The New Renaissance Mindset

In Montreal's ear, on Bishop Street's beat Lay Biddles Jazz & Ribs, a legendary retreat Where the notes of saxophones, trumpets, and drums Echo in the air, as if played by the gods' thumbs The room was alive with jazz's wild energy A smoky haze danced with the melody And in the dim light, one … Continue reading The Jazziest Ribs in Town – Memories Through the Eyes of my City

Oh, Joe Beef, the man of myth and meat, Whose name still echoes on Notre-Dame street. His tavern was a haven for the hungry and bold, And tales of his feats are still proudly told. With whiskey and wine, he'd entertain, And with his stories, the night would sustain. But it was his food that … Continue reading The Legendary Joe Beef – Memories Through the Eyes of my City

Oh, Montreal! My city, my muse, Where art and sin both run amuse, And on Saint-Laurent, there stands tall, A mural that portrays them all. The Seven Deadly Sins, oh what a sight, Captured in colors, so bright, Each vice, a face, a body whole, Lust, greed, wrath, envy, gluttony, sloth, and pride, all in … Continue reading The Seven Deadly Sins of Plateau Mont-Royal – Memories Through the Eyes of my City

At one end of St-Catherine’s, where the streets are alive, There's a place where the music and madness collide. Les Foufounes Electriques, they call it by name, A den of debauchery, a temple of shame? The walls are adorned with graffiti and art, And the air is thick with the beat of the heart. The … Continue reading The Den of Debauchery, or is it? – Memories Through the Eyes of my City

St-Laurent in Montreal, oh how you've changed Your history, your story, now rearranged Once the heart of the one immigrant community Now a hipster hub of trendy opportunity Your streets were lined with shops and markets galore The scent of smoked meat wafting from Schwartz's door But now the vegan cafes and craft breweries reign … Continue reading St-Laurent Street, Then & Now – Memories Through the Eyes of my City

In Montreal's east stands proud Le Cheval Blanc, A bastion of artists who dared be méchant To the rules of society and all its norms, To create a world that art truly transforms. Le Refus Global was their manifesto, Their rebellion against all that was retro, To break from tradition and embrace the new, To … Continue reading Le Cheval Blanc & Le Refus Global – Memories Through the Eyes of my City

At Ziggy's Pub in Montreal, where the beer flows free The writers gathered, a rowdy literary company With their smokes and their scotches, they'd spin their tales Of love and life and loss, and of the city's many travails There was Leonard Cohen, with his deep, gravelly voice And Irving Layton, with his wit and … Continue reading Ziggy’s Pub & The Storyteller’s Club of Montreal – Memories Through the Eyes of my City

Oh Montreal, my Montreal, What shall we do with this great big bowl? Our Olympic Stadium, so vast and wide, Has sat empty for far too long a time. Some say it's cursed, a white elephant, A monument to our extravagance and neglect. But I say nay, we can make it shine, With imagination and … Continue reading Rethinking The Big O – Memories Through the Eyes of my City