This craptastic structure on the north end of Victoria Square has finally been demolished. It was known for a variety of things, including a golf shop, Victory hot dogs, a computer store for a while and a short-lived Russian-Communist themed restaurant. There were loft parties upstairs on the other side for some years.
Some of the other buildings that are supposed to go up soon include the Union Tower, left, about 35 storey on the east side of Phillips Square. A very tall thing atop the Bell Centre and a series of five stubby buildings at University and St. James.
A play you've just gotta see has only a few more days until it shuts down its run. Closer (you might've seen the excellent flick based on the London play) involves a horny young guy who seduces another man's woman and then sees the circle turn square. It has a ton of swearing and other fun stuff. It's on at 4001 Berri 8 p.m. until Oct 22. Just show up to get a ticket. Nice intimate space too.
This disturbing photo of rodents in Montreal shows how successful these crafty beasts have become in navigating the cityscape. I've seen racoons do some pretty clever things, such as open up a camping cooler that required clicking a thing with two hands at once. Outside of Molson football stadium I saw them climb on each others backs to get into a garbage can. But methinks it's time for a major cull. Maybe Europeans will buy hats made of their fur.
This craptastic structure on the north end of Victoria Square has finally been demolished. It was known for a variety of things, including a golf shop, Victory hot dogs, a computer store for a while and a short-lived Russian-Communist themed restaurant. There were loft parties upstairs on the other side for some years.
I'm sure you actually know this, but raccoons are not rodents.
ReplyDeleteRecently on TV there was a fascinating documentary about the raccoon problem in Japan.
ReplyDeleteNight-vision videos showed some of them very craftily entering storage areas.
Evidently they are territorial and stick to a workable geographically area using laneways to get around and avoid crossing high-traffic streets.
Once a hungry raccoon crept into my sister`s ground-floor duplex kitchen and began to eat her cat`s food from its dish. The cat discovered this and had a hissing fit!
Years ago, another one climbed up the fire escape to my apartment and hung around until I gave it bread and water. Later it fell asleep on the landing, but eventually wandered off.
Most recently I was sitting down in the cemetery and a raccoon boldly walked right up to me. I scared it off, though, as reportedly those awake and active during the day could be rabid.
Raccoons are awesome! Whaddaya got against raccoons?
ReplyDeleteVictory Hot Dog was where Claude Taylor, when CEO at Air Canada, would eat his lunch every day when AC was based, first at PVM, then in the HSBC Building (then called Place Air Canada)...before consolidating everything at Dorval at the stub-end of Cote-Vertu. One day when returning to AC, Claude was hit by 1 of those irresponsible bicycle couriers and ended up in the hospital. Bicycle couriers are primarily use by law firms, who probably enjoy getting business out of those that they hit.
ReplyDeleteIf you entered Victory & closed your eyes , you would swear you were in a SNL skit.
ReplyDeleteRaccoons on the island of Montreal are unlikely to be rabid. The authorities watch pretty carefully that rabies doesn't get close to the river - they put vaccine out in baits around the south shore, for example. The river protects us from most, but not all rabies – obviously it isn't a serious barrier for bats. Apparently the main health risk with raccoons is they can carry dog distemper, which doesn't affect humans but is obviously a risk to dogs that haven't been immunized.
ReplyDeleteOur raccoons are getting a little too tame for their own good. Chances are the guy in the graveyard was only expecting a snack.
NDGguy is so right! I once worked at this shitty office job near Beaver Hall and I went into Victory. The guy gave me one package of ketchup for my fries and when I asked for another, he said, "Well, it's very expensive!" yeah right. I told him i didn't care,I wanted another package. I wasn't a big fan of that place. I remember the Restaurant and computer place. It was a pretty craptastic building.
ReplyDeleteAh memories… 25 years ago, I worked accross the street, and once a week, someone would volunteer to cross the street to bring back some «roteux et graisseuses» which we would wolf down amid office gossip…
ReplyDeleteAs of ’coons, how bold can you get?
http://emdx.org/photos/20110804_Montagne/j17777_ArtVille_20110804-200053_BelvedereCH-RatonsLaveurs.jpg
http://emdx.org/photos/20110804_Montagne/j17794_ArtVille_20110804-200249_BelvedereCH-RatonsLaveurs.jpg
http://emdx.org/photos/20110731_Montagne/j17313_ArtVille_20110731-150515_Montagne_Coons.jpg
http://emdx.org/photos/20110731_Montagne/j17321_ArtVille_20110731-150635_Montagne-Garbagemaster.jpg
Never mind that rabies “haven’t made it here yet”. Tame-acting wild animals are a symptom of rabies.
(Stupid tourists)
Yes, but tame raccoons on Mount Royal is a symptom of too many people going up to feed them snacks. By this point they probably have tooth decay and incipient diabetes.
ReplyDeleteI saw "Closer". It was excellent.
ReplyDeleteAnd Kate is right. Raccoons definitely are not rodents.
Hey, Blamma?
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, those little ketchup packets are kinda expensive: We have friends who run one of those arena snack bars, and they were paying around nine cents a piece for those things many years ago.
Never went to this "Victory" place. Mine was a joint just north of StViateur on the west side of St.Laurent that was run by a couple of Polish guys. Ketchup in a squeeze thing, and vinegar in a emptied Nesbitt's bottle.
Ever had frites at Decarie Hot Dog? You could lubricate your car with the grease from one of their bags!