Montreal Then and Now

I could spend hours looking at this fab series of photos... In fact, I have!

Guillaume St-Jean is a contributor to the Spacing Montreal blog (a regular read of mine). St-Jean has re-photographed over 400 historical snapshots of Montreal, painstakingly re-creating the original vantage points...

This fascinating and ever growing collection of montages is featured regularly on the Spacing blog. They can also be seen in their own flickr set.

A few historical shots in St-Hyacinthe are also included in the collection...

image montage by Guillaume St-Jean

La Vie en Rolls

For a limited time, Cashmere toilet tissue is available in my favorite color...

From Russia, with Love

Expo 67 gave the average visitor a chance to shop the world marketplace.

In pavilions and boutiques throughout Expo, national participants offered a wide array of folkloric handicrafts, luxury items, and gastronomic goods.

A full color promotional booklet put out by the Soviet Union sought to highlight the fabulous Russian goods that could be purchased at Expo 67:

"People from different countries would want to get an idea of the life of the Soviet people, their multinational culture and expressive original art. Gift object from the Soviet Union will help them get such an idea."

"Exquisite taste marks dark-colored coffee or liqueur sets..."

"The balalaïka is a most interesting and typically national souvenir..."

"Very expressive are figurines made by Baltic craftsmen..."

"It is not accidental that visitors to the USSR seldom leave without a samovar..."

"The same factories that furnish the equipment that goes into Soviet Sputniks offer visitors modern photo cameras, amateur cine-cameras, transistor radios, watches..."

"The first pictures of the reverse side of the moon were taken with a Soviet camera."

"You will carry away from the Fair the odors of Russian fields and meadows..."

"One cannot help admiring the beauty and quality of Russian furs..."

"Soviet shops at the Fair can offer you world-famous Russian caviar..."

"Crystal-clear Russian vodka will satisfy the most exacting palate..."

images: personal collection

At The Beach 1966

My search for the perfect old-school Coppertone-type fragrance may finally be over. I'm hopeful about a scent I've just ordered online: At The Beach 1966, by perfumery CB I Hate Perfume.

CB I Hate Perfume was launched in 2004 in New York City by Christopher Brosius, who had previously founded cult-fave Demeter Fragrance Library (makers of the Play-Doh fragrance, among others).

Describing himself as an artist that uses scent as his medium, Brosius' range of unique, hand blended fragrances reflect fun, individuality and his own scent memories. What Christopher Brosius "hates" is the mass-produced stuff found in department stores.

According to the product description, At The Beach 1966 is "the exact recreation of a hot summer’s day spent lying in the sun [...] An absolutely brilliant and faithful interpretation of classic Coppertone meets beach..."

But the clincher for me was: "if you loved the smell of classic Coppertone tanning lotion, your jaw will hit the floor when you try this..."

• UPDATE (May 15): I'm in suntan lotion heaven!

images: (top) luckyscent.com
(bottom) pierjewelry.com

The Pavilion of Monaco

The Principality of Monaco presented an elegant pavilion on the banks of one of Île Notre-Dame's many canals. Several interlocking towers of pale ochre stucco surrounded a central garden-cinema, in a setting of flowers, trees and exotic plants.

The pavilion sought to show that the joie de vivre experienced by both tourist and resident of Monaco sprang from a civilization nurtured by a rich history. The exhibit area was mostly open aired, giving visitors the impression of strolling down the narrow streets of Monte Carlo.

The pavilion was divided into several different thematic areas, which featured displays on geography, history, science and culture, climate, sports, tourism, as well as a section entitled Monaco Tomorrow.

Ancient and modern coins, as well as stamps with portraits of Monaco's successive princes served as tokens to the principality's bountiful history. Cameras and lenses showed Monaco's flourishing optics industry. A display of car paraphernalia called forth the famed Monte Carlo rally and the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, while a handsome boat floating alongside the pavilion exemplified top-class sailing vessels built in Monaco.

A large, light-filtering parasol covered the garden theatre, where visitors could watch a 15-minute color film on the famed Monégasque joie de vivre, in a setting of rosemary, cyclamens, geraniums and balsamin.

images: (1) alamedainfo.com

(2) courtesy DC Hillier
(3-5) westland.net/expo67
(4) personal collection
(6) expo67.ncf.ca