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What Happened to Montreal's BYOB Restaurant Prices?

In 1982, when I was in my early twenties, the Government of Quebec did a wonderful thing: it allowed restaurants to welcome customers who brought their own wine or beer. This was a winning arrangement in a number of ways. … may have cost eight or nine dollars in those days. At a BYOB restaurant, they were more likely five or six dollars First, patrons could buy their favourite tipple at the…

Tilley lives up to lifetime guarantee

About thirty years ago, I received a Tilley hat as a birthday gift. I wore it for several years until one day I noticed a small rip in the top. Normal wear and tear will leave its mark on everything. But not everything comes with a lifetime guarantee. At the time I discovered the rip, there was a Tilley Endurables store on Laurier Street in Montreal. One day, while my wife and I were walking…

Savage seagull attack in Southern Ontario

For the last few years, my wife and I have taken a little road trip to enjoy a bit of a summer break. Several times we have gone to Southern Ontario, which offers a vast number of lovely destinations without requiring too many hours behind the wheel. This is particularly important now, as I am reliant on my wife to do all the driving until my cataract issues are corrected. This summer we are…

Joey the wannabe wallaby

For almost a week, Montrealers were focused on a local news story playing out on the South Shore, just off the island. Reports began coming in from residents who swore they had seen a kangaroo in the area. Needless to say, roos are not indigenous to Montreal’s suburbs. In fact, early sightings of the beast had people baffled: was it a kangaroo or a wallaby? And, more importantly, how did it come…

First It Was Bring Your Own Bags. Now It's Pack Your Own Bags.

I get it. We no longer want huge landfills stuffed with disposable, flimsy plastic bags that take a thousand years to degrade while leaching toxic microplastics into water, soil, and the food chain. Thank God we got rid of those monsters. If you have not cottoned on to the idea of always having a reusable tote bag with you, you can always purchase an environmentally safe bag at most places.…

The evolution of Habs fans

In 2014 the Montreal Canadiens made it to the Eastern Conference Final only to be eliminated four games to two by the New York Rangers. At that time I wrote a piece for The Montreal Gazette regarding the new generation of Habs fans who, unlike my fortunate cohort, had never witnessed a Stanley Cup parade. Looking back now that the current team has made it to the third round I am reminded of the…

Montreal F1 Grand Prix and road alterations

This weekend, the city of Montreal will host, as it does annually, the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix. This is a much-needed yearly injection of cash into the local economy as thousands of race fans descend on the city, renting hotel rooms, filling bars and restaurants, and buying souvenirs. The focal point of F1 events is the downtown core, where several main streets are already closed due to…

Whither or wither the shower fluffy

With wars raging in various hot spots around the world, the effects can be felt globally. The price of essentially everything – from gas to groceries, airfares to entertainment – has skyrocketed. All since the current US administration introduced tariffs (still not understood by many people) and followed up with a war in Iran that, by many estimates is ill-timed, possibly illegal, and poorly…

#montreal

Canac hide and seek radio ad

In Québec there is a long-established hardware chain called Canac. According to the company’s webpage: Canac is the first independent hardware and construction materials chain from the Québec City region and is the product of nearly 150 years of experience. The company advertises heavily on local radio. The current advertising campaign focuses on the company’s staff always being available and…

Games Seven vs Game Sevens

Once again the annual rite of spring – and a bit of summer if your lucky – the NHL playoff season is upon us. This year my beloved Montreal Canadiens are involved, and have just advanced to the second of hopefully four rounds. It has been way too long since the Stanley Cup has come to Montreal. The Canadiens, or Habs, as they are referred to colloquially, recently defeated the Tampa Bay Lighting…

Montreal quirks - lengthy escalator repairs

Once again I begin by pointing out that all cities, like all people, have their quirks. No two are precisely the same. It’s what makes life worth living. Although there are times when a quirk can certainly try the patience of citizens and visitors. Countless times during my day-to-day life I have come upon an escalator that is being repaired or simply undergoing regular maintenance. Mechanical…

Montreal quirks - drinking bartenders

Like most cities, Montreal has its own little quirks and nuances. Language issues aside (which are anything but quirks and nuances) there are many things that make us different. Including being only one of two places in North America where you can’t turn right on a red light (the other being Manhattan Island). Let’s consider for a moment the Montreal bartender. For your average Montreal…

Beware online grocery order fulfillers

Grocery shopping was never exactly a Caribbean vacation, but lately it’s become even more of a chore. It’s not just the eye-watering prices on nearly everything—conveniently blamed on everything from COVID to distant geopolitical disruptions—but the experience itself has grown more taxing. Navigating crowded aisles now feels less routine and more like an obstacle course, with a surprising edge of…

Quebec: Looks good on paper

I imagine most of us are familiar with the catchy promotional slogans created by marketing professionals in an effort to lure us to various destinations. “I Love New York,” “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” and an older one, “It’s better in the Bahamas,” to mention just a few, are all well-known catchphrases intended to separate tourists from their cash. A quick search of the internet…

Costa Rican rain gutters

(San Isidro, Costa Rica) Costa Rica, like other Central American countries, gets a lot of rain. Depending on the time of year, that may mean long stretches of rainy days. This used to be called, not surprisingly, the ‘rainy’ season. As you can imagine, this was a bit of a hitch when it came to tourism. Along came some bright mind who suggested it be referred to as the ‘green’ season instead.…

#Costa Rica #Driving #Rain

Montreal Pub Christmas Poem

For the last dozen years or so I have written a silly Christmas-themed poem into which I incorporate many of the regulars at downtown Montreal bars. Below is the 2025 version of this now tradition. It’s been a rough year, I’m glad to get through it alive, So without further ado, it’s Deegan’s Christmas Poem for 2025.Our downtown community took some hits, it was like a tsunami,Including the…

Nests and unnested birds

Montreal recently got an early blast of winter. Over the last few days about 20 centimetres (8 inches) of snow fell and conditions were best described as blustery. As we were driving up our street, with the last of the leaves having been blown off the trees, my wife noticed that one tree had several large nests now visible. I have long been a feeder of birds, and have made friends with several…

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