The 21 Swings public art installation, outside at the Quartier des Spectacles in the heart of downtown, is the kind of instrument anyone can play – and everyone is, no matter what their musical ability, age or whether they find themselves next to friends or strangers on the swings…

The long row of seven sets of colourful swings, like a mini playground along President-Kennedy Avenue between St-Urbain and Jeanne-Mance in the Quartier des Spectacles, is set up for collective music making until the end of May. Each swing hits its own notes, some sounding like a piano, some like a guitar or harp.

In French, the interactive installation’s title, 21 Balançoires, hints at part of its concept: to bring people together in public space in a kind of balance that reflects the fast-paced urban environment while showing how community-oriented Montreal really can be. That is, the more people work and play together, the more music can be made.

21 Swings came to Montreal’s streets last year and is even bigger this year and the music different with each group of people who happen to swing by. Created by Montreal artists Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat and design group Daily Tous Les Jours, the installation is a project that blends artistic talents and urban design. Both Andraos and Mongiat have long been involved with interactive public art and design projects in Montreal and around the world, often looking to inspire people who might not think of themselves as musicians, performers or artists – with projects like 21 Swings, like magic, everyone becomes a creative force. Fittingly, the location of the swings is called Promenade des Artistes.

As people swing, melodies and harmonies are made along with others swinging next to them and nearby – sensors track the height, the speed and the position of the swings, triggering notes that match the swingers movements. Add to that an LED lighting system on the swing’s seat bottoms, and it’s a full-on collaborative, cooperative music show like no other, with participants listening to the music, slowing down and speeding up to adjust their part in it, and having a really good time just playing around.

THE DETAILS

21 Balançoires (21 Swings), until June 2, 2013

Photos by Susan Moss

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From our beloved and storied hockey franchise the Montreal Canadiens to our surging soccer team the Montreal Impact, from hometown UFC hero Georges St-Pierre to the power and spectacle of the Grand Prix and the thrilling athleticism of the Rogers Cup, Montreal is a year-long destination for sports fans. And if you’re coming to town for the big game and you need a place to stay, we can help with that too.

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With 2013 fast approaching, we wanted to look back at some of the amazing moments that made 2012 so special and recognize and highlight all the amazing work our cameraman Guillaume Langlois has done. Please check out all of the videos on the Tourisme Montreal Youtube channel and we’ll see you next year!

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The Montreal City Hop-on Hop-off Tour is a unique way to see the landmarks of Montreal. Running from May through October, the bus tour has 10 stops along its route you can disembark, explore, and then rejoin at the next bus passing. The tour is narrated by a professional guide that paints a nice picture of Montreal history and joie de vie. From Habitat 67 to Saint Joseph’s Oratory, the tour spans much of downtown, bits of the Plateau, Mount-Royal and the Old Port. Tickets are $55 but combined with the tour guide and the hop-on hop-off style that allows you to explore all day makes the price well worth it. Tickets available at Tourist Information Center (1001 Dorchester Square)

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From the crests on the wall to the honey-coloured wood tables to the apricot leather banquettes and distressed mirrors behind the full-length bar, the hopping Dominion Square Tavern is something out of a 1920s movie. The waiters’ tuxedo shirts and carefully carved facial hair adds to the impression, but most important, of course, is the food.

Following the worldwide trend for classic tipples, the cocktail list – the natural place to start any meal here – features a frothy gin fizz, a biting sazerac and a refreshing mint julep. The mixing is judicious here, in fact, near perfect – never too sweet or sour, generously strong but always delectably subtle.

Points of departure from the British tradition (the cocktail was invented in London, after all) are their own in-house inventions, such as the Canuck – a treacly treat involving rye, angostura bitters, lemon juice and maple syrup – and the Orange Julep, which is basically the drinkable equivalent of a spiked creamsicle. In other words: heaven on earth.

Appetizers keep the British vibe going with offerings that include a scotch egg: a whole 3-minute egg encased in homemade sausage meat, then battered and deep-fried. It comes served on a housemade mayo as light and fluffy as cumulus nimbus and a spinach and watercress salad that adds a welcome note of tartness. The marrowbone, another favourite app, comes not sliced in the regular rounds, but cut lengthwise, providing an insanely generous serving of fatty marrow to spread on rye toast triangles. Beware, this may be more than the average appetite can handle. A more conservative choice might be the tomato salad, served with lardons and a dollop of cottage cheese. One bite and my initial aversion to the diet-staple dissipated into thin air.

