Lornado

    As you may have noticed, it has been too nice to blog and I am still not ready to do so since I can't think of an easy topic. But, I did run across a sentence in the New York Times on the weekend which began with these words: " I went down to Lornado..." Perhaps I can turn it into a post. 
   Lornado is a good word, I think, and I was unfamiliar with it and had no idea where it was. It sounds rather exotic and one is reminded of the Larry McMurtry novel, The Streets of Laredo.  It is in Ottawa, however, and if W.J. Fields had died there, he still might have said, "I'd Rather Be in Philadelphia." 
   Lornado is the official residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Canada who, this week, is Pete Hoekstra from close-by Michigan. The Time's reporter was on his way there because there is always a big party at Lornado on July 4th. He was curious about how big it would be and very cautious about suggesting that it was not as big as it usually is. You will know that things are not good between our two countries and consorting with the enemy generally frowned upon. It appears that the affair was rather subdued, and the Canadians attending were well behaved. No Bronx cheers were delivered during the Ambassador's remarks.

Lornado the House
   Like the structure on 24 Sussex Drive and many other mansions in Canada, Lornado was built by someone from the United States and the United States purchased the 32 room building and ten acres in 1935. It has been the site of many events and you may have recognized the name from other news stories out of Ottawa.

Lornado the Word
   Apparently the original owner of Lornado, Mr. Soper, was a fan of the novel by R.D. Blackmore. The 19th century work is Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor, and from that you will be able to figure out the derivation of the word, "Lornado."

Lorna Doone the Biscuit
   I was familiar with the words "Lorna Doone", but as a cookie or shortbread, and I am not sure why Nabisco chose the name. It does appear, however, that Nabisco is no longer an American company so it is okay to buy some Lorna Doone shortbreads if you wish. 

 

Source:

   We have learned a lot from this post and credit should be given to, Ian Austen, author of, "Celebrating the U.S. in Canada During Turmoil in the Two Countries' Relations," NYT, July 5, 2025. 
   "The annual Fourth of July party hosted by the U.S. ambassador to Canada on the park-size grounds of his official residence has long been one of Ottawa’s biggest social events.
   But after months of President Trump belittling Canada’s viability as a nation and threatening to use economic chaos to force its annexation as the 51st state, the idea of gathering to celebrate the United States in Canada’s capital was, well, a bit awkward this year....
   The turnout was decidedly smaller than in past years, and the seating and food stations were somewhat scaled down. Many guests who have attended in past years told me they estimated the crowd was about half the usual size, though there were nevertheless a substantial number of people." 
   An attempt at humour by the Ambassador, did not go over well and is not that funny, but it is telling: 

   "The ambassador told his guests that he had been going around saying that Mark Carney, the prime minister, was wrong.

“He keeps saying that Canada’s going to be the fastest-growing economy in the G7,” Mr. Hoekstra said, referring to the Group of 7. “That’s not how this works. America and our president do not like being number two, so we will be the fastest-growing economy. We just passed a Big Beautiful Bill yesterday, which is going to energize our economy.”

   He did add his hope that Canada would become the second-fastest-growing economy within the group of industrialized nations."

Visiting TORONTO

 36 HOURS IN HOGTOWN
   As the nickname chosen indicates, I have not been kind to Toronto, although I could have picked "Queen City" which, these days would be an even worse one. In MM I have twice referred to Toronto as a "carbuncle" and is usually the case, those references are based in ignorance, rather than on any actual knowledge of the subject. I have rarely gone to Toronto in recent years and on those occasions have found nothing to encourage me to revisit.
   The fact that the esteemed New York Times had a travel writer visit leads me to believe that I may have missed something and been unfair. As one act of penance I will offer the observations of someone more knowledgeable and you can learn for yourself what Toronto has to offer. As another, I will provide earlier assessments of Toronto and then fully absolve myself by offering all of the other "36 HOURS..." pieces about CANADA that the New York Times has printed during this century. 
  It is also the case that I am feeling bad for Torontonians given the Maple Leaf loss last night.
   We will begin with the recent Toronto article and then look at the older Toronto ones done in 2016 and 2005. The typical "36 Hours..." piece offers basic recommendations about such things as Key Stops, Attractions, Shopping, Eating and Staying. It is also typically the case that the choices are the ones that would be appreciated by a traveller whose expenses are covered by someone back in head office. 
   The recent Toronto article was done last month and from it, some information has been extracted. The citation is provided and you may be able to get beyond the paywall. That may be the case for all of the other articles as well. Here it is and the one place that might get me to visit is Issues: The Magazine Shop. If I do go, I might try to see the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, but I don't think it is right downtown. 

