L'INTERNATIONAL DES FEUX LOTO-QUEBEC 2010: POLAND, by TICKLEBEAR

another saturday,

another firework to watch from my balcony.

this week,

the entertainment is provided by a first time visitor,

the SUREX FAMILY COMPANY,

from POLAND.

they have certainly earned their invitation to this festival

as they presented to us last night

an elegant display set to CHOPIN's music,

along with some canadian singers

like BRYAN ADAMS and GAROU.

a nice touch to keep it popular and familiar to us,

while mixing it with something out of their own culture.

two heritages blended!!

:)~

sober, graceful and colorful,

it was a most pleasant experience.

i can only show you the highest fireworks

because the bridge blocks part of the view,

but i've enjoyed what i could see on the lake.

they really took full advantage of the full scene.

they will certainly gain a reputation here in montreal

and may it reflect well on their future.

perhaps they'll even come back to show us some more.

dziękuję dziękuję !!!

:)~

HUGZ

L'INTERNATIONAL DES FEUX LOTO-QUEBEC 2010: TAIWAN, by TICKLEBEAR

always trust the female instinct!!

my friend LINOUE wanted to see the taiwanese.

so be it!

well,

what a grand show that was!!

big, ambitious and seductive.

"we are the world",

"it's a beautiful world",

were a nice introduction.

a big of classical music with a bit of frou-frou stuff over the lake were nice.

but when they played the AVATAR theme,

well, sorry folks,

but you might as well cancel the rest of the competition,

the way they rendered the spirit of the movie,

so colorful, so lively, so vital.

i'm watching the movie right now because of them,

as i just had to pop in the bluray once again...

and ending their show with a song of CELINE DION???

we have a strong contender here!!

they aimed high,

and they just might have nailed it!!

表示感激）謝謝你

:)~
HUGZ

THE RANCH, Kahnawake / MEN IN BLUES Band

Getting there is half the fun!
In a world where everything is given to you priced, weighed, packaged with instructions, ingredients and side-effects, it gives great pride and joy to go out on an adventure and actually discover something on your own. The pioneer in me discovered THE RANCH & the kid in me had loads of fun.

I could give U directions since we are not talking "paved road" here, but if U wanna go, find the pioneer in yourself, figure it out and you shall be rewarded. The Ranch is located on the 2nd floor of one of the buildings in The Royal Mohawk Equestrian Center. Why would you leave the Island and lineups at "IN" bars.? Many reasons my friend...

1- THE STAFF:
No, they will not ignore you.
They will ask for what you want with a smile and deliver pronto.

2- PRICES:
When was the last time you ordered a vodka-cranberry and the total came out to $3.75?
No cover charge.

3- MUSIK:
The Ranch hosts live bands.

I got to see "MEN IN BLUES". What a wonderful show we were treated to. Experienced musicians, they invite anyone who wants to sing or play an instrument, to go up on stage and join the jam. 100% blues sound, the singer's voice is amazing, he sings with his soul. Everyone who was there felt their vibe.

At The Ranch, Sundays R Country Sundays, musik starts at 16:00, wear your cowboy hat, cowboy boots and bring your dancing skills (pro-line dancer or beginner). There are also concerts in The Royal Mohawk Equestrian Center, check it out.

4- COME AS YOU ARE
The Ranch is a friendly place, there only mission: enjoy yourself.
Bring your friends, have fun, chat, have a drink, dance if you feel like it. No pressure here.
5- OH, U CAN SMOKE INSIDE...
Yep it's 2010, and it's okay to actually smoke indoors without being thrown out by 2 huge doormen because U had too many drinks, thought U were in the 80's and lit one up inside.

Visit THE RANCH's web site at: http://www.theranchktown.com/ to find out about upcoming shows and events. Please look at map provided on the site, or you will never discover where THE RANCH is.!

