Postcards from Québéc City

A shark rearing to chomp up a Fleur de Lys on a fishing line

Whenever I go somewhere new, I'm always lookout for street art and graffiti.  I think that you can learn a lot about political and social situations, as well as get a sense for a places humor through street art that you stumble across.  It is a way to visually connect with people from a place that is foreign to you through signs and symbols. In a way, these messages can help you make sense of an environment that is strange to you.  On my trip to Québéc City, I was quite impressed at the amount and the quality of street art on the old fortress walls of Old Québéc.  Québéc street artists create large, colourful pieces that appear to be stenciled or free handed onto walls.  I noticed that the use of text and words is abundant, and often acknowledges social situations in the area.

On The Weekend: Québéc City

A vista from the walls of Vieux-Québéc

This weekend was a little out of the ordinary.  A friend and I ventured up to Québéc City for two days to indulge in some Franco-Canadian fun.  We mostly kept to the old city, which is the only preserved fortified city in North America (North of Mexico).  It feels European, many of the buildings were constructed in the 1600's - 1800's and are very authentic.  We also took a half-day trip to visit Montmorency Falls, a very large waterfall just outside of Québéc City.

Julep Maven Box

Beauty subscription companies seem to be very popular on the web.  They have always peaked my curiosity, and I have wondered what the quality of the product and the service is like.  I noticed that the company Julep had an offer where you could  receive a free box, so I jumped at the chance to try it out.

On The Weekend: The Grand Prix and Chocolate

This weekend was the Grand Prix in Montréal.  Fast, expensive cars were parked everywhere downtown, and you could even hear the races far off into the distance (those cars are loud!).  Aside from cool cars, another prevailing theme of the weekend seemed to be chocolate; I visited a student favorite: Juliette et Chocolat in St. Laurent.

On The Weekend: 21 Balançoires

This weekend, I went to see the public art exhibition  21 Balançoires in Montréal.  The public is invited to swing on colourful swing sets.  The swinging action makes music, and with some cooperation with some other swinging friends, you can create some beautiful sounds.

Girly Spring Makeup

Girly Makeup by theblackbarney featuring maybelline

Spring can be shamelessly girly.  Floral prints become irresistible, and there's plenty of corals and soft pinks to go around.  This is my go-to makeup for the early spring.

Join Me For Lunch: Versatile Asian Salad

This salad has been a staple in my kitchen for at least two weeks now!  It's so delicious I don't think I will ever be tired of it.

Something I love about salads is their versatility.  If you don't like something about a salad you can skip or replace that component with virtually no risk.   That's why with this salad recipe I have included a list of other ingredients that might be interesting to add or substitute.  Be creative and play with your food!

Shifting Scapes

Shifting Scapes is a stop motion animation film that is describes the pulsating, interconnected, and continuous nature of the natural environment.  The Canadian landscape serves as inspiration for these vibrations and changes.

The music is from the band Summer Heart and the song is I Wanna Go;  I have a post about them here on this blog.

I made this work, and I value your feedback on it!

Please enjoy in full screen for full effect.



Shifting Scapes from Christine McKeating on Vimeo.
A stop motion animation about how landscapes move, shift, and change over time.
Music by Summer Heart - I Wanna Go

Chris Gentile

Artist Chris Gentile intersects surfing and art in his work.  In this video, he speaks about his process and inspirations in his artmaking.



Chris Gentile from The Scout on Vimeo.

The Perishers

I've really been enjoying The Perishers song Nothing Like You and I.
Check it out and let me know what you think.

Coca-Cola Stage 2012

The line up for this years Coca-Cola stage at the Calgary Stampede looks great!  I am most excited about seeing Our Lady Peace, Awolnation, Seether, and Dragonette. It will also be nice to see The Trews and Mother Mother for the third and fifth time.  What parts of this line up look the best to you?

I Wanna Go

Summer Heart makes perfect summer sounds with their song I Wanna Go.  You can almost feel the heat waves bouncing off of you!




What is your favorite summer song?

Blueberry French Toast

Wouldn't it be lovely to wake up in the morning and have some french toast with Blueberries and custard waiting for you? I think so.

There's No Leaving Now

The Tallest Man on Earth is coming out with a new album June 12th.  It's called There's No Leaving Now.  If you want a taste of what this album is going to be like, check out this mp3 from Rolling Stone.  I've always loved his music.  The lyrics are always so beautifully placed, and his guitar playing is phenomenal.  Make sure you check him out on his Myspace as well!

Summer Porridge

It had never occurred to me that you could make oatmeal in the fridge.  These recipes look great, boasting six different types of porridge you can leave in the refrigerator overnight and pick up to eat in the morning.  The look especially tasty for breakfast or snacks in the summertime.

Find the six different recipes here.

Let me know If you have ever tried making oatmeal this way, and how it turned out for you!

Spiced Up G&T

With emerging warm weather it feels as though Spring has been completely bypassed and Summer is fast approaching.  It makes me think of one of my favourite Summertime drinks: The Gin and Tonic.
Next time it's hot out, I'll be heading out to the patio with one of these spiced G&T variations.
This one with Star Anise looks particularly appealing:

Simply add star anise to your standard G&T.

For other variations such as rosemary, cilantro, or cinnamon G&T's, check out this website.