So, what's next?

All over the map these days - using the the corporate/economic mess to stimulate and evolve my way of thinking/doing/living. I accept full responsibility as an [over]consumer for today's economic climate. I know that buying goods from far away places isn't good for our economy, but I still do it and pay the price in so many ways.

So what better time to hear about Montréal Urban Community Sustainment check it out. They have many programs and just launched a dinner program where people can cook / eat together.

or, what about "coworking" at Station C [french]

Just a few ways share consumption and rethink how isolated we've become...

One Liners

During the warm snap in the last week, got the chance to run around enjoying the "mild" temps of -15....ah february!

[Geek Chic]
Support canadian publishers and get something useful in your mailbox, buy 2 get 1 free on Canadian magazines.

[Creatively speaking]
Claude Tousignant - nothing like monochramatic exploration in the bleak of winter.

[Heard]
A great night of quirky pop belted out by the wee Lykke Li at Club Soda.

[Pages]
Restless - William Boyd
Ways of Seeing - John Berger

[Yum!]
Ate at Magdala/Mekdala Ethiopian Resto Lounge last week, a wonderful meal, some comments on Chowhound here.

[Ca m'interesse]
Mas - new restaurant on Wellington

Loco Lunes

[Creatively speaking]

This is brilliant in it's simplicity, won a CASSIE award (2008). Cassies winners were judged on the basis of convincing proof that top business results were substantially caused by the advertising.

Don't re-invent the wheel, turn it.





[Geek Chic]
Nomad Station - media café, adding to my 101 reasons [daily] i love this city.

[Passages]
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an award-winning novel by the late Swedish author and social conscience journalist Stieg Larsson...more

[Scene]
Gran Torino - a fairly typical story à la Clint Eastwood, really not sure why this is Oscar worthy but worth a rental if the movie you really wanted to see isn't in :-)

Burn after reading - finally got around to see this, as a Cohen fan I appreciate it but not one of their strongest.

[C'a m'interesse - inbox]
Riz en folie
Entre les murs
Voix des Amerique

Good day sunshine...

[Geek Chic]
bubble calendar

[Creatively speaking]
durex balloon animals - fun for the whole family (unless you're trying to have kids)

[Passages]
Snow by Orhan Pamuk - an interesting read/exploration art and pursuit of happiness through politics, religion and belief systems.

The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann - so far, the three days at the sanatorium are feeling like the seven years the character ends up spending there. But I will persevere...

[Scene]
Junebug - charming/has moments, generally forgettable...
Jellyfish - award-winning film intersecting the lives of three Israeli women in Tel Aviv.

[Heard]
Joseph Arthur, if you asked me, I would be your Mary. After a FANTASTIC show at Club Soda last Thursday night, I was reminded of why I like this kooky man.

[C'a m'interesse - inbox]
Montreal Girl Geek Dinners

Mundo Montreal


[Headlines: enough said ]
Advertisers in Germany Pull Ads with Nazi Overtones

Walking the walk...

Walking home from salsa class last night, stopped to pick up tickets for Lykke Li and noticed a gallery space called Vox: Contemporary image. It's good see urban space being renewed/re-used, and while I reading Architecture of Happiness, the actual structure of these spaces will also become more of a focus.

Despite the cold snap, am heading out this week for the Wildside festival and Joseph Arthur, I have high expectations for both. Some news on Arthur's latest here [french].

Recent conversation and a post on Seth's Blog caught my attention, about boundaries. Although I think there's more space between "rigid" and "no boundaries", I tend to fall (stand?)on having some, at times, "open space" both inspires and conspires in freaking me out.

for thought:

Rigid boundaries: What do you do when you hit a wall?

Do you have a tantrum? [ask my mother or my fiscus]
Spend countless resources trying to scale the unscalable? [NO]
Or do you accept reality and put your energy into something else? [YES, sometimes to easily]

No boundaries: When there's nothing but open space:
do you run?
Or shrink?

hmmm.

Signs of my times

December proved busy but ended a good year on a high note, despite the fact I have crumbled under intense satiation, both mentally and physically. Many good times had with friends and family here are the recent rounds of 'stuff":

New York (Tribeca/Soho) was all about art this time around (with a bit of consumption thrown in for good measure of course), shows ran from live video feeds to saving Coney Island:

[Art in General]
Jan Baracz - Reality Cinema/Live Video
Carlos Motta - The Good Life
Carla Herrera-Prats - Prep Materials
Renata Poljak - Split, Croatia

[New York academy of art]
ultra-concentrated joy: ecstatic drawings by contemporary artists

[The Puffin Room]
Coney Island Maybe - Amusement stalls, not shopping malls (a show dedicated to preserving Coney Island and fighting zoning changes for future development)

[The Broome Street Gallery]
Vincent Arcilesi - Arcilesi in Mexico

Tried Landmarc (and thanks to Clayborn for the Louisiana/Montreal tip)

Almost made it to the Flea Theatre, sorry I missed Dawn [Thomas Bradshaw], but will hopefully return for something else.

In Toronto Drinks at Lucien, Neapolitan pizza at Pizzaria Libretto and shared some laughs touring The Big Carrot with S and the organic turkey on Dec 24th.

In California [Los Gatos, Sarratoga, Carmel, Monterrey], got my 'hippy' back! Enjoyed moderate weather, lemon trees, long walks - was my first trip in the southern areas. Aside from family time, highlights included winery visits, crepes from an Algerian by the ocean, the many cyclists (I had velo-envy the whole time)and US perspectives on politics in this part of the country. I spent most of the time outdoors (duh) driving with the windows down, enjoying the sun.

How we are linked [Feb]

The Discovery Index...

Places
Bombay Mahal
Byblos
Lab Cocktail Counter

Spaces
Moka Danse / Salsa
Lion D'or
Sala Rossa
St. Ambroise Cultural Center

Sounds
Joseph Arthur
Lykke Li
Yerba Buena
Fela Kuti
Femi Kuti
Exclaim

Words
Ports of Call - Amin Maalouf
The Walrus
Maisonneuve

Thought / Action
Ways of Seeing
Freegans
Pangea Day
The Nature of Economies - Jane Jacobs
The Shock Doctrine - Naomi Klein

a picture is worth...
Waltz with Bashir
A Touch of Spice
Fugitive Pieces - book & film
100 Movies you've never seen