L'INTERNATIONAL DES FEUX LOTO-QUEBEC de MONTREAL 2010: ITALY, by TICKLEBEAR

once again,
l'international des feux loto-quebec are hosted by la ronde,
to offer us yet again a great experience
where pyrotechnicians from around the world
will try to impress us
and get their hands on the prestigious golden jupiter.

last night was the premiere,
and the italians (PIROTECNIA SOLDI) were opening the competition.
on familiar opera music,
they offered us a refined and graceful bouquet
making for a grand entrance.
while i have seen bigger,
it was in the details
and there were plenty of those.
and the music made it all the more moving.
certainly a great team,
and all i can say is:
BENVENUTTO and GRAZIE
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:)~
HUGZ

just a reminder:
i am not a professional,
but a fan of those events,
therefore,
i am only sharing my impressions,
and my pictures with you.
:)~

SEX & THE CITY 2, by TICKLEBEAR

last friday night,
it was for me the occasion to reunite
with my real friends and the fictive ones,
as i had cocktails with my friends
before we all went to see
SEX AND THE CITY 2,
the latest instalment in the adventures of
CARRIE, CHARLOTTE, MIRANDA and SAMANTHA,
these women we've come to love.
the presentation was sold out to a majority of fashionistas
who cheered often enough during the movie
to show their approval,
especially when AIDEN appeared...
as eager as i was to see this movie,
i was left a tad nonplussed.
we see MIRANDA living blissfully at home
while going through turmoils at work,
bringing her to the point of reconsidering her career choices.
CHARLOTTE's fairy tale life is more exhausting
than anticipated.
SAMANTHA deals pro-actively with menopause,
providing some good comedic moments.
and CARRIE, well... CARRIE.
now that she's finally become the missus of mister PRESTON...
she now misses her glam life
and wishes her husband hadn't become such a couch potato.
as the girls all come to a crisis point,
they decide to escape to a faraway land
to forget their problems
and leave the city behind.
while in the tv series,
when the girls ended up in hollywood,
it was a fun adventure for them and for us as well,
this escapade here is not so fortunate.
sure!
it's the opportunity for a fashion extravaganza
and some oddly funny situations,
but i feel it didn't do a thing for their respective storylines.
i might have prefered to see the girls remain in NYC,
where they belong...
and deal with their issues,
rather than having this whole "new middle-east" thing
that lasted forever...
(yes the movie is long and you feel it somewhat.)
only to see them return to NYC
and see all of their problems fixing themselves
in a precipitated fashion.
the moral of this story is:
"there's no place like home",
and much like DOROTHY,
the girls clicked their shoes to go home,
only too happy to find themselves again
on familiar grounds.
this will not be the best movie of 2010,
but certainly a success due to its fanbase,
and another chapter in their lives.
if there is a third movie,
i'll obviously go see it,
but i'd be hoping to find the girls on hometurf,
rather than abroad.
one thing that bothered me:
the make-up!!!
we are all aware the girls have aged,
but to see them,
especially CHARLOTTE and SAMANTHA,
all plastered up to the point of disfigurement,
was simply ridiculous.
aging is not a sin,
and to see them as if they'd just seen a mortician
was not the most appealing to me.
i'd rather see healthy looking middle aged women
than someone pretending to have the skin of a 16 years-old.
i'm just saying!!
lay off the heavy duty make-up.
on another note,
if i were to attend a gay wedding like the one in the movie,
i would think it was a riot,
but would never confess to being there.
i guess there is a limit to my gayness...
i now realise there is something like being "too gay".
just how much can one stomach?!?
to conclude:
not the best movie,
nor is it the worst.
it's something that'll be welcomed by the fanbase,
even if it is not the most memorable moment
we'll be sharing with the girls.
i guess we'll be seeing them again in a couple of years,
yes, but with cocktails!!!
:)~
HUGZ

CELINE DION: TAKING CHANCES (LE SPECTACLE), by TICKLEBEAR

OH CELINE, CELINE!!!
i don't kiss the ground you walk on,
i lick it!!!!
:D~
i remember:
une adolescente aux dents croches,
au show de michel jasmin,avec une assurance frisant l'arrogance...
my, my!!
you've come a long way
and you have achieve so much!!!
who knew?!?
when you started to sing in english,
i found you a new appeal,though "incognito" had a little something...
moi, la colombe, le pape, etc, non merci...
but when you aimed for the american market,
you got it right.
a survey this week declared you
the americans' favorite female singer!!
no small feat!!
CONGRATS!!
:)~
this said,"TAKING CHANCES",
your latest tour,
shot in montreal for the DVD,
is, simply put,
wonderful
!!!!!!!!!
WOW!!!
a square stage,
right smack in the middle of the BELL center,
to better embrace the audience on all sides.
it looks sober but is quite effective
as it has a few perks,
allowing CELINE and her dancers
to entertain everyone equally.
one detail that makes me smile...
the inclined walkways....
does she misses the stage in vegas?????
despite all of the aggravations it caused?...