Mains are meaty and homey: the homemade bangers and mash are a comfort-food staple, particularly because the mashed potatoes are laced with cheddar cheese. The braised beef is so tender you could eat it with a spoon. The mussels braised in cider and bacon are famous for a reason, but the beet salad is to be avoided – there’s something confusing about the myriad flavours and textures of the endive, beets, goat cheese and ranch dressing. Too much of a good thing. A great choice for those looking to focus on the drinking more than the eating here are the ploughman’s platters, generous platefuls of terrines, pickled veggies, cheeses and deviled eggs perfect for sharing. There’s a fish one and a meat one – and of course all of the charcuterie is made on the spot.

If you can’t fit in a dessert you owe it to yourself to take one to go – their doogie-bag packaging is so cute it’s worth it just for that. Maybe the nutmeg doughnuts tempt you? They come with a dollop of sour cream. Or the 75% cocoa chocolate mousse, which is decadence in a dish, or the pub classic of all classics: sticky toffee pudding, with a side of homemade coffee ice cream. Who knew the good old days tasted so great?

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THE DETAILS

Dominion Square Tavern, 1243 Metcalf, (514) 564-5056

Isa Tousignant is contributing editor for Canadian Art, Montreal correspondent for Akimbo, and a freelance writer on art, culture, travel, design and shoes for everyone from enRoute to Canadian Business to herself.

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On the Sunday after the actual St Paddy’s day (March 17), the parade, which starts at noon, will march down Sainte-Catherine Street with a gaggle of musicians, dancers, marching bands, floats, giant leprechauns, smaller leprechauns and throngs of people wearing novelty sized hats celebrating with merry cheer.

If you’re wondering what to do this year before the parade, most Irish pubs in heart of downtown Montreal have prepared special menus and events for the holy day. There are dozens of Irish pubs in the parade vicinity that will be serving a special breakfast, and we all know that it’s important to have a good solid foundation if you plan on observing St Pattys properly.

The parade itself is on Sunday, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that you can’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day all weekend. The city’s Irish bars and pubs become hubs of activity before, during and after the parade. Look forward to raucous live music, special Irish cuisine and most importantly, the finest Irish coffees and beers this side of Ireland. Here’s a couple tried-and-true favourites…

Hurley’s Irish Pub is a classic stop if you’re planning on observing St Patty’s. On Sunday, they’ll be dishing out the finest of Irish breakfasts. You can look forward to Irish coffee, sausages, soda bread, potatoes and other native treats. They also have a great selection of beer and alcohol if you’re so inclined- and, as you can tell from the video above, at least one bartender who is actually Irish.

McKibbons is also situated in the downtown core and the watering hole is very close to the parade route. They’ll also be serving a St. Patrick’s Day breakfast (8am until noon) with a twist on the classic Irish meal. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy live Irish music from Good Time Charlie, Salty Dog and more.

There are events all weekend at the Irish Embassy Pub and Grill, but the main event is of course on Sunday. Look forward to a pre-parade breakfast starting at 9am. Then enjoy live Celtic music from The Bombadlis and, soon after sundown, listen to some good old fashioned rock and roll from The Jack.

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THE DETAILS

Montreal St. Patrick’s Day Parade, March 18, 2012

All images courtesy of the United Irish Societies

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We kicked the night off at Deville Dinerbar in the heart of the Montreal downtown bar scene. Deville is a 50s style “dinerbar” with a black and pink motif that made the place feel like the Pink Ladies from Grease might show up and start razzing me at any point. This is a good thing. Deville’s cocktail menu is as diverse as their dinner menu (you can order deep fried pickles!) but we settled on the bartender’s suggestion. The barkeep, a gentleman and martini scholar, made us a refreshing martini with prosecco, cucumber, gin and egg whites. The result was a clean, light and fizzy martini that tasted like summer.

Then it was off to the famous Jello Martini Lounge on Ontario. If you strolled down Ontario you might miss this hidden gem, but the lounge has been in business for a couple of decades and Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Robert De Niro have all graced the bar at some point in the lounge’s storied history. Something tells me those fellas know a good martini when they see one and, after sampling a few at Jello, I concur. We decided to order the “Jello 94″ and the classic “Jello Martini”, which are the lounge’s staple cocktails. The ambience was relaxed and there was a smattering of people at the bar awaiting the night’s festivities. Jello also hosts live jazz performances, improv and there’s a wall of lava lamps if you prefer that style of entertainment.

