#Quebec castle for sale

[theharryfrog]

So damn cute

Rose meets an attractive client. Harry meets an attractive baker. Oh, and Susan makes a big sale. 

For all she knew, he was the woman's fiance. It was highly unprofessional to be flirting with the client's fiance. On the other hand though, he was the one who started it. 

It was an average day at the bakery. There were a few tastings set up throughout the day and the odd customer came in looking for a sweet treat. Rose was in her element, piping icing onto cupcakes on the back counter. Nobody had come in for a while and she wasn't expecting much until after lunch. It was this that she loved the most, the baking and decorating. Dealing with the public, well that could go either way. Sometimes she was excited to meet interesting people. Other times she felt like crying when someone opened the door. Luckily, she was in a good mood today, ready to take on whatever crazy customer came in complaining about the prices. 

The bell above their front door rang and pulled Rose's attention from her work. She sang out a quick "Hello!" to the woman who had walked in. Then her eyes drifted to the man behind her, he was quite beautiful. He was well dressed, had a nice shape to his face, topped off with pretty pink lips and soft-looking curls. She found herself staring. Rose could certainly appreciate an attractive man, but she had a job to do. So, she smiled wide and asked, "What can I help you with?"

It was the woman who spoke, "Hi, we have an appointment for a tasting."

Right on time, the owner, Susan, bustled out from the back room. She greeted the pair with enthusiasm, "Oh! I'm so glad you made it. I'm Susan, we talked on the phone. Follow me, I have some delicious flavours set out for you. I'm excited to see what you think." 

Susan led them into the back room, where she had set up a private table for the tastings. On their way, the man caught Rose's eyes and smiled. She felt her cheeks heat up, but politely smiled back. There was no way in hell she could be flirting with this man. For all she knew, he was the woman's fiance. It was highly unprofessional to be flirting with the client's fiance. On the other hand though, he was the one who started it. 

No, absolutely not. Rose had to be strict with herself, no flirting with potential fiances. Instead, she got back to working on the cupcake in front of her. It was her favourite, chocolate with cherry filling and pastel pink buttercream, finished with a cherry on top. Maybe she'd have to make one for herself too. Just as she finished icing the batch, she realized she forgot to grab the cherries from the fridge. 

With a quick check to the door, she hurried to the back fridge. On her way, she passed the open door to the tasting room and once again the man made eye contact. She gave him a small wave and rushed past, trying to stop her cheeks from going pink. After finding the cherries, she braced herself to walk past the room again. She didn't want to be rude and ignore him, but he was going to have to stop looking at her like that. This time, when she passed, he waved at her and smiled warmly. Rose felt like she was going to explode. This was so dumb, running away from a customer because he was too cute and she was unable to control her dumb blush.

Finally back safe behind the counter, she told herself off. She was a grown woman and there was no need to act like a teenager over some guy she had never even spoken to. If she ever wanted to grow her own business, she had to keep up a good reputation. And that is not somebody who blushes ferociously when you smile at her and hides from customers. She really had to get a grip.

Rose popped the last cherry on top and examined her work. They looked pretty good, almost good enough to eat. She was even considering it when someone behind her spoke, "Excuse me." 

The sudden sound startled her and she whirled around to see who had snuck in without the bell going off. No one had, it was the man. Of course. 

"Yes? Is there something I can help you with?" Rose said, with a smile. 

The man looked a little sheepish, "I was wondering if I could pay for my sister's cake."

A few things ran through Rose's mind. One, he was her brother and not her fiance, thank god. Two, he was offering to pay for his sister's wedding cake. Three, he was so damn cute. Four, still off limits.

"Of course, I'll just have to find out from Susan what she's ordering." 

Rose turned to go and get her manager, but the man stopped her. "No, no. Sorry, I meant secretly. See, she won't let me pay for anything, but I want to help out. So, I'm going to have to go behind her back. And they're still deciding on a design. I told her I had a phone call to take." 

It took Rose a minute, but she came up with a plan. "Oh. I see, okay. Well then I can get you to fill out the billing part of the order form and then we can just fill in the rest once she's decided." 

The man beamed, "Fantastic, thank you," He paused, glancing down at her shirt, "Sorry, what's your name, love?”

"Rose. Sorry, we're not big on name tags here," She replied, tapping the place on her chest where a name tag would have been.

"S'quite alright, I'm Harry." Like a gentleman, he extended his hand out. And like a true professional, she shook his hand and made eye contact without dying of embarrassment. But, when he held onto her hand just slightly longer than normal and looked at her like that, she did feel a bit of her soul ascend.

Rose cleared her throat, broke eye contact, and got to work. She opened a drawer to find the order forms and handed one to Harry. "Here we are. If you can fill in just the bottom here with your information that would be amazing." 

It was sad to see her professional wall come up again, Harry felt like he was just getting to the good part, the real part. Still, he filled in the form without complaint.  

About halfway through, Harry spoke up, "Not from around here are you?" 

"Oh," It took Rose a second to realize what he meant, her accent, "Oh, well yes and no. I grew up in Canada, but my mom moved us over here a while ago." 

There it was, that realness he was looking for. He smiled up at her, "I love Canada. Especially in the winter when the people in Quebec build castles out of ice. It's so lovely." 

"I've never actually been to Quebec," Rose replied.

Harry stopped writing. He had to lengthen this interaction somehow, it was just getting interesting. "Which part of Canada are you from?"

Rose could see that he hadn't filled in the entire form, did he really want to know about her? The thought made her heart flutter. "We lived a few hours outside of Toronto."

Harry nodded, "'Nother beautiful city. Though I can't say I've been anywhere but the big cities." 

"Do you travel a lot?" Rose asked, surprised that he'd been to more than one big Canadian city. 

"Part of the job," Harry replied shyly. 

Rose simply nodded, taking in his words. She couldn't think of any job a twenty-something-year-old would have that would require him to travel overseas, but she didn't question him. Harry could see the confusion on her face and relaxed a little, she obviously didn't know who he was. 

Forcing a smooth recovery, Rose said, "It must be nice to travel. What's your favourite place to be?" 

It took Harry a few to think. She hadn't asked what his favourite place to visit was, that was easy. No, she asked his favourite place to be. "Here, I think. At home, with my family."

Harry's answer melted Rose's heart, what a sweet guy. God, he was so nice and so cute and the way he looked at her made her weak. He had gotten her so flustered that she could barely squeak out a "that's so nice." 

If Harry thought she was adorable when he first walked in, he had no idea what to call this amount of cuteness. It was the little things he liked about her. How her hands dropped to rest on the counter when she let go of her professional persona. How she gave him her full attention when he spoke, but looked all around the room when she spoke. How she played with her apron when he asked her about herself. How little strands of hair fell into her face and she brushed them away without notice. It was all very endearing. 

All too soon, the voices from the back got louder and Rose's face changed. She went back to being Rose the employee and said, "I think they've finished up."

Harry scribbled down the rest of his information and handed her back the form, "Thank you."

"No problem. One quick thing, the price really depends on what your sister decides to get. So..." Rose wasn't sure where she was going with that.

Luckily, Harry cut her off, "Oh, uh. The price is fine." He sort of stumbled over his words. "I mean, it'll be okay like whatever she gets." 

Rose didn't push it, "Okay sounds good. Should we break the news now?"

"Let's do it." Harry decided.

Although it wasn't her sister, Rose couldn't help her excitement thinking how the woman would react. People often paid for others' cakes, but they always knew it was happening beforehand.

Harry's sister and Rose's manager came back around to the front. Immediately his sister frowned at him, "Where'd you get off to?"

"Sorry Gem, had some business to take care of. What'd you decide on?"

Gemma sighed, "Not sure. I need to get a big cake to feed everyone, but with my budget, it wouldn't be as pretty as I was hoping. I liked the one with all the flowers, but then I'd only be able to get a two-tier, and I'd need four. I could use a second opinion."

"Hm," Harry pretended to think, "That's a tough one. I say get the big, pretty cake." 

"That's way over my budget." Gemma reminded him.

"I'm sure we can work something out. Here let's ask them." 

Rose had to hold in a giggle, he was being so overdramatic about it. Susan looked over at her, confused. To ease her, Rose whispered, "He's paying for the cake." A look of realization came over Susan and she allowed Rose to handle the reveal. 

The two came over to the counter. Harry directed his question to Rose, "What's the quote for the four-tier, pretty flower cake?" 

"Well, adding up the cost, including the generous brother, the total cost would come to zero," Rose replied, a genuine smile on her face. It wasn't often that she had real fun with customers.

Gemma looked sceptical, "What? How can it be zero?" 

Harry took over this one, "I may have told her to make the bill out to me." 

"Harry!" At first, Gemma seemed more upset than grateful as she smacked him on the arm, "I told you not to, you wanker."  

Looking smug, he simply shrugged, "I couldn't resist. You're welcome." 

Gemma was still annoyed, but she sighed and said, "Thank you."

"Now you can get the perfect cake for your perfect day," Harry said proudly.

Susan jumped at the chance to make a big sale, "Alright, have we made a decision then?" 

"Yes, I think so," Gemma said, still tumbling between annoyed and thankful.

Rose gave Susan the half filled out order form and Susan began the process of getting down exactly what they wanted. Rose left them to it and began stocking their display with the cupcakes she had made. 

During this process, Harry was barely paying attention to his sister's questions. Still replying with proper answers like "Get whatever you want." or "I liked the strawberry filling best." or "You probably want the flowers to match the decorations." But really, his attention was focused on Rose. He wanted to get to know her, but he felt wrong asking someone out while they were at work. Secretly, he was hoping she would make the first move, but he knew he was a client and that would look bad on her. What an impossible situation. 

They put the finishing touches on the order and set the delivery date in stone. It seemed as though Harry would be leaving and Rose would never see him again. The pair both thanked Rose and her manager and headed out the door.

"Have a good day," Rose called out.

Even through her cheery facade, Rose couldn't help but feel a bit sad. If only they'd met somewhere else, she wouldn't have been so nervous about asking him out. 

Susan left her to watch the front as she finished her paperwork. She grabbed a cloth and some cleaner to wipe down the counters. There was no reason to dwell on what could have been, he was just an attractive customer. No big deal.  

Just then, the bell rang and Rose looked up. It was Harry. He pulled his sunglasses off his face and glanced around the room. 

"Did you leave something?" Rose asked, unsure why he came back.

Harry blushed, "No, actually. Well, y'see I think you're quite cute and I know you're at work, but you don't have to be nice about it. I mean, like if you don't want to. Um, I figured maybe you could tell me a bit more about small town Canada one day. Y'know like, going out with me?" 

