helluva helluva day

Why is it that days that are forecasted as rainy, but turn out gorgeous just feel better than outright gorgeous days? It's obvious, I guess, but today is a helluva, helluva day. Woke up for the second straight day to the high-pitched engines of Formula 1 cars on the pull-out bed in the dining room. My mom is in the city. After a night of food, beers and laughs, we set out for the market and really, Montreal felt like the centre of the universe today. It seemed like every second street was cordoned off for this and that. The magic and newness still hasn't worn off. Went to Jean-Talon market and bought all sorts of Italian foods and fresh fruits, like baskets of apples for $1. Wandered down St. Laurent, which was blocked off for some sort of Grand Prix-inspired Italian street festival. The road was lined with Lamborghinis and Corvettes. People were snapping pictures. A couple, each in their own motorized scooters, cruised by at a leisurely pace. The lady, smoking a cigarette, was heard to say: 'regarde cette auto, esti.."

We went into Cafe Italia and had a couple delicious espressos and watched the Grand Prix qualifications on the few screens set up. The place is a must-see if you ever make it to Montreal. The coffee machines really seem like they're engineered by Ferrari or something. And behind the counter, behind a plate of glass, there are all sorts of coffee machines, Italian chip bags and shaving creams and utensils on display for purchase.

We went down St. Denis after and had a very late breakfast (and beer) and people watched. The streets have been crowded for the last 24 hours. Wherever we go. You walk and you wander into a festival. What everyone has told me is true. We missed Bedouin Soundclash playing a free show by one block. We caught a reggae show last night at le Festival Francophonie. We're gonna go see Les Breastfeeders tonight.

I suppose free festivals and the like are a decent trade off for not being able to see a doctor.

It was weird at one point last night, all these F1, Ferrari-shirt or hat-wearing guidos were standing outside a trendy restaurant in the Old Port and one juiced up dude hooted at my mom. Frig sakes.

I'm a little worn out from the sun. I just changed the tire on my 10-speed, which I picked up from the repair shop, Bike Curious, in the village - they do bike repairs and lesbian haircuts there.

UPDATE on Top Ten List:

The fireworks and people talking to themselves inclusions have been reinforced big time the last 24 hours. My mom and I were walking down Duluth at around 11:30 last night and a group of F1 fans put off some fireworks on the side of the road, like they were casually lighting up smokes.

One inclusion I forgot to put on the list though: Chicks liberally talking about their periods. It's not taboo at all here. In fact, two of my friends started talking about that in front of my mom last night while we were having drinks. Fuck the heck?

BIKE STOLEN CONTEST:

I just replaced the tube in my tire and locked my bike up to our stair rail. The question: How long will it go without being stolen?

Montreal -- and Vancouver, as I learned last week -- have notorious bike theft problems. My friend bought a $300 bike last month, tied it up to our stairs and within 12 hours, it was gone. She hadn't owned it for a day. I have heard horror story after horror story about bikes being trashed or going missing.

So I want to keep a public record of my beauty 10-speed and put down some odds on when it will be ripped away from me.

My guess? I'm going to say early-July - just about the time where I'll have forgotten to update this goofy contest.