“36 Hours; Toronto,” Ingrid K. Williams, New York Times, April 11, 2024

Recommendations

Key stops

Trillium Park, west of Toronto’s inner harbor, is relatively crowd-free despite having an outstanding view of the downtown skyline.

Sunny’s Chinese, a popular restaurant hidden inside a mini-mall in the Kensington Market neighborhood, serves fun plates like Hong Kong-style French toast with black-sesame jam.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto is currently hosting “Greater Toronto Art 2024,” the second installment of its triennial.

Cry Baby Gallery is an art space with a cocktail bar hidden behind a curtain in the back.

Attractions

Massey Hall, a landmark theater, reopened in 2021 after a three-year renovation and modernization project.

Evergreen Brick Works is a cultural community center with a popular year-round farmers’ market.

The Gardiner Museum is dedicated to the artistry and craft of ceramics.

The Philosopher’s Walk winds through the leafy St. George campus of the University of Toronto.

The Bata Shoe Museum has an unexpectedly fascinating exhibit exploring the history of what we put on our feet.

The Beach (also called the Beaches), on the eastern edge of the city, is a neighborhood abutting Lake Ontario with sandy shorelines and a wood-plank boardwalk.

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is a sprawling gallery surrounded by acres of pristine woodland.

Zaal Art Gallery has paintings, sculptures and fashion from contemporary Iranian artists.

Restaurants and bars

Patois is a festive restaurant serving Caribbean-Asian dishes like jerk chicken chow mein.

Bad Attitude Bread is a plant-based bakery with specialties like vegan Cheddar biscuits with Old Bay seasoning.

Milky’s, a cool cafe, brews up specialty drinks like a spiced maple syrup latte.

Taverne Bernhardt’s is a cozy neighborhood bistro featuring local produce and rotisserie-style chicken.

Bowie, a vibey bar beneath a laundromat, offers great people-watching behind an unmarked entrance.

Bathurst Local is a laid-back bar with a maze of private karaoke rooms.

White Lily Diner is an all-day restaurant serving comfort food, with produce supplied by its own Ontario farm.

Shopping

Easy Tiger Goods is a sunny boutique that sells cute made-in-Toronto ceramics.

Issues Magazine Shop stocks rare print titles.

Etc Home, a home décor shop, sells hand-crocheted coasters, embroidered tote bags and more.

Where to stay

A solid option downtown, the Ace Hotel opened in 2022 in a newly constructed building designed by the Toronto firm Shim-Sutcliffe Architects. Beyond the lobby framed by soaring concrete arches, the hotel features 123 cozy guest rooms as well as a restaurant and a rooftop lounge. Rooms start at around 499 Canadian dollars, or around $367.

In the trendy West Queen West area, the Drake Hotel is a longtime favorite for its cultural events, concerts and art-filled interiors. With the addition of a new five-story wing, which opened in 2021, the property now has 51 rooms in addition to a popular lounge, cafe and rooftop terrace. Rooms start at around 360 dollars.

On vibrant Dundas Street West in Little Portugal is the family-run Ode, which opened in 2021 with eight private guest rooms, each designed in collaboration with a different local artist. Rooms start at 260 dollars.

Look for a short-term rental in the Trinity-Bellwoods neighborhood, which is surrounded by great restaurants, shops, bars, bakeries, breweries and the popular Trinity Bellwoods Park.

                           Older 36 Hours in Toronto (2016, 2005)

"36 Hours: Toronto. In this famously diverse city you'll find an energetic food scene, vibrant street culture and cocktail wizardry," Egner, Jeremy.  New York Times.13 Nov 2016: TR11.  

With just under 2.8 million residents, Toronto is one of the biggest cities in North America, though it hardly feels like it. Even more so than New York, the famously diverse city is less a metropolis than a patchwork of distinct neighborhoods linked by a live-and-let-live-ethos and a vibrant street culture. Long recognized as one of the most livable...

 

"36 Hours Toronto," New York Times,17 June 2005: F4.  

After 40 years of immigration from virtually every country, Toronto has realized its promise as a vibrant picture postcard of world culture. Cafes, clubs, restaurants, theaters, museums and galleries are everywhere, and instead of...

                                     36 HOURS ELSEWHERE IN CANADA

  I noticed above that I suggested that this list provides all of the Canadian-related ""36 Hours..." articles that the NYT has printed. There are about a dozen locations included, some of which were visited more than once and they range geographically from St. John's to Victoria, and chronologically from 2002 to the present. They were found by searching the databases provided by Proquest, which also offers the brief abstracts. I may have missed a few.
   Those of you interested in seeing how the recommendations have changed over time may find that some of these older pieces are accessible without a NYT subscription.

