Some latte art - still practicing

A little latte art - 'cause we're creative whether we want to be or not sometimes... oh - and they taste good.

Wi-Fi at Chat Noir Books

So we have finally bit the bullet and are now offering Wi-Fi to our customers in the store. We are currently beta testing the new Wi-fi service, so there are no guarantees that it will always be up and running. I would like to thank our friend Caleb who helped us setup the network and also big thanks goes out to our other friend David Cooper who recommended the software.

To access the online connection you will have to ask one of the staff for a username and password, you will also need to have your very own lappy(lap-top). The service is currently free, though we have setup some restrictions. This means you will not be able to Torrent files, download movies ...etc, but you should be able to access your email, chat and browse on the interweb.


Caleb

Les Stroud 'Survivorman'

Man am I tired but it was worth the loss of sleep to see Les Stroud 'Survivorman' rocked the Classic Theatre with his new show "An Evening of Film & Music"!

The music ranged from rock to blues,folk to world, show casing an amazing cast of muscians and a video reel of amazing images of people, animals and places that Les has shoot while film 'Survivorman' and other projects.

On another note Les is also writing a book for Harper Collins about survival that is due to be released in the fall. We already have copies on order, and are working on trying to maybe get Les in for a book sign in the store.

P.S. Ian great job with the sound, though next time we would love to see you on stage as well!

Now back to my coffee!!

If you liked the blog.....

So not PC and I have to admit I LOVE it!

From "Stuff White People Like"

#97 Scarves

White People’s body temperatures do not operate on logical or consistent levels, and because of this white people are often forced to wear clothing combinations that might seem strange or illogical. One popular example is the performance vest which solves the age old problem of cold chest hot arms. Another common combination is wearing shorts with a sweatshirt which helps bring about comfort when your upper body is chilly but your lower half is sweltering. But without a doubt, the one piece of clothing that helps to regulate white body temperature in all situations is the scarf.

During winter months, it’s no surprise to find white people all bundled up with scarves around their neck - it just makes sense. But even as the weather warms up and the other layers start to fall off, the scarf remains.

It is not uncommon to see a white person in jeans, a sweater and a scarf. In fact, it’s not a rare occurance to see a white person in a t-shirt, jeans, and a scarf. Thats right. A thin cotton t-shirt paired with a scarf to enable maximum temperature control in bars and places with air conditioning

But not all white people wear the scarves for temperature reasons. A well made scarf can be an essential part of a white ensemble, allowing for all-important differentiation from other white people wearing the exact same clothes as them. Thus allowing them to be picked out of the crowd for dating or mocking purposes

“I like the guy in the white American Apparel shirt with the glasses.”

“Which one? there are eight.”

“The guy with the keffiyeh.”

“Oh yeah, you’re right. He does look smarter and more political than the other guys. He’s clearly more sensitive to wind, so he’s probably more sensitive in general. You should totally date him.”

Along with making up a key part of the white wardrobe, scarves also function as a vital pillar of the white gift economy. Due to their relative ease of creation, many white people (especially women) like to knit scarves for friends and lovers. For this reason alone, if you find yourself needing a new scarf but not a long term relationship, dating a white woman might be the easiest and most cost effective solution.

What's on the night stand

The Condition

The Condition tells the story of the McKotches, a proper New England family that comes apart during one fateful summer. The year is 1976, and the family, Frank McKotch, an eminent scientist; his pedigreed wife, Paulette; and their three beautiful children has embarked on its annual vacation at the Captain's House, the grand old family retreat on Cape Cod. One day on the beach, Frank is struck by an image he cannot forget: his thirteen-year-old daughter, Gwen, strangely infantile in her child-sized bikini, standing a full head shorter than her younger cousin Charlotte. At that moment he knows a truth that he can never again unknown something is terribly wrong with his only daughter. The McKotch family will never be the same.

Twenty years after Gwen's diagnosis with Turner's syndrome, a genetic condition that has prevented her from maturing, trapping her forever in the body of a child, all five family members are still dealing with the fallout. Each believes himself crippled by some secret pathology; each feels responsible for the family's demise. Frank and Paulette are acrimoniously divorced. Billy, the eldest son, is dutiful but distant, a handsome Manhattan cardiologist with a life built on compromise. His brother, Scott, awakens from a pot-addled adolescence to a soul-killing job, a regrettable marriage, and a vinyl-sided tract house in the suburbs. And Gwen is silent and emotionally aloof, a bright, accomplished woman who spurns any interaction with those around her. She makes peace with the hermetic life she's constructed until, well into her thirties, she falls in love for the first time. And suddenly, once again, the family's world is tilted on its axis.

Compassionate yet unflinchingly honest, witty and almost painfully astute, The Condition explores the power of family mythologies, the self-delusions, denials, and inescapable truths that forever bind fathers and mothers and siblings.



The Brass Verdict: A Novel (Advanced Reader's Copy)

Things are finally looking up for defense attorney Mickey Haller. After two years of wrong turns, Haller is back in the courtroom. When Hollywood lawyer Jerry Vincent is murdered, Haller inherits his biggest case yet: the defense of Walter Elliott, a prominent studio executive accused of murdering his wife and her lover. But as Haller prepares for the case that could launch him into the big time, he learns that Vincent's killer may be coming for him next.
Enter Harry Bosch. Determined to find Vincent's killer, he is not opposed to using Haller as bait. But as danger mounts and the stakes rise, these two loners realize their only choice is to work together.
Bringing together Michael Connelly's two most popular characters, "The Brass Verdict"""""is sure to be his biggest book yet.




Chimaera

All resistance has been crushed. In a few minutes of overwhelming violence the Council’s air-dreadnought fleet has destroyed Fiz Gorgo’s defences. Xervish Flydd, Irisis and their allies have been condemned to die in a brutal aerial spectacle designed to reinforce Chief Scrutator Ghorr’s power and majesty.

Nish is their one remaining hope. But Nish is trapped in a burning watchtower, and hunted by both the scrutators and his former lover, Ullii, whose twin brother he accidentally killed. Before Nish can hope to rescue his friends, he must convince Ullii to spare him, then overcome the most powerful cabal of mancers in the world as well as the Council’s four hundred crack guards.

And even if he succeeds, to win the war the allies still have to defeat the scrutators and overthrow Nennifer, the corrupt Council’s dread bastion, before the rampaging lyrinx overwhelm all Santhenar.

We're no longer a threat

Well, after one full day of the gas company closing off the street in front of the store and making more noise than we generally allow, we now have a new gas meter and shut-off valve outside the store. Apparently after a number of places went "boom" they have decided that having the meter and shut-off outside of buildings is much better.



Since this is what a gas meter explosion in a basement looks like - If it means less chance of us going "boom" I'm all for letting them do what they need to do.

Book Signing

Gary Howard will be in store July 11 from 4-6 signing copies of his book "The Rassler from Renfrew: Larry Kasaboski and the Northland Wresting"

For fifty years, old-time wrestling and the Kasaboski name went hand-in-hand in the Ottawa Valley. Especially Larry Kasaboski, who followed his older brother Alex into the ring during the Depression years of the 1930s, then turned his talents to promoting. In the decades after the war, Northland Wrestling Enterprises staged fights in arenas up and down the Valley and throughout Northern Ontario, pitting passions against loyalties for the likes of Whipper Watson, the Parks Brothers, and Gorgeous George Grant.

Author Gary Howard has been a life-long fan of the sport, and in this book, shares his enthusiasm for the early years of show wrestling. Richly illustrated with rare photos, posters, and other memorabilia.