her fashion is a dream...
those shoes in the beginning are fierce!!
what are they, prada, louboutin, what?!?
i'll have to look it up.
her voice is at her best,
CELINE looks splendid
and she goes through her french and english repertoire,
singing in front of her fans
on home turf.
it had been a while,
given her stint in las vegas...
but we don't hold a grudge,
always willing to embrace again
the prodigal child...
which she is!!
alright!so, i'm a big fan of CELINE!!
but i can still bitch...
as she was singing,
a strap of one of her shoes fell down a bit...
(because she's a tad too skinny...)
her hair needs some hair conditioner...
(those backlights don't lie, too much static!!)
and she says "may" instead of "meeh!!"
keep your eyes on ME!!,
not on MAY!!!

but when one has to bitch about such things...
doesn't it mean her show is simply...
F-L-A-W-L-E-S-S
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but seriously,
CELINE,
next time,
i expect your hair to look like those PANTENE commercials...
frivolity aside,
her homage to HEART and QUEEN showed her potential to expand,
and was a great tribute.
all in all,

such a great show!!
she proves once again what a great artist she is,
(no lipsynch for her, no siree!!),
and the closest to my heart.
you give so much,
as an artist,
and as a woman.
don't think eveything goes unnoticed!!

we hear things...
you are a good woman!!!
and such a great artist!!
did you know she could twirl?!?
if she wishes to ever retire,
(god forbid!!),

she could work for our football team,
the ALOUETTES.
she'd be quite the sensation on the field,
wouldn't she?!?
il me semble de la voir la!!!
now..
excuse me while i watch
"CELINE AUTOUR DU MONDE",
the DVD of her tour around the planet.
a woman that can evoke such passion and compassion,
can't be bad,
can it?!?
may your son take after you...
:D~
HUGZ

it is a unique experience to see the world
through CELINE's eyes and her big extended family.
while her reality is remoted from ours,
she remains genuine, caring and loving.
if her life is considered to be privileged,
it is also extremely demanding,
and...
SHE GIVES ENORMOUSLY.
the care she has for her fans,
no matter where on the planet is admirable.
always the right words to please,
the wardrobe adjustments so not to offend people,
always respectful of their ways.
but it is absolutly fascinating
to see how the world is responding to her as well.
fans around the planet show her the same courtesy.
in the vid,
i saw fans in shanghai, china,
holding a sign in french,
"je t'aime".
and you see people of all creeds, races, nations,
tell why they love CELINE DION.
and their love is intense, unconditional,
just like CELINE herself.
music is truly universal,
and CELINE is its best ambassador.
you'll guess she gets another five stars for this.
what an artist she is!!
she embraces the world,
and the whole wide world embraces her too!!
:)~
HUGZ (again!!)

ONE NIGHT ONLY, BARBRA STREISAND at the VANGUARD (DVD), by TICKLEBEAR

when an icon sings at a NYC landmark,
BARBRA STEISAND at the VANGUARD.
a woman who could fill stadiums just with a snap of her fingers...
singing to about a hundred folks...

while i find there's too much bla-bla-bla,
rehearsed jokes and name dropping,
her performance still commands attention.
she still send shivers up through your spine.
who would say no to that?
for a woman who has been there most of my life,
her endurance is commandable.
if you're a diehard fan of BARBRA,
how come you don't have this already???
me loves BARBRA!!!
BARBRA is FOREVER!!!
[apparently!!...]
she's SO vibrant!!!
and to hear her in french...
no.
je ne quitterai jamais!!
I SWEAR!!!
:)~
HUGZ

MYLENE FARMER au STADE de FRANCE (DVD), by TICKLEBEAR

MYLENE FARMER,
the french goddess of pop,
in what i think may be her greatest show yet!!
her show has nothing to envy to any other pop stars of this world.
SHE ROCKS!!!
:)~

looking in top shape,
even perky if i dare to say so...
JEAN-PAUL GAUTHIER's costumes are amazing,
the visuals throughout the show are dazzling.
only the choregraphies left me non-plussed.
the dancers did well,
doing what was expected,
but the choregraphies lacked a little something,
some originality,
to compete with the rest of the production that was beyond superb!!

