I dont have too much time to write right now but will get in a small blurb. 

In 2009 Jodie and I walked up Mont Royale.  Really great paths and walking trails to get to the top of the Mont.  It was quite a hike but we took our time.  This time, we told Ron we could take a city bus that does go to the top of the Mont.  We did this and it was really nice.   Not far to walk to the view of the city once we were off the bus.  Stayed there for quite some time,  took refuge near the building as a flash shower went through.  We didnt even get wet !!   Then took the bus down and visited a busy shopping street on our way back to the metro station.  It was a nice and casual day out. 

Oh Yes,  Because of the Italian Experience below,  I forgot to mention that Jodie had been looking at the computer this morning and told me that John Fluevog has a 15% off sale today - May 15th - only !!    For anyone that has a weakness for shoes like myself and my daughters have,  you know how   ``ya just gotta get down to those shoe sales !!  ``  

We think  `` How dare you John Fluevog,  " whet "  our shoe appetite with a 1 day sale that we have to rush to get to. !! ```  We looked at all of the styles on the computer - picked out a few really cute styles that we like & thought we would be able to get there !!

As you can probably tell, after the experience below and our meal out and our walk - -- we completely lost track of time and forgot about the shoe sale until later this evening !!  But we are coming - John Fluevog -  even if we dont have the time right now and Jodie goes herself here in Montreal and I have to go when I return to Calgary !!  

When is the next sale ??     We`re coming, John  !!     We`re coming !!   
PS   Sorry to say but the Calgary store isnt half what Montreals is .   You can tell just by looking at the websites.   Under womens shoes - Calgary has about 4 pages and Montreal has 12 pages !!    Our loss !!

Here I am - - about to tell you about our   `` Italian Experience !!  ``  

This morning,  a little dull and cloudy from an overnight shower,  we sat in Jodies apt until noon, at which time, we had decided we had better go out and try the Vietnamese Restaurant that we had passed several times since being here.  The sun was out,  the breeze blowing the hair of all 3 of us as we strolled the streets of Montreal yet again !!  

As Ron walked beside me wearing the new casual hat he purchased in Quebec city and looking quite debonaire,  I looked at him and said  ``Ron, You need a haircut and there is a place just up here that we will pass.   I stopped in there the other day when I purchased some groceries on my way home alone when Jodie had an appointment and asked if they take walk-ins.``  In answer to me question  - they all shook their heads ( 2  or 3 men and a couple of women )  and said ``yes, anytime. ``     I told them then  that I would be back with my husband ``sometime``   They said great !!   

Today, we stopped in there and again.  ROXY Coiffeurs Pour Hommes et Femmes  I spoke for Ron and asked if one of them had time for a mens haircut today.    They said yes in 10 minutes.   Ron sat down and waited while Jodie and I went 1/2 a block away to return an item that she didnt want.  Upon our return,  Ron was in the chair talking away to the barber he had gotten.  We couldnt hear anything..but Jodie and I sat and waited.  They asked if we wanted coffee to which we declined as we were headed for lunch after this.  I watched this barber as he cut Rons hair and thinking to myself    `` this is an excellent cut  !!  ``   Keeping in mind, Ron hasnt got that much hair !!    He`s  a man and it is very short !!   The precision, time and care of this man as he lifted the hair and cut and shaped, he blew dry and then moussed and then blew dry again.   Of course, at home I never see the barber cutting Rons hair.   But this man impressed me !!  

When Ron was done - Daniel - his barber - called me over and said I must come downstairs and see the  *museum``   All 3 of us following  the Daniel wound down some narrow steps and at the bottom see a room filled with gold records and black ones, and photos - I cant describe !!    Then he says  pointing to a photograph  `` This is Gino Vannelli .  Do you know him `` 

We said yes,  The musical artist  from numerous years ago . . . .    YES, we had it  right !!   Then we were shown more photographs & the history of the Vannelli family ...  Little Italy in Montreal !! (I will attach photos below.)   
The owner of this barber shop is Vick Vannelli.  He is the uncle of Gino Vannelli.   He is 80 years old and still works 2 or 3 days a week.  Hates to give it up.  He has clients that still come to him for over 60 years.   In the Vannelli family Vic`s father started the barber shop when it was downtown Montreal and the 5 sons were all barbers including Vic.  We saw the photo of the 6 Vannelli family barbers in the original shop all at their 6 chairs with Vick being one of them.  Eventually Vick took over the shop completely and moved it out of downtown Montreal to its present location.  He then hired the present staff  who have stayed with him at this location over the many years.   They have 3 shops in various districts of Montreal.

Vick plans are to retire in the near future and he has had Chinese families approaching and wanting to buy out the businesses  BUT  he says he will not sell to them as he doesnt think that the business will be run for the clients as he has run it over the last 60 years !!    SO -o-o-o  Daniel has plans to buy the businesses from Vick.   

