Mixed Nuts

Montreal's Farmers Markets

2012-01-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

Concerns about food safety have prompted many to look to local sources for food. One avenue that Montrealers have to gain access to local foods and other goods is via the markets in Montreal. There are four markets in the Montreal area. They are Atwater, Jean Talon, Maisonneuve and Lachine markets. Each is unique yet all carry some of the basics that people need. The most common are fruits and vegetables, cheese and baked goods.

You can find the complete list of items sold at each market at the http://www.marchespublics-mtl.com website. Written in both French and English the site also provides hours of operation for the markets and other information that is quite useful, including what is sold season by season.

The Montreal Markets are interesting places to visit whether you live in the city or are from out of town. They in many ways are one of Montreal's best tourist sites as well as a great place for locals to get fresh from the farm goods.

Speaking of interesting places blogs and cool places related to Montreal are what Mixed Nuts is about. Drop a note to me at cjames5a@gmail.com if you would like your blog or Montreal hot spot listed here. Thanks for coming by.

Cliff T.

500 Photos One Face

2011-12-28T18:45:00.000-08:00

While looking through my Stumble Upon feed I came across a photograph of a woman. A closer look revealed that the picture was not what it seemed to be. In fact it was not a single person's face but, a collection of 500 photos.

Tiemen Rapati took 500 photographs and counted the RGB* values of each pixel for each portrait. Then he divided the values by 500 and what he came up with....Is well eerie. The portrait made it on to the Geeks are Sexy site and of course he has a link to it on Flicker.

Mr. Rapati recently graduated from the ArtEZ Academy of Arts Arnhem, he has since moved into a role as a designer at United Visual Artists. His blog www.tiemenrapti.com/blog features his other works of art. Pretty cool stuff if I do say so myself.

By the way RGB stands for Red Green Blue. The basic colours that make up the colour white. But, you probably already knew that.

Cliff T.

Quinn Farm

2011-11-29T16:53:00.001-08:00

When I was a kid I had the pleasure of having a live tree in my home for several of the Christmases of my youth. I have even helped with cutting one myself. The fun part was getting it down off the mountain we were on. I'll save that story for my memoirs.

Just outside of Montreal is the Quinn Farm. It's open year round and with Christmas approaching you and your family can make some pretty nice memories at the farm. Farm animals, food crafts and yes from Thursday to Sunday 10 AM to 4 PM you can pretend to be a lumberjack and cut your own tree for Christmas.

All the details regarding activities at the farm can be found by visiting the website and blog. Your better bet is the main site as the blog only has one entry. You can visit the site at http://www.quinnfarm.qc.ca.

Mixed Nuts features blogs and cool places and things to see and do in Montreal. If you write or know of a cool blog or are in Montreal and you have the inside scoop on cool things to see and do in the city pass them along to me. You can send me an email, the address is cjames5a@gmail.com. Thanks for stopping by.

C. T.

Detroit Fire House Blog

2011-10-23T12:15:00.000-07:00

It's most famous for having to deal with a night of arson but, the Detroit Fire Department is more than just notable for having to deal with devil's night. This department has some of the busiest companies in America.

I found a blog dedicated to the DFD. On the DFD blog you're going to find links to various other DFD sites pictures and blog entries related to the fire and other types of calls the department handles. The site is pretty basic as blogs go. I have to say that the FAQ could use some updating or more info.

This site is what I would call a starting point or landing page. Very basic straight forward site and it's easy to get to on the net, the address is http://detroitfirehouse.com.

Blogs and cool Montreal sites, that is Mixed Nuts. If you are a blogger or are from Montreal and want to be featured here. Send an email to cjames5a@gmail.com and I will be happy to click on over and write a quick article about your blog or Montreal site here on the blog.

C. T.

Poutine

2011-10-01T04:53:00.000-07:00

Boston is famous for Pizza, Buffalo for wings and in Montreal it's the Poutine that reigns supreme.

The dish consists of fries cheese curds and sauce and it is very well known throughout Quebec and of course here in Montreal. Many eateries here in the city have taken Poutine to a new level by adding their own ingredients into the mix.

Montreal Poutine explores the world of the Poutine. On the site are links to places you can go to to get Poutine as well as the history, recipes and yes an online store where you can get goodies like T-shirts so you can show off how much you love Poutines.

To begin your Poutine adventure click on over to Montreal Poutine their web address is http://www.montrealpoutine.com

C. T.

Tennis Blogs

2011-09-03T18:47:00.000-07:00

To be honest I do not know why I chose to write about tennis blogs. Maybe it's because I have been speaking with a former colleague of mine as of late. He is a big sports fan, his passion for tennis was noticeable. Every chance he got, the TV in the staff lounge would be tuned to TSN and if tennis was on Andrew was glued to the tube. Andrew is still passionate about tennis but, also likes other sports, this summer he was part of a baseball team here in Montreal.