but the "coup-de-maitre" was when MYLENE proceeded
along the walkway to reach a star-shaped stage,
and transformed a stadium filled with 80 000 fans
into an intimate concert,
sobbing on cue to let her fans sing the lyrics in her stead.
we do love a drama queen,
don't we now!?!
this was filmed on her birthday,
which gave those fans present the opportunity
to convey their good wishes directly.
i like that!!
a most enchanting experience
where MYLENE proved she's at the top of her craft.
my only disappointment was when she did "DEGENERATION",
as i was expecting something more outrageous...
it's good but the video was so amazing.
but this said,
this is a MUST!!
not just for the fans,
but anyone who likes music
and can be impressed by a great performer.
her older material reamins as fresh and pertinent as her newer material.
just goes to show!!!
to give you an idea,
this is the fourth time i watch the DVD since tuesday...
and we are friday morning here right now...
is is good or
IS IT GOOD?!?
it is THAT good!!!
to enter MYLENE's univers is a unique experience,
and while she may have a dark side
and be provocative in her topics,
she remains high-class,
contrary to some other pop star
that think it's cool to swear
and throw a "motherfucker" in your face...
yes, MADONNA, i'm talking to you...
MYLENE's world is fragile like a mist,
you can see it but never quite grasp it.
pity the girl wouldn't come to montreal.
pretty sure her fanbase here in eastern canada would rush
to see her at the olympic stadium.
MYLENE,
should you ever change your mind,
"appelle mon numero!!"
and the bonus DVD is a gem,
giving you a look behind the scene
that is priceless.
the whole creative process is fascinating.
:)~
HUGZ

MECHANT BOEUF (MONTREAL's RESTAURANT), by TICKLEBEAR

i revisited the restaurant in old montreal,
"LE MECHANT BOEUF".
why do i keep going back yearly
during the NHL finals is beyond me...
it makes the place even noisier than usual,
but my friends and i were fortunately still able
to carry on the conversation
and enjoy some casual dining in an elegant setting.
we were attended by two,
a waiter and a waitress.
as usual,
the waiter was quite cute...
sure, the girl was fine,
but you know my preference.
:D~
service was efficient
and my every requests were met to my satisfaction.
as my friends opted for beer (le cheval blanc)
and some spanish cabernet sauvigon,
i chose to start with a portotini
which delighted my palate
and prepared me for the meal ahead.
i also chose a cabernet sauvignon i'm already familiar with
and which i thought would be better suited
for the dishes i was ordering:
LE BONHEUR,
an african wine.

while the others selected either the mechant burger or the vegan one...
which they shared,
and one of my friends concluded
she preferered the vegan version.

i personally had an hot entree of oysters,
the ROCK-a-FELLA,
which is well suited for those who don't like oysters
as they are smothered in a mixture of
leeks, spinach, fine herbs and a tad too much parmesan...
i should have had a cold plate instead
as i love oysters.
it wasn't terrible nor excellent.
just not the experience my tastebuds were expecting.
if they would ligthen up a bit on the mixture
and sprinkled just one dash of parmesan,
it might be better.

here i made a daring choice for me
as i'm not a fan of fish.
i love shellfish and mollusques,
but fish i just can't swallow,
for some odd reason.
so i picked the CAJUN TUNA,
served with a most delicious remoulade of crispy vegetables,
baby spinach, sesame dressing and fresh coriander.
not quite my idea of cajun cuisine,
as to me,
cajun is spicy and that's what i've tasted in the past,
in other venues.
but nonetheless,
the tuna proved to be a dream,
medium cooked and just melting in my mouth.
so,
for me to like fish,
it must have some merits.
:)~

i followed this with a NELLIGAN coffee...

...and chocolate cake.
an indulgence as i was already full,
but since i don't eat much dessert at home,
why not!?!...
:)~

all in all,
it costed me about $139,
including taxes but not tip.
i was happy to be seeing my friends again
and to share a meal with them.
we made fun of the noise
and weren't sorry to see our hometeam lose to PITTSBURG.
no cars honking their horn late at night.
good for me!!
downtown life is noisy enough as it is.
i may have made the best choice as far as dinner goes,
but that is my lot in life:
i always get the better plate!!!
funny though
that a fish plate should prove better
in a place called MECHANT BURGER...
:)~
HUGZ

GAINSBOURG : VIE HÉROÏQUE

Gainsbourg : Vie Héroïque est un film de Joann Sfar, bédéiste.

