Downtown Montreal Groceries, ATMs

I posted a version this on the CoverItLive coverage late last night (coverage continues later this morning with the staff weekend's second general session at 10 AM Eastern), but I'll put it here as well

( Grocery store accessible to downtown )

I don't mean to suggest that ATMs are rare or difficult to find here. They are just as common as any other large city -- including ATMs inside the Palais des Congres. You won't have difficulty finding an ATM in general. I'm just being cheap by seeking out the bank that doesn't impose additional service charges for using the ATM.

In a few minutes, Cheryl and I will walk a couple of blocks up the street to where many members of the staff and committee are gathering for dim sum before we return to the Delta for the second general session.

In passing, I will note that I have as yet neither been to the train station nor rode the Metro, not due to lack of desire, but due to lack of time. I expect to remedy at least one of these two things before I leave tomorrow afternoon.

Edit, 10:20: Added Google Maps link to the address of the IGA grocery.

Anticipation Tempation

This afternoon I was talking with Anticipation's division manager for Programming & Events, and we were discussing where to put the WSFS Business Meeting. His first choice is a room in the Delta Hotel. This has advantages and disadvantages. For a 10 AM meeting, it would be that much more convenient for people staying in the con's main hotel. Conversely, it would be less convenient for those people not staying in the Delta. (It would be at near-maximum inconvenience for me a kilometer away at the Holiday Inn Select, but that's what I get for enslaving myself to Priority Club.) In addition, there would almost certainly be an accusation (unjustified, but people love conspiracy theories) that we were "hiding" the Business Meeting so that only SMOFS could find it -- the location was secret, you see.

Still, I thought it couldn't hurt to go look at the room he had in mind, especially because it was on the same level as where we were meeting today and the group using it had left and it was standing open, so I walked across the hall to Auditorium.

( Function Room Envy )

With deep regret, I informed Programming that I really don't think the room is big enough, and that unless there's no other reasonable alternative, I must really request at least a 200-person-capacity room -- I'd prefer 300 but understand Programming's constraints -- in the Palais des Congress.

Sigh. It would have been fun.