Afterwards, we hopped up Saint-Laurent and landed at Go Go Lounge, where the bartender blew us away with an array of martinis in all the colours of the rainbow. Behind the bar you’ll find beautiful ladies who are martini magicians and make dangerously delicious drinks. If you’re lucky enough to go to Go Go Lounge, order the electric blue “Mr. Freeze”- it’s no surprise that Go Go Lounge is considered one of the the top 10 bars in the whole entire world. The decor is a swingin’ psychedelic romp reminiscent of The Prisoner and if you like to be fondled, you can sit in a giant hand chair while you order drinks from menus printed on vintage records. We sampled the “King Kong”, “Mr. Freeze”, “Kryptonite”, the “Hello Kitty”, which is a lychee martini, and a big black cocktail that reminded me of my childhood. It’s called “Sweet Tart” and tastes exactly how it sounds.

We continued North into Mile End and hit Baldwin Barmacie. Baldwin Barmacie is a chic bar that specializes in modern cocktails with an antique flair. The bar itself is sleek and dressed up like an old pharmacy. The decor essentially reaffirms what everyone already knows, that alcohol really is best medicine. The bartenders are helpful apothecaries who made us their signature “Bloody Dirty Martini”. It was like a spicy caesar with a twist which was a nice change of pace from the sugar high that left us buzzing from Go Go Lounge.

Finally our last stop was L’Assommoir. It’s the perfect bar for a night cap. L’Assommoir is a dark, cozy yet sleek bar that favours fresh ingredients and has an extensive cocktail list. For our final martini, we selected the “Casino Royale” which is the classic James Bond martini. Any martini drinker worth their salt knows this martini is a must.  Although the martini was stiff, it felt like I was drinking a good, hard lesson. Difficult at first, but in the end I’m better for it.

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THE DETAILS

Deville Diner Bar, 1425 Stanley, (514) 281-6556

Jello Martini Lounge, 151 Rue Ontario East, (514) 285 2009

Go Go Lounge, 3682 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, (514) 286-0882

Baldwin Barmacie, 115 Laurier Ouest, (514) 276-4282

L’Assommoir, Multiple Locations

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Fresh Paint Gallery is a pop up art gallery devoted to street art and graffiti that has come about due to a collaboration between Montreal’s Under Pressure festival and Faubourg Saint-Laurent, an organization of merchants and institutions based in the city’s downtown core. Under Pressure, the graffiti festival founded in 1996, has long held its annual event behind the nearby Foufounes Electriques, making the fest’s founder, Sterling Downey, the perfect person to spearhead this endeavor.

As a pop up gallery, the artwork and artists will be changed every couple of months and the space completely redone. In the gallery now you’ll find work from the collective En Masse, graf legend Cope and world-renowned artist Zilon.

One of the real stars of Fresh Paint, which aims to be both a gallery and space for events, is the building itself. Built in 1908, this pillar of Saint-Catherine was home to La Patrie, a Montreal paper published from 1879 to 1978. It was recently bought by the Church of Scientology, who, having abandoned their overhaul plans, allowed Under Pressure to take it over. It’s an impressive building in its own right, and with much of the artwork found directly on the walls of its first two floors, it creates an interesting juxtaposition of historic canvas and modern artwork. Pretty sure it’s accurate to say that there’s nothing else like it in the city. And entry is FREE, so you’ve really got no excuse not to pop into this great pop up.

THE DETAILS

Fresh Paint Gallery, 180 Saint-Catherine East

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It didn’t take long to figure out one of the key factors. It turns out that Hugue Dufour – an alum and ex-partner of Montreal’s most talked-about restaurant, Au Pied de Cochon, and a close friend of chef-owner Martin Picard – replicated the mothership’s style of cooking in Queens, New York. His M.Wells, set in a rickety diner, opened only last year and became an instant hit. Meat pie. Veal brains. Large cuts of pork and beef, served on the bone: New Yorkers ate it all up!

