Old Montreal

We had a full day of presentations and were finished about 3:30.

I headed out for a couple hours for a walk.

I ended up at Place Jacques Cartier, a square in Old Montreal.

Then I meandered my way around the streets of Old Montreal.

Some of the buildings date back to the 1600s!

Dieu du Ciel, Montreal, QC

Since I am in Montreal, Gord suggested I go to the world's #1 brewpub of 2010, the Dieu du Ciel ... so I did.

While my colleagues were settled in the lobby bar, I grabbed a cab to the Dieu du Ciel.

Here's the beer board ...

I had the Corne du diable (Horn of the Devil) IPA ... it was okay, a bit strong for my liking.

Then I had the Paienne (Pagan) blonde ale ... much better.

The place was packed with people watching the Habs against the Penguins en français. Great vibe!

Here's Montreal scoring against Pittsburgh, making it 4 -3.

Whoohoo!

I'm married to a gold medal fencer!

Gord went to Kingston this morning to fence in the K-Town Veterans Challenge.

And he did well ... he won gold!

Congrats, Gord!

He's spending the night (it's three hours away) and will come home tomorrow. His mom lives along the way so he's going to take her out for brunch for Mother's Day.

Rock of Ages

Shawna and I saw Rock of Ages tonight.

In 1987 on the Sunset Strip, a small town girl met a big city rocker and in LA’s most famous rock club, they fell in love to the greatest songs of the 80s. It’s Rock of Ages, an arena-rock love story told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Night Ranger, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and many more. Don’t miss this awesomely good time about dreaming big, playing loud and partying on!

It arrived just a couple weeks ago.

Here's Shawna outside the Royal Alex showing off her ticket.

And here's Shawna and I just before we went in.

It was awesome!

The tunes are great! The actors do a fabulous job! The story is cute and funny.

No doubt it will be around for at least the summer and I'll go see it again.

Il Fornello,Toronto, ON

Shawna and I had tickets to see Rock of Ages this evening.

We met at Il Fornello on King Street W for supper first.

I had a pepperoni pizza.

They are thin crust "gourmet" pizzas baked in traditional wood fired ovens ... and it was delicious!

Here's me and Shawna.

ASICS GEL-Cumulus 11

As you know, I've been doing the Couch to 5K running program.

One more "day" and I'm done! Yay! Then I'll work on getting speedier and outside (I've been doing it on the treadmill).

My sneakers are just sneakers ... plus they are starting to fall apart and kinda hurt my feet sometimes. They are leather so apparently my feet can't breathe.

I thought it was time to buy real running shoes. After the seminar this morning, I went to Foot Locker in the Eaton Centre.

The sales guy was very helpful. We talked about the different brands, types, etc.

Then he had me stand on a magical sheet for 20 seconds to determine which ones would be best.

I tried on four pair and I liked the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 11 best!

Excellent comfort and value in a single shoe. Features "Twist" GEL® Cushioning System, to enhance shock attenuation and improve toe-off. Also comes with the Space Trusstic System®, Solyte® Midsole Material, and the gait optimization of ASICS Impact Guidance System (I.G.S.®).

No idea what most of that means but my feet loved them!

And since they are having a buy one pair, get another half price sale, I bought two pair.

Plan Member Communications for Pension and Benefits Programs

I attended a seminar this morning called Plan Member Communications for Pension and Benefits Programs. It's part of the CPBI Fundamentals Series:

Communication with plan members is a key part of pension and benefits programs. The effectiveness of the plans can often depend on it—especially in challenging economic times. In this session, pension and benefits communication professionals will discuss effective and practical communication strategies, from roll-out to
feedback, and highlight areas of particular concern for plan sponsors and service providers.

I found it quite interesting.

The two speakers were from a large company, a competitor of the company I work for (one was the manager of my former manager when I worked there).

It's amazing the stuff that they are doing on the web ... very cool the way they are trying to get pension plan members engaged.

