A (drunken) blast from the past

This article was published in Hour magazine back on May 16, 2002. Basically, I decided to test Montreal's supposedly lax liquor laws by grabbing a giant can of beer and going about some daily activities. This is one of my favorite pieces just because it was so ridiculous to do. Go to the bottom of this post to see a scan of the article, replete with a picture of me yelling at my hairdresser as she takes a swig from my beer.

Are you looking at my can?

Taking the bar to the streets to see just how liberal our liquor laws really are

by Craig Silverman

Last
week Canada Post declared it would soon be delivering alcohol. The same day, Public Security Minister Normand Jutras tabled legislation
to loosen Quebec's liquor laws by allowing folks to get alcohol when
they order take out, and expanding the types of alcohol they can bring
into unlicensed restaurants. The casual observer might take these two
events and conclude our government wants us to, in the words of Andrew
W.K., "party hard". So I grabbed a few king cans and went about some
regular activities to see just how loose our liquor laws really
are in this already riotous city.

Hair Salon
Important note: Depanneur
workers don't give you dirty looks when you buy two king cans at 10:30
in the morning. So, beer in hand, I continued on my way to see the
legendary Julee Jonez, have her work her magic on my locks, and see if
I couldn't also get a little buzz going.

"I have a surprise for you," I told her, and cracked a can.

When
drinking during a haircut the most important thing is to avoid getting
any hair in your brew. Apart from that important caveat, drinking
during a haircut is an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable experience that's completely tolerated. It's even better when your coiffeur also
partakes in a swig or two. (But be wary if they keep, ahem, reaching
for your can. Drinking while having your hair cut is entirely different
than drinking while cutting hair.)

"This might become a tradition," I said.

"That wouldn't bother me," replied Julee.

Read more

November 16, 2005 | Filed Under Hour, Humour articles, Newspaper articles | Comments Off 

Two Toro articles: Crazy fan traditions and violent Montreal wrestling

ToronashI have two pieces in the current issue of Toro (aka the tryin'-hard-to-be-sexy Steve Nash issue). Both fall under the issue's sports theme:

  1. A front-of-book charticle about strange sports fan traditions. My girlfriend thinks it's funny. Grab it here (PDF).
  2. A words and pictures piece where I spent an evening at one of the world's bloodiest wrestling events. This piece features some great photography with an intro and extended cutlines written by me. This annual event, put on by Montreal's International Wrestling Syndicate, allows fans to bring any weapon they want and the wrestlers will use it in the ring. It's a bloody mess of glass, tacks, wood, steel, and home appliances. See for yourself here (PDF).
November 7, 2005 | Filed Under Feature articles, Front of book articles, Humour articles, Magazine articles, Toro | Comments Off 

Explainer update

Hour_2I've been derelict in my Explainer updates. Here are some you may have missed:

November 7, 2005 | Filed Under Explainer, Hour | Comments Off