees and gently flowing pond make it an ideal place to read, sunbathe and picnic. The park is often used by summer newlyweds as a backdrop for photos.

My Fave: The Nagoya Sushi

The Nagoya Sushi is my preferred shop in Westmount for sushi pick up or for a casual supper outdoors in the summer. The staff is courteous and friendly, the food is extremely fresh and everything is made to order. In my humble opinion, there's no other restaurant in town that serves a better Tofu salad than this place ! Hmm, hmm, hmm.

Veritas: Westmount Selwyn House Sculpture By Santini

During lunchtime, I popped into Westmount City Hall to pick up some information leaflets. On my way out, I noticed this 6 feet by 13 feet sculpture on the front lawn of Selwyn House... a private boys' school catering to Montreal's young and privileged. (The school is located right behind City Hall.) These very enthusiastic students, I suppose, had just finished their lunch and were so bored that they jumped right in front of the sculpture and wanted to help me out. Several poses later, this is my favorite. Thumbs up guys.

Lower Westmount: Victorian Style

These Victorian homes are in "Lower Westmount" and the buildings date from the late 1800's. This cozy one block street is actually a 5 minute walk from the core of downtown Montreal ! The majority of the front gardens in this corner of town are stamp-sized... usually around 12 feet by 12 feet. Nonetheless, this homeowner manages to create this wonderful tapestry of colours.