"Oh." Rose didn't know what to say. She wanted to scream yes, but the word wouldn't come out.

"Sorry, um actually right. If you don't want to, I can go." 

"No," Rose said, a little too hastily, "No I mean, Yes. Yes, I would like to go out with you." 

Harry smiled, relieved, "Oh good. Okay I um- I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable. So, I wasn-"

"You didn't" Rose reassured him. "Here, I'll give you my number." She jotted her number down on sticky note and handed it to him. 

"Thanks." Harry was beaming, "I gotta get back to my sister now, but I'll call you, yeah?"

"Yeah." Rose said, the butterflies going wild in her stomach.

With a small wave, Harry was out the door again, catching up to his sister.

Rose couldn't believe it, he had come back. He thought she was cute. He asked her out. She gave him her number. Wow. She felt her heart thumping, already anticipating Harry's call.

"He was cute." Rose jumped at the sound of Susan's voice behind her. 

"You scared me." Rose laughed, trying to ignore Susan's comment.

"So you got his number?" 

Rose looked away, embarrassed. "No," she smiled to herself, "he's got mine." 

"I'm not making your wedding cake, " Susan teased.

"We haven't even gone on a date yet." 

"Yet, but I'll be waiting for the invitation," Susan said as she closed the door to her office.

Alone again, Rose composed herself and finished cleaning up. She went to place the order form in the marked folder and glanced over it. Of course Harry's full name was on there. There it was: Harry Styles. 

Oh. 

That's why he looked familiar.

A/N: Okay so not my first Harry story, but the first one I'm posting. I'd love to hear feedback and like maybe a lil constructive criticism, but be like super nice about it lmao. I think I ended up liking this one and it's probably going to continue into more little stories that becomes one big story about Harry and Rose. So yeah, hope you enjoyed. Let me know if you did I love compliments.

[classicalguitartrends]

There was the great joy, tonight, to discover that an italian had beenchosen for the Final. Sarah Giannetti gave a heroic performance ofRachmaninov 3rd Piano Conecrto. Still only 22 […], cheered tothe rafters, she obtained the First Prize…”Christopher Axworthy, 01-29-2018, Padova.Sarah Giannettiis an italian pianist. Born in Sarzana, in 1995, in 1998 she starts to play the piano and to performe insome concerts near her native country. In 2006 she entered the Puccini Conservatory, in La Spezia,under the guidance of Tina Zucchellini and Olga Zdorenko. In 2008 Sarah Giannetti studied at theBoito Conservatory, in Parma, and in 2016 she graduated with Master Roberto Cappello.She obtained the opportunity to take part in the lessons with Alberto Nosè, Jeffrey Swann, RobertoCominati, Daniel Rivera, Riccardo Risaliti, Jin Ju.In 2016 she starts her studies in the “Hochschule Fűr Music und Tanz” in Koln withMaster Fabio Bidini.She actually study at the prestigious Accademia Pianistica in Imola, under the guidance of MasterLeonid Margarius.Laureate of National and International Competition-2009, “J.S. Bach piano competition”(Sestri Levante), First Prize Winner.-2012, “Liszt award” for the best interpretation of Valzer Faust (Liszt-Gounod), (Firenze).-2013, First prize winner of“International Crescendo piano competition”(Firenze), “GiulioRospigliosi”(Pistoia), “International Riviera della Versilia piano competition”(Viaregg-2014, “Imola International piano award” and First prize winner of “Albenga International pianocompetition”.-2014, “Debussy Award” for the best interpretation of L'isle Joyeuse, (Milano).-2017, First prize winner of “Piove di Sacco International piano competition”(Padova),“International piano competition Città di Sarzana” and “Cortemilia International pianocompetition”(Alessandria).-2018, First Prize winner of “Padova International competition for soloists and orchestra”.First Prize winner of “CMCV Interational Competition”.Grand Prize winner of “GMP International Competition of Uzbekistan”.-2019, First Prize Winner of “London Grand Prize Virtuoso”-2020, First Prize Winner of “Concours International de Quebec”First Prize Winner of “Golden Classical Music Award “Sarah Giannetti has performed in the most prestigious places:Uzbekistan: Turkiston Concert Hall of Tashkent . Venezia: Toniolo's Theatre, Sale Apollinee in Fenice, Albrizzi and Cavagnis Palace. Firenze: Palazzo Vecchio. Padova: Auditorium Pollini, Zacco Armeni Palace. Sarzana: Impavidi's Theatre, St Francesco's Church, Fortezza Firmafede. Parma: Auditorium del Carmine, Auditorium Paganini, Palazzo Farnense. Viareggio: Principe di Piemonte. Montichiari: Bonori's Theatre. Abano Terme: Mirror's Room. La Spezia: Theatre “Il Nuovo”. Napoli: Academy of arts. Misano Adriatico: St. Biagio and Erasmo's Church, Gradara's Castle. Brescia: Diocesano Museum. Sarah Giannetti played for many important and International Festivals, like “Verdi Festival”, “Toscanini Festival”,”Milano piano City Festival”,”Misano Adriatico Festival”, “Monferrato classic Festival”, “Sarzana pianistic Festival”, “Mario Ghislandi International Music Festival”.In 2018 she gained also the opportunity to performe with “National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan”, “Toscanini symphony orchestra”, “OPV symphony orchestra” and “Venice Chamber Orchestra”, debuting with Rachmaninov 3rd's Piano Concerto.

There was the great joy, tonight, to discover that an italian had beenchosen for the Final. Sarah Giannetti gave a heroic performance ofRachmaninov 3rd Piano Conecrto. Still only 22 […], cheered tothe rafters, she obtained the First Prize…”Christopher Axworthy, 01-29-2018, Padova.Sarah Giannettiis an italian pianist. Born in Sarzana, in 1995, in 1998 she starts to play the piano and to performe insome concerts near her native country. In 2006 she entered the Puccini Conservatory, in La Spezia,under the guidance of Tina Zucchellini and Olga Zdorenko. In 2008 Sarah Giannetti studied at theBoito Conservatory, in Parma, and in 2016 she graduated with Master Roberto Cappello.She obtained the opportunity to take part in the lessons with Alberto Nosè, Jeffrey Swann, RobertoCominati, Daniel Rivera, Riccardo Risaliti, Jin Ju.In 2016 she starts her studies in the “Hochschule Fűr Music und Tanz” in Koln withMaster Fabio Bidini.She actually study at the prestigious Accademia Pianistica in Imola, under the guidance of MasterLeonid Margarius.Laureate of National and International Competition-2009, “J.S. Bach piano competition”(Sestri Levante), First Prize Winner.-2012, “Liszt award” for the best interpretation of Valzer Faust (Liszt-Gounod), (Firenze).-2013, First prize winner of“International Crescendo piano competition”(Firenze), “GiulioRospigliosi”(Pistoia), “International Riviera della Versilia piano competition”(Viaregg-2014, “Imola International piano award” and First prize winner of “Albenga International pianocompetition”.-2014, “Debussy Award” for the best interpretation of L’isle Joyeuse, (Milano).-2017, First prize winner of “Piove di Sacco International piano competition”(Padova),“International piano competition Città di Sarzana” and “Cortemilia International pianocompetition”(Alessandria).-2018, First Prize winner of “Padova International competition for soloists and orchestra”.First Prize winner of “CMCV Interational Competition”.Grand Prize winner of “GMP International Competition of Uzbekistan”.-2019, First Prize Winner of “London Grand Prize Virtuoso”-2020, First Prize Winner of “Concours International de Quebec”First Prize Winner of “Golden Classical Music Award “Sarah Giannetti has performed in the most prestigious places:Uzbekistan: Turkiston Concert Hall of Tashkent . Venezia: Toniolo’s Theatre, Sale Apollinee in Fenice, Albrizzi and Cavagnis Palace. Firenze: Palazzo Vecchio. Padova: Auditorium Pollini, Zacco Armeni Palace. Sarzana: Impavidi’s Theatre, St Francesco’s Church, Fortezza Firmafede. Parma: Auditorium del Carmine, Auditorium Paganini, Palazzo Farnense. Viareggio: Principe di Piemonte. Montichiari: Bonori’s Theatre. Abano Terme: Mirror’s Room. La Spezia: Theatre “Il Nuovo”. Napoli: Academy of arts. Misano Adriatico: St. Biagio and Erasmo’s Church, Gradara’s Castle. Brescia: Diocesano Museum. Sarah Giannetti played for many important and International Festivals, like “Verdi Festival”, “Toscanini Festival”,”Milano piano City Festival”,”Misano Adriatico Festival”, “Monferrato classic Festival”, “Sarzana pianistic Festival”, “Mario Ghislandi International Music Festival”.In 2018 she gained also the opportunity to performe with “National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan”, “Toscanini symphony orchestra”, “OPV symphony orchestra” and “Venice Chamber Orchestra”, debuting with Rachmaninov 3rd’s Piano Concerto.

Sarah Giannettiis an italian pianist. Born in Sarzana, in 1995, in 1998 she starts to play the piano and to performe insome concerts near her native country. In 2006 she entered the Puccini Conservatory, in La Spezia,under the guidance of Tina Zucchellini and Olga Zdorenko. In 2008 Sarah Giannetti studied at theBoito Conservatory, in Parma, and in 2016 she graduated with Master Roberto…

[adrenalineguide]

Kia Niro EV SX Touring: To EV or Not to EV

Words and Pics By Michael Hozjan

As I write this, the Quebec Government decreed to ban the sale of gas powered cars by 2035. While I love electric vehicles, I don’t like being told what I can and cannot buy.

The population is surprisingly quickly embracing Electric Vehicles. For the first quarter of this year EVs accounted for 3.8% of light vehicles sold in Canada, up from 3% in 2019 and 2% in 2018. I’ve seen three of my friends make the switch. All of them reside in Quebec where the provincial EV subsidy is the highest in Canada - $8,000, combined with the $5,000 federal subsidy and the EVs are starting to look mighty attractive. Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford pulled a Donald Trump move and axed the rebate leaving BC as the only other province with a subsidy program.

Happily the selection of EVs is growing, and includes some major players, most noticeably the Tesla, Chevrolet’s Bolt, Hyundai’s Kona EV and Nissan’s Leaf. Not to be left out is a vehicle I’ve been waiting to get my hands on for a while – the Kia Niro EV. Having driven and fallen in love with the hybrid rendition I was curious to see how the EV would to stack up. The hybrid hits the mark in all the right spots; it’s a smartly styled practical wagon with ample cargo and people room with creature comforts, is reasonably priced and of course there’s Kia’s warranty. Pre-rebate pricing for the Niro EV starts at $46,905 for the base EX model and jumps to $56,405 for the SX Touring, more on this later.  

