En tout cas, I’m back where I was in March. Progress is slow but good.

In the spirit of things I did in March, here are a few photos I took in and around an alley next to the Molson brewery in Montréal when I went to see some bands. I hung around there for a little over an hour between this big rehearsal space and the beer factory. A sensory experience if I ever had one. Guitars & yeast in quantities that exceed bar levels of each.

Next blog post will feature some highlights from the blog I edit for the News Photographers Association of Canada. Sometimes I post on Twitter about the blog but if you don’t follow that, the next post will be especially worthwhile. It’s a fun gig and I feel lucky to have gotten a great group of people to share a bit of themselves on it.

Wish I got to see Tonstartssbandht at my friends’ home but that show went on till 4am or something. No dice. Next time?

Last week, I made an epic salad for a knitter friend and I and we dined on the edge of the Ottawa Locks. While there, I snuck this photo.

Ended up being on Monday’s A Photo A Day on the News Photographers Association of Canada website. Ringing in the first day of summer!

Here’s another shot taken 22 seconds later.

Art opening, dancing, cupcakes, flowers…

Chicago’s Willy Joy came to Ottawa and definitely delivered. Probably one of my favourite American DJs. Careful balance of awesome music and great attitude. I’ve never been to Chicago but there seems to be something great about that place.

Listen to a mix Willy did posted on Awkward Props blog

And now, the photos… click click click

Collectively, Nicola Kuperus, Ryan Foerster & James Cooper have been written about in People Weekly, Vice Magazine, XLR8R, Juxtapoz, Tiny Vices, ISO50, Apartment Therapy & Fecal Face.

Now, their work will be on the walls of Canteen Gallery in Ottawa for a few weeks.

The vernissage is this Friday, June 4 from 7-10pm. There will be cupcakes from Auntie Loo’s. Also, I have prepared a special mix on my iPod for the occasion. If Inaas fixes her speakers, expect to hear some Clipse, ADULT., Passions, Pissed Jeans, Goblin and Plastic Bertrand. Maybe even some J. Timby.

Plz come, eh.

I was on CHUO 89.1FM earlier today talking about it. Funny to be on da radio.

Here’s a poster I put up at a few choice spots today. Click on it to make it bigger.

PS: If you are on Twitter, y’all should follow me @championdumonde. I update that drastically more than I update this blog. This BP thing is bumming me out but I am generally probably a bit funnier on Twitter.

PPS: above is a photo I took at 2:08am some night a few weeks ago. I posted a few more on Flickr.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I’d be bringing photos from a few out of town photographers to Ottawa. It has been announced in a few places for about a week now so I am now sharing it with this blog.

NICOLA KUPERUS (Detroit)
member of ADULT. (Ersatz Audio), featured in XLR8R

JAMES COOPER (Bermuda)
featured in Juxtapoz & Tiny Vices

RYAN FOERSTER (Newmarket)
featured in Vice, Nylon & People

The show opens Friday June 4 at Canteen Gallery in Ottawa. Come between 7 & 10. Show up early if you want vegan gluten free cupcakes. The show runs till June 27.

All in all, I’m pretty pumped to be involved with these three and hope people reading this and people in Ottawa will appreciate the work.

I feel this is a rare event for Ottawa and I’m grateful each artist accepted to show their work at Canteen.

So yea, share this. Tweet it. Do whatever. It’s actually kind of important.

The view.

The Office.

The mixed items.

These next three were shot in Trinity Bellwoods through a high contrast orange filter.

Rebecca & Sarah.

Now for some cell phone shots…

A dog at the Berkeley Church

And some from Hot Docs…

Kimber rode a horse across Canada and made a movie about it. She is the first woman to do this since 1949.

Guess Who…it isn’t The Guess Who.

Got a busy week and I need to fix my bike. On a side note, if you’re in Ottawa at the end of May, I’ll be squatting someone’s lawn and selling some of my best things at the Glebe Garage Sale. Wait for it.

