· Venice: This weekend marks the opening of Venice's huge art to-do, the Biennale, which transforms the city into an exhibition space for international artists until November. While the acqua alta floods the city during late winter and early spring, the Biennale does its own summer flooding of Venice with tourists and fans of modern art, film, music and dance. Expect to see odd apparitions like inflatable icebergs plopped in squares, such as in the picture above. For information on the exhibition's major shows and locations, check out the official website.]]> JetSetCD 2009-06-05T16:49:31-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/5/18/111110/698

Following the huge success of Paris' Velib bike sharing program, we've been wondering how long it would take for North American to get in on the action. Leave it to Frenchy Montreal to show everyone up by being the first on the continent to put the pedal to the metal.

Launched last week, the Bixi program (a combo of "bike" and "taxi") puts aluminum Montreal-made bicycles on the streets, available for rental with annual memberships of $75, a daily rate of $5, or per-hour pricing following a free first half-hour. By June 7, the city is aiming to place 3,000 of the bikes at 300 hubs around the city, and your rented Bixi may be picked up at and returned to any of them.

And these babies weren't named one of Time's top 50 top inventions of 2008 for no reason; the bike docks are equipped with wireless RFID technology which can immediately signal if one is defective, and the pay station itself is touch-screen with energy support from solar panels. According to the Vancouver Sun, this model of bike sharing in Montreal is what's being studied for the future in other bike-desperate cities like New York and London. Bring it on!

Related Stories:
· Bixi System [Official Site]
· Part bicycle -- part taxi, meet the Bixi [Vancouver Sun]
· Bike Sharing Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: AddictiveDJDesigns]]]> JetSetCD 2009-05-18T12:26:56-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/1/26/175951/844
By now all gossip addicts (and the rest of us who have to be online all day) have heard about Marilyn Manson's breakup with his burlesque superstar wife, Dita Von Teese. Sad, because that one was really meant to last. Manson reportedly left his cute 'n' classy wife for mini-Dita Evan Rachel Wood, 19, who we can only assume thinks it's totally gonna last this time. To each their own, we guess. Whether Dita's composure during tumultuous times has inspired you to tap into the magic of burlesque yourself, or you simple want to see her in action, we've got a few suggestions.

In Seattle, Miss Indigo Blue's Academy of Burlesque accepts both male and female students, and promises to teach you "how to twirl your tasseled pasties in at least 5 different ways!" In San Francisco, Bombshell Betty offers Burlesquercise workshops that turn burlesque basics into a workout. And in Montreal, Mademoiselle Oui Oui Encore offers classes, available to women only, near the Mont-Royal metro stop.

If you just want to cheer Dita on, she'll be performing on February 9 and 10 at the Triple Door in downtown Seattle.

[Photo: Lucky Lou]

Related Stories:
· Evan Rachel Wood Goes Single White Female [US]
· Burlesque Classes at the Museum of Sex [Jaunted] ]]> djk 2007-01-26T17:59:51-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/12/19/14255/260

YouTuber obsesik is blazing the way for Quebecois secession, and has posted this video to draw tourist dollars to his province in preparation for the day when it's on its own.

Quebecers use standard curse word favorites too, but have their own brand of mouthing off that uses words relating to Christianity. You know, like you might scream "Jesus fucking Christ on a goddamn crutch!" at the TV when an Avril Lavigne video comes on.

Throw away your phrase book--these are your essentials for getting around Montreal, Quebec City and beyond.]]> djk 2006-12-19T14:02:55-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/12/12/172047/41
While the brouhaha over those "holiday" trees in Seattle pipes down, the war against Christmas decorations is heating up over at Montreal blog Midnight Poutine. Up north, the outrage has little to do with menorahs, and much to do with giant turd-like icicle decorations. Take this encounter from blogger Cat:

The Ice Man Cometh. He cometh and he dumpeth his stool and he dropethhis feces upon us. One presumes that what the "designer" is aiming forhere is some sort of Christmassy icicle effect or glowy North Polestalactite (tiny coloured lights illiuminate the thing at night).

Let's just call a spade and spade (and somebody, please, fetch a spade!) and name this for what it truly is: crap.