Thankfully the EV takes nothing away from the hybrid other than the gas powerplant. Go power is supplied by a single electric motor generating 201 horses and 291 lb-ft of torque, propelling the front wheels through a single speed reduction gear transmission. It’ll send the wagon down the road from 0 to 100 kph in just under seven seconds. That’s Veloster Turbo and Civic Si territory kiddies! Now you know why I like EVs.

Trims

Typically Kia, even the entry-level EX comes well equipped with heated side mirrors, automatic headlights, a 7-inch digital driver display, electronic stability control and a rear-view camera. Upgrading to the EX Premium adds an 8-way power driver’s seat, heated front buckets and rear bench, a power sunroof, wireless charging, a larger 10.25” display, premium Harmon Kardon sound system, smart cruise, LED headlights, chrome trim plus a slew of driving aides. To say your getting your dollar’s worth would be an understatement.

Above and below: The 10.25 inch screen is full of helpful info including distance to the nearest charging station. 

On the Road

I’ve already mentioned the Niro EV’s quick acceleration times, but, as Bogart would say, “Don’t amount to a hill of beans” if you can’t put it on the ground, and the Niro does just that. There’s a well-balanced, solid feel, it’s nimble around town yet takes to the lakeside twisties with complete composure. The batteries and the low position of the electric motor means a lower center of gravity, which translates to better handling.  The regenerative braking isn’t overpowering so you don’t feel like you’re being pulled back when you step on the binders.

You can actually modulate the brake regeneration through the steering wheel paddles. There are three levels with Level 3 slowing you down and recharging hard enough when you let off the pedal that you rarely have to use the brake. It takes some getting used to and I suspect the novelty will wear off quickly.  

The Greenhouse

The attractive blue pin striping that we find on the Niro’s lower front grille draws you inside with blue piping on the seats.  Those seats are comfortable while holding you firmly in place. Compared to my buddy’s Tesla Model 3 the Niro is quieter.  The dash and controls are well laid out and the interior is a mix of soft touch plastic and shiny black piano plastic. It all works together to give the dash a clean uncluttered appearance. 

There’s a heat pump to prevent range loss when you’ve got the heat turned up and a driver only climate control button to save on heat, which I noticed only after I lost heat in the cabin for about ten minutes. 

There’s a generous amount of head and legroom for front seat occupants and while the adults in the back may enjoy the headroom thanks to the wagon’s roof, but a raised floor to compensate for the battery makes foot/legroom best left to the kiddies.  Cargo space with the rear bench up beats the Tesla Model 3 (18.5 cu.ft. to 15 cu.ft.) fold the back seat flat and cargo room blows to 53 cu.ft.

Above: Kia smartly put the recharge plug in the front of the vehicle allowing easy access to all types of stations.

The all-important Charge Times

The Niro shares its 64.0 kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery pack with its corporate cousin, the Kona EV and sibling Soul EV. It beats the Nissan Leaf’s and Tesla Model 3’s for bragging rights of 385 km range when fully charged. The battery can be recharged using either a 120-volt or 240-volt connection, but the two connections offer drastically different charge times. On a 240-volt connection, the car can be recharged in about nine hours. You’ll need to equip your castle with a 240V outlet. I had no such luck, reverting to the 120-volt trickle charge meant waiting days to get it back to full charge. (See photos)

Petro Canada saw the writing on the wall a couple of years back and had the foresight to install Level 3 fast chargers. They can be found along the 401 in the Montreal - Toronto corridor and the Niro has an in dash direction finder to your nearest charging station. While I didn’t get the opportunity to test them, the owner of my local Petro Canada and host to several Adrenaline Klassic Kar Shows, in Les Cedres, Quebec tells me that the battery should be fully charged in about 20 minutes, or the time it takes to sit down for a fast food meal.

Quebecers also have the option of the 3,000 plus public charging stations of the Circuit Electric (Electric Circuit) infrastructure network that’s scattered around the province. A free mobile app helps locating them. But buyer be ware, if you’re not a member the costs can add up rather quickly. Similarly the U.S. has ChargePoint Level 2 charging stations.   Like gas pump prices, the cost of charging can vary between different EV charging stations and networks.

Conclusion:

While EVs are a lot better than what they were just a few years ago, their biggest hick up remains fast charging times. I can not see myself stopping repeatedly for 20 to 30 minutes on my way to Detroit or New York and back. Hence my preference for the internal combustion engine - QC government or not. On the plus side with a 385 km range on a full charge means you are good for three or four days of normal commuting before you need to fill it up.

If you’re looking to move into EVs do yourself a favor, and take a Niro EV for a spin. You’ll be surprised by the all around maturity of the Niro. Yes my tester’s price was up there, but it has all the right goodies and with provincial and federal incentives the sticker shock (no pun intended) is lessened.  

[jeramymobley]

Canada’s Windsor Salt Turns 125 by #SprinklingTheJoy

From coast to coast across Canada, Windsor Salt is celebrating its 125th anniversary by “sprinkling joy” in cities, towns and neighborhoods through a series of special anniversary events and experiences.

“Windsor Salt has been a part of Canadians’ homes, businesses and communities for generations, and we wanted to mark our 125th anniversary by celebrating what makes Canada so great—its people,” said Luc Savoie, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the brand’s Quebec-based parent company, K+S Windsor Salt, Ltd.

People are at the center of Windsor Salt’s 125th anniversary campaign. Starting this month, Windsor Salt will celebrate the Canadian spirit by creating its first-ever Joy Squad, a Table for 125 and 125 Days of Joy.

Share the story about how you or someone you know are sprinkling joy in the community for the chance to win our #SprinklingTheJoy contest, and win a once in a lifetime culinary experience, brought to you by Windsor Salt. Enter now https://t.co/YvV9ARFLXo #Windsor125 #TableFor125 pic.twitter.com/eBdBFgzkwm

— Windsor Salt (@windsorsalt) July 25, 2018

The Joy Squad: This summer, Windsor Salt will assemble a group of ten local heroes and role models who are making a difference in their communities to form the Joy Squad. Windsor Salt will honor the Joy Squad for their selfless acts and partner with them to spread more kindness and joy across Canada. Their inspiring stories will be featured on SprinkleTheJoy.com.

There’s still time to win a seat at the #TableFor125! Share the story of how you or someone in you know #SprinklingTheJoy in their community for the chance to win a seat at the ultimate culinary experience at a Historic Castle in Toronto! https://t.co/TNZKCNxYBw pic.twitter.com/wf9PE2ZJ8G

— Windsor Salt (@windsorsalt) July 21, 2018

Table for 125: The Joy Squad will be officially unveiled at Table for 125, an exclusive culinary celebration with Canada’s cultural and community leaders, held around a single communal table. Hosted by celebrity chef Eden Grinshpan,125 guests will share an inspired, curated meal featuring signature dishes created by Grinshpan to honour the Joy Squad and celebrate all Canadians who bring joy and positive change to their local communities.

“Food is one of the ultimate expressions of joy and Windsor Salt has been in the kitchens of Canadians for 125 years, deliciously enhancing the dishes, meals and celebrations that we all love,” commented Grinshpan, host of Food Network Canada’s Top Chef. “As part of the Table for 125 celebration, I’m thrilled to create some incredibly delicious recipes that are authentically Canadian and toast those who are making a difference across the country.”

As we celebrate 125 years of #SprinklingTheJoy, we want to know how you or someone you know seasons your community by carrying out selfless acts! Enter for the chance to win the ultimate culinary experience by sharing your story at https://t.co/zj0FyqL3Eo #TableFor125 #Windsor125 pic.twitter.com/HJgXgjUWPq

— Windsor Salt (@windsorsalt) July 14, 2018

125 Days of Joy: To accent its anniversary, Windsor Salt will bring unexpected moments of joy to select towns and neighbourhoods across Canada. These joyful acts will be carried out by Windsor Salt employees, brand ambassadors and members of the Joy Squad.

“125 Days of Joy is our way of celebrating the brand’s anniversary and thanking Canadians for making Windsor Salt their trusted choice for over a century through moments of joy that are sure to bring smiles to faces across the country,” commented Savoie.

Do you or someone you know deserve recognition for Sprinkling The Joy in your community? Enter our #SprinklingTheJoy contest for the chance to win the ultimate culinary experience. #TableFor125 Enter Now at https://t.co/4hzRrr9D4M pic.twitter.com/YIVGkE1bdI

— Windsor Salt (@windsorsalt) July 13, 2018

125 Years of Windsor Salt

From its humble beginnings in 1893, Windsor Salt grew to become Canada’s largest salt producer. Started by three railway employees who believed Canada needed a salt manufacturer, the Windsor Salt Company was born and eventually brought the country a full range of salt products to improve everyday life.

We want to know more about how you sprinkle joy in your community so we can reward you. Details to follow… . . Nous voulons en savoir plus sur la façon dont vous partagez le plaisir dans votre communauté afin de pouvoir vous récompenser. Détails à venir…

A post shared by Windsor Salt (@windsorsalt) on Jul 2, 2018 at 7:04am PDT

Today, Windsor Salt is still leading the way in the salt industry. Over the last two decades, Windsor Salt has introduced 15 new products including Kosher Salt, Sea Salt, Half Salt and Coarse Salt. Among other industry first, Windsor Salt was first to innovate, market and grow in the water softening category; its culinary salt offerings have expanded far beyond table salt to include a wide range of specialty salts; it offers a full line of high-performing de-icing salts; and in 2016, Windsor Salt launched a comprehensive brand refresh, which included an updated logo and product packaging.

The post Canada’s Windsor Salt Turns 125 by #SprinklingTheJoy appeared first on brandchannel:.

[westernmanews]

WILLIAMSTOWN — Waterford Hotel Group announced three appointments at the Williams Inn. Kevin Hurley has been appointed general manager, Kevin DeMarco was named executive chef, and Darcy Lyle is director of sales.

The new Williams Inn, located at the corner of Latham and Spring streets in Williamstown, will open on Aug. 15. Owned by Williams College, the inn will replace the current Williams Inn, which will continue to operate through July 31.

With more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Hurley has dedicated his career to the hospitality industry by taking on various roles at several hotels and resorts in the U.S. in addition to his native Canada. Prior to joining the Williams Inn, he worked as assistant general manager at the Kimpton Taconic Hotel in Manchester, Vt. He has also held posts at Omni Hotels and Resorts, the storied Charles Hotel in Cambridge, and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. He completed his undergraduate studies at Bishops University in Sherbrook, Quebec and later went on to earn a master certificate in hospitality management from Cornell University.

A graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., DeMarco has honed his culinary skills up and down the East Coast over the past 13 years. He joins the Williams Inn team from the Newport Restaurant Group in Newport, R.I. His last post was as chef tournant at Castle Hill Inn, a historic Relais & Châteaux property in Newport. He also worked at Grande’s Bella Cucina in Palm Beach, Fla. and Public Kitchen & Bar in Providence. He is a SWE-certified specialist of wine and spirits.

Lyle brings a wealth of knowledge to the Williams Inn with 28 years of experience in the hospitality and sales industry. Prior to joining the Williams Inn, she worked in sales at the Clark Art Institute, and has also held positions in operations and sales at numerous hotels throughout the upstate New York region, as well as the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Assoc. She attended Herkimer Community College, where she received a degree in tourist facilities and management promotion. While in school, she interned with Disney, where she found her passion for the hospitality and tourism industry.

Inspired by the architecture of local area farms, the new, 58,000-square-foot inn is built of stone and wood, with interior design that is reminiscent of a contemporary New England farmhouse. The inn will feature 64 guest rooms, a fitness center, a full-service restaurant and bar, and a combined 3,200-square-foot meeting and event space that includes a 2,800-square-foot ballroom and an additional 400-square-foot space directly adjacent to the ballroom. Event-space reservations are being accepted for dates starting Sept. 1. The property’s exterior features a 3,500-square-foot green space that can be tented for outdoor functions.

The inn will house a 62-seat restaurant, the Barn offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as two private dining spaces. During prime weather months, outdoor seating will be available on the rear of the property.

The post Williams Inn Appoints Three to Leadership Team appeared first on BusinessWest.

[ellahmacdermott]

Living on Bitcoin for a Week in San Francisco

When I decided, maybe against my better judgement, to live on bitcoin for a week, the plan was met by a combination of cautions and jokes from friends and loved ones: “Just don’t starve,” “Well, it’s the New Year, a perfect time to start a new diet,” “Will you be able to eat?”, “Have you really thought about it?”

I had “really” thought about it and it seemed not only sensible but necessary. Nakamoto’s white paper calls Bitcoin an “Electronic Cash System,” and I hadn’t stressed the cryptocurrency’s utility as an actual method of payment.

My experiment would likely validate the strong opinions of skeptics (to whom bitcoin is either some nebulous scam at its worst or an outrageously valued trinket for prodigal hobbyists at its best) and that camp of maximalists who believe that bitcoin isn’t and never was digital cash.

It’s a problem that Kashmir Hill ran into when she did her own experiments, more so in 2013 than 2014. In 2013, her final conclusion was that she had “survived” the week, but by 2014, she had herself a ball spending bitcoin. She went from conquering San Francisco’s hilly landscape on foot and bike in 2013 (and the occasional, simple pleasure of pizza and cupcakes) to the luxury of Uber rides, wine tours and even a strip club visit just a year later.

She did well for herself the second go at it. I want to be able to do even better.

That as my mindset going into my own version of the experiment, picking up five years later from where Hill had left off. If she survived on her first attempt, then I damn well ought to be able to thrive, I thought, going into it.

Boy, was I dead wrong.

A day or two in was all it would take to break this expectation as I soon learned that my experience would be unlike either of Hill’s. I anticipated great merchant adoption and with it a greater variety of services through which to use my bitcoin. I thought I was walking into a more vibrant Bitcoin scene than half a decade ago, an opportunity rich with ways I could offload my coin.

Instead, I found (at least in San Francisco) that fewer merchants take bitcoin now than they did before and that the Bay area’s Bitcoin community, excepting those still active in it, had receded into altcoin enthusiasm and the flowering industry of “blockchain not Bitcoin” that had become the new darling of tech VCs and entrepreneurs.

Those still involved in the community took care of me though, and the week was just as easy or as difficult as I wanted to make it.

Living on Bitcoin Day 1: “That’s Not Going to Work”

I set out to live on bitcoin for a week in San Francisco.

Living On Bitcoin Day 2: Being “Unbanked” Has Been Easy … But Also Hard

On Day 2 of living on bitcoin experiment in San Francisco, I go on the hunt for some bitcoin-friendly eateries.

Living on Bitcoin Day 3: Brother, Can You Take a Sat?

I desperately comb the streets of San Francisco, hoping to find someone — anyone — who will accept payment in bitcoin on Day 3 of my experiment.

Living on Bitcoin Day 4: The Uphill Climb

Living on bitcoin has been a bit of an uphill battle. On Day 4, I try out some gift card options and move into the Crypto Castle.

Living on Bitcoin Day 5: An In-Store Buy At Last (Spoiler: It’s Pot-Related)

I finally make a point-of-sale purchase with bitcoin, hunt for Coinbase’s headquarters and chat with a young entrepreneur.

Living on Bitcoin Day 6: An Artist, a Dev and a Moon Boy Walk Into a Bar…

I continue my San Francisco experiment, spending bitcoin and attending a meetup in a crypto-friendly bar with some great, diverse company.

Living on Bitcoin Day 7: A Supposedly Fun Thing I’d Definitely Do Again

I finally wrap up my week of living on bitcoin in San Francisco with visits to 20 Mission and bitcoin artist cryptograffiti. But first, I’ll have to survive a storm out on the Bay.

Saying that I thrived while on bitcoin would be pushing it, but saying that I survived would be an embellishment.

So I’ll put it another way: I subsisted. Plain and simple, I got by without buying into a strip club’s tit-for-tat (tit-for-bit?) or splurging on a high-dollar meal like Kashmir Hill did in 2014 (though I could do that here in Nashville, dropping fat sats for a meal at Flyte). Sure, the drinks at Stookey’s weren’t cheap, but they weren’t a bottle of Dom either. I got by without even buying a meal from a merchant during my trip, relying on bitcoin-bought Uber Eats credit and friends to keep me fed.

My experience was both anticlimactic and blindsiding. I could have done it anywhere, something that I describe in the write-ups as fascinating and frustrating at the same time. I didn’t need San Francisco to spend my bitcoin (a city that, the week made quite clear, didn’t really want my bitcoin). Bitcoin didn’t need the merchants, though, to be useful; infrastructure, like Paxful and Bitrefill, made it useful.

As the series unfolded on social media, plenty of other bitcoin-to-gift-card services, like Fold App and Bidali, reached out to me on Twitter, reaching for a chance at a PR plug (don’t get me wrong, though — I respect the hustle). I used what I knew going into the experiment, though out of the three exchanges that I demoed (Paxful, Bitrefill and Gyft), I stuck with Bitrefill for its convenience and efficiency.

I probably should have tried some of the other options, and I fully support any company building this infrastructure because, without it, the experiment would have been over by day two (or I would have had to swallow the probability of a seven-day fast as I wrestled with how much I cared about my journalistic integrity).

So I learned that this experiment is either too easy or too impossible, depending on how you frame it. What else I learned (in a strictly Silicon Valley context):

The general public’s enthusiasm for Bitcoin has been dampened with the market.

Interest in altcoins and blockchain has, in part, replaced this enthusiasm.

Because of this interest, there’s at least one place (The Boba Tea Shop) that accepts a motley of altcoins but not bitcoin.

Fewer places accept bitcoin now than in 2013–2014.

Places stopped accepting bitcoin either because their payment processors went under or because transaction times and fees were outrageous during the peak of the 2017 bull run.

Transaction times were pretty quick and fees weren’t high (none of my transactions took over a minute the whole week unless I opted for a low fee).

Even if merchant adoption has waned, infrastructure using bitcoin to leverage services (e.g., Bitrefill, Paxful, etc. for buying gift cards) has progressed.

Bitcoin ATMs aren’t as cool as they sound.

Merchants who don’t accept bitcoin will either be annoyed/amused/confused when you ask if they do.

An unfortunate number of places that used to accept bitcoin don’t exist anymore.

You still can’t buy coffee with bitcoin (unless you buy a gift card first).

Pretty much all resources for locating bitcoin-accepting venues (like coinmap.org or Edge wallet’s merchant finder) are outdated.

Mobile wallets are still too clunky and unreliable for mass adoption.

You don’t need a payment processor to do a point of sale and I wish businesses would understand this.

Bitcoin OGs are still around.

If you decide to live on bitcoin for a week, they will help you out.

You could get hammered on bitcoin in San Francisco with liquor-by-the-drink (or bottle).

Bitcoin is (obviously) best as a store of value.

Because of this, it has its faults as a payment method, but the community is aware of these faults.

Coinbase has become a monolithic entity that is hard to penetrate.

This experiment is not all-encompassing and would play out much differently elsewhere.

That last point might be a bit foolhardy to make before I actually try it, but I was told on day one by a Czech booth exhibitor that Prague would be a breeze. Aaron van Wirdum corroborated this claim, adding that his home in the Netherlands (specifically Amsterdam and Rotterdam) would be a great testing ground for the experiment. Jared Harrell, a community manager at Quantstamp and Canadian native, told me Vancouver would be worth visiting while pouring praise on the Canadian bitcoin community’s constitution and significance (my editor, another proud bitcoin Canuck, has also implored me to have a go at it in Canada).

I’ll get there eventually (I hope). I intend to replicate this science experiment to get a larger sample size, and I have a hunch that I’ll get different results in different jurisdictions. For now, New York, Canada (Quebec/Ontario), Czech Republic (Prague), Netherlands (Rotterdam/Amsterdam) and the U.K. (London) are on my list of test subjects, and, for the new experiments, I’ll attempt a heightened level of difficulty for the variables (including not using Bitrefill, Paxful, Gyft, etc.).

Latin America is another place that comes to mind, probably the place that best exemplifies why this experiment is worthwhile. As the economic and political situations in Venezuela worsen, bitcoin’s relevance in the region is on prominent display, and its utility is infecting neighboring countries as a diaspora of Venezuelan refugees pours across the economically battered country’s borders.

At the end of my experiment, I had the privileges of eschewing my bitcoin wallet in favor of my real one and I was elated to get to use cash (whether physical or digital) again. For those (and they’re out there) living unbanked or under the duress of a faltering monetary system, the experiment never ends — it’s a struggle they reckon with daily.

So I also learned that, over the course of the week, I didn’t need to live on bitcoin, so the choice to was gratuitous and a bit opportunistic (it gave me something fabulous to write about and has supplied my cocktail-party-conversation reserves with endless new material). But I also learned that, if I needed to, I could live on bitcoin, just as a growing population of underserviced and financially neglected citizens across the globe could right now.

Bitcoin is monetary sovereignty, and this experiment is being stress-tested every day.

You didn’t need me to show and tell you that but that also doesn’t mean I won’t do it again.