So nice to see this in people that we do not even know. !!   For Vick its not all about the money he could get from the Chinese - he probably doesnt need it anyway  - its more about the client/business relationships that he has built up for 60 yrs and even after retiring wants his clients to be happy.   SO-o-o-o-o nice to see this in this day and age.  !!!    We went into that shop for a 15 minute haircut and more than an hour later - we walked out knowing all about the Vannelli family and the barbershop business !!    Even more than the haircut - - it was an awesome experience meeting and talking to them.

Jodie wrote on her facebook :::
 
My dad had an awesome time getting his hair cut at the local Italian barber in my neighbourhood and chatting with Gino Vannelli's uncle.

To which her Italian friend replied within minutes ::

• Roberto Silvestri    ah yes, Vinny Vannelli... stalwart denizen of Little Italy.   
  
• Now your dad has a real Mtl story to tell!
• Jodie Nicole Beck   Vinny is the uncle?   or the shop owner?     The guy said his name was Vic.
• Roberto Silvestri    OK  -  called my dad, and you're right, it's Vic (Vittorio) ... I bow my head in shame for not having known myself !
• Jodie Nicole Beck ‎... Somehow I KNEW you would have the inside scoop

At the Vietnamese Restaurant, our meal was superb and we were really full again !! 
We walked far after that, reminiscing about our experience with the Italian barbershop.  It really was interesting ! 

If you dont know Gino Vannelli as a musical artist - here`s a bit of info and you can get tons more by just putting in his name ::




GinoVannelli (born , 1952) is an Italian-Canadian singer, songwriter, musician and composer. Early years. Born in Montreal, Quebec, Vannelli is one of three sons born to Russ ...

Vannelli, Gino ... In the late 1970s pop singer GinoVannelli was considered a disco sex symbol, with his thick, curly black hair, flashing dark eyes ...   One of three sons of Joseph and Delia Vannelli, Gino Vannelli grew up in Montreal, Canada. His father was an aspiring singer who passed on his talent and interest to all three of his boys, but when Vannelli was ten, his father abruptly quit singing to take over the family barbershop business. However, Vannelli continued to hold his own dream of a musical career.   By the age of 15, Gino began writing songs. Just out of high school, he signed his first recording contract with RCA under the pseudonym Vann Elli, but went on to study music at McGill University.......

Once again, we feel like we have had a great & interesting day !!  And like I said in an earlier blog,  I love this city !!   We have had so much fun with our daughter !!  
Photos of our barber shop experience below.

We were gone a couple of days to Quebec City .  Enjoyed it very much.  Basically did the same things Jodie and I did in 2009  but we were able to show it all to Ron this time !  All the old buildings architecture, Old Quebec city, the Old Port, Chateau Frontenac and the boardwalk,  gates to the old city,  the Citidel  and Plains of Abraham.   So old and so much history with the founding of these cities in the 1600`s, the battles in the 17 and 1800`s  compared to the West !   We have a different kind of history in the west and realize how ``young `` the West really is !!

Shopped ourselves out with many treasures and some artsy things !  The 1st night after shopping and exhausted we sat on a restaurant patio in the center of much action and had our dinner for a few hours.  Visited and talked the hours away,  all the while eye-ing all the passersby - some with their trendy clothing, some with their dogs, some not so trendy !!  As we were ready to leave,  I suggested that I must take home all of the shells from our seafood platters to incorporate into some paintings - in memories of Quebec.  (Who knows if I would ever do this !! )  Jodie said `` NO Mom - you will embarrass me``  To which I casually said `` No one knows us here`` and shrugging a bit  `` what do we care ?? ``

As our waitress wandered over Jodie quietly said  (pointing to me)  ``  She is an artist  and would like to take these shells home``.  (There it was again - she is an artist  - wow)    The waitress looked at me and seemed to quizzingly say in a french / english accent  `` For her dog  ? ``  to which we hysterically burst out laughing  (almost falling off our chairs )  still laughing and also apologizing to her at the same time and also apologizing for the dog that was going to get nothing from this restaurant said as we were shaking our heads and hands    ``NO,  NO -  not for the dog !! ``.   Jodie tried to say again `` She does art `` Then we both said  almost simultaneously  `` Can you just bring the shells back to us in a take home box ? ``  And the waitress understanding said ``Oh in a box  - Yes ``  and left with our plates.   Soon to return with a take home box covered in a brown paper bag !     We laughed at our differences in language and how things sound so different when we really dont understand.

Later that evening we enjoyed a swim in the hotel pool and also a sauna which eased out the aches from our day of walking the narrow, busy, crowded, uphill and broken streets of the city. 
The next day after a restful sleep,  we all had a great breakfast - omeletts, crepes and pannini`s  variously  filled with spinach and many other veggies, ham and swiss covered with hollendaise sauce and a grilled panini with many cut varieties of fruit mounded so high on that plate.!! 

