The summer I was 16, I read my first Tom Robbins book, Even Cowgirls Get The Blues. It was my Plateau summer, the one where I discovered St. Louis Square, Eva B’s, and good coffee. I sat at the Jazz Fest writing, people watching, listening, taking the vibes in through my skin. St. Louis Square was better for reading. I finished Wuthering Heights there, not because of any prescribed reading list, but because I held “the classics” in high regard. What a shit book that was. Anyway, somewhere in my bookstore travels, I'd found Cowgirls, and it caught me with its title and back cover. We always judge books by their covers, that's how we initially decide which ones to buy. Sure, your judgement upon finishing it will probably be different, and definitely more in depth, but the book / cover saying isn't really true.

So there I was, a new book in the grass, sun blazing above me, probably some dude on an acoustic guitar within earshot, and probably also some wild drunks in the park that we were keeping an eye on out of an abundance of caution. That summer, we did see two dudes scrapping in the daylight there, and one said he would come back with a pipe to hit the guy. He left, and did in fact come back with a big ass pipe, but the other guy had gone, because who stays after that?

How great is that new book feeling? Brand new books and second hand books have different smells, but I love them both. Turning those first few pages is always a rush; the potential swarms out, coaxing you into the story. Will it teach you? Change you? Make you cry or laugh out loud on the bus? You can't know yet, but you know that anything can happen. And there, page one, Tom Robbins begins…with amoebas. What? I remember rereading that paragraph (and so many others in that book) because his style kept leading my brain astray, and I couldn't remember what the heck was going on. I'd never read anything like it, and I loved it, and it took me forever to finish that book. The rest of his catalogue went down smooth like butter: I'd learned his language.

I'd intended to reread Cowgirls this summer to commemorate Tom Robbins’ passing earlier this year, and to mark 30 years since my first reading of it. I planned to sit in the same park on sunny days, recreating, revisiting, retracing, but time got away from me, and I didn't get around to it. I thought about it repeatedly, and I did go to the park a few times, smiling at the ever present guitar players, the students discovering the park for the first time themselves. I even made time to plant some kisses there, among the flowers as big as my head, and the ghosts of memories blowing through the leaves. Fresh love blooms even at my ripe age, though it does grow differently. Instead of guessing what might happen one day, we examine the tapestries we've each woven over our years. The aching sadness of obsessive young love is gone, and in its place stands a shared fort that is also a nest. It's safe and warm, a place to soar from and return to.

But I digress (as does Robbins, and I hope one day I will, just as eloquently). I started the book this past week, and while there are a million things I don't remember about it and will be fresh (or at least knock memories out of the clutter of my brain), the amoebas were right there waiting for me. In fact, everything I know about amoebas, I know from that book. It felt like a homecoming, time collapsing in on itself, but this time I breezed through with a smile and no re-reading. I thought about how baffled my young self had been, how caught off guard and simultaneously intrigued. This time though, I'm still intrigued: I don't remember the rest of the details, only that it was a perspective shifting book for me, and I can't wait to see all the passages and twisty-turns through my more experienced eyes. When they discuss love (and they will), I will now have context from my own life, instead of speculation, and that will change the whole book.

At a bus stop in my early 20s, engrossed in D.H. Lawrence’s Women in Love, a small, vibrant woman with long grey hair and a beaming smile came over to talk to me. She said she'd read the book three times, and it hit differently at different stages of life. I hadn't yet considered rereading books. There are so many great works, why would anyone waste their time reading a book again? But it sounded like such a valid point, and came from such a glowing woman, that I reconsidered my position, and even as I finished the book, I wondered how it would hit 20 years later.

Often we don't realize how much we've changed without a benchmark for that growth. Go to an elementary school and see how tiny the once intimidating desks have become. Check out the place where you had your first poutine, to realize that while it was a culinary mind blower at the time, it's not very good now that you've had better poutines. Go back to the park where you wished for love, then ached over your first breakup with the person you intend to marry. Everything becomes different.

When my mother read me The Lorax, it made me sad. When I read it to my sister, it made me misty. By the time I read it to my daughter, I was crying at the prospect of what I would leave her, and the fact that no Muppet-esque little guy was even here to speak for the trees at all. Hoton Hears a Who was adorable as a child; the concept of whole miniature cities thriving on a flower filled me with joy. Later of course, the existential nature of the book took me out at the knees. The whole city screaming to be heard, to prove they exist and are in fact real, was uh, too real.

So. Dear Reader, I suggest you check in with some of the old stories you think you know, and see how they hit now. Walk down a street you vaguely remember from a time that meant something. Listen to that album from high school you had on repeat for a month. See how things have changed now that you're different, and discover what you can find there now. If perspective is subjective, know that everything has changed because you already have. Happy travels.

JOUEZ

Learn, practice, and play! Every Wednesday is a fun evening of board games, laughter, and connection — all while practicing your French in a relaxed, friendly setting. Come alone or bring friends! Open to all, from beginners to fluent speakers!