If you have tips or places you think Colin should visit, drop him a line on Twitter (@AsILayHodling) or email (colin@bitcoinmagazine.com).

This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine.

from InvestmentOpportunityInCryptocurrencies via Ella Macdermott on Inoreader https://bitcoinmagazine.com/articles/living-bitcoin-week-san-francisco/

[cryptswahili]

Living on Bitcoin for a Week in San Francisco

When I decided, maybe against my better judgement, to live on bitcoin for a week, the plan was met by a combination of cautions and jokes from friends and loved ones: “Just don’t starve,” “Well, it’s the New Year, a perfect time to start a new diet,” “Will you be able to eat?”, “Have you really thought about it?”

I had “really” thought about it and it seemed not only sensible but necessary. Nakamoto’s white paper calls Bitcoin an “Electronic Cash System,” and I hadn’t stressed the cryptocurrency’s utility as an actual method of payment.

My experiment would likely validate the strong opinions of skeptics (to whom bitcoin is either some nebulous scam at its worst or an outrageously valued trinket for prodigal hobbyists at its best) and that camp of maximalists who believe that bitcoin isn’t and never was digital cash.

It’s a problem that Kashmir Hill ran into when she did her own experiments, more so in 2013 than 2014. In 2013, her final conclusion was that she had “survived” the week, but by 2014, she had herself a ball spending bitcoin. She went from conquering San Francisco’s hilly landscape on foot and bike in 2013 (and the occasional, simple pleasure of pizza and cupcakes) to the luxury of Uber rides, wine tours and even a strip club visit just a year later.

She did well for herself the second go at it. I want to be able to do even better.

That as my mindset going into my own version of the experiment, picking up five years later from where Hill had left off. If she survived on her first attempt, then I damn well ought to be able to thrive, I thought, going into it.

Boy, was I dead wrong.

A day or two in was all it would take to break this expectation as I soon learned that my experience would be unlike either of Hill’s. I anticipated great merchant adoption and with it a greater variety of services through which to use my bitcoin. I thought I was walking into a more vibrant Bitcoin scene than half a decade ago, an opportunity rich with ways I could offload my coin.

Instead, I found (at least in San Francisco) that fewer merchants take bitcoin now than they did before and that the Bay area’s Bitcoin community, excepting those still active in it, had receded into altcoin enthusiasm and the flowering industry of “blockchain not Bitcoin” that had become the new darling of tech VCs and entrepreneurs.

Those still involved in the community took care of me though, and the week was just as easy or as difficult as I wanted to make it.

Living on Bitcoin Day 1: “That’s Not Going to Work”

I set out to live on bitcoin for a week in San Francisco.

Living On Bitcoin Day 2: Being “Unbanked” Has Been Easy … But Also Hard

On Day 2 of living on bitcoin experiment in San Francisco, I go on the hunt for some bitcoin-friendly eateries.

Living on Bitcoin Day 3: Brother, Can You Take a Sat?

I desperately comb the streets of San Francisco, hoping to find someone — anyone — who will accept payment in bitcoin on Day 3 of my experiment.

Living on Bitcoin Day 4: The Uphill Climb

Living on bitcoin has been a bit of an uphill battle. On Day 4, I try out some gift card options and move into the Crypto Castle.

Living on Bitcoin Day 5: An In-Store Buy At Last (Spoiler: It’s Pot-Related)

I finally make a point-of-sale purchase with bitcoin, hunt for Coinbase’s headquarters and chat with a young entrepreneur.

Living on Bitcoin Day 6: An Artist, a Dev and a Moon Boy Walk Into a Bar…

I continue my San Francisco experiment, spending bitcoin and attending a meetup in a crypto-friendly bar with some great, diverse company.

Living on Bitcoin Day 7: A Supposedly Fun Thing I’d Definitely Do Again

I finally wrap up my week of living on bitcoin in San Francisco with visits to 20 Mission and bitcoin artist cryptograffiti. But first, I’ll have to survive a storm out on the Bay.

Saying that I thrived while on bitcoin would be pushing it, but saying that I survived would be an embellishment.

So I’ll put it another way: I subsisted. Plain and simple, I got by without buying into a strip club’s tit-for-tat (tit-for-bit?) or splurging on a high-dollar meal like Kashmir Hill did in 2014 (though I could do that here in Nashville, dropping fat sats for a meal at Flyte). Sure, the drinks at Stookey’s weren’t cheap, but they weren’t a bottle of Dom either. I got by without even buying a meal from a merchant during my trip, relying on bitcoin-bought Uber Eats credit and friends to keep me fed.

My experience was both anticlimactic and blindsiding. I could have done it anywhere, something that I describe in the write-ups as fascinating and frustrating at the same time. I didn’t need San Francisco to spend my bitcoin (a city that, the week made quite clear, didn’t really want my bitcoin). Bitcoin didn’t need the merchants, though, to be useful; infrastructure, like Paxful and Bitrefill, made it useful.

As the series unfolded on social media, plenty of other bitcoin-to-gift-card services, like Fold App and Bidali, reached out to me on Twitter, reaching for a chance at a PR plug (don’t get me wrong, though — I respect the hustle). I used what I knew going into the experiment, though out of the three exchanges that I demoed (Paxful, Bitrefill and Gyft), I stuck with Bitrefill for its convenience and efficiency.

I probably should have tried some of the other options, and I fully support any company building this infrastructure because, without it, the experiment would have been over by day two (or I would have had to swallow the probability of a seven-day fast as I wrestled with how much I cared about my journalistic integrity).

So I learned that this experiment is either too easy or too impossible, depending on how you frame it. What else I learned (in a strictly Silicon Valley context):

The general public’s enthusiasm for Bitcoin has been dampened with the market.

Interest in altcoins and blockchain has, in part, replaced this enthusiasm.

Because of this interest, there’s at least one place (The Boba Tea Shop) that accepts a motley of altcoins but not bitcoin.

Fewer places accept bitcoin now than in 2013–2014.

Places stopped accepting bitcoin either because their payment processors went under or because transaction times and fees were outrageous during the peak of the 2017 bull run.

Transaction times were pretty quick and fees weren’t high (none of my transactions took over a minute the whole week unless I opted for a low fee).

Even if merchant adoption has waned, infrastructure using bitcoin to leverage services (e.g., Bitrefill, Paxful, etc. for buying gift cards) has progressed.

Bitcoin ATMs aren’t as cool as they sound.

Merchants who don’t accept bitcoin will either be annoyed/amused/confused when you ask if they do.

An unfortunate number of places that used to accept bitcoin don’t exist anymore.

You still can’t buy coffee with bitcoin (unless you buy a gift card first).

Pretty much all resources for locating bitcoin-accepting venues (like coinmap.org or Edge wallet’s merchant finder) are outdated.

Mobile wallets are still too clunky and unreliable for mass adoption.

You don’t need a payment processor to do a point of sale and I wish businesses would understand this.

Bitcoin OGs are still around.

If you decide to live on bitcoin for a week, they will help you out.

You could get hammered on bitcoin in San Francisco with liquor-by-the-drink (or bottle).

Bitcoin is (obviously) best as a store of value.

Because of this, it has its faults as a payment method, but the community is aware of these faults.

Coinbase has become a monolithic entity that is hard to penetrate.

This experiment is not all-encompassing and would play out much differently elsewhere.

That last point might be a bit foolhardy to make before I actually try it, but I was told on day one by a Czech booth exhibitor that Prague would be a breeze. Aaron van Wirdum corroborated this claim, adding that his home in the Netherlands (specifically Amsterdam and Rotterdam) would be a great testing ground for the experiment. Jared Harrell, a community manager at Quantstamp and Canadian native, told me Vancouver would be worth visiting while pouring praise on the Canadian bitcoin community’s constitution and significance (my editor, another proud bitcoin Canuck, has also implored me to have a go at it in Canada).

I’ll get there eventually (I hope). I intend to replicate this science experiment to get a larger sample size, and I have a hunch that I’ll get different results in different jurisdictions. For now, New York, Canada (Quebec/Ontario), Czech Republic (Prague), Netherlands (Rotterdam/Amsterdam) and the U.K. (London) are on my list of test subjects, and, for the new experiments, I’ll attempt a heightened level of difficulty for the variables (including not using Bitrefill, Paxful, Gyft, etc.).

Latin America is another place that comes to mind, probably the place that best exemplifies why this experiment is worthwhile. As the economic and political situations in Venezuela worsen, bitcoin’s relevance in the region is on prominent display, and its utility is infecting neighboring countries as a diaspora of Venezuelan refugees pours across the economically battered country’s borders.

At the end of my experiment, I had the privileges of eschewing my bitcoin wallet in favor of my real one and I was elated to get to use cash (whether physical or digital) again. For those (and they’re out there) living unbanked or under the duress of a faltering monetary system, the experiment never ends — it’s a struggle they reckon with daily.

So I also learned that, over the course of the week, I didn’t need to live on bitcoin, so the choice to was gratuitous and a bit opportunistic (it gave me something fabulous to write about and has supplied my cocktail-party-conversation reserves with endless new material). But I also learned that, if I needed to, I could live on bitcoin, just as a growing population of underserviced and financially neglected citizens across the globe could right now.

Bitcoin is monetary sovereignty, and this experiment is being stress-tested every day.

You didn’t need me to show and tell you that but that also doesn’t mean I won’t do it again.

If you have tips or places you think Colin should visit, drop him a line on Twitter (@AsILayHodling) or email (colin@bitcoinmagazine.com).

This article originally appeared on Bitcoin Magazine.

[Telegram Channel | Original Article ]

[weddingideasonline-blog]

From Vienna to Versailles: Marie Antoinette’s Bridal Journey – Part Two From Vienna to Versailles: Marie Antoinette’s Bridal Journey – Part One On 1 November 2003, Spain’s Casa Real announced had hosted a royal wedding, and as a whole Ron White, 43, the shoe designer, and Brad Wilson, 42, an entrepreneur, met at a Casa Loma TIFF after-party in 2007 when Ron accidentally spilled his wine on Brad. “I was mortified,” says Ron. So was Brad, who was wearing an old pair of Aldo shoes. Many visitors to Toronto’s World Pride will head to Casa I’m a real person, I have a real life, and I have a real marriage.” After they were married, the couple went down to watch the Pride parade. They carried a sign from the wedding that read Less than four months after accepting a proposal from her real-life McDreamy wear a custom made Monique Lhuillier wedding dress, the source says. The Saturday reception will be held outdoors at the inn’s Casa Elar, a Spanish-style estate, where Casa Loma, an audacious 180,000-square-foot castle in Toronto Decades earlier, O’Leary had hoped to hold his wedding reception in this very room but couldn’t afford it. He endorsed stylish Quebec libertarian Maxime Bernier only to watch Saskatchewan’s to have their own wedding special! Two babies later and Kourtney Kardashian is finally ready to marry Scott Disick. We never thought the day would come! The two are planning to get married at Casa Armara But the real driver, according to the .