Full - we left with a mothers day carnation that the restaurant gave to us.  We walked and continued on our sightseeing until we finally decided to pick up our luggage from the bellhop and continue towards the bus depot to get back  to Montreal   First we stopped for a quick dinner meal and were able to get our bus at 5:30pm.  3.5 more hours to travel  !!   On the bus, sitting 2nd row from the front,  the driver got on after all the passengers were sitting and gave every female each a beautiful long stemmed rose of various colors - deep yellow, soft and pale pinks, bright pinks, etc.  Arriving almost at dark in Montreal, we trecked from the bus to the closest metro station - 5 minutes, each got a seat and relaxed on the last leg of our journey as we held the handles of our luggage and the shopping bags with our treasures.
 
Inside Jodies apt, we quickly started to unpack our small pieces of luggage in an effort to relax and unwind down from the very busy day and weekend telling Jodie we had a great time and were so happy to be able to share it with her .

Ring, ring,  we had just walked in and the phone is ringing here in Montreal.   Oh hi !!    Its Robin, our other daughter calling from near Vancouver !  Each girl from the two opposite ends of our country.   We  talk about her day and weekend and our days and Mothers Day !!    Later on, as we ended our call - I thought - what a wonderful day,  what a great time we have had touring with one daughter & talking with the other whom we have plans to also visit in about a months time in June.   Our country is just much too large as we usually only see them once each summer and at C`mas time.   Sad but also makes me feel happy and fortunate !!   Happy Mothers Day to everyone !!

Cant believe we have been here a week !!     Its been great.  I love this city !!    Quaint in some areas.  Old beautiful buildings.  History, lots of history.  And Food - lots of Food & Drink !!    We've had Crepes, Montreal Poutine - cant believe the calories in that dish !!  Other delicious dishes - not remembering the names !!   We have shopped in Old Montreal, seen the Old Port and visited China Town.   And unique shopping streets !   The shopping !    And we saw the 2 artists that I bought several paintings from when I was last here in 2009.   I thought - those lucky men - doing exactly what they want to do  - out there in their shops everyday and selling paintings everyday. Then I see Ron  - - Poor Ron - the only man with us !  He happily tags along saying every time we stop to look at something  " Get it if you would like it" !!     

The weathers been pretty good too !  The other day it rained and we were inside Jodie's tiny apt for most of the day.  Then Jodie had to leave to meet a gal at 3pm that she is teaching in a private lesson once a week.  I told her I would go to the market and pick up few things that we thought we needed before she returned home !   I left around 4pm leaving Ron in the tiny apt with his IPod and IPad to catch up on.   I am sure he was happy to be alone, away from two females and not have to go out to shop for anything.

Umbrella under arm - I left saying I would return within the hour.  Out on the busy streets,  I watched the vehicles quickly passing by as, I guessed, the people rushed home at the end of a day of work. 

Oh Great !!   It 's raining again !!  I open the umbrella, stand on the corner, wait for the walk light.   I quickly step back as a vehicle races past splashing that dirty road and rain water halfway into the sidewalk. Thanks goodness I am not drenched in it !!   Why is everyone in such a rush ?  Where are they all going ?   I am on vacation.  It feels casual, laid back, restful to me.   Then my minds lingers back to my last few weeks in April when I was pounding those streets in Calgary.  Cars,  people and me rushing everywhere.   I guess that's real life !!   Thank goodness for vacations - we can forget all we have to do  and just  do what we want to do  at least until returning from vacation to the real world  ! !

Never thought that I was interested in having a blog  !!    It has all of a sudden hit me !    As an artist - we always wonder what we can do to promote our art.  After my last show and sale in Feb with 2 other artists in the city - I became aware of the various people coming into our studio looking at the art.   One visitor to our studio - a female artist visiting her daughter in Calgary from Manitoba gave me her art business card and we talked about 2 of my paintings that she loved the colors, textures, etc.  I was impressed - - - another artist admiring my work !   I sold a framed painting and  then  2 mini's that went "across the pond" to Finland and one more painting left my hands during that two week period.  Of course, a nice number of my pieces of art have sold before this but it was always at art shows that I had been invited to participate in - not my own show.  I began to see that other artists, art enthusiasts, etc, were admiring my work. 

As a result of this - In April,  I decided I must  "pound"  the streets of the city  and promote my art.  In many of my classes, we discussed saying  "I am an artist"  and how difficult that is - even for professional and long time artists.  People always say  "And what is your other job ?"   I was convinced I must do this !    I then wrote up an introduction letter and attached my business card and approached numerous businesses, restaurants, lounges, etc.    At each business, I said  "I am an artist and approaching businesses to display my work".  YES,  I said  "I am an Artist."    I was very enthused from the response of most businesses.  I now have 3 proposed sites to display my work and hope to continue for the long term.   I am very interested and willing to work with businesses and my art in helping to raise funds for fundraisers of worthy causes, etc.  I have a number of other businesses that were receptive to displaying my work but are  "filled" at this time so we will meet again at a later date.
Follow me as I go forward on this journey !