Anyway back to my thought. I got to thinking that it might be interesting to see if there are blogs about tennis on the net. Silly me of course there are blogs about tennisb duh. Below is a list of some that I found interesting.

http://craighickmanontennis.blogspot.com

http://www.tenniscountry.com

http://www.jeffsalzensteintennis.com

These were just three I found in a quick search on Google. There are lots of others out there for you to explore.

Cliff T.

Emond St. Germain et Freres-Tree Guys

2011-08-20T19:20:00.000-07:00

Trees, an important component of the ecology even in a city like Montreal. Trees not only provide shade they also are homes for birds, small animals and they freshen the air. They are living parts of the community and just like any living thing they experience growth and health issues. They can be and are beautiful and are also a hazard in some ways. Especially when they grow up near a power line.

We have lots of trees on our street, one was cut last year as it was old and dying. This year a new one was planted in front of our house, I decided to name it Bob. There is another tree near our house that has been pruned and it looks like it has a big whole in it. It's actually called a V prune and this type of cut allows the tree to grow in such a way that the growth moves away from the power line which by the way runs through the hole. Actually there are four power lines that run through it. I thought that it looked interesting so I keyed a search for companies that do this kind of work and found Emond St. Germain et Freres.

The company does a variety of work. Pruning, topping and felling a tree are among the specialties of the company. They also have some interesting info in the FAQ section of the site. The health of the tree is the concern of the team and they take pride in the work they do, this is evidenced by the photos on the site.

For more information about Emond St. Germain et Freres visit the site at emondagestgermain.com.

Speaking of sites and blogs if you know of a cool blog or place in the Montreal region drop me a line at cjames5a@gmail.com. I will take a look at the site and post my thoughts on it here. Thanks for stopping by.

Cliff T.

? VS ? Question Who Wins? You Decide

2011-07-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I am not really a comparison shopper. Something catches the eye I go for it. Though I have to say I do prefer a brand for each of the things I have. Computers HP, phones usually an LG and so on. The site I found for this log entry is not a shopping comparison site but, more like a battle of the site. Who Would Win A Fight features products people and things that people can vote for in head to head competition. Examples include Genesis vs Super Nintendo, Ipad vs Zoom and Walmart vs Target, just to name some. You can vote and comment on the selection you pick.

Created by Broken Studios, now there is an interesting name, the blog lets visitors choose who they think has the best gadgets, who is the best band etc. Just from reading the blog it seems that a couple of 20 something guys decided to create the site based on the experience of conversations they had in bars about who or what was cool vs what was not. Clever idea since we all like to compare notes on subjects of interest.

I do not think there is much in the way of science here as far as statics are concerned. This looks more like a blog where fans of people and things can go to compare for the fun of it. Enjoy and if you have a blog or are a Montrealer who has a cool Montreal spot or activity you want to promote please feel free to email me at cjames5a@gmail.com I will be happy to visit and take a peek and of course post here on Mixed nuts.

Cliff T.

Montreal Is A Buzzin With Activity Find Out More At The Montreal Buzz

2011-07-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

The Montreal Buzz is a portal of sorts, with an extensive selection of articles covering topics ranging from where to eat to gay life in the city. I have to say I like this blog and as a resident I may just want to keep tabs on it to find things to do places to see and of course good eats. Yes I love food.

The blog is rich in content and even though I did not go to deep into it I could easily see that this portal blog has some really good articles to read add on photographs and videos and you have a great selection of short but informative reads on the buzz that is Montreal.

Some of the more recent postings on the blog include one about U2's recent concert in Montreal, where to find a swimsuit in the city and things you can do in July that cost nothing. Check the blog out at http://www.tourisme-montreal.org/blog and enjoy summer in Montreal.

Cliff T.

Alice's Bucket List One Wish More Bone Marrow

2011-06-12T12:50:00.000-07:00

Oh wow indeed Alice, your little blog has caused a stir around the world. Congratulations!

Oh for those who are reading Alice X as she goes by on her blog is a 15 year old girl with terminal cancer who decided that rather than feeling sorry for herself she would take the time to make a difference in the world with one of her bucket list entries. That entry asks people to register to give bone marrow, not only has she gotten a response to that request but, also has raised 10,00 British Pounds for cancer research, or about 16 thousand in Canadian dollars, nicely done.