$15/person, pay at the door. Cash, credit, and debit accepted.

What's included:

- Access to the main areas and all available board games

- 1 refreshment per person

- Coffee available while supplies last

Optional Add-On:

Private rooms for up to 8 people are available for $10/hour per person, perfect for longer sessions or games like Dungeons & Dragons or Pokémon TCG.

All levels of French welcome — come play, learn, and connect!

WHAT: Board Games & French Exchange

WHERE:1525 Sherbrooke St. W. 2nd floor, Montreal H3G 1L7

WHEN: Tonight! (and every Wednesday) @ 9 PM

METRO: Guy-Concordia (Green)

DETAILS: Facebook

MUSIC TIME

Blue Skies Turn Black presents Whitney K, Military Genius, and KT Laine

WHAT: Whitney K - Montreal

WHERE: L’Escogriffe, 4459 St. Denis St., Montreal, H2J 2L2

WHEN: Friday, November 28 @ 830 PM

METRO: Mont-Royal (Orange)

TICKETS: Universe

LAUGH NIGHT WITH THE LAUGH KNIGHTS

Laugh Knights is back with a killer lineup! Dan Kestler hosts Daniel Carin, Molly Brisbois, Kevin Campbell, Sean Carson, Alvaro Salvagno, and Claudio Capri. The hilarious Quinn Lague headlines!

WHAT: Dan Kestler & Claudio Capri present: Laugh Knights November Edition

WHERE: Café Eevee, 1251 Rue St. Zotique E., Montreal, H2S 1N8

WHEN: Friday, November 28, Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM

METRO: Beaubien (Orange)

TICKETS: Eventbrite

THE 2000S ARE CALLING

Café Eevee is hosting another fun, fab trivia night, and this time it's all Y2K! Get Britney, Lindsey, and Paris on the line ASAP so y’all can team up real quick and win this thing. Teams of 4 compete.

It's simple: know stuff, win stuff.

WHAT: Trivia Night: Y2K Edition

WHERE: Café Eevee, 1251 Rue St. Zotique E., Montreal, H2S 1N8

WHEN: Saturday, November 29 @ 7 PM

METRO: Beaubien (Orange)

RSVP: Eventbrite

GO SOFT

Soft Studio Days is a new creative space in Montreal for slowing down, getting messy, and reconnecting with your hands. They host art events that invite you to play make and feel -- whether you're sculpting, collaging, or simply letting go. It's a place where creativity feels soft again.

This Saturday, join their Collage Club guided workshop. They provide the materials, you bring your imagination, and they’ll guide you step-by-step to your next -- or first! -- masterpiece.

WHAT: Collage Club

WHERE: Soft Studio Days, 2000 Northcliffe Ave. #216, Montreal, H4A 3S5

WHEN: Saturday, November 29 @ 6 PM

METRO: Vendôme (Orange)

DETAILS: Luma

SHOP INDIGENOUS

We are proud to announce our annual Indigenous Winter Market 2025 in partnership with Southern Quebec Inuit Association / Association des Inuit du sud du Québec and Réseau de la communauté autochtone / MTL Indigenous Community Network.

This year our Indigenous Winter Market will be hosted in a brand new location, with more food vendors! Plus workshops and performances!

Come out to support Indigenous artists, and vendors!

WHAT: Indigenous Winter Market 2025

WHERE: 3970 St. Ambroise St., Montreal, H4C 2C7

WHEN: Saturday. November 29 & Sunday, November 30, from 11 AM to 6 PM

METRO: Place-Saint-Henri (Orange)

DETAILS: Facebook

World’s Smallest Comedy Night has so many cool things happening, so here are their events this week in order!

What Do You Know? Like, Seriously…

Tonight! Come to Hurley's for Trivia Night, and get bonus laughter! Enjoy delicious pub fare, and get ready to show off your trivia skills. Grab your team, and enjoy this night of comedy, friendly competition, and great company!

This edition is hosted by Vance Michel!

WHAT: Trivia Night at Hurley's

WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1

WHEN: Every Wednesday @ 8 PM

METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)

DETAILS: Facebook

Classic Coke

Beat the Monday Blues with WSC’s OG offering, The World's Smallest Comedy Night!

Enjoy a showcase of the best comedians in the city, hot up-and-comers, national and international touring comics, and surprises!

Hosted by Vance Michel!

WHAT: The World's Smallest Comedy Night

WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1

WHEN: Every Monday, Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM

METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)

TICKETS: Eventbrite

Dirty Monday

The Monday Night Dirty Mic is the place to be! Hosted by Vance Michel, every show is an unpredictable and unique experience as a hilarious collection of comedians from newbs to pros take the stage. See the best before anyone else, and catch seasoned locals doing their freshest funnies!

Comics: show-up, sign-up

WHAT: Monday Night Dirty Mic

WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1

WHEN: Every Monday, Sign-up @ 10 PM, Show @ 1030 PM

METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)

DETAILS: Facebook