The house on Interlachen Drive is known most for setting into motion an unlikely chain of events that ended up launching one of Central Florida’s most popular wedding venues — Casa Feliz. Former cruise sales entrepreneurs Wayne and Judy Heller For those of the children who just can’t bear silly discussions about the seemingly capricious real estate activities of a pregnant might be willing to part with his epic Bel Air estate, Casa Encantada, if some deep pocketed buyer comes along with Adams has already chosen his wedding gift for his former co-star Meghan Markle Ulla Johnson and Garrett Leight California Optical collaboration, fittingly at at Casa Perfect in Beverly Hills. Joe Manganiello introduced wife Sofia Vergara to one Six Baylor University graduates — Ben and Skylar Worley, Ali and Nate Sloan, and Luke and Rachel Whyte — have announced they will open a new wedding venue between merging operations with the Casa Ole in Bellmead. Waco real estate agent Pat Farrar .

source casa real wedding: http://www.yes-i-do.com.pt/wp-content/uploads/galleries/post-3442/full/Sheraton%20Algarve%20-%20Yes%20I%20do!%20Photography%20006.jpg: https://gracehavlak.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/024-san-francisco-san-jose-indian-south-asian-wedding-photographer-swaminarayan-temple2.jpg: https://wwcdn.weddingwire.com/vendor/60001_65000/60453/thumbnails/800x800_1385758909276-reception-1.jpg: https://leasing.dmcihomes.com/wp-content/uploads/Casa-Real-Facade-A-Dusk.jpg: https://weddingpassion.es/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/entrevistamimoki.jpg: Casa Real Wedding From Vienna to Versailles: Marie Antoinette’s Bridal Journey – Part Two From Vienna to Versailles: Marie Antoinette’s Bridal Journey – Part One On 1 November 2003, Spain’s Casa Real announced had hosted a royal wedding, and as a whole Ron White, 43, the shoe designer, and Brad Wilson, 42, an entrepreneur, met at a Casa Loma TIFF after-party in 2007 when Ron accidentally spilled his wine on Brad.

[davidpires578]

Sitting on the Dock of the 'Bay

In the writing of Franz Kafka, particularly The Trial (Der Process) and more so The Castle (Das Schloss), we find works which have been described, accurately I would say, as dark and at times surreal. The focus is largely on individual alienation, incomprehensible and oppressive bureaucracy, the seemingly endless frustrations of man's attempts to stand against the system, and the futile and hopeless pursuit of an unobtainable goal. The term 'kafkaesque' has since come into our language to mean something which is characteristic or reminiscent of the oppressive or nightmarish qualities in Kafka's work. If the current geopolitical scene isn't depressing enough for you these days, I suggest a wade through The Trail at least. Franz:

Recently I have been through a process with Ebay which is probably most accurately described as kafkaesque. I entered a maze which seemed like it would be straightforward enough at first, but then turned in a different direction. A little background: I joined Ebay in 1999, and have completed hundreds of transactions there, both as buyer and seller. I have a 100% feedback rating, and am 'Above Average' as a seller, whatever that means. The Feedback system was initially something I found attractive about Ebay, that buyers and sellers would be generally seeking to preserve their good reputations and that unscrupulous sellers and deadbeat buyers would be exposed though the folly of their actions. Sounds good in theory, as they say. That system seemed to work pretty well, however around February of 2008 Ebay changed their policy regarding Feedbacks. In a bid to clamp down on the practice of tit-for-tat feedback, eBay began preventing sellers from leaving negative feedback on buyers. While some measures were also added to the benefit of seller, in general this move was one which I would tend to characterize as pro-buyer rather than pro-seller. Why I have come to believe that I'll get to soon enough. Over the years, I've have made several hundred transactions -a minor league seller by most standards on Ebay - and 99% of these transactions have gone smoothly. In recent years I have listed for sale various essays and monographs from The Art of Japanese Carpentry Drawing (TAJCD) series on Ebay. There, I mark the prices of each essay up several dollars in order to cover Ebay's listing and selling fees. Direct mention is made in my sales listings, and in a follow up message I send after a sale: buyers can save money if they contact me directly to purchase. Most buyers of my TAJCD material have been direct, through this blog, however there is the odd sale happening on Ebay once in a while. The essays themselves are described in the Ebay listings as "... in .pdf format" - those words in bold and a larger font size for emphasis - and since they are in .pdf format, shipping is  of course free. Thus I am quite willing to sell this material worldwide and that indeed is how my listings are set up. There have been past sales of TAJCD material to most places on the globe, save for Africa. Nowhere in my Ebay listing is it suggested that I am selling a book, either in softcover or hardcover, and nowhere in the ad is a physical book pictured, as you see with most any sales listing of an actual physical book for sale. Most buyers well understand that I am selling .pdfs, however once in while someone misunderstands, or doesn't read the listing in adequate detail, and thinks that they are buying a physical object. I would like to offer hardcover editions at some point, but it remains a costly proposition given the modest scale of the print run and large format book size required/desired. I had a buyer  on Ebay recently who thought he was buying books, and when they didn't arrive in his mailbox asked my why, and I told him they had already been sent to him via email, and that I had emailed him on the day of the sale and told him about the transmittal of the download links. I told him that there were no physical books on offer and such is clearly stated in my ad(s). Unfortunately, he then got somewhat belligerent about it, demanding a refund and doing some grunting and saber-rattling. Yawn. He hadn't downloaded anything, so I gave him the refund after cancelling the download links which had been sent previously. The less time I spend dealing with people like that in my life, the better. I have had a couple of buyers in the past who thought they were purchasing physical books and when nothing showed up in their mailbox after a while - in some cases a month, in other cases many months - they have filed a claim against my seller's account with Ebay. Note that when one looks to file such a claim on Ebay, the first thing the site tells you is to make contact with the seller and see if you can resolve whatever conflict there is on hand. Reasonable enough, isn't it? For some reason, some folks don't do that step, and go right to the 'nuclear option' and file a claim against me. That's an interesting thing in and of itself. When I have sold an item and shipped it, I send an email to the buyer, on the 'My Ebay' messaging system, thanking them for the purchase and letting them know that the essay has been sent to the email associated to their Paypal account by way of 'Transfer Big Files', which is a large file transfer service that I employ. Then I leave the buyer feedback on Ebay, and, at some point later, the file service sends me a notification by email when the download has taken place. Transaction complete, smooth and easy. When an essay is purchased and sent out, the message sent to the buyer on Ebay, and I see that the file service download notification does not come, I have learned to take notice. While there have been TAJCD buyers in the past who have purchased an essay set and then only downloaded some of the material, for whatever reason, the person who purchases several essays and then downloads nothing is a signal to me that something is amiss in the transaction. I have learned to send a follow up email to check in with them. In some cases buyers have signed up to Paypal with an email address which they no longer use, or have closed out, and they don't receive the download links. A situation readily resolved with an email. A couple of years back I had a buyer from Quebec who purchased the essays, then downloaded the links, asked me when he was going to get the books, and hearing that no books exist then filed a claim with Ebay. That situation was solved relatively quickly. I phoned up Ebay customer service and explained the situation, and the agent I dealt sorted it out right away, denying the buyers claim against me. Just took one phone call, and the agent both grasped the situation and was able to take immediate action on the matter. This set an expectation on my part I guess as to how quickly such a situation could be resolved. In March of this year I sat down to check my email in the morning and saw that 5 essays had been sold to a fellow in Spain - I'll call him Luis. Paypal for the 5 essays had been received and I immediately sent the file links to the buyer, along with a note to him in 'My Messages' on Ebay. Then nothing happened. No downloads and no response on Ebay to my message either. Hmm.... I sent a follow up email the the buyer's address associated to their Paypal account, to no response again. Nearly 2 months pass. On May 11th of this year I sat down to check my email in the morning and saw that Luis had filed claims against me for the 5 TAJCD essays, along with a note asking when he will receive the essays. Okay. When a claim is filed against a seller on Ebay, something happens concurrently: Ebay makes a claim for the full amount against your Paypal. If you had $100 in your account, say, and there was a claim against you for $150, then you would find your Paypal account $50 in the red. Essentially the seller is presumed guilty and then has to prove his innocence in order to recover the money seized by Ebay on their Paypal account. Then a process unfolds, shall we say, as the claim is processed by Ebay. A month is allotted for this process. In the past, the few times I have had to deal with a claim against my seller account, I was able to enter evidence into the proceedings by uploading attachments to the case, such a screen shots from the 'Transfer Big Files' site, shipping receipts, and relevant emails. Now though, that function is gone from Ebay's 'Resolution Center' (and I use that term loosely). You can't upload or email anything, not to the case itself or to an agent at Ebay. This effectively eliminates the entry of useful evidence into a claim where there are two parties at odds. Why they do that now is anybody's guess. In this case I awoke to find both the 5 claims files as well as my Paypal account $170 or so in the red. I was not what you would call stoked. I clicked on the link to the first claim, for the Volume I essay, and the next page I was taken to was in... Spanish. The buyer, who has a feedback of '0' on Ebay - he just joined recently I guess - had evidently filed his claim with Spanish Ebay. I can't read Spanish however, and the translation Google provides is hardly perfect. Nevertheless I worked my way along the pages, as they were decipherable, and filed my response to the buyer, letting him know that the download links had been sent to him shortly after purchase and that they went to the email associated to his Paypal account. I would much prefer to let him know in my response which email it was sent, typing it out explicitly, however Ebay won't let you enter email addresses into your Messages. They are trying to prevent buyers and sellers for making purchase arrangements outside the purview of Ebay, and that makes sense they would want to do that, but in certain cases this blocking of email addresses can thwart effective communication. After I filed my response to the first case, I decided to call Ebay customer service to see if the situation couldn't be resolved immediately, as it had in the past. I call the general number, and of course one starts off with the robot. A few button pushes later, and insistent calls for 'agent!', and I get to talk to my first customer service representative. This person spoke in an accent and used certain expressions which suggested to me that English was not their native tongue. A plowed onward. I explained to the agent the situation: that the buyer apparently did not read my ads in detail and has thought he bought books not .pdfs, and has filed a claim against my account despite my efforts to be communicative with them previously. This first agent can only handle things so far however. Eventually I get bumped up to the supervisor on the floor. They tell me that Ebay Spain controls the claims in this case and that I will have to wait until the wheels turn there. I am also told that I do not need to file a reply for each of the 5 essays, as they are all pretty much the same thing and that the reply I made on Volume I would be fine.  Okay, I said I would sit tight and see what happened. Total elapsed time for that phone call was nearly 1 hour. About 10 days later a reply finally came from the buyer on 'my Messages':

Dear Chris; I don´t know exactly why I have to download linkks for the 5 essays. You said it is in my email address but I can´t fibd it, nor in the spam. What I need to know is when are the five essays going to arrive . I paid for the five books last 29th March and I haven´t received any. I would be very grateful if you make clear what the problem is . Looking forward for your response.