This is a blog that has just come online as of June 4th and already it has drawn international attention. It's nice to see a young person facing death doing something to help others. Alice, all this blogger can say is, may your blog and life story inspire us to do a good turn even when we are getting a raw deal in life.

Alice's Bucket list can be viewed by via Blogger and she also has a Twitter account. For more details visit the blog.

Cliff T.

Chateu Ramezay Montreal

2011-06-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

While taking a surf around Google searched for Montreal history and found an interesting museum complete with garden here in Montreal. Chateau Ramezay is considered to be among one of the oldest buildings in Montreal. The website invites visitors to enter Montreal's history through it's grand door.

The museum houses permanent and temporary exhibits. There are two permanent exhibits that feature the histories of Montreal, Quebec and Canada dating back 500 years. And, right now there is a temporary exhibit called Profit and Ambition, which explores the Canadian fur trade from 1779 to 1821. The exhibit is running now until October of this year.

Besides the exhibits the museum houses many different artifacts of all kinds and there is the Governor's Garden. The garden features flowers, herbs and an orchard. It is considered to be one of the finest gardens in Montreal.

For more information about the Chateau Ramezay visit http://www.chateauramezay.qc.ca

Cliff T.

I Got to Write Something but, I Only Got a Minute

2011-04-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

Imagine only having a minute to write something, now imagine it's about a specific topic and again you have just one minute. What would you write? That is the challenge The One Minute Writer blog offers. Readers have one minute to write on a subject presented to them by the author of the blog. Sounds easy right, wrong. Putting something into writing keeping short and relevant is probably the toughest job a writer has to face.

Take a copywriter's job, for example. The job requires writing a script that will capture the attention of the audience get them interested in the service or product and then call them to action, in some cases in as little as 15 seconds. For a minute you have some room but, it's still a challenge none the less.

This is an interesting site. It provides a challenge to the reader, read the topic and write a prose on that topic, in the case of a keyword which the site also features, use it in context in a short paragraph that can be read in 60 seconds. For this article I am sure I surpass that 60 seconds. So I'll close with a suggestion to drop by read the blog and try your hand at writing in 1 minute.

Cliff T.

Old Montreal

2011-03-08T03:25:00.000-08:00

Being a resident of a city often means one tends to overlook some of the more interesting places in said city. Take for example Montreal. There are so many different places to go and things to do. Mount Royal, the Insectarium, La Ronde and of course the museums are all interesting spots. A tourist or a resident can take in a hockey game at the Bell Centre, ride a in a calash and shop in the Underground City. In fact the variety of things one can do in Montreal is, well quite extensive.

Probably one of the most well known spots in Montreal is Old Montreal. In this part of the city the streets are made of cobblestone. The architecture is amazing, no cookie cutter buildings in this part of the city. The Old Port of Montreal which is connected too the area is also a great draw for tourist and resident alike.

To get a sense of what kinds of things a tourist or resident can do in this part of Montreal one need look no further than the website for Old Montreal. A list of activities, maps and other information about Old Montreal is accessible from the site. You should be able to find whatever you need to make your visit fun and yes educational. Tourist or resident, check out Old Montreal, I think you'll like what you find.

A blog or something about the city of Montreal, that is what this site is about. If you want to add a link to a blog or have an item about Montreal send it to cjames5a@gmail.com. I would like to hear about what you think would be interesting to add to the blog. Thanks for reading Mixed Nuts.

C. T.

A Comment About Comments From Behind The Camera

2011-02-17T04:02:00.000-08:00

It's always nice to come across new blogs. A friend from my college days has started one called Comments From Behind the Camera. The blog features a collection of comments related to the experiences and thoughts that Paul, the author, has about his work in community TV. Paul also touches on the radio aspect of the community broadcast system here in Canada.

I have read a couple of the articles and find them to be well written. If there is a drawback it is in that paragraphs are not separated, a minor detail but, one that some language gurus may have a bit of a fit over. Then again this may be intentional, I leave that for Paul to explain in his next post. The nice thing about the blog is that it is not cluttered with ads and overall as mentioned looks good and has some really good articles on it. A nice read and a good window into the world of community radio and TV.

Comments Behind the Camera is in my mind an up and comer, and by all means take a look and see for yourself what I mean.

Cool blog that you write or someone else has written, awesome. Let me know about it by sending email to cjames5a@gmail.com. I will review the blog and post my thoughts here on Mixed Nuts. Thanks for coming by and reading.

C. T.

Grill City Steak House

2011-01-30T10:09:00.000-08:00

About 3 months ago maybe 4 my wife Dar suggested we try a new restaurant. I said sure why not, so we met at Henri Bourassa Metro station here in Montreal after work and went into Grill City Steak house. Wow were we shocked, our taste buds were tickled beyond belief with the great food we had that night. The service was also very good. Now it should be mentioned that the restaurant is not low budget. Be prepared to spend a bit of money but, note it is worth every penny.