Banff, Alberta (2002)

"JOURNEYS: 36 HOURS BANFF, ALBERTA"
Headlam, Bruce.  New York Times, 29 Nov 2002: F3.  
THERE are higher towns in the Canadian Rockies, but Banff in late fall is about as close to heaven as one can get. The breathtaking mountain scenery is highlighted by the dark boughs of evergreen trees, and the town's

Calgary, Alberta  (2018)

"36 Hours CALGARY, ALBERTA: Visitors to this Canadian city will find a revived cultural scene, locally sourced menus and ice skating at Olympic Plaza," Glusac, Elaine.  New York Times, 04 Feb 2018: TR10. 
The construction cranes that pierce the downtown Calgary skyline and nearby neighborhoods suggest a boom on the Alberta prairie. In fact, in the past two years, sagging oil and gas prices have crimped Calgary's economy, which is now showing signs of recovery. Projects underway before the slowdown, including the music museum…

Montreal. (2015, 2010,2006, 2003)

"36 Hours MONTREAL: Whether you want to embrace the season on rinks, trails or runs, or simply head to the spa, this vibrant city has it all," Sherwood, Seth.  New York Times, 22 Nov 2015: TR1.  
Winter is right around the corner, and when the going gets cold--like zero-degrees-Fahrenheit cold--Montrealers get resourceful. Some dodge Canadian winter amid the heated vapors of the city's Nordic spas or the warming drinks of cozy bars. Others embrace it by skiing and skating in public parks, cheering the hometown...

"36 Hours: Montreal", Lee, Denny.  New York Times,15 Aug 2010: TR10.  
FRENCH or English? One of the beautiful things about Montreal is that you never know in what language you will be greeted. Which brings up a second tiling: Maybe it's the good food, the open skies or the free-spirited students who call this city their…

"36 HOURS Montreal", Chen, Aric.  New York Times, 22 Oct 2006: D12.  
MAKE no mistake: visiting Montreal is not like going to Paris. True, the brooding facades and crooked streets of Old Montreal feel distinctly European, and yes, the locals take their French seriously. But don't confuse this cosmopolitan Canadian port city for a fusty, Old World wannabe.

"36 Hours Montreal, New York Times , 13 June 2003: F5.  
IF you crave a family trip featuring high culture and haute cuisine but don't want the hassle or the jet lag -- not to mention the air fares -- of Europe, Montreal has it all. Though it is predominantly a French-speaking city, Montreal is not just for Francophiles. It is a cosmopolitan melting pot with more than 100 different…

Mont-Tremblant (2005)

"JOURNEYS: 36 HOURS MONT-TREMBLANT, QUEBEC",Better, Nancy.  New York Times, 18 Feb 2005: F3. 
If you're dreaming of a weekend getaway to Courchevel or St. Moritz but can't stand the falling dollar--or the flights--consider an alternative: Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. Since 1995, the Intrawest skiing corporation has spent more than $400...

Niagara-on-the-Lake (2002)

"36 Hours Niagara-on-the-Lake," New York Times, 03 May 2002: F5.  
THOUGH situated in Ontario only 20 minutes from the thunderous roar of Niagara Falls, it is impossible not to feel light years away from its touristy neighbor up river the moment you enter Niagara-on-the-Lake. Visitors

Ottawa, Ontario (2017, 2007, 2004) 

"36 Hours OTTAWA: Ottawa gears up for its 150th birthday bash this year, with exhibits, galleries and a thriving food scene," Scalza, Remy.  New York Times, 08 Jan 2017: TR11. 
Canada's capital has no shortage of historical charms--from Gothic Parliament buildings to a Unesco World Heritage canal--but it has long been dogged by a reputation as a workaday government center. A weekend in the city, however, proves otherwise. With a thriving food scene, a multicultural and multilingual sensibility owing to its…

36 Hours: Ottawa Arnold, Katie.  New York Times, 26 Aug 2007: D11.
OTTAWA has always had image problems. Back in 1867, when it beat out its rivals Toronto and Montreal in a bid to become Canada's national capital, the Governor General bemoaned Parliament's move to what seemed a frontier outpost on the Ottawa River as an "exile to wilder-...

"36 Hours Ottawa," New York Times, 02 Jan 2004: F3.  
ARMS swinging rhythmically, briefcase In tow, a skater glides to work over the frozen surface of the 170-year-old canal that winds nearly five miles through the heart of the city. Parents push bundled-up babies across the ice in sleighs; and French- and English-speaking vendors sell hot chocolate at...

Prince Edward Island (2002)

"36 Hours Prince Edward Island," New York Times,16 Aug 2002: F4.   FOR decades, tiny Prince Edward Island (population 138,000) has been a recreational haven for Canadians. But why should Canadians have all the fun? Prince Edward Island has all the charm of New England without...

