The CCA – Architects do it with models

It is often a surprise to Montrealers when they discover that the CCA (Canadian Center for Architecture) is located in their own city. If you’re not an architecture buff and have no idea what I’m talking about, the CCA is “those three big stone buildings” on Boul-Rene-Levesque right across the entrance to the highway 720… and that weird floating chair.

The dying art of Architecture is an innovative, forward-thinking one that is best understood when analyzing it’s historical evolution. Exactly 20 years ago this year, the CCA was founded to promote the knowledge of architecture’s role in society in order to encourage design creativity and scholarly research.

The establishment makes this learning possible with one of the largest international research collections of models, plans, conceptual studies, and many, many other documents dating from the Renaissance.

The CCA has put into place Study centers, guided tours, exhibitions and an extensive library in order to create debate and a dynamic engagement with contemporary issues for people of all ages and levels of knowledge on this subject.

Along with the building (designed by Peter Rose with consulting architect Phyllis Lambert and associate architect Erol Argun in 1989), a large garden exhibiting landscape art is located across the blvd Rene-Levesque whose unique location allows its integration to the hustle and bustle of the city, while clearly defining a separation with a large open space. This helps create an ambiance of serenity and escape, while ironically having a location adjacent to a large highway.

Designed by Montréal artist-architect Melvin Charney, the CCA Garden is said to “restore the urban fabric of an area deeply scarred by mid-20th-century highway engineering.” – CCA

With all this information free and open to the public, I can only say one thing to those who have yet to visit and explore the CCA — Go culture yourself!!

Photos: Youssef

www.mysteryoussef.com

Tams Tams Electroniks: Du Mont-Royal au Parc Jean-Drapeau, en passant par le Musée Juste pour Rire!

Quoi de mieux qu’un ami ou un membre de la famille qui visite Montréal pour mieux la visiter soi-même? C’est comme si on avait besoin d’une excuse pour se botter le et profiter des mille-et-une activités que la ville a à nous offrir! L’été est presque terminé, mais les journées chaudes, elles, loin de là! Et ce n’est pas seulement le soleil qui continue de chauffer le coeur des gens.

Premier stop: les tams tams du dimanche au pied du Mont-Royal. Fermez vos yeux un seul instant et vous vous retrouvez au milieu de l’Afrique. Ouvrez les et vous vous trouvez encore submergé par l’Afrique, mais cette fois en compagnie de l’Asie, des Amériques, etc.

Vous êtes à Montréal ! C’est joli et les gens s’amusent. Ils n’ont pas de soucis, ils sont même dans leur monde. C’est électrique!

Deuxième stop: le World Press Photo 2009, présenté du 4 septembre au 4 octobre 2009 au Musée Juste pour Rire, ouvert tous les jours de 11h à 22h, à seulement 5$ pour les étudiants! Et vous allez aimer, c’est sûr. Des photos sportives aux photos de tous les jours, en passant par les arts et les portraits. En marge de cette exposition principale, vous trouverez d’autres présentations très intéressantes aussi, dont Antrhopographia, une exposition de photoreportages sur les droits humains. Coeurs humains s’abstenir.

>Wu Xiaoling, China, Xinhua News Agency.

“Blood drops from the forehead of Haitian judoka Ange Mercie Jean-Baptiste, during the women’s 57kg preliminary round at the Beijing Olympics, on August 11.”

Troisième stop: le pikinik electronik. Un peu d’alcool par ici, un peu de drogue par là, mais beaucoup de danse partout! Les gens en veulent et redemandent!

party time

for and from the camera

puisque c’est mon premier article, me voici au milieu, pour que vous ayez une idée de la personne qui parle (écrit)!

Certaines personnes sont sur le site du parc Jean-Drapeau dès l’après-midi, et restent jusqu’à la fin de la soirée, voyant et entendant les DJs défiler un par un. La soirée est presque finie, les gens commencent à rentrer. C’est joli et les gens s’amusent. Ils n’ont pas de soucis, ils sont même dans leur monde. C’est rythmique !

Et vous, que faites vous dimanche prochain ?

McDonalds on St-Hubert Street: An amazing freakshow

There are places known for having alot of freaks as clients;  One that immediately comes to mind is Spot Bowling in Cartierville with that 65 year old prostitute that is in her bikini even if its -40 outside. Another known one is the Guy Metro station, known for it’s stylish hobos.  But my friends, I have found THE spot to see a wide selection of freaks, one more interesting than the other: the St-Hubert street McDonalds.

Since montrealing.com moved to the St-Hubert Plaza, I have been walking around the streets and noticing very ”interesting” people, to a point where I can proudly describe myself as an expert hobo-ologist.  My unofficial research has led me to the following conclusions:

Looking for hobos is actually very tricky; the best place to find them in public areas where there is some type  natural or man made protection; the best time to find them is actually during the day between 11am and 3pm.  If you are a beginner in hobo-explorations, a simpler way to find them is to just look for pigeons, they are usually close by.

Saint Hubert Street creates the perfect environment for the hobo population, mainly due to the fact that the Plaza sidewalks have a protective roof and that there is a lot of foot traffic.   Now where it gets interesting is when hobos are mixed with groups of older people, Squeegees, wierdos and hippies.   That is where the McDonalds on the corner of St-Hubert and Beaubien comes in. The “Mcdo du coin” creates the ideal circumstances in Montreal in terms of  Freak watching.  Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

I will be updating this blog on a regular basis, with my discoveries; hopefully including some pics, maybe even some interviews.  Please feel free to do some explorations of your own and share your insights your freak discoveries and hot spots.