Okay! This looked like something resolvable. Obviously the buyer was thinking he had purchased physical books, as I suspected. I wrote back to him in 'My' Messages" and clarified the situation further. The next day, May 23rd, came the reply:

Good evening,Certainly there was a misunderstanding and I am a little bit disappointed.Anyway I want to inform you that in my e-mail address I only have the pdf file for volume V and I have already downloaded this one. Please, If you could send me the other ones I would be very grateful. Looking forward to your response.

To which I replied:

No problem. I see you downloaded Volume V, and will re-send the links to the other Volumes you purchased in a moment. You will receive one download link per essay. I ask you to stop the claim against my account, as it has frozen my Paypal and this is inconvenient for me.

I resent him the 4 download links he was apparently missing, and on May 24th, he sent me another message:

Everything is ok now. Thank you.

I already knew that he had downloaded the essays, so it seemed like the whole hassle was about to be over. How wrong I was - everything was not okay. On May 25th, the very next day, I received the following message from Ebay Spain:

Case #******1534 is now closed Hi Chris, We refunded Mmercedeluislim_0 $45.00 for case #******1534 for Japanese Carpentry Drawing, Volume V. This case is now closed and your PayPal account be debited $45.00 in 10 days. You can see the case details in the Resolution Center.

Well, I guess Luis had simply gone on his merry way and had not closed the claim from his end. Nice. I do not presume he was malicious, more I presume he doesn't understand how Ebay works and doesn't use Ebay much. It was strange to me though that the 'deciders' there at Ebay Spain had refunded the buyer for one of the essays, when all 5 essays are pretty much the same sorta thing, and all were purchased on the same day. Why refund just the one? Anyway, I was irked but confident that this could all be cleared up with another phone call to Ebay, especially given that there was a trail of communication in 'My Messages' showing the buyer had accepted that he would receive the downloads and had gone ahead and downloaded and seemed happy with the resolution. This time I escalate through the same levels at Ebay customer service: robot, customer service rep., customer service rep. supervisor, and then, up yet another tier to 'appeals'. Yes! The 4th stage is reached! After I explained the situation in detail to each of humans involved, I was faced with explaining it all again to the person in the 'appeals' department. The story in itself was becoming a heavy weight to lift. Eventually, the appeals agent told me that because these cases were being handled by Ebay Spain, it was Ebay Spain that needed to be contacted. The appeals agent told me that they would send an email to Ebay Spain, and that i would be hearing back from Ebay Spain in another day or three. Total elapsed time of that call: 1 hour and 20 minutes. On May 27th I hear from Ebay Spain at last:

Thank you for contacting us about case ******1534 for the following item: 332026225082 - Japanese Carpentry Drawing, Volume V (PDF) We've reviewed your concerns and have reversed the outcome of the case. You don't need to take any additional action to reimburse eBay for the refund paid to the buyer, and eBay will make no further attempts to seek reimbursement from you.

Okay, progress. But what about the other 4 essays and the claims against them?  I checked the Paypal account and the money for the Volume V essay had indeed been returned to me. The next day, seeing nothing had changed, I phone up Ebay again, passing once again to the vaunted 4th level, and appeals agent (a different one than the time before of course). Again, I was told that Ebay USA couldn't do anything about the claims filed from Ebay Spain, but would send them an email. Total elapsed time on the phone: 1 hour and 15 minutes. On May 31st I receive a lengthy email from Ebay Spain:

Greetings Chris, My name is Luzciana, from eBay’s Guarantee Program, and I contact you for the 5 transactions that you have completed with the buyer: "krinkncrank". Chis, after reviewing the 5 claims I inform you the following: 1. Item: 330572399076 Case: ******1222 Note: I have closed the claim and eBay not take action. You should expect the funds associated with this transaction to be released in the following 14 days. 2. Item: 332026225082 Case: ******1534 Note: This case was closed by mistake on our part, in buyer’s favor. Therefore, on the appeal for this case, we have granted the decision in your favor, and you should receive the refund for the original amount within the following 10 days of the case decision (approximately June 7, 2017). Regarding the 3 remaining cases (******1412, ******1630, ******1734), there is a decision buyer’s favor, and we have not deducted the amount of your paypal account yet, nor have we collected it on the invoice. In these cases I’ll ask you that you wait until June 7, 2017 and check your eBay’s invoice and your paypal account, if in either of the two we have done the collection or discount, you must notify us immediately, so please reply to this email if this situation happens, so we can offer you a solution for this 3 cases. For now I recommend to follow my recommendations and wait at least, until June 7, 2017.

Well, now I was even more baffled. So, now they were saying that the decision on Volume 5 had been a mistake on their part, and that they had now decided in the case of one of the other essays to close the claim. Why that essay? And why is the refund going to take 10 days, as they seem to be able to put a hold on my Paypal lickety-split? They asked me to wait until June 7th, which I did. Nothing changed, the day came and went. Still in the red in my Paypal, no refund as promised, and the three remaining claims were still open. I tried emailing Ebay Spain using the address they sent the emails with, however these were undeliverable. There was no way to communicate with Ebay Spain directly Time to call Ebay again. Same deal as the time before, more emails to Spain - and even a phone connection to Ebay Spain where I learned they had limited ability to understand English, but said they would email a response soon.  Total elapsed time for that call was 1 hour and 25 minutes. On June 11th I at last hear back from Ebay Spain:

Hello Chris, I am Gabriel D. Team eBay customer, first, I want to wish you a good day and thank you for belonging to our community on eBay. I am contacting you regarding the appeal request for cases # ******1412 , ******1734 , ******1630 . This is to inform you that thanks to the information you provided have been able to verify the case and I am pleased to inform you that it has approved the appeal of the case, so you'll see in the next few hours the updated your account information. I congratulate you on your excellent management as a seller and I apologize for any inconvenience caused. I hope you have a very good and happy day we wish you well on eBay in the future.

At last, it's over! Or was it? I check my Ebay account and saw that the claims are all gone from my seller account. In fact, all claims from all time are now gone from my account, like it was wiped clean. Weird. Then I checked Paypal, and to my considerable chagrin, saw my account was still in the red. The money was still held. I thought I'd wait another few days in case it took a while for these things to process. A few days later, and my Paypal account remained

[lipwak]

VHS #296

4 Mississippi River of Song shows, a documentary on haunted spots in LA, a doc on the Rocky Horror Show and part 1 of the doc on Quebecois christmas tree sellers in NYC.

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Taste of the Classics - Tropical Sweets - The Swan music: Saint-Saëns: Le Carnaval Des Animaux short footage of a swans

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4 Mississippi River of Songs 1-3 = WNYE=s, #4=MetroArts 13=mono 1 hr each 1999

Music from them: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk9H9VGew3f3iC_lfMTVsNBV9EqgREY3g

1 - Americans Old and New http://www.pbs.org/riverofsong/artists/e1-home.html narrated by Ani DiFranco some poor video

Chippewa Nation - pow wow Skal Club Spelmanslag - Red Headed Swede Soul Asylum - I Did My Best Babes in Toyland - 22 John Koerner - ?, Sail Away Ladies, Peter Ostroushko plays something Hmong qeej players (Vietnamese) playing while dancing. Sounds of Blackness - I'll Open My Heart to the Lord, I'll Be Ready, Hold On Change is Coming Karl Hartwich - polka, Syl Liebl Manny Lopez - familiar, Jazz Me Blues, Bix Beiderbecke weekend playing Bix’s horn, Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans La Otra Mitad - La Unica Estrella, another Greg Brown - Flat Stuff, Bo Ramsey, Who Woulda Thunk It, Canned Goods

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2 - Midwestern Crossroads (see also #287 for partial)

John Hartford -  on the riverboat Twilight with a calliope, Gentle On My Mind, Miss Ferris, unknown song about the river The Bob Lewis Family Band - at a festival/picnic, Born To Be With You, Don’t Forget To Tell My Savior…, Little Girl of Mine From Tennessee, familiar, Sit At My Father’s Side, familiar St. Charles High Band of Pirates - marching band, Louie Louie Fontella Bass - singing gospel now, Take Jesus For Your Guide, You’re Gonna Mess Up A Good Thing, This Little Light Of Mine, Rescue Me, I Don’t Believe He Brought Me This Far Oliver Sain - at a blues club, Stop Breaking Down, The James Family, Proud Mary, benefit, Ike Turner playing piano Sunshine drum group - Sylvester “Sunshine” Lee, Eugene Redmond, poetry and drumming, To The Drum St Genevieve Missouri -  Guignolée Singers, La Guignolée, Duke Blecher Festus, MO - Bottle Rockets, Cheap Motel, $1000 dollar Car, Get Down River

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3 - Southern Fusion Memphis

See the whole thing here: https://youtu.be/kzYbSaAZvZQ https://youtu.be/XU1Rbb8hBqw https://youtu.be/aPKQRi35cAE https://youtu.be/4qq464CCOdE https://youtu.be/snNe4PKNkos

Boundless Love Quartet (white gospel) - Jesus Hold My Hand, Amazing Grace, Walk Them Golden Stairs Sonny Burgess - playing at a roadhouse, We Want To Boogie, unknown song, where the Silver Moon Club was, Red-headed Woman Memphis community music - black marching band, Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity stepping Rufus Thomas - Beale St, the blues were born black, explains and sings Walking The Dog Memphis Horns - Easley Studios, Ann Peebles - I Hate To See That Evening Sun Go Down, Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love, unknown song, sibling harmonies Rober Lockwood, Jr. -  King Biscuit Blues Festival, How Long, Sweet Home Chicago Levon Helm - Hand Jive, James Cotton, Midnight Ramble, Cripple Creek Jack Johnson - cotton plantations of the delta, Clarksdale, getting his hair curled, plays acoustic gtr blues, unknown song e gtr in club Johnnie Billington - teaches Blues In The Schools, Eagle Flies on Friday, kids answering the words of the song Little Milton - two of his friends, Grits Ain’t Groceries, The Blues Is Alright smaller group - I’ll Be Crossing Over Mississippi Mass Choir - four unknown songs