Quebec City (2018, 2016, 2005)

"36 Hours: Even the tourist with little time can squeeze in some of this Quebec city's cosmopolitan pleasures," Glusac, Elaine.  New York Times, 07 Oct 2018: TR9.  
Its cobblestone streets and French architecture make Old Montreal, the original settlement on the St. Lawrence Seaway, compelling. But Montreal, now 376 years old, also has much to offer in its surrounding neighborhoods. From the new restaurants of Gay Village to the annually updated murals of the Plateau and the trendy shopping...

"36 Hours QUEBEC CITY: In Quebec’s capital, emerging neighborhoods reveal a mix of hip and historic that makes for a wide range of enticements," Williams, Ingrid K.  New York Times, 17 Jan 2016: TR12.  Quebec City has long drawn admirers to its historic district--the famed ramparts, quaint cobblestone lanes and handsome stone houses. Get swept up in this squint-and-you're-in-Europe charm, however, and you risk missing out on the Canadian city's most compelling attractions. Over the last few years, a gradual revival has spread…

"JOURNEYS: 36 HOURS QUEBEC CITY," New York Times, 28 Jan 2005: F5. QUEBEC can give provincialism a good name. Orphaned by mother France, dominated by Britain (after what Quebecois still call the Conquest) then for years by majority-Anglophone Canada, the people of…

St. John’s (2006)

"36 HOURS: NEWFOUNDLAND", St John's, JEFF SCHLEGEL, New York Times, 28 July 2006: F3.  FOUNDED in the late 16th century, St. John's was already a settlement when New York City was a mere gleam in the eye of European colonizers. Cod was once king here, but now it's the offshore oil industry that is pumping cash and confidence into this quirky city of nearly 100,000 that sits at North America's easternmost...

Vancouver, B.C. (2017, 2010, 2007, 2003)

"36 Hours VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA: With its urban forests, glassy downtown and lively food scene, this coastal Canadian city can be enthralling," MacNEILLE, SUZANNE.  New York Times,17 Sep 2017: TR8.  
It happens before you know it: Suddenly, you're smitten with Vancouver--its endless coastline, glassy downtown, the extravagant nature that surrounds and permeates it. A recent article in The Vancouver Sun featured a 600-year-old Douglas fir in Stanley Park. Vancouver is that kind of place--a place where a tree is a celebrity. It's also a…

"36 Hours: Vancouver, British Columbia," Lee, Denny.  New York Times,14 Feb 2010: TR10.  
NO wonder Vancouver is often heralded as one of the world's most livable cities. It is blessed with a snowcapped mountain backdrop and crystal blue harbors. It is also a gateway to the Inside Passage--the marvelous maze of glacier-carved...

"36 HOURS: VANCOUVER,"
Weingarten, Marc.  New York Times,15 July 2007: D12.  VANCOUVER, British Columbia, is two cities rolled into one. For outdoorsy types, this western Canadian city is a nature paradise, with miles of scenic hiking trails and bike paths that sweep along the Strait of Georgia, the pine treelined waterway that connects Vancouver with the Pacific Ocean.

"36 Hours Vancouver, British Columbia," New York Times, 08 Aug 2003: F4. 
THE 2010 Winter Olympics, recently awarded to Vancouver, British Columbia, promise to bring a new level of attention to Canada's far-western gem. But this is a city at its best in Summer, when the weather is reliably decent and perfect at times. Vancouver is surrounded by water and mountains and is...

Victoria, B.C.  (2018, 2004)

"36 Hours VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA: This jewel offers innovative restaurants, gorgeous parks and gardens, and museums that celebrate the areas many cultures," CARMICK, SUZANNE.  New York Times,  22 Apr 2018: TR9.
This compact, eminently walkable city, set amid the breathtaking beauty and bounty of Vancouver Island, is lauded as one of the world's top small urban destinations. Beyond the picture-perfect downtown waterfront, British Columbia's capital is an exhilarating blend of cultures, from Canadian and First Nations to Chinese and European...

"36 Hours Victoria, British Columbia," New York Times, 11 June 2004: F4. 
THOUGH elegant Victoria, at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, is the capital of British Columbia, it is actually closer to the United States than to the Canadian mainland. On a clear day the peaks of the Olympic Mountains in Washington seem tantalizingly close to visitors strolling along Dallas Road, a...

