Kitties in need of a caring family

-Refuge pour chats de Verdun, Montreal.

In late April of this year, after my "precious" 15-year-old cat passed away, I was browsing the web to find another cat. In the process, I discovered that there were a lot of sites on which you could find cats in Montreal, like Petfinder and Kijiji. I ended up choosing the "Refuge pour chats de Verdun" since I was struck by the resemblance between one of their kitties and the one that I lost.

The refuge has a few adoption days per month, where you can go and get to see several of their cats at a time. The only inconvenience is that the cat you saw online might not be in the building on adoption day, as was the case when I went to get a new cat. This is understandable since it would be crazy to have that many cats (more than 150 cats) in one place at a time. It is best to make an appointment if you want a particular cat. What happened to me is that the refuge went out of its way to go get the cat for me that same day. It was very appreciated and I ended up adopting her, she was 2 and a half years old.

Why adopt an older cat? Well, because cats can live long lives, 15 years, sometime up to 20 or more. Also, he or she, is going to be much calmer than one of those restless kittens and they've already developed their personality, so it's that much easier to find your perfect match. Not to mention that by saving an older cat, you are making a bigger difference since there are LOTS of them. -I still can't believe how irresponsible some people can be toward their pets. Just look into how many pets get abandoned during the month of July, moving time.

Anyhow, the shelter takes good care of their cats. They are fixed and vaccinated. You have to answer a few questions, pay a fee of $145 (it makes up for the operation and shots easily) and sign a small contract. For more information and a list of adoptable cats go to their website. You can also do volunteer work for the shelter if you would like.

Links: http://www.refugechatsverdun.com/

Hurry For A Curry Poutine

McKibbin's Irish Poutine, 3515, St-Laurent Boulevard, Montreal.
-You say Irish, I say Indian.

This poutine comes with a mix of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, some very crispy french fries covered with a curry sauce. That's right you read me right, CURRY SAUCE! Unusual, but so good. Maybe a bit too salty, but hey, don't forget you are eating poutine, so you are not looking for THE healthy meal. The portion is big enough for two and the price comes to $7.05 including taxes.

Links: http://www.mckibbinsirishpub.com/

Rating: 4.0 out of 5

Video Streaming Service

-Netflix, now in Canada

I just love going to the video store to buy used DVDs. I find old classics to add to my collection and it is eco friendly as well. Price wise, I find it more worthwhile to buy than to rent most of the time. One man's trash is another man's treasure, as some would say. And speaking of trash, I've been watching the entire season 1 of "Hoarders" thanks to Netflix.

Netflix, which I first used when I was living in the United States, is an online streaming video service, except that in the USA, you also get the option of getting DVDs mailed to your home. Anyhow, the service is very cheap, $7.99 a month for unlimited streaming. The only problem with that is that I have limited bandwidth, like most people here in Quebec. They also offer an awesome free month trial period, which I am enjoying right now.

The main con, in my opinion, is their poor selection. I remember Netflix in the States to be THE place to find anything and everything. Now, "unavailable", is what I get for 90 percent of things I really want to watch like "Hoarders Season 2", "South Park", "Dexter" or "Shawshank Redemption", just to name a few. I watched "The Machine Girl", a pretty fun Japanese movie. So finding 2 movies like that per month, would make it worth the price. Beside I'm sure Netflix is limited due to some distribution laws here in Canada.

In conclusion, I'm still on a the fence about if I will keep my subscription or not at the end of the free trial period. One thing for sure, I will still buy used DVDs for my collection until either Netflix offers a wider selection, or until the people from "Hoarders" come to my place to shoot one of their episodes because of my "collection".

Links: http://www.netflix.ca/

Rating: 3.0 out of 5

Parasite

-Tabano, A co-worker's story.

Tabano is the latest word I've learned in Spanish. Maybe you know what it is now by looking at the posted picture. Yes it's the Spanish word for a warble fly. I think the image is quite pretty despite the fact that my co-worker had one of these things growing in his arm.

Links: http://carlosbarriuso.com/

Colorful Light Night

La magie des lanternes, 4101, Sherbrooke east, Montreal.
-When colorful Chinese Art shines.

If you are looking for a peaceful, beautiful night out in Montreal, why not go to the Botanical Garden and check out "La magie des lanternes"? I got a family season pass for the garden for pretty cheap, $35, with my "Acces Montreal" card (AMC*). Without this card and/or a family entry pass, a single adult entry comes to $14.00 or $12.00 if you are a Quebec resident. If you pay that price, you may as well come and enjoy the garden during the day as well.

The lanterns aren't quite that spectacular during the day time, but as soon as dawn falls the magic starts. This year's inspiration comes from the famous Chinese painting: "Qing Ming Shang He Tu". Humans, animals and other structural lanterns are displayed on and around the Chinese pond. You can also view many traditional lanterns, which I enjoy a lot more for their simplicity and the way in which they're incorporated into buildings and paths.

I would recommend going on a week day if you can because it can get pretty crowded on weekends. The parking lot was full when I went on a Saturday night and I do not enjoy someone standing in my way when I'm trying to take pictures. I am going back as soon we catch a break from the rain this week to take more pictures so maybe I'll see you there. You have until October 31rst to enjoy it!

Links: * Acces Montreal
Montreal Botanical Garden

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

A Chocolate Experience

Juliette et Chocolat, 3600, Boulevard St-Laurent, Montreal.
-Where it's all about food with chocolate!

When some of my friends visited from New York City, I had to find a unique place that they could be impressed by. Since I've lived in NYC for five years, I know the bar was set high.

I thought they might like the recently opened Juliette et Chocolat located on St-Laurent boulevard, so I decided to take them there. The first thing I noticed about the place was that it had everything that the smaller Juliette et Chocolat on St-Denis had to offer but in a much larger space. More space = more seats = less time waiting, or no time waiting at all. I had to wait over an HOUR at the St-Denis location just to be seated.

The decor and atmosphere are very pleasant and I just love those red French berets that the staff wears. The menu selection is good, but the prices are a little on the pricey side, at least for me since I am on a tight budget because of school. However, they have a few things that you can get for a good price, like their brownies. The service is also good. The food presentation is excellent and the tastiness varies depending on what you order. And yes, those cheap brownies are yummy. Overall, the food is quite delicious.

My NYC friends liked the place and I will certainly bring more of them there. Small word of advise: If you order hot coco, you'll want to drink it fast so it doesn't turn into a thick pudding.

Links: http://www.julietteetchocolat.com/

Rating: 4.0 out of 5