Pugilist

That crazy rose and gorilla is on LST poster @mtlsam who's niceness and ability to scrounge up a massage table (seriously appreciated dude!) is only matched by his bravery.

You need to mention that his ability to scrounge up a massage table was crucial because you BROKE the table you were on. When they say they want you to sit like a rock, they don't mean that literally, sweetheart.

Most of you have seen this already, but stolen from Mike Rubendall's instagram:

Awesome dude, awesome tattoo, super stoked, I think 8-9 hours of tattooing in one week (finishing my back and then this) is enough!

That's TOMORROW? Is it OK if I am super excited for you?

Feel free, haha! I don't think it's really hit me yet.

If anyone is there tomorrow evening, I will be the nerdy looking lady getting her thigh tattooed by Rubendall.

Sorry about the 401, but looking forward to the convention! :)

Thanks guys. I am so happy with it. And @cltattoing - I agree, that's one of my favorite things about her work.

IG folks already saw, but I finished my back yesterday. I love it, although finishing it was very bittersweet! Here is the photo that Stephanie posted. She did everthing but the map, which is an old tattoo that she worked to integrate into the whole thing. She is a great tattooer and human being.

We're finishing my back tomorrow. I feel really melancholy about this!

It sounds like you probably won't walk back, haha.

The convention venue is on the southern end of downtown. If should be an easy metro/bus ride from the Plateau!

So Chad's appointments are all LST people then? Ha.

Mike does OK hannyas and snakes, so you should be good. Haha. Re: size, I told him that he could have as much of the front of my thigh as he wanted, so... I guess it will be kinda big? We'll see.

Thanks for the encouragement guys, I'm so stoked! And I hope you get your baku too, @else!

Great minds think alike! You should go ogle the amazing one @Wilhell has :)

A baku! What are you going to get?

:( If we could, we'd totally invite you guys to stay with us if that made the trip more affordable - @Graeme's parents are with us right now though and will be through the convention. Sorry!

Ok, re: poutine - the most famous poutine place in the city is La Banquise, which is an easy walk from where you're staying (maybe 20 min?). The poutine is ok, not amazing, but it is open 24 hours.

We think our favourite poutine is at a diner we only recently discovered in our neighbourhood, also a quick walk for you guys (and also 24 hours!) called the Resto du Village. It's an otherwise unremarkable little diner, but their poutine is pretty good. Also a short walk from you guys is Poutineville, a newish local chain that allows you to customize and make crazy poutines, and while it's a bit sacrilegious to mess with the classic poutine formula, theirs is actually really good!

Re: sights, the two really cool things around right now are: 1) the mosaiculstures at the botanical gardens. It's an international topiary competition, which I know sounds stupid, but I've been twice now and it's genuinely amazing. Plus it's a beautiful place to walk around. The entrance fee is kind of obnoxiously pricey though. 2) We are actually headed this afternoon to check out the Chihuly exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts. It is supposed to be really amazing: Chihuly : Utterly Breathtaking | Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Otherwise, it is always wonderful to walk up the mountain (it takes maybe an hour to walk up there from the bottom, and it gives you a lovely view), have smoked meat at Schwartz's (expect a long line-up but it moves quickly), get St-Viateur bagels (best bagels in the world, and open 24 hours), and wander around eating pastries and coffee, etc.

If you want to do a splurge meal, Au Pied de Cochon is probably the city's most famous restaurant - it is Quebecois food reinvented and stuffed full of fois gras. Huge portions and insanely rich but delicious! You'd want to reserve for that like, right now though, as it really books up.

Yesssssssss we are really looking forward to it! @BrianH it just so happens the b&b I suggested to you guys is like, two blocks from the bar that @Graeme suggested for a meetup. We are both getting tattooed on Friday evening so we're definitely down for a Saturday evening meetup if that works with your tattoo schedules!

Also let us know if you need suggestions for any food/stuff to see. There is a lot of cool stuff happening in the city right now!

Finishing my back on the Sat, attending a wedding on the Sun! Who is she getting work by?

When are you guys in NYC in Aug? Were down on Labour Day weekend.

I'm on Friday evening too! Who is your appointment with?

@TrixieFaux -- you can have a push tattoo as long as it's an armpit shunga like the one @Stewart Robson gave to @jade1955.

Well played, sir. Well played.

wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy at 430 this morning !

Huge congratulations!!!!