Whistler, British Columbia (2020, 2014, 2010, 2005)

"36 Hours: WHISTLER, BRITISH COLUMBIA; This resort has hints of a quaint mountain town. But the high-end indulgences and world-class skiing say otherwise," Scalza, Remy.  New York Times, 02 Feb 2020: TR9. 
Consistently ranked among the top ski resorts in North America, Whistler Black- comb is the opposite of a well-kept secret. Seventy-five miles north of Vancouver, in Canada's Coast Mountains, the resort -- technically two mountains, tethered by a two-mile-long, peak-to-peak gondola -- was the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics and…

"36 Hours: WHISTLER, BRITISH COLUMBIA With a boost from the 2010 Olympics, Whistler-Blackcomb has grown up, now drawing a vibrant, international crowd," Solomon, Christopher.  New York Times, 14 Dec 2014: TR4. 
With apologies to Aspen, Whistler-Black-comb in British Columbia really is North America's most cosmopolitan ski resort. Walk down the Village Stroll. Hear the voices heading toward the gondola: Chinese, Russian, Japanese. Lean in, though, and you'll also hear a Babel of young ski bums who give the place its real vibrancy:

"36 Hours Whistler, British Columbia," Solomon, Christopher.  New York Times, 17 Jan 2010: TR12.  
 THERE are good reasons that much of the Winter Olympics is taking place in Whistler next month. Sure, North America's biggest ski resort looms overhead. But this steep mountain valley is home to something else that makes it particularly welcoming to…

"36 HOURS: WHISTLER, BRITISH COLUMBIA," Mackin, Bob.  New York Times, 02 Dec 2005: F3. 
MYRTLE and Alex Philip found their own pot of gold when they came from Maine and built the Rainbow Lodge by the shores of Alta Lake in 1914. There were several dozen year-round residents living on Alta, a fishing hole 75 miles north of Vancouver. The locals were intrigued by the sound made by the western...

The Bonus: 
   The image at the top was taken from an article that recommends two dozen things to do, some of which are not found in the NYT piece. See: "24 Best Things to Do in Toronto: Museums, Markets, Parks, and Much More," Sefanie Waldeck, Conde Nast Traveler, Sept. 29, 2023.  My two visits in recent times were for musical events and we did find two places worth checking out, neither of which is mentioned. It is the case, however, that I don't think I would want to visit either one during a very busy time: "Little Canada" and "Ripley's Aquarium of Canada." 

Post Script: 
  Another factor in Toronto's favour is that Richard Florida, who knows a thing or two about cities, has chosen to live there. It is also the case, however, that he does also have a place in Miami. 

Book Stores and Authors

Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar - Asheville, NC

   There are examples of authors who sell books as well as write them. The late Larry McMurtry comes to mind and, at one point, his "Booked Up" bookstore in Archer City, Texas contained so many books it actually gave one a reason to go to Texas. If you are thinking about traveling to the U.S. and are bookish, have a look at the list below which consists of book stores owned by authors. Below that list you will find another, for those less adventurous who do not want to cross the border. It provides recommendations by Canadian authors of the bookstores they favour in this country.
  If you are bookish, you may just want to stay on the couch and read. In that case, the lists may be useful since both the bookstores owned by authors and those simply recommended by them are likely to be places filled with books and interesting suggestions about which ones to order. Some even have 'merch' if your Taylor Swift tee-shirt is tattered.

  Before you begin, although I am barely an author, I will offer three of my own recommendations for free. If you like to read and drink, head on down to Asheville, North Carolina. After touring Biltmore ("America's Largest House") go downtown to the Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar. It's both swanky and comfortable as the picture at the top illustrates. Closer to Ontario, you will find Northshire Bookstore in Saratoga Springs. It is a good shop and Saratoga is swanky. If you live in B.C. go to Sidney which has about a dozen bookstores. According to the Wikipedia entry, it is one of two "book towns" in Canada. The other one is Fundy -St. Martins in New Brunswick, but I am not sure why.

10 Bookstores in the United States Owned or Co-Owned by Authors
(The material with each entry is usually taken from the store website and the link provided, along with some text in case the link rots. I confess to not knowing much about some of the authors and if you are like me you will appreciate the brief remarks which are from Wikipedia. The entries are alphabetical by author.)

1. Judy Blume

Books & Books

The Studios of Key West

Key West, Florida.

Books & Books @The Studios of Key West is the brainchild of a small group of local book lovers, led by George Cooper, who previously founded the Tropic Cinema, and his wife, the beloved writer Judy Blume. It is a joint effort of two respected organizations, each of which brings its particular capacities to the venture.

(She is 85 and author of,  Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Judy Blume has won more than 90 literary awards, including three lifetime achievement awards in the United States. ​​Her novels have sold over 82 million copies and have been translated into 32 languages.)