Both of us had steak and it was fantastic. Along with my steak I had soup, an unusual one at that, it was lemon chicken. I have never in my life tasted something that good. We have been back there twice since our first visit and up until this point we have not been disappointed. The restaurant is very cozy and the best part is where it is located, Henri Bourassa and Berri just steps away from the metro station and the 69 and 171 bus lines. You can even enter the station and go to the main section of the station and catch other buses and connect with bus lines into Laval. Other routes are the 31, 380 and 361 the two last are night routes plus there is a taxi stand there as well. This is probably the best location for a restaurant that I have seen in a long time.

RestoMontreal has more details about Grill City Steak House, check it out complete with photographs of the interior of the restaurant and contact info for them.

Got an interesting blog or are you in Montreal and know of a cool spot to visit, let me now by dropping me a line to cjames5a@gmail.com. I will gladly take a look and review the blog or spot a la Montreal and post it here on Mixed Nuts.

Cliff T.

What's Your Goal In 2011? May I suggest A Guide To Help You Achive It

2011-01-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

I have a resolution for 2011. Not to make a resolution for 2011. Ah I know puny very puny. Seriously speaking I do not make resolutions for the coming year. I have in the past and failed each time so I stopped the practice. But, for you die hard want to change your life types I do have a blog that may be of some help to you. In fact you get two blogs to look at. The first is called Goal Setting Guide and the second, Arina's Self Help Blog.

The guide allows readers to get some insights into how to achieve the goals they set including those set around this time of the year. It is estimated that by the second half of January most people who make a New Years resolution jump off the wagon and return to the old habits they intended to kick. The guide is intended to help readers stick to the goal and achieve it. One article gives a listing of online sites that offer some help in many of the areas that people seek to make a change in.

As for the Self Help blog, well that title should give you an idea of what you will find on that blog also written by Ariana. But, if you need a hint it's about helping yourself to achieve goals by providing some practical tips and ideas that you can use on a daily basis.

Best of luck to you if you have made a resolution or have set a specific goal to achieve in 2011.

Cliff T.

Fire On Ice

2010-12-19T05:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just around the corner. 6 days from now to be exact, I hope you got all your shopping done? Well once the gifts are opened, you have had your feast and played with that new gadget or tried on that new garb why not go out Saturday night and view some fireworks. Yep you read right, fireworks.

Every December the Telus Fire on Ice fireworks display lights the sky in the Old Port. The event usually runs only in December on Saturdays but, this year they will be adding a week January 8Th 2011. So you can see the display Christmas night New Years night and if you want on the 8Th. Bring lots of coco and a few friends. Winter Fireworks displays are always fun with more than one in attendance with you and of course you'll want to stay warm hence the coco.

For more on this event and others on the quays in the Old Port you can visit Quays of The Old Port Montreal's site. Besides the fireworks there are many other activities year round to enjoy. Merry Christmas to all.

Cliff T.

Montrel To Get New Metro Cars 2014 And You Can Help With the Color Scheme

2010-12-05T13:21:00.000-08:00

By 2014 Montreal should have in place on it's Yellow, Green Orange and Blue lines new rolling stock. The cars are being built and will begin to roll out in the next few years and be completely in place by 2014.

The STM is involving the public by launching a page where people can vote on 1 of 3 color designs that have been selected for the new cars. This is all part of a plan to increase ridership and this includes the new cars plus more buses and better service. Also in the mix extensions on the Blue, Green and Yellow lines.

There are also plans to put new shelters for people to wait for buses in. In short a revamp and renewal of the system to increase traffic and of course reduce the carbon footprint we as Quebeckers create.

For general info about the STM including routes and bus/metro schedules visit STM.info

C. T.

TSA Pat Down Request, John Tyner Response, Don't Touch My Junk

2010-11-23T04:36:00.000-08:00

With the utterance of the phrase If you touch my junk I'll have you arrested. John Tyner of Oceanside CA may have lit a fuse to a very large powder keg. The statement and video that contains it have gone viral. The battle lines have been clearly marked and at this point no one is backing away from the positions they hold, the TSA on one side defending the very intrusive pat downs and the passengers fed up with the security checks they have to deal with when they fly.

Mr. Tyner recorded the incident on his phone camera and also blogged about it on his blog johnnyedge.blogspot.com.