Le fait que ce film soit écrit et réalisé par un bédéiste, a titillé ma curiosité. Tout d'abord, j'aimerais préciser que je ne suis nullement fan de Serge Gainsbourg et je suis non-fumeuse. Les rares fois où je l'ai aperçu en entrevue à la télé j'ai été plutôt perplexe de voir cet être à l'allure négligée, entouré d'un nuage de boucane, marmonnant des insanités, se foutant de toute évidence de l'animateur (et probablement des téléspectateurs) alors qu'il était présenté et considéré comme un artiste illustre. Je ne comprenais tout simplement pas. Et ce n'est pas ce film qui m'a aidé à élucider ce mystère.

Mais ce film m'a bigrement plu! À défaut d'en découvrir plus sur Gainsbourg, j'ai découvert un artiste : Joann Sfar. Et un acteur : Éric Elmosnino.

Le film ne se veut pas une biographie de Gainsbourg. Il s'agit d'un comte. D'une fantasmagorie. Le tout débute avec une très belle animation montrant un jeune Gainsbourg déjà la cigarette vissée au bec se terminant pas ce banc de poissons nageant tout en fumant aussi des cigarettes. D'emblée je suis ravie. Pas par la cigarette, mais par l'imaginaire de Sfar.

La première partie du film nous montre un jeune Gainsbourg (Lucien Ginsgurgh) avec ses parents et compagnons de classe. Déjà, un être particulier à la réplique réactionnaire, accompagné de cet immense bonhomme imaginaire qui le suit partout. J'ai vraiment adoré cette première partie. Le jeune est drôle, frondeur, ne semble avoir peur de rien et est très sûr de lui. Du moins, c'est l'image qu'il veut montrer aux autres...
La musique est déjà présente dans sa vie. Mais c'est qu'il dessine bien, et veut devenir peintre (et là, nous sommes gavés des dessins de Sfar, et on redemanderait tout le long du film!). Cet autre bonhomme imaginaire, que j'ai interprété comme étant son égo et qui l'accompagne tout au long du film, fait bifurquer ses aspirations artistiques vers la musique. Il joue dans des clubs de travestis et des boîtes de jazz, où il commence à interpréter ses chansons. Et là, commence la deuxième partie du film, où se côtoient aventures sexuelles, musique, alcool et/ou comment "dealer" et créer avec une image et une réputation plus grandes que soi.

Il rencontre Greco (Anna Mouglalis) à qui il présente La Javanaise.

Puis c'est la Bardot (Laetitia Casta) avec qui il aura une liaison qui interprétera ses chansons. La période jazz fait place au yéyé.

Rupture, puis il rencontre Jane Birkin (Lucy Gordon) qui interprétera la fameuse chanson qu'il avait écrite pour BB : Je t'aime Moi Non Plus. Et le yéyé fait place au scandale!

.J'aurais préféré que la magie du début persiste tout le long du film ;  à moins que le cinéaste ait intentionnellement fait disparaître la fantasmagorie au fur et à mesure que l'alcool et la cigarette altéraient l'essence même de l'être de Gainsbourg. Là, ce serait plus plausible. Néanmoins, reste que ce fut un super moment de cinéma, comme je les aime! Une histoire, des comédiens, beaucoup d'imaginaire, de la musique, de belles images, du beau monde (si, si, même Gainsbourg arrive à être attachant) et absolument rien du cinéma américain (bon là, c'est personnel). 

Et la meilleure actrice de soutien est... roulement de tambour, gros plans sur les anxieuses nominées... La Cigarette!

Si vous êtes curieux de voir cette merveille, je vous recommande fortement de vous traîner la carcasse au cinéma. Ne serait-ce que pour l'animation du début, le grand-écran (de fumée?) est de mise. Très beau film. Et je suis franchement heureuse qu'il ne s'agissait d'une biographie formelle de Gainsbourg, mais d'une vision imaginaire des fantasmes et de l'art de ce personnage marquant de la culture pop française.

Et heureusement que le film n'est pas en odorama!!!