2. Louise Erdrich
Birchbark Books
Minneapolis, MN
We are a locus for Indigirati—literate Indigenous people who have survived over half a millennium on this continent. We sponsor readings by Native and non-Native writers, journalists, historians. Louise Erdrich will sign or personalize any of her books ordered through the bookstore. Has a blog. Carries, games, Indigenous art.(Erdrich is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant writers of the second wave of the Native American Renaissance. She has written 28 books in all, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and children's books. In 2009, her novel The Plague of Doves was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.  She is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, a federally recognized tribe of Ojibwe people.)

3. Alex George
Skylark Bookshop
Columbia, MO.
Alex George (he/him) has published seven novels, which have been translated into more than ten languages….
He has written for, among other publications, The Washington Post and LitHub. Alex is also the founder and director of the Unbound Book Festival.  He is also an attorney, and runs his own law firm in Columbia. A native of the UK, he moved to Columbia twenty years ago, not that he’s counting. In 2022 he was named Midwest Bookseller of the Year by the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association.
Skylark is a fiercely Independent Bookshop. We strive to always find new ways to celebrate literature and our community. Some books give us knowledge and perspective; others simply give necessary space to breathe. Putting the right book into the right hands is a deeply meaningful act. We believe that we can find that book for everyone who walks through our doors. We embrace enjoyment, entertainment, and the beauty of Skylark Bookshop.
Alex George has his own website.

4. Lauren Groff
The Lynx (brand new)
Gainesville, Florida
Best-selling novelist Lauren Groff is fighting Florida censors on their own turf. This spring in Gainesville, she and her husband, Clay Kallman, will open a new bookstore dedicated to Florida writers, LGBTQI+ authors and books banned in Florida.

5. Jeff Kinney
An Unlikely Story
Plainville, MA.
It carries much more than his Wimpy Kids books and has a cafe.
(Kinney is from the state in which I was born. To promote the release of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer, Kinney embarked on book tour across the West Coast of the United States titled "The No Brainer Show" from October 23 to November 8, 2023. Kinney dedicated the tour to libraries and librarians, making a personal donation of $100,000 for libraries along the tour. Over 275 million copies of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books have sold globally as of 2023) 

6. Jenny Lawson 

Nowhere Bookshop

San Antonio, TX.

Founded by bestselling author, Jenny Lawson (AKA The Bloggess), Nowhere Bookshop is a new independent bookstore now open at 5154 Broadway in San Antonio, Texas. Featuring new books, author events, unique gifts, and a coffee, wine and beer bar, Nowhere Bookshop aims to be a space for folks to gather to share their passion for the written word. 
(Lawson is well known for her irreverent writing style.Lawson was recognized by the Nielsen ratings as one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Mom Bloggers and Forbes listed thebloggess.com as one of their Top 100 Websites for Women. She was a finalist in the 2010 Weblog awards for Best Writing and Most Humorous Writer, and a finalist in the 2011 Weblog awards for Best Writing, Most Humorous Writer and Weblog of the Year.)

7. Kelly Link
Book Moon

Easthampton, MA.

It is run by Kelly Link & Gavin J. Grant and many booksellers and features new & used books, so many books, and, yet, never enough books and with more always coming. 

It is a 1,200 square foot, one-floor bookshop, with lovely big windows, comfy chairs, and specialties that include fiction, sf&f, poetry, activism, children's books, and our own Small Beer Press titles — and always a few good chocolate bars. While here, pick up your copy of our Reader's Guide to Western Massachusetts Bookshop map and check out our T-shirts, bumper stickers, and more. Come on by and say hello!
(She won a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship - $625,000!)

8. George R.R. Martin

Beastly Books

Sante Fe, New Mexico

 Also carries banned and rare books and has a coffee shop.

(In 2005, Lev Grossman of Time called Martin "the American Tolkien", and in 2011, he was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world. He is the author of the series of epic fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire, which were adapted into the Emmy Award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones (2011–2019) and its prequel series House of the Dragon (2022–present).)

9. Ann Patchett

Parnassus Books

Nashville, TN.

Hosts events and has a newsletter.

Parnassus Books is the independent bookstore for independent people located in Nashville, Tennessee. Our shop was opened in 2011 by novelist Ann Patchett and her business partner, Karen Hayes, and Ann took over as the sole owner in the summer of 2022 after Karen retired. These days, we’re actually more than just the one bookstore. We’re an airport bookshop, making sure travelers always have something to read via our Parnassus Books / Hudson Booksellers co-branded store in the Nashville airport. Have a blog - MUSING - Here on Musing, we collect and share interesting tidbits, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and lighthearted takes on the bookish life. To use a music analogy (this is Nashville, after all): If the store were an album, this site would be the B-side — extras, bootlegs, outtakes, and bonus tracks.

10. Emma Straub

Books Are Magic

Two Locations, Brooklyn, NY.