Car parked somewhere in upstate NY.

Last thing’s first…

Went to Le Poisson Rouge to see Jokers of the Scene, Catchdubs & Star Eyes. Familiar faces in strange cities are always nice – particularly when spending about a quarter of each day driving. (Love to drive.)

This was my first time really hearing Star Eyes and I left feeling pretty psyched so she’ll get some special attention here. Not long ago, MISHKA released a dark mixtape she made with Dust La Rock called Ov Cvrse. It really has been a few weeks but I’m still taking it in.

Also, here’s a video for her song Disappear. Her close up shots are awesome.

Le Poisson Rouge. This wasn’t even the actual exit.

Photographers

Inevitably, I did my best to squeeze in some cultural activities. This included hanging out with people like Ryan Foerster & Naomi Harris as well as checking out the Ryan McGinley exhibit at Team Gallery and finally milking my MoMA membership by paying a visit to Tim Burton’s show there. The Marina Abramovic retrospective was great too. Daring, even.

This June, I’ll be showing some work by Ryan Foerster in Ottawa with some other photographers from Detroit and Bermuda. Stay tuned for more info on that.

Food

As a vegan, every time I travel, eating is typically pretty high on the list of things to do. My needs are basic but I appreciate when food is done properly. The stand out meal for me would have been the falafel I had at Azuri Café in Hell’s Kitchen. I knew this spot was well known but when I got there, a food tour on its way out. “You make me nervous! I can’t make that many falafels so quickly,” says the man at the counter to the arrogant tour guide. A close second place would go to NY Dosas outside Washington Square Park. Truth be told, I had been trying to eat here for four years (and about as many visits to the city). Finally getting a chance was like finding a unicorn. I regret not trying Meskerem Ethiopian but I’ve got to give myself something to look forward to for the next trip!

Meaghan Tsaacs in line at BabycakesNYC.

Photography

In exchange for accommodations in Brooklyn, we worked out a deal to provide content to Pomp and Circumstance’s website. My first entry showed Coney Island in all it’s glory on opening day, Sunday, March 28, 2010. The second was a series of black and white cell phone photos of discarded umbrellas ruined by wind and rain. Barter system for life. Need photos and got something awesome to trade? HIT ME UP! Come to think of it, last year, I traded for a week in a Vancouver condo and I have yet to cash it in. To date, I haven’t had a reason to but perhaps it’s time I make a reason.

Coney Island topless jogging.

Cell phone photo of a busted umbrella in NYC.

Of course, nothing of what I have written about so far actually motivated my week in the state of New York. While I cannot yet speak in too much detail about my motivation, I will say that my experience rates high as one of the most profound I’ve ever had. It was challenging and I don’t yet feel fully accomplished but I feel positive and hope to continue later this year. Thanks to everyone I spoke to and everyone who in some way helped facilitate this trip. I put about 2300km on a car that was neither mine nor a rental. Sometimes, generosity of individuals can be amazing. Distance between Ottawa and my destination outside New York City: 666km.

Here are two glimpses…

This photo is a crop of about 11% 0f the total photo it belongs to. Stay tuned to eventually see it in its entirety.

One of the most amazing hours of my life. People were very curious too.

Merci.

OTTAWA – May 31, 2009 – Lucy Chapman (left), her partner and their daughter remain locked in a group hug during Guerilla Freeze, an event meant to desensitize passers-by to the sight of same-sex displays of affection. (Paul Galipeau / Capital Xtra!)

This is rad because I’m up against two pretty big names and the photo was also shot for Capital Xtra! There’s a video of the event the photo was taken at on Xtra.ca where you get different angles of the moment. You can also see me in the video, I think. We’ll find out what happens in a few weeks. Get the full list of categories and nominees at NPAC.ca.

Until we find out, here’s a photo of me trying to get out of New Jersey yesterday (JK…mad love to the Garden State).