C. T.

Codeblog Tales Of A Nurse

2010-11-14T07:17:00.000-08:00

My niece Miranda is a nurse, actually a very specialized nurse. I must admit I really do not know what her specialty is but, from what I know she is very good at it. I thought it might be fun to see if there are blogs about nursing written from the point of view of the nurse. It was not hard to find one. Codeblog is a blog that fits that bill quite nicely. The stories are from nursing professionals patients and other persons who have contact with people in the various health care facilities ranging from the hospital to the local clinic.

One story that caught my attention was the one where a patient had a crushing chest pain. In the end they found a dead cat under the patient. Yes I said a dead cat and it is apparently a true story. Having worked as a security guard for two years at a hospital I can attest to some weird things so it is no surprise to me in the least that this was true, strange but, true. Another was one that got a nurse fired, for making a quip to a cop that pulled them over for speeding. She said she hoped he would never end up as her patient, not a good idea.

Nursing is a challenge at times. That said there are some pretty funny and odd things that happen during the shift especially a night shift. This blog gives the reader an insight into a world that is serious, challenging, sometimes funny and odd. Gina the author of the blog has put together an interesting collection of stories from the medical world from a nursing perspective that I think you'll find educational as well as entertaining.

If you know of a blog that is noteworthy submit it to me at cjames5a@gmail.com.

C. T.

Nice Tie

2010-10-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

I work in an environment where casual dress is required Monday to Friday but, ties are not required while on the job. That said in the past I have had to wear ties while on the job and at one time had a bit of a collection, actually I still do but, they are packed in a box back in Edmonton. I guess that means I will have to get new ones if I ever end up needing to wear a tie.

I like ties for the most part as they can put the finishing touch to a suit or even in a casual situation they can accent the look one wants to have while in the presence of others. There are others though who really go all out with their ties and I found a store online with a blog that has some very interesting ties for those who really are into ties. The blog is called Nice Tie Store About Ties.

The blog is hosted by Nice Tie Store and it has all kinds of articles about ties. I found some interesting ties including Star Wars themed ties, Marvin the Martian and the Beatles.

The blog is authored by Jeffery Hunter, he has been in the tie business since 1995 and has a companion site nicetiestore.com which is a great place to find and buy some really cool ties and did I mention the blog also includes articles about ties? Ya I think I did. Anyway it is the kind of blog that is meant to be serious and fun at the same time and is a great place to find interesting novelty ties along with specialty ties as well. Examples like those related to the armed forces, sports related and yes National Geographic ties can be found on nicetiestore.com as well as on the blog itself. Hop on over give it a read and let Jeff know what you think of the blog and his other site. It's a fun place for the serious tie guy.

Cliff T.

Need A Theatre Fix? Check Out Infintheatre

2010-10-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

I must admit I have never taken in a play, never have I even entered a theatre but there is still hope for me yet. I know that many people come to Montreal for the nightlife but, it should be noted that the city does have a strong arts community including theatre. One such theatre is called Infinitheatre.

Since 1988 this theatre has been doing productions mostly in English but, they have also expanded to include French and other languages as well. They're site features upcoming productions a link to a blog and they're magazine L'IT.

As always I post a link to the site and for Infinitheatre it is infinitheatre.com.

C. T.

Montreal Job & Training Fair

2010-09-25T15:37:00.001-07:00

Jobs in Montreal? Of course, there are many that need to be filled in the city. Not only is there a real need to fill positions in many companies in Montreal there is also a need to develop new talent to replace those set to leave the workforce in the areas of health, government, policing and fire prevention amongst others. To fill them many companies are turning to one of the largest job fairs in the province of Quebec.

The Montreal Job and Training Fair is set to begin it's run on the 6th and 7th of October at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. The event is the 35th edition of the fair. Prior to this a new edition will take place in Laval on the 1st and 2nd.

There will be over 600 HR reps from various companies looking to meet with prospective hires during the event. Admission is free and access by public transit to the sites is available. So if you plan to be in Montreal and are looking for work, or you live here in the city and need a job circle the dates Oct 6 & 7. Good luck!

Cliff T.

S. C. R. A. P.

2010-08-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

The above title is the acronym for Scraps Creatively Reused and Recycled Art Projects. The blog features articles about the use of old items for a new purpose. There are some very creative uses for different things listed on the blog.

Some examples are. Using a tuna can to make a ladybug decoration, old container lids reused as coasters, a wine cork tray made of wine corks and button Christmas cards. There are also links to books on recycling projects.

The author, Kristina has built a nice little following of a dozen + 1 and seems to have opted to keep the blog simple and straight forward. There are pictures of the projects discussed in each article and it appears that they, the projects, are intended to be simple easy to build fun for the family activities. This blog is a great way to teach children the value of recycling and the simplicity of it. The blog also teaches that the task of recycling can be fun as well.