Books Are Magic is a family-owned independent bookstore with two locations in Brooklyn, committed to being a welcoming, friendly, and inclusive space for all people. We believe that books are indeed magic, and that literature is one of the best ways to create empathy, transportation, and transformation. We are enthusiastic about offering thoughtfully selected voices and stories on our shelves, and about hosting free and affordable events featuring emerging writers as well as long-adored authors. Books Are Magic is a place for children to feel comfortable, for young readers to grow into lifelong readers, and for our neighbors to be introduced to vibrant new books. 

(Her novels include Modern Lovers, The Vacationers, Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures and All Adults Here. She is the author of a short story collection entitled Other People We Married. In May 2022, Straub's novel This Time Tomorrow was published by Riverhead Books.”

The Favourite Bookstores of 10 Canadian Authors
   For Canadian content I now provide a list which is based on the information found in this article: "Ten Canadian Writers Share Their Favourite Independent Bookstores," Sophie Palmer-Still, Globe and Mail, April 28, 2023.
The author, one of their books and the publisher are provided along with the name and location of the bookstore. There are more than 10 since some authors chose more than one. 

1. Janie Chang, The Porcelain Moon (HarperCollins)
Her picks: Talewind Books, Sechelt, B.C., and Book Warehouse Main St., Vancouver.

2. Vikki VanSickle, P.S. Tell No One (Scholastic)
Her pick: Moonbeam Books, Toronto
Unfortunately this store closed on Jan. 14, 2024.

3. Kate Beaton, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands (Drawn & Quarterly)
Her pick: On Paper Books, Sydney, N.S.

4. Tara MacLean, Song of the Sparrow (HarperCollins)

Her pick: Bookmark, Charlottetown, PEI.

5. David A. Robertson, The Song That Called Them Home (Penguin Random House)

His pick: McNally Robinson Booksellers, Grant Avenue, Winnipeg

6. Geoffrey D. Morrison, Falling Hour (Coach House Books)

His pick: The Paper Hound Bookshop, Vancouver

7. Suzette Mayr, The Sleeping Car Porter (Coach House Books)

Her picks: Pages Books on Kensington, Calgary, and Shelf Life Books, Calgary

8. Lisa Bird-Wilson, Probably Ruby (Penguin Random House)

Her pick: Turning the Tide Bookstore, Saskatoon.

9. Robin Yeatman, Bookworm (HarperCollins)

Her pick: 32 Books & Gallery, North Vancouver

10. Jen Sookfong Lee, Superfan: How Pop Culture Broke My Heart (Penguin Random House)

Her pick: Iron Dog Books, Vancouver

Additional Sources:
   See Destination Ontario for "Unique and Independent Bookstores in Ontario."

   This is the website for CIBA, the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association.

    Penguin Random House Canada provides, Canadian Independent Bookstores which has a map and this search feature: "Find An Indie Retailer Near You." 

   For local bookstores in the Ottawa area see this site by the Canadian Authors Association. 

Beyond the Palewall (8)

 

Coming Soon Next to the Shawarma Shop Near You: A Private Clinic

   If you need a knee or hip replaced, you may be able to soon hobble down the street and get one, or two, or even four. Our government announced that more private options were being made available and that news was nicely conveyed by the Canadian correspondent for the New York Times: The Growing Private-Sector Involvement in Canadian Public Health Care Systems," Canada Letter, Ian Austen,

January 20, 2024.

This week, the provincial government in Ontario announced that it was expanding the number of private clinics providing medical services.

Right now, Ontario has about 900 such clinics, and they mostly offer medical imaging and cataract surgeries. Sylvia Jones, the province’s health minister, said this week that the government was expanding its program to include hip and knee replacements.

The province is being careful not to violate the Canada Health Act by requiring people to pay for medically necessary procedures. That would jeopardize the 20 billion Canadian dollars the province will receive this year from the federal government for health care. While the clinics will be privately operated, their procedures will be covered under the provincial health care plan as if they had been performed in public hospitals.

Ms. Jones said that the expansion would allow more such procedures to be performed and that doing so would cut wait times for patients. Her critics say it will further undermine the public system, that it may actually increase wait times and that it is a step toward full privatization of health care.

   You may not be able to read the NYT article, but you can read this 36 page report which has just been released: "The Scope and Nature of Private Healthcare in Canada," by Katherine Fierlbeck. It is published by the C.D. Howe Institute.
 A serious subject which I should not treat so lightly.