I hope we can go in the direction too someday.

Book ~ "Savor the Moment" (2010) Nora Roberts

From Penguin.ca ~ Wedding baker Laurel McBane is surrounded by romance working at Vows wedding planning company with her best friends Parker, Emma, and Mac. But she's too low-key to appreciate all the luxuries that their clients seem to long for. What she does appreciate is a strong, intelligent man, a man just like Parker's older brother Delaney, on whom she's had a mega-crush since childhood.

But some infatuations last longer than others and Laurel is convinced that the Ivy League lawyer is still out of her reach. Plus, Del is too protective of Laurel to ever cross the line with her-or so she thinks. When Laurel's quicksilver moods get the better of her-leading to an angry, hot, all-together mind-blowing kiss with Del-she'll have to quiet the doubts in her mind to turn a moment of passion into forever ...

I like to read a variety of books and I haven't read a lot of fiction lately.

This is the third in a series of four which gives you a chance to get to know Laurel, Parker, Emma and Mac ... each book focuses on a friend finding love.

You'll enjoy this book if you are looking for a light modern love story.

They like me ... they really really like me!

I started my job in August after freelancing for two years.

Most companies have a three month probationary period when they can let you go without cause.

The company I work for has a 160 business days probationary period.

160 business days!!

That's about eight months!!

I figured I had recently passed it so I touched base with someone in HR today to check.

And sure enough, I'm out of my probationary period.

So I guess I'm doing something right.

Yay!

How long is the probationary period where you work?

Guys have more fun peeing

When Gord went to the bathroom last night at The Dog's Bollocks, he took a picture of the urinal for me.

Why?

Because there was ice in it ... he had fun peeing into it and making it disappear.

Yes, I know he sometimes has the maturity level of a seven-year-old. Ha!

Alas, the women's washroom had basic boring toilets ...

Not much fun, is it?

Another place Gord has had a fun pee was at the The Queen and Beaver.

There were soccer nets imported from England in the urinals.

The Dog's Bollocks, Toronto, ON

After The Tale of the Town - Queen West, Gord and I walked towards home.

We stopped at The Dog's Bollocks for a drink.

There were seats available in the window and that's where we sat, watching Saturday night on Queen Street W.

We each ordered a rum and Diet Coke ... 3 ounces in small pitchers for $10.

We like it there and stop in occasionally.

"The Tale of a Town - Queen West", Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto, ON

Gord and I attended The Tale of a Town - Queen West this evening at Theatre Passe Muraille. It was opening night.

Based on Toronto’s most legendary strip, The Tale of a Town – Queen West is a truly unique look at this neighbourhood, merging live music, stock footage and oral histories of local icons to create a mulit-layered site-specific theatrical journey through the past 30 renowned years of Queen West.

The audience takes off with a promenade trip through the neighbourhood – starting from Theatre Passe Muraille, then winding around the new big box developments, through graffiti alley, past the fire site and into a devised model loft, a vintage clothing store and a local watering hole that resonates with the songs from the Cameron House.

I wasn't sure what to expect but it sounded interesting.

The "audience" of about 45 people started at Theatre Passe Muraille and walked a couple blocks southeast. We were led by Lisa Marie DiLiberto who was in character as a sales rep for the Champagne Flaming Feather Boa Eco Boho Legend Lofts, a dig at the condos that are now being built in the area.

The area where the fire on Queen Street W happened in 2008 still hasn't been rebuilt.

We then entered the building next door (the second floor).

There DiLiberto became Jane, a shop owner, who told stories of her experiences on Queen Street W over the years.

Here she is describing meeting and hanging with Handsome Ned ...

And reacting to the news of his death ...

An interesting box of props!

At the end ...

The audience was invited to stay and have a few beer at "the Cameron House" and listen to some tunes.

It takes place on the second floor of this building ...

It is excellent and very cleverly done with lots of audience interaction.

It runs 'til May 16 and I suggest you go check it out!