C. T.

The DIY Blog

2010-07-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

In recent years DIY (Do It Yourself) projects have become very popular. People have come up with some very interesting projects and have even gone so far as to modify products that do one thing so they can do another. DIY has become so big that there is even a TV network dedicated to the concept. On the net there lots of sites that focus on DIY projects, one I came across is simply titled DIY Blog.

The blog is a resource site that has links to other sites or more accurately articles that feature projects for those who like to dive in and do it themselves. The project that caught my eye on the blog is the iPhone inspired kitchen computer.

I found it easy to navigate the blog and also like the simplicity of it. It was nice to come across an easy to use clean looking simple blog. Yes simple is good. Check them out at http://www.diyblog.net.

C. T.

La Patente

2010-07-14T10:48:00.000-07:00

One can find just about anything in Montreal, have I said that before? Oh Ok, well it is true you can find some pretty interesting things to do and places to visit and also for the locals there are all kinds of shops to serve any need you may have. Including of all things the repair of old phones.

La Patente is located at 510 Rachel near St. Denis. Besides the old telephones they also have the ability to fix old clocks toys and old film gear. They also have a modest collection of the above mentioned for sale.

Since I have not heard of this place before I suggest contacting them by phone or email to find out more regarding the services they provide. You will also want to get good directions to the location as they appear not to have a storefront that is visible on the street.

Still this is one of those places that makes a city like Montreal unique, that fact that it is tucked in some nook lends a certain mystery and adventure for one who may be interested in what the company does. And, who knows you may find some pretty cool things to take back home and brag to friends about. You'll be able to say I found it in Montreal. Even for locals this could also be a bragging rite.

If you have a cool place, or thing that you found in Montreal or a blog that you think is worth mentioning here. Let me know by sending a message to cjames5a@gmail.com. Thanks for reading.

Cliff T.

Le Living Room

2010-06-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

Montreal has always had a reputation for fine dining. Food is king here in the city along with the club scene. Along with that scene and food is of course events. Banquet halls dot the city and one that stuck out in my mind is Le Living Room Situated in Mount Royal.

Touted as a private club with in house chefs this banquet centre can meet the needs of those hosting events ranging from weddings to corporate functions. What I liked about this site was it's simple hi we are here take a look at what we can do attitude. No flash no glitz no fancy graphics gives the impression that this group likes to keep it simple and professional. This does not mean they do not handle big complex banquets but, it does show that they are interested in keeping the overload of information to a minimum, at least that is the impression I get.

8000 square feet of space that can be transformed to suit the needs of a small or large group are available for whatever event one has a desire to host. Le Living Room is located on Paré near the old Blue Bonnets/Hippodrome Montreal. The Jean Talon West 92 bus route goes to this location but, I suggest you drive to the location. Or, better yet contact them by phone or email for a consultation.

Cliff T.

Toilet Sgins

2010-06-15T13:29:00.001-07:00

Have you heard the expression maybe you need a hobby? This guy took that to heart and found one. Collecting pictures of toilet signs. The blog has over 300 pictures of signs from various types of locations including restaurants and airports. The idea is to showcase toilet signs as art. Hey that is what is posted on the blog no foolin.

The blog shows the last entry as August 24, 2009. If you want to look or contribute to the blog you can do so by sending a note to toiletsigns@gmail.com. I do have to say that some of the signs are very cool. It really is interesting to see some of the creative artwork that has gone into these signs. What is really interesting is the international scope of the works displayed on the blog. Many are from South America but, I did see some from the U.S. and Israel as I did a quick look around the blog.. The blog is called Toilet Signs and it's at http://toiletsigns.blogspot.com.

C. T.

Miss Richfield 1981

2010-05-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

Miss Richfield 198 1 garners lots of attention whatever she does and wherever she does it. I first learned of her as I watched an episode of Cake Boss. In the episode that featured her Miss Richfield wanted go beyond the norm of having a cake made for her. She wanted to "pop" out of it. I have to admit this was one of the funniest episodes of Cake Boss I had seen. I hope to get an interview with Miss Richfield for Candid Conversations. But, in the meantime I give you her site/blog. I think you'll find it "interesting."

And for those who can not figure it out. Miss Richfield is a drag queen. Just thought I would warn you before you click on over.

C. T.

Montreal + Food = Yum At Homemade Kosher Bakery

2010-05-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

Montreal has a reputation for good food. The restaurants and bakeries in many cases are considered to be world class. And, I have to say I agree. Having lived in 3 provinces, including Quebec I have found that here in Montreal there is great pride in cooking and baking good food. Not that the other cities I have visited show any less passion, I have dined well in Toronto and Edmonton. But, Montreal seems to have it's own uniqueness when it comes to food.