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4 - Louisiana, Where Music is King

Henry Butler - When The Saints Kenny Bill Stinson - Honky Tonk Blues, Going Down To New Orleans, still spankin' the plank, Taters and Gravy and Chicken Fried Steak Gov. Jimmie Davis - Louisiana Hayride Band, Merle Haggard sings Happy Birthday to him, You Are My Sunshine DL Menard -  Hello Nelda, Christine Balfa, I’m Happy to be a Cajun from Basille, Honky Tonk Blues turned into The Back Door (La Porte d'en Arrière), Leo Abshire Geno Delafose - on the radio, Slims Y K K, Allez Voir Ma Tit Fille, Goodnight Moreau David & Roselyn - Walking To New Orleans, banjo and washboard in Jackson Sq, drummer, I’ll Fly Away, Marie Lavaux Treme Brass Band - Armstrong Park, Lil Liza Jane, James Andrews, When You Go To New Orleans, Uncle Lionel Batist(e) misspelled Soul Rebels -  Brighter Day, Let Your Mind Be Free Eddie Bo - Iko Iko, unknown song, unknown instrumental Henry Butler - Funky Butt, talks about rhythm, Hawkettes - Mardi Gras Mambo, Eddie and Henry play Check Your Bucket (give the drummer some), Henry plays Tipitina Irma Thomas-  The Lions Den, You Can Have My Husband, having a ball traveling around, had nights where she’ll have total recall about the songs, her music is the story of her life, Cry On, she reminds herself of Pearl Bailey, Time Is On My Side Irvan & Alan Perez -  décima, Canary Islanders, unknown songs

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The Haunting of Louisiana A Barbara Sillery Production of an Oak Lea Film 1 hr

Download it here: https://concepcionamn.jimdo.com/2013/02/17/watch-the-haunting-of-louisiana-film/?mobile=1

The Myrtles in St Francisville, ghosts seen lately, Oak Alley, Madewood, Ormond, Chretien Point, Destrehan, Lloyd Hall, Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge, loup garou, French Quarter, NO, Bourbon and St Phillip, Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, Pirate’s Alley, Lafitte’s Guest House, singing monk by St Louis Cathedral, LaLaurie mansion 1140 Royal St, Beauregard Keyes house 1113 Chartres, Ursuline Convent 1110 Chartres, Lanaux mansion 547 Esplanade, O'Flarhety’s Irish Pub Irish Channel, happy medium, Halloween, Fleming Cemetery Bayou  Barataria, Ghostly Galavant at the Cabildo, Charles Foti, Marie Laveau, made voodoo a business, Archbishop Phillip Hannan, guard at St Louis cemetery #1, making space at the tomb, Metarie Cemetery, Josie Arlington.

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Behind The Music: The Rocky Horror Picture Show VH-1 1999 45:00, commercials edited out

Richard O’Brien sings an acoustic version of Time Warp, film has made $150 million, Fredericks of Hollywood Don’t Dream It Be It ad, Rocky Horror demo, stage play in London,  Lou Adler, Britt Ekland told him about it, LA show, Meat Loaf, Carol King went to the show, behind the scenes shots, all the Transylvanians were stoned every day, midnight showings started in April 1976 at the Waverly in NYC, audience participation started slowly, props, when people yell asshole they’re saying I love you - Barry Bostwick, 1978 bloomed, obsessive fans, 15th Anniversary, original starts showed up, Oakley Court castle, the show as foreplay.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0520969/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast

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Tree Weeks Christmas tree sellers from Quebec in NYC NY Stories/Metro 1st half hour (see VHS #211 for second half hour)

Ezra Soiferman and Adam Steinman music by La Bottine Souriante

http://www.montrealfilmgroup.com/Tree_Weeks_Gazette_1998.html

various sellers, Charlie Brown tree for $1, bribes, freedom of religion law from 1938 permits sale of trees with no permits!, put tree in taxi, (see part 2)

[itsworn]

The Sherm’s Custom Plating Tour to the 25th California Hot Rod Reunion

In recent years the Sherm’s Custom Plating Road Tour has become one of the most popular of the entire season. Sherm’s owner Gary Matranga and his partners Art Holman and Dave Dougherty have been the go-to company for high-quality, award-winning chrome plating. Located in Sacramento, the Sherm’s team has many customers on the West Coast and in past years we have visited some fantastic private collections. The 2016 Sherm’s Tour did not disappoint.

Our first drivers’ meeting was held on Friday evening at our hotel just south of Santa Rosa. We had another huge group and we were up early Saturday to head north for a train trip through the Redwoods. It was a pretty drive north but mechanical problems with the Skunk Train had our plans for Saturday change to some great sightseeing in the area. Sunday we made a return visit to the amazing automobilia and petrolinia collection of Glenda and Steve Castilli north of Santa Rosa. We were even treated to a great meal after our tour of the collection.

Monday we rolled south to the San Francisco Bay area where we visited the expanded auto collection of Al Engel. Al and his son welcomed us and gave us a great tour of the autos and motorcycles Al has collected over the years. It was then onto Brizio’s Street Rods in South San Francisco where store manager Dave Cattalini gave us free rein to check out the large number of projects in the works at Roy Brizio’s shop. We spent Monday evening in the coastal town of Pacifica.

Tuesday we took a beautiful drive along the California coastline on Highway 1 to Santa Cruz and the Canepa Design facility. Bruce Canepa has vehicles on display that are definitely one of a kind and many were for sale. Vice President of acquisitions Sean Chambers gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the collection and then we toured the shop area where rare and exotic vehicles were in various stages of repair and restoration. Many thanks to the team at Canepa for making us feel so welcome. It was a short drive south to the beautiful town of Pacific Grove and we all enjoyed the attractions that the nearby Monterey and Carmel area has to offer.

On Wednesday we drove along what many people consider the most picturesque road in America. The Pacific Coast Highway runs from Monterey to our destination of Cambria. The route winds along the Pacific coast and ultimately takes you right past the famous Hearst Castle. Some of the Road Tourians took a guided tour of Hearst Castle while others relaxed and enjoyed the view of the ocean from our beachfront hotel in Cambria. Thursday we had our final drivers’ meeting of the week. It was time to get to our destination of Bakersfield, California, and the 25th edition of the NHRA Museum California Hot Rod Reunion. The drive from Cambria east to Bakersfield took us through the wine country around Paso Robles and we drove past the intersection where the crash occurred that took James Dean’s life in 1955. We arrived at our headquarters hotel in Bakersfield later in the afternoon and settled in for what was going to be an exciting weekend of nostalgia drag racing at the Famoso Raceway 20 miles to the north. The action got started on Friday morning at the track.

Rose Dickenson who heads up publicity for the Wally Parks Motorsport Museum and the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion had arranged a special parking area for the Sherm’s Custom Plating Road Tour group. We were located between the famous grove area and the huge swap meet. The finish line could be seen from our vantage point and we were next to the many vendors that were in attendance. It was another great weekend at the California Hot Rod Reunion. The 25th anniversary celebration brought both participants and spectators to the track in record numbers. It was definitely the place to be that weekend in October.

For expanded coverage of the Sherm’s Tour, go to streetrodder.com. The Sherm’s Custom Plating Road Tour was again a huge success. This tour wrapped up the 2016 ARP/STREET RODDER Road Tour season. The schedule for 2017 is out and we will have 10 great tours to choose from this season. Look at the schedule and make plans. In October the Sherm’s Tour will be back as we spend the entire week in the famous surf town of Ventura and visit collections, museums, and manufacturers in Southern California.

On Saturday morning we were up early and headed north to the Redwoods. It was drizzling but everyone on the Sherm’s Custom Plating Tour was excited to get started. We had over 50 registered participants for the week.

We were all aboard the Skunk Train and looking forward to a scenic trip through the Redwoods. Mechanical problems cut our trip short less than a mile outside the station. We took it in stride and visited some local attractions.

There were plenty of places to see in and around the area. More than likely a full-size vehicle of today would not have made the tight squeeze through this Redwood.

Sunday we visited Glenda and Steve Castilli in Healdsburg just north of Santa Rosa. The drive through their vineyard made for a perfect spot to showcase our hot rods.

Steve has been collecting cars, wheel goods, and automobilia for many years. His collection is fantastic and we spent hours enjoying our time at the Castilli’s beautiful home.

Al Engel greeted us at his huge car collection in Richmond, CA, on Monday. Al has been collecting classic cars and hot rods for many years. He has recently added a number of new buildings to house his treasures.

Like most car collectors Al Engel’s tastes are wide-ranging when it comes to makes and models. These are some great examples of the Austin Bantam vehicles, which were the original American-made compact cars.

It is always a treat to visit Roy Brizio’s shop in South San Francisco. As usual the shop was filled with projects. Roy and his team are proud of the fact that they build rods that are meant to be driven.

It is always a treat to visit Roy Brizio’s shop in South San Francisco. As usual the shop was filled with projects. Roy and his team are proud of the fact that they build rods that are meant to be driven.

We spent Monday evening in the coastal town of Pacifica. The morning drivers’ meeting took place in front of our hotel as usual but this had to be one of the prettiest settings for a drivers’ meeting of the entire season.

Our trip south from the San Francisco area took us along California Highway 1. Winding along the beautiful coastline it took us past Santa Cruz and then onto our evening destination of Pacific Grove between Carmel and Monterey.

Near Santa Cruz we visited the amazing facility of Canepa Design. Bruce Canepa has put together a car collection, car sales area, and repair and restoration facility second to none. Many Road Tourians were excited to see the restored SO-CAL coupe on display in the museum.

In the shop area at Canepa Design we were treated to a real behind-the-scenes look at their amazing repair and restoration area. Exotic race cars and rare classic cars were everywhere we looked in the shop area.

At our final drivers’ meeting of the week in Cambria we honored Mario LaFortune and Chantel Turenne as our long-distance participants on the tour. They traveled all the way from Quebec, Canada, to participate on the Sherm’s Tour in Mario’s 1963 Chevy Suburban.

The 25th edition of the NHRA Motorsports Museum California Hot Rod Reunion brought a tremendous number of participants and spectators to Famoso Raceway just north of Bakersfield, CA. Nostalgic drag racing and famous race cars of the past were everywhere.

We had a great week on the tour to the Reunion. Make plans to join us in October as the Sherm’s Custom Plating Surf’s Up Tour spends the week in Ventura, CA. Details and registration are available at streetrodder.com.

The post The Sherm’s Custom Plating Tour to the 25th California Hot Rod Reunion appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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