Au Pied de Cochon

It scored high marks from the critics, including glowing reviews in The New York Times and New York Magazine, and every article included the requisite nod to Au Pied de Cochon, the nose-to-tail temple where it all started. And then came a scorching feature in GQ magazine that bucked the trend of wide-eyed praise. The story is too long to re-tell here, but trust me, it’s a very fun read, if nothing else….

Aside from the avalanche of press on Hugue Dufour, other local chefs have merited their own fair share of ink. The new book by David McMillan and Fred Morin of Joe Beef (pictured at top), for example, will be featured prominently in the October edition of Food & Wine magazine. Titled The Art of Living According to Joe Beef, it will be launched officially on October 20 and it’s pretty obvious, judging by all the attention it’s already garnered, that it’ll be a smash. Already in September, the same magazine featured Fred and Dave’s Québec travel tips, plus their recipes for revamped Québecois classics, like Barley Soup with Scotch, and grilled cheese-and-bacon sandwiches with cheese curds. The duo’s star is definitely on the rise…

Grumman '78

In my own GQ piece on Montreal food, which is about to hit newstands in Brazil, I chose to focus on the city’s beloved taco truck, Grumman ’78. The three owner’s fine dining backgrounds, which is reflected in the unusually high quality of the street food they serve (one of them, Gaelle Cerf, worked at Au Pied de Cochon for eight years). If interested in having a taste and finding out why their tacos have become such a craze, you can always track the truck’s whereabouts on Twitter.

Le Filet

And the very same GQ, in its U.S. edition, recently published a piece – cheekily subtitled “Montreal: Europe Without the Eurotrash” – which highlights what writer Stan Parish sees as the city’s must-sees (in its online version it appears in slideshow form). Among them, a few restaurants I also count among my favourites, like the always fun L’Orignal and Joe Beef, the Quartier des Spectacles‘ great new addition Brasserie t!, Le Filet, and… you guessed it: the infamous Au Pied de Cochon.

Les 400 Coups

For a more in-depth account of what it’s like to eat at these top tables, you won’t want to miss the very thorough Montreal Food blog post by Dr. John Sconzo, a.k.a. Docsconz, from upstate New York. The Doc, as his countless foodie friends call him, is as respected for his balanced and well-researched musings on dining as he is for his actual work as a doctor. He travels the world to eat, knows several of the best restaurants and chefs and, while in town, managed to hit an impressive number of recommended addresses. These included many of the usual suspects, but also less obvious finds like Taverne Square Dominion and Les 400 Coups (the latter, one of my own favourites).

After the whirlwind eating marathon, he concluded: “It was reassuring to rediscover the culinary pleasures of this great city. It is as exciting as ever. Many of the old stalwarts like Toqué!, Au Pied de Cochon and Le Club Chasse et Pêche amongst others are still going strong while the new places are as exciting as I can remember… Montreal remains one of my favorite food cities on the continent. It won’t be so long before I return again.”

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THE DETAILS

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The festival in France is a countrywide event that’s taking place on the first day of fall, September 23. We Montrealers, in turn, aren’t ones for skipping a party either, especially one that includes the chance to eat, drink and be merry, and in doing so celebrate our French heritage.

The way it’ll unroll here this year is that the restaurant members of the worldwide Relais et Chateaux (there’s a whole movement going on in their French properties for the occasion) will offer a four-course menu based on each chef’s ideal of French cuisine, all at a very reasonable fixed price ($100 including wine, tax and service). In Montreal, we have two Relais et Chateaux establishments that will be participating on September 23.

Normand Laprise of Toqué! says that for him, French cuisine represents products and technique. His favorite French chef is Michel Bras, who made veggies fashionable a quarter-century before everyone else, and Laprise’s first course, Gargouillou de legumes facon Michel Bras, is his homage to the master (his main, on the other hand, is beef tournedos). Perhaps best of all, his dessert is the traditional French indulgence, the Paris-Brest, which Laprise will surely riff on in his own way.

Jerome Ferrer of Restaurant Europea calls French cuisine “a living cultural heritage”, and says that his favourite French chef is his grandmother, who showed him the pleasures of the kitchen. Though his favourite French dish is Boeuf Bourgignon, his menu will feature lobster mousseline and braised veal cheeks, as the menus also have an emphasis on local and sustainable products.

Be among the first to see the New World celebrate its roots by eating and drinking living history during the first annual Fete de la Gastronomie!

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THE DETAILS

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