Boil Water Advisory in the Nation's Capital

   Not in Ottawa, but Washington. I mentioned in "Water Woes" that, soon we are all likely to  be very thirsty.  A recent headline indicated that it is true, even in D.C., where a great deal of water is needed for the scotches. In this article, one learns that even the citizens in the ritzy areas (Chevy Chase, Bethesda) were likely to experience problems. Apparently these city dwellers need advice that is much clearer than the water: “Do not drink the water without boiling it first,” the D.C. Water said in an alert issued Friday evening. (The water should be allowed to cool before drinking it.) ("Many Residents of Northern D.C. Are Asked to Boil Water," Martin Weil, Washington Post, Jan. 19, 2024.)

  Some related CANCON: A Canadian Press headline: "Long-Term Prairie Drought Raises Concerns Over Groundwater Levels," Bob Weber, Jan.20, 2024.

“The lowest water levels are all in the last seven years and the levels are much lower now than they were in the ’70s and ’80s,” Pomeroy said. “It'll be a climate signal that we’re seeing....” “It’s something we need to keep an eye on.”

Don't Bet On It

   At the end of last year, I suggested in "On Betting" that perhaps we should be as worried about the gambling situation as we are tired over watching all the ads promoting it. I did offer one source suggesting that money was being made and people are getting jobs in the gambling sector. If you think you can find better statistics related to Ontario, Don't bet on it.  
   Read, if you can, this good article: “Got Questions About Ontario’s Online Gambling Industry” Don’t Bet on Getting the Answers,” Simon Houpt, Globe and Mail, Jan. 19, 2024. He begins by noting that this gambling thing is supposed to be great and he attempts to find out how great from iGaming Ontario. He wasn't able to get much information from them, but it was easy to find out from the folks in New York and Massachusetts.

  

When Ontario announced a few years ago that it was giving the green light to online gambling, politicians made familiar promises about the scheme. It would be great for consumers. Great for the province’s tax revenue. Great for jobs, great for the local innovation economy. (They didn’t say anything about how great it might be for our blood pressure to be subjected to the ensuing flood of sportsbook ads.)

Since then, most of the talk about online gambling has focused on its downsides: the volume of ads; the disappointment in seeing heroes such as Wayne Gretzky or Auston Matthews encouraging fans to get into the betting game; the cautionary tales about addicts losing their homes, their jobs, their families, their lives.

Would the conversation be different if the government actually trusted the public enough to give them real information about the state of the industry?

For almost two years, iGaming Ontario (or iGO), which oversees online gambling in the province on behalf of the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has followed a policy of saying as little as possible. It releases quarterly snapshots that contain a handful of data to show things are going swimmingly.

Which they might be. Who knows.

For the first year of those quarterly reports, iGO revealed almost nothing. It published the total amount of money that had been wagered, but refused to outline how much came from the different types of betting: casino, sports, or online poker. It was hardly a vote of confidence in a promising industry.

It’s finally begun breaking out those figures. Still, it evidently believes most information is like thrash metal or direct democracy: potentially dangerous if released onto an unsuspecting public. And so it withholds data that might help Ontarians grapple with the emerging place of online betting in the province.

He then made a few phone calls and it seems our southern neighbours were rather chatty.

Other jurisdictions seem to recognize the benefits in giving the public access to timely, comprehensive information....

A quick scan of the information published by Massachusetts and New York may give you some idea of the warts that Ontario might be trying to hide.

Last month, mobile sportsbooks in New York State took in US$2.04-billion in total wagers. Of that amount, the market goliath FanDuel handled US$835-million, or about 41 per cent of all wagers. DraftKings handled US$773-million (about 38 per cent), and Caesars handled US$202-million (or almost 10 per cent)....

The Massachusetts numbers for December echo the winners-take-all landscape in New York. Of US$643-million wagered on online sportsbooks, DraftKings handled US$316-million, or 49 per cent. FanDuel handled US$187-million (29 per cent). ESPN Bet, newly rebranded from Penn Sports Interactive, handled US$50-million and saw its market share jump to almost 8 per cent from 6 per cent. The other five licenced operators handled the remaining 14 per cent of the action.

All of which is to say the industry looks a little like America itself: a few fat cats at the top, with everyone else scrambling to survive.

And what does the landscape look like in Ontario, where there were an astonishing 49 licensees operating 72 gambling websites – including, by my count, 30 sports-betting operations – as of Dec. 31, 2023? Are two or three foreign juggernauts dominating an industry the government had hoped would become a central player in the province’s innovation economy, as people suspect? Are Canadian-based companies, which have much smaller marketing budgets than the global behemoths, connecting with consumers? Are they barely keeping their heads above water? Are they targets for the industry consolidation that so many observers believe is inevitable? Will the jobs that the province trumpeted as a major reason to greenlight gambling never materialize, or evaporate? Will online gambling be yet another branch-plant economy of foreign giants?

The questions were not answered.