We may not have Buddy Valastro, the Cake Boss here but, we do have Homemade Kosher Bakery. Nestled in Villeray this bakery has been serving clients for 30 years in the Kosher tradition. And from what I can see they make some very delicious foods. They also cater and they do more than cakes. But, do not take my word for it you've got to see the site and if you are in Montreal you should consider dropping in and trying the treats, breads muffins and other foods they cook up.

Homemade Kosher Bakery

6915 Querbes Montreal, Quebec
H3N 2B3

Phone Number: ( 514) 270-5567
Fax Number: ( 514) 270-5041
Toll Free: 1-800-268-5567

Email contact@homemadekosher.ca

Cliff T.

The McCord Museum of Canadian History

2010-04-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

Montreal like most major cities has museums. And, not only does Montreal have museums it also has a day dedicated to museums. 34 Museums take part in the annual event and another 8 are joining in this year to bring the total to 42. One of the museums that participates in the event is the McCord Museum of Canadian History. The museum is located in the downtown core and is very easy to get to by bus and metro. The admission fees are quite reasonable.

Adults: $13
Seniors (65 and over): $10*
Students (full-time): $7*
Children 6 to 12 years: $5
Children 5 and under: free
Families**: $26
Friends of the Museum: free

What grabbed my attention was the exhibition Being Irish O'Quebec. The exhibit features story stations, biography booths and illustrates how the Irish have impacted Quebec on many levels from the very beginning to today.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article the city of Montreal has a Museums Day every year, the 24th annual is scheduled for Sunday May 30th. Dream Weavers - Costumes by Cirque du Soleil will be open to the public during Museums day at the McCord. A definite must see if you are a fan of the circus.

C. T.

2nd Ave Sagas A First Rate Transit Blog

2010-04-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

There are lots of people who are into trains. In fact the world of transit in general brings together many people who are fascinated with the inner workings of various systems around the world. Although I am not as deeply involved in the hobby I have had and still do have an interest in trains in particular subways. I am more or less fascinated by the daily workings of systems as opposed to the technical side of things. If I ever win the million I would love to tour some of the more famous systems of the world. However for now I just read about them on the net. One system of note is New York's. It's vast and running it is a challenge at the best of times. There is always something happening in and around the system that gets people talking and bloggers blogging.

One blog on the net is 2nd Ave Sagas, written by Benjamin Kabak. The blog is a mix of technical, historical and operational details on the New York system. Some of the recent articles include transit plans for 15 Penn Plaza, new G Train service and an article on a tunnel boring machine. Fear not bus riders, surface transit is covered on this blog so in effect this is more than just a subway blog, it's really a full bodied transit blog. Oh yes the politics of transit is also covered on this blog. This is a well established blog it goes back to Nov 06 and it is updated quite frequently from what I can see. It is very obvious that Mr. Kabak takes great care in developing his blog.

I liked this blog and I think you will as well. I may even become a follower of it that is how good it really is. Got a blog or are you in Montreal and want to promote your blog fave restaurant or other Montreal item or do you know of a blog that just plain rocks. Let me know, you can send your submissions to cjames5a@gmail.com and I will gladly read through them and post those gems you send.

C. T.

Tune Up Your Bass And Release Your Music

2010-04-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

Ever dream of being a rock star? Of course you have, I know I did, heck still do at 47. But, alas I am not going to be a rock star but, maybe a blog star. Anyway for those pressing on with the dream of being a rock star there are lots of things to do and lots of ways to do them. Many artists want to retain control of the content, rights and profits that come with the successful launch of their music. Getting there is the challenge. One company is striving to help musicians create music their way while still providing the traditional services of a record label. One such tool they are using is blogging.

Release Your Music is a blog that gives it's readers insights into the creative processes related to music production and distribution. The company to which this blog is attached to is located in Fullerton CA near Anaheim. Besides the blog there are connections to Facebook and Twitter as well as Myspace. The company, Artisans Label also has a web presence. Very well done sites but, the blog does need new content. The last known entry is in August of 09. All the other links mentioned can be found on the blog.

This is a good resource for those interested in music production and distribution. The blog has a gritty get down and dirty feel to it, the colors of Grey and Red and the edgy graphic give the impression of rough and tumble get down to it attitude. Yet looking at the company's sites you can and will see not only this edge but, a professional style as well. In short a no nonsense we mean business type of company, with the attitude that they want to help clients succeed through knowledge and hard work are the messages conveyed on the blog and websites.

Speaking of conveying a message if you are a blogger and want to have your work mentioned here on Mixed Nuts drop an email to me at cjames5a@gmail.com. All I need, obviously, is the link and what your blog is about and from there I will take it. And, come back often the blog is only going to grow bigger and better as we feature blogs and links to places events and people in Montreal.

C. T.

The Montreal File-Churches

2010-04-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

Montreal is renowned for it's architecture and there is no better place to examine the city's style than via it's churches. Montreal has about 300 churches the most notable ones are listed on Montreal.com. These buildings are incredible in size and and beautiful inside. It can be said that they are more than just places of worship, they are indeed works of art. If you think the pictures of them are amazing you will be, I believe, totally left speechless and awe struck and I mean this in the sincerest sense. These buildings are beautiful inside and outside and the best way to enjoy them is to visit them.

The ones mentioned on Montreal.com are in the downtown core easy to get to on the Metro. Montreal.com also has posted on the page links to the official websites of the churches they wrote about. Of interesting note is the fact that while Quebec boasts that it is a secular society most of it's citizens will tell you that they subscribe to a faith of some sort. Generally in Quebec the main religion is Roman Catholic.

If you have a blog or are in Montreal and want to have something posted to this site please send your request to cjames5a@gmail.com and I will be happy to visit the site or blog and post information here on Mixed Nuts.

C.. T.

Midnight Poutine

2010-03-28T15:59:00.000-07:00

My pal Jayme had suggested that I write a blog about Montreal and it's interesting places and characteristics. Well when I looked up blogs on Montreal I found quite a few of them including this one, Midnight Poutine.

It is a blog with 18 contributors working on it covering the Montreal scene Food, Film and Arts are among the topics explored on the site. I looked at a couple of postings to see how well the blog is kept up to date and was pleased to see that it is current. The most recent post I found while putting this post up was about Earth Hour, March 27 2010.

What is really interesting here is the fact that this blog is part of a network of blogs on the Freshdaily network. They also have blogs in Toronto and Vancouver, the main site is still under construction. This is one blog I think I will bookmark myself as a link to things Montreal and also to other cities as well.

If you have a favorite blog you want me to write about send the link to me at cjames5a@gmail.com.

C. T.

Link to: Midnight Poutine

A New Beginning For An Old Blog

2010-03-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

Mixed nuts is changing. As you will see most of the posts have been deleted and only those references to blogs are left. Which is where we will begin. Mixed Nuts will now be a blog about blogs and there is also going to be a sub category about Montreal as I experience living in the city.

The first entry of the new site should be up soon.

C. T.

Not Crunch Enough.....

2010-02-19T17:33:00.001-08:00

Well some things have to come to an end. Mixed Nuts is one of them. The blog has not really done so well getting a mere 65 hits since it's creation. So it will be taken down shortly. That will leave 3 blogs. Four Eyes One Internet, Candid Conversations and VA2UTC. These 3 blogs will be maintained as there is clear growth in visits while this blog has had none. The types of things seen on thsi blog will be reported on Four Eyes and if I can I will try to get the person in the story to speak with me on Candid Conversations.

The blog should be offline in about a week or so.

Thanks

C. T.

I Help You Blog

2008-11-30T10:57:00.001-08:00

A blog about helping you blog. Cool, especially if you want to make some money blogging. As you can see by the image the blog is very straight forward. Very functional easy to read and is loaded with content about writing a good post.

I have to say I am not a big fan of black on white, but for this blog it seems to work as the intent is to get to the facts. I won't act as spoiler and give you all the secrets and tips the author Philip Liu has on the site, but I will say it should be an interesting read for you.

Content: 5 out of 5
Ease of use: 5 out of 5
Usefulness: 5 out of 5
Layout: 5 out 5

How about that a perfect score....

Click on the picture to the right to go to the blog.

C. T.

Who is Robert G. Farrell?

2008-11-10T19:40:00.000-08:00

While I was clicking through Blogger's pages I came upon this blog created by Mr. Farrell. What caught my attention was the fact that he writes music for the church. I found this very interesting because while many in the world would seek to write the next chart topper this gentleman composes pieces for churches, very impressive.

The blog is not big, in fact it was just created this month. However there is enough information for people to get an idea of what Mr. Farrell does. Good luck Mr. Farrell I hope your blog leaves visitors singing it's praises. If I could offer one suggestion, when adding links to other sites make it so that the visitor does not have to cut and copy them to the address bar of the browser. Outside of that this looks like a blog that can really become useful for those looking to commission church music. To go to the blog click the picture on the right.

Content: 5 out of 5
Ease of use: 4 out of 5
Usefulness: 3 out of 5